Swampies SlickRock

[SwampDawg]

Before i touched anything on this rig i decided to take it for a rip to see for my self any flaws that may arise, and to my findings....

ESC mounted on rear axle: just dumb!
Stock shocks: just weaksauce!
Servosaver: This ends up being your bumper! lol

Take it home to do some minor changes...

Removed the ESC and Rx from the axle and mid-chassis.
fab`d a piece of black styrene i had laying around and extended it to make a longer deck up top where the stock location of the Rx used to be.
Mounted both the ESC and Rx to this styrene fab`d deck which is centered between the chassis and above the transmission. Still doesnt make sense with weight higher up inside the chassis but atleast its hidden and out of my way. (also doesnt look goofy with a big azz ESC on an axle)

That took care of the electronics for now...

Then i moved onto the shocks:

This is where it got interesting because of the odd diameter of these things, you cant just slap on any shocks you want. I ended up fluking out and finding a complete set of 4 touring car shocks which nearly matched the length of the original shocks. So, i rebuild them, fill em with 30w and slap on some springs which also end up being a bit stiffer the the stockers. HaH!

Only thing i need now is a LiPo 2s pack that will fit this pathetic battery box and something to fix this so-called servo-bumper (**or otherewise servosaver**) haha!

Im thinking of just removing this crappy servo saver and puting a servo-horn in its place. Does this rig really need a servo saver?? none of my 1:10th scalers have em!! :P

Other then the above stated, this little rig kicks azz!!







**still need to do something with this thing** lol


Mods to date:

Electronics:
CC BEC

Transmission:
Kevlar 70t spur
9t pinion
rx-280 motor

Tires/Wheels:
1.9 beadlocks/Axial - Weighted using 1/2oz lead/Front and 1/4oz/Rear
1.9 Dick Cepek Mud country tires/Modified
Traxxas hexes (long)

Suspension:
Touring car oil-filled, coil-over shocks
Springs/Front-Mild (green)
Springs/Rear-Stiff (Grey) SCX10

[SwampDawg]

Again... NOT happy with electronic placement ive used what used to be the battery tray as the ESC/Rx box now. Now with those completely hidden and out of the way, ill be fabbing up a battery tray more leaning towards the front of the chassis for a flatpack LiPo 2s 1100 mAh battery.

Both the ESC and Rx slid right into the tray and the lid pops into place as normally. Then i used a very small phillips screw where the tab is located to make sure this lid doesnt come loose.

**note: Panels are removed right now until i figure this out and for clarity of pics to show those interested in this mod**

[SwampDawg]

Got rid of that stocker servo-bumper (servo horn) lol
Alloy 25t installed.



Fab`d up the beginning of my custom lipo battery tray using a section of styrene for the deck.

[SwampDawg]

Custom battery tray fab`d up today!
Now this will allow for a LiPo stickpack to slide right through the passenger window.

Dimensions: W40mm x H21mm x L94mm



How Vaterra should have done it in the 1st place!

[ClovisCrawler]

Love this thread Swampie. Reminds me of my return to RC cars/trucks back in 2007-2008. Before I was a club racer back in the late eighties early nineties. I learned about rock crawling through shows on TV which mentioned RC crawling. My first stab at the hobby was with the Nylint crawlers sold at Walmart. I even owned the 1/6th scale behemoth Jeep model! My first taste of Super Class . But the fun began with my purchase of Losi's new Mini Rock Crawler RTR. I hated the servo saver on that one but quickly learned that there was a reason why it was there. When I put the solid servo horn option, I immediately destroyed the plastic gears in the stock mini servo. I went to the Hitec's metal geared mini and got lucky when Novak debuted their Mongoose Crawler ESC because I needed it's BEC to power the servo. The stock ESC's BEC didn't cut the mustard. I then got the battery/servo plate and Losi's 2S LiPos. I did the weight on everything but inside the wheels (front axle and behind the servo). I went to weight in the wheels when I purchased Proline's 1.9 Titus wheels with their no longer produced weight system. I finally purchased the aluminum shocks and inverted them. From there my MRC RTR was a killer crawler. It was very impressive on the rocks. Watching your progress has been a joy. I loved those early years before I got the MRC Pro. My Pro is my pride and joy and it's a million times better than old RTR - which I no longer possess. If you have a chance, check out my picture gallery and the album on my Pro. I show the Pro's evolution to date. It's at least eighty to ninety percent Pro. Why mess with a rig with world championship DNA (2009 1.9 World Champ!). It's a high performance basher crawler. Not a comp crawler.
Have fun with your Slick Rock's evolution.

