The "Just shut up and build it" thread...

[durok]

I've got the wheel centers flipped, for the wider track option - as the vehicle sits now, outside sidewall to outside sidewall is 12.5"...

Technically, these are the all-black versions - I just bought a set of 4 aluminum rings from GearHead RC so that I can change the look whenever I want!

I was (still am, frankly) dead on my feet - tomorrow will be the real test of the vehicle.

My brother wants me to come over shortly so I'm going to do initial start-up and running on flat ground at his house.

[durok]

Never got to run it yesterday, but here's the finished build -

"Team RRC² (Rzadki Radio-Controlled Racing & Rock Crawling) Revolver #777 Bomber"!

[ScoJac]

That looks really good

Are you going to paint it or rock the bare aluminum panels ?
Question on the rear cage plate, if you bottom out the rear suspension does the plate hang down far enough that it will contact the truss or diff ? I had seen those on eBay and thought it would not only complement but also add strength to the DMG spare tire bracket as well.


Cant wait to hear about it it's first run, Now go get yourself some sleep !

[BattleShrink]

Looks awesome, I like the side body panels.

[2mtech]

Looks awesome!! Love the wheels & tires and those body panels. Sexy! And amazing how different it makes the rig look from stock.

Really can't wait to see it rockin' some rocks now!

And I have no doubt your personal fetishes are best kept buried.

[Zka17]

Really awesome!

Are you going to do some interior too?

[durok]

Originally Posted by ScoJac

That looks really good
Are you going to paint it or rock the bare aluminum panels ?
Question on the rear cage plate, if you bottom out the rear suspension does the plate hang down far enough that it will contact the truss or diff ? I had seen those on eBay and thought it would not only complement but also add strength to the DMG spare tire bracket as well.
Cant wait to hear about it it's first run, Now go get yourself some sleep !

I'm actually really upset with myself, as I took my meds and went to take a nap at about 5AM to 10AM, slept through my alarm and just woke up about 30minutes ago!

For a while, I'm keeping it bare aluminum - although I have purchased aluminum self-etching primer and olive drab and black paint.

I have a different roof panel for later on, a DMG aluminum roof with tubular steel lightbar protection - and front and rear 4" Gearhead RC LED lightbars.

They may not be installed for some time, however... currently I'm using a nylon "basher" roof from T-Bone Racing.

At max compression, ALL of the shocks go all the way to their bump-stops - no problem with the AMF rear plate (has a little tow hook, kinda cute...)

The only fouling of parts is that the arch of the CarterFab rear fender panels does slightly brush the inside edges of the plastic Axial swaybar - nothing structural, and I'm sure they will self-clearance themselves with some runtime.

Originally Posted by BattleShrink

Looks awesome, I like the side body panels.

CarterFab full side panels, one of my favorite aftermarket parts that I picked up ages ago!

Originally Posted by 2mtech

Looks awesome!! Love the wheels & tires and those body panels. Sexy! And amazing how different it makes the rig look from stock.
Really can't wait to see it rockin' some rocks now!
And I have no doubt your personal fetishes are best kept buried.

No worries, everyone's a pervert in one way or another!

My biggest fetish is tread patterns...

Originally Posted by Zka17

Really awesome!
Are you going to do some interior too?

No plans at this time for an interior - I may even sell all my kit lexan interior and exterior parts!

Many, many thanks, guys!

I greatly appreciate the compliments, as this thing was a real bear to finally complete...

The hood is from AMF - it was initially only offered for sale as part of a package they sold on eBay - called the "Deluxe" Bomber bodykit, and I wanted to go with other sidepanels and roof, so I contacted them and asked if they would sell it to me separately and they very nicely agreed. Since then, I have noticed that they now offer it on RPP Hobbies on it's own.

I also have their stainless steel skidplate protector and rear panel w/tow hook. CarterFab full side panels, T-Bone Racing nylon roof. Waiting in the wings for future addition I have CarterFab inner fenders, a WertyMade electronics plate, and a DMG roof w/tubular steel lightbar protector.

EDIT: - not sure if anyone noticed it, but I'm also using a Desert Rat RC Design RR10 Bomber front stinger bumper - Cork Suave 3d-prints them.

I probably won't add those parts until much later, when I fix the MIP driveshaft setscrew problems and throw the other axles and 4100kv motor/Hot Racing skidplate & transmission underneath this cage.

I'm having a few issues with calibration - so far it responds to throttle and steering but I've only tried it up on the CI foam block with all tires off the ground - it's loud as hell when it's right in front of my face in my living room - shouldn't be nearly as bad when outside and on the ground...

Need to set endpoints and see if I can get reverse to chill out - it's controllable going forwards but reverse is like an on/off switch!

So, in a little while I'll need to brave the 102deg heat index and get outside with this thing and see what can be done with the electronics tweaking, and then stretch it's legs!

