Finally got the Tamiya !

[Automan]

Hi everyone !

It was around last thursday it arrived really...


I have been thinking for a long time if i shouldn't get a electric car, to have some fun with when i cant for some reason use my big scale monsters.

First i was thinking about a very small 1/18 TLT-1 or something else easy and cheap. I don't really want another monster truck.... but i like monster trucks, so that is no main concern for me

Finally i decided to get myself a Tamiya TXT-1 because i just love how it's built, and looked very promising in the pictures etc.

Then i got it home, and was a little surprised about the weight, and a little bigger then i imagine it would be. Started building it last thursday night, and was done friday night the day after... as it have been over 13years since i built a kit so this was a real treat for me i enjoyed every second of it
Then it was done, looked good and a little big for a 1/10 but for me a perfect little scale for once, that i can use even indoor.
Put one high torque normal sized servos in front.... then i just had to do the same in the back, worked nice with the new LRP Automatic Pro Reverse AI ESC i bought (thought of Novak or M-Tronic first, but had to wait to long and i wanted to try it ASAP ) Before i started using the truck i made some working extra lights for night driving. First time i took it out it was 0:30 and a little frost on the grass in the backyard, woooooow this truck was amazing in every way, and with those lights going up in the air when climbing from a hole etc, all in all...was a really perfect moment... and i could have kept on whole night
Have to add that i was planning to run it with one of my Futaba 3pk hrs systems, but that didnt work, so i borrowed a old graupner stick radio my brother got from me a long time ago to get him started, now he have a nice computer stick radio and dont use thist graupner oldie any more, so i borrowed it.

Then after a day or so i decided to clean up the cable's and make it look nice, i did that and when i was going to try it the cables started melting and both the expensive servos where toast, and all due to the old graupner/jr rx i had borrowed from my brother decided to give up and short out. And believe me, all my cables where fine, and the rx had not any moisture in it since the night run, just some really bad luck there
So i had two almost unused multiplex rhino digi4 (they are quite big) and i was a little skeptic on how to make them fit, but they did finally after a little adjusting, bought a nice new stick radio Fautaba 6exa something (just love to use stick radio with 4ws), and put all new wires in and a separate rx battery pack that also runs the lights with switches. So now i have a real strong 4ws with a cool ESC and a real good setup... btw, i have made a nice skidplate for the center gearbox... i thought after looking at it that it was necessary to do before i do any real climbing with it.

So far my truck is stock.... but not for long i guess
LRP Automatic Pro Reverse AI
Sanyo 3600mah for rx and lights
3 Drive packs 3000mah
Will glue the tires tonight


There's so much stuff i want for this truck, but for now in stock it is a real treat to drive. I'm real happy that i decided to get this one, and i will modify it, but i don't want to destroy the scale like looks.... am planning on not so wide tires and make it look more like a jeep/pickup with some beefy tires, but not monster truck tires. Don't know if i want to lock my diffs, i think that i would like to have them as is... or a little stiffer, but not locked i think.

Any suggestions on upgrades, and in any particular order to get them ?

Was thinking two high torque engines, with a 9tooth on each, and thicker drive axles maybe... those Punisher Shaft looks nice
Is there metal gears for the center gearbox ?

Any real good place to get crawler stuff like tires etc in europe or Sweden ? anyone know ?

[Cole82]

http://www.rccrawler.com/20txt.htm
10 ways to make it a better crawler

[EeePee]

9 tooth pinions on the two stock motors is a good idea. I've tried gear reduction using the GD 600, and it's pretty slow. But it does allow very long run times by using one motor. I'm liking the two motor set up I have right now, though run times aren't as long.

[Wild trial]

Tjena,,,

Yes just do as cole82 said reed that thread
about 10 ways to make your TXT crawle.

Congratz with a new truck and sorry for what
happend to her....in the start.

[Automan]

Thanks guys ! :smile:


Cole82, i did know about that thread, but it is a good start to look at that one i agree.

