Jato Repents with a VS4-10 Origin Limited Kit

[GA Dawg]

I actually like the VXT tires. They preform well on the terrain that I drive on. That being said, as far as I'm concerned they may as well be glued on. For all of the trouble that I went through to mount them, I will never unmount them for fear of not being able to get them mounted again. If I decide to ditch the plastic beadlocks, I'll get new tires to go along with them.

[JatoTheRipper]

Originally Posted by VP Dan

jato if need be send them in and i will mount the tires for you

Thanks, Dan. I have no doubt that you would, but it's a waste of time and resources to send them all the way to CA and then back to PA just to have them mounted. Plus, if you said they were easy to mount I'd feel like an idiot!

I meant to stick the remaining two in the freezer before I left for work this morning and I forgot. I'm stubborn enough to try mounting them again.

[JatoTheRipper]

Let's go back in time for a bit. Before messing with the tars, I built the shocks. Painting is by far my least favorite part of a build, but shocks are probably second. In this case, the shocks didn't fight me too much.

I found it odd that the manual didn't suggest a starting oil weight. Yes, this is a personal preference, but it would have been nice to see a recommendation on oil weight especially for newbies. The oil level dimension was nice, but that is tough to measure so you have to eyeball it. My eyeballs are out of calibration so let's see how this goes.

I liked the drawing of the rag. It looks like a ghost to me.




I ordered 70 weight upon seeing Harley's or Ty's build. I forget which. They used 60wt and I wanted to make a more drastic change from my typical 35wt to see if I noticed a difference. Then, before building the shocks, I did another search on the FB group and saw that 40wt in the front and 70wt in the rear was preferred by Dan and others. I did not have 40wt on hand so I will be trying 35wt in the front and 70wt in the rear.




The shocks are really good looking pieces. The dark grey anodizing almost looks like black chrome. I like it. Of course, I'll be using green slime as well.




Here you can see a closeup of the "black chrome" look on the caps. You will also see that the preload adjuster has a lock nut. Another awesome feature. I do not believe I've ever seen this on any other RC shocks that I've built so this is really cool to see.




I wanted to disassembled the shocks completely so I could put green slime on the X-rings. X-rings are a very nice touch instead of o-rings.

Step one was removing the cap. I couldn't get these off by hand. Whatever kid in Asia assembled these shocks either had superhero strength or they used tools to lock them down as tight as they could. I had to use shock pliers on the shock body and then an MIP hex driver though the hole in the cap to get them loose.




Upon removing the bottom cap I found that the bottom of the shock body had flat spots for a wrench. I tried removing one and found that it would come loose no problem, but then it would reach a hard stop. Using a shock pliers to hold the body and full-size adjustable on the bottom it wouldn't turn at a certain point. I was using more force than I thought would be necessary so I stopped rather than risking damage to the shock. The bottoms on the other three shocks were rock solid and they wouldn't budge with a decent amount of force so I threw up the white flag and decided to remove the shock shaft out the top.




The spring cup is captured which is awesome. If you've ever been on the trail and suddenly got gangster lean due to losing a spring cup you know how valuable this feature really is.




The screw not only ensures the shock cup won't come off of the shaft, but it also runs through the shock end and locks the spring cup into place. Nice.




Filling and bleeding these shocks wasn't too bad. The first three went fairly easily. The last one fought me, as does usually happen with the last of anything, but I persisted until the rebound was close to the others. The shocks feel good with a smooth and consistent stroke.

The lower shock cap doesn't seem to want to stay tight even if you install it with tools. I'm anxious to see if this becomes an issue. Maybe I should have installed Teflon tape here, but I did not. I've read a fair amount of people having leaking Incision shocks and I'm guessing this will be the problem spot on my particular shocks.

The only place you will find plastic balls in this kit, thankfully, is in the upper shock mount. You don't want a metal hollow ball riding inside of the aluminum top so plastic is necessary here.

This mold is filled right on the large diameter which isn't something you'd typically want since it is the pivot point. But here it's not an issue at all.

[JatoTheRipper]

I love old school 5-spoke mags/rims/wheels. I decided the old school International Scout body deserved some old school wheels. The MR310 look old school to me and 6-spokes are close enough to 5-spokes so that's what I chose. I also decided to go the extra mile and use scale hardware. Every time I decide to use scale hardware I regret it during the installation. They are so easy to round off if you aren't careful. Maybe I should try something besides the stainless steel flavor in hopes that they are a little harder and more difficult to round off. But, in the end, it's worth it because it looks so good! You will also see the Vanquish SS brake weights hiding back there.

Here is one of two VXT tires that I was able to mount. Begrudgingly, I had to use the stock cap screws for the SLW hub. The acorn screws that I got from LockedUp would not work because I couldn't get the tool in there.

Do any of you know what scale hardware and tool will fit here?

I think these look good, but I really wish Vanquish would offer a polished wheel. I like chrome or polished aluminum. Shiny wheels are good. Their "clear" anodizing, as seen here, is dull and bland on wheels IMO.

Also, if you look carefully you will see these are "METHO" wheels. Uh, what happened to the 'D'? It's under the beadlock ring. Not good.




