Del Monte's Secret Agent build

[TURBOFEST]

Originally Posted by Robbob

Huh? Little Jakes or a bling addition to someones finger?

Blang Blang

[Bc Paints]

Originally Posted by Del Monte

After some lengthy negotiations, we have successfully opened trade relations with Canada

US/Canada trading is wide open!, thanks for the candy bars jake!
100grand and payday!, FTW

[Wicked Monkey]

Oh man, that's bootleggin' right there. Revenuer gone be after you.

[Del Monte]

Here's the first round of changes for my Agent for 2013.

I saw a few guys on here playing with some really lightweight aluminum links, so I thought I would give it another try. These links are 3/16" solid 7075 externally threaded with a 5mm die.



These are 5g a link, compared to 10-11g for my Ti lowers. 10 grams of weight savings doesn't sound like much, but it made a surprisingly big difference in the weight bias and handling of the truck.

I played with a set of .035 walled AL tube lowers that weighted only 3g each, but they didn't survive the post-comp abuse last weekend.

With the lighter weight rear links, I can now get away with running only 30g of knuckle weight per side, and finally use my Nordic Crawler weight holders from Tomy.



I'm also trying out a set of DE racing wheels with VP 600 hubs. I can squeeze two weight plates per side in these wheels, and they are a lot more solid feeling than my HPI's. With a lathe'd down 600 hub, the wheels are within a 1g of my HPI wheels.








Overall, these changes made a definite improvement. The weight bias is better even though the truck is lighter. I'm hoping that with the next round of changes I will be able to drop at least half of the knuckle weights, and get pretty close to the 3lb mark

[63comet]

Those alum links turned out nice, and quite a bit lighter. I was just looking around at work last night for alum scraps for links and rear axle shafts. 5mm threads...what rodends do you have on them?
Wheels came out nice too. Damn, 3lbs. What is it running at currently?

[Frankenwheely]

Ahh those diet crazes. Soon the lipo will be the heaviest thing on there.
Looks good Jake.

[jakesy]

Originally Posted by Del Monte

Here's the first round of changes for my Agent for 2013.


With the lighter weight rear links, I can now get away with running only 30g of knuckle weight per side, and finally use my Nordic Crawler weight holders from Tomy.



I'm also trying out a set of DE racing wheels with VP 600 hubs. I can squeeze two weight plates per side in these wheels, and they are a lot more solid feeling than my HPI's. With a lathe'd down 600 hub, the wheels are within a 1g of my HPI wheels.
E

Looking good

That's a good result with the wheels, 1g heavier but with the beef of the vp hub and less flex in the wheel. Any plans for some y-town wheels? I heard there was something in the mix.

Serious effort getting it that light and having good bias, keep it coming

[CrawlrKing]

Nice stance Jake !!! The CG looks very low... These bent links are going on the front, aren't they ? Why that change ? Also a lil question : when preparing your shocks, do you full the shocks body to the brim ? I changed my big bores for some SCX 10 ones and despite the fact that they seem well mounted and full, the chassis is already creating some dampening... Is it normal ?

[Haastnooit]

Truck looks very good. The wheels look cool, I have a set of those Borrego wheels lying around for a while but haven't come around to mounting any tires to it. Do you think you can get 3 weights on with a 725 hub ?

[EverettY]

Pics don't work :(.... Can't wait to see them though....

[Robbob]

Originally Posted by Del Monte

Here's the first round of changes for my Agent for 2013.

I saw a few guys on here playing with some really lightweight aluminum links, so I thought I would give it another try. These links are 3/16" solid 7075 externally threaded with a 5mm die.

I'm also trying out a set of DE racing wheels with VP 600 hubs. I can squeeze two weight plates per side in these wheels, and they are a lot more solid feeling than my HPI's. With a lathe'd down 600 hub, the wheels are within a 1g of my HPI wheels.

Those DE wheels are nice, the face is a bit flatter then the Losi's so the screws dont distort it to much too.

Black looks tough

Have you changed (or felt the need to) your foams up much or tried anything different getting down to the 3* mark?

[bikerj08]

Hey jake,
Did the 5mm threads end up being shallow on the 3/16 alum, I mic'd some 3/16" and it's only 4.77 mm. I thought the o.d. Would need to be larger for full threads. Links look great though.

