Just Another Honcho build-thread

[DieCastoms]

What a ton of unanticipated work that turned out to be..

I've just mirrored my transmission.. I didn't realize when I started that .. I'd have to pull out the final cross member at the back of the chassis, the double cross member between the rear shock towers and thus the towers themselves, the rock sliders, and the inboard ends of ALL EIGHT links, just to get the damn motor plate out to turn it around >.<
I did successfully do it, though, and got everything back together and have nothing left over from it.. I haven't gotten to drive it yet, but I will make an update once I do.

New location for the radio box:
I spent a couple hours one night, just taking the whole truck apart and putting it back together, JUST BECAUSE. I bought mine as an RTR and am now finding that I think I'd have preferred assembling it from a kit. I think I'd have gotten enjoyment out of doing so, as well as knowing what everything was and where it all went and where it came from and why there were so many extra parts on trees... If I ever buy another truck, it will be a kit truck, even though it will end up costing more...
While I had it apart, though, I tried different places to mount the radio box and nothing really seemed "good" .. everything had a drawback, no matter where I could fine (without modifying anything), like hitting a driveshaft or interfering with links, etc..
I recently spotted an idea in Kenneth's SCX10 thread where the double cross member between the rear shock towers is turned around, and the radio box is screwed to it, between it and the final member at the back of the chassis.
I need to purchase a servo extension, and then will move the box, and post pictures.

One other idea from Kenneth is a sheet of plastic canvas to be used as a motor shield. I will screw it down under the rock-slider mounts on one side, bow it over the top of the motor (my spur no longer has any protection around it, at all) and screw the other edge down under the other rock slider mounts.

just another update from DC

[DieCastoms]

Nother tiny update, I somehow managed to score a set of stock Wraith shocks, which are apparently about a half inch longer than the stock Honcho shocks.

they should be going in the mail today or tomorrow, so I'll hopefully have them by the end of the week!

[DieCastoms]

"New" shocks arrived, thank you Ken!

Wife asks "How much difference is a half-inch gonna make?"

I answered by putting new shocks only on one side of my truck, and showing her:



The axle is level, the white surface is level, it's not body roll it's all shock height!



the "before":



and "after"


(Yes, I flipped that image in Photobucket, sue me :P )

It's like a different truck .. and I've not gotten to drive it yet!


Now, when the money works again, per suggestion, I'll be adding an HH Trailmaster 27t, and redoing all my links...

[jeepscx10]

[QUOTE=DieCastoms;4324389]"New" shocks arrived, thank you Ken![Quote]

Happy to help.

[french_connection]

Seems like your having lot of fun with the truck.

[Demodude]

[QUOTE=DieCastoms;4324389]"New" shocks arrived, thank you Ken!

Wife asks "How much difference is a half-inch gonna make?"


Tell her "baby, it's all about how you use that extra half inch".....

[DieCastoms]

Originally Posted by french_connection

Seems like your having lot of fun with the truck.

I am! My friends all think I'm nuts because every time I go somewhere I take it with me, just in case there is something I could concievably drive over :P

[QUOTE=Demodude;4324461]

Originally Posted by DieCastoms

"New" shocks arrived, thank you Ken!

Wife asks "How much difference is a half-inch gonna make?"


Tell her "baby, it's all about how you use that extra half inch".....

I knew something like this would be said before long . . . :P


DC

[The DC]

Killer truxck,my friend

You need to stop signing everything with my name though,people might get the wrong impression

[The DC]

LOL! While I worked up until forced out in late 2008 "due to spinal injuries" from an on the job injury back in 2001,I still mtn bike and otherwise am an avid cyclist when I'm not down with the injuries (it happens,but not all the time),so I thought The Disabled Cyclist fit,LOL,so that's who I've been for a few years

The DC

[DieCastoms]

Time for another update, methinks.

Any benefit I got from the addition of some lead to my front wheels has been erased by the taller shocks. And then one of the leads fell out anyways, so I am running without them, now. The flex is nuts, now, compared to what it was (not that it was anything compared to some of these other rigs, but hey, THIS one is MINE! :P ). I BADLY need shock oil in these, as there is barely any in any of the 4 shocks.. Thing bounces around like it's riding on basketballs . . .