[Zka17]

The endplate with the tow hook is nice! I was thinking about it...
The side panels are only attached to the chassis at the door level? I don't see any screw holes behind that...

[ScoJac]

Awesome, thanks for the info.

As far as your calibration problems, try reversing your throttle channel at the radio and then try to calibrate it again. I’m sure you have mentioned it before in here, but what radio are you using with this rig?

I will probably pick up that AMF rear plate, and those DMG roof panels cool especially with the metal light guards included.

Wow, heat index of 102...that sucks. Been overly hot here in northern Illinois the last couple weeks. Never was really bothered with heat in the past, but the closer I get to 50 I try to not be out in it. I’m a fair wether crawler, LOL.

When you get around to doing the interior, PEZ candy dispenser heads are in proportion the the Bomber drivers and cheap too.

Opps, forgot you said you won't be doing an interior, you going to use that Aluminum Interior Panel

[2mtech]

Originally Posted by durok

Need to set endpoints and see if I can get reverse to chill out - it's controllable going forwards but reverse is like an on/off switch!

May want bring your reverse percentage down from 100% too...



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[durok]

Originally Posted by Zka17

The endplate with the tow hook is nice! I was thinking about it...
The side panels are only attached to the chassis at the door level? I don't see any screw holes behind that...

I wasn't sure if I was going to use the endplate - but it really ties it all together!

There are the standard 4 bolts at each corner of the "doors" - but the rest of the panel wraps around the back and has a sort of curl in it to wrap around the vertical plastic tubular part of the Bomber cage.

I have made it even more secure by bolting the rear panel endplate over those curled edges, trapping them in place.

Originally Posted by ScoJac

Awesome, thanks for the info.

As far as your calibration problems, try reversing your throttle channel at the radio and then try to calibrate it again. I’m sure you have mentioned it before in here, but what radio are you using with this rig?

I will probably pick up that AMF rear plate, and those DMG roof panels cool especially with the metal light guards included.

Wow, heat index of 102...that sucks. Been overly hot here in northern Illinois the last couple weeks. Never was really bothered with heat in the past, but the closer I get to 50 I try to not be out in it. I’m a fair wether crawler, LOL.

When you get around to doing the interior, PEZ candy dispenser heads are in proportion the the Bomber drivers and cheap too.

Opps, forgot you said you won't be doing an interior, you going to use that Aluminum Interior Panel

Thanks, man - I had already reversed the throttle to get rid of one error code, but it was still giving me grief late last night - No worries, trying it once more this afternoon, I finally got it to work just fine!

Strangely enough, the T-Bone Racing roof is growing on me, at least for the moment. However, I will likely still switch to the DMG roof when I redo the build down the road.

I was going to use the Futaba 3PV that I bought the same day as the kit - but its receiver will only handle 7.4v, and I wanted to send the max BEC voltage from the Mamba X to the servo - and that's 8.0v.

So - in went an extra 8.4v-capable FlySky GT3-C receiver and I had to program another vehicle entry in the transmitter for the Bomber - I normally use that radio for the Ascender.

And, uhhhh.... I'm not planning at this time to use an interior at all...

(I know many people will look down on my rig for that, but it's so freakin' hot here in South-Central Tejas that my electronics need the extra airflow.)

Originally Posted by 2mtech

May want bring your reverse percentage down from 100% too...

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Miatardo gave me a ring, said - let's GO CRAWL TOGETHER!!!

While waiting for him to arrive, I reopened my radio box, connected the Castle DuoConnect (which I can leave in permanently, it's basically a Y connector letting you lug in a Castle Link to the free end of the cable without unplugging anything from the receiver or the ESC) and changed reverse to 30%, not sure why the HH video said leave it on 100% (???)

While up on the CI Cell Block truck stand, it ran perfectly!

We jumped in the big Dodge Quad Cab and he and I (and his son) went to a section of creek bed that we've had great experiences at before. He had his TRX-4 Bronco upgraded with a HW 1080 ESC and a DS3218 servo, and he's reprogrammed his diff locks to be able to lock rear only for fun in the dirt. His son was driving Miatardo's "Dynamite" Bomber (has all Axial electronics replaced with Vaterra Ascender electronics including Dynamite ESC & motor, and Spectrum tx/rx), and I left my Ascender at home with the expectation of MAXIMUM Bomber fun!

Everyone jumped out of the truck at the parking lot and I powered up my Revolver #777 Bomber for the first time with the wheels touching the ground...

Damn impressive, I must say!

Since we were on pavement, I did not give it full throttle - but I discovered the interesting thing about the Revolver motor - it gets quieter the faster it goes!

And, it will spin all four of the nearly 6"-tall super-sticky tires (so sticky from soaking in my chemical bath that they will stick to ANYTHING) from a dead start on clean parking lot asphalt without any problem.

