Kyosho Blizzard 2.0

[Toyotarc]

I see Kyosho is releasing a newer version of the FR Blizzard that's supposed to release mid October.

https://rc.kyosho.com/en/34902.html



I originally had a very nice blizzard fr with motor mods, upgraded tracks, plow, and more stuff. Got rid of it because I still didn't have the power I wanted and the aftermarket 540 kits with different tranny gears were very expensive and then I gotta get it shipped to Canada

Pretty choked this new release is basically the same except it has dual ESC's with lipo support now. Looks like the exact same motors as the FR and those were TRASH. I remember I bought a new FR and blew a motor in the 2nd battery pack that ran threw it

Was hopping the new version would have bigger motors because those tracks have quite a bit of resistance compared to tires. Also the stock plow needs some upgrades. The plow should have adjustments to make it tilt to one side how real life 1:1 snow plow trucks do it because with no adjustment you end up piling so much snow in front it will stop the blizzard.

Maybe I should just get predator tracks for one of my 1/10 rc's instead

[sawback]

Yes you basicly have two options when it comes to having a reliable fast blizzard, get the 540 direct drive kit for the sr/fr witch is currently not available or better yet get the mid 90's old ev/300 version, with the single 540, and disc brakes.

The ev is a bit harder to steer smooth, but overall is 100 percent better than the sr/fr style, I have one of each and the ev is way more fun and reliable

You can also mount the 540 motors with a small adapter to the sr/fr gears box's but it will strip them under heavy power/load..

Cheers

[sawback]

Originally Posted by Toyotarc

I see Kyosho is releasing a newer version of the FR Blizzard that's supposed to release mid October.

I originally had a very nice blizzard fr with motor mods, upgraded tracks, plow, and more stuff. Got rid of it because I still didn't have the power I wanted and the aftermarket 540 kits with different tranny gears were very expensive and then I gotta get it shipped to Canada

Pretty choked this new release is basically the same except it has dual ESC's

Maybe I should just get predator tracks for one of my 1/10 rc's instead

predator tracks are good in mud and looks, but do very little in dry snow

[Toyotarc]

Originally Posted by sawback

predator tracks are good in mud and looks, but do very little in dry snow

a set for a truck would cost just as much as a blizzard too unfortunately.

Those classic snowcats go for a pretty penny and in Canada it's even harder to find one for a reasonable price.

I'm surprised there isn't more of a demand for a snow machine. They are slow in stock form and need way more track speed to keep up in fresh snow.
In the winter with tons of snow on the ground nothing beats chilling inside in the warmth while controlling the blizzard outside in fresh powder

[smog]

Originally Posted by Toyotarc

I see Kyosho is releasing a newer version of the FR Blizzard that's supposed to release mid October.

https://rc.kyosho.com/en/34902.html



I originally had a very nice blizzard fr with motor mods, upgraded tracks, plow, and more stuff. Got rid of it because I still didn't have the power I wanted and the aftermarket 540 kits with different tranny gears were very expensive and then I gotta get it shipped to Canada

Pretty choked this new release is basically the same except it has dual ESC's with lipo support now. Looks like the exact same motors as the FR and those were TRASH. I remember I bought a new FR and blew a motor in the 2nd battery pack that ran threw it

Was hopping the new version would have bigger motors because those tracks have quite a bit of resistance compared to tires. Also the stock plow needs some upgrades. The plow should have adjustments to make it tilt to one side how real life 1:1 snow plow trucks do it because with no adjustment you end up piling so much snow in front it will stop the blizzard.

Maybe I should just get predator tracks for one of my 1/10 rc's instead

That is a significant number of issues for what isn't an inexpensive RC

Edit: I have wanted one for years but everytime I see the price I walk away

[Gumbajv]

I've been modifying the SR's on and off for the past 8yrs. I use to make the 540 twin drive kits as well as a few other variants. Also made a few different versions of a swing plow blade. There is just no way to make economical up grade parts. The market must be pretty small because I would have thought there would have been companies making after market parts by now.
The other down side is the ground clearance, or lack of. Some guys want to blast around without the plow, which high centers the SR in deep snow. This is the last SR build I did last year with all the options I could think of. I started building moa Worminator based snowcats as an alternative, better ground clearance and beefier parts.

[onixpath]

I'm curious and wanted to see how it works.

