Notices
RC Tanks Discuss all aspects of rc tank building and driving here!

Has Heng Long Improved?

Old 07-18-2016, 03:49 PM
  #1  
T Skaz
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Grandville, MI
Posts: 229
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default Has Heng Long Improved?

I'm back into RC tanks after 4 years doing Drones and was wondering has Heng Long corrected their inaccuracies on the Tiger 1 tank. Like the cosmetic issues. Barrel to short, main hatch in wrong position, pistol port horizontal instead of vertical. Things like that. Have they been corrected? Because I have a Heng Long Tiger 1 metal upgrade 2.4 on order. Tim
Old 07-19-2016, 06:11 AM
  #2  
BludoTheSmelly
Senior Member
 
BludoTheSmelly's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Greensboro, NC
Posts: 382
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

I think they're only going to be so good. Low cost item is only going to have a certain amount of quality. The Taigens to me are better products, if i could go back and change i would have not bothered with heng longs.
Old 07-19-2016, 12:02 PM
  #3  
Tanker 10
 
Tanker 10's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Roseville, CA
Posts: 888
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

I bought the HL Sherman a couple of years ago, my first and last HL tank.
Old 07-19-2016, 03:03 PM
  #4  
philipat
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Okinawa, JAPAN
Posts: 2,898
Likes: 0
Received 4 Likes on 4 Posts
Default

Yes, HL has improved. No, they're no where near Tamiya. If you want a solid tank as an RTR from the box, go with Taigen. But, research them first. Most are much improved versions of HL tanks. Some are basically just HL tanks with a better paint job and better electronics. I would only get an HL if you know you want to do major work on it that would have you hacking up the Taigen anyways. Or, if you're looking at getting one that Taigen hasn't really upgraded. That's why I went with an HL PzIV when I did that build. Taigen hasn't done much to upgrade that one and I knew that I would add a lot of tweaks - Taigen, Asiatam, Mato, etc - that didn't justify the extra cost of the Taigen.

Oh, and I like my airsoft. So, as good as Tamiya is, it's not on my list to buy.
Old 07-19-2016, 03:05 PM
  #5  
jarndice
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Hemel Hempstead,Hertfordshire, UNITED KINGDOM
Posts: 891
Received 64 Likes on 60 Posts
Default

It disappoints me that people who are asked about the latest version HENG LONG Armour then regale us with story's about the HENG LONG Armour that they used to own,
That is not helpful or perhaps they think there have been no changes over the years,
Some of the changes include a change in the Plastic to "ABS",
A change from 27MhZ crystal powered Transmitter to a 2.4 Digital with ALL the controls on the transmitter,
All the tools and external fittings are now POPPED ON and no longer need to be scraped off with a craft knife or Dremel,
Heng Long no longer sell I/R Tanks,
The range of Tanks in 1/16 is growing longer,
The latest release being a "T90" which will be out in a month.
And the greatest single advantage over "TORRO" or "TAIGEN" is that they are cheap enough to go to town on and build YOUR Tank without thinking about the extra you paid for a Torro or Taigen "Special" Paint job that probably cost $20 but costs you $100,
Most of the people who complain about the electrics and the running gear of Heng Long Tanks have no intention of keeping the Tank "STOCK" so if the Silhouette is all you want why moan about the gears or the "RX18" that you intend changing anyway ?
Shaun.
Old 07-19-2016, 06:02 PM
  #6  
T Skaz
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Grandville, MI
Posts: 229
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Can you be more specific on the Taigen vs HL. Taigen being better. Convince me why I should choose the Taigen because I still have time to swamp my Heng Long metal Tiger that I purchased for some other brand. Is the smoker better, cosmetics more accurate, sound and smoke proportionate? Can you help me out. Tim
Old 07-20-2016, 01:00 PM
  #7  
maillemaker
 
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 653
Received 6 Likes on 5 Posts
Default

I'm pretty new to the hobby. Started last Christmas. I now have an HL Panzer III, Sherman, and two Jagdpanthers. One of the Jagdpanthers has metal tracks and drive/idle wheels and transmission.

