89redranger's MRC Pro build/rebuild for 2014

[89redranger]

Alright, started a new rock rig finally. Not to say my other MRC based projects on here are cancelled, just on hold. With Christmas over, Winter half through, and Spring just a few months away I'm seeing more and more builds pop up.

Long story short, I bought another Pro for parts to put my Pro back together, and plan on a few mods along the way. With that used Pro I managed to get my Ti Infectious chassis and a few other parts I had sold back.

Anywho, here's how it all started. Tear down of the used rig, lined up all the stuff I already had, and got to work getting one good roller together, and ready for a true build.



Roller assembled, the best of what I had on hand. Just wanted to get it together as a roller before a real build takes off.





After I had a roller I started building shocks, moving links, and getting things where I wanted it. Following Del Monte's setup, as with the last few Pros I've built.









Built a centered Servo mount/battery tray. Real similar to the Infectious piece, now MIA. Simple 1/16" aluminum, cut with the hacksaw, drilled with a cordless, and filed and sand-papered into finish. Doesn't get much lower as far as battery mounts. Uses a stock rear link bracket under the servo mount for the link locations. Simple, strong, light, and I don't have to pull my links to get my servo mount off anymore.







Please excuse the filth. As I go through the rig things will get cleaned up. Gotta remember, this is basically a spare parts rig. Well, two rigs worth of spare parts...

Lots more coming, this is where I stand now. Was too lazy to start a thread.

Don't get your hopes up for a high dollar build here though. I love building parts at home. There will however be a lot of DIY stuff in here.

Hoping tomorrow I can get a parts list together for you guys. Some of the parts on the rig now won't even be staying. Like I said, they were what I had on hand.

[89redranger]

Anybody know how to get ahold of the guys at Infectious? Read through their older posts, PM'ed them, and left replies to a few of their vendor's threads. Wanting to pick up one of their ti toppers and a spare set of chassis plates if they may have a few left hiding in corners. I really like their product, and wish I had bought it all when I had the chance and it was readily available. Kicking myself in the @$$ now...

[bigblock123]

Looks like your off to a Good start! subscribed



Thanks

[89redranger]

Thanks man! Lots more to come.

Just got a PM back from a fellow member about some ti links. Hoping to get uppers, lowers, and steering links whipped up. Gotta decide what I want for knuckles/chubs before I get that far. At this point I think I'm going with LCC stuff up front. Simple, cheap, and durable.

If I had the money I'd be thinking of going the frankenaxle route. Can't justify the coin on a rig that "may" get comped. Hate to say it, but I may just drill my Pro knuckles for home-brew knuckle weight even.

Sent from my SCH-I535

[89redranger]

PM me what you need. I actually wouldn't mind selling a few things. It'll just go back to the new parts needed.

Sent from my SCH-I535

[buggy0001]

Looks like you are off to a good start. What do you plan for electronics?

[89redranger]

Xtreme 380 on 3s, FXR, CC 10 amp BEC, Axial AX-3 RX, FlSky GT3B TX, and the Hitec 5646WP (it's a high voltage waterproof unit with 180oz @ 7.2v, I'll run it till it burns up).

[Sh0rtBus]

Looking forward to completion and seeing this rig run. I need yo get off my as and get back on my MRC build. It's been on the back burner for some time now. I'm buying stuff for my Wraith now. NEED an MMP and some RR hardened steel trans gears and then I can at least run it and find the rest of the weak points. My Pro 4 3300 should be here in a couple days.

[89redranger]

Cutting beef tubes for the new rig. Cut with a pipe cutter, cleaned up with a body reamer, file set, and scotch-brite pads. Simple stuff guys!

Fronts in stainless, rears in aluminum. Notice the flats that let these key into the chub end of the housings. That set of flat keeps them from spinning or sliding around in the housing, as well as providing a good deal more rigidity by doing so. This set is actually for a friend and fellow forum member's rear axle that I'm building, but you get the idea...

[BliB]

How big are those beef tubes?
In pictures everything looks big and beefy, in real live everything on the mini look tiny!

[89redranger]

1/4" diameter, 0.035" wall. Between these, and the stock housing, there is plenty of beef. Any larger diameter and they wouldn't fit in the housings, any smaller inside diameter and the axles wouldn't fit.

[89redranger]

If it makes you feel any more comfortable, I already have like 4 sets of these floating around locally, and in my last rig. They're simple, and work. Top it off with shimming your ring gear, through-bolting and nutting your housings, and diff problems become a thing of the past. I'll be running these internally, with the Dlux LCC adapter rings and LCC stuff. Ought to last. Overdriven front end, of course.

[Sh0rtBus]

May have to snag a set of these from when I get my MRC back on track.

[89redranger]

PM me, no vendor's star, and not trying to piss anybody off.

