mann0mann's LOSI Comp Crawler Experience

[mann0mann]

So I took one of these home right away. Installed a bunch of gear from an old AX-10 build. Took about 3 hours to get all m gear in, radio setup and ready for paint.

Here's the specs -

Futaba S9157 Steering Servo
Losi MSX-12 Dig Servo
Team Brood 35T Motor - currently 16T Pinion
35C/65C 1100Mah 3s 11.1V Hyperion Lipo

not so important stuff -

CC BEC
Spektrum DX3R
Losi MRX 3000 RX
Tekin FX-R

I'll post some photos and thoughts -

[mann0mann]

Getting it together here were my impressions...


The not so good:
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- The beadlocks suck. The weight channel is too narrow for the typical stick on weights you use, buy and find. I know Losi makes their own and maybe they fit. But having to cut all my weights in half sucked. Plus the hardware, an .050" driver for beadlock screws. Ugh. That's the same size driver for pinion set screws!


- Speaking of hardware...I know Rich has been beaten up about this enough, and I'm sure we'll get over it. Eventually. :-P
What irks me more is the variety of hardware they use. I was all over the place with wrenches for this thing.


-Right out of the box, the lower links rub/hit the driveshafts.




The GOOD -
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- Great Quality Parts. Extra ribbing in the plastic, nice fit and finish. Top notch stuff

- Manual is of high quality, although it's a little light on some details I felt and wish it showed a little better view of things or even smaller sub-assemblies. Typical Losi though IMO, very similar to other products by them.

= All the mounting spots, battery trays, ESC mounts...Super Slick!

- The truck with the recommended wheel weight is very light. I came in at 5.25 lbs.

- Steering is really great on this. Out of the box turning radius is incredible.

- Pre-cut body, with body holes. That is greatest thing since sliced bread!

[mann0mann]

So I built the truck up as per manual specs and based on the information here on RCC, 7pz Front/ 4 oz Rear weight added. 35T motor and a 3S Lipo

And I went with an 18T pinion based on this post from Rubbaneck -

tires

Light driving on the ground and testing the DIG. Everything seemed fine.

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.
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I got this rig together to show it to a bunch of guys at our weekend comp and was hoping to let everyone get some wheel time with it. Even set it up on my spare radio so we could play "pass the transmitter".

I drove it for a bit, basically ran a "course" worth of driving, 5 min. or so of continuous running. Stopped to check on things.

MOTOR was piping hot. Couldn't touch it for 3 secs. So I thought, we'll maybe my gearing is off? Ran back to the store and dropped it to a 15T pinion.

Let another guy drive it for the same timeframe. We checked it again. Motor was piping HOT again. I then grabbed the rear axle to carry it off and noticed it was very hot through the case. The output shaft and CVD end you couldn't even touch it was so hot!

I thought maybe the CVD was binding and was butted up too close to the case. Gapped it slightly. I also thought maybe the DIG was causing some issues, so I even disconnected the DIG servo in hopes of maybe eliminating that as the issue as well.

Drove it around a bit more. No change - Motor and the rear axle were just way to hot for my comfort level.

What was weird was the front axle wasn't warm at all. So I knew it had to be binding somewhere....

[mann0mann]

Will try to shorten this up...I tore apart the axles to check how lubed they were. There was some light black grease on the gears but not what I would describe as "greased well" as Rich Trujillo recommended. :-(

So I went overboard. I slathered them with ProBoat Marine Grease (BTW - Aquacraft Grim Reaper Marine Grease is the same stuff if anyone is going to hunt for something)

I also put my rear axle in a cordless drill and spun it up a few times. I disassembled again and added some more grease.

Did the same for the front and took it out for a run...

Seems like this has done the trick. I ran the truck and tried to put as much load as I could on the motor at my home. I ran it through some thick grass at high speed. I put the rig on my kids playground slide which is like a 45 degree slickincline and spun those wheels at full speed trying to climb it..

The motor got warm, but i would have expected it and I wouldn't have said it was hot. And more importantly the axles did not get warm at all.

[mann0mann]

So lastly, I wasn't happy with the wheelspeed at 15T pinion. I went up to a 16T and it feels better and seems to have not made much of a difference in terms of load.

I also put on my watt meter and under constant load / full throttle wheelspin I'm pulling a little over 8 amps.

I'll try to get it on the rocks tomorrow.

Bottom line - I feel much better about the rig now than I did today.

I'm a little pissed that I've got to tell anyone who buys one they've got to disassemble the thing and re-grease the axles though.

