OverRockOffRoad's first RC Crawler build.

[JRW7072009]

Here is my first RC crawler build, really its my first RC build. I bought the XR10 knowing very little about RC's but I wanted to start off with something a little better then average and something I couple possible one day use to compete with.

I have built many full size Jeeps, Trucks and SUV's, I am into wheeling and am the owner of OverRockOffRoad.com.

I just sold my Jeep XJ and I am going to start on a comp buggy build so in the mean time I thought hey why don't I get a RC crawler to play with. Well I am quickly becoming addicted. So I thought it was time to start a build thread.


Here are a few specs.
Axial XR10
Tekin T45 Motors
Novak M2 Dig ESC
Spektrum controller
Pro Line Chisel tires with weights & memory foam
7.2 Onyx battery & charger

Here are a couple pictures from when I first got it.

For my first time taking it out I took it to a rocky area of the beach near where I live.

I had a great time with it, but felt it needed some upgrades so I hit the local hobby shop and bought a few things. I picked up some ST Racing blue bent links and a blue servo horn.

Then I added some motor skids I made up out of some aluminum sheet metal and some double sided sticky tape.

In the mix of all this I have picked up a few CKRC punch pack batteries and a hardened final gear (for the one I broke).

My next upgrades will be:

Castle CC Bec (soon)
Replace all gears with hardened ones (soon)
Blue bead lock rings

My plan is to change it all to blue and black (no more orange).

Then some mods for the future will be things like a new chassis and body to go with it, as well as start upgrading the axles with some Vanquish parts. Then get some blue and gray Over Rock decals made.

 

[shelby]

Dude you should come out and crawl every Wednesday at 6.

Also, go post up in the Sonoma County thread in the Cali section. We also have a comp season that starts in January."thumbsup""thumbsup"

Looks good so far. You should just go straight for rc4wd gears. They're the cheapest and strongest on the market.

 

[JRW7072009]

Dude you should come out and crawl every Wednesday at 6.

Also, go post up in the Sonoma County thread in the Cali section. We also have a comp season that starts in January."thumbsup""thumbsup"

Looks good so far. You should just go straight for rc4wd gears. They're the cheapest and strongest on the market.

The rc4wd ones are the ones I want but there always out of stock, or at least every time I have the cash for them. :roll: I am looking to pick up a a set for the front and rear the end of next week.

I want to hit one if the Weds night meets, but I finally blew up the gears up in the rear so now I need to get a whole new set first. I am hopping I will be able to hit one of these next Weds.

I will check out the Sonoma county thread for sure.

 

[DioptricStraw]

Is that flat black paint on the body. Also RC4WD gears are in stock.

 

[shelby]

The rc4wd ones are the ones I want but there always out of stock, or at least every time I have the cash for them. :roll: I am looking to pick up a a set for the front and rear the end of next week.

I want to hit one if the Weds night meets, but I finally blew up the gears up in the rear so now I need to get a whole new set first. I am hopping I will be able to hit one of these next Weds.

I will check out the Sonoma county thread for sure.

Jake's doesn't carry them. Try to order them from RPPhobby, they are also located in Ukiah..;-)

 

[JRW7072009]

Is that flat black paint on the body. Also RC4WD gears are in stock.

I used a semi gloss black. And thanks I do see there in stock, but I am kinda broke at the moment. That's what I mean is there back in stock when I don't have the cash for them.

Jake's doesn't carry them. Try to order them from RPPhobby, they are also located in Ukiah..;-)

I will check RPPhobby out thanks, I have been going through CKRC, only due to the fact that they sponsored a Rock crawling event all last season called CalROCS, one that I sponsor too. I have been trying to go through them and Jake's both when I can but I will check them out for sure.

 

[shelby]

If you're looking for a new chassis, you should talk to "J-FAB NOR-CAL" on the forum. He's a local who makes a good chassis. Me and some other locals run his. He goes out to the Wednesday night crawls too, and is one of the top drivers in Nor-Cal."thumbsup"

 

[JRW7072009]

Nice I like your crawler so I will have to hit him up. Thanks again!

 

[JRW7072009]

A few more small mods I have done. I peeled all the orange stickers off and sanded and painted the bead lock rings black. I also got a CC Bec that should get put on tomorrow. This Friday I will be getting new gears for the rear a couple more batteries then I should be ready to rock for this weekend.

I know there are probably a ton of "what battery to buy" threads but what would be a decent sized battery but still give me a good 30 - 45 min run?

I have a couple small CKRC batteries and one huge onyx battery I am looking for something in between..... The onyx lasts forever but there is no where to put it, and the smaller ones don't last very long. I am not competing yet so I just want something to play around with that will last a little while.

