LNC Project: "Crawling Dragon".

[MaFoDes]

Well, it finally is that day! Talking to people on the RCC and other forums. Getting information, consulting with my sponsor Asiatees, looking into what to do and of course what not to do. I decided to go with a certain idea, Asiatees agreed to help out on it and they have done so in several ways. After waiting in anticipation for parts to come in.
A big huge thank you to Chris from Asiatees who kindly translated the Chinese characters and who explained the cultural conflict to me about my idea and these characters.
So, this is what it's all about:


The characters mean: Crawling Dragon. To be precise: "slow crawling dragon". But there maybe might have been a cultural misunderstanding. A dragon does not crawl. It flies. But the guys at Asiatees said not to bother. The idea sounded cool to them.
So the projectname is "Crawling Dragon". Just like i had the "Crawlius" project (the Prius on a SCX10 Chassis), the "Rubi dual Red" project (SCX10 Rubicon with dual motors) and the "Confederate F250" build (a F250 hardbody on a SCX10 chassis).
Also a huge thumbs up to DrJones on this forum. Drjones prooved that the rc community is close and we will help eachother when possible. I saw some cool decals on Ebay from a seller in the US. Which i needed for this project. But the shippingcosts were a bitch. They were almost 5 times the amount as the decals were. We talked on Facebook and i asked him if he could help me out. For less then a third of the first amount he got the decals for me and has shipped them to me.
Recently i could get my hands on a LNC. A Losi Nightcrawler. Brandnew, she hasn't driven an inch.



So, what am i going to do. Well, first i got me some parts. Some i paid for myself, some were sponsored by Asiatees who loved the idea what i am about to do.
What have i got?
Some items i handpicked carefully after confering with some guys also on this forum. Others i wanted really bad just for this particular build.
I was adviced to have the Losi run brushless. So Asiatees was so kind to send me these Hobbywing items. A brushless esc (WP10BL60) and i love this one, the V10 black G2 sensored competition 21,5T motor. I ordered myself the program card, since i hate setting a esc up by hitting a throttle on the controller 6 times, waiting for a beep, hitting it 3 times. No sire! Never again. I can't get it done. My bad...


I also ordered a new bodyshell. Yes, it is the stock Losi Grappler bodyshell. Because i want it to stay recognizable as a LNC. But in the end it will still look slightly different......


Now, what i am also pretty happy with and i waited in anticipation for these. They will also give away one of the themecolors. The wheels. As soon as i saw them on Asiatees website i knew i just had to have 'm!
The full aluminum BoomRacing Boomerang Cyclone wheels!
They are hard to find on the A'tees site. They also come completely with 2.2 crawler tires for almost a bargainprice. I believe these were $27,- a pair. They are a-symmetrical, so for left and right. I will assemble these with the Hotbobies Sedonas which previously ran on the GMade R1.


Why the orange? Well, i love orange and i think that orange is the new black.
What else do i have? Well, some orange links. Upper and lower. The chassisplate.


Some pinions, because i have to test what might be best with this brushless set. Metal transmission Gears for the LNC are hard to get nowadays. There is a thread where that is dicussed already.


So Boomracing, here's your chance! Talking about a niche, a gap in the market. There must be plenty of LCC's and LNC around who all need gears at some moment.
Some HD wormgears. An absolute upgrade as i was told. There was no doubt about it.

This servo. 260 OZ strong on 7.2 volts. I have a Castle creations Pro BEC around here. Brandnew, never had a use for it. This servo is from CYS. Sounds not familiar, i know. But believe me if i tell you that the tech inside is the same as from one of the first class well known brands. So a little bird whispered in my ears. Titanium gears, coreless motor. This is one of the mid range CYS servo's and if you ask me why this one. If i could have chosen one of the upper class CYS 's since i'm being sponsored? Well, because this is what i normally would have bought and i try to stay in line of a budget build as i always do.


In terms of styling i use what i know - because of my work in professional photography - i have to deal with colors a lot and i like to use the circle ofcomplementairy colors. So i have the orange, i am gonna use some practically almost Asiatees blue and i will use pearl white.


Those of you who know about fashion, or just ask your wife, girlfriend, will say that orange and blue curse, they "clash"! That's correct. Let's look at the circle.
They stand opposite to eachother. So they curse, but combined they also reinforce, strenghten eachother.
White is (and so is black) in photography no color.
I do have a small hope that in a couple of weeks i also will get some of these beautifull new Boomerang G shocks. Those with the external oil reservoir. I have given Asiatees my kindest smile on those .
Just for this forum only, some of the decals i plan on using. I rather have 'm airbrushed. But i am not even the best painter with spraycans, so i stay on the safe side .
The wings in the middle will be an "updated" version for the Angelwings i use on all of my rigs. I get messages from people on FB and other media that they saw my rigs and they recognized them because of the Angelwings. These are "stylewise" more in line with the rest of the decals.


All together i am planning to make an awesome looking, but also performing rig. Powerfull (the brushless motor), crawl capable (tires and some other upgrades).

I will do this build bit by bit. Step by step.
To be continued!

Items used:
Losi NightCrawler
Grappler body
Hotbodies Sedonas Tires White dot
Losi HD Wormgears

Provided by http://www.asiatees.com :
Boomracing BRSCX46 Wheelwideners
Boomracing BR247050OR Cyclone wheels
Boomracing NTI049BOR Chassis link
Boomracing NTI049AOR Upperlink
Boomracing NTI331OR Skid plate
HW/QUICRUN-10BL60+3650SD21.5T Hobbywing Quicrun 21,5T Brushless motor combo
CYS-S2220 Servo
HW/QUICRUN-PC Hobbywing Program card

[Olle P]

Originally Posted by MaFoDes

... A dragon does not crawl. It flies. ...

