Fallen's Yeti Jr.

[Fallen]

Well these little differentials did arrive from China.

Unfortunately they aren't even close to fitting. The end to end measurement is fine, but that's about it..

The ring gear doesn't mesh with the stock pinion. The bearing surface diameter is a weird size, which would require a 9.5mm X 12mm X 3.5mm bearing that no one makes. Plus, the openings for the dog bones are too tight for them to slide in. There may be other things wrong too, but I stopped looking there.

Too many strikes for me to try to make them work, so they're in the spares box, waiting for them to somehow prove useful. I'd have to mill the bearing surfaces down from 9.5mm to 8mm. I'd also have to solve the improper gear pitch problems, which I have no idea of a solution for.

So no luck. Don't buy these if you're looking for a metal differential option.

 

[AC49]

I tried a few Chinese brand diffs in mine. I’m running a 4800kv. They may as well be made of silly putty. I did find that the Axial lockers are holding up well and fit better than anything else.

I’m fully locked front and rear and I can still turn sharp enough to upset the car. On anything other than asphalt I would say fully locked is almost a must. I ran it with rear only locked for a while and it made the backend dance too much when you put the power down.

If I did it all over again I would have done the axial lockers day 1.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Fallen]

Just a small update here. My two Yeti Jr's are still knocking around. One of them just got a bit of an update, turning it back into a UTV:

This one has the Traxxas 380 motor, which is a bit longer than the Axial motor. It got a new steering servo, new Axial locker in the rear and new front drivetrain. I mounted some RC4WD Dirt Grabbers on Element 1.55 wheels, and I really like the way it looks.

I just painted the body today, and it's still a work in progress. But it runs!

My Mini Cooper Yeti Jr is also still tearing up dirt. I went back to the open, plastic differential in the front. Having turned the throttle EPA down to 50% has kept it alive, and I like the way it drives more like this. I added a roof rack too, after realizing it was too small for my Bronco.

I usually don't let my RCs anywhere near water. On a hike when my sons were driving it, they found a big puddle and I let them go at it. They stayed near that puddle for 20 minutes, and only left then because we had to leave. This is the result of that thrashing:

These are still for sale new. I think they've been out for what, three years now? I don't think anyone else is making a UTV right now, so hopefully Axial keeps these alive for a while to come.

 

[soze]

Crap, I forgot I bought one of these! This thread is full of some nice ideas!

 

[Fallen]

Thanks, I'm glad it could help.

With those 1.55 wheels & tires, the stock ESC is overheating even at 75% throttle. I plan on upgrading the electronics in the UTV model to the same combo as my other one:

Holmes Hobbies 380 in 2000kv coupled to the Mamba Micro X. I've already upgraded the entire drivetrain, so this is the final step.

In my Mini Cooper, that motor / ESC combo has too much speed & too much torque even at 50% throttle EPA. It stays completely cool and has survived water, sand, mud & dirt. It definitely survives the abuse my 4 year old sons put it through.

 

[jakehinds]

Thanks, I'm glad it could help.

With those 1.55 wheels & tires, the stock ESC is overheating even at 75% throttle. I plan on upgrading the electronics in the UTV model to the same combo as my other one:

Holmes Hobbies 380 in 2000kv coupled to the Mamba Micro X. I've already upgraded the entire drivetrain, so this is the final step.

In my Mini Cooper, that motor / ESC combo has too much speed & too much torque even at 50% throttle EPA. It stays completely cool and has survived water, sand, mud & dirt. It definitely survives the abuse my 4 year old sons put it through.

Hey there, do you have any experience with the old yeti jr rock racer or just this can am? To be honest, I've never been a fan of the can am as people say its top heavy, and it appears to be. Do you know if there are any differences between the old rock racer and the newer can am? Someone is selling the old model for $80 and I want to scoop it up, but not if it's less durable or has some inherent flaw. I don't know why they discontinued it. I have a 1/18 capra now, and it's very impressive, but i've found i'm wanting a higher speed rig. locked rear with ifs front, and the old rock racer yeti jr looks perfect to me

 

[Fallen]

Sorry that I never replied to this, as I just now saw the post.

I also unfortunately do not have any experience with the original iteration of the Yeti Jr, but I don't imagine they're very different. The Can-Am is probably less top heavy though, due to more lexan and less plastic.

And one more unfortunate update:

I'm down to one Yeti Jr, as of about 6 months ago. My 5 year old was driving my Mini Cooper version, on the sidewalk when a car turned into my driveway from the street. My son didn't have time to stop and the car ran directly over the Mini Cooper. It's completely destroyed.

Fortunately the car didn't hit my son. But that Mini Cooper was one of, if not my favorite RC models. It took a lot for me to not kill ther driver of that car, but fortunately for her she was an old woman.

 

[ferp420]

And one more unfortunate update:

I'm down to one Yeti Jr, as of about 6 months ago. My 5 year old was driving my Mini Cooper version, on the sidewalk when a car turned into my driveway from the street. My son didn't have time to stop and the car ran directly over the Mini Cooper. It's completely destroyed.

Fortunately the car didn't hit my son. But that Mini Cooper was one of, if not my favorite RC models. It took a lot for me to not kill ther driver of that car, but fortunately for her she was an old woman.

im sorry for your loss

this means you get to build a new one with all the upgrades off the bat

a better one

 

[Fallen]

Thanks for the encouragement. I stole the parts I could save, and use them on the existing Yeti Jr.

It took several months before I could bring myself to throw the body away.

But it's water under the bridge now. It was a concrete reminder though that some things are eternal; RC cars are not among those things. Though I can make a Christian, theological argument that we will get to enjoy things like RC cars in the life to come, I'm pretty confident the ones from this current life won't transfer over.