Gavin's T1E Mini Moon Buggy for Crawler Innovations

[Nova's Ark]

I have been very bad about keeping up with my current builds. I had every intention to do a complete build up on this truck but I just didn't have the time. I was rushed to get it built for the 2010 Nationals. I had earned my invite in 1.9 for the great state of Texas and my son Gavin was going to compete in 1.9 as well. He had been running a Fubar chassis I modified using my own link plates and links. Here is original 1.9 build thread:
Little N.A.'s (My Son's) Losi MRC comp rig
Being a T1E dealer I want to run everything I sell for Crawler Innovations. I was also looking for a more roll over friendly 1.9 chassis with no body.

At any rate, I was able to get this finished just in time for Nationals and Gavin and I shared this truck for the day. Ironically, we finished 35 and 36 in 1.9 and we both ran at different times of the day. I was running my berg super while Gavin was running his 1.9. I was 35th and Gavin was 36th. It was probably not the best thing to run a new truck, untested and untuned at Nationals, but my GC2 1.9 chassis was bent after two years of competing on it and Gavin's chassis had been sold to a local club member to pay for this mini moon buggy build.

We are still testing and tuning this little truck. It's definitely a solid contender when driven properly and it does recover very well, especially with 4" tall tires like the ones pictured. Here is a list of the current specs:

- T1E Mini Moon Buggy Chassis kit
- Novak Mongoose ESC and Brushless motor
- Spektrum RX (removed from the case to save weight and shrink wrapped)
- Spektrum DX3R
- Hitec 5955 TG steering servo (hard wired into the battery)
- Crawler Innovations servo guard
- mini deans plugs
- Rhino 360 Mah 2S lipo
- Vendetta rear shocks (on both the front and rear)
- MIP metal drive shafts
- Hot Racing aluminum transmission gears
- MRC axles with Losi upgrades; metal lockers, front CVD's, aluminum C's, aluminum knuckles, aluminum straight axles adapters and new design Losi straight axle shafts
- I drilled and tapped the aluminum C's and aluminum knuckles for 3mm hardware
- I also IC2000 the metal shafts into the aluminum transmission locker because I have broke several of the locating pins which cause excessive slop in the trans locker
- Pictured tire and foam set up;
- Hot Bodies Khaos buggy tires cut n shut / reduced to 4" height
- Front foams are single stage 1.9 Lil' Nova Memory Foams full width
- Rear foams are single stage 1.9 Lil' Nova Medium Foams full width
- Vanquish Products Little Harry wheels custom machined through Crawler Innovations to .5 width

I'm waiting on Freq-e-tag for skinz. I just threw these skinz together in the hotel for Nationals to be legal. On to some pictures:

[TC09mini]

Looks like he's gotten a lot out of this rig. I've got the same set up right now and am loving it.

[rockslyder]

Rig looks grrrate How do you like the 4" tires? I was thinkin of getting some like it but maybe with 1.9 rovers 4.25"

[Nova's Ark]

Originally Posted by TC09minilosi

Looks like he's gotten a lot out of this rig. I've got the same set up right now and am loving it.

Thanks. It does get played with a lot which is why I run the brushless set up in it for low maintenance.

Originally Posted by rockslyder

Rig looks grrrate How do you like the 4" tires? I was thinkin of getting some like it but maybe with 1.9 rovers 4.25"

I like 4" tall tires for 1.9 comp trucks. I have tried 4.25" and feel it is too tall. It changes the break over and they really need a longer wheel base. They are good for rip rap rock, but 4.25" height in most other places just doesn't work consistently.

4" rovers work well. A couple of my Team Drivers have them and really like them.

[ryandeputy]

Originally Posted by Nova's Ark

- Spektrum RX (removed from the case to save weight and shrink wrapped)

[rock hard]

Looking good Eddie,and x2 on 4"

[Nova's Ark]

Well I finally got around to doing some tuning on this little moon buggy.

I lowered the rear axle plate down.
I shortened the rear upper links to lower the pinion angle slightly.
I lowered the front axle plate down as well.
I shortened the front upper links to pick up a little more caster.
I added the mini revo front pinion to the front axle in order to over drive it.
I got a set of Mini T rear spring assortment and used the softs on the front and firms on the rear.

Those improvements made a big difference on this little crawler. Here is how it looks now:

[rock hard]

Hey Eddie,that rust looks rough,if you dont like oil or grease you can use this product http://www.whitelightningco.com/products/index.htm
I use it on all external stuff I dont want oily,but does need lube.
It stinks though

[JustinThyme]

I think if I were ever to upgrade the Pro Roller chassis, this would be the way to go!

Looks good!

[Nova's Ark]

It's been a very long time since I updated this build thread. With the super low price of the MRC pro roller, this class is now our clubs biggest. Gavin finished 2nd driving this truck at the ETXRCC season opener but it clearly needed some work. The old panels had over a year of abuse on them and Freq-e-skins still has not made skins for this truck so I gave up waiting on him and made my own. These panels came out very nice. All it took was some time, patience, a heat gun and a sheet of old V1 T1E skins I had in stock from Freq-E-Skinz.

It's the "CD13" inspired mini.

[rock hard]

Eddie,I reallylike the new NOVA design,tough lookin nova

[Nova's Ark]

Crawler Innovations will now be stocking and selling RC Bros parts. Primarily for the Losi MRC and Berg to start with. I have never been satisfied with the steering on this mini or the link geometry. I went ahead and installed the RC Bros front upper link mount plate and made new upper links to work with the RC Bros mount:

The RC Bros high steer zero ackerman steering knuckles, Rc Bros steering link, RC Bros upper link mount, Crawler Innovations lightened servo guard all installed:



Huge improvement in steering angle:





It finally bottoms out the cup on the CVD shaft:

[helhedded]

Damn the skins look killer!

[Nova's Ark]

Originally Posted by rock hard

Eddie,I reallylike the new NOVA design,tough lookin nova

Thank you Paul. I'm looking forward to seeing you and any DFW club members on October 8th

[Nova's Ark]

Originally Posted by helhedded

Damn the skins look killer!

Thank you Ashton and I agree. I am really happy with how the flag looks and how well the panels fit. At our last comp, I had to use clear packing tape to hold the roof panel together to make the truck legal to pass tech. The last panels were made the night before Nationals 2010 in the hotel room and they fit and looked pretty ghetto These should easily last this season and look great doing it.

[rock hard]

Originally Posted by Nova's Ark

Thank you Paul. I'm looking forward to seeing you and any DFW club members on October 8th

likewise

[helhedded]

Originally Posted by Nova's Ark

The last panels were made the night before Nationals 2010 in the hotel room and they fit and looked pretty ghetto

I was there when you did it and yes they were

[paulwf150]

It's looking good Eddie, all those new parts look nice. Can't wait to get mine and get them pit on.

[Nova's Ark]

Originally Posted by paulwf150

It's looking good Eddie, all those new parts look nice. Can't wait to get mine and get them pit on.

You are going to like them Paul. The RC Bros order shipped yesterday and I should have the parts in stock by the weekend. I wasn't sure if I would like the new front link geometry, because the stock T1E Moon Buggy is set up like the MRC Pro Roller. The suspensions seems to cycle more smoothly already with the new link plate and shorter upper links. This truck has already completed a couple lines easily, that before were very difficult and time consuming to make (if it made them at all). The RC Bros steering is definitely well designed.

[4xFord]

Very nice, I look forward to driving with Gavin again!