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Thread: So, I bought a Wraith

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Old 08-22-2014, 11:53 AM   #21
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Default Re: So, I bought a Wraith

Weighted wheels will work that stock servo to death. Put a good servo on your shopping list.
My wife got me the "asiatees/topcad" steering link. It broke in 3 places after 10 minutes of slow crawling.
Upgrading the tires to something softer will increas you crawling abilty by leaps and bounds. If crawling is what youre lookign for. I have HB Sedonas with Crawler Innovations foams on weighted XR10 wheels. Awesome and inexpensive
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Old 08-22-2014, 08:22 PM   #22
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The BlueMonkeyRC titanium steering and suspension links went in today. The brass front-axle weights also went on. (they're not inside the wheels, they're bolted to the steering knuckles.) It's a good thing I know how to screw ball joints onto linkages quickly, because I had to install 20 of the things. Took the vehicle out for a test run, and the steering linkage already has its inaugural gouge, thus confirming that choosing titanium vs. aluminum was a good idea.

I'm contemplating now whether I want to get the axle weights for the rear as well. They may make the vehicle weigh more overall, but they give the vehicle a lower CoG without sacrificing ground clearance.

I also have a set of Walker Evans 2.2" beadlocks and a set of R35 Ripsaws inbound. They'll probably get here shortly after the weekend.

I also managed to find some steel skidplates for the diffs, so I ordered a set of those to see if I like them. Worst-case scenario, I pay 5 bucks to send them back.

...or maybe everything will show up on Saturday. That's good too.



Since I have the steel skidplates inbound, I decided not to use the aluminum diff covers I got. I'll come up with something else to dress them up, once I know whether the skidplates will adequately protect the diff covers from damage.

Turns out I won't be able to use the nice brass axle weights after all. Not only didn't they fit the TopCAD front hubs I got, but they also don't fit with the Walker Evans beadlocks. So I guess I'll have to go with traditional wheel weights after all. Oh well, worse things have happened in the course of human history.

Grr. I just found out the stock transmission gears are plastic. Plastic! In a vehicle specifically designed to be driven straight into (and over the top of) obstacles, it is inexcusable for the transmission gears to be plastic. My go-fast HPI trucks have all steel gears, and they cost less than the Wraith did!

It's one thing for the spur gear to be made of plastic, because the spur gear doesn't have to deal with the same amount of torque that downstream gears do, and a plastic spur will extend the life of the pinion gear, but everything else should be made of steel, or at least hard-anodized aluminum. Now I have to spend $50 to get the steel upgrade gears to fix the grinding sound inside the gearbox.

/rant

Last edited by fyrstormer; 03-30-2018 at 12:11 AM.
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Old 08-23-2014, 05:12 AM   #23
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Default Re: So, I bought a Wraith

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Originally Posted by fyrstormer View Post
Fair enough. I have noticed the stock servo seems a little weak, and an insufficient power supply is certainly a plausible explanation for that. Is a 10-amp BEC the only good option, though? I have to think a lower-wattage BEC would be smaller and easier to shoehorn in.
The voltage is adjustable with a castle link. But with the stock servo I wouldn't go higher than 6v.
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Old 08-26-2014, 06:12 AM   #24
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Default Re: So, I bought a Wraith

time to shop at SuperShafty.com they got everything you need
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Old 08-26-2014, 05:15 PM   #25
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Default Re: So, I bought a Wraith

I've been buying pretty much everything from eBay, because it saves me the trouble of price-shopping between multiple websites.

Currently I'm waiting on aluminum shock bodies, caps, and preload collars (the TopCAD shocks are going back to China because they leak), a Kimbrough 32p nylon spur gear, Axial steel transmission gears, Axial wheel weights for the front wheels, steel skidplates for both diffs, aluminum covers for both diffs, stock-ratio hardened steel gears for the rear diff, a Hitec titanium-gear servo, and an aluminum clamping servo horn because the stock plastic one stripped. Oh, and silver brushes for the Team Orion motor I'm using.

Barring an unexpected catastrophic failure of the chassis itself, that should wrap-up this build. I may opt for a 2-speed transmission eventually, but that will be months from now, if ever.

Last edited by fyrstormer; 08-26-2014 at 05:19 PM.
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Old 08-27-2014, 05:46 PM   #26
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Default Re: So, I bought a Wraith

thinking about getting a Wraith here... How do you stack it up against your other crawlers?
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Old 08-27-2014, 06:56 PM   #27
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Default Re: So, I bought a Wraith

I don't have any other crawlers. It's great fun as an all-around basher that can climb over stuff without boring you to tears while driving between obstacles.

Just make sure to upgrade the transmission gears straightaway, before you upgrade the center driveshafts, because once you remove the flex from the driveline by replacing the plastic center driveshafts with steel ones, the plastic transmission gears will fail in short order. While you're at it, replacing the pinion and spur with 32-pitch gears is supposed to be a good idea, and I figure I'll do that now as long as I've got the transmission taken apart anyway.

