Need Info About Moving to a GC3 Chassis

[netsurfr]

I'm new to rc trucks and just bought a MRC and I have been reading a lot of stuff here about recommended upgrades to make it crawl better. I'm by no means going to do any type of competition w/ this. This is more for fun around the house & yard but I do want the MRC to be able to crawl up steeper angles than stock.

I've noticed that a lot of people recommend the GC3 chassis so my question is just how hard is it to take apart the stock MRC and setup the GC3 and what other mods need to be done or bought (links created, larger servo, etc...) to install it? My concern is that I bite more than I can chew cause I am not very handy in creating parts nor do I have a ton of time.

I guess the other part of the question is if moving to the GC3 is too hard or requires all these other parts or mods that I can't do what about adding the 4-link setup that I read about? Would that be worth it or should I just leave the stock chassis & 3-link?

BTW - I've ordered the following upgrades already: Losi threaded alum shocks, Losi bent lower links, Losi alum bead lock, & HB rovers.

[landon4]

It's pretty much just a bolt on item, just pull the axles and tranny off the stocker and elecs and such and mount up to the GC-3. Also the gc-3 comes with the 4-link plates and the extra links you need, I have this chassis and it works very well, you will have to take the plastic spur gear cover off when running this chassis, and with the other few mods you listed you should have a nice little truck.

One other thing I would recommend is while you have everything apart would be to add metal lockers in the axles and tranny.

[papabash]

X2 on what he said. ^^
the nice thing about the GC3 (one of my comp rigs runs it) is that it will perform very well out of the box, but if you ever decide to start doing comps, you have a rig that will be very competitive with just a few minor tweaks.

[netsurfr]

Thanks a lot. I just would hate to get the GC3 and have it sit unused cause I can't get it installed. Forgot to mention that I also ordered those metal lockers too based on what I read A few more of questions if you don't mind...

1. Can I use the stock servo & "steering links" (i think that's what they are called) w/ the GC3 or do I need different ones? I know the stock servo is no good and plan to upgrade eventually but hoping I can use the stock stuff until it craps out on me.

2. When I upgrdae to a full size servo with the GC3 will I need to make my own "steering links" or other stuff like I've seen or will the stock ones work w/ a new servo & the chassis?

3. I thought I read somewhere that you have to create your own mounting plates to mount the electronics in the GC3 & that this was one of the tricky parts?

Thanks again!

Originally Posted by landon4

It's pretty much just a bolt on item, just pull the axles and tranny off the stocker and elecs and such and mount up to the GC-3. Also the gc-3 comes with the 4-link plates and the extra links you need, I have this chassis and it works very well, you will have to take the plastic spur gear cover off when running this chassis, and with the other few mods you listed you should have a nice little truck.

One other thing I would recommend is while you have everything apart would be to add metal lockers in the axles and tranny.

[Mutant_Xj]

Everything really depends on how you want to do it.

You can run the stock steering linkage with the mini servo

With a full sized servo I had to make a new link that went from the servo to the knuckle because there was binding.

the electronics on mine are zip tied inside the chassis right now. You could also get away with using the plate on the back axle.

[RickM]

I am not sure but I think you might be in a position of having to limit the losi threaded shocks if you are going to stick with those. I had a gc3 with losi's and I think I limited mine. regardless you will have a good setup. I know a lot of guys have talked about minor binding at the skid and lower links as well and a lot of guys have taken to grinding on the skid. I went and heated up my rod ends and bent them instead as they are easier to replace if screwed up!

[netsurfr]

Good to know i can use the stock servo for now. Thanks!

Originally Posted by Mutant_Xj

Everything really depends on how you want to do it.

You can run the stock steering linkage with the mini servo

With a full sized servo I had to make a new link that went from the servo to the knuckle because there was binding.

the electronics on mine are zip tied inside the chassis right now. You could also get away with using the plate on the back axle.

[netsurfr]

Hmmm... that's what worries me. That's the kind of stuff in what I would like to find out ahead of time cause I am not that good at building my own stuff to make things works. Hopefully some other people w/ the GC3 chime in and share more info about any other issues.

I read about the binding at the skid but thought that had something to do with an earlier version of the GC3 but maybe not??

What do you mean by having to limit the Losi Alum Threaded Shocks? Limit them in like they won't be able to move as much because the chassis will interfere?

Originally Posted by RickM

I am not sure but I think you might be in a position of having to limit the losi threaded shocks if you are going to stick with those. I had a gc3 with losi's and I think I limited mine. regardless you will have a good setup. I know a lot of guys have talked about minor binding at the skid and lower links as well and a lot of guys have taken to grinding on the skid. I went and heated up my rod ends and bent them instead as they are easier to replace if screwed up!