I had a bad motor on the Sherman that had to be replaced by the seller. Sherman also had to have the Airsoft unit replaced.

The PIII is old-style, with the old T1000 or whatever ABC non-replaceable-crystal control set. Had no smoke and no sound. It's still one of my favorites and has given me the least trouble.

The Jagdpanthers are the crystal style. I've had problems with the airsoft on one of them and the headlight has gone out on another but this might be something I screwed up while rooting around inside.

The Sherman is the 2.4GHz style. I very much like having all controls on the remote and the trim adjustment. I'm pretty much sold on 2.4GHz.

I also very much like metal tracks and wheels and transmission. The plastic transmissions have built-in clutches to allow slippage of the clutch before stripping of the plastic gears. On lighter tanks like the PIII and the Sherman it almost never kicks in. On the heavier tank Jagdpanther it is slipping all the time on any kind of rough terrain.

But by the time you take a Heng Long tank and upgrade it to metal wheels, metal tracks and 2.4 Ghz, you're getting into Taigen price range already.

And the problem with the HL metal-upgraded tanks is neither the tracks nor the wheels come painted, so you'll be painting. I don't know if the metal-track/wheel Taigens come already painted or not. If so, it would be an even bigger incentive to go Taigen.

I like the HLs because it's easy to get in the door cheap. I can buy a $150 tank and not catch too much flak from the wife and then put $50+ upgrades in it along and along to stay under Wife Radar until I end up with a $300 tank. Whereas if I try and buy a $300 tank outright high command gets involved.

Steve
Old 07-20-2016, 03:03 PM
  #8  
T Skaz
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Grandville, MI
Posts: 229
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Oh I know the wife deal!!! LOL I prefer to paint my tanks and weather them. I do 1/35 WWII tanks and dioramas. I don't want to sound like I'm bragging but I can do a much better paint job than whats on the Taigens. Now don't get me wrong they do a great job but they are to perfect and some of the tanks accessories are painted that shouldn't be. I do like the Heng Long metal gears and metal tracks. The metal tracks have the proper sag, not tight on the tank like the plastic ones. It's a lot easier to put realistic tank damage on a plastic hull then it is on metal. If I bought a Taigen I would weather it, rust it, fade it. You know what I mean. Thanks for your input! Tim
Old 07-21-2016, 02:55 PM
  #9  
YHR
Senior Member
 
YHR's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Grande Prairie, AB, CANADA
Posts: 8,976
Likes: 0
Received 4 Likes on 4 Posts
Default

Typically if you are going to be upgrading the electronics and gears, you are better off going with the cheaper HL in my opinion. It all depends on the purchaser. Straight ready to run with no Mods the Taigen might be worth the price. However as someone else mentioned some of the Taigens are nothing more then a Heng Long with a better paint job. if you are a tinkerer, chances are you will be redoing a lot of the Taigen stuff, As far as electronics go the current stuff is toy grade and can not be used for any of the third party electronics that give you better control, sound and servo control. So you really need to know what end result you are looking for. If you are adding a bunch of stuff you might as well start with the least expensive blank canvas you can.IMO
Old 07-21-2016, 04:58 PM
  #10  
T Skaz
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Grandville, MI
Posts: 229
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Dan I think I'm on the same page with you and agree with you on the cheaper HL. I have on order the Heng Long Tiger 1 with metal gears and metal tracks with 2.4 transmitter. The all metal body doesn't impress me. After I paint it you can't tell it's plastic. I will have no problems with the outer cosmetics. That's kind of my specialty,1/35 static models. I like the metal tracks though because they have the proper sag. It's easier to do realistic battle damage on a plastic body than on metal. I'm going to paint it in winter camo. This is just a personal endeavor in a much more larger scale. I want it to be a neat conversation piece. I want people to look at it and say "that looks and sounds like the real thing". Like I stated when it comes to the electronics, that's when I get lost. Tim

