Father and Son build of a pair of Yeti XLs

[Tx12No1]

Well folks, last night we opened one of the kits and my 13 year-old son and I set out to start building.

Put on some classic rock, and then some classic holiday music, and got to step 10. We didn't pay attention and built a diff with one short cup and one long. Doh!

We used a Fast Eddy bearing kit. Tried the mod using a third bearing on the pinion shaft. Too much slop (in an out play on the pinion to and fro against the diff gear) because the bearing is thinner than the plastic spacer. Put it together anyway and will need to take it apart again to put in either some stock shims I ordered, or the dhawk spacer that'll be delivered who-knows-when. Argh.

I read about the Axial diff fluid "surprise" but didn't know what was meant by it. Now I do. Yeah, who makes a squeeze bottle where the stupid nozzle pops out and empties the bottle contents all over?? I did however use 500,000 in the rear (made by Traxxas, as that's what Tower had) and 200,000 in front made by Lucas for Associated. The 200,000 seemed thicker than the 500,000 so I added some of the stock 20,000.

My son helped. He had homework to do so I got him to do that at the table with me while I proceeded to undo the mistake we'd made with the cups. Then it was bedtime for him so I cracked a beer and put the rear axle together and stopped at the step that said "open bag B".

Not sure what I'll do about the pinion spacing... open the bag from the second kit and use enough stock shims, or halt the build until the dhawks show up. Build other parts before putting the bulkhead and rear end in? I don't know. As long as the cars are done by Christmas, I guess.

At least the second build will be done with experience and progress easier.

Saga continues...

 

[BrandonM95]

Congrats on your new build. Sounds to me like you did some research before diving into this, you'll be better off that way.

As far as the pinion spacer, you can use the stock one until you get the Dhawk in. or run the 3rd bearing mod and shim the pinion out as neccesarry for proper mesh.

Axial Pinion Shim: AX31269
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dtoys-and-games&field-keywords=AX31269

 

[Barndog Racing]

Lots of fun I enjoyed building this kit mainly because it is huge "thumbsup"
Lets see some pics too!

 

[84yoda]

You should have a tracking number from dhawk. The plastic spacer will last for a while, so thats up to you if you want it done now or can wait for your dhawk order to show up. Thats interesting about the 200k vs 500k, your the second person I've heard that from.

You could set up both kits and leave out the diffs till you get the rest of what you need.

 

[Tx12No1]

Congrats on your new build. Sounds to me like you did some research before diving into this, you'll be better off that way.

As far as the pinion spacer, you can use the stock one until you get the Dhawk in. or run the 3rd bearing mod and shim the pinion out as neccesarry for proper mesh.

Axial Pinion Shim: AX31269
Amazon.com: AX31269: Toys & Games

Brandon,
I read a lot of posts here. I went with Fast Eddy bearings. Ordered two sets for two kits, paid for two sets, got one set. Called Fast Eddy and now waiting on the second set. While I had him on the phone I talked about the pinion mod. He said use the Fast Eddy bearings with a stock bearing in between so that's what I did. I was tired last night, and put it together with slop. I knew better than to build while tired but did anyway. Then this morning I realized I need to address it.

I also ordered 400+ in-oz servos. Some nice Futaba 3 channel tx/rx sets, the MMX/2200 Castle, castle programming card, aluminum servo horn, aluminum steering components, the diff fluids, some waterproof grease... I'm hoping to build them right so they'll be able to run through the 5000 mAh 40C 2s packs I got without breaking right away.

 

[Tx12No1]

Lots of fun I enjoyed building this kit mainly because it is huge "thumbsup"
Lets see some pics too!

Thanks. I'll be taking pics along the way.
I like the aluminum bodies you're making. I'd been thinking of painting the cage on mine. Some of your panels with the inside mounted sides would show it off pretty well.

 

[pro mod steve]

DHAWK ships pretty quick. I have made 3 or 4 orders from them and usually a week and a half give or take. Keep an eye on the pinion shims. After a few packs I checked mine and they had gotten sort of crushed or concave and I ended up adding another new shim on top of the originals to tighten gear mesh back up. The DHAWK pinion spacers are worth the wait.

 

[Tx12No1]

You should have a tracking number from dhawk. The plastic spacer will last for a while, so thats up to you if you want it done now or can wait for your dhawk order to show up. Thats interesting about the 200k vs 500k, your the second person I've heard that from.

You could set up both kits and leave out the diffs till you get the rest of what you need.

Maybe I'll do that. I don't look forward to fighting with those clips though when it comes time to redo the pinions.

I thought I was seeing/feeling things when I compared the two weights. 500k lighter than 200k? Weird. But the mix I did of 200K with some 20K seems to make the front diff spin just a bit easier than the 500k rear.

With two builds, I'm tempted to put just 20K in the second build so I can compare the characteristics of the vehicle. If one winds up better at crawling and the other better at everything else, maybe it's not so bad. My son and I could take turns or something. Or I can decide I like one or the other better and make them both the same. Choices. Nice to have choices. Messy and greasy choices.

 

[84yoda]

Stock fluid is a joke, it wont crawl up a curb. I put 500k in rear with a sway bar and it will crawl up a curb no problem. With thicker fluid up front, it helps pull the car out of corners. I did notice with 500k in rear, on 6s it will throw the rear end out on dirt but again 6s is just nasty. 4s is more control-able.

 

[Deckard]

This makes me want to get a kit for my son. I need to find a better job to support to 2 YXLs, an exwife and a girlfriend that likes Chanel. Maybe a Chanel themed YXL? Doubt my son would dig that.

Get them pics up!