[daver18qc]

Just a thought but that battery is way high in the chassis, i think it might raise your CoG too much.

Other than that you're on the right track !

[SwampDawg]

Originally Posted by daver18qc

Just a thought but that battery is way high in the chassis, i think it might raise your CoG too much.

Other than that you're on the right track !

i realize the location is higher then id like but with this tube cage thing going on, its the best you can do.

either battery in the rear as per stock application...Boo!
or where i mount it which makes it easier to remove and it also hides it.

I recently modded a set of 1.9 Dick Cepek Mud countries which now look kinda like a PitBull XOR. lol These are weighted both front and rear at the wheel. Looks killer!!!

As for the servo horn, i know it will eventually give out at the plastic gears unless the thing burns out 1st? hehe I will opt for a metal gear servo later on in this build but something else needs to be done before-hand. The thing hauls azz as i mentioned perviously, however... it does lack torque in situtations where really needed. Im gonna have to do some research to find out what motor to grab for this rig. Although it does come equipped with a 60T brushed, it isnt doing the trick? MAybe the LiPo ill be buying soon will assist this one??

[daver18qc]

The stock motor just isn't very powerfull, but a LiPo will help it alot.
Switching to another motor will be necessary in the long run, though.

The Losi RX-280 mini-motor is a good choice coupled with a small 9t-10t pinion, will screw right into your stock motor plate and has replaceable external brushes.

For 20$ it's the best thing i've done to mine, performance/price-wise.

(you might need a bigger spur to use a 9t pinion, because the motor will touch the transmission before you can get it close enough to mesh, but a 13t pinion should fit without any mods)

[SwampDawg]

Originally Posted by daver18qc

The stock motor just isn't very powerfull, but a LiPo will help it alot.
Switching to another motor will be necessary in the long run, though.

The Losi RX-280 mini-motor is a good choice coupled with a small 9t-10t pinion, will screw right into your stock motor plate and has replaceable external brushes.

For 20$ it's the best thing i've done to mine, performance/price-wise.

(you might need a bigger spur to use a 9t pinion, because the motor will touch the transmission before you can get it close enough to mesh, but a 13t pinion should fit without any mods)

checked out this rx-280 motor on Horizon Hobbies and like it!!
external brushes ftw!!

Thank You!

ordered it right after i seen this thing from my LHS.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
RX-280 Specs *for those interested*


PART NO. LOSB1216
Brushed 280 sized can (removeable brushes)
Ball bearings
Turns: N/A

Replacement brushes w/springs
PART NO. LOSB1217

[daver18qc]

The only minor thing is the shaft doesnt have a flat spot for the pinion set screw, nothing a little filing / dremeling can't fix though!

And be prepared, that thing is crazy fast compared to the stock motor, don't try it facing a wall

[SwampDawg]

question regarding the spurgear?

i havent looked yet so im not even sure what spur this rig has installed (stock)??
so first, im assuming again that i can just use a spurgear off a MRC right?
and what tooth-count should i aim for here??

sorry...new to micro stuff!! lol
but for now...im having a blast with this slickrock over my 1:10 crawlers.

[daver18qc]

it's not micro it's mini
micro is 1/36 like the Losi Micro Rock Crawler!

yeah the MRC stuff will work, the stock spur is probably 60t.
when i fitted the RX280 to mine i drilled a Losi 72t spur gear that belongs to a mini-lst i believe but not sure.
i went with what they had in stock at my hobby shop.

anything 48pitch will work, although the real pitch is 0.5MOD i believe.