EeePee, I do think my next fix will be a 9tooth pinion. Do you think the best is to get a high rpm engine or a high tourqe engine ?? can you give me some good brands to look for ? that may be available in Sweden or England or nearby perhaps.
I want to crawl and truck trial, and have no real use for high speed... perhaps around the stock speed or a little lower is ok by me.
I know the twin engines will reduce the running time, but the strength is better then with just one engine i guess

Wild trial, Hej på dej ! :grin: Thanks for the comment, it strange... but for some reason... we get very attached to some stuff we have, and i have started to really like this new TXT-1, and im glad that she is back to better then before

Will be nice when i really start to make some mods on it, but i do not think im going to cut any part of the chassis of, but i will probably make a longer wheelbase, and make it stronger, and all the time try it and see how it behaves.
Looking at this new little beuty i cant help starting to plan mods on her everytime i look on her standing there... i think every TXT owner will agree that this truck is a really nice start to almost endless mods and no sleep :grin: It likes playing with your mind right


Edit: I will try to paint the clear body and do some mods before i post any pictures, as i dont think you want to see a stock TXT-1 with just a different painted body... havent decided what color to use yet. And im not going to use those standard shells for long, as i want a real good looking body for it and some cooler wheels and tires.

[EeePee]

Originally Posted by Automan

EeePee, I do think my next fix will be a 9tooth pinion. Do you think the best is to get a high rpm engine or a high tourqe engine ??

High torque. The very common 55 turn "Lathe" motor is used because of it's high torque and low draw on the batteries. You might not need the 9 tooth pinions, it's a slow motor.

It depends how fast you really want it to go.

[Azcats1]

I say go with the gd600 and you can stay with the stock motor... The 55 is way to slow..

[Automan]

Originally Posted by Azcats1

I say go with the gd600 and you can stay with the stock motor... The 55 is way to slow..

I feel like a idiot... but you say i should stay with the stock motors, and go with the gd600 ?? what is gd600, i thought that was a motor... im confused, or im so tired i cant think ;) im going to bed now and hope i understand this better tomorrow


Anyone know different good ways to totally lock the diffs, and a way to almost lock them ?? and is it prefered to do both front and rear, or do locking the rear only work to ?

The diff's i need to look into, and then lower pinions... they dont feel to strong those stock motors now going vertical (or is it the stock 15pinion's that mess it up), i will probably feel the need to change them to soon, but moabs 2.2 is a must, i am really fed up with monster tires now. And i am not going to cut the frame, just do a longer wheelbase on it, that seams to be a simple task, and make better servoholders... anyways, thats the start for me anyways.

Does anyone know where to find bigger body's for the littlebit longer wheelbase ?? so it looks more like a jeep with beefy tires, anyone ? would it be 1/8 or 1/6 maybe ?


Good night...

[Wild trial]

The GD600 is a redutionunit made for Elplanes.
Buy that and put it in your tranny and use one stock
motor and 9-10 pinion, it will give you a lot of high torque.

You can buy GD600, pinions and the other stuff
from Towerhobbies.

[Automan]

Thanks Wild trial !

Any recomended strong motors from tower hobbies or another place ? just some short end easy recomedations, i want something between extreme rock crawling and truck trial, a very strong and smooth going engine with a small pinion, one or two engines, and high speed is not that important, just around stock speed. What is important is strength (high tourqe) and quality, not sure i want to add that gd600... feels like adding to much to the drivechain, more that can brake, but maybe thats just me ;)

Edit: Ok, my bad I will get a strong engine (suggestions are very much welcome) from towerhobbies, and a 9t pinion and that gd600, i think a setup like that will work out for the best, and probably give me a little more run time ;)
Or do you guys know of a better or similar place to get this stuff closer to Sweden ? Thanks !

[Automan]

Ok, i maybe did something wrong... but im not sure until i tried it

I have a package on it's way from Tower Hobbies by UPS, so it will be here shortly i guess.
I got the gd-600, some pinions, a trinity cobalt 12t round quad something... and a set of moab 2.2 and rims, as i want that scale look.

I thought maybe use a higher rpm motor and gear it down like crazy, maybe it will work and give me very high tourqe and be able to build up a little speed at least, or maybe im totally off:? Im going for a good crawler, but will probably do most truck trial... anyways, im aiming for a scale jeep with potential for crawling but mainly truck trial, but it's not that big difference what i have noticed, just that i am able to crawl slow and have great tourqe, but be able to spinn those tires in mud or snow, hope you understand what im aiming at.
Will add other important stuff later, but this is to get me started for now.

Any thoughts from you veterans ? any hint's ?

[Automan]

The verdict so far....

The moab 2.2 with 2.2 rims was dead wrong, looked very of on this size truck, didnt look right at all but im giving that setup to my brother so he can use it on his Tamiya Hummer, so im happy anyways

The high rpm motor connected to the gd-600 was a bullseye, it feels just about perfect for me. It has very high tourqe that wont stop for nothing, and similar topspeed as the stock setup. Sure the gd-600 is a little loud, but i really love this combo, im glad i didnt buy a different motor really, this has a smoth beginning and i can crawl very nice with it, and have a midrange trough toprange that just feels like a turbo-explosion. Havent tried how long i can drive yet, but i hope i can drive around same time as before with those two stock motors.
This setup feels to have so much tourqe om worried about the gears, would feel much better to have all metal gears in the drive chain.