I started another thread in which I asked if there was a balance to be had between adjusting your motor or adjusting your pinion size first. That thread managed to turn into a debate about whether or not to switch to a LiPo 3s. A few links were provided to some really great prices, but all in all, I am still worried about the other upgrades that I thought would be necessary in order to take that voltage, such as BECs and ESCs. It was suggested that the stock equipment would handle 11.1 volts, and even a youtube video "proves it" but I've also seen accounts that the truck will glitch even only on 8.4 volts. So I took a chance, and tossed in a 9.6 volt battery pack I've had laying around. Here's what I found out..

A., That battery's capacity is shot, from sitting uncharged for ... 6 years ... but it still takes a peak charge according to my simple Tower Hobbies Peak Charger.
B., Wasted battery lasts 15 to 20 minutes on a 'full charge', even though it was a 2000mAh battery
C., The ESC and motor do get warm, but no more than the battery does while charging, never 'hot'.
D., This truck is faster on the 9.6 volt battery and my SLOWER pinion (Absolute 17t) than it is on the 7.4 volt battery and my faster (stock, 20t) pinion!
E., On 7.4 volts, I could stand the truck on it's headlights by slamming from forward to full reverse. On the 9.6v, I can slam from reverse to forward and sustain wheelies, though I am not good enough with the throttle to keep a wheelie without dragging the back bumper pretty hard.

Went back to the stock bumper after accidentally slamming into a curb and crushing the cardboard one.

Can't think of anything else that is noteworthy, at the moment.

DC

[DieCastoms]

Some unique photo opportunities today resulted in this:




I don't know what the significance of this little foot-park is, but it is located outside the Augusta Georgia Public Waterworks. I just couldn't resist getting some pictures ... Hope you like em.








DC.

[liljohn_92]

Nice pics, That's a cool little spot.

[DieCastoms]

Ok, it has been FAR too long since my last update, and many things have changed!

To begin with, most of you will cheer when I say .... I now run GensAce 2s 3000mAh 30c, with a Thunder AC680 charger to keep it topped up and balanced.

Next is, I've replaced the Tx/Rx set with a FlySky GT3-c. Tore the truck half apart to get the Axial Rx out and swap in the FS, only to later find out I could have bound to the Axial with the FS transmitter... and yes, both ARE 3 channel receivers. I have a post over in the Wanted's to trade the Axial Tx/Rx for .. something else compatible. So far, the offer is a set of un-named titanium suspension links, but without rod ends.

Next on the list: We have a set of cement steps at my house that were positioned for the old house that WAS here. The door on this house is in the wrong place, and it would not be worth moving those steps ... So what to use them for . . . . well, for piling broken bricks and cement blocks on to have a bit of climbing hill!! Of course!!
So now that I have a hill at home, I've been experimenting with the 'free' things I can do, such as removing springs. I've found that with a droop set up, I can go about half the line I could go before, but I can do that half more easily ...

I have an idea i am considering.. I wonder what you all will think... I was going to wait until it was 'finished' before showing anyone, but then I told Ken so I figured I'd post it up onto the chopping block:

http://i.imgur.com/3LSjdMc.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/JGCZ1HZ.jpg

Things I need to consider:
Shorten the wheelbase (oh god, did I just say that..?)
use the fender cuts to 'lengthen' the wheel base on the body
height above the chassis for the body
chassis height from ground

Trailer Queen, or crawler?

Let's have it.

DieCastoms (Michael)

[DieCastoms]

Ok, even though no one commented, I went and put that body on it, so now my Honcho is a Subaru Imreza WRX instead ;)

I started a new thread for it. Here's the link:

Subaru Impreza WRX SCX10

[GLHS592]

Nice thread. Thanks for posting your experiences. I am fairly new to this rc crawling stuff. I wasn't sure if the whole "slow" crawling stuff was going to be my thing. I got my SCX10 TH two days after Christmas. I've fallen in love with my tiny truck.

I was hating my stock shocks at first, but since fixing the leaks and oiling them back up, I am happy with them. I was thinking about longer shocks or a lift, but if the the higher cog makes it tip happy, I'll stay stock height. I'm going to add some weight to my wheels to help on the tipping over.

Was mirroring the trans worth the effort? I guess I'd have to drive one that this mod has been done to to see the difference.

