RC Tanks Australia Forum

So, as I was looking for some photos of real Jagdpanther I came up to this: http://www.primeportal.net/tanks/glaubi ... photos.htm and then I really started thinking about building myself one.

Now, there are these:






They are as you all know 1/16 Bruder trucks, and they are really detailed and fun to use....

But...

In order to make them (low loaders) usable for our RC tanks, they are a bit short, and sometimes too narrow.
Tiger I will fit them(http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a379/ ... 0_0389.jpg), as well as other shorter tanks, but what about Jagdpanther or Leopard? To load them onto trailer you need to extend it for at least 10-15 centimeters, while doing this, you need to replicate exact portion of trailer at same time making it stronger to withstand extra load/stress...
This sounds to me like lot of work to get to a point from where you´ve begun.

Also, there is a load distribution problem: this type of low loader puts same amount of weight to its rear axles as well on the back axles of the truck, making its task of pulling even harder.
Bruder offers a solution there:
But now you need a pulling truck, not semi trailer one...

Pesky little bugger, ain´t it?
It´s like Catch 22.

But O.K., let´s think positive: what is mine solution?
Simple; build something like this
(it is front loading low loader, it is used for really heavy stuff)
with this

(it has sound and light module)
and two of these

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Zdravi i veseli bili!

Now to explain a bit about this ´front loading low loader´...
That is a type of trailer that is (as I said before) used for really heavy stuff that can´t go over back trailer wheels because of the weight they would explode in seconds.
Solution is to remove front of the trailer (swans neck) and lowering front of loading area so that crawler (lets say---tank ) can load itself easily. Once it is secured with chains, loading area is lifted and swans neck is put back in place.

Yeah... Right! It all sounds so easy... Maybe too easy....

There is a guy that is selling kits of this type of trailer, almost all is in aluminium, they have steel shocks on all wheels, even has rear wheel steering .... But it costs around 500 US$ , and did I mentioned that you have to assemble it yourself?

But hey, where is a challenge in that? ...OOB...

Oh, yes, just so that I don´t forget about that....
Bruder (morons) toys manufacturer has a web shop (one for Europe) but they accept only IBN transfers (meaning---no Paypal---that you have to pay money in you bank, then it is transfered to some other bank(/s) in the end getting to their bank and sitting on their account... But every time money skips bank, you have to pay extra money ), so you can avoid them in large circle...
But there is US Bruder webshop, and they have entered 21st century so they do accept Paypal...

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Zdravi i veseli bili!

First dry fit assembly:
P6100444.JPG

P6100445.JPG

P6100446.JPG

P6100447.JPG
As you all can see it is very big....
Lenght over all is 142cm (Bruders one are around 85cm).
Basic concept of front loading low loader can be seen on third and fourth picture.
Also you can all clearlly see that it has no problem with tank barrel position. It can be rear or front facing, also there is a small ´island´ in the middle of load area, so that a tank can go on and off trailer without fear of slipping off sideways.

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Zdravi i veseli bili!

Some updates to TGA:
P6150448.JPG
This is ´H´ shaped rear suspension.
Why this?
Well, because this way almost all time all four rear tyres are on the ground, and since they are drive wheels...
Also, this system is self correcting one, no springs involved.
And, yes, it is easy to make...
P6150449.JPG
Front steering system is fixed to undercarriage (though it would be great if it could swing left-right, but since this is road going vehicle, that´s not neccesary).
This took some dry fitting and chopping.
And yes, I know it looks ugly, but if you could see me, I don´t think you´ll mind that much about trucks steering.
P6150450.JPG
Berge was so kind to let me his battery pack (well, he thought it was ´for science´ ), so I chopped it into two parts: one with 4.8V for driving and one 2.4V unit to lights and sound.
P6150451.JPG
I had to remove some of the original ˝engine˝ to accomodate steering system. It looks kind a nice... With some paint on it, it could look better.
P6150452.JPG
Mine little helper...
Hope he doesn´t drive it into abyss from mine table...
He looks kind a happy, so I won´t remove him just yet.
For now, truck is almost over, but there are light and sound left to be done...
I was testing one oil based paint (olive drab from Model Master) and acrilic one (legendary Revell no. 57), and they both seem to hold one pretty well, though it seems to me that acrilic is more scratch resistant.

