Off the bat, I don't have the electronics (motors, escs, etc) to truly test this rig right now, or for awhile, so to start, this is a "first impressions" review until the rig is completely built and performance tested.
This post will be updated as info becomes available. I am starting this build late on a Wednesday night, which in my world is "poker night," so not much time was spent on this so far. I will edit as progress proceeds. I apologize for the "odd" pics that will show up in this thread.:-( My camera gets confused by the fluorescent lighting in my shop..................sometimes it flashes, and sometimes it doesn't under the same conditions. I don't claim to be a photographer.
- The packaging:
Does the actual packaging have anything to do with the rig inside, or the performance of said rig? Nope, of course not. But, as all of us that had/have TLTs know, having a box dedicated to the truck, with a handy handle, is a nice convenience. This portable storage case is just a bonus. "thumbsup"
Then opening of the box is just a great thing. What is thrown in front of you is the heart-n-soul of the kit..............the axles and wheels!"thumbsup" Notice that the axles come fully assembled out of the box.
-What is inside:
Outside of the wheels and axles, what lies underneath is this. Notice that all items are nicely separated into specific bags for their purpose. The package comes with a manual, which in it's weird, crude way, is very reminiscent of a Gold Tub RC10 manual in it's "homebuilt" appearance............but also backed by CAD drawings. The manual also comes in digital PDF form via a CD. A nice bonus!!
Open up a few of the bags, and this is what you have.
The Wheels:
- The stock aluminum 2.2 beadlocks are NICELY made. I can't find a manufacturing flaw on any of them!! I slapped some Claws on them with very little fuss, and the rings grabbed nicely. The wheels themselves weigh in at 3.9oz a piece, with a Claw+Stock Foam total weight of 7.3oz a piece. Two little gripes on the beadlock install; 1) the button-head screws are tiny (not sure of size right now), and I broke off the head of one of the screws while tightening. Probably more operator-error moreso than mechanical failure. 2) there are no extra screws provided, which I had one hit the floor and then proceed into "screw heaven." Even $40/set Junfac beadlocks come with a couple of extra screws...........something OCM should have also considered. Big deals on the overall review of the rig? Nope, just extra screws would have been a bonus.
The axles:
Simply put............BEEFY!!!:shock: The only real comparable axle out there is the Raptor2, but these are just a tad less wide and purposely built for 2.2s. To be honest, to put a plastic 2.2 axle next to these things is just unfair. Nicely powder coated in black, the outer diameter of the aluminum axle tubes is about 5/8" (haven't broken out the calipers). Full bearings throughout. Full 48P steel gears inside the pumpkin. The motor mounting comes fully adjustable for multiple pinion gears. The kit comes with two 12T, 48P pinion gears. Internal gear ratio comes out at 11.43:1, with a stock [12/42 P/S] final gear ratio of 40:1. Driveshafts are steel, and are .195" in diameter. Shaft "locking" is created through steel gear spool. There is no plastic or aluminum inside the axles.
The axles come with pre-installed link/shock mounts, which are fastened to the axle with truly threaded 3mm fasteners. There is a single 3mm threaded hole on the top and bottom of the axle along the lines of the link/shock mounts for whatever you want. The kit includes an axle mounted brush guard, which of course, is not needed on a crawler. For now, I have rearranged the brush guard and servo plate in a way that creates a battery plate on the front axle. This modification with require a custom draglink to be built.
The steering hubs are "one piece" with the axle tubes................and are THICK!!!! The steering knuckles are also THICK aluminum, and supported by bearings. Included 12mm wheel hexes are also aluminum. The shafts have outer "dogbones" installed and are not CVDs.