Last edited by T Skaz; 07-21-2016 at 05:44 PM.
Old 07-21-2016, 07:14 PM
  #11  
YHR
Senior Member
 
YHR's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Grande Prairie, AB, CANADA
Posts: 8,976
Likes: 0
Received 4 Likes on 4 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by T Skaz
Dan I think I'm on the same page with you and agree with you on the cheaper HL. I have on order the Heng Long Tiger 1 with metal gears and metal tracks with 2.4 transmitter. The all metal body doesn't impress me. After I paint it you can't tell it's plastic. I will have no problems with the outer cosmetics. That's kind of my specialty,1/35 static models. I like the metal tracks though because they have the proper sag. It's easier to do realistic battle damage on a plastic body than on metal. I'm going to paint it in winter camo. This is just a personal endeavor in a much more larger scale. I want it to be a neat conversation piece. I want people to look at it and say "that looks and sounds like the real thing". Like I stated when it comes to the electronics, that's when I get lost. Tim



Yes I have always been about building and therefore am not that interested in expensive RTR. Sound has always been important to me, so I know from the get go the electronics are getting ripped out as well as the 3:1 gears So it doesn't make much sense to overspend on things you are going to be removing. I also enjoy painitng and detailing so that means any kind of paint job is irrelevant to me as I will be repainting it anyway. The basic Heng Long is nice place to build from for guys like us.

Here is a video of a stock Heng Long with the TBS from 5 years ago. This is the tank that started my sound quest. I was amazed by what the TBS was able to do, and I then talked to David about modifying the DBC to interface with TBS. The engine revving is all mapped to the throttle so you don't need to flick any switches to play a preprogrammed rev sound. This tank at the time was controlled with a Heng long radio. Also the much criticized RX18 seems to move this tank out in a very prototypical manner. Its all about the gears. This doesn't even have a BARC in it which smooths out the RX18 even more, and of course the BARC removes that ridiculous recoil.. It was using a card Thomas did up for me that would attach to the stock Heng Long electronics. We abandoned the idea as the card was going to cost more then a full featured BARC. So that was the beginning of it for me. I still love these electronics and have kept a supply for myself.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0jsvUua8K4 Others prefer to buy RTR which is fine too, you just have to know what kind of modeler you want to be and make the choice that suits you best. Nice thing now is there are all kinds of options so you can insert yourself into this hobby pretty much anywhere you want.

Good luck with the road ahead.

Last edited by YHR; 07-21-2016 at 07:16 PM.
Old 07-22-2016, 03:52 AM
  #12  
T Skaz
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Grandville, MI
Posts: 229
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

That looks and sounds awesome. It definitely sounds like I have your same goals in RC tanks. So who can I contact to look into purchasing the TBS and BARC system. Thanks for all your help, Tim
Old 07-22-2016, 04:24 AM
  #13  
jarndice
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Hemel Hempstead,Hertfordshire, UNITED KINGDOM
Posts: 891
Received 64 Likes on 60 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by T Skaz
That looks and sounds awesome. It definitely sounds like I have your same goals in RC tanks. So who can I contact to look into purchasing the TBS and BARC system. Thanks for all your help, Tim
TIM,Hi,
If you look at the initials "BARC" and then look at the very bottom of "DANS" missive you will quickly see that Dan's famous modesty is holding him back from telling you to click on the web- site on the bottom line where all will be revealed. Shaun.
Old 07-22-2016, 04:38 AM
  #14  
T Skaz
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Grandville, MI
Posts: 229
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Thanks, but it was stated he is getting out of the business. Not taking on new customers.
Old 07-22-2016, 05:32 AM
  #15  
YHR
Senior Member
 
YHR's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Grande Prairie, AB, CANADA
Posts: 8,976
Likes: 0
Received 4 Likes on 4 Posts
Default

When Heng Long quit producing IR tanks what they were really doing was stopping production on the RX18. This was the writing on the wall. My stock is low( enough for my personal use and handle some customer service) and I am not investing any more time and money into producing the BARC.

