Taigen tanks durability
 

How easily do the all plastic tanks break? Are there any metal upgrades that are a must?

I think it really depends on the tank. Some of the "Plastic" models still have the metal suspension, some are all plastic. I can tell you I have a "Plastic" Tiger 1 and I abuse the hell out of it. The only problem I have had was the D shaped hole that slips onto the driveshafts on the sprockets split. I have changed the tracks and sprocket/idlers over to the metal ones and they are solid! A lot depends on how hard you drive your tanks. I think my next Taigen tank is going to be the Panzer IV, it seems like all the parts I would want metal are metal(tracks, sprocket, suspension even though its a "Plastic" tank.

For any of the tanks I think the metal sprockets are the only "must" I would do....but thats just my opinion.

Its all about preference really. The metal tanks have more mass and typically run better on rough conditions compared to the plastic editions that have a tendency to float over obstacles. Weight however can be added using stick on weights or similar, making the metal upgrades an option for the future or not at all. The only suggested upgrade from me as a tanker is a steel gearbox. The included zinc alloy gearboxes on some of the tanks will do OK but the steel versions offer a much better overall experience and efficiency.
Even though upgrading to a metal edition from a plastic edition might cost more than a new metal edition, it can be done over time at your own pace and according to what you need. Hopefully this helps!

Which metal sprockets are you talking about? Here is the parts page.

http://www.imex-model.com/category/9...lease%20Select

Sorry, Taigen calls em Drive wheels.

Where a Metal Hull (which is usually Plastic encased) is available then for me that is a must have,
But modern Tanks are usually made of ABS which is both robust and flexible enough to take the strain that earlier Tanks could not.
As ever it is what YOU are happy with,
Of course Erik is spot on about Gearboxes.
shaun

I did not see these on the IMEX site??

Taigen also uses a stronger plastic then Heng Long.

What? In what parts? Sure Taigen is doing a good job retrofitting & installing upgrades, but besides their self designed products whatever plastic they have IS heng long...

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2119290Also this thread....

Basic thoughts:

Light tanks = less stress and less prone to accidents. The more stuff you add, the bigger the list of compensatory parts grows.

A 15 pound tank is going to need everything, and at that point you might as well grab one of the Taigen / Asiatam metal hull kits with full steel running gear (my favourites)

On the lighter end a Panzer 3 / 4 can run forever in stock configuration. I like to add working track tensioners just for peace of mind & to make it look cooler. Additionally metal Panzer tracks are considerably lighter and won't necessitate further upgrades.

I have a 5 pound tank and a 15 pounder. They have totally different drive setups and require me to handle them differently.

What do you have in mind?

Taigen actually has their own molds. I asked Erik about the the differences about their Sherman upper and the standard Heng Long. He told me that the main differences are the details (molded tools, hatches, and the like), and they use better plastic.

I think it might be a good idea if Erik could explain what Taigen does. From what I can tell, there are a lot of people that think all they do is put a coat of paint on Heng Longs with some of the basic upgrades and ship them out the door.

That is exactly what they do as far as I know. Now they have branched out into their own stuff on a couple of tanks with some Metal hulls( Sherman and the T34) that aren't Heng Long, but basically when we are talking about the entry level Taigen they are Heng Longs tanks with Taigen electronics and a coat of paint.

That is true is some cases and in some cases it is not true. Their PzIII and PzIV are HLs with a paint job. Same errors, same tracks, same everything. Their Sherman is their own (also a different variant than HL's, Mato's or Tamiya's Shermans. Their Tiger I (early, late and mid) are their own. Their Panther G is HL's with a paint job. Their Bulldog and Pershing are HL's with a paint job, complete with all of the same detail and suspension errors. I can't say if they're using different plastic in those, but they appear to be using the same molds for those.

Take a close look at what you want to get from Taigen vs HL. Erik's customer service is top-notch. So, in some cases, all you're getting if you buy a Taigen is an HL with a paint job and MUCH better customer service should something go wrong.

As far as required metal upgrades, I'm not sure that any are "required". I ran mine as stock HL with plastic everything for several years. They ran and had their limitations. I've upgraded several to metal suspensions, and lower hulls (PzIII). Now, they still run (though differently) with different limitations.

Thanks guys.

Can I install metal tracks on plastic drive wheels?

Hi,Dan, In practice you can fit metal tracks to any tank with plastic wheels BUT some types will suffer wheel failure sooner than others,
The Tiger 1 has most wear on the sprocket and rear idler the road wheels are not under much load from the tracks but conversely Tanks with rollers are an invitation to disaster,
In my worthless opinion metal tracks = metal drivetrain and plastic tracks are best suited to a plastic drivetrain.
I now wait an expert to arrive shooting me down!!! shaun

Thanks Shaun.

In the video I posted below the tank makes a whiny sound other than the speaker sound. There are some tanks that make this sound and some that don't. Does anybody know what the sound is?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_yJDsopzF8

The whine at the beginning with the turning turret is from the speaker. The upgraded electronics are simulating the sound of the turret rotating. The whirring sound while it's running are the motors and the gears working. Depending on the gearboxes and motors you get more or less of that sound. Not sure you can eliminate it entirely, but it can be lessened with good gearboxes and masked by the speaker.

It sounds good to me, nothing too excessive. Keep those gearboxes lubed and if you can find another place to run your tank other than the sand, you might think about doing it. I could see the polishing effect already developing on your forward road wheels. At 3:20 in your video, when the tank is stopped.