After some slow turns and careful accelerating in forward and reverse (quite controllable in reverse now!) we headed down into the woods towards the creek.

We were having a great time in the river rock boulders, and everything was fine for about 20 minutes...

...when all the sudden, I had an incredibly bizarre failure - my rear wheel just fell off!

I was in shock - for a second I thought I had broken an axle - then I thought, no biggie - must have spun the locknut off the axle - but then, I took a closer look...

HOLY CRAP!

I had "thrown" 4 bolts off the aluminum hub of the GearHead wheel, and the two remaining had somehow partially unthreaded and had little bits of aluminum curly-cues on their threads. I looked at the other wheels and another one had thrown 2 bolts from the hub.

Man, this was insane... No way was I prepared to fix that sort of thing trailside! I was thinking of taking one bolt per wheel off the other 2 and retightening everything and continuing - but strangely enough the allen tool I needed wasn't Metric - 2mm was too small and 2.5mm was too big. I had not touched these wheels in ages, so had forgotten about these things.

Miatardo realized that this was just a horrible situation, me having stupidly left my Ascender at home - so not being able to do anything but watch - so he offered up the idea of running back to my place and performing a repair and still coming back for some more crawling. I thankfully live super-close to this spot, so we went back and I bolted up a new set of wheels and tires (kit Axial BFG Baja T/A's mounted on Chanquish narrow beadlocks) and we went back.

Everything was fine, but it was 8PM by the time we got there!

Only had a little while before it got so dark we could barely see to drive - none of us have lights on our rigs.

I tested the Aux Wire on the Mamba X by pressing the CH3 button on the FlySky - so happy with the result, it works PERFECTLY!

While in "Crawler Mode" I reverse-climbed a little smooth boulder and let off the throttle when I was nose down near the top, rig just hung there on the steep slope. Then I did it after clicking the CH3 switch again, and it just rolled on down without drag brake in "Rock Racer Mode".

We called it a night soon after, and they dropped me off...

End result - I am EXTREMELY happy with the electronics, the suspension, and the appearance of the build as it stands. Yay!

I do need to figure out (again, because I successfully did it once for the Ascender many months ago - but I've forgotten since) setting steering endpoints on the FlySky, because the tires rub the links and springs a bit at full steering lock. Other than that, the electronics are awesome!

Now - for those GearHead wheels - I am replacing the stainless hub hardware with LONGER black oxide bolts and using threadlock this time. All I can think of that may have caused this problem is that I flipped the hubs when I got them to the other side of the wheel centers and I must have not gotten the screws tight enough - and I know I didn't use Locktite. The current SS hardware is kinda short - there's plenty of hub thickness to use longer bolts. I think this may all well have been my fault...

BTW - after all the various hardware problems I've had with this build - I have come to the realization that I HATE SS hardware. I'm not planning on running in the wet, so I will be slowly replacing hardware with black oxide nearly everywhere I see it.

The rig fits in the cool digital camo EastWest DC3025 25" combat duffle bag I bought to carry it, but with the Maxxis 6" Creepy Crawlers I kind of have to shove it in there. It's a PERFECT fit with the kit Axial BFG's!

Anyone looking for a convenient way to transport a Bomber ought to consider
getting one - they can be had for about $27 online, have side pockets for extra batteries and tools, and end pockets for water bottles or whatever. They have a shoulder strap to allow carrying it "no hands". The radio transmitter fits inside alongside the Bomber just fine.

I bought 2 different colored ones, one in sort of a blue-green "Acu Camo" and another in digital desert camo for the other build.

One final tip for anyone using aluminum hoods - if you have trouble putting hood pins through the body posts, here's a tip - courtesy of Miatardo, who came up with it as I was struggling to get them in - sand down the rings of the plastic part that folds over them before the hood. I used a file and just removing a little bit did the trick!

So - thanks for the comments to all of you and a huge shout out from me to my good pal Miatardo for his help today!



Pics of rig on other wheels and tires, and then of rig in EastWest DC3025 combat duffle:

[Zka17]

Yeah, the I am having the same issues on the GearHead wheels! I need to check/retighten the screws which hold the tires on the rim after every run... I am using Blue thread lock, but here for some reason isn't working well... or maybe there amore than one type of Blue thread locks, and I am using the wrong one...

I am waiting for the temps to come down a little bit before hitting the trails... hope to learn driving by then...

Thanks for the tip with the hood! I simply inserted the pins under it, to hold the battery - but the during a roll, the hood opens and gets a lot of beating... last time I lost one of the screws which was holding it...

[Miatardo]

Originally Posted by durok

One final tip for anyone using aluminum hoods - if you have trouble putting hood pins through the body posts, here's a tip - courtesy of Miatardo, who came up with it as I was struggling to get them in - sand down the rings of the plastic part that folds over them before the hood. I used a file and just removing a little bit did the trick!