I'd like to have an alternate body myself. The WRX body is kinda neat. You did a good job on the wheel openings.

[DieCastoms]

Originally Posted by GLHS592

Nice thread. Thanks for posting your experiences. I am fairly new to this rc crawling stuff. I wasn't sure if the whole "slow" crawling stuff was going to be my thing. I got my SCX10 TH two days after Christmas. I've fallen in love with my tiny truck.

Mine was a tax-return gift from my wife and myself in 2012. I was like a kid on Christmas getting it out of the box! I bought 'something slow, but powerful or fancy" instead of "something fast" because the faster you drive, the more things break when you crash. Look on Youtube for the XO1 or whatever it is called, doing 140 miles per hour and hitting a curb .. I don't think there was anything reusable ...... Other than one LED wire, and wear and tear on the lexan ... I have not BROKEN ANYTHING on my Honcho, yet. Not even a knuckle..

Originally Posted by GLHS592

I was hating my stock shocks at first, but since fixing the leaks and oiling them back up, I am happy with them. I was thinking about longer shocks or a lift, but if the the higher cog makes it tip happy, I'll stay stock height. I'm going to add some weight to my wheels to help on the tipping over.

Knowing as little as I do about suspension tuning, these shocks are terrible without oil in them, and I have not gotten mine properly filled yet as they just piss back out the bottom anyway.. I have heard there are those who get better results mounting them cap-down (rod-up) since it is the rod-seal that leaks..
Take your spring off, take the rod-end off, and slide the little rubber spacer off the rod. Slice it into two thinner donuts. Put ONE donut back on the shock rod and put the shock back together, and put the OTHER donut around the top of your body post (UNDER the lexan). Your body will rattle less and you will get a touch more flex before the shock bottoms out. Don't remove the entire rubber because then the piston hits the inside of the cap, and the little rubber diaphragm.

Originally Posted by GLHS592

Was mirroring the trans worth the effort? I guess I'd have to drive one that this mod has been done to to see the difference.

I am sure some will argue this, but ... I don't think mirroring my trans did CRAP for my truck, and it was an ass-load of work to do it.. ALL 8 suspension links, and the rock slider mounts, and the rear bumper and rear shock towers and Xbrace need to come out just to get the center plate out to turn it around . . . You *SHOULD* have all the correct spacers in your extra parts in your RTR kit to mirror the trans without needing to cut the back plate, but you will NOT be able to put dust/spur cover back on once the trans is mirrored. I am actually considering, when my titanium links come in, putting the trans back to stock just so I can put the dust cover back on and protect my wires :/

Originally Posted by GLHS592

I'd like to have an alternate body myself. The WRX body is kinda neat. You did a good job on the wheel openings.

The WRX happened because it was 'free' 'trash.' I would not have gone looking for that body, I just set it on the chassis to be a wise-ass one night and decided "why not." It's going to get lights added directly to the body, controller and all. The back window glass and the fake super-amazing stereo system will go back in the back window, the roof vent has been opened up and will go back on the roof, and the TOP grill in the front will go back in to fill that hole. Since the plastic body is molded in white/pearl, the rest of the windows will have to remain blacked out, but I might 'roll one down' a little..
The point in this is that I want to still be able to pull body pins and drop the Honcho body back on the truck if I do go to any "scale" GTGs or anything.. I think the 'car' body puts the truck in a different class than the truck body, because it does not represent a "mostly stock 1:1 vehicle with a lift and different tires."


Thanks for your compliments on the cuts .. I am still unsure if I am going to cut the front more to try to make the front of the arch more-closely resemble the back, or cut the lowest air-dam off the molded bumper, or leave it the way it is for now until I find 'trouble' spots.. Cutting the lower air-dam out only below the grill section let the body drop PERFECTLY around the honcho stock bumper, and cutting the two outer panels off the honcho bumper significantly decreased hang-ups while crawling, and since you can get that stock bumper for $5 here and there, it's a mod worth trying. You can always replace it later .. That's my opinion.

[GLHS592]

Originally Posted by DieCastoms

Mine was a tax-return gift from my wife and myself in 2012. I was like a kid on Christmas getting it out of the box! I bought 'something slow, but powerful or fancy" instead of "something fast" because the faster you drive, the more things break when you crash. Look on Youtube for the XO1 or whatever it is called, doing 140 miles per hour and hitting a curb .. I don't think there was anything reusable ...... Other than one LED wire, and wear and tear on the lexan ... I have not BROKEN ANYTHING on my Honcho, yet. Not even a knuckle..

