First real RC - Craigslist find - Super-budget build

[supra_89t]

As usual, the forum ate my original post...so here's the cliff's notes:
I'm new to the forum. I had an RC as a kid, but this is the first "real" RC I have ever had. I picked it up on Craigslist in January for $200 missing the interior and spare tire but with 2 batteries, a charger, transmitter, castle BEC, Savox servo (with a broken ear), Titan 21t 550 motor, homebrew swaybar, aluminum links, and aluminum body panels. She was in rough shape, but for $200?!? I couldn't say no.

Time and money are both tight, so I am building this thing on the cheap. Objectionably cheap, in some instances. I'll post pics up as I change things or break things. I am also going to keep a running tally on this page of expenditures for reference.

***UPDATE*** As it turns out, I am much less good at spending very little money than I originally thought. So, this is no longer really a "super" budget build. It is turning out to be more of a "try to find things used or on sale" build. I do have some low-cost ideas that I plan on putting into action, but the time required vs the cost of the parts seem to have an inverse relationship, and in that respect I seem to have more money than time, unfortunately.

Initial Purchase: $200
Vanquish Servo Mount: $15
Vanquish Servo Clamps: $9
Savox servo case: $9.50
"Spare tire" (1.9, but it'll do for now): $0 - donated by a buddy
Mamba Max Pro, Tenshock SC411 4000kv, Speed Passion Blaze 4600kv, GForce 2700kv, JRRacing servo and a sensor cable: $120
Hot Racing 10t steel pinion (too long, won't work) $9
4mm Bullet Connectors $11.50
Soldering Flux $9
Team Associated pinion gears 11t, 12t, 13t pack $25
Castle Field Link and Quick Connect $40
notajerryskid donated yeti wheels/tires $7 (shipping)
Axial Method wheels, hubs and hardware $29
Traxxas Jato rod ends $10
GMade XD piggyback shocks 4x103mm + 2x93mm $50
ZOP Power 4S 3500mah battery $29
iMax B6-AC charger $33
Low Voltage Alarm/Battery tester $3
XT60 to Deans adapter $2
Proline Hyrax tires $61
CI DD Comp/Med foams $43
Fast Eddy's AR60 bearing set $13
Venom Deans male charger adapter $8
Axial M4 Wheel nuts $3
Axial 0.5x6mm spacers $7
Bearings 10x15x4mm $7
Bearings 5x11x4mm $4
RX extension cables $7
Team Associated Green Slime $5
110% RC Blood gear lube $5
SSD Diamond delrin skid $15
SSD Diamond rear axle $60
Leather punch for venting tires $11
----------------------
Total: $860 as of 4/29/17

The day I got it: Screenshot from a slo-mo. Terrible green beadlocks and general shabbyness.


Custom light bar (the kids were asleep and I wanted to drive - desperate times call for desperate measures). You can see the rather boring plain white body panels.


The first thing I did was replace the plastic servo mount with an aluminum Vanquish mount, added servo clamps and replaced the servo case since one of the ears were broken off. The plastic servo mount was way too flexible.

I was not a fan of the color scheme, so over the last week or so I modified some two of the beadlock rings, painted the wheels and body, and dropped a "spare tire" donated by 2000UZJ on the back. I also topped off the shock oil in the front shocks. I like it much better this color. I realized too late that I forgot to deal with the inner beadlocks. :( Oh, well. Kids will do that to you. I'll fix them later.

New color scheme and modified beadlocks. I got tired of cutting, so I just painted the other two silver. You can't see both sides of the Bomber at the same time, so I am ok with it for now.










Finally got to drive her today.

[Brake Weight]

I'd personally remove the spare tire mount altogether if you don't have a matching spare. Just my opinion. I like the 'brushed' aluminum better than the painted, too. Also, what ESC does it have?

Look around, do research, ask questions, and get your post count up. Then check the classifieds-for sale section regularly and pick up what you need.

$200 ain't bad.

[Ty@Tekin]

Welcome to your new addiction!

[Thechewmaster]

Originally Posted by Brake Weight

I'd personally remove the spare tire mount altogether if you don't have a matching spare. Just my opinion. I like the 'brushed' aluminum better than the painted, too. Also, what ESC does it have?

Look around, do research, ask questions, and get your post count up. Then check the classifieds-for sale section regularly and pick up what you need.

$200 ain't bad.

Ya, I'm not sure I like the 1.9 spare either, I was going to try a 1.9 but maybe I won't, just looks so small back there. I prefer the Aluminum panels over painted as well, but the rig works fine either way $$$$$$.

The classifieds here are awesome, well worth the post count. There is so much info here on RCcrawling, your search button will hate you.

