Sign in to follow this  
Kelso

[HELP] Building an RC Tank

Recommended Posts

My goal is to build a RC Tank, however I am incompetent when it comes to Lego Technic, last set I had was many years ago.

So i'm hoping someone here could help me out, which things would I need, how many motors? Which size motors? Would it be smart to buy a certain Lego Technic set?

Any help would be much appreciated!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

It isn't too difficult, but it depends a lot on the size, smaller models will be more difficult because of space constraints, and large models will suffer from problems with lego parts breaking and flexing under weight. The key is to determine what size you want it to be. For the motors I would suggest using either L or XL motors to power it. It depends on the track size too, if you want to use 3 stud wide or 5 stud wide tracks. That will determine the motors to use/ road wheels/ suspension.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I think the size will be about the same as set: 42042 minus the hight, and with those tracks. I'd rather have extra power then not enough, so I suppose XL motors will do. Will I need 1 for each track? Btw your tanks are fantastic.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

My goal is to build a RC Tank, however I am incompetent when it comes to Lego Technic, last set I had was many years ago.

So i'm hoping someone here could help me out, which things would I need, how many motors? Which size motors? Would it be smart to buy a certain Lego Technic set?

Any help would be much appreciated!

There are a million and one ways to build an RC LEGO tank, so please take everything I say with a grain of salt, it all depends. I made a video about building my first couple of RC tanks, you can take a look at it here: https://youtu.be/LAVb-w7TWC0. I have also made several tutorial videos about this topic (see my channel). With regards to the motor, pretty much what Tommy said. The amount of motors depends on what kind of functionality you want to tank to have. For driving I would get 2-4 Medium, Large or XL motors. For turret rotation, gun elevation and shooting you are probably best of with some Medium or Large motors. I think the best way to buy those is through the official LEGO shop. You can just order the motors you want. For controlling the tank I would get some Sbricks.

Ow and finally, I would just order the rest of the parts you need through bricklink instead of getting a specific set, eventhough that is what I did when I started. In hindsight I would have been better off if I had just bought the parts through bricklink.

Edited by Kelkschiz

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I find it rather difficult to figure out which and how many bricks and plates I should buy. Any recommendations?

I plan on building something of my own. I'm not even sure what type of suspension I should use, though torsion seems the easiest.

How many tank threads will be a good idea to purchase? 100? 200?

edit: Also, what kind of part do I need to make my turret rotate?

Edited by Kelso

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

It is pretty hard for anyone to advise you on what to do when you yourself do not even know exactly how you want to build your model. You may want to begin by sketching out a model in LEGO Digital Designer. Then you can see a parts list and get an idea of what you might need.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I find it rather difficult to figure out which and how many bricks and plates I should buy. Any recommendations?

I plan on building something of my own. I'm not even sure what type of suspension I should use, though torsion seems the easiest.

How many tank threads will be a good idea to purchase? 100? 200?

edit: Also, what kind of part do I need to make my turret rotate?

A torsion-bar suspension is easy to make, cheap and functions well for nearly any size of tank. The other questions are very difficult to answer because I don't know what kind and how large a tank you are imagining to build. Lego tanks vary hugely in size and functionality.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I've been using the LEGO Digital Designer for about an hour now. The size will be about the same as this tank, maybe slightly longer: http://sariel.pl/2014/09/tiger-xl/ I think I need about 140-150 track pieces.

I still can't figure out how to create a rotating turret though.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I've been using the LEGO Digital Designer for about an hour now. The size will be about the same as this tank, maybe slightly longer: http://sariel.pl/2014/09/tiger-xl/ I think I need about 140-150 track pieces.

I still can't figure out how to create a rotating turret though.

Again there are many ways to make a rotating turret with Technic LEGO but some often used parts are:

http://alpha.bricklink.com/pages/clone/catalogitem.page?P=18939c01#T=S&O={}

http://alpha.bricklink.com/pages/clone/catalogitem.page?P=99009c01#T=S&C=86&O={"color":86}

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Okay, I think I know what to buy now.

2 questions left, does it matter how many gears there are between the motor and the drivewheel in the tracks?

And will I need 2 receivers and 2 remotes if the tank and turret motorized?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Okay, I think I know what to buy now.

2 questions left, does it matter how many gears there are between the motor and the drivewheel in the tracks?

And will I need 2 receivers and 2 remotes if the tank and turret motorized?

First part, you want the fewest number of gears that can make the model move. I'd recommend gearing down 3:1, if you have a heavy model. You failed to mention the motors you are using, so assuming you are using XL motors, and have a device the size of Sariel's King Tiger, that's probably a good number. If possible, eliminate connections with bevel gears, as those tend to reduce efficiency.

Second part, yes, you'd need one remote for each receiver. Well, not quite. It is possible to use one remote to control multiple receivers, but I find that to be an awkward solution at best, so go with one remote per receiver.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Gears waste energy, less is better unless you need lots of torque.

you will need one remote/receiver per 2 functions.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Are there certain gear pieces better to use with these XL motors? (different sizes?)

edit: Nvm, found lots of gears.

Edited by Kelso

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

My advice would be to roughly build whole tank without motors for the propulsion. Then according to the weight of the model you add either 2, 4 or more XL motors. At minimum you should use XL motors (NTX, EV3 or RC buggy are better). Neither Large nor Medium motor is powerful enough to move tanks around reasonably fast. By fast I mean faster than big construction models you see in this forum. Tanks ar not construction equipment. They must go fast!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
Sign in to follow this  

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    No registered users viewing this page.