Wyatt's Journey of Phoenix (s)

[JatoTheRipper]

Originally Posted by xwaz

Thanks Jato!
I feel that I will end up with a lot more sets of their wheels, the quality is easily to the level of vanquish if not better. The rings are what really sold me.

The plastic axle trucks are still fun but I couldn't be happier to own the pro and ultra now that they are gone.

You're welcome! Plastic axle trucks are definitely fun and I have plenty, but in that raffle you want to get a top prize of a metal axle truck! If I get sucked deeply back into this hobby again, I am sure I will build a plastic axle Vanquish truck.

[xwaz]

Originally Posted by JatoTheRipper

You're welcome! Plastic axle trucks are definitely fun and I have plenty, but in that raffle you want to get a top prize of a metal axle truck! If I get sucked deeply back into this hobby again, I am sure I will build a plastic axle Vanquish truck.

It's alway fun to get the big price! Hopefully the hobby sucks you back in. I have enjoyed reading all your threads and your view and analyzation of each truck you have built. So I look forwards to reading many more!

[xwaz]

Its that time of year snow has fallen in Colorado but we will have some low to mid 40s days that are perfect for crawling. My usual favorite place to crawl has a fun Canyon that is hard enough for most scale trucks in good weather let alone the snow.

I grabbed my JK8 since I figured the Portals, large 4.75, 3800kv and winch would all work to my advantage in the snow. It is a heavier truck at 8lbs but it seemed to work well.


Poser Rock


We had about 2-3'' of snow which is the perfect amount for snow trails in my opinion, it was also very dry snow so there was a surprising amount of traction available if you knew were to look.




I don't think there was a single tire combo that could have made this climb. Its my typically wet tire test rock since its a smooth granite that you have to pass through a creek to get to the base of, and my Alien RB weren't able to grab more than half way up, the the G8 Trepadors on my Buddies Gatekeeper were about the same. I winched to the top and then Pulled the GateKeeper Up.


Vanquish on Ice!




Typically there is anywhere from 1'-3' of water here. Now its a few inches of Ice.



Another Section that is hard enough in the dry, this time the loose dirt was replaced by icy dirt and snow, we both had to winch over the rock to the right that pushed you up against the bank on the left side which has become undercut from erosion and want to flip you backward.



Once out of the Canyon you make it up into the sun, where you are back in dry loose dirt and much grippier granite.



I also got to take out a newly finished 2.2 truggy I have been working on for a while.

But that's for another thread if I ever make one.

[xwaz]

I finally got a warm enough couple of days to Paint up the Pro and Ultras. I haven't had time to get them out in the Sun for photos yet but that will come soon enough. I might even take both out at work this week and a full run this weekend.




Both just have stock wheels and tires on them as I always try to run a kit full stock once. The Ultra is on the Phoenix Wheels and Tires since I didn't feel like mounting another set of these and I had them already done and never used.

[twade984]

This looks great. Curious to hear how they run for you


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[xwaz]

Originally Posted by twade984

This looks great. Curious to hear how they run for you


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I am excited to try them both out back to back. Both are 4s, the Pro is Brushed and the Ultra is Brushless. its going to be different enough to make for an interesting comparison.

[xwaz]

Took my Ultra out on Lunch to the rocks in front of my shop. Only about 20 minutes to drive it and I already am over the moon with how it drives. I went and drove all my usual testing rocks and testing lines, none are crazy hard but all are just hard enough to test a few aspects of the truck. This Ultra just ate it up like crazy, I was honestly shocked at the VXT Tires working so well on 45 degree rocks. Close observers will see its the Phoenix Kit Wheels and tires I was lazy and grabbed them instead of building the ones that came with the Ultra. Oddly though the Hubs don't fully fit and I can get them fully tight before the nut bottoms out. A M5 Washer would fix that.




It Felt really nice to put the first few scratches on those fancy F9 Portals. In 20 minutes I put more scratches on then I feel most of the trucks get in 10 hours of running.

[B-MOW71]

Nice job on the paints! The blue on the Ultra looks great!

The Ultra sure does look good out on them rock!

[JatoTheRipper]

That blue paint is such a great color! What did you use?

[xwaz]

Originally Posted by JatoTheRipper

That blue paint is such a great color! What did you use?

Its Tamiya PS-16 Metallic Blue. I am not a blue fan but its one of my favorite colors. Same color I painted my Original Phoenix Earlier in the Thread.