The TBS is available from Benedini, but you need a hobby grade radio that produces proper PWM signal. You will be able to produce the engine sound with just the TBS. Without the BARC you will need to find another way to trigger the auxiliary sounds.

I was unable to convince enough people on the merits of the BARC, and with the saturation of tank electronics on the Market this situation was not about to improve so I am out.

Another option is to buy a low cost CLARK board and then supplement that with the TBS.

Heng Long has a new board out that has Tiger one sounds and Leopard sounds on it. I have not heard it yet, but that might be an option as well.. This third party electronics business is really at the mercy of Heng Long and Tiagen. If they start producing tanks with reasonable sound, 90% of the market won't be looking for upgrades. Heng Longs new electronics, might be just what most people want.

Cheers

Dan

Last edited by YHR; 07-22-2016 at 05:41 AM.
Old 07-22-2016, 06:49 AM
  #16  
T Skaz
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Grandville, MI
Posts: 229
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Thanks for that info Dan!!! I was just going to ask you what system you would recommend, everything I would need for the Tiger 1. But you pretty much explained it. If you have any more suggestions let me know. I could sure use the help. Thanks, Tim
Old 07-22-2016, 07:09 AM
  #17  
Panther F
 
Panther F's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Franklin, IN
Posts: 9,772
Received 41 Likes on 38 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by maillemaker
I'm pretty new to the hobby. Started last Christmas. I now have an HL Panzer III, Sherman, and two Jagdpanthers. One of the Jagdpanthers has metal tracks and drive/idle wheels and transmission.

I had a bad motor on the Sherman that had to be replaced by the seller. Sherman also had to have the Airsoft unit replaced.

The PIII is old-style, with the old T1000 or whatever ABC non-replaceable-crystal control set. Had no smoke and no sound. It's still one of my favorites and has given me the least trouble.

The Jagdpanthers are the crystal style. I've had problems with the airsoft on one of them and the headlight has gone out on another but this might be something I screwed up while rooting around inside.

The Sherman is the 2.4GHz style. I very much like having all controls on the remote and the trim adjustment. I'm pretty much sold on 2.4GHz.

I also very much like metal tracks and wheels and transmission. The plastic transmissions have built-in clutches to allow slippage of the clutch before stripping of the plastic gears. On lighter tanks like the PIII and the Sherman it almost never kicks in. On the heavier tank Jagdpanther it is slipping all the time on any kind of rough terrain.

But by the time you take a Heng Long tank and upgrade it to metal wheels, metal tracks and 2.4 Ghz, you're getting into Taigen price range already.

And the problem with the HL metal-upgraded tanks is neither the tracks nor the wheels come painted, so you'll be painting. I don't know if the metal-track/wheel Taigens come already painted or not. If so, it would be an even bigger incentive to go Taigen.

I like the HLs because it's easy to get in the door cheap. I can buy a $150 tank and not catch too much flak from the wife and then put $50+ upgrades in it along and along to stay under Wife Radar until I end up with a $300 tank. Whereas if I try and buy a $300 tank outright high command gets involved.

Steve



I know what you guys mean. It's so much easier to get a $750.00 Tamiya kit in the door and make a $1,500.00 tank out of it than trying to slip a $1,500.00 tank in the door.

Of course, my wife's not the high command here... but my equal partner in decision making.




Jeff
Old 07-22-2016, 07:20 AM
  #18  
YHR
Senior Member
 
YHR's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Grande Prairie, AB, CANADA
Posts: 8,976
Likes: 0
Received 4 Likes on 4 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by T Skaz
Thanks for that info Dan!!! I was just going to ask you what system you would recommend, everything I would need for the Tiger 1. But you pretty much explained it. If you have any more suggestions let me know. I could sure use the help. Thanks, Tim
You might want to look at these. They hook right up to the Heng Long electronics. The sound on the Beier is top notch and this is added to the HL stuff so you don't need to swap it out.

http://www.beier-electronic.de/model...2/usm-hl-2.php

video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yynZ2IrwVY8

Last edited by YHR; 07-22-2016 at 10:24 AM.
Old 07-22-2016, 09:38 AM
  #19  
maillemaker
 
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 653
Received 6 Likes on 5 Posts
Default

I love how the engine sound realistically follows what the tank is doing. Wish I knew how to do that. It sounds so complicated.