TIA "thumbsup"

 

[getbent]

I have used both of these batteries in my XR and both have worked well and give me any where between 30 and 45minutes of runtime, plenty for me and small enough to fit in the stock battery mount. I dont comp mine, just bashing, so they may not be the top of the line, but they have worked great for me. I think the sky lipo works a little better, but its hard to tell, and they are both fairly cheap. Hope this helps...
http://www.valuehobby.com/product_details.php?category_id=76&item_id=637

http://www.hobbypartz.com/77p-sl1300-3s1p-40c-3333.html

 

[JRW7072009]

I have used both of these batteries in my XR and both have worked well and give me any where between 30 and 45minutes of runtime, plenty for me and small enough to fit in the stock battery mount. I dont comp mine, just bashing, so they may not be the top of the line, but they have worked great for me. I think the sky lipo works a little better, but its hard to tell, and they are both fairly cheap. Hope this helps...
http://www.valuehobby.com/product_details.php?category_id=76&item_id=637

http://www.hobbypartz.com/77p-sl1300-3s1p-40c-3333.html

Nice thank you for the suggestions, I have looked into the GForce ones already. They seem like a good choice.

I notice they are 11.1v I have was sold and have been using 7.4v will that make any difference?

 

[JRW7072009]

I have a few updates, I got some Hot Racing gears with hardened LW Axial final drive gear. I also got some solid links for the steering. Next will be some new batteries.

Here are some updated pictures.

 

[ittybitty]

As long as your ESC is the M2 DIG 3S you shouldn't have a problem running the 11.1v lipos. 2S lipos are 7.4v and 3S are 11.1v. The 3S are by far the most common battery you will see on 2.2 crawlers.

If that's the ESC you have then I would personally recommend these packs if you want the longer run times but still want a pack that is small enough to cram in some tight spots. These are slimmer than the 800mah packs but a little longer. They are much smaller than the 1300 packs as far as these packs go anyway. I have several of these 1000mah packs and use them for practicing. They don't come with Deans plugs installed, but that can be changed easily. You local hobby shop should have the plugs and they are usually willing to help you put them on for little or no cost if you buy them from their store.

 

[JRW7072009]

Here are the specs as it sits now.

Tekin T45 Motors
Novak M2 Dig ESC
Spektrum controller DX3E
Pro Line Chisel tires
CC Bec
ST Racing bent Aluminum links
CKRC Aluminum steering bar
Hitec HS-645MG servo

Next on the list will be some good batteries and some Vanquish cases and motor plates.

I also thought I would share the grease I am using, I know that most of you are set on using certain grease and thats cool, I just happen to have this laying around. Its super sticky, and works really well. With the green grease that I was using my gears where kinda loud, now there almost silent.

Its Camburg Off Road grease (http://www.camburg.com/) I figure if its good enough to use with there suspension parts it should work well for my RC.

 

[JRW7072009]

As long as your ESC is the M2 DIG 3S you shouldn't have a problem running the 11.1v lipos. 2S lipos are 7.4v and 3S are 11.1v. The 3S are by far the most common battery you will see on 2.2 crawlers.

If that's the ESC you have then I would personally recommend these packs if you want the longer run times but still want a pack that is small enough to cram in some tight spots. These are slimmer than the 800mah packs but a little longer. They are much smaller than the 1300 packs as far as these packs go anyway. I have several of these 1000mah packs and use them for practicing. They don't come with Deans plugs installed, but that can be changed easily. You local hobby shop should have the plugs and they are usually willing to help you put them on for little or no cost if you buy them from their store.

Yes I do have the 3S, and thank you for the info I really appreciate it.

 

[ittybitty]

I just realized I left out the link I intended on posting...

http://www.hobbypartz.com/77p-sl1000-3s1p-40c-3333.html

 

[stubs179]

I just realized I left out the link I intended on posting...

http://www.hobbypartz.com/77p-sl1000-3s1p-40c-3333.html

Can you charge that at 5c?

 

[ax-10 crazy]

Can you charge that at 5c?

Those can only be charged at 3c. They are pretty good packs on all of my 1300mah (3s,4s) I am able to put back 1500-1600mah back in them"thumbsup"

 

[adamargue]

Me as well as a few of tue other members of my local club run gen ace batteries they are about the same price as the sky lipo and they work really well u can get them threw hobbypartz.com.

 

[Mides]

You could look at Thunder Power batteries.

http://www.amainhobbies.com/product...wer-G6-3S-Li-Poly-Battery-65C-111V-325mAh-JST

You will want something with a higher capacity though if you want longer run times. Or buy two and swap when one goes flat.