Losi Baja Rey 1/10th 4WD RTR desert truck

[521BBF]

I want to seal up the holes in my wheels to stop sand from getting inside. Can someone school me on making holes in tires? How many, where, what size, etc. I assume they should be placed between the tread blocks? Is it ever a bad idea to do this? Does it weaken the tire at all? What about the method? I was thinking about heating up a piece of wire or a small nail and melting through the tire. Will that work?

[Roush611]

I need help with front proline set up. I recently rebuild a lot of the front end because I broke and axle. When I got it back together I would get minimal rebound just doing a squish test. I rebuilt the front end with RPM A -Arms, hot racing diff cover and then recently added prolines. I have removed the black primary springs but it’s still not near stiff enough to provide any sort or rebound unless I really crank the adjuster down. Do you all have spring suggestions for the front?

[elRayRay]

Originally Posted by Roush611

I need help with front proline set up. I recently rebuild a lot of the front end because I broke and axle. When I got it back together I would get minimal rebound just doing a squish test. I rebuilt the front end with RPM A -Arms, hot racing diff cover and then recently added prolines. I have removed the black primary springs but it’s still not near stiff enough to provide any sort or rebound unless I really crank the adjuster down. Do you all have spring suggestions for the front?

Oh man, this almost triggers PTSD from when I was going through the same. Back around page 89, I think.

I've since moved on to a full set of GTS's, but on the stock shocks I ended up using springs from the RTR shocks from my Bomber to get the ride height tolerable after compression.

I suspect that the RPM arms may be the true culprit as that is something our respective trucks have in common.

[Roush611]

Originally Posted by elRayRay

Oh man, this almost triggers PTSD from when I was going through the same. Back around page 89, I think.

I've since moved on to a full set of GTS's, but on the stock shocks I ended up using springs from the RTR shocks from my Bomber to get the ride height tolerable after compression.

I suspect that the RPM arms may be the true culprit as that is something our respective trucks have in common.

I was thinking it was the RPM arms as well, was actually thinking of putting the stock ones back on, it’s just such a pain in the ass lol

[RysRam]

I'm looking for some advice on which motor to get for my Baja Rey. I'm looking to upgrade to something sensored to pair with the Mamba Monster X I already have. I will be using 2S only. The two I am considering are the Tekin Pro4 Hd in either the 3500kv or 4300kv rating. Which of those 2 would work best in a BR?

[Panther6834]

Originally Posted by RysRam

I'm looking for some advice on which motor to get for my Baja Rey. I'm looking to upgrade to something sensored to pair with the Mamba Monster X I already have. I will be using 2S only. The two I am considering are the Tekin Pro4 Hd in either the 3500kv or 4300kv rating. Which of those 2 would work best in a BR?

Honestly, I'd seriously recommend 3S. On 2S, you need a higher kV motor, the Amp draw is going to be higher, your ESC is going to have to work harder, and your motor & ESC will run hotter.


~ More peace, love, laughter, & kindness would make the world a MUCH better place

[RysRam]

Alright, I'll take that into consideration. Thank you for the suggestion. I'm not really looking to make the truck much faster. Anything that's a little faster than stock would do. Would the 4300kv probably be better than the 3500kv given that I'll likely stick to 2S?

[Panther6834]

Originally Posted by RysRam

Alright, I'll take that into consideration. Thank you for the suggestion. I'm not really looking to make the truck much faster. Anything that's a little faster than stock would do. Would the 4300kv probably be better than the 3500kv given that I'll likely stick to 2S?

Going with 3S (instead of 2S) isn't necessarily about increasing speed. In case you've never watched any of John Robert Holmes' videos, he has a saying - "Volt up, and gear down.". With a lower kV motor, higher voltage (ie. 3S, instead of 2S), and (if needed) a lower tooth pinion, you can achieve the same top speed as using a higher KV motor, and lower voltage...but, in going with the first option, your ESC & motor works less, temps are lower...plus, you have finer control of the motor, and more torque.

I'm running the same ESC. For the motor, instead of the Pro4 HD, you might want to consider the ROC412 HD. The ROC412 HD is more befitting the Baja/Rock Rey than the Pro4 HD. As for kV, I went with the 3100kV (considerably lower than the 3800kV my Baja Rey came with...but, again, I'm running 3S), which I'm running on the stock pinion. If you check my build thread, you'll see the top speed I achieved. If that's too fast for you, you could opt for the 2300kV version, or (using the 3100kV) you could just go with a smaller pinion.