Aaron

Originally Posted by Del Monte

Here's the first round of changes for my Agent for 2013.

I saw a few guys on here playing with some really lightweight aluminum links, so I thought I would give it another try. These links are 3/16" solid 7075 externally threaded with a 5mm die.



These are 5g a link, compared to 10-11g for my Ti lowers. 10 grams of weight savings doesn't sound like much, but it made a surprisingly big difference in the weight bias and handling of the truck.

I played with a set of .035 walled AL tube lowers that weighted only 3g each, but they didn't survive the post-comp abuse last weekend.

With the lighter weight rear links, I can now get away with running only 30g of knuckle weight per side, and finally use my Nordic Crawler weight holders from Tomy.



I'm also trying out a set of DE racing wheels with VP 600 hubs. I can squeeze two weight plates per side in these wheels, and they are a lot more solid feeling than my HPI's. With a lathe'd down 600 hub, the wheels are within a 1g of my HPI wheels.








Overall, these changes made a definite improvement. The weight bias is better even though the truck is lighter. I'm hoping that with the next round of changes I will be able to drop at least half of the knuckle weights, and get pretty close to the 3lb mark

[Del Monte]

Originally Posted by 63comet

Those alum links turned out nice, and quite a bit lighter. I was just looking around at work last night for alum scraps for links and rear axle shafts. 5mm threads...what rodends do you have on them?
Wheels came out nice too. Damn, 3lbs. What is it running at currently?

I used drilled out revo ends. They feel really solid so far. The current RTR weight is 3lb, 8oz with 1oz of knuckle weight per side.

Originally Posted by Haastnooit

Truck looks very good. The wheels look cool, I have a set of those Borrego wheels lying around for a while but haven't come around to mounting any tires to it. Do you think you can get 3 weights on with a 725 hub ?

3 will be tight with a 725 hub, but you can probably get them to fit if you remove a little material from the ribs inside the wheel.

[Del Monte]

Originally Posted by bikerj08

Hey jake,
Did the 5mm threads end up being shallow on the 3/16 alum, I mic'd some 3/16" and it's only 4.77 mm. I thought the o.d. Would need to be larger for full threads. Links look great though.

Aaron

They are a little shallow, but they seem fine so far. I could always CA the rod end on, or drill them for cross pins if needed.

[opek]

Originally Posted by CrawlrKing

Nice stance Jake !!! The CG looks very low... These bent links are going on the front, aren't they ? Why that change ? Also a lil question : when preparing your shocks, do you full the shocks body to the brim ? I changed my big bores for some SCX 10 ones and despite the fact that they seem well mounted and full, the chassis is already creating some dampening... Is it normal ?

I believe they go on the rear.

[HARDKNOCKZ]

Originally Posted by Robbob

Have you changed (or felt the need to) your foams up much or tried anything different getting down to the 3* mark?

Yeah...I'd think that's the most nerve racking part about glueing tires. I know it's not TOTALLY permanent but playing with weight as much as some do...I'd think foam tuning comes into play as well.

What IS your current foam setup Jake?

Rig looks killer as always.

[EverettY]

Originally Posted by HARDKNOCKZ

What IS your current foam setup Jake?

Last I heard he was running C.I. 5.25 Closed Cell. Soft outers, Narrow innners F/R...

It looks great! Do you have a pic of your Hubs now that they are lathed down? And how much weight did you drop off the hubs?

[Del Monte]

Originally Posted by HARDKNOCKZ

What IS your current foam setup Jake?

I'm running Narrow/5.25" Nova foams in the rear tires.

In the fronts I am trying something different. I am running a rover foam wrapped in a Medium 5.0/5.25 Nova outer tuning ring. I can get a little more tire wrap with these, and they still have enough support for side hills.

[racer_zh]

Looks solid Jake

I think about the same for links. Other ide was 1/4 al tubing with inserts.

Since i run tubes al upper with cfk inserts on my super i think they will holding up great in a 2.2 rig.

Whats your wheel tire combo weight?? Just get my new cfk wheels 14g a wheel plus a slw hub

[Haastnooit]

I weighted the unmodified DE rims and they were 52 grams total for four rims, so 13 grams a piece without hubs