The vehicle benefits from some extra weight down-low in the front, to keep it from bouncing up and wheelie-ing every time it hits a big obstacle, and the Hot Racing overdrive gears for the front diff significantly improve the front axle's ability to crawl up the side of an obstacle while the rear axle is trying to push the vehicle forward. The overdrive front diff gears also reduce tire-scrub when turning corners on hard surfaces like pavement and hardpack. There are also underdrive gears for the rear axle instead, if you'd prefer to bias your vehicle for slightly lower speeds. Some people use the overdrive gears in the front *and* the underdrive gears in the back, but then the difference in wheel speed is significant enough that you'll get lots of tire-scrub driving in a straight line over any hard surface.

Replacing the steering linkage with titanium is a good idea, but make sure to get an aluminum clamping servo horn too, because removing the flex from the steering linkage will cause the stock plastic servo horn to strip very quickly.

I suppose that sounds like a lot of stuff. Maybe it is, I dunno; I'm used to having to modify everything to work the way I think it should work, so it doesn't seem like much to me. You *can* run it box-stock for a few weeks before the urge to upgrade will become hard to ignore, though.

Last edited by fyrstormer; 08-27-2014 at 07:00 PM.
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Old 08-28-2014, 12:10 AM   #28
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Installed the steel transmission gears, a Hitec HS-7955TG servo, and an aluminum clamping servo horn tonight. Still waiting on steel skidplates, aluminum diff covers, aluminum shock bodies, and a 32p spur gear.

Installed the steel bash guards and the hardened steel stock-ratio rear diff gears. Still waiting on the aluminum shock bodies and the 32p spur gear. After examining the bash guards, I've decided I don't need the aluminum diff covers, so those will be sent back when they arrive.

There is something mildly pornographic about suspension this flexible.


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Old 09-05-2014, 07:45 PM   #29
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Default Re: So, I bought a Wraith

I put shiny new silver brushes in the motor today.



Just waiting on one more part, then this build will be finished.

Last edited by fyrstormer; 03-30-2018 at 12:12 AM.
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Old 09-06-2014, 02:06 PM   #30
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Default Re: So, I bought a Wraith

...and the final part showed up: front bumper reinforcements from RC4WD. This build is done!
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Old 09-08-2014, 01:06 AM   #31
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Default Re: So, I bought a Wraith

I'm also new to crawlers and got a Wraith about a month ago. Me and my brothers bought it to play around at the summer cottage. Why I'm posting here is that I've been going for very similar upgrades. I have ordered a BEC, new servo, aluminum servo arm, some spurs, wheel weights, spare nuts and bolts and that exact same motor. I'm very curious to hear how you are liking the motor. And which gearing are you using? I'm still running the stock 20t motor and will switch the pinion to a 15 tooth as soon as it arrives.

Totally loving the Wraith so far! I was surprised by how well the RTR performs, but there are some obvious compromises.
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Old 09-08-2014, 02:27 AM   #32
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Default Re: So, I bought a Wraith

I'm using 13/54 gearing with 32-pitch gears. The 20T motor works fine for my purposes; I suppose it *could* be a little slower on the low-end, but that may actually be the result of the dead-band setting on the ESC. I actually didn't get an external BEC; I haven't figured out how to make it switchable using the main power switch, and that may actually be impossible, so I just use the built-in BEC with the highest-torque servo I could find. Thus far I haven't found a situation where the servo couldn't muscle the wheels into position with the power provided by the built-in BEC.
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Old 09-08-2014, 07:19 AM   #33
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Default Re: So, I bought a Wraith

You can solder a powerswitch for the BEC too but I don't think it's necessary if you keep the battery unplugged while not driving. I guess the stock BEC can handle some servos better than others. But most high-torque servos can handle 7.4V(supposing you are running 2S lipos) and the stock BEC's max output is only 6V and much less peak amps. Some power-hungry servos mess up the ESC by overheating(?) it. Or that's what I've read, no personal experience. And I guess quality BEC also has a positive impact on servo/motor lifetime.
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Old 09-10-2014, 12:00 PM   #34
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Default Re: So, I bought a Wraith

Quote:
Originally Posted by fyrstormer View Post
I'm using 13/54 gearing with 32-pitch gears. The 20T motor works fine for my purposes; I suppose it *could* be a little slower on the low-end, but that may actually be the result of the dead-band setting on the ESC. I actually didn't get an external BEC; I haven't figured out how to make it switchable using the main power switch, and that may actually be impossible, so I just use the built-in BEC with the highest-torque servo I could find. Thus far I haven't found a situation where the servo couldn't muscle the wheels into position with the power provided by the built-in BEC.
Why do you want a switch on the BEC? Are you leaving your battery connected to the ESC when not in use? If so, I suggest getting out of that habit.
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Old 09-10-2014, 07:59 PM   #35
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Default Re: So, I bought a Wraith

