its time! full on BWD mini mantis.. test, tune an crawl!

[winnerone23]

I hit a delema an it has moved past, to a point.. I decided to go with a couple things that weren't done an I was kinda skipped past but the delema helped me thru it an I'm STOKED with the outcome!
My mini juice had the lcc mod done, but I didn't do it, it came on a traded rig.. it wasn't the best to say the least, it was also half done, chubs, knuckles, one lcc axle an one Mip.. but this is how it looked on the outside..



So my delema led me to the inside.. as I had new lcc cvd's, I planned on doin new ones, tight an precise!



So I got my handy dandy dremel out an got to work.. length first, then grinding an test fitting with every pass.. had a extra ring gear with locker, so it made it semi easy to get thru. End result..



I put them at lock an spun them in my fingers.. very smooth, no wobble.. but I realized there was something off. They didn't feel right. Steering was short..



So apart they came.. I found the cups were diff on the new ones..



A diff version maybe? So I put them together with the new axles an the old cups.. then there was wobble.. every time It spun past the pin it jumped.. so a little trick I always did to my creeper cvd's came to mind.. I grind out the pin slot in the cvd ball end..





Instead of the diamond coated dremel bit I normally use, I had the drill bit handy an just spun it as I worked the cvd back an forth at the ends.. now steering is full out an Smooth! I was goin to go a step further an grind down some area on the axle or take a little more out of the cup edge, but figured if its not enough steering still, ill get on the wraith steering mod faster..
On with it I say.. here is the modded axle ill be running, for now.. od gear, beef tubes, holes for clocked chubs, steel lockers aa is the ring gear an inner locker holding area..



All back together.. its at 7.25" without wideners an over 8" with them.. so ill be taking the wheels apart an flipping the inner 12 spoke plate so the hex is on the inside. That will bring me in under 8"..



On to the "delema" .. the old axle..



A little tiny looking now.. on the inside.. The delema is or was....



Me running it too hard... Hahahaha....... I'll be goin thru the wraith/xr mod with this axle next.. now I can crawl an do the mod with out loosen crawl time. I can also test weight needed/wanted for tuning...

Also during my fun time, I got my tires done...





Now I have to get her back together an get some crawling in.. if um not satisfied, ill be taking the rear axle apart next.. beef tubes an ud gear...

All for now.. more later..

[89lxmorepower]

Looking goodvrealpy good troy now for more testing pics

[winnerone23]

Well I didn't get pics, but the new front axle is sick! I got a pack thru it an it won't be changing any! Other then the steer mod yet.. the tight axles an weight is good, the od gear is noticable when the axles are done right, not loose an sloppy... Now I want to do the rear axle with the ud gear, just to check out the outcome... Benefits or none benefits..
I will get video up nt the end of the weekend..

I also have to take back a statement I made.. I had a miss idea of the modlocks an bein able to flip the wheel plate with the hex.. it didn't work.. kinds need a bead area to use a bead lock... LOL, duh........... I'll figure something out tho.

[winnerone23]

I didn't have a pic earlier, so I thought I would drop one off..

[89lxmorepower]

Get to the testing lol i wanna see more test pics but looks really good

[Hittman]

I bet its gonna be awsome with those knuckle weights on there. Good update.. and lookin good

[winnerone23]

Thanks guys.. well, another 2 days of rain.. no video an no crawling.. tho the mini mantis is working great! I had it out for 5 mins in between drizzles.. noticed a big diff, not sure what all helped aa I did the od pinion, slop free lcc modded axles, an knuckle weights an wideners all at the same time.. but um goin to take the wideners off next an test, then the knuckle weights off for testing.. then the rear weights as well.. ill have to move rock in the basement for the winter an get lots of test time in when snow flies..

I'll get more posted as I can..

[RickM]

Ok, so you lost me a bit. The pic of the broken axle appears to show a MRC axle.

Reason being, I also did the LCC mod axle and stub and I noticed the steering was to low also. I did take a dremel to the axle some and have never noticed any play. The axles are holding solid after a long while. Not suggesting however that my mod job was better. I do tend to get lucky every now and again.