~ More peace, love, laughter, & kindness would make the world a MUCH better place

[521BBF]

The front, 13mm bearing in my SSD front bulkhead just exploded after maybe 10 packs. Can anyone recommend a good quality bearing that will last? It's 13mm OD, 4mm wide, with a ~5mm bore.

[Panther6834]

Avid bearings are what you'll find in most of my vehicles, ranging from Revolution, to Ceramic Metal.


~ More peace, love, laughter, & kindness would make the world a MUCH better place

[521BBF]

Originally Posted by Panther6834

Avid bearings are what you'll find in most of my vehicles, ranging from Revolution, to Ceramic Metal.


~ More peace, love, laughter, & kindness would make the world a MUCH better place

Thanks, I just bought a ton of Avids. Seems like a no brainer for $1 a piece. Are these superior to the stock Losi bearings? Hope so.

[Panther6834]

Originally Posted by 521BBF

Thanks, I just bought a ton of Avids. Seems like a no brainer for $1 a piece. Are these superior to the stock Losi bearings? Hope so.

The basic (ie. Revolution) bearings are slightly better then the OEM bearings, but, honestly, not by much. They're best used inside the vehicle, away from dirt, and where fast movement isn't needed...for example, steering arms, and similar purposes. For bullheads & diffs, I move up to the Revolution Aura, with the rubber side facing out.

For areas where the highest speeds are needed (axles, driveshafts, spur gear mounts, etc), I use a combination of Ceramic Revolution & Ceramic Metal...yes, these are the "expensive" ones, but ask yourself how much 'saving' your vehicle is worth to you. Using a spur gear mount as an example, how much is a $5 bearing worth to you when holding a $30-40 spur gear? If a $1 bearing gives out after 2 months, and a $5 ceramic bearing gives out after 6 months, which costs more in the long run? In either case, the spur could get destroyed, thus needing to be replaced (not saying this always happens...but, in most, it can). If you have to replace it every 2 months, that could be at least $90 in spur gear replacements. I'll use just one vehicle as an example - my Traxxas Rustler 4x4, which has a Robinson Racing slipper-eliminator spur. I've got a Ceramic Metal bearing in the plate, and it's been the same bearing for over a year...and, it's still in excellent condition.

It's up to you...$1 bearings, $2 bearings, $2.50 bearings, or $5 bearings. Topically, the higher the cost, the better the quality, and the longer the life.


~ More peace, love, laughter, & kindness would make the world a MUCH better place

[Panther6834]

Just a "teaser"...will post info, and more photos, tomorrow.


~ More peace, love, laughter, & kindness would make the world a MUCH better place

[521BBF]

Does anyone sell just the differential gaskets and o-rings? I really don't want to buy LOS232004 because it comes with a lot of stuff I don't need.

[Panther6834]

As promised, here's an additional photo, as well as the 'info'. The wheels are from Vitavon Racing. I know a few others have mentioned them (which is how I found out Squeegie & Arthur had come out with them), and a few others asked how they are (since no one had yet received them).

Quality appears to be typical for Vitavon Racing...in other words, outstanding. Over the past 1-1.5 years, I've purchased several Vitavon Racing parts, and everything has been outstanding. For those who've been following my Baja Rey build thread, you already know several Vitavon Racing parts (rear axle, front upper A-arms, rear trailing arms, transmission housing...maybe others as well, I'm blanking right now) have been included.

I should note that the wheels, when ordered, were to have come with silver outer beadlock rings. I messaged Arthur, and asked if he'd anodize them blue, which he did. Notice that these are 'true' beadlock wheels, as they not only use outer beadlock rings, but also inner rings. While the outer rings are held in place with the usual 24 bolts, the inner rings are held work only 12 bolts. Honestly, for a scale wheel, it shouldn't need any more - the outer rings use twice as many mostly for scale appearance.

In regards to the 6-bolt "hub", the six bolts are non-functional, and six are for scale appearances only - there is NO sperate hub (ie. these are not SLW). As for "hub thickness", I'd guess they're probably closest to the .185 hubs sold by LockedUp RC. Finally, as to the design, they probably come extremely close to matching the Method 703.


~ More peace, love, laughter, & kindness would make the world a MUCH better place

[Panther6834]

I haven't installed the new body, as there's some other work needing to be done before I can get to that...but, having finished installing all 4 tires on the wheels, I decided to do a test-fit, to see how they look, and to determine if there are any clearance issues. Just curious, but, what are people's thoughts, just based on the appearance?
These are the Pro-Line BFG Baja T/A KR2 tires mounted on the Vitavon Racing machined aluminum Method 703 (NOT "officially" licensed, but the best match I can compare them to) silver, with blue anodized outer beadlock rings. Outside-to-outside track width is 11.375". For those who care (I realize few people probably will), the inside-to-inside width is 7.5".