[xwaz]

Originally Posted by B-MOW71

Nice job on the paints! The blue on the Ultra looks great!

The Ultra sure does look good out on them rock!

Thanks! I am very happy with the results. It was also the best color to match the chrome details.

[JatoTheRipper]

Originally Posted by xwaz

Its Tamiya PS-16 Metallic Blue. I am not a blue fan but its one of my favorite colors. Same color I painted my Original Phoenix Earlier in the Thread.

What did you back it with? I think this is what I painted my Ultra with a black backing and it got too dark for my liking.

[xwaz]

Originally Posted by JatoTheRipper

What did you back it with? I think this is what I painted my Ultra with a black backing and it got too dark for my liking.

I backed this one with Tamiya Gun Metal, It's a pretty thin coating I'm not sure how much darking it would be with black as a backer.

[JatoTheRipper]

Originally Posted by xwaz

I backed this one with Tamiya Gun Metal, It's a pretty thin coating I'm not sure how much darking it would be with black as a backer.

Thank you for the info.

[xwaz]

For some reason the Phoenix wheels didn't quite fit the hubs on the Ultra and the Nut bottomed out before the wheel was fully tight, a simple fix with an M5 washer but I also want to test how the truck drove with a heavier wheel. I kept the tires the same, Another set (I have 5) of the VXT on some Boom Racing devil 8 Beadlocks, these have a steel ring in them and are quote heavy. However they match the silver on this truck better than they have on any other rig I have put them on. I will test at Lunch to see how they work. But it also means the Ultra stayed stock for 20 minute of driving.

[xwaz]

Took Sunday to go out and hit some trails with a friend. After doing 3ish miles on the Gatekeepers and having some extra time before we had to be home I decided to throw the Ultra on the rocks and really test how truck on some real terrain.
Its still rocking some VXTs and they did well on rock but struggles on dirt as expected so I think I will likely keep this wheels and swap to something similar but better. Currently I am thinking Proline Trenchers, PitBull Braven Berserkers or something similar on the more A/T Side.




Out with my old RTR Phoenix that has turned into the Farm Truck since I sold it to my buddy. (Story above in Thread)



I am very happy with how the truck drove, the steering is limited compared to some of the trucks I am used to but in the end its not a comp truck so I can just back up a little as needed. everything else was awesome it feels super solid when driving.




Oh and the Holmes 2700 on 4s is amazing! I think I dropped to a 14t pinion and might even go to a 13t is temps are an issue, Today was 45 and motor temps were barely warm. But low speed control was great, great drag brake, and tons of speed to rip doughnuts, hill climbs and deal with all those pesky Pine needles.

[twade984]

Ultra looks good out in the wild


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[xwaz]

Originally Posted by twade984

Ultra looks good out in the wild


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Its a super solid feeling truck to drive. My guess is I will drive it like it is for a while while but once the body starts getting beat up I think I will do a 2dr stretched JK body on it at around a 11.8" wheel base.

[xwaz]

A couple weeks since the last update.
I think just about every vs410 I have has been driven since then. I got the week off of work after Christmas and took that to get out a couple times. We will just work our way back in order of the timeline.
Swapped Wheels and tires on the Ultra, The SSD Beans in Chrome and J Concepts Holds. A test at my Local Culvert was in order.

[xwaz]

Next out was the Bronco.
It was a couple weeks since I last drove it and I wanted to get out with it. It has been on some Method 310s and Pitbull Rock Beasts Currently.



I recently took the 90mm rear shocks off my Phoenix Comanche, and swapped them for the 80mm shocks on this truck. It fixes a couple problems, I though the comanche had way too much rear flex, and the Bronco sat too low in the rear. The 90s gave the Bronco the boost in flex and height it needed, and the comanche sits lower in the rear and reduced its flex back to a more normal amount.



While its not the most amazing truck to drive, its a lot of fun, with metal bumpers make scraping noises like a real truck and can still pull some enjoyable obstacles.

This Line is a test line for me, being able to get a truck through it tends to show a lot about how capable the truck is, and I just couldn't get the Bronco to stick it, after about 20 minutes using Dig, OD, everything I could muster the truck just would slide off at the end every time.



Another Angle, You have to climb up between two rocks, pitch the front end over to the "passenger" side and not let the crack push the front end down, its also the edge of the rock and about a 6' fall if you don't make it. I stand below the truck on a rock and its eye level for me.



The longer rear shocks were just what this truck needed. I have 60wt in them and I think that suits this truck but might be a touch light if I put a trailer on it.