As I've understood it Eastern dragons don't fly, but crawl!
(It's the Western dragons that have wings and fly.)

[crashtestheli]

your motor kv is 2000 so you want to start with a 20 pinion.
I stopped at 23 tooth as I started to strip transmission gears

[MaFoDes]

Originally Posted by crashtestheli

your motor kv is 2000 so you want to start with a 20 pinion.
I stopped at 23 tooth as I started to strip transmission gears

20? I never would have thought that, to be honoust... But that's great info, i have a 20, so i try that.

[SilmarilS]

Originally Posted by crashtestheli

your motor kv is 2000 so you want to start with a 20 pinion.
I stopped at 23 tooth as I started to strip transmission gears

The 21.5 is a 1900kv motor.

I run a 21.5 of 1600kv on 3s with a 25T pinion ( can't go higher).
It's a fine setup, never stripped gears.

[MaFoDes]

Interesting to see various opinions. I would have thought of a 16 pinion. But i guess that is absolutely too small if i read all this. I will run it on 2S, since i have plenty of them and not plan on buying other batteries.

[crashtestheli]

if running 2 cell then perhaps 25 is better.
3 cell and 2000kv is about the limit for the plastic gears.

[MaFoDes]

Thanks guys. I have a 20T pinion. I'll start with that and see what it does.



Didn't do much today. Assembled the Hotbodies Sedonas tires on the Boomracing Cyclone wheels. Excuses me for it, but i think it's one sexy combination .


Also took the axles apart to install the HD wormgears and make a greasing nipple. There will be video's of it.


Fo those who are interested, this is a link to the first video on this project. The announcement.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4auCGojruWE

[84yoda]

Will we see metal tranny gears for the night crawler?

[EeePee]

Should have put the grease port inline with the spool gear.

Weird thread on a practically dead platform.

[Robbob]

Originally Posted by EeePee

Weird thread on a practically dead platform.

Some of us still believe

Jurassic Park 8 = Losi LCC/Night Crawler

[EeePee]

Took a while for the TLT to practically go extinct.

[MaFoDes]

Originally Posted by 84yoda

Will we see metal tranny gears for the night crawler?

I wish.... Had them on the list of upgrades, but they are hard to get.

@Eepee, is it really that dead? I refuse to believe that. Yes, LCC's and LNC's are a minority these days. But i still see a lot a people enthusiastic about their's.

[84yoda]

Originally Posted by MaFoDes

I wish.... Had them on the list of upgrades, but they are hard to get.

I meant like will boomracing make some?

[MaFoDes]

Originally Posted by 84yoda

I meant like will boomracing make some?

No idea. I did a shoutout to them and have suggested it to my contact person. I guess these things take time

[GiJoe]

Originally Posted by MaFoDes

@Eepee, is it really that dead? I refuse to believe that. Yes, LCC's and LNC's are a minority these days. But i still see a lot a people enthusiastic about their's.

I love mine! I can honestly say I've tortured my losi's FAR beyond what the original platform was intended.


Here is a scenario for perspective: Are you familiar with (1:1) truck and tractor pulling? Modified and Unlimited tractors can use a variety of engines. The majority are alcohol burning supercharged Hemi's and Chevys. But, A small contingent run turbine jet engines... The piston guys are always hating on the turbine guys. Because, in between pulls, they are wrenching, tuning, and constantly futzing with these supercharged tractors. All the while, the turbine guys sit back, laugh and drink beer due to the low maintenance.

That's how I feel about my Losi's....Plug in, Comp, put it away till next time.
Then, grab a beer or six and hang out with everyone wrenching on their Axial or RC4WD rigs! It really does happen this way more often than not!

I podium finished in 5 out of the 6 comps I attended so far in 2015. In multiple sorrca scale classes, using multiple Losi based rigs. To include winning the RC4WD East Coast Scale Challenge TTC! All of my rigs run STOCK Losi parts (only upgrades being HD Worms and Metal Trans Gears). Stock driveshafts, stock c-hubs and knuckles, stock cvd's, stock shocks, stock suspension and steering links...etc

Not hating on Axial or any of the aftermarket vendors here, but who else can claim that?

As for the stigma attached to Losi worms for being maintenance nightmares, weak, and cant run long distance? I just don't see it! I've destroyed every Losi stereotype out there!

[MaFoDes]

Ty GI Joe. Good to still hear positive sounds on the Losi's!
I took a risk on buying this i guess. But it's a rig i loved the moment i first saw it, so this was my chance.
Overhere (in the Netherlands) there are no real comps, so i will be running it recreational. But will make my own comp and try to find equal minded guys .

[MaFoDes]

Ty GI Joe. Good to still hear positive sounds on the Losi's!
I took a risk on buying this i guess. But it's a rig i loved the moment i first saw it, so this was my chance.
Overhere (in the Netherlands) there are no real comps, so i will be running it recreational. But will make my own comp and try to find equal minded guys .

[MaFoDes]

Some slight progress. Yesterday just wasn't my day... Had some issues in personal life. Even Rc addicts are just human.

Was soldering the leads on the brushless motor and came to the conclusion i had run out of tinning material. Gonna get new one monday.

Took apart the skidplate and tranny. Installed the new aluminum links and skidplate.


The sidepanels were red. But the colour would clash with the rest , so i took it apart.


Cleaned it and put on 5 very thin layers of primer and 12 (!) thin layers of black metallic.




Same for the shocks. I still have good hope Asiatees will send me some of the new Boomracing G-shocks. If not, i already sprayed the red ones black and wrapped them in carbon look foil.

[EeePee]

Originally Posted by MaFoDes

@Eepee, is it really that dead? I refuse to believe that.

Believe me now?

Aluminum skid is a step in the wrong direction. Plastic slides much better.