Most important, have fun out there

[notajerryskid]

WOW!! What a score!! the 1.9 looks funny. PM me your address I have a set of (4) 2.2's from a Yeti that I would ship to you rims tires but no foams if you pay shipping.

[supra_89t]

AFAIK, the ESC is the original.

Yes, the 1.9 does look funny. PM sent!

[Bripick]

I have 2 bombers one is a budget/parts bin build fun to beet those

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

[supra_89t]

So...I did something. I just sold a car, so I had a little cash burning a hole in my pocket. I picked up a Mamba Max Pro, Tenshock SC411 4000kv, Speed Passion Blaze 4600kv, GForce 2700kv, JRRacing servo and a sensor cable from a guy on Craiglist for $120. I am super excited about the Tenshock, but I will likely run the GForce first because it has the connectors on it and all I need is the 5mm pinion. I am hoping to pick up a 10t pinion this Saturday from a local hobby shop. All of the gearing is factory right now, so I expect the 10t pinion with the 2700kv motor will give at least the same top speed as the Titan 21t that is in it now. I am hoping the Tenshock is more than a handful, but I will have to wait to find that out. I'll hang onto the servo for a future transfer case install or as a spare.

[Brake Weight]

I just put a 2650kV in mi e yesterday. 13/64 gearing and it's a fast jog.

[supra_89t]

Originally Posted by Brake Weight

I just put a 2650kV in mi e yesterday. 13/64 gearing and it's a fast jog.

Is that on 2s or 3s?

[Brake Weight]

I forgot that part. I run mine on 2s. I'm trying to set it up for trails and medium speed stuff.

[supra_89t]

Originally Posted by Brake Weight

I forgot that part. I run mine on 2s. I'm trying to set it up for trails and medium speed stuff.

Excellent. Right now, with the 21t Titan and 12/64, it is about the same speed as my 9-year old can run. I'd like it to be about 25% faster with the 2700kv and 10/64 on 3s. I hope it is break-stuff-fast with the Tenshock 4000kv.

[supra_89t]

So, I excitedly ran to the local hobby store Saturday to pick up the 10t pinion, bullet connectors and a Castle Link, but apparently the guy at the LHS misread the package on the pinion gears when I called Friday and they did not have 5mm shaft gears; they were 3mm shaft. I was a little miffed I drove all the way over there so I went back to my original plan...ordering everything online...and waiting...no point in paying more for the stuff locally when I cannot use it any sooner.

[Brake Weight]

Same here. Most often it's Amazon Prime to the rescue.

[supra_89t]

This damn hobby is an emotional roller coaster. I got so excited today when I got notification that my pinion gear had been delivered (two days early!! ). So I get the Titan 21t ripped out and am mocking up the new can only to find that the Hot Racing 10t pinion is too long to properly mesh with the spur. I may try to drill it out, but it is a steel gear and if I don't get it just right the resulting wobble might destroy my spur.

And to add insult to injury, 2000uzj and I found a little rock garden to crawl this evening and I stripped the hex on one of my wheels. It was already iffy, but the rocks and throttle did it in.

[Brake Weight]

If the hex is toast you may be able to cut some grooves in hex area. Then put some 2-part epoxy in it, put your axle hex in that, and let it cure. Then drill out for the axle and it'll be good to go for a while.

Whachu mean about the pinion length? Pics?

[supra_89t]

Originally Posted by Brake Weight

If the hex is toast you may be able to cut some grooves in hex area. Then put some 2-part epoxy in it, put your axle hex in that, and let it cure. Then drill out for the axle and it'll be good to go for a while.

Whachu mean about the pinion length? Pics?

I was considering something like that...

On the pinion, I think it was just a noob mistake. I didn't notice the difference in the style of the pinions, I was only looking for shaft, tooth and pitch numbers. Sometimes I overlook the obvious in my excitement.



You can actually see the slight wear marks on the finish of the new pinion right near the base of the teeth from just spinning the driveline by hand.

[Brake Weight]

Is there enough shaft to flip the pinion the other way?

Or space the motor back with some washers.

[svt923]

There should be room to fit the pinion on one of the brushless motors since they don't have the bump out for the bushing like on the brushed motor. You may need to file down motor shaft to extend the flat spot more towards the motor can. I have needed to do that to a few motors where the pinion has to mount really close to the can.

[supra_89t]

The hole on this pinion doesn't go all the way through the pinion and the shaft of the motor bottoms out in the hole in the pinion, but if the hole were deeper, there is plenty of shaft left for adjustment. I could shim the motor, or I could drill the hole deeper...either one introduces slop/play/error that I am worried about chewing up the spur. I ordered a shorter Axial-style 11t pinion and will give that a go when it gets here. If it is too fast, I will probably try drilling this one out, since I only need a mm or two to make it work.