exceed rc maxstone 16 upgrades and tuning?

[monkeyracer]

Originally Posted by sloppy

little compatibility(or lack of) update.

Center drive shafts are different from the losi to this.. they run 4mm outputs at trans and axle input. this is 5mm.

not a huge deal really actually makes it better for the scale guys they can just use pede or axial shafts way more beef...

Which means that the input shaft is different, so axle gears aren't interchangable (at least the pinion probably) right?

[sloppy]

Originally Posted by monkeyracer

Which means that the input shaft is different, so axle gears aren't interchangable (at least the pinion probably) right?

Not sure didnt try yet.. the bearing size is the same and I think the gear is to. what they did is turned the shaft down where it goes threw the bearings and at the pinion. but at the actual input its 5mm.. so it steps down to the inside..

its a great idea wish losi would have done it this way. makes using the typical larger Ujoints much easier..

I will be working on it this weekend if all goes well. I will count teeth on the gears and try some things and post the findings. I dont think anything will be a direct fit..

[monkeyracer]

Originally Posted by sloppy

I will count teeth on the gears and try some things and post the findings. I dont think anything will be a direct fit..

Looks like the Ring/Pinion in the axle is 38/14.

[jebster]

after the screws holding the front knuckles to the c-hubs fell out for the millionth time (my son stripped the plastic when he was "working" on his rig) i decided to try upgrading to Hot Racing aluminum c-hubs and knuckles that are for the MRC. i also picked up the MRC plastic rear lockout to change that up. they are not a direct bolt up match. i'm going to have to dremel out the c-hub so that it can slide down far enough on the axle. it appears the c-hub on the MRC carriers the bearing whereas on the maxstone16 the bearing is in the axle housing. i wish we could just run it like the MRC but if you move the bearing to the c-hub it puts the dogbone too far out and you can fit the knuckle on.
below are some before pics of the parts and comparison to the stock equipment. after i've done the mods i'll post more pics showing how i made it work. i don't think it will be a difficult mod but i wanted to show anyone else considering this change that it will require a little work.

[jebster]

so, i'm out $25. i spent an hour trying to dremel out the aluminum c-hubs so they could fit on the axle and to make them fit you have to cut out so much material it basically fell apart. lesson learned. so, $20 for aluminum c-hubs and $5 for rear plastic lockouts (i didn't even bother trying to dremel out this pieces) down the drain. oh well, got to try things.

i will be using the aluminum knuckles up front since they do work with the stock c-hubs. the silver lining is i swapped the stripped c-hub to the rear and basically glued in the screw. the new knuckles also have slightly longer screws so it is more solid. also, i notice the stock plastic knuckles flexed a lot where the servo link and drag link connected. with the aluminum knuckles no more flexing.

[toyotatrucks83]

Jebster, Thank you for posting your findings with the MRC axle to Exceed axles. It is a bummer it did not work.
I installed my brushless kit today. The same one you got for yours. It is fast!!! lol. My Boy is begging me for one in his now too. So it looks like I will be ordering another one. I really need to get it geared down though. It is hard to make it go slow. Can you tell me where you got the 10 tooth motor gear please.

[jebster]

Originally Posted by toyotatrucks83

Jebster, Thank you for posting your findings with the MRC axle to Exceed axles. It is a bummer it did not work.
I installed my brushless kit today. The same one you got for yours. It is fast!!! lol. My Boy is begging me for one in his now too. So it looks like I will be ordering another one. I really need to get it geared down though. It is hard to make it go slow. Can you tell me where you got the 10 tooth motor gear please.

yeah, it is disappointing but i've put money into less useful things. i believe someone in this thread said they were able to make it work so either my skills with a dremel weren't up to the task or they made a different modification.

i think it was actually an 11T pinion (but a 10T would probably be even better given how fast it is) that i picked up at a local hobby shop. i made sure to bring along the stock motor when i picked mine up to make sure the pinion was the correct size for the motor shaft.