Now im going to see if i can find another wheel setup, and better shocks then im going to extend the weelbase some.

My hat of to the person who came up with the gd-600 idea, that is a really good thing to have if you want to crawl !
And it takes just a few minutes to modify it, cut away the plastic and bore out the pinion, quite easy and done before you realize it

Probably time to waterproof the rx to, i have already filled the esc with silicone that i used in my computers when driving them on watercooling, but im sceptic about doing that to the rx, maybe i will just bad that one :neutral:


Btw, how do you run in a electric motor ? i just drove this one a while in the air with no weight or strain to it, just connected to the drivechain without wheels, and after that i put on the wheels and tried it easy. Anything special or just use it and be happy ?

[Wild trial]

Originally Posted by Automan

Btw, how do you run in a electric motor ? i just drove this one a while in the air with no weight or strain to it, just connected to the drivechain without wheels, and after that i put on the wheels and tried it easy. Anything special or just use it and be happy ?

Just run your motor for 15 min on a 1,5v AA batt.

Paul.

[Automan]

Wild Trial, You are kidding right ?


I dont think the motor will even turn driven by a single 1,5volt... i dont think so anyway. But i will run it very slow and with no load the next 10-15minutes, and then i will use it and have fun with it

Im not going to bash this hard anyways, i usually use my rc stuff hard, but i never forget to take care and check out everything now and again, and see by the built etc how hard i can drive it and what to expect, and never go beyond that limit. Thats why i always try to get the best quality stuff when i get parts and cars, it will pay of in the long run

I will follow your advice Wild Trial.. that im going slow and not put any strain on it at all for the first 15min, i already made a quick test run, but it was a easy run, so i will tomorrow put it on stands and let it "ride in the air" for a 15min at slow easy speed, hope that will be a good run in for it. I have never thought of running in a electric motor before, but what the heck... i will do it this time and see how it goes.

It was like 13-15years since i had a electric car, a diablo i think it was. But then i never thought of running the motor in. And today many say that you dont have to run in a electric engine at all, and some say you should, this makes me confused... But as i said, this time im going to run in the motor and let it get a smooth start in life, and probably that will give it a better performance trough out it's life cycle, and give it a longer more stable life.

[Wild trial]

Originally Posted by Automan

Wild Trial, You are kidding right ?
I dont think the motor will even turn driven by a single 1,5volt... i dont think so anyway.

NO I'm not, I have a 27t tincan running on my table right now...

A Lathe or a std Tamiya 27t will run for 15 min on a 1,5v AA batt.
But you have to take it out and run it without no load on it.

[Automan]

Ok Wild Trial, thank you for that advice, i will follow your advice in detail, i will run it in on low voltage for at least 15min.

Thanks for the head's up Wild Trial, i really didnt know that i should do that, but know i have learned something new, hurray !

When i gave the moab's 2.2 setup to my brother, i was very happy to see that it looked so cool and worked well on his car, he changed the body to the cj8 and those moab's will with that body was great, so now i can run a pritty serious truck trial with my brother but i sure would like to find some wheels to mine to make it look more scale jeep with beafy tires, think im getting a set of 40's... that should look good and scale like, but i dont want those low profile

[crawlerkid]

if you want to partly lock the diffs you can use o-rings but it doesnt last very long in big trucks.

Not sure how well it works.

[Automan]

I agree, i dont think that will last long.. same as using silicone, it will be chewed up in a few runs.

Im looking for some sort of grease that is "hard" "sticky" enough for this task, but im planning on atleast locking the rear... seams like that is the most important place to lock, the rear. When you do that it wont effect your turning radious much at all if any... you will probably not notice the change, but you will notice the climbing ability. My 4wd big scale hummer have the rear locked, and front open, and that sucker climbs real good, even if its very heavy it almost climbed a 90degree wall at the beach So i think im going to do the same to this truck... but i want something for the front to... should i lock that to ? what do you guys think ?
As this is going to be mainly a truck trial beast, but almost as much going for the rock crawl, so what do you think is the best setup ?

Done with the run in now for more then 15min. The engine seams to be rock solid now when driving it slow with no load, it was good before, but i think i noticed a difference after the run in now that it seam tiny bit more stable, or perhaps im just imagining things