Upgrades

[mooman]

Hey guys, I am pretty new to the RC universe and I recently got an RS10. I have already learned about the servos and i am replacing one of them while just locking the rear. New tires and wheels are also on the way. Is there anything else you would suggest doing immediately? I know there are many high tec upgrades people do and i dont think im ready for that. What do you think would be easy but still effective?

[cabron]

lower the center of gravity .... several ways are bending lower links, trimming the bottom of the chassis.
try to get the shocks mounted onto the axle housings.
12mm or so wheel extenders to make the ride a bit more stable and cut down on the tires rubbing.

you got the servo covered as well as the tires. if you are getting wheels, get some with more offset
in lieu of the wheel extenders.

consider lipos for lower weight but you will need a low voltage alarm or cutoff.
could try a 3s lipo but should get an external bec to use to keep the one in the stock esc
from burning up.

just enjoy
wash with warm soapy water, air dry thoroughly, oil bearings, do not grease the dogbones.

[mooman]

Thanks carbon. I already have a custom body and I think it probably makes it more top heavy, I'll try to fix that. I've been reading up on a few things and I will probably want to get some of those 12 mm wheel extenders....The only problem is I don't know where to get them.. Where did you get yours? What all do you need to get a LIPO kit? I'm a noob with not much money. So the cheapest, but still best quality options on those wheel extenders would be great. Also is it bad that I only bought one servo and locked up the rear one? Would you say that I should get another one or will one work for now?

[mooman]

[IMG]blob:https%3A//mail.google.com/f3e2e96a-63d6-4a75-9254-5fae4b99263c[/IMG]

Here's a pic of it. Just copy and paste the URL. Sorry, I dont know how to post the image in the comment

[cabron]

no need to apologize for being a noob, we all start that way.

as far as wheel extenders I prefer this kind to the slip on type
17mm Wheel Spacer Widener Extension 12mm Hex for 1 10 Tamiya Axial HPI RC4WD | eBay

as you can see it comes from ebay, these are also a bit cheaper than others.

lipos are not needed, just are light and convenient. they are expensive and without care they can
be dangerous. try reading up on the care of lipos. a couple of batteries and a charger and a low voltage alarm
will run at least 60.00 minimum for marginal quality and you would more than likely need to change out the
battery connectors either on the battery or battery and esc both. how are your soldering skills? maybe wait a bit
on lipos till you have more of a need for them.

I happen to like 4 wheel steering, it is the main aspect of the rs10. with it on, you do not have to use it
but it is there if you want to. the only reason not to have it is to lower weight for competitions and
there are plenty of other reasons not to compete with the rs10s hahahaha.
a better radio would make it easier to use but that lansu is not that bad to start with, any other radios will run
100.00 or much more plus the learning curve.

in the newby general section there is a sticky about how to post pictures, it should help a bit.

[mooman]

Thanks! Are you sure those wideners will work? Its says its for Tamiya Axial Hpi RC4WD. What does that mean? I think I am going to get the wideners before a second servo. But that will definitely be the high priority. I tinkered with my shocks for a little while last night and now have them in the second hole from the front. Would you say i change that for now? Or does it seem like a good place for stock.

[cabron]

as to where the shocks should be mounted, there is no easy answer.
the terrain, tires, cog, ... everything affects the handling of the crawler. also there might be
clearance issues. a good mod is to mount the lower end of the shock to the end of the axle housing
next to the c-hubs, there are a several examples of this in recent build threads.

it is for you to try different set ups to see what works best for you.

also beware and don't get bit by the modification bug. it is easy to get carried away with changing
everything, hahahaha there is no end to what you can do.

[cabron]

have you taken off a wheel yet? taken off the hex on the stub shaft?

look at these wideners
Junfac 2 2" Wheel Widener 4 Offset 13mm AX10 J51032 | eBay

this type of widener replaces the hex on the stub shaft but you still use the pin
and the barrel nut is used instead of the nylock that was stock.
there are several types sometimes depending on how long they are. all do the same thing.

[mooman]

I have taken the wheels off. So what I would do is take off the nut thing that the tire locks onto, Then replace that with a longer one? right? What about if the bolt that sticks out is too short?

[cabron]

yes swap the short hex for the longer hex. do not forget the pin
then use the included barrel nut to secure the wheel to the stub axle.
there is a chance the hole in the wheel is not big enough for the barrel nut
to fit through but just open it up, it will not hurt anything. just open it up enough
for the barrel nut to go through.

that "nut thing" has a set screw on one side, will have to loosen that up a bit.

do you have the exploded diagram of the rs10? it shows where every part and piece goes.
Rockslide10

[mooman]

OKay! I might have the blowup diagram. I'll look for it, and also is it easy to put it all together?

I have lots of questions so it would be great if you kept answering. Sorry if I'm annoying but i have lots of questions. And thanks for awnsering the ones i have already asked. You have really been helpful

[cabron]

the trick is to not loose your patience.

all this is for fun, taking it apart and putting it back is no big thing except for the
first time but it was the same way with sex.

look at the picture gallery and look through build threads and see what others have done.
there are many things that can be done to make it crawl better and even look better.

try to learn how to post pictures, it helps us see what you are talking about. look around the forum for
tutorials on pictures and searching. there is a lot of information hidden away in the forum

[mooman]

OKay! Will do! Great analogy by the way. And I will work on posting pictures. And I love taking things apart and putting them back together and all of that fun stuff. So this is probably the hobby for me.

[mooman]

I DID IT


[IMG]
[/IMG]

[mooman]

My RS10 and my friends AX10.


[IMG][/IMG]

[cabron]

it just gets easier

a word of caution, we buy aftermarket goodies for our crawlers by generic vendors
so sometimes things do not quite fit right. a little thought will fix most issues.

as an example, those barrel nuts might be a hair too long or too short. if too long it is easy
to add washers or grind down the end. if it is too short, it gets a bit trickier, either look for longer
barrel nuts or make your own out of some tubing and 4mm tap or find a longer stubby shaft (good luck there)

another thing to keep in mind, there are several ways to accomplish the same thing. I suggest the wideners
because they are the most inexpensive way to get the wheels farther out. you can always get other wheels
with more offset or get wheels with separate hubs and get the hub length you want.

[mooman]

I figured that most things would take some thought if they didn't fit correctly. Also I have some noob questions.
What is a pinion gear?
What does the "T" mean at the end of gear metals?
Also i am really nooby i am haveing trouble understanding what you are saying when you explain things like the wideners. So would it be possible for you to dummyify some things? Thanks

[mooman]

Would these wideners work? You know more than me so I'm going to run most things by you before purchase.
http://www.amazon.com/Boom-Racing-BR...=sr_1_6&sr=8-6

[cabron]

those wideners should fit ok. they are 20mm long or about 3/4 inch
the ones I was showing you are about 12mm long or about 1/2 inch.
there are some at 17mm and some maybe down to 10mm and up to 24mm.
12mm or 13mm think is good 17mm is a bit much but still ok but 20mm will
really put the wheels out there and look a bit off (not to say funny)
I notice that boom racing has some just like these but in 14mm and 17mm.
go for the 14mm, if you want wider I will buy the 14s from you and you can try the 17s

the pinion when talking rc cars refers to the gear on the motor shaft. the t stands for teeth.

I will try to be more descriptive but don't hesitate to ask for clarification on what you do not understand
you are welcome to send me a pm, I might miss the question in a thread

[mooman]

okay i will look at some 14mm wideners now. Question about a different car. How do you take apart a ball joint?