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Here is how you can disassemble MAN cabin:
http://www.boehm-modellbau.de/modell_cm ... %20man.pdf
Since it is from Germany, and as you can see it is very complicated.
For tools you can use few flat head screwdrivers with various head thickness and a lot of patience.
SO how does it goes?
Bild 1 - unclick two holding pins that are located under front bumper (these are easy to spot and unclick).
Bild 2 - use narrow flat head screwdriver to push two sman pins in outward direction, while holding and gently pushing outward front bumper. Front grill is a part of interior, so you have to gently pull down and outward surrounding mask since there are few slot pins that connect upper part of the mask with bar that is located just under windshield.
Bild 3 - remove mirrors just by hand, pulling them all the way toward cab. They can fold this way, but will also stop folding since they too have holding pins at the both end. You just apply some force to pull them out. Do not pull them out in ˝opened˝ position, only in folded one.
Bild 4 - this is for wind spoiler version...
Bild 5 - push two pins that hold main cabin body, and then insert two pieces of 3-4mm thick plastic rods into gap for stopping them to click back to place. Do not use cardbord as shown on picture since it will crush itself under force and pins will do their job.
Bild 6 - there is a third main cabin pin and this one is hard to unclick, so you can use force, or just use scalpel and remove small plastic bar thast is holding pin in place (on the back of the pin, where it is flat). This way you will be eable to easely unclick it.
Bild 7 - remove engine air intake by sticking two screwdrivers in places shown stih white arrows. This removing is not necessary in this phase, it can be done last, so don´t force it if it doesn´t go smoothly.
Bild 8 - remove main cabin body by tilting it foward with motion rotating in axle with those two black pins under windshield.
Bild 9 - remove front bumper inner part just by pulling it foward.
Bild 10 - remove steering wheel; it has three pins making it very hard to remove, so don´t use to much pulling force on wheels rim cause you´ll end up with bent seering wheel. Instead use two screwdrivers and inserd them between dashboard and seering wheels center body (where it says MAN). Also put some small piece of wood or aluminium on dashboard to protect it from froce applied from screwdrivers.
Bild 11 - unclick two pins located on cabins front floor, and then lift all of the cabins interior by holding it with hand for grill and tilting it all backwardin circular motion.
After this you can acces pins that hold a whole cabin on to chassis. Click lower cabin part into normal position, thes insetr two screwdrivers in a hole that is located just under those two pins that are holding cabin interior. After you have released these two pins on wich cabin is tilting when you are accessing engine, it is time to remove two holding pins that stop cabine from overtillting. You do this by pulling a pin with your fingers in one side, so that other side can bend a little and give away just enough space to release cabin from chassis.
After this you only need to remove windshield; do this by releasing it from main cabin body by gently moving it inward. Do not use to much force, or it could break.
There are also two decorative lamina on each side of side cabin windows. To remove them just grab them with fingers and twist on one side.

Complicated?

Oh, yes, to remove wheels, just put one wheel between your feet and take oposite one (connected with same axle) with hans, then pull like hell. Once you have removed them from chassis use pliers to remove axle from other wheels.
To remove wheels from those trailers that I´ve used, just do ˝V˝ shaped cut under axles so that you can release them, and once you decide to put them back, just pop them into place.

P.S: Bild=german word for picture.

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Some movies...
http://s867.photobucket.com/albums/ab24 ... 200458.mp4
http://s867.photobucket.com/albums/ab24 ... 200457.mp4

Well, it seems that Bruder trucks made untill 2009, all have ´Bruder´ sticker on cabin doors, while those after that period, don´t have any.
Also, all stickers are plastic made (not those cheap plastic-paper-glue stickers wich you just can´t remove without ripping them in pieces) and can easily be removed and resticked back in place (but not more than one time).
So before painting, remove those ˝TGA 41.440˝ stickers.

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Hi kamaz
great build and good videos mate
cool looking driver
would certainly look the part with a leopard on the back
can not wait for the next build

gra

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Gra's Heavy Tank Regiment
HL Tiger 1 - El Mod, Tiger 1, K T Porsche turret, Panzer III & IV, Stug G & E, Panther D,
Matorro KT, Jagdtiger and Sturmtiger, HL Sherman and T - 34, A7V (WIP)
Panzergruppe South Member

Well, video would be even greater if I had some time to build low loader elevating unit, but.... I just hate to demolish donor 1/24 RC NASCAR no. 14... It runs so fine on hot asphalt (tyres melt a bit so, grip increases)...
But, what man has to, has to do...

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Done some changes to gearboxes (removed old ones -> less torque). I used mine HL plastic gearboxes from Bergetiger (replaced them with some metal gear servos) and done some tests; total weight in payload was 13kg, of that 2 on truck (for better traction) and rest on low loader (haven`t measured weight of truck and LL, so that could be 2kg more).

Also, done some changes on electronics; made low voltage RC system to operate high voltage circuits. This could be usefull for 1/6 tanks with 12-24V drive motors and 6v RC system.

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So here are schematics of that RC upgrade I mentioned above:
tga2.jpg
On it there are some symbols, they are:
RC MB - radio control mother board (A/B are for cable input from MB, but since the can reverse polarity, it is pointless to make them in +/- terminals)
1/2 - relay no.1, and relays no.2 (they are both 3V single relay, that can switch 250V circuits)
L/R - input cables for elecrtic motor (in mine case HL gearbox motors)
MOT.BAT. - that is as it says, battery pack for motor (depending on motor voltage they can be anything between 1-250V), also this polarity is permanent, so be carefull on seting it right.

Now, how does it work?
Well, it is best to show you like this:
RC MB RELAY MOT.
A B 1 2 L R
OFF OFF OFF OFF OFF -
- + ON OFF + -
+ - OFF ON - +
Meaning;
-(first row) if A and B are OFF (you do not move your joystick on RC transmitter), relays 1/2 are both OFF, as well as motor (only R pole has - activated, but since there is no + it is OFF too)
-(second row) if A input cable is -, and B is + (you have moved transmitter joystck forward) only relay 1 is on, wich then connects + from battery pack to motor L input cable, making it spin in one direction
-(third row) if A is +, and B is -, then relays 2 are both ON (since they are in parallel circuit) and this time motor polarity is in oppostie position, making the motor spin in opposite direction.

Zener diodes are FR157S, but you can use any other that can cope with voltage within RC system (mine is 6V). Also you can use one parallel relay instead of those two single (this will lower your power consumption).

All in all this is inexpensive modification that can alow you to operate circuits up to 250V with 6V (or less) RC system in one channel.

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Zdravi i veseli bili!