Joe's BJ4 Berg Build

[new2it]

I just added all of the electronics. All that's left is the steering servo I'm waiting on and to add a little weight to the rear. With my old JR servo and battery it weighed in a little over 5 lb 7 oz.

[Chaotic Crawlers]

Originally Posted by new2it

The ti links are awesome - thanks for making a Berg version!

Thanks for the support. We had so many requests for the links that it was a no brainier...Glad we finally got the time to fit a set up.

[new2it]

Got the final bits and put it all together. I took it out for a quick test run. Performed really well. Here's a short video:

QUICK VIDEO TESTING IT ON THE ROCKS

Some pics with the panels on:

[Erik D_lux]

Looks great, especially being right out of the box.

[dude26]

wow !! make me want a berg.....

[new2it]

Originally Posted by Erik D_lux

Looks great, especially being right out of the box.

It was running really well. The tires are new and that was working against me. My front springs a way too soft. I also need to get a longer servo horn - I have the steering maxed out on the radio but still have some room to go before it hits the shocks. At some point I'll do the rod end shock mod and bring the tops closer to the chassis. Other than that it needs a lot more drive time.

I ran it for about 2 hrs. I "thought" I had a ton of video but it turns out the camera battery died early on. I'll get it back out mid week and put up some more video.

Originally Posted by dude26

wow !! make me want a berg.....

Only other crawler I've driven is an LCC (which was fun to drive but hard to compare to a rig like this).

It's funny that we even call this a Berg. The only thing on this truck from Berg are the gears and gear cases (and even those are modded). I should call this a Dlux vs a Berg with all the parts from Erik on it!

[new2it]

A little more drive time...

[gabz17]

Beautiful. Great job. ;)

[Mad Dawg]

Nice build!

I just put one together just like that, all except the electronics anyway.

I will be watching for updates...


Tap-A-Talked

[new2it]

Originally Posted by Mad Dawg

Nice build!
I just put one together just like that, all except the electronics anyway.

Cool - have any pics? I'm really liking the set up. What electronics are you running? My next major upgrade will be going duel esc and getting a 4-chan radio. I think some proportional dig will help with my driving style. Thinking about a Futaba 4pl. Won't be for a while though.

[Mad Dawg]

Here is a pix from the comp on Saturday. I don't have any good pix of it yet.


In this pix the electronics were:
HiTec HS-7980TS Servo
Dual FX-R ESC's
Matched Brood Creep HHK-S 30t motors

controlled by a Futaba 4PKS.


The brand new servo quit working on the 3rd 4 minute course so that is getting replaced with my HS-7950TS servo.

The Brood motors have 20 minutes of run time on them.....I pulled them and put them up for sale for reasons I won't discuss in a public forum.

The FX-R's are being replaced with a super smashed pair of HH BR-XL's and my old HH 35t TorqueMaster Pro's are going back in once they come back from JRH.....or it will get 13t CrawlMaster Pro's.

My 86Jeep style steering will be swapped for DLux Ti steering links...they didn't make it before the comp otherwise they would have already been installed.

[Mad Dawg]

Originally Posted by new2it

My next major upgrade will be going duel esc and getting a 4-chan radio. I think some proportional dig will help with my driving style. Thinking about a Futaba 4pl. Won't be for a while though.

In the second video that you posted at about 1:20 when your trying to drive up the rock and it keeps tipping over backwards.....


Overdriving the front tires with a dual ESC makes all the difference in the world on something like that.

If you notice at about 1:50, you used the dig to suck the rear suspension flat...that is how its done. The proportional control between the front and rear motor is by far my most used function....more so than front dig.

[new2it]

Originally Posted by Mad Dawg

Overdriving the front tires with a dual ESC makes all the difference in the world on something like that.

Sounds like I really need to go duel esc. I'll keep an close eye in the classifieds for a 4pl and another fxr.

[Mad Dawg]

I might be able to help you out with the FX-R. The two that were in my Berg are for sale.

Tap-A-Talked

[Toy Master]

very nive build. Save the CF roof panel with a thin lexan sheet.
Or renew it after your second comp

[new2it]

Originally Posted by Toy Master

very nive build. Save the CF roof panel with a thin lexan sheet.

Yep. Have some big scratches in it already. I still have some more CF sheet. After I trash this roof I'll do that on the new one.

[The Violator]

Originally Posted by Mad Dawg

In the second video that you posted at about 1:20 when your trying to drive up the rock and it keeps tipping over backwards.....


Overdriving the front tires with a dual ESC makes all the difference in the world on something like that.

If you notice at about 1:50, you used the dig to suck the rear suspension flat...that is how its done. The proportional control between the front and rear motor is by far my most used function....more so than front dig.

Where do I start ?

I dont think I ever overdrive the front esc in my berg. Maybe on extremely steep climbs. Maybe. Knuckle weights will will make your car do funky things. Also having the front much wider than the rear will cause all kinds of tipping issues like your having at the 1:20 mark.

The 2 esc systems really helps with drag brake and keeping the rear wheels locked. I have called many many reverses on guys running single esc because shorting the motor just does not hold like an esc with good drag brake.

I think he probably needs to limit the shocks .25" in the front, and 3/8" back.

Or dont, and fight your car doing weird shit. These cars are like dating porn stars. No matter what you think, you are not blazing any new territory. The BJ was designed with the travel of a 3.5" shock with the length of a 4" shock. The first rule of BJv4 is limit the shocks. The second rule is Limit the shocks. The 3rd rule is to never run a set of coil springs into bind. As they bind they increase in spring rate, and cause all kinds of funky unloading issues. Pick up a set of proper springs.

[The Violator]

Originally Posted by Mad Dawg

Here is a pix from the comp on Saturday. I don't have any good pix of it yet.


In this pix the electronics were:
HiTec HS-7980TS Servo
Dual FX-R ESC's
Matched Brood Creep HHK-S 30t motors

controlled by a Futaba 4PKS.


The brand new servo quit working on the 3rd 4 minute course so that is getting replaced with my HS-7950TS servo.

The Brood motors have 20 minutes of run time on them.....I pulled them and put them up for sale for reasons I won't discuss in a public forum.

The FX-R's are being replaced with a super smashed pair of HH BR-XL's and my old HH 35t TorqueMaster Pro's are going back in once they come back from JRH.....or it will get 13t CrawlMaster Pro's.

My 86Jeep style steering will be swapped for DLux Ti steering links...they didn't make it before the comp otherwise they would have already been installed.

Brood motors. They have way to much awesome for you? I love mine. But to each his own.

[MAXIMUM777]

nice rig, what size wheels and hubs are you running?

[new2it]

Originally Posted by MAXIMUM777

nice rig, what size wheels and hubs are you running?

Those are Dlux wheels (1 in wide) with VP hubs. Dlux has them for sale in the vendor section. The rig is a little wide. It's 11.25' in the front and 11' in the rear (lug to lug). The front tires are white dot Rovers and the rear tires are Boss Claws. The foams are VP. I'm going to experiment with the new CI closed cell foams when I get a good baseline.