Personally, I REALLY like them...the wheels, as well as the tires...and, with the tires being 3/8" wider than the stock tires, not only do they give the truck a more "aggressive" stance, but, with more ground contact, they'll provide greater traction ability. I know there were a few who balked at my tire choice, saying they were to small in diameter...but, in reality, they're only slightly smaller (about 3/16"). They also give the truck a more "scale" appearance (compare against this RL Red Bull Does Raptor TT).
That's it for now...need to get back to accessory installations on the motorcycle, as I'll be riding (instead of driving) to Las Vegas for Thanksgiving week.


~ More peace, love, laughter, & kindness would make the world a MUCH better place

[521BBF]

Your sidewalls are definitely a lot shorter than those on the real truck. The KO2's might look more scale if that's your primary concern, but they also might rub too bad. They rubbed bad on my factory Raptor wheels.

Would you mind measuring the track width with the KR2s on the stock Raptor wheels? How about a photo down the side of the truck with the suspension fully compressed so we can see how the tires fit up into the body?

[Panther6834]

Originally Posted by 521BBF

Your sidewalls are definitely a lot shorter than those on the real truck. The KO2's might look more scale if that's your primary concern, but they also might rub too bad. They rubbed bad on my factory Raptor wheels.

Would you mind measuring the track width with the KR2s on the stock Raptor wheels? How about a photo down the side of the truck with the suspension fully compressed so we can see how the tires fit up into the body?

While the KO2s are nice, and are probably excellent for certain types of terrain (especially street, by the looks of the tread pattern & depth), they probably aren't very conducive to the terrain I mostly run this truck on. I might live in Silicon Valley, but this truck was "built" (literally, and figuratively) for the desert just outside Las Vegas (just like the real TTs). I want 'trying' to get a "scale look"...just feel these tires gave it a more "scale look", compared to the stock tires.

As for mounting these tires on the stock wheels, sorry, but that's not something I plan on doing - WAY to time consuming. To properly, and evenly, mount each tire on each wheel, it took approximately an hour (remember, these wheels have outer AND inner beadlock rings, 36 screws). If I were to undo everything (on just one wheel/tire), remove the stock tires from the stock wheel, install the tire (without CA) on the stock wheel, remove it, and then reinstall it on the Vitavon wheel, we're probably taking two hours...maybe longer. And, in order to properly get the rear track width, I'd have to do 2 wheels/tires, which would mean at least four hours. With all the projects (RC, motorcycle, and stuff around the house) I'm currently working on, I just don't have that much "free time". Again, sorry...but no-can-do.

Finally, as for a "fully compressed suspension" side-view photo, that I can, and gladly will, do...just not today. After installing the wheels onto the BR, I did a quick 'ballooning' test (they hardly balloon at all...0.5", maybe 0.625" at the most), packed the truck into its carrier, and put the carrier in its place on the RC shelving.
While finishing the BR is currently at the top of my list for land-based vehicles, overall, it's taken a "backseat" to the boats. However, what's more important (than any of my RC projects) is getting the bike "up to spec" for next month's Thanksgiving week ride to Vegas. Due to my thumb injury (I lost a "fight" against a propeller), working on the bike has been temporarily slowed down. In order to install the wiring harness for the accessory lights, as well as the cable from the front dashcam camera, I need to remove the gas tank...and, without full use of my thumb, I'm temporarily unable to do that. So, until my thumb heals (at least, enough that it's 75% back to 'normal'), I've been working on things that don't really need use of my thumb. Here's a photo from the day I bought it...before I started doing any work on it:


~ More peace, love, laughter, & kindness would make the world a MUCH better place

[Roush611]

Looking at running dampers in the rear. I notice most people run the shock with spring ahead of the damper... is there a reason for this?

[elRayRay]

Originally Posted by Roush611

Looking at running dampers in the rear. I notice most people run the shock with spring ahead of the damper... is there a reason for this?

I've got the stock shocks (with no spring) in the stock (forward) mounting location and some 134mm Traxxas GTR's (with springs) in the auxiliary location. Still needs tuning as I haven't been out with it much lately. I think I've got 30wt in the stock shocks/dampers and 60wt. in the GTR's. Probably moving up to 80wt/900 cst in the GTR's soon.