[toyotatrucks83]

Thanks for the info. I will run over to my hobby shop later today and see if I can find a less toothed pinion. I'll take the motor too. Good tip lol. That is something I would have forgot and my hobby store trip would have been useless.

[jebster]

it is ironic. i spent the night trying to beef up the front c-hubs/knuckles (and was unsuccessful) so what happens today? carnage! my son was trying to climb the carpeted stair in our house, had it at full steer bound up in the banisters and tried pulling it out by hand when POP...snapped a c-hub and cracked the axle. given the way he was cranking on it i wouldn't consider this a reflection on the durability of the maxstone. i think my beefed up creeper would have gotten mangled in this situation.

so, after spending $20 on MRC hubs i have to throw away i decided to drop $35 for the maxstone 16 aluminum c-hubs in the end anyway. oh well.

one other lesson learned. i've been increasing the steering angle on his rig given the stronger servo and better HR knuckles. i think the breakage was brought on by the stock dogbone jumping out of the cup at full steer, which then tore through the c-hub. looks like i'll be dialing back the steering angle some until i can find cvd's that are compatible.

i should mentioned that my son was having a blast setting the rig up about 5-6 steps on the staircase to start climbing a step and watching it do a couple backflips down the stairs to land on its feet. as i said, he is tough on his stuff!

a few pics of the break:

[spokes2002]

Ok got some mods done for my Maxstone 16. check it out!

4 wheel steering, thanx to (2) Hi-tech 225 servos.
http://i1234.photobucket.com/albums/...2/DSC00893.jpg
y splitter for 2 servos with independant trim adjustment
http://i1234.photobucket.com/albums/...2/DSC00892.jpg
custom 4 link design...
http://i1234.photobucket.com/albums/...2/DSC00891.jpg
http://i1234.photobucket.com/albums/...2/DSC00879.jpg
Integy bent links...
http://i1234.photobucket.com/albums/...2/DSC00878.jpg
stock shocks with soft springs + ball point pen spring on internal shaft of left rear and right front shock. Filled the shocks with 40w silicone shock oil. I have almost zero torque twist thanks to 4 link and shock mods
http://i1234.photobucket.com/albums/...2/DSC00883.jpg
custom wheel weights i made from some scrap metal. believe it or not they are held onto the stock wheels with drywall anchors. works great. i can do near vertical climbs. I'll try to get some video up soon.
http://i1234.photobucket.com/albums/...2/DSC00887.jpg
http://i1234.photobucket.com/albums/...2/DSC00886.jpg
http://i1234.photobucket.com/albums/...2/DSC00889.jpg
http://i1234.photobucket.com/albums/...2/DSC00888.jpg
http://i1234.photobucket.com/albums/...2/DSC00890.jpg

[toyotatrucks83]

My boy and I were out playing in the back yard today. It was really nice out for some reason. Anyways we got so carnage on our maxstone with brushless motor. Screws just worked loose and ripped out a section of the caster mounts. I've had this happen before. It is real minor to what just happen to Jebster's little guys crawler. I may have to fork over the $35 and get some aluminum ones as well. Here are some pictures. It also shows how I installed some of the electronics with this new brushless kit. The battery is a 1000mAh 20C lipo that I rubberband/tape/velcro to the rear axle.

[jebster]

Originally Posted by toyotatrucks83

My boy and I were out playing in the back yard today. It was really nice out for some reason. Anyways we got so carnage on our maxstone with brushless motor. Screws just worked loose and ripped out a section of the caster mounts. I've had this happen before. It is real minor to what just happen to Jebster's little guys crawler. I may have to fork over the $35 and get some aluminum ones as well. Here are some pictures. It also shows how I installed some of the electronics with this new brushless kit. The battery is a 1000mAh 20C lipo that I rubberband/tape/velcro to the rear axle.

nice setup. looks like you placed your esc and receiver in the same place i had mine before i got the new chassis.

i'm glad the brushless system is working for you. not bad for the price.

what are the odds both rigs take out some c-hubs on the same day?! i order the aluminum c-hubs this afternoon (and a couple spare plastic ones for good measure) so i'll post pics later this week when they get in.

