Sons Name-Less Trekker

[RootBreaker]

ok so my son has a trekker (13yr old) pretty much stock... with Baja Claws and a 90t ddt motor.... (youngest @ 7 has a sumo)


he goes to drive it and it flops over.. all the time... doesnt add much fun for him...

so to that.. he will have a present under the tree

Blade TMC V2 "Topless Micro Chassis" - Blade TMC V2 Topless Micro Chassis [TMC01] - $32.89 : Crawler X, Rock Crawler Parts

more to come...
he will give it a name.... and think we will do some aftermarket parts if it needs it... maybe homemade links...


got the email it is shipped!!!!!!!!!!!

[cjgotch]

Sounds like a good Christmas to me...only one problem ,what do you think your son will say when he sees his brothers new chassis?

[MikeChino]

Nice, are you going to build it for him? you should set him up next to dad and have him go at it,

[RootBreaker]

Originally Posted by cjgotch

Sounds like a good Christmas to me...only one problem ,what do you think your son will say when he sees his brothers new chassis?

well my youngest doesnt really care... all i will say is we are trying to make it a rock buggy like his sumo and that will please him...

but if he wants to switch out.. i have no problem looking for a different chassis for him to put his guts into....

also the youngest is getting an ipad mini and the oldest isnt..

Originally Posted by MikeChino

Nice, are you going to build it for him? you should set him up next to dad and have him go at it,

guidance my friend guidance...
he is 13.. @ 13 i put together my very own Tamiya Blackfoot!!!!! with no parental help.

so with this.. he will do the work and I will be there to assist..

right now he is into RC cars.. slowly getting in as he is looking to buy a used axial exo off of ebay.. trying to find the right deal...

in addition he is in robotics in 8th grade, computer class in 8th grade, got to go to an engineering class at the local college, got to do lego mindstorms camps at the college... I think he can handle it..

for xmas we also got him a kit from a local school store.. it has motors, solar panels, blades, etc and instructions on how to make tons of stuff.. so that will get my lil engineer headed (he is looking to go into engineering) dude rolling.

funny thing is the kit is $20 and has 2 x small can motors that look like the ones in the trekker!!!!! wonder how many turns!!!!!

so my wife and I are trying to decide if we want to get him the new lego mindstorms ev3 as his big present.. he bought lego mindstorms nxt 2.0 with his own money... $275 last year and he can use all the parts or if were going to get him a laptop to use with the mindstorms.....

we do many sports (MMA, Travel Soccer and street hockey for both kids) so we are busy... but we also push grades before sports and we keep them busy in "fun" things too...

[anuthabubba]

Reduce the turnovers by changing out the factory shock springs to the softer Micro T springs. They are shorter so you can add ~3 coils from one of the more firm springs in the set to fill the gap. Makes it a progressive/dual rate sytem that really improves the handling. Also moving stuff around/adding weight on the axles to lower the cg helps.

[RootBreaker]

well it came in last week and is now all wrapped up waiting for him to open...

only thing I need to do is check online and see if there is an instruction set... never built one of these and it is a bag of small parts.... and no pics or instructions...

off to their site...

[cjgotch]

I was looking at these awhile ago and saw this how-to on the crawlerx site.

Far Out Hobbies: BLADE TMC KIT for the Losi Micro Crawler

Looks like you need to cut a bit but I'm sure your boy can handle it. He should be smiling when he sees this...good job dad

[RootBreaker]

Originally Posted by cjgotch

I was looking at these awhile ago and saw this how-to on the crawlerx site.

Far Out Hobbies: BLADE TMC KIT for the Losi Micro Crawler

Looks like you need to cut a bit but I'm sure your boy can handle it. He should be smiling when he sees this...good job dad

Thanks!!!!

wow that thing to looks so different...

**********edited... wow without panels it looks so different...

[cjgotch]

You should think about longer links and drivelines mods. That chassis has good reviews but most said it liked the 5.5 setup best.

[RootBreaker]

Ok it is built... built it last night..


I am not too happy with it...

1. Instructions were not included and I am not a great builder.. I require directions... so I emailed them and they gave me a link saying they need to do better instructions as this is the V2 and a bit different...

ok so different.. part my fault on this next step. They have a pic that shows the roof bars going over and have a C at the end that you put onto your battery holder that needs to be cut... well the v2 version has a D on the end and I couldnt figure it out.. so said EFF IT.. and cut it into a C...
then I look over and ask my son what the white piece is ... well it is what goes through the D instead of cutting it... UGHHHHH

2. stupid nit pick.. but I did pay good money for this kit... but that piece is white... really.. a fully black rig with a white piece in the back?????
also it has 4 screw holes.. and they dont line up so you cant screw all 4 in... only 2.. which is ok as the shocks hit it.... so had to twist it to vertical instead of horizontal.

3. the pic on the site shows the orange panels... I figured the panels would need to be colored... or painted by me... but I didnt expect them to NOT COME WITH IT!!!!!! dont think I would have bought the kit knowing this....

4. the esc in the pic on their site looks like there was a mount to put the esc on... ummm no it just sits there.. for now we electrical taped it in.... I dont like that one bit... oh well.....


so I need to make longer links... cut wires and make things fit better... I know my son will like it when we are done...

I am in no way putting down the build.. it is ok... I am not impressed with it though.... and I rely on the pics when I buy stuff and little modifications as my 2 kids do MANY sports and I just dont have time.... I expect to get something.. put some time in and get it running with minimal effort...

my son started playing with it and he is happy with it.. i told him we will get it going better soon...


anyone know what I could do for panels like they used? it would hide some of this stuff....


only pic I took last night...


blade by TeleFragger / RootBreaker, on Flickr

[MikeChino]

I totally feel your pain, that's how it was when i got the Ridgeback chassis, its really hi quality work they do, but lack instructions of any type, i had to google images and search youtube to try to catch a glimps of how it went together. And i just got the Blade SMC 5.5 EX and looking at the bag of pieces, here we go again lol. For the panels, you can try home depot and get some aluminum sheet, really thin and you can trace and cur with scissors, or finds some lexan and do the same. looking at the pick it looks nice good job.