So - thanks for the comments to all of you and a huge shout out from me to my good pal Miatardo for his help today!

Excellent job sir! I am so glad to see it finally in the dirt! And was proud be present to see the tires touch dirt the first time!

That Revolver sounds soooo crazy. I look forward to more adventures in the future.

OH and thanks for all the information, and assistance you have given. I am glad I was able to give back even if it was a tiny idea to shave a bit of plastic off to help with clearance!

[2mtech]

Sounds like a fun time notwithstanding wheel challenges...all part of the deal!

Don't feel bad...the wheels fall of for me at work all the time!

Glad you got your reverse situation resolved. I've noticed from several videos that Revolvers start out with an otherwordly/alien sound and then quiet down as rpm increases. Sounds cool to me.

[Miatardo]

Originally Posted by 2mtech

Sounds like a fun time notwithstanding wheel challenges...all part of the deal!

Don't feel bad...the wheels fall of for me at work all the time!

Glad you got your reverse situation resolved. I've noticed from several videos that Revolvers start out with an otherwordly/alien sound and then quiet down as rpm increases. Sounds cool to me.

Sounds like a lunar rover for sure!

[durok]

Today I finally "clicked" and got my head wrapped around setting steering endpoints correctly - D'Oh!

And I got a little more runtime in - out at the limestone bluff.

I was able to floor it and see the top speed of the Revolver - it's quite fast, and very stable at speed with no noticeable torque-twist at all.

I did some slow-crawling up the loose-surfaced face of the bluff, the Bomber makes quick work of most of the approaches.

I made some short videos - very hard to do as I was driving one-handed and filming with the other.

I'm going to have to try and do my first-ever YouTube uploads and post them...

The session ended as I was doing some large drifting sweeper turns and threw a inner bead of a rear tire.

This was on the Chanquish narrow wheels and kit tires with CI DD CompCut foams.

So, I'm needing to once again either repair a set of wheels and tires or switch to another one of the so-far unused sets!

I only have 1 more set of 2.2" to try out right now, and that would be the small-diameter (4.3") RC4WD Dune T/A trophy-truck tires - they are mounted on yet another set of the Chanquish wheels.

After that I'd be dipping into my 1.9" sets, both of which are about 4.75" tall.

I haven't picked up hardware for the GearHead hubs yet - they use 4/40 bolts, pretty annoying since everything else I have is metric!

Gonna call around to some nuts & bolts specialists tomorrow and pick some up.

The LHS only had 1 set of 4 for $2.49 - I decided that would be ridiculous and expensive, since I need 24 bolts!

The rig got a little more roughed up today, but prior to heading out I added some sponsorship decals (just keeping it minimal):

First pics are before running it, and last pic is at the end of the day:

[2mtech]

I was wondering if after so long in the incubator you may be reluctant to get the baby dirty...nice to see that isn't the case!

For someone with a wheel & tire fetish you seem to be awfully hard on them...just too much power I guess.

In extreme northern Italy on business right now...sure wish I had my Bomber now because the Alps look awfully tempting for crawling!!

[durok]

Damn - Italy, you lucky dog!

I'm half-German and haven't been able to afford a trip out to my relatives in about 8 years...

My cousin lives at the base of a small mountain with vineyards going up about halfway, and then deep pine forest covering the rest - it would be so cool to take my Bomber up there!

And, yes - I'm currently very annoyed at all of my wheels.

I'm still on the job hunt, so currently not allowing myself to order the Crawler Innovations Double Deuce 6 Bolt plastic glue-ons for my last set of tires, the Team DC Nitto Mud Grappler copies.

When I finally get those, I may end up using them a lot because they at least wont throw tire beads!

(of course, they bolt up to SLW hubs, so I could technically still have hub bolt issues...)

The Chanquish only use 4 bolts on the inside to grab the bead - not enough, in my opinion.

I think actually the BIG Gearhead/Losi Maxxis Creepy Crawler set will do fine once I get the hub hardware.

Sure would be nice if I could run at least a whole pack before having wheel or tire problems!

I just test-fitted a set of 1.9" wheels and tires - just doesn't look right, which is strange because I have seen some 1.9" Bomber builds that looked great.

Must be the side panels or somethin'.

My other body for the carbon-fiber rails should look OK with smaller wheels and tires.

Ah, well...

I'm currently trying to upload my first video - a very short closeup of the Revolver spinning up out on the dirt - but the processing is taking FOREVER!

[Zka17]

A little bit of dirt on these beauties is a must! - I think...

This tire-popping-off-the-rim is really upsetting! Since last time I wrote about it, I have checked and one of my front wheels did it again... I am just not sure if it is the same wheel or it is happening one after another...

[Jboucher]

You are popping beads on the chanquish as well?

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