 

[Kx450]

I did a second YXL for my son he is 8 but been running Rc cars with me
Since he could walk my reson for buying him one is
I'm tired of him wanting to drive mine I don't like to share lol

 

[Tx12No1]

This makes me want to get a kit for my son. I need to find a better job to support to 2 YXLs, an exwife and a girlfriend that likes Chanel. Maybe a Chanel themed YXL? Doubt my son would dig that.

Get them pics up!

Just put Chanel and No. 5 on the side and tell him it's a racing team. ;-)

 

[Tx12No1]

I did a second YXL for my son he is 8 but been running Rc cars with me
Since he could walk my reson for buying him one is
I'm tired of him wanting to drive mine I don't like to share lol

The first cars I got us were a pair of Team Associated ProRally cars. Fun, but they are much better as road cars rather than dirt cars. So my friend decides he wants to get into the hobby, and his son is 16. He buys one Traxxas Slash and they share it. The turnover cue is a crash or rollover or battery change. I felt bad for not being able to "share" with my 13 year old, but I'm a big baby and don't like to take turns. Then my friend buys himself a Nitro powered Slayer and suddenly I don't feel so bad.

So, naturally I bought TWO yeti xl kits.

It's really fun father and son time, going out and running them around. But last night's start of assembly, screwups and all, were really special to me. Time away from TV, PC, smartphones, etc mean a lot.

 

[Kx450]

Yes I'm the same way I don't like to share
My sone has had as many cars as I have I try
To always buy 2 of the same cars we used to race
Kyosho rb6's we have had a ton of cars then I bought
Two 1/10 yetis witch are fun but I just had to have
YXL and I already had the power system well 2 of them
And every stinking time I set the transmitter down he
Would take it sooo well here's the second YXL
Plus it's good father son time
But I got to say my wife HATES our Rc cars

 

[Tx12No1]

That's great! Good luck with them. My boys each have a 1/10th Yeti coming for Christmas, I'm just as excited as they will be!

Thanks. I originally wanted to buy two of the new Yeti Score Trophy Trucks. Then I ordered one Trophy and one 1/10 Yeti. Then I canceled that order and went for the XL kits. I still like the Trophy truck though. And sometimes I think I should have stuck with 1/10... figured I'd wish I'd gone bigger (That's what she said).

Have fun with the 1/10 Yetis. Your sons are lucky.

 

[Tx12No1]

So I'm now awaiting two sets of stock shims, and two sets of DHAWK spacers with shims. I'm hoping everything shows up by Christmas so I can get these builds done. I really don't want to put it together stock only to have to redo it... x 2 cars.

So tonight I took the front bulkhead apart to see what the slop was like. I was proud of myself for having removed the circlip so easily. I put it back together with the plastic spacer just to see the fit. This time I removed the circlip and >pling!< over my right shoulder, off the wall, then I think I hear it land somewhere on my left. My son didn't participate tonight. :-( So I texted him from the basement "Help!" but before he got downstairs I'd found the clip on the other side of the room.

So glad I didn't have to order new ones. Though maybe I should.

Here's a couple of pics, nothing too exciting. Just my boy marveling at the spread, and showing intense focus as we (incorrectly) assemble a diff. Note the two different cup sizes remaining on the table. Duh.

 

[pro mod steve]

I would suggest getting spare circlips. I have lost my share. So cool to see the family involved. My daughter is 6 and we have a blast together working and bashing. I bought her her first rc a couple years ago (a little too soon) but now she has really taken an interest. I love the weekends when I have her and she wakes me early to charge lipos because she is ready to do donuts.

 

[TheAxialNut]

That's awesome man!!!

Good Luck and Have a great holiday!

 

[Fordfreak95]

That looks like a ton of fun. I hope you have a GREAT build experience with your son!!! My father got me into cars. I helped him work on the family cars when I was real young. Then he helped me with my first few mustangs in my teens and helped a little on a 1995 393i stroker Lightning build I did in my late 20s to early 30s. All great memories. I got into RCs alone though. He laughs at me and says I'll never grow up. Man I hope not!

 

[Tx12No1]

That looks like a ton of fun. I hope you have a GREAT build experience with your son!!! My father got me into cars. I helped him work on the family cars when I was real young. Then he helped me with my first few mustangs in my teens and helped a little on a 1995 393i stroker Lightning build I did in my late 20s to early 30s. All great memories. I got into RCs alone though. He laughs at me and says I'll never grow up. Man I hope not!

So far we've had one evening building together. Progress has been slow due to waiting on the shims and spacers and stuff for the diffs. But it's Ok. I got one pack of shims in the mail today and see that if I had more I could shim the pinions to tolerance, but I figure I might as well wait for the DHAWK spacers. They'll be here soon enough.

It's so nice out today - 60+ degrees on 12/12 on Long Island! So I assembled and painted one of the cages. I'll put that up in another post.

My son has taken some interest in the 1972 Buick Skylark I restored from a heap back in 1996. A friend had given me the ragtop with a blown motor, every panel dented/rotted, infested interior, non-existent top, and it sat for a year in my garage taking up space. I was about to unload it when I saw a donor hardtop for $450. In two weeks of working on it every night after work I had one running driving ragtop. Only thing left of the original car is the frame and rear clip. Anything else that could unbolt was transplanted. A/C, disk brakes, complete interior, wiring, all of it. Then it had sat in the garage unused for about 5 years since the time gas went up beyond 4 bucks a gallon. Last spring my boy encouraged me to drag the car out and get it running so we could use it. We got it running, cleaned it up, had a great day of tooling around. The next day I drove it and got hit. Tweaked the front bumper and crunched up the left front fender. So now she's got a straight bumper on her and a blue front fender. Next spring my son and I plan to block sand and respray the car.

I'm looking forward to the build progressing again when the parts show up so my boy will be back down in the basement with me helping to build the Yetis.