I sometimes leave it connected for a couple hours by accident, while I'm waiting for the vehicle to dry off so I can knock the dirt off it. I would rather not have to worry about whether it's still connected.
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Old 11-13-2014, 10:48 AM   #36
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Default Re: So, I bought a Wraith

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Originally Posted by fyrstormer View Post
I sometimes leave it connected for a couple hours by accident, while I'm waiting for the vehicle to dry off so I can knock the dirt off it. I would rather not have to worry about whether it's still connected.
That's one of the things that I like about the homes hobbies esc there's no switch, which is a good thing because lipos are hard to recover after being drained to far
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Old 11-13-2014, 11:11 AM   #37
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Default Re: So, I bought a Wraith

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Originally Posted by fyrstormer View Post
I sometimes leave it connected for a couple hours by accident, while I'm waiting for the vehicle to dry off so I can knock the dirt off it. I would rather not have to worry about whether it's still connected.
Bit of advise;

RC 101 - Always disconnect your batteries when done running. Always unplug before you turn your radio off.

Didn't read if you are using Lipos or Nihm. If you are using Lipos, never, never leave them plugged in. You'll get down below the min voltage and are just waiting for a problem. The reason most Lipo fires start is due to poor maintenance or abuse. It sounds trivial, but leaving them plugged in is abuse (trust me I've done this on accident, and I never leave a lipo plugged in any more).

As far as the BEC goes, you can read many threads on here about why a BEC is needed. The only rig I didn't run a BEC on is my crawler wraith as it was only 5.5 lbs and it had a HH BRXL with a much higher Amp internal BEC.

Dna
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Old 12-29-2014, 02:35 PM   #38
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Default Re: So, I bought a Wraith

I'm not going to unplug the battery before shutting off the ESC. Physical connection and disconnection of the battery is very "dirty" as far as electrical spikes are concerned, and I don't want all the electronics to be powered-up when the battery is connected or disconnected. That's why good ESCs have power switches connected to solid-state transistors that can cleanly power-up and power-down everything connected to the ESC.

Anyway, I burned-out my second motor, so clearly the biggest problem I have is that I'm using an unsuitable motor for this vehicle. I'm going to try a Tekin 35T Heavy Duty motor next. Hopefully that will resist overheating and burning-out when it stalls repeatedly while climbing over obstacles.
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Old 01-18-2015, 12:35 AM   #39
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Update: I tried the Tekin 35T motor, and as expected it was much weaker than the 2x20T Orion motor I had been using previously, but on the up-side it never overheated, even with a 19t pinion, compared to the 13t pinion I used on the Orion motor. That being said, I realized the only way I was ever going to get the performance I wanted -- without having to buy 3S batteries just for use in one vehicle -- would be to bite the bullet and get the 2-speed gearbox. So I did, and I also got a Tekin 30T Pro Hand-Wound motor too. It has laydown brushes which supposedly improves low-end torque, and the windings are much neater, which probably doesn't matter but it's nice to think about. One thing Tekin *doesn't* advertise is that the Pro Hand-Wound motors have lathed commutators, which makes break-in a lot easier.

So I got the whole shebang assembled tonight (and had to cut bits of the battery tray off to allow clearance for the shift servo), and took it out for a run. The 30-turn motor has some nice punch to it even before it's fully broken-in, and having the low gear allowed me to slog through dead leaves and vines and sticks and dead grass without overheating anything. And I didn't have to sacrifice top speed to get it, because I can just shift into high gear when the truck gets out of the underbrush. I think I'll like this setup a lot, once I finalize the pinion gearing; I think I may actually need to gear-up a bit, because it still felt a little slower in high gear than it used to with the 2x20T motor and the original gearbox. But I need to get a GPS to confirm that first.
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Old 01-20-2015, 02:36 PM   #40
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Default Re: So, I bought a Wraith

I doubt you are ever going to get the performance you want while you insist on staying with 2s on a big heavy vehicle like a wraith. Mine was painfully slow on 2s with a 27t motor. 3s was great geared 12/60 never had a single issue with temperature, but I've since changed to a 10.5t on 3s.

Why are you so dead set against 3s anyway? Just seems very odd that you are happy to keep buying (and frying) expensive motors/transmissions when you can pick up 3s packs for next to nothing.
I'm currently running these packs with the 10.5t Turnigy 2200mAh 3S 20C Lipo Pack

When I was running a 27t I was running these packs
ZIPPY Compact 1000mAh 3S 35C Lipo Pack

Runtime is fantastic too, never really go crawling for much more than an hour of mixed high speed trailing and low speed crawling and I'm yet to run out of life with a single 2200 or two 1000
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