[winnerone23]

Ok, let's see if I can find ya then..

Yep the broken cvd is from the mini mantis Mrc axle..



Now on with the lcc modded axle off my mini juice.. the lcc mod came to me on a Bwd mini wedge I traded for.. it had one over grinded, at the locker, lcc axle and one lcc stub shaft on the end of a Mrc cvd axle.. the two middle ones..



I had two two new lcc cvd axles nip.. since the lcc axle was loose fitting, I wanted to make the two new ones.. tight fitting at the locker... The two outside ones..



Now with that, the stub. Shaft cups were diff...



The steering would have been cut short.. so I swapped them out..



Nothing is loose anymore.. the most play I get now is from the hex pin in the hex...

So with all said.. I wouldn't expect ur mod job to be better, I get lucky lots. Haha... J/k ;)

Hope I found you.. ?

[RickM]

I am with you now.

Once I had the axle shafts rolling I had to take them and stick them in my drill press. I then took a dremel and griding wheel to the axle shafts and clearanced them some. I got enough steering to rub my tires into my shocks, and still had a beefier axle than my MRC axles. Not as much steering as the XR but I find it works.

Nice Build. One of the last few "real builds" on here. Keep the fire alive.

[winnerone23]

Nice Build. One of the last few "real builds" on here. Keep the fire alive.[/QUOTE]

Well, its taken me a couple few hours, rolling around the idea an what to say.. I still have no idea.. that's some real shit, with all the builds goin on in the mrc section.. highly appreciated words RickM! Thanks.. I'll keep it goin till its on the podium this season!




I hope..

[Hittman]

Originally Posted by winnerone23

I'll keep it goin till its on the podium this season!

I hope..

Hahaha! Now this guy has jokes

[winnerone23]

Originally Posted by Hittman

Hahaha! Now this guy has jokes

Ha ha ha... Now who has jokes!

[RickM]

I could probably do the front axle mod to my mrc, but I like the way the losi's are holding up, and I really don't desire much more steering, as it would impact my shock and link placement. If I had not already done the LLC mod however the wraith mod would be a done deal. That said, my truck stopped breaking down at every comp (within reason) and now it really drives well. Me on the other hand....... It is funny how wheel time makes all the difference in the world.

[winnerone23]

Lol, yeah rick, I'm with ya there.. wheel time is huge! If I didn't have dreams of what I want the "Looks" to be, I wouldn't go any further, any further then a ud in the rear.. it steers nice an is solid.. with the shimmin an beef tubes, mip d shafts.. the drive train is solid! The chassis has been working put killer!
My personal thoughts on it.. if this was a production chassis an ppl got use to running it an how it works, there would be more 2.2 mantis's out there. As they are great to run an ppl would put more time into getting them dialed in.. this little gem has made my half dozen other mini's feel bad... Luckily I have since moved them on.. As I had some of the top chassis out there.. this is by far my favorite!

Video coming...

[winnerone23]

And now that photobucket stopped bein a picky Pita! Few short videos.. an thanks to Everett.. linked..

http://static.photobucket.com/player...IDEO0001-1.mp4

http://static.photobucket.com/player...IDEO0002-1.mp4

Last one here, its one handed again..

http://static.photobucket.com/player...IDEO0003-1.mp4

Hope you enjoy.

[EverettY]

Here ya go... Sorry it took me so long...

[remmuh]

Great job!

[89lxmorepower]

Your mini looks great troy and performs as well as it looks which is nice

[winnerone23]

Thanks guys..
Well things have been on hold since that day.. I lost a king pin out of the lcc knuckle. Got a little ahead of myself to get it out to crawl I guess.. since then, I broke gears in my xr, had some carbon fiber parts to make, a kyosho mini inferno to get ready for my son for xmas, and had a friend drop my tamiya rally car back off()so I was getting that ready so my son an I could/can play together on xmas day. The new year shall bring great things tho!