With Christmas coming up, I didn't need to spend any money, so I sold a spare set of wheels I've had sitting in the basement for 8 years. I gave $150 for them, sold them for $300, and picked up my SCX10 from Tower when they were on sale for $285.

I haven't broken a thing on my Trail Honcho. Mine was put together well except the shocks leaked on the first run. I put teflon tape on both ends and refilled them. I know the o-rings seal the bottom. I put the teflon tape on the lower caps for added thickness so the caps won't wiggle off. I have only done a few free mods and installed the AX30550 suspension and steering links which was a gift. I took the bumpstops out of the shocks, raised the body a tad, and put reinforcement inside the driveshafts.

[DieCastoms]

Has been too long since I have updated this thread, so here goes..

I've gone back to the Honcho body, because the Impreza body is too much weight too high up.. I hadn't really noticed how much of a difference it made until I went back to the Honcho body..

Through gifts from a couple good friends a couple weeks ago, I have gotten some new parts for the truck, namely a new steering servo and wheel weights. Read below for more about each..

Now through the gift of one more overly-generous friend, I have enough money to purchase a 2-speed transmission, but have not yet decided which trans to get, the RC4WD R2, and servo mount, the RC4WD AX-2, or the Summit trans with a mount from Jason if he still sells them and possibly some different drive-shafts..

----

Some info about the servo:
The servo I chose was the HiTec HS-5645MG servo, which I had to purchase from Amazon due to the nature of the gift. It came with an anodized aluminum servo horn, so that's what I used.
While researching the purchase of the servo I found lots of people who swear by it, and after purchasing it, I found lots more who said it is a piece of shit. Well it's installed now and is strong enough to bend the stock plastic tie-rod when turning left, or pull the screw out of the tie-rod when turning right . . . Should be plenty for me for a long time. I did not get the BEC, but with the old servo plugged into channel 3 and straining against a servo saver, the HiTec servo on channel 1 and steering back and forth and running the throttle (don't forget the lights on too) nothing was glitching or anything, so I'm not getting a BEC yet.

Some info and math about the wheel weights:
The wheel weights I used is 1/4-inch-diameter solid lead wire. It comes in a coil that weighs 1 pound, and is 49.5 inches long.
I re-coiled the entire length at the same size that would wrap around my internal bead-lock ring and had 6.75 turns around the ring.
I had no scale to weigh the rings with, but a little math tells me that each ring must weigh 2.37 ounces.
I put two full rings, 4.75 ounces, on each front bead-lock for a total 9.5 ounces in the front.
That left me 2.75 rings to divide across the back evenly, 1.375 rings each, which is 3.25 ounces each, or 6.5 ounces total in the back.
9.5 plus 6.5 for a total of one pound.
Maybe with the added weight do low, I will try the Impreza body again..

More about the transmissions:
Ok ... this will surely spark loads of debate :/
I like the looks of the RC4WD R2 transmission with the 'sideway servo mount' shown in this pic:

I just simply think it looks good ...
Says final drive with 8t pinion is 6.7:1 or 11.4:1
$115~ from RC4WD ($89 for the trans, $20 for the servo mount kit)

Then there's the AX-2 option:

aesthetically, in my opinion, though looking more like a 1:1 transmission, it does not please me as much as the R2, but I've seen more people picking that over the R2 in the threads I've been reading ...
Says the primary reduction is 4:1 and the shiftable gears are 1.78:1 or 5.05:1, which gives a final output of (4:1 * 1.78:1 =) 7.12:1, or (4:1 * 5.05:1 =) 20.2:1 if I am not mistaken?
$129~ from RC4WD (or if a certain forum user still has it, $135 with the heavy-duty output shafts included?)

Then the last option is . . . as one person so eloquently instructed .. "get a summit trans"

can't find good final ratio stats ..
will need an adapter plate to fit the Honcho skid-plate .. will need different drive-shafts since the outputs on the trans do not match the inputs on the Axial axles..
Price is not set as it would come from Ebay ...


so at this point, I guess I am leaning to the AX2 with the output shafts, if he still has them..