With Claws installed with stock foams, center "pumpkin" ground clearance is 1 5/8". With sitting level, the bottom line of the pumpkin sits at the same plane as the bottom of the knuckle screws. Also with Claws installed, overall wheel track lies at 11 1/4"
Four-link Links:
-Threaded powder coated aluminum rods with steel ends and metal (???) ball inserts (3mm holes). Nicely done by OCM!! Rubber o-rings are included for installing the ball ends for cushioning. At the end of the day, the link appear to be too long for a 2.2 rig, but they really aren't. As installed as recommended (with included shocks), the "belly" ground clearance is about 4 1/4", with a wheelbase of 11" with the links mounted at the center most holes. To articulate the shocks at this position leaves some travel. I removed the springs to lower the chassis belly to about 2.5", with about a 11 7/8" wheelbase, and this lowered the rig COG obviously.
In the modern 2.2 shafty rigs, somewhere around 2.5" of belly clearance is the norm for a good clearance/CG relationship...................but is this low needed for rig without a motor/tranny sitting in the chassis? The stock 4 1/4" center clearance may work just fine with such little weight sitting above the centerline. Who knows? What is the best set up for this truck? WAY to early to predict!!!! A 2.2 with such heavy axle weight and light chassis is kinda new to the arena, outside of the few 2.2 Clods, so weight/height distribution will be experimental for awhile.
The Shocks:
Nicely made units!! But maybe too long for practical purposes. Shock body is [threaded] aluminum, and is standard "maxx sized" diameter. Rod end mount is steel (just like the link mounts). Springs to be of good softness for crawling. Extended [eye to eye] = 5", collapsed = 3 1/4". (The pics don't look like those are the measurements due to angle, but they are accurate)
The chassis:
IMO, not a terrific design. Unless the high clearance belly with low CG is proven, the chassis is not going to work since it can't be adapted farther than it sits in reference to shock mounting angle, which is on the verge of being two low of an angle as it sits in stock form. I will update this as I experiment.
That is enough typing for one late night. I will update as needed.
So far, my only real large complaint against OCM is not advertising this thing properly!!!:lol: There is so much to offer in this kit, but details are lacking in the little bit of info found on the internet. I have noticed a couple of small things that should have been done, and a couple of things that I would have done differently (chassis, clockable pumpkin, etc), but overall.......................
HOLY CRAP RCRC WORLD!!!!!"thumbsup"
This post will be updated as info becomes available. I am starting this build late on a Wednesday night, which in my world is "poker night," so not much time was spent on this so far. I will edit as progress proceeds. I apologize for the "odd" pics that will show up in this thread.:-( My camera gets confused by the fluorescent lighting in my shop..................sometimes it flashes, and sometimes it doesn't under the same conditions. I don't claim to be a photographer.
- The packaging:
Does the actual packaging have anything to do with the rig inside, or the performance of said rig? Nope, of course not. But, as all of us that had/have TLTs know, having a box dedicated to the truck, with a handy handle, is a nice convenience. This portable storage case is just a bonus. "thumbsup"
Then opening of the box is just a great thing. What is thrown in front of you is the heart-n-soul of the kit..............the axles and wheels!"thumbsup" Notice that the axles come fully assembled out of the box.
-What is inside:
Outside of the wheels and axles, what lies underneath is this. Notice that all items are nicely separated into specific bags for their purpose. The package comes with a manual, which in it's weird, crude way, is very reminiscent of a Gold Tub RC10 manual in it's "homebuilt" appearance............but also backed by CAD drawings. The manual also comes in digital PDF form via a CD. A nice bonus!!
Open up a few of the bags, and this is what you have.
The Wheels:
- The stock aluminum 2.2 beadlocks are NICELY made. I can't find a manufacturing flaw on any of them!! I slapped some Claws on them with very little fuss, and the rings grabbed nicely. The wheels themselves weigh in at 3.9oz a piece, with a Claw+Stock Foam total weight of 7.3oz a piece. Two little gripes on the beadlock install; 1) the button-head screws are tiny (not sure of size right now), and I broke off the head of one of the screws while tightening. Probably more operator-error moreso than mechanical failure. 2) there are no extra screws provided, which I had one hit the floor and then proceed into "screw heaven." Even $40/set Junfac beadlocks come with a couple of extra screws...........something OCM should have also considered. Big deals on the overall review of the rig? Nope, just extra screws would have been a bonus.