[droopmodmrc]

The GC3 works way better than stock chassis even with the shocks and skid binding. just drive the hell out of it, it will all break in. get different shocks eventually or limit those. plus you said your not gonna comp anyways. the binding will only limit articulation. and if you want to make more vertical crawls then you want less articulation. also use threadlocker mostly on the nuts for the upper links to axle mount. all i needed was the right servo horn to not have binding of the front steering linkage(with full size servo).batt location is tricky I would go with a small lipo. good luck

[rock hard]

best thing yo can do

read past gc3/gc2 build threads
like eric113's and 4xfords,ect

you will find the most usefull info in threads like those.

[rock hard]

eric113's GC3 build

helhedded's GC-3


there are ALOT of gc3 builds,so you have plenty to read

[netsurfr]

I've read a few of the GC3 build threads including these 2 and that's what has me wondering. In most builds I read about custom parts or things not working quite right w/o some sort of mods. It seems the build is dependent on the gear being used w/ the chassis so that's why I'm wondering about any issues w/ the specific gear I'm getting (losi alum shocks & losi alumn beadlocks and stock electronics.

I'm very new to rc trucks & crawling so sorry for all the questions. Just trying to make sure I understand what I would be getting into if I go the route of the GC3 vs. leaving the stock chassis.

[netsurfr]

Well I came across another GC3 build thread where the poster was coming from a stock MRC frame w/ the Losi Alum Threaded Shocks with stock electronics & servo & going to the latest version of the GC3 and he did not write anything about having problems w/ binding or the servo or steering links so that's promising. He did say the MRC crawled MUCH better after the change & that lateral & vertical climbs were the MRC would have flipped over due to TT were no longer a problem w/ the GC3 so that's cool.

I think I'll bite the bullet & order it & give it a shot.

[Venturewest]

I am starting my GC3 build later today. I am a newbie also, but I am going to dig in and hopefully finish it today. I will maybe post an update or before an after photo later.

[Jslick]

The build is not difficult, there is a lot of other threads here and you can always PM the designer, I know I did. I figured he was the best resource.

[Gfresh]

HI, my 2 cents worth (2p).
I ran a GC-3 for a while, it was excellent!
They DO bind up. It may not be massively noticable at first, but they bind at the skid on the lower links. The rod ends are just balls (not flanged balls) so have limited movement before they hit the skid. Its a simple mod to file the skid opening about 4mm further, then use traxxas revo shock rod ends in place of the skid side lower rod ends. The difference is massive, results in super supple movement.
Run the softest springs you have too, (stock silver are good, mini T softs and mediums are good too).
My GC-3 articulated smoothly and was much more capable after this simple mod. A great tunable chassis.

Battery wise, I ran 850mah 2S lipos on a small plastic tray up front between the chassis plates - just above the upper links. Great for weight placement and out of the way of damage.

ALso looks awesome with a grappler shell (cut for clearance).

[MRCCRAWLER1.9]

i own and run the GC-3 on my mini

first impressions where bad while being incredbile.

Out of the box, bolt on impressions:
Pros:
-4-link suspension
-Tune-ability
-crawl-ability
-manages to stay with the 2.2 class crawlers.

Cons:
-Skid plate binds with lower links alot, need to shave the side abit
-need to get the wider stance for the shocks, or they bind with the shocks

after you fix the cons, you basically have an all out performer, that holds with the 2.2s

[Venturewest]

Okay, I finished the GC3 build today. I worked off and on. I probably had 3 or 4 hours of total build time. It would have gone faster if I would had better tools. (Like a socket to fit the 3mm nuts.) There were a few little hitches along the way. Definitely shave the bottom skid plate to allow movement of the lower links. As the plate comes, it is not even possible to install the lower links, they bind so badly. Also the upper shock mounts need to be outboarded bigtime. I used a 3 mm nut as a spacer on the shock mount so I could finish my build. There is very little bind.

So my first impression based on climbing the back of a chair...awesome. The climb was so steep it didn't even look real. The COG doesn't look that much lower, I don't know why it climbs so much better but I can't wait to take it out and test it on some familiar rocks!

[ducatibrian]

I changed from stock to a GC3 a while back and it is awesome. I also am running the losi aluminum shocks and had to space them out at the top with a nut, I also put on the outboard shock kit for the lower mount. I am still running the stock steering setup with the exception of a hitec full size servo, the front plate is setup to run either servo width I believe, although the steering is next on my list for upgrading, as it sucks. As others have said the only mods for the chassis are spacing the shocks a bit and filing out the skid and using revo ends, after that it will work great.

[netsurfr]

Thanks for the input guys. I'm ordering the GC3. Sounds like the mods are easy enough to do & the improvements over stock are huge.