[Jay-Em]

I’ve already got one.

There are some improvements in the 2.0. For starters: better wiring. Good silicone 16-gauge.
The ESC’s are again improved from the FR ( got that one too) ESC’s reverse without delay, so the V-mix function on the transmitter is suddenly usable. They seem to run at a tad higher frequency, their whine sounds higher, and the control is better. All connectors now are T-plugs. None of that overheating prone 1/18 scale stuff. The ESC box now has room for two Hobbywing 1060’s too.

Gearbox is still pants, though. No bearings, too much play in the gears, etc. still feels toy-grade. A lot of shimming to be done.

And then there’s something I’m not sure about, but it séems they changed the 370 motors for a variation with a higher wind. I mean, it’s a tad slower than my FR. And to boot, the motors do not get too hot with the metal tracks, despite still using 16t pinions. Though, just to be sure, I swapped the pinions for some 13t pinions I had laying around. I prefer torque over speed, especially when àctually trying to move stuff around with the blade.

Then again, as soon as my 2.3mm drilled pinions are in, it’s going to get the trusty old Igarashi 5-pole 380 treatment. 370’s can go in the spares for my tamtech gear buggies.

The weirdest thing is the body. I took it apart to fit lighting.. and to my surprise, I found a full interior with a separate, plastic, snowcat steering wheel/yoke inside. It even has a -rather simple- dash. Granted, the seat is a very simple full bench but it’s thère. Why, oh why did Kyosho go all the way to create an interior.. and then painted the windows fully opaque??? What the...

Let’s hope unpainted bodies become available soon.

By the by, for those unknown to the Blizzard : The gearbox will fit standard 7.2v rs380sh/ph motors. They have more power, and can be fitted with a Traxxas 18t pinion drilled for 2.3mm. Speed will be significantly higher, and the Blizzard’s esc’s take the amps of a normal 3-slot 380 without much complaining.

Fun fact : The first Blizzard aka. Graupner Pistenbully, had a metal gearbox and also came with 2 x RS380sh motors. But it was quickly replaced by the cheaper, and simpler one-RS540sh-motor-and-two-brakes system of the EV and GP. Probably because the 2 motor gearbox was very complex and prone to stripping the smallish brass gears in it.

[8000ft]

Such disappointment,
I've had it for 4 days and I've blown 2 motors already, one stock, one LaTrax 7575x. I'm now onto the Dramadas.
Any suggestions on a reliable motor setup?
Sabertooth ESC and brushed?
Brushless setup??

[Toyotarc]

Originally Posted by 8000ft

Such disappointment,
I've had it for 4 days and I've blown 2 motors already, one stock, one LaTrax 7575x. I'm now onto the Dramadas.
Any suggestions on a reliable motor setup?
Sabertooth ESC and brushed?
Brushless setup??

Dromida 370 35T was very reliable for me. Used for plowing snow with metal tracks and fresh snow with extended plastic tracks. The motors got quite hot but they never stopped working. The stock ones I roasted like second time out.

I think it would be more suited for a brushless setup because of the heavy drag of moving tracks but that costs a lot more than two brushed motors at 10$ a piece.

[Thorsteenster]

What about the GP transmissions, were they decent?
Thinking they may be more like the EV since they both run off one motor.
GP converted to BL?

[Jim85IROC]

Originally Posted by Toyotarc

Was hopping the new version would have bigger motors because those tracks have quite a bit of resistance compared to tires. Also the stock plow needs some upgrades. The plow should have adjustments to make it tilt to one side how real life 1:1 snow plow trucks do it because with no adjustment you end up piling so much snow in front it will stop the blizzard.

These tracked vehicles in 1:1 do have a plow blade that can angle side to side, but they aren't typically used like a 1:1 snow plow truck would. These vehicles are generally used for grooming ski slopes and snowmobile trails, and in those applications, they're rarely plowing snow off the trail, but using the plow to smooth moguls, and in many cases, pulling snow in from the sides. That's why these plows are shaped more like a scoop instead of bing flat at the ends for the snow to roll off. In that regard, the Blizzard is scale-like.

[Jim85IROC]

Originally Posted by hobbyjumper

Fair point. Kyosho doesn't call it a plow/plough anywhere, just a track(ed) vehicle. Where I come from we would call it a snowcat, a groomer, or that big metal thing you don't want to ski into.

haha, yeah. Around here it's the "oh shit, slam your brakes on so you don't rearend it" machine. I'm a snowmobiler.