Steve
Old 07-22-2016, 04:08 PM
  #20  
T Skaz
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Grandville, MI
Posts: 229
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Awesome sound! Awesome paint detail too!!!! That sounds easy to do. Thanks for all the suggestions. Tim
Old 07-23-2016, 12:20 AM
  #21  
Jay-Em
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: GroningenGroningen, NETHERLANDS
Posts: 104
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Afa Heng Long improving, I can say that they still miss the boat here & there if you're a rivet-counter. However, their more recent offerings, like the Challenger 2 are pretty spot-on.

I was kind of amazed what they had included. Apart from the stickers, that are as wrong as they get, it is a pretty solid offering.

The best part? All accessories are force-fit, none of that glue-monkey stuff they were 'famous' for.

I own quite a few HL tanks from earlier days, they blew Rx-modules with alarming regularity, their older smokers would run for half an hour (if you were lucky) and then just burn-through. Their BB guns Malfunctioned half of the time.

All that has improved. Smoker has run for more than an hour already, noisy, though, no change there. The bb gun works, and the sounds are quite a bit louder... Which shows even better how crappy they actually are..

the biggest improvement in the electronic department is the new 2.4ghz system. It has amazing range and all functions -even the smoker- are controlled from the transmitter.

The Rx18 2.4 ghz has the receiver integrated, and it no longer runs too hot too easily, even with Graupner speed400's. Just to be sure I still stuck a small esc-fan at the back under the engine-compartiment's covers to keep some airflow going, since it has been 30C outside the last few days,

The running gear hasn't changed a bit, even the metal stuff. Fit is still iffy, tracks jump&wobble around and make the rear-end of the tank do a good impression of twerking on low speed, but it evens-out when going a bit faster. The pot-metal gears are heavy and chip too easy though, mainly because the slop in the bearings/bushings is -still- atrocious.

Oh, and -not unimportant- speed and turret rotation are fully proportional now. I couldn't determine stepping anymore. That was quite the surprise. However, the barrel still does that idiotic, stupid up/down cycling. Djeebus. Even a cheap -a.. Torro T-34 has separate up/down by now.

so, all in all, Heng Long hàs improved, but don't expect miracles, the tanks are stìll just cheap starter-platforms, 'RTU' (ready to upgrade), but they will no longer fail in the first hour, so to speak.
Old 07-23-2016, 05:06 AM
  #22  
T Skaz
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Grandville, MI
Posts: 229
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Thanks Jay-Em, it's good to know what's good and what's bad on these tanks. At least it's good to know they improved on some things! Tim
Old 07-24-2016, 03:05 PM
  #23  
T Skaz
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Grandville, MI
Posts: 229
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Hey Shaun, Is there Ant TBS dist. in the U.S.? Where can a guy from the U.S. purchase these RC tank electronics? Like the TBS board. Tim
Old 07-24-2016, 05:23 PM
  #24  
YHR
Senior Member
 
YHR's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Grande Prairie, AB, CANADA
Posts: 8,976
Likes: 0
Received 4 Likes on 4 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by T Skaz
Hey Shaun, Is there Ant TBS dist. in the U.S.? Where can a guy from the U.S. purchase these RC tank electronics? Like the TBS board. Tim
You can buy the TBS from the Benedini site or I think Hobby king sell them as well
Old 07-25-2016, 03:38 AM
  #25  
ausf
 
ausf's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: , NY
Posts: 3,084
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
Default

Beware there are fake ones and scams out there surrounding the TBS, so if you come across a cheap one, it's most likely not a real TBS (if it exists at all). Especially watch out for ones that don't call it the TBS but a sound card for RC cars and link Benedini's site and instructions.

Benedini's shipping is quick and reasonable and you don't pay the VAT, so 19% comes off the sticker price.

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.