Dabbler got a Venture FJ!

[johnnyluv]

Picked up the new Venture FJ last night, from my LHS. It is quite the looker, but I’m bummed there are no light buckets in the body. Having been warned about the servo, I dug around and remembered I had this high-voltage Bluebird BMS-35A, which matches perfectly! I was going to use the stock esc, but I happen to have a Traxxas/Castle ET-3S esc, which already has a Castle 10a bec wired into it. It’s currently set for brushless, though, so I’ll have to hook it back up to the Link, because I do think I’ll stick with brushed for now.
Let’s see...tires. They have a good compound, and the sidewall seems supportive enough, but they just look corny. The rims look good, but I don’t like the all-black appearance. I guess I’ll throw ‘em up on eBay. Planning on getting out with it tomorrow afternoon, so there is work to be done, unfortunately. I wish I could just run it, but I’ve heard several reports of the servo failing in the first 20 mins of running. Ain’t nobody got time for that!

[Traulus]

20 minutes if you get lucky

[FANATICRC]

I almost got the FJ and at the last minute I added the TRX4 to the cart lol , let me know how you like it i do love the FJ body

[johnnyluv]

Originally Posted by FANATICRC

I almost got the FJ and at the last minute I added the TRX4 to the cart lol , let me know how you like it i do love the FJ body

That’s funny, because I was really close to getting the TRX-4. Even while I was at the lhs, with my hands on the FJ, I was eyeing the TRX-4’s that were up on the shelf. I may eventually get one, but this time I had to go against the flow.

[Natedog]

Off to a great build start, very nice coffee implements in the background of your picture too!

Don't be a sheep, go against the flow when it feels right, I like my TRX-4, but the Venture FJ is sweet too! TRX4 is very fun and looks great, but the Venture has a great layout too and is much less complicated. I think you'll like it, I'm lookin forward to some good trail pics too.

I like that you went with the underdog so to speak.

[ghost97ta]

welcome to the family glad you came to join us lol

[johnnyluv]

Well, as I expected, I didn’t get the time to change out the servo, but I did get a set of wheels & tires put on it. They’re RC4WD Rock Crusher II X/T 1.9’s on generic beadlock rims. I had assembled them back in 2016 for an Axial Dingo build, which I never finished. Since they’d been setting on a shelf for a year and a half, they needed some restoration, and I was just able to get that done. I don’t think I’ll keep these wheels, but will probably use another older set of Pro-Line TSL Super Swamper’s, which also have gone unused for a long period.

I took the Venture on a light trail, Saturday, for about an hour, running stock electronics, and had zero failures. I must’ve gotten one of the few durable rtr servos. I probably won’t push my luck though, but will swap it out before taking it out again. That’s going to be awhile, anyways, because I threw my lower back out, Sunday morning, and am going to be grounded for a few weeks, based on the level of crippling pain.

Instead of the high-voltage Bluebird servo, I might just use the older Tactic TSX45, that came with my original SCX10 Deadbolt, since it won’t require a bec. That way, I can continue to run the stock esc, for now. Seems like it should suffice for running a low voltage brushed setup.



I’ll post some more trail pics in the picture gallery, because it’s looking a little desolate in there. ��

[Natedog]

Wheeel and tire combo looks good on there, but you can't go wrong with Pro-Line TSLs! Sometimes you just gotta run stock parts due to time constraints, been there with my weak TRX4 steering servo lol. Hope your back is well ASAP, get some IcyHot on it, Advil, chiropractor, rest, whatever works for you! Tactic servo for now sounds good and definitely better than stock.

Beautiful crawl spot!

[johnnyluv]

Originally Posted by Natedog

Wheeel and tire combo looks good on there, but you can't go wrong with Pro-Line TSLs! Sometimes you just gotta run stock parts due to time constraints, been there with my weak TRX4 steering servo lol. Hope your back is well ASAP, get some IcyHot on it, Advil, chiropractor, rest, whatever works for you! Tactic servo for now sounds good and definitely better than stock.

Beautiful crawl spot!

Thanks, man. Yeah, I could barely move yesterday, and actually had to take the day off work. 5% better today.

I like those wheels & tires, too, but I have one of those army green China Jeep Rubicon hard bodies, and they look much better on that, unless I loose interest and decide not to build it. The PL TSL Swampers have a better compound, so it would be an improvement over the Rock Crusher II's, which are only a medium compound. They still did well, considering.

[johnnyluv]

Got this solid steel, 6-piece linkage set for the Venture FJ, in the mail, yesterday. Found it on eBay from "clubrc". The pack of links weighed in at 4 - 3/8 oz. Should add a nice little touch of weight down low. My observation on initial performance, which was impressive, is that this chassis won't need a load of brass(with the exception of brass axle tubes, perhaps). Apart from the new steel links, and better wheels/tires, I'm going to run mostly stock.