[jebster]

Originally Posted by spokes2002

Ok got some mods done for my Maxstone 16. check it out!

4 wheel steering, thanx to (2) Hi-tech 225 servos.
http://i1234.photobucket.com/albums/...2/DSC00893.jpg
y splitter for 2 servos with independant trim adjustment
http://i1234.photobucket.com/albums/...2/DSC00892.jpg
custom 4 link design...
http://i1234.photobucket.com/albums/...2/DSC00891.jpg
http://i1234.photobucket.com/albums/...2/DSC00879.jpg
Integy bent links...
http://i1234.photobucket.com/albums/...2/DSC00878.jpg
stock shocks with soft springs + ball point pen spring on internal shaft of left rear and right front shock. Filled the shocks with 40w silicone shock oil. I have almost zero torque twist thanks to 4 link and shock mods
http://i1234.photobucket.com/albums/...2/DSC00883.jpg
custom wheel weights i made from some scrap metal. believe it or not they are held onto the stock wheels with drywall anchors. works great. i can do near vertical climbs. I'll try to get some video up soon.
http://i1234.photobucket.com/albums/...2/DSC00887.jpg
http://i1234.photobucket.com/albums/...2/DSC00886.jpg
http://i1234.photobucket.com/albums/...2/DSC00889.jpg
http://i1234.photobucket.com/albums/...2/DSC00888.jpg
http://i1234.photobucket.com/albums/...2/DSC00890.jpg

next thing you might want to look into is dropping down the electronics, especially the battery, as much as you can. i like the weights. do you happen to know how much each weights in at?

4 wheel steer looks like a option i might explore. i want more steering but given the limitations of the dogbones i can't do it at one end of the rig. that leaves either a dig unit (which i don't think any mini's have) or 4 wheel steer. might be the next change we make (after the little guy blows out a few more c-hubs! )

[dezfan]

You could always do an old school driveshaft dig like we all started w/ on the 2.2s.

[JeremyH]

Originally Posted by dezfan

You could always do an old school driveshaft dig like we all started w/ on the 2.2s.

You crazy old folks and your talk about the "good ole' days"....

[jebster]

Originally Posted by dezfan

You could always do an old school driveshaft dig like we all started w/ on the 2.2s.

any pics or diagrams of how this was done? given the little space on these rigs i'd be curious if this was possible.

[JeremyH]

Here's the orignal dig:
comp style tlt (GROUNDER) with front digg

[spokes2002]

Originally Posted by jebster

next thing you might want to look into is dropping down the electronics, especially the battery, as much as you can. i like the weights. do you happen to know how much each weights in at?

4 wheel steer looks like a option i might explore. i want more steering but given the limitations of the dogbones i can't do it at one end of the rig. that leaves either a dig unit (which i don't think any mini's have) or 4 wheel steer. might be the next change we make (after the little guy blows out a few more c-hubs! )

Jebster - the weights are 5 oz. each... adding a little over a pound to the rig and definately offsets the battery, but yes i do want to move the battery down eventually, just not sure where to put it with my 4ws...

[toyotatrucks83]

Spokes I dig the wheel weights. Did you make those or are they something you can buy?
I believe I will be putting in an order for the c hubs right after this message. Check it out. The other side. Maybe this motor is to powerful?

[jebster]

Originally Posted by toyotatrucks83

Spokes I dig the wheel weights. Did you make those or are they something you can buy?
I believe I will be putting in an order for the c hubs right after this message. Check it out. The other side. Maybe this motor is to powerful?

ouch! i would say the motor might be powerful but i'm not sure the rig in general can't handle it. all crawlers have a weak point and i think the front hubs/knuckles/dogbones are it for the maxstone 16. (the front CVDs on the venom creeper are a problem too). with aluminum c-hubs and knuckles it should beef thing up quite a bit. i'm still worried about the dogbones so i'll just limit the steering angle until i find a better solution.