Hope this helps anyone....

[Nova's Ark]

Mike, Thank you for being such a hands on LHS owner. You run a first class operation and my son and I have enjoyed competing at your facility the last two + weeks while on vacation in California. I was also thankful to be able to see you run the Losi today first hand. I am glad you were able to tweak the Losi to make it run better and I hope it lives up to the hype.

[mann0mann]

Thanks Eddie. It was really a pleasure to meet yourself and your son. He is such a good driver. I was so proud of him today.

I am really bummed that we I couldn't get everyone wheel time with this Rig today. I was so excited to have it this morning.

[ROCKCAD]

glad it work for you before you burned anything up its too bad you have to rebuild a roller, but better in the long run. i understand your position of selling a supposly ready to run rig and it doesn't turn out that way for your customers. :-(

[mann0mann]

I'm gonna have to start squirting this big ol' tube of marine grease into baggies to give to customers!

I'm going to look like a back-assward drug dealer.

[mann0mann]

How's everyone feeling about shifting on the fly?

I've done it several times and it will work...but every once in awhile I will get a wonky shift and it sounds pretty awful in the tranny.

I've been sticking to no shifting under power at this point till I hear more.

[mann0mann]

So I am an idiot.

Didn't read the manual! (actually I really did...a couple times, just missed this entirely)


So this is from the manual, page 20. Under Setup tips -

"Although the Comp Crawler can be shifted 'on the fly' it is suggested you stop or slow your rig before engaging or disengaging the dig system. This will increase the longevity of the dig system"

So there you go....

[lakedan5150]

This has been a really informative and helpfull thread. I am having the same issue, and was really thinking more than anything as unfortunate as it may be but will have to tear the entire rig down and give it a very thorough once over between grease, loctite and so on.

Its a well put together rig IMO but there are definately some bugs that need to be adressed. Watch your CVD's!!!

[BCkoots]

Mine will be in on Friday and I plan on tearing down the axles and regreaseing them before I try anything. What stores would carry the marine grease?

[gunnar]

Can't say what stores, but the marine grease is a good idea, get something that can handle high heat. You can imagine the rpm's a boat's prop shaft can spin.

[Happy_trucker]

I actually done that last night and this morning before I lost my driveshaft CV pin at low speed(crawling) and it was fine, my dig does have a little "engagement" issue only when going into front dig. Seems like there is a kink, sometimes I have to try to engage it twice before it goes in, and it seem to like to be moving to engage.

Early thanks for the little baggie of grease if you do plan to hand them out like a corner dealer.

Originally Posted by mann0mann

How's everyone feeling about shifting on the fly?

I've done it several times and it will work...but every once in awhile I will get a wonky shift and it sounds pretty awful in the tranny.

I've been sticking to no shifting under power at this point till I hear more.

[ryan48]

thanx for the tips mine is coming on wensday. trying to get all the info i can

[Crawlin4fun]

wow, I was all set to go to my LHS tomorrow and get one of the new losi trucks but I think I will order some berg axles instead.

I was hoping the new losi was going to be durable with a nice smooth dig and burn....oh well, I guess the losi won't be my new comp rig after all

[MISFITCOMPER]

Originally Posted by Crawlin4fun

wow, I was all set to go to my LHS tomorrow and get one of the new losi trucks but I think I will order some berg axles instead.

I was hoping the new losi was going to be durable with a nice smooth dig and burn....oh well, I guess the losi won't be my new comp rig after all

Buy the losi dude. You need to tear it down anyway in the future, so why just not take it apart and know whaat everything should look like. Instead of. Oh no, I think I broke a part dont know this is supose to look like this. It a well tuned rig just needs some grease here and there, and loc-tite there and here. Other them that BOMB ASS SHAT from Team Losi. Two thumbs up.

[Crawlin4fun]

The not so smooth dig and the weak cvd's are what scares me.....tearing it apart doesn't bother me.....I have been in the r/c scene for 25 years now so I hope I can figure out how to grease something...lol

[latentimage74]

Originally Posted by Happy_trucker

I actually done that last night and this morning before I lost my driveshaft CV pin at low speed(crawling) and it was fine, my dig does have a little "engagement" issue only when going into front dig. Seems like there is a kink, sometimes I have to try to engage it twice before it goes in, and it seem to like to be moving to engage.

Early thanks for the little baggie of grease if you do plan to hand them out like a corner dealer.

i have tried it but it just seems to float in and grinds a little every time. after a while it is bound to wear down the edges and start working its way in. better to do it at low speeds or if possible at a stop every time.