HDMM's Axial SMT10 Grave Digger
 

Yeah I got one too....lol :mrgreen:

A couple pics I posted the other day, to show size compared to a Clod.

http://i1067.photobucket.com/albums/...psoc5oohnu.jpg

http://i1067.photobucket.com/albums/...ps94ylnvdw.jpg

As mentioned many times, it is painfully SLOW on 2s with the installed pinion. I wasn't expecting it to be fast unless Axial put a faster motor in it or something, it's the same axles, motor, etc as a Wraith so....

Anyways, pretty much the first thing I did was take out the AE-5 ESC because it has drag brakes. It actually comes set at 100% which I don't get, it's a MT not a crawler. You can set it to 50%, but that still sucks. If you take the pin out completely you have no drag brakes, but you also do not have brakes, truck just goes into reverse...again....sucks. SO, I stuck a Hobbywing WP1060 ESC in it that I had laying around. Much better! I ran the truck on 3s a bunch yesterday, left the small pinion in there for now (the kit does also come with a 16t).

Probably going to leave this one brushed as I have a another one coming. We are trying to get some organized MT racing going and this brushed GD would be perfect for a RCMTRS Mod class which would run a 15t brushed motor and Clod sized tires. "thumbsup"

I also stuck a Airtronics receiver in there so I can use my MT4 with it. Seriously thinking about doing 4-wheel steering on this on too.

Re: HDMM's Axial SMT10 Grave Digger
 

I went ahead and picked up this Orion 15t Brushed motor, going to try it out in the SMT10 and see how it goes. I think I want to get the JConcepts Firestorms for this when they are released maybe.

http://i1067.photobucket.com/albums/...pszv6ufm5p.jpg

Re: HDMM's Axial SMT10 Grave Digger
 

Been running my SMT quite a bit and having a blast with it. First I changed out the Axial AE-5 for a Hobbywing WP-1060 that I had so I could get rid of the drag brake and have proper brakes without it going straight into reverse on me. I ran it with a 16t pinion on the Orion 15t, it had nice speed on 2s, but the motor was getting a little hotwith what I was doing with it, so I went down to a 14t. My truck is still all 100% stock (except for the motor and ESC) and nothing has broke yet. Even ran it at a skateboard park last week, wish I took some videos!

Another thing I decided to do was install some red LED headlights to make a proper Grave Digger! Used a Traxxas #3686 red LED headlight kit that they made for their GD. I removed the headlight decals and reamed out the body, the TRX light buckets fit nice in the holes, but loose!

http://imageshack.com/a/img924/2044/hVAs2M.jpg

http://imageshack.com/a/img921/2623/P4vRuk.jpg

I shoe good the light buckets in place, then put on the retainers and let it dry overnight. This way, the buckets wont come loose later on.

http://imageshack.com/a/img924/2623/QYQn3t.jpg

LED's and wiring installed.

http://imageshack.com/a/img922/6092/AFkY61.jpg

Looks much better now! 8)

http://imageshack.com/a/img921/8821/TUEJQH.jpg

Re: HDMM's Axial SMT10 Grave Digger
 

I was able to go and do a little Monster Jam style racing this past weekend in Orlando. What a blast!!!

I installed a Castle Sidewinder SCT system in my Digger for the event. After a little testing, I settled on a 16t pinion and I'm running it on 2s.

http://imageshack.com/a/img923/5632/3ZfoId.jpg

http://imageshack.com/a/img921/3480/ocNT7X.jpg

I also added a front sway bar and after doing some test runs out in the street, I needed to make some changes. I did some suspension tuning with what I had, I ended up cutting some 10mm long pieces of fuel tubing and put them inside the shocks to lower the truck down and limit the droop. I swapped the springs around by putting the soft springs in the front and the hard ones in the rear and then put 25wt oil in all 4.

http://imageshack.com/a/img921/338/XhacUT.jpg

A few pics from the races, it was fun and I actually ended up being the top qualifier in the mini mod class (which is for 2.2 trucks). I then won the 1st round of eliminations, in the 2nd round I goofed up, came off the jump and into the corner way too hot, hit a barrier and ended up loosing. :lmao:

All in all it was a lot and fun and the first time I've run this type of racing before. Looking forward to doing it again some time! 8)

http://imageshack.com/a/img924/1319/TVeoi3.jpg

http://imageshack.com/a/img921/6759/6Ad1Jd.jpg

http://imageshack.com/a/img922/1153/wN6BIY.jpg

Re: HDMM's Axial SMT10 Grave Digger
 

Great thread so far! I agree that Axial was stupid to put this ESC in the SMT10 at all and even dumber to set it to full 100% drag brake from factory. That is one of the many Whiskey Tango Foxtrots with this truck.

How much faster is the Castle 3800kV motor compared tot he Orion 15T?

What are the black things sticking in the body mount holes?

Re: HDMM's Axial SMT10 Grave Digger
 

The 3800kv system is nuts in this thing, on carpet or asphalt it just flips over backwards if you nail the throttle, it's more than enough power for this truck. There is plenty left in it too, at 16t pinion its pretty conservative, it never even got close to getting hot. The black things are Dan's RC body mount foams, they protect the paint, but also keep the body from rattling around.

Re: HDMM's Axial SMT10 Grave Digger
 

I don't want nuts. I want a controllable speed so I'll have to check it out. I can always gear down.

Thanks.

Re: HDMM's Axial SMT10 Grave Digger
 

It's nuts compared to the lame motor / esc combo it came with.

I think its perfect for it really, with the 3800kv, you can gear up, down, whatever you need. I wouldnt go any higher kv, i dont see the need on this truck.

Re: HDMM's Axial SMT10 Grave Digger
 

The itch for this thing grows so badly...

Where was the racing at? I'm in Orlando too, would love to participate!

Re: HDMM's Axial SMT10 Grave Digger
 

The next race is Nov 12th. You gotta get on Facebook pretty much to get the info. Bari Musawwir ( the driver of the Monster Truck Zombie) lives in the area and is the one putting on the races. And then there are a couple MT pages on FB that will post the info as well.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/soli...tmonstertruck/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1507666232824558/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/51174056776/

Re: HDMM's Axial SMT10 Grave Digger
 

Great write-up.

Funny that You went the same way as I did (almost) looking for speed & controlability.

Tried 3s @ 16t pinion.. Slooow, tried a 23t sport-tu ed...still sloooow, trued a 21t, a 20t, a 17double, a stockspec BL 10.5t sloow, sloow, sloowwww...

I fully agree that the ori-esc is a true head-scratcher. Even with the brakes at 50%, with anything hotter than a Tamiya sport-tuned, every braking action on grippy surface becomes a rolloverforward-contest. Ugh!! Let alone the amount of punishment the gears get. Though, truth be told, only with the BL setup, did I -finally- wore the idler out. But then again, I am very careful with adjusting slippers and throttle-control. Old guy and all of that. Steel gear-set to the rescue.

In the end I settled for a sensored set-up with an 8.5t LRP K4 @ 15t pinion. Sounds a tad mad, but with a medium-hard HotRacing sway, and the shocks straight-up on the axles with 100wt oil, it is quite controllable, though I have no idea how it will function in competition, as Monstertruck racing, and rc cars in general, are completely dead overhere. It's all drones now. *sigh*

Re: HDMM's Axial SMT10 Grave Digger
 

Could make it a mega truck.


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Re: HDMM's Axial SMT10 Grave Digger
 

You sold it! :( That was a steal! I wish I had known. I would have bought it from you.

What made you sell it?