[SwampDawg]

sorry guys :P
`Mini`, still not used to this `small scale`RC thang`

ESC Specs: Taken from Vatteras manual:

Constant/Peak
20A/200A

Full-On Resistance
0.004 Ohm

Operation
Forward/Reverse with Smart Brake;
Forward Only with Brake

Input Voltage
4–7 cell (4.8–8.4V) DC

Minimum Motor Limit
370 motor, 20 turn; 380 motor, 22 turn

BEC Output
5.6V DC; 1 amp max.

Overload Protection
Thermal, Stall, Over-Voltage

Dimensions (LxWxH)
1.61 in x 1.34 in x 0.55 in
(46mm x 33mm x 20mm)

Weight
36 g (1.27 oz)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Pinions: **Ill keep adding to this list as i find these suckers! LOL

Novak Mod 0.5 Aluminum Pinion Gear Set for Mongoose Brushless setup in Team Losi Mini Rock Crawler (14T/15T/16T) #5211





Mini-T/MDT Spurgear bag
LOSB1068

Losi Pinion bag Mini-T/MDT
Tooth count i have no idea but there are x3 in this set. Might even be plastic pinions, cant tell by pics?
Part No. LOSB1069

[ClovisCrawler]

Originally Posted by daver18qc

it's not micro it's mini
micro is 1/36 like the Losi Micro Rock Crawler!

yeah the MRC stuff will work, the stock spur is probably 60t.
when i fitted the RX280 to mine i drilled a Losi 72t spur gear that belongs to a mini-lst i believe but not sure.
i went with what they had in stock at my hobby shop.

anything 48pitch will work, although the real pitch is 0.5MOD i believe.

I thought the Micro Rock Crawler was 1/24th

[SwampDawg]

another question as this one baffles me?
ive looked at several sites now including Spektrums....
what the hell is the output on this spms602 servo for Tq??

im trying to see about upgrading to a new metal gear type with higher Tq.

[daver18qc]

Originally Posted by ClovisCrawler

I thought the Micro Rock Crawler was 1/24th

Might well be! I was not 100% sure !


As for the pinions i used these :

LOSB1260
LOSB1261
LOSB1262

And for the servo torque, the stock servo would be about 40oz.
Any full size servo will bring you LOTS more torque, for example the Hitec 645MG has 133oz when coupled with a "BEC" @ 6volts but at stock voltage it will still bring you a healthy 106oz.
From there if it's not enough you can go up to about 400oz with a ~200$ servo.

EDIT: And yes those LOSB1069 are plastic !

[SwampDawg]

Originally Posted by daver18qc

Might well be! I was not 100% sure !


As for the pinions i used these :

LOSB1260
LOSB1261
LOSB1262

And for the servo torque, the stock servo would be about 40oz.
Any full size servo will bring you LOTS more torque, for example the Hitec 645MG has 133oz when coupled with a "BEC" @ 6volts but at stock voltage it will still bring you a healthy 106oz.
From there if it's not enough you can go up to about 400oz with a ~200$ servo.

EDIT: And yes those LOSB1069 are plastic !

Only problem is id need a slim type full size servo such as the Spektrum it comes with or it hits the front tube chassis. So....anyone know what the Tq is on the one i mentioned above?

Thanks for the part#'s on those pinions.
Also...what spurgear should i go with if i use say a 10t pinion?

Thanks!

[daver18qc]

66+ tooth spur should reach the 10t pinion with the motor can touching the transmission.
what type of spur holder / slipper does the slickrock comes with ?

[SwampDawg]

not sure what kind of system this is but here is an image i found on google?

[daver18qc]

Ok it's the same slipper as the Losi MRC.
So all you need is a spur with a big hole in the center, it's gonna be easier to mod than mine which had screws in it so i had to drill 7 holes total when i bought the 72t spur from Losi....