[Traulus]

Those look nice.Personally i wanted to save on the links and made my own out a 6mm aluminum bar and some traxxas rod ends.Asfar as unsprunged weight,i will go with everything that it will be availbale.Tubes,knuckles,chubs,diff covers,link mounts.It makes huge of a difference,especially if competing

[Natedog]

Originally Posted by johnnyluv

Got this solid steel, 6-piece linkage set for the Venture FJ, in the mail, yesterday. Found it on eBay from "clubrc". The pack of links weighed in at 4 - 3/8 oz. Should add a nice little touch of weight down low. My observation on initial performance, which was impressive, is that this chassis won't need a load of brass(with the exception of brass axle tubes, perhaps).

Those look nice beefy and heavy down low, much better than brass. Installed yet, what’s next?

[johnnyluv]

Originally Posted by Natedog

Those look nice beefy and heavy down low, much better than brass. Installed yet, what’s next?

Haven't installed them yet. I'm not sure there's going to be a next, and here's why: The FJ body is nice, but I have some complaints, such as the wheel openings being too small for any tire bigger than 4.3" O.D. The RC4WD tires I recently tried were only 4.4" and they rubbed. With a full 12.3" wheelbase, I prefer 4.6" OD or larger, to gain clearance, due to the technical trails I typically hike. If they had made the FJ body shorter, like with an 11.4" wb, then a 4.25" - 4.33" tire would be reasonable, but they went long. Scale? Perhaps, but I prefer more capability, because of what I like to do with scale 4x4's. I don't want to trim the fenders, because then it'll look scrappy. I could attempt to use a different body, but I already have more than one 12.3" wheelbase platform (SCX10 II, plus recently bought a TRX-4 pre-roller Bronco chassis), and they each have good options for bumpers, whereas the Venture currently has very little aftermarket. Now, that will possibly change, especially if the Venture grows in popularity, but I have a feeling mine will not get used, especially with my other, more desirable trucks getting my attention. I will add, however, that if there's one body that would currently work well on it, allowing for larger 1.9's, it's probably the new Pro-Line Ambush, with the molded-in bumper, but eventually I'd want a separate bumper, for protecting the body.

[Natedog]

Make a bumper or mod one to fit? What you going to do then? Proline Ambush body is sweet looking.

[JDM74]

I guess you are still running the wishbone 3 link setup in the rear?

[johnnyluv]

Originally Posted by Natedog

Make a bumper or mod one to fit? What you going to do then? Proline Ambush body is sweet looking.

I'm not skilled at fabrication, so I'd likely end up waiting for an aftermarket bumper, or an adapter that would allow me to use an existing bumper (as I have a few). I may just set aside the FJ body for now, and do the PL Ambush body, which would allow me to run some full size 1.9's, like the Pit Bull Growlers that I've had in a box for a Jeep G6 build, which I had planned over a year ago, but never started.

I do think the Venture chassis could be a great climber with a good set of wheels/tires, and would probably make light work of the mountain trails that my old SCX10's struggled on.

Originally Posted by JDM74

I guess you are still running the wishbone 3 link setup in the rear?

Correct, as I haven't installed the new links yet.

[johnnyluv]

I got the Venture out yesterday afternoon, and drove around my little patch of yard (which is loaded with protruding tree roots, and has a few steep inclines). It managed everything really well, which was very satisfying...except for when the tires rubbed the back of the front wheel wells. I currently have the Pro-Line Super Swamper TSL SX 1.9's (the original 4.3" OD version), and even those rub, under heavy articulation and sharp steering. I guess it doesn't bother too many people, because I haven't read many complaints. I'm going to pull down my Pro-Line '73 Ford Bronco body (the older 12.3" wb model), and see how that looks on the Venture chassis, and if it mocks up well, I might run it, next.

[JDM74]

Originally Posted by johnnyluv

I got the Venture out yesterday afternoon, and drove around my little patch of yard (which is loaded with protruding tree roots, and has a few steep inclines). It managed everything really well, which was very satisfying...except for when the tires rubbed the back of the front wheel wells. I currently have the Pro-Line Super Swamper TSL SX 1.9's (the original 4.3" OD version), and even those rub, under heavy articulation and sharp steering. I guess it doesn't bother too many people, because I haven't read many complaints. I'm going to pull down my Pro-Line '73 Ford Bronco body (the older 12.3" wb model), and see how that looks on the Venture chassis, and if it mocks up well, I might run it, next.

I'm running the Pittbull Braven Ironsides which are a 4.19" tire and they fit pretty well.

[johnnyluv]

Quick update:

Haven't sold the Venture, yet, and I'm thinking I might keep it, especially after changing it up recently. I threw on the wheel/tire combo that was previously on my RC4WD G2 Cruiser (as I haven't been driving it), and it did great around my little backyard area, which has some challenging terrain, surprisingly. I'll try and post up a video, once I edit it.

Anyways, I think I know what my next body will be...the good ol' Pro-Line 1973 Bronco wagon. This is the older one that got discontinued (#3313-60), which had the 12.3" wb:

[Fallen]

I'm jealous of that Bronco body, especially because I used to have one, and wish I still had it for this chassis.

What wheels and tires are those shown in the photos with the Bronco body? Those tires look really good, and look like they fit under the FJ Cruiser body nicely. I have an old set of Axial 8 Holes that I painted white, which would probably look great with those tires mounted.