Hooben M4A3E8 "Easy Eight" Review & Build Out
09-13-2019, 03:19 PM
#76
For the what its worth dept...
Hooben is selling metal track for their 1/16 M4 & Tiger but still don't offer metal sprockets, wheels or suspension upgrades to match. They couldn't even confirm if they are compatible for other metal sprockets on the market. Track pricing is higher than IMPACT's so have no clue who they think they are selling to besides a captive audience.
09-13-2019, 07:55 PM
#77
Hooben is selling metal track for their 1/16 M4 & Tiger but still don't offer metal sprockets, wheels or suspension upgrades to match. They couldn't even confirm if they are compatible for other metal sprockets on the market. Track pricing is higher than IMPACT's so have no clue who they think they are selling to besides a captive audience.
Personally while running the Hooben during our testing I found the Tamiya M4/26 tracks were the smoothest in overall running. But for looks and gripping performance on this era of tank nothing beats the tough chunky IMPACT T84 chevron “rubber” & metal tracks for the money. I cannot see why anyone would buy the all metal Hooben T84 tacks when one can purchase IMPACT T84 for less and it look right from the start.
My recommendation when it’s time to change or upgrade the stock Hooben tracks is to go straight to Tamiya M4 or IMPACT T84.
Last edited by Fsttanks; 09-14-2019 at 10:01 AM.
09-13-2019, 08:36 PM
#78
Probably because the Impact tracks won't be around much longer. They are supposedly only selling off their current stock. At least that's what I had heard. Impact is getting out of the game.
09-13-2019, 09:05 PM
#79
Also many folks may not know this and might find it interesting. The IMPACT T84 tracks also work on the old Tamiya Leopard 1 tanks. The real Leopard 1 used a close variant of the T84 track for much of its early to mid service life. The IMPACT T84 really add a new tougher looking element over the stock old school steel Tamiya tracks that came with the Leopard 1. I don’t run my Leopard 1 anymore so after experimenting with the fit and function the tracks went onto other uses mentioned above.
Last edited by Fsttanks; 09-13-2019 at 09:55 PM.
11-01-2019, 09:42 AM
#80
Well during a recent battle day with the San Diego tank club the Hooben "Easy Eight" finally broke down after 8 months of hard use. The left rear idler axle broke off and the idler wheel feel off. Repairable? Yes if one has the building skills.
Overall it is not surprising given the stress the plastic shafts undergo. Still we expected the track or bogie wheels to fail first. It is still uncertain at this point if the time will be made to repair the Hooben or it will be placed in the parts bin waiting to be stripped of its useful remaining parts. If you are interested in saving the Hooben, contact RichJohnson through a PM he may be will to sell it off to make room on his workbench.
Overall it is not surprising given the stress the plastic shafts undergo. Still we expected the track or bogie wheels to fail first. It is still uncertain at this point if the time will be made to repair the Hooben or it will be placed in the parts bin waiting to be stripped of its useful remaining parts. If you are interested in saving the Hooben, contact RichJohnson through a PM he may be will to sell it off to make room on his workbench.
11-01-2019, 03:51 PM
#84
Yes a tamiya idler would work but I fear that next time a stick or rock goes up the idler it would rip the idler off the plastic hull. If it were bolted through the hull with a backer like tamiya standard sherman it would be stronger but still would torque and flex the plastic. Overall im not sure its worth the effort to do. Would be much better to just slap the top on a tamiya chassis.
11-01-2019, 03:54 PM
#85
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Yes a tamiya idler would work but I fear that next time a stick or rock goes up the idler it would rip the idler off the plastic hull. If it were bolted through the hull with a backer like tamiya standard sherman it would be stronger but still would torque and flex the plastic. Overall im not sure its worth the effort to do. Would be much better to just slap the top on a tamiya chassis.
11-01-2019, 08:25 PM
#86
Haha no, thats going backwards. My son that inadvertantly broke this idler wheel off, did the same thing on the same side of a henglong sherman. I grafted a mato adjustable idler onto his tank a few years ago when it happened.
A tamiya chassis is the best solution and the fastest though not the cheapest. The top half is a nice tank, it looks good except for the fender gussets that could be removed and replaced. Its worthy in my book of a tamiya chassis when I can come up with one since I dont have a spare one just lying around...
I dont really feel like putting in a ton of effort to repair the idler only to have the other side break or this one break worse ya know.
A tamiya chassis is the best solution and the fastest though not the cheapest. The top half is a nice tank, it looks good except for the fender gussets that could be removed and replaced. Its worthy in my book of a tamiya chassis when I can come up with one since I dont have a spare one just lying around...
I dont really feel like putting in a ton of effort to repair the idler only to have the other side break or this one break worse ya know.
11-01-2020, 10:58 AM
#87
The saga of this Hooben Sherman is still ongoing. We last left it when my son drove it in a San Diego battle and a small stick got up in the track and jammed at the idler and rather than stall or pass through the ilder broke off because the shaft is weak plastic.
I put together a Tamiya chassis and a photo montage of the process of moving the top over. The big thing I had to do was move the bolt bar on the tranny cover forward a little bit to make the front line up. For some reason tamiya tanny noses are much longer than all the rest of the RC tank makers, its nearly always an issue so you do your best to line up the front of the armor plate with the right spot on the sprocket and work from there.
I cut the inner edges off the fenders to clear the slightly wider tamiya nose and then gluded them under the fenders back into position.
I then cut the back of the hooben apart and litterally just sat it on top of the tamiya hull. I did have to cut a slight bit off the inside edges of the rear wings that hang behind the tamiya hull so I could fit the rear of the hooben in place.
I put together a Tamiya chassis and a photo montage of the process of moving the top over. The big thing I had to do was move the bolt bar on the tranny cover forward a little bit to make the front line up. For some reason tamiya tanny noses are much longer than all the rest of the RC tank makers, its nearly always an issue so you do your best to line up the front of the armor plate with the right spot on the sprocket and work from there.
I cut the inner edges off the fenders to clear the slightly wider tamiya nose and then gluded them under the fenders back into position.
I then cut the back of the hooben apart and litterally just sat it on top of the tamiya hull. I did have to cut a slight bit off the inside edges of the rear wings that hang behind the tamiya hull so I could fit the rear of the hooben in place.
11-01-2020, 02:11 PM
#88
Finally the Hooben EZ8 will have a lower hull that is durable and smooth operating!!!! Lot of work, but I think it has finally found its place. Good job Rich with compilation of Hooben and Tamiya👍👍.