[Toyotarc]

I want to see a hobby grade snowmobile available, a 1/8 scale or something I think would be perfect for tearing up the snow. I bet it would cost a fair bit cheaper than a snowcat to.

[Jay-Em]

Originally Posted by 8000ft

Such disappointment,
I've had it for 4 days and I've blown 2 motors already, one stock, one LaTrax 7575x. I'm now onto the Dramadas.
Any suggestions on a reliable motor setup?
Sabertooth ESC and brushed?
Brushless setup??

Why, oh why, do people still insìst on using low wind high speed 370 motors? Especially timed ones?? And WHY do people keep advising LaTrax motors.. their wind is too low for the torque needed—> thusly burn too easily, despite being slightly faster..

Again. For the love of everything holy, and to prevent utter disappointment, STOP using 370 type motors. Especially on high loads, they burn very quickly. Stick in a proper RS380SH ( or PH if You wanna use 3s) with traxxas 18t pinions ( the only ones I know of with the proper pitch and bore)

Time and time again I see the tuned motors advised (often timed to boot, which leads to serious trouble, because the Blizzard’s motors run counter to each other - i.e. one runs clockwise, the other counterclockwise- and thusly 1 timed motor always runs ‘the wrong way around’ which kills timed motors in no-time short.. hence always blowing 1 motor, and seldomly both). And time and time again, people burn them. Especially when using 3s “because speed” Well, duh.

If You want speed, go brushless. 2 x 3300kv 370 brushless ( say, Turnigy) will significantly increase speed.... until other stuff will start breaking and snapping to pieces, that is..


*sigh*

Rant over.

Just don’t expect some ‘magic bullet 370’ to exist for the Blizzard. It doesn’t.. Tracks need torque, a lot of it, so, don’t go fast, go big. Espècially when ploughing through snow. It gets even worse then.

Kyosho went for the cheapest solution. And for just a bit of trundling around, the 370’s are fine, but when shovelling, or wading through deep snow, they are seriously underpowered and burn at the first sign of any load. It’s just how it is.

Afterthoughts:

Despite it’s disadvantages afa precise steering goes, the old Blizzard with one big 540 or 550 and brake-steering is far better than this generation of Toy-Blizzards will ever be.
I never understood why kyosho didn’t just upgrade the old Blizzard with just a 15t 550 and a simple ESC. All parts are, basically, still in prodiction. The whole steering mechanism is simply the diff of an Inferno with two inferno brakes. Stick proper brake pads to the calipers, and it works quite well.

I guess the aluminium chassis-plate made it too expensive, or something.

[Mike Flea]

Originally Posted by Toyotarc

I want to see a hobby grade snowmobile available, a 1/8 scale or something I think would be perfect for tearing up the snow. I bet it would cost a fair bit cheaper than a snowcat to.

https://www.bing.com/shop?q=RC+snowm...8A6ECF4B952115

Not hobby grade, but that one for $500 gotta be close


YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/results?sear...=RC+Snomobiles

[JacktheRipper]

Those are just nuts ..... in a good way

pep

[Jay-Em]

Originally Posted by Mike Flea

https://www.bing.com/shop?q=RC+snowm...8A6ECF4B952115

Not hobby grade, but that one for $500 gotta be close


YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/results?sear...=RC+Snomobiles

Kinda O.T., but, funny to see the Toy 1/6 snowmobile on that search. I made a brushless one out of the toy MXZ’s .

Took a bit of work and fiddling with gears and making an improvised motorplate to get a 28-size BL in it, but it works. Plenty of space in the front for ESc, steering servo, bigger motor and a receiver. Not too fast, though. About 15 to 20km/h at best. And it’s extremely tippy in the corners. Small oil dampers helped a bit, but not significantly.

But, it does work pretty good in snow. Ànd is quite a bit faster than the Blizzard.

Currently trying to make a second MXZ, but this time with shortened and narrowed Blizzard tracks that I had laying around. The rubber MXZ toy-tracks tend to slip, even with extra plates glued on the sprocket to grab the rubber track better.

I believe RCUniverse still has the build thread somewhere for anyone wanting to try something like that.