The axles:
Simply put............BEEFY!!!:shock: The only real comparable axle out there is the Raptor2, but these are just a tad less wide and purposely built for 2.2s. To be honest, to put a plastic 2.2 axle next to these things is just unfair. Nicely powder coated in black, the outer diameter of the aluminum axle tubes is about 5/8" (haven't broken out the calipers). Full bearings throughout. Full 48P steel gears inside the pumpkin. The motor mounting comes fully adjustable for multiple pinion gears. The kit comes with two 12T, 48P pinion gears. Internal gear ratio comes out at 11.43:1, with a stock [12/42 P/S] final gear ratio of 40:1. Driveshafts are steel, and are .195" in diameter. Shaft "locking" is created through steel gear spool. There is no plastic or aluminum inside the axles.
The axles come with pre-installed link/shock mounts, which are fastened to the axle with truly threaded 3mm fasteners. There is a single 3mm threaded hole on the top and bottom of the axle along the lines of the link/shock mounts for whatever you want. The kit includes an axle mounted brush guard, which of course, is not needed on a crawler. For now, I have rearranged the brush guard and servo plate in a way that creates a battery plate on the front axle. This modification with require a custom draglink to be built.
The steering hubs are "one piece" with the axle tubes................and are THICK!!!! The steering knuckles are also THICK aluminum, and supported by bearings. Included 12mm wheel hexes are also aluminum. The shafts have outer "dogbones" installed and are not CVDs.
With Claws installed with stock foams, center "pumpkin" ground clearance is 1 5/8". With sitting level, the bottom line of the pumpkin sits at the same plane as the bottom of the knuckle screws. Also with Claws installed, overall wheel track lies at 11 1/4"
Four-link Links:
-Threaded powder coated aluminum rods with steel ends and metal (???) ball inserts (3mm holes). Nicely done by OCM!! Rubber o-rings are included for installing the ball ends for cushioning. At the end of the day, the link appear to be too long for a 2.2 rig, but they really aren't. As installed as recommended (with included shocks), the "belly" ground clearance is about 4 1/4", with a wheelbase of 11" with the links mounted at the center most holes. To articulate the shocks at this position leaves some travel. I removed the springs to lower the chassis belly to about 2.5", with about a 11 7/8" wheelbase, and this lowered the rig COG obviously.
In the modern 2.2 shafty rigs, somewhere around 2.5" of belly clearance is the norm for a good clearance/CG relationship...................but is this low needed for rig without a motor/tranny sitting in the chassis? The stock 4 1/4" center clearance may work just fine with such little weight sitting above the centerline. Who knows? What is the best set up for this truck? WAY to early to predict!!!! A 2.2 with such heavy axle weight and light chassis is kinda new to the arena, outside of the few 2.2 Clods, so weight/height distribution will be experimental for awhile.
The Shocks:
Nicely made units!! But maybe too long for practical purposes. Shock body is [threaded] aluminum, and is standard "maxx sized" diameter. Rod end mount is steel (just like the link mounts). Springs to be of good softness for crawling. Extended [eye to eye] = 5", collapsed = 3 1/4". (The pics don't look like those are the measurements due to angle, but they are accurate)
The chassis:
IMO, not a terrific design. Unless the high clearance belly with low CG is proven, the chassis is not going to work since it can't be adapted farther than it sits in reference to shock mounting angle, which is on the verge of being two low of an angle as it sits in stock form. I will update this as I experiment.
That is enough typing for one late night. I will update as needed.
So far, my only real large complaint against OCM is not advertising this thing properly!!!:lol: There is so much to offer in this kit, but details are lacking in the little bit of info found on the internet. I have noticed a couple of small things that should have been done, and a couple of things that I would have done differently (chassis, clockable pumpkin, etc), but overall.......................
HOLY CRAP RCRC WORLD!!!!!"thumbsup"
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