M548 tracked vehicle

[Mike Flea]

It should work, but I did notice at the very end, you pulled on the cog wheel and it moved a tad to tension

[cooper_xl]

yes...a little..I think I have too many track links . only powered testing will tell

[cooper_xl]

The real M548 uses shocks on their first wheel, each side (and the last,also) so I've circumvent the problem of not being able to do torsion bars for those wheels with an axle arm similar to the others but mounted on a flange with 2 bearings and a shock. The shock it's an axial one, gone from 93mm to 62mm,53mm compressed and 71mm extended. Shorter shaft and a "cap" hiding it to look more scale.






https://youtu.be/1UZWKm-NJfg

[cooper_xl]

video


Have to adjust the teeth on the traction and keep adding tension on the tension wheels. It moves well back and forth but turning it's still a problem. Tracks keep going off the guides.

[Mike Flea]

Canvass turned out well, the tracks look a little loose, but you don't want them too tight, or those plastic cleats will either stretch or break. The only metal tracks available, that I know of, are from Kyosho :https://www.amainhobbies.com/kyosho-...oblw2b/p492781, and these would be too wide for your application.

[cooper_xl]

So...couldn't wait to test it. Here's a quick and crude edit from that day. We're still learning how to drive it and see it's limits. Tried some soft climbs, it reaches the top, eventually. Have to stiffen the last 2 springs and adjust again the tension. Tracks slipped out twice but doesn't stuck like the first attempts.

Hope you like it!

https://youtu.be/mSvIj8-q1oA

[Mike Flea]

Those bogies move very realistically, I think if you tighten them too much you may lose that look, but like anything else we do in RC, you have to do multiple test runs until you perfect it. Your project has turned out great!

[cooper_xl]

Originally Posted by Mike Flea

Those bogies move very realistically, I think if you tighten them too much you may lose that look, but like anything else we do in RC, you have to do multiple test runs until you perfect it. Your project has turned out great!

Thanks!! it is a good learning experience...BTW, in the video, the driving was done by a friend, former military. He had not seen it in the flesh. Loved it and even did an offer,even admitting he couldn't pay what it's worth

[Mike Flea]

Your bodywork skills, and attention to detail truly brings out the scale, and your artistic abilities, in creating a tracked vehicle from the ground up. This ain't no cookie cutter Tamiya!

[cooper_xl]

Originally Posted by Mike Flea

Your bodywork skills, and attention to detail truly brings out the scale, and your artistic abilities, in creating a tracked vehicle from the ground up. This ain't no cookie cutter Tamiya!

Thanks!




Did some work on the M2 and it's mount.


The ring rotates, the gun pivots to the sides and up/down and it could be lifted to take out





https://youtu.be/1J5VbgjzONY




The 3d model was supplied by a fellow spaniard that's doing a fully printed M548. Added just the ammo box cradle, ammo box and the interface to the ring:





















And the paint:

[Mike Flea]

Ammo box with the belt feeding into the weapon looks real, the carry handle on the side is obnoxiously large, and there should be a carry handle on the top: https://www.google.com/search?q=.50+...w=1600&bih=739

[cooper_xl]

Originally Posted by Mike Flea

Ammo box with the belt feeding into the weapon looks real, the carry handle on the side is obnoxiously large, and there should be a carry handle on the top: https://www.google.com/search?q=.50+...w=1600&bih=739

You're right...that's the wire I had in the moment..




Done something regarding to movement: I was limited to only one of my radios because of the mixing needed to make the truck move. But I also need that radio for the JK so instead of buying another receiver I risked it for a solution 10 times cheaper:Ordered an Hobbywing V-tail mixer.

Should have done that ages ago. Simply connect the plugs and it's ready. The crappy weather allowed indoor testing only but responds well and didn't fail untill now






https://youtu.be/XVWU-hUpY98






And this is being silly on sand leftovers from house renovation s. It's running on 3s:

https://youtu.be/dqGMbEIazh8

[Mike Flea]

Runs good!

[cooper_xl]

Although they're the same scale, seems that the M548 has been hitting the gym

[cooper_xl]

Did a accessory for Bishop:


Put the epoxy putty on his head to do the rough shape:




Closer to the final shape:





Ear pieces and mic:






Painted:

[Mike Flea]

Helmet turned out nice, Good Job!

First pic at top, the scale between the 2 vehicles looks right, next pic down, the camera angle changed, the Mog looks as big as the M548, but generally speaking, the Mog is no slouch to begin with.

[cooper_xl]

Originally Posted by Mike Flea

Helmet turned out nice, Good Job!

First pic at top, the scale between the 2 vehicles looks right, next pic down, the camera angle changed, the Mog looks as big as the M548, but generally speaking, the Mog is no slouch to begin with.

Thanks! unimogs are very cool! i never dealt with military unimogs but once in a while, get to work on unimog firetrucks..pretty usefull when you're building a tiny one and need photos.


I have the build of mine here too.My favourite truck




Speaking of Unimogs, a friend gave me a scale CB radio from Shapeways for my Unimog. The thing is that I never mounted it and it sat for a while in the shelf. But the M548 it's also perfect for it. So, I've finished it.

The radio was painted black, including inside with nail laquer for the light don't bleed out(more on that later)

Need the mic so I did a quick one on PVC, the round part was achieved pressing a bearing against the pvc. The rest was dremel and sanding



Some thin cable wrapped around a wire could make a scale spiral cable?



I think so:



All assembled:




So, there's a LED behind and drilled 1mm holes on the front for the light pass through. In place:

[cooper_xl]

These LEDs were a PITA to mount. When I did the rear section,didn't thought in practicability to mount lights. But was doable:


It's a printed taillight with a real piece of stoplight inside


Headlights and winch:



And this:

You guys don't imagine for how long I've waited for that extra bit of patience to fit the weatherstripping in the windows and then, the wipers



first 3 are done

[cooper_xl]

After the front and rear windows, left the corner windows for last.

Honestly, I was expecting them to be hard but not that hard. Starting by the fact I needed to heat form the curved windows and then do the weatherstripping . Quit the idea of using rubber and make a paste with putty and black paint to apply and close the gaps





Could have turned out better but will do

[cooper_xl]

Pretty much on the final stretch but there's something important:the henglong gearboxes are not up to the task.I'm already on the second set.

Working on new system using these gearboxes:



Ordered a 30:1 to test

Thought of machining the structure but 3d printing could do the job



First of all, I'll not say that this was my original creation

There's a german shop( https://www.modellspiegel.com/) who created and sells these gearboxes for 1/16 tanks:



I had several ideas for the new drivetrain and the chosen was heavily influenced by this layout above

But I the time, I'm not in condition of forking out all that money and also like to do things myself as much as possible


To the build,this is where it sits now:





Need to do a test trial to see if the ratio it's good or not, and then order the other gearbox