One thing I wanted to mention was that the rear ring on each of my four wheels had a very sharp edge around this lip. I had to take fine grit sandpaper to this bead seat to ensure it didn't cut the tires. This is completely unacceptable for a set of wheels that cost $140 without hubs! I've had my fair share of Fanquish wheels and even some of those didn't have this sharp lip.




The anodizing also isn't as nice as it should be IMO. On one of the wheels it is spotty. And on most (maybe all) of my black beadlock rings there is a distinct machining mark between two of the holes. You can see it in the photo below just to the left of the topmost screw hole.

If Vanquish wants consider itself a premium brand then the anodizing, finishing and other details should be near perfect.

Yes, I am being super critical here, but these are among the most expensive wheels in scale RC so they should be held to a higher standard and nearly perfect IMO.

[Brandon]

We made a change to the tire foams over a year ago. Makes the VXT's super easy to mount. The older foams caused the tires to stretch while in the package and the inner bead surface didn't like to return to its normal diameter.

Ask someone with a Pro kit, tires mount very easy.

I'm glad you like the compound, we went with the best we could source.

Regarding the plating, feel free to contact customer service. Blemishes that you point out should not have made it through QC.

[JatoTheRipper]

Originally Posted by Brandon

We made a change to the tire foams over a year ago. Makes the VXT's super easy to mount. The older foams caused the tires to stretch while in the package and the inner bead surface didn't like to return to its normal diameter.

Ask someone with a Pro kit, tires mount very easy.

I'm glad you like the compound, we went with the best we could source.

Regarding the plating, feel free to contact customer service. Blemishes that you point out should not have made it through QC.

I did read about the change in foams. I ordered the CI foams instead. I do think I'd be having better luck if the Vanquish wheels were wider and/or the CI foams were narrower.

Thanks, but I'm not going to worry about it this time around.

[JatoTheRipper]

The replacement short universal from Vanquish arrived today with bearing thrown in which I really appreciate. The front axle is now buttery smooth. No more tight spots or binding.

[Topher Builds]

I know you just got it put back together, but since you also have a TK, is there anyway you could compare the universals for length and potential cross compatibility? I have a hunch they may be pretty close from eyeballing but I don’t have a lovely vp offset axle to compare to myself.

I kind of liked the VXT tires myself. Ran them on the trx4 for a while and they didn’t do too bad and I like the size.

[JatoTheRipper]

Originally Posted by Topher Builds

I know you just got it put back together, but since you also have a TK, is there anyway you could compare the universals for length and potential cross compatibility? I have a hunch they may be pretty close from eyeballing but I don’t have a lovely vp offset axle to compare to myself.

I kind of liked the VXT tires myself. Ran them on the trx4 for a while and they didn’t do too bad and I like the size.

You're in luck because I have the defective universal lying around. I'll compare it to the TK universal and get back to you.

Yes, the VXT's are a great size!

[MaX-D]

Originally Posted by JatoTheRipper

You're in luck because I have the defective universal lying around. I'll compare it to the TK universal and get back to you.



Yes, the VXT's are a great size!

What size are the VXT's anyway?

Sent from my LM-G710VM using Tapatalk

[Topher Builds]

Originally Posted by JatoTheRipper

You're in luck because I have the defective universal lying around. I'll compare it to the TK universal and get back to you.

Yes, the VXT's are a great size!

Awesome thank you!

Originally Posted by MaX-D

What size are the VXT's anyway?

Sent from my LM-G710VM using Tapatalk

They’re 4.65”, they look a little smaller to the eye because they are a bit more narrow than the traxxas canyon trail which is the same height.

[JatoTheRipper]

Originally Posted by Topher Builds

I know you just got it put back together, but since you also have a TK, is there anyway you could compare the universals for length and potential cross compatibility? I have a hunch they may be pretty close from eyeballing but I don’t have a lovely vp offset axle to compare to myself.

I kind of liked the VXT tires myself. Ran them on the trx4 for a while and they didn’t do too bad and I like the size.

Here's the photo. TK on the top and VS4-10 on the bottom with the bearing stuck on it.

TK measures 95mm and the VS4-10 measures 83mm.

Originally Posted by MaX-D

What size are the VXT's anyway?

Sent from my LM-G710VM using Tapatalk

Vanquish calls it 4.65" x 1.5".

[Topher Builds]

Originally Posted by JatoTheRipper

Here's the photo. TK on the top and VS4-10 on the bottom with the bearing stuck on it.

TK measures 95mm and the VS4-10 measures 83mm.

Much appreciated. That’s a lot bigger difference than I thought it’d be.

[B-MOW71]

Just an FYI and to confirm what Brandon said, I just mounted one of my PRO VXT tires with stock foams on a set of cheapy wheels.
They mounted in seconds without any issues (or freezer burn ).

I fought my Origin tires just like you did and these new PRO tires go together with ease!

Just something to keep in mind!

[JatoTheRipper]

Originally Posted by Topher Builds

Much appreciated. That’s a lot bigger difference than I thought it’d be.