Sent from my SCH-I535

[Crawllife]

Those sexy tubes are for me. I can't say enough about this cat. Generosity, constantly pushing to keep a " fading " class going and just a stand up dude. I comp in 2 clubs and against some if the best drivers. I'm trusting these little beauties to hold my rear together and have all the confidence that they will! I'll be sending out my used pro axle when I send the new one for the tube install. I know these are straight forward enough that even a helmet wearer like me could put them in but if there is anything else you can pop in for strength , please do. Thanks for everything you've done for me bro!

[89redranger]

Thanks for the kind words David, and as usual, I'll do everything I can to take care of you. We're ALL on a budget. No shame in building a single good axle from two used units. The only thing I don't have on hand are the shims. I have to order them for my new set of axles anyway, I'll just order a few more sets. As for the MRC specific beef tubes, they are just a new spin on old idea. Others have done them in the past, it's really not that big a deal. I just make 'em look purty. I don't plan on marketing them in any way, shape, form, or fashion. Not to say I won't whip up a few sets for "new buddies" for "materials costs." I've been running them in my builds, and talking my buddies into them for the last few years, I've simply refined it to a 10 minute process.

The rest of you guys, look forward to a full break-down of my axles (front and rear, got some tricks up my sleeve for those of you on a tight budget), as well as David's rear. While mine may not ever get comp'd, David's rig will. Every expense WILL be saved, though no corners cut. Waiting for parts now...

[89redranger]

Just a little update before I settle in with my kid for the night- Picking up a COMPLETE set of Berg V1 tubes and shafts, as a gracious gift from a Facebook buddy for the front of my rig.

Plans include cutting the tubes down, turning the ID to slip over the MRC housing, as well as adding a few anchor screws to keep them from turning on the housings (basically creating a chub out of the ends of the tubes). For shafts, I'll cut down the Berg inners, add flats for the lockers, machining down the OD as needed to fit in the locker, then I can run the unmodified Berg outers, VP high-steer knuckles, and knuckle weights.

While it may not be quite as elegant as all these new Wraith/XR swaps, it WILL be cheap and strong, which was the intent of this rig. Lots of Berg parts floating around with all the tubes and whatnot coming out for them. I'm not against using up their left-overs...

While I believe EGGRESSor has modded Berg tubes/chubs in this way, I can't find details on his setup. He simply states that they are "LCC sized chubs." At this point, I'll give credit for the chub mod to him.

my mrc rebuild

[89redranger]

Found out Bergs use dog bones stock. Looking for a cheap CVD solution now. I don't need Super 300s or anything. All of it will be loads stronger than MRC parts anyway.

Edit: Solution found, right in front of my eyes the whole time. LCC V3 shafts (LOSA3196), cut berg tubes, and the VP Berg knuckles with knuckle weight. All the parts except the shafts are on their way. Mocking it up with Berg dog bones first, then I'll pick up LCC shafts to mod. Hope to have results and pics to post in the next week or so.


Sent from my SCH-I535

[89redranger]

New info- Stock and VP Berg knucks won't work either. They are designed as an ackerman knuckle with the steering arms in a BTA configuration, or "anti-ackerman" with the steering arms forward (think MRC RTR knuckles...). Still fighting various combos to make this as inexpensive as possible. At this point, I'm back on the hunt for another simple solution or a set of AX10 high-steer knuckles to use with the Berg tubes/chubs. For the Price of Dlux's adapters and a rear steer kit, it's hard not to just throw in the towel and go with the LCC stuff. Too bad V3 shafts don't come in the deal...

[89redranger]

Scrapped the the idea of modding the Berg parts to fit. Sold and installed all my Pro billet parts on a buddies Slickrock today. Ordering Dlux LCC knuckle weights, 2x Dlux LCC adapters (the version with the link/shock tabs is no longer, the second set are spares for the toolbox before they're gone too), LNC rear steer kit LOSB2046, LNC hexes and pins LOSB3525, and LNC V3 axles LOSA3196 (spare shafts) tomorrow morning.

Beings I sold the billet Pro parts, and I'll be going to plastic LCC/LNC stuff, I'll be running plastic lockouts in the rear with stainless one-piece shafts. I'm really digging the look of all the black plastic stuff in the axles. Kind of a "sleeper" setup. Also picked up a stock set of Axial Walker Evans glue-on wheels in black. I'll be modding them for SLW hubs, and focusing on trying to keep the drivetrain as light, efficient, and quick as possible. Not quite a "minimalist" rig, but trying to keep it as light as possible, while still working decent on the rocks.

Still to buy- tires, foams, FXR, CC BEC, a full ti link set from Moes670, various small hardware, and a new batch of LiPos. My old 800s just won't quite fit in the new battery location...