You're welcome. I was also surprised by the significant difference.

Originally Posted by B-MOW71

Just an FYI and to confirm what Brandon said, I just mounted one of my PRO VXT tires with stock foams on a set of cheapy wheels.
They mounted in seconds without any issues (or freezer burn ).

I fought my Origin tires just like you did and these new PRO tires go together with ease!

Just something to keep in mind!]

I'm guessing those wheels are wider than the Vanquish wheels. That would make all the difference.

[JatoTheRipper]

It's a Christmas freaking miracle!

I enlisted my girlfriend's help to get the third tire onto a wheel after freezing the tires again for a couple of hours. I held the wheel together tightly with my hands while she installed the screws. It worked! We tried the same on the fourth tire to no avail. We gave it two or three attempts and failed. Then, being stubborn as I am, I tried it again on my own using a slightly different technique and it worked!

Phew!




After installing the wheels I did notice that I have some toe-in. I removed one side of the tie-rod and unscrewed a rod end 1/2 turn and it seems close to straight now.

I also noticed that the driver's side knuckle fits tightly onto the axle. It's tight enough to cause a drag. The knuckle on the passenger side is visibly loose. I can see the threaded inserts moving up and down despite the kingpin screws being tight. I may take that side apart and add a shim or two if possible.

I used CI soft foams in the front and medium in the rear per their recommendation. They feel a little too soft for this truck, but we shall see. The softer foams may work fine with the VXT tires though. They seem to have a thicker and stiffer carcass than other soft tires on the market.

I did remove the outer tuning ring from all of the foams. I don’t think they are necessary in these 4.65” tall tires.




Also, more for my own reference, here are the hubs and hardware I used on these MR310 wheels.

[B-MOW71]

Man those look awesome!

Glad to hear you got them mounted!

Yeah, your right. Them wheels I used with PRO VXT's were a little wider and probably helped to mount them easier. I do believe though the PRO VXT's are a bit softer and they weren't as deformed as my Origin tires were.

[HumboldtEF]

Not that it helps anything... I can also confirm the VXT's from the Pro mounted very easily on the stock wheels.

I liked the size and look of these but only ran them for about a minute or so before swapping on something a bit moire sticky. They didn't do too well on rock but I'd guess they could handle dirt a lot better.

Also the bottom peice of the shock body that you tried unscrewing has an O-ring at the top so that may have been what made it feel like it came to a stop.
I just rebuilt my shocks (for the 3rd time) and found out the black O ring they provide goes on top of this lower piece. I ended up putting them on the bottom of the cap because I didn't know where they went, I may just leave them there as a bit of a test.

[JatoTheRipper]

Originally Posted by B-MOW71

Man those look awesome!

Glad to hear you got them mounted!

Yeah, your right. Them wheels I used with PRO VXT's were a little wider and probably helped to mount them easier. I do believe though the PRO VXT's are a bit softer and they weren't as deformed as my Origin tires were.

Thanks!

I figured the wheels were a bit wider. Vanquish wheels are very narrow compared to pretty much anything else I have.

From what I understand the foams changed from the Limited to the Pro, but not the tires themselves.

Originally Posted by HumboldtEF

Not that it helps anything... I can also confirm the VXT's from the Pro mounted very easily on the stock wheels.

I liked the size and look of these but only ran them for about a minute or so before swapping on something a bit moire sticky. They didn't do too well on rock but I'd guess they could handle dirt a lot better.

I have to try these tires at least once. They're the initial effort from Vanquish and they're definitely one of the better feeling tires I've ever gotten in a kit. I don't expect them to keep up with Alien Kompound or Predator compound, but I'm keeping an open mind.

[JatoTheRipper]

Last night I centered the servo, installed the Vanquish 20mm 25T servo horn and connected the drag link. I thought this would be easy drop in affair, but I had to remove the Panhard bar in order to get the servo horn onto the servo. The Panhard bar is almost directly inline with the screw so there's no way to get a screw driver in there.

Why do servo manufacturers insist on using Phillips head screws to attached the servo horn? For the most part, RC manufacturers have switched exclusively to Allen or hex head screws, except for you Tamiya , but the servo horn screw is always Phillips. Does anybody know the reasoning for this? There has to be some history here.

The drag link is a little too long to have the servo horn facing straight out. Mine ever so slightly faces towards the driver's side as you can see in the photo. But the drag link could definitely stand to be a couple of millimeters shorter. When building links I ensured the drag link and Panhard bar were the same length so I didn't want to go adjusting the length of the drag link and inducing bump steer.




Here's the knuckle that's guilty of having too much play. I want to get a video to show what I mean.




And we have a roller! Like most of my builds, paint is the hold up. I have to paint the inner fenders before I can move on.

OSRC told me that I needed to trade in the Thanksgiving tablecloth for a Christmas one, but I said this is fall themed and it's technically still fall.




I can't wait to get this sexy body painted. Hopefully I don't F it up!

For the front I'm using very short body posts. The rear is one size and it's definitely going to have to be cut down to allow the body to sit lower. Did you guys have to trim your body posts to get the body to sit low enough?