Smitty's Build

[smittycm]

Will continue to update this first post as I change my setup...






Front Axle/Susp/Steering:
VP OCP V2 Housing (Wraith)
VP Locker
VP VVD V1 HD
VP Diff Cover
VP Truss
VP Link Mounts
VP Chubs (non-clamping from stage 1 kit)
VP Knuckles (non-clamping from stage 1 kit)
Axial Servo Plate (56mmx17mm)
VP Servo Mounts (Wraith)
Savox 1270 Monster Torque HV servo
Pro-line Pro-spec SC Rear Shocks (100mm)
Axial HD Bevel Gear (38/13)
VP Wraith upper/lower Ti links
VP SLW 350 Hub

Rear Axle/Susp:
VP OCP V2 Housing (Wraith)
VP Locker
VP Diff Cover
VP Truss
VP Link Mounts
VP Lockouts (non-clamping type from stage 1 kit)
Pro-line Pro-spec SC Rear Shocks (100mm)
Axial HD Underdrive Bevel Gear (43/13)
VP Yeti Trailing Arms
VP Yeti upper Ti links
VP Yeti Currie Sway Bar
VP SLW 725 Hub

Wheels/Tires:
VP Method 2.2 Beadlock Race Wheels
Pit Bull 2.2 Rock Beast II Tires
CI Deuce's Wild Single Stage 2.2 Foam (tall)
VP SLW 350 hubs (front/rear)

Driveline/Power System:
MIP Yeti X-Duty Rear C-drive kit
Holmes Hobbies Puller Pro 540 XL
13T pinion/Axial Stock 64t spur
STRC Motor Mount
Mamba Monster X ESC
CC BEC

Still shopping for...
-Front drive shaft (not sure what fits)
-Bearing kit

 

[smittycm]

Cut some new body panels out of smoked plexiglass. This will tide me over until the CF aluminum panels show up. Still need to find some sandpaper and clean up the edges, but I'm liking the blacked out look.

 

[SCREAMER]

You may want to make sure you put the 43/13 underdrive gears in the rear and not vise versa.

 

[smittycm]

Was bashing around in a rocky ditch behind my house and lost steering. Thought I busted my servo gears, but couldn't believe I would bust titanium gears just bashing around like I was. Turned out to be the servo arm. Cleaned the stripped aluminum shavings off my servo, and the gear looks good as new. Not chewed up at all. Can't say the same for the aluminum arm though.

Really loving the Savox 1270TG servo I'm running. It's fast (almost too fast), and has monster torque (~480 oz-in). Running my BEC at 7v, so not maxing the servo out or anything.

This thing did a job on my servo arm. You can see the weak point in the pic below. Going to try a single clamping arm next and avoid the double-clamping type arms in the future.

 

[smittycm]

You may want to make sure you put the 43/13 underdrive gears in the rear and not vise versa.

Thanks for catching that. That was just a typo in my parts listing. Fixed.

 

[84yoda]

Try the axial aluminum double clamp servo horn, you won't have any problems.

 

[adonis_mp]

You may want to make sure you put the 43/13 underdrive gears in the rear and not vise versa.

Please excuse my ignorance, but what is the benefits of the under drive gear?

 

[SCREAMER]

Turn sharper, less torque twist, better climbing.

 

[smittycm]

Picked up servo arm (non-clamping style) to tide me over until I get my next shipment of parts. Also replaced the interior with a piece of smoked plexiglass same as I used on the body panels.

Waiting on a few things to show up in the mail...

- Puller Pro XL 3500kv
- Castle X Series Sensor Harness (so I can run my Monster X ESC with the Puller Pro XL)
- Clamping type servo arms
- Couple more pinions
- Few other odds and ends, and parts for the Slash

Sucks waiting on shipping to Japan for everything, but not as bad as some of the unlucky folks in other countries. At least I can still use USPS through the military postal system.

Really digging the blacked out look...

 

[smittycm]

Got the Puller Pro XL 3500kv in today. Here it is side by side with the Pro4 HD 3000kv I've been running. Hard to tell from the pic, but the Puller Pro XL is just a couple millimeters longer.





Moved the 13T pinion over from the Pro4 HD. All things being equal, the Puller Pro XL has got more punch to it, and is noticeably faster. That extra 500kv is really noticeable on 3s. Runs nice and cool too. It's a little less smooth on the low end compared to the Pro4 HD, but just barely. No surprise there though. Holmes Hobbies clearly states they gave up a little on the low end with the XL. I do more bashing around the yard than I do crawling, so I'm fine with it. Is still plenty easy to be smooth on the rocks with the expo I have dialed in. LOVING THIS MOTOR!

 

[smittycm]

The Sensor Harness for my MMX finally showed up today. Tore the Bomber apart again today to wire up 6.5mm leads to the Holmes motor, and programmed the MMX to include putting drag brake on 3rd channel. VERY NICE to be able to turn drag brake on/off with the flick of my thumb! I can go bombing through the grass chasing the kids around, and then quickly turn the drag brake on when I hit the little ditch behind my house and start climbing over some rocks.

Been working on dialing in the handling as well...

- Changed the fluid in my shocks to 400 CST up front and 600 CST in the rear. Made a huge difference over the 200/front 300/rear I was running. Was way too bouncy before.
- Put SLW 725 Hubs on the rear to widen the rear stance.
- Dialed in a little more negative expo on the steering. Set it to be pretty linear until right at the very end, then goes to full lock. Easier to steer at speed while still having full turning radius available when crawling.

All of these little tweaks have really made a huge difference in the handling. I have a set of springs for the Pro-Spec shocks on order so I can try to dial the suspension in a little more, but it is night/day improvement over stock. This thing is coming along nicely. Really falling in love with this vehicle!

 

[smittycm]

Just found out the CF panels have shipped. Can't wait to get my hands on them!

Chopped up some 1mm aluminum to create some panels of my own until the CF panels get here. Also fixed the interior up a little and did a little painting here and there.

Ordered the RR Gen 3 Slipper setup. Waiting to see what SuperShafty does with the transmission, and still need to find me a good front drive shaft option, and then this thing will be just about bullet proof!

 

[Drm31078]

Any videos?

 

[smittycm]

Sorry, no. Usually just me bashing around. Gonna have to teach one of the kids how to record, or figure out how to mount my gopro.

 

[84yoda]

Did you cut down the brass bushings for the currie sway bar?

 

[smittycm]

Did you cut down the brass bushings for the currie sway bar?

No. I carefully drilled out the hole in the chassis about half way through in order to countersink the brass bushings a little bit. Didn't take much.

Didn't want to cut the bushings because I planned to eventually mount the sway bar back in the stock location once I had a chance to make some shorter links, but once I got it mounted I decided I actually like the sway where it is. The link lengths are fine in that location. Bar is about level, and I get just about full range of motion with only minor interference at about 1/8" before full stuff.

 

[84yoda]

No. I carefully drilled out the hole in the chassis about half way through in order to countersink the brass bushings a little bit. Didn't take much.

Didn't want to cut the bushings because I planned to eventually mount the sway bar back in the stock location once I had a chance to make some shorter links, but once I got it mounted I decided I actually like the sway where it is. The link lengths are fine in that location. Bar is about level, and I get just about full range of motion with only minor interference at about 1/8" before full stuff.

Good to know you got it to work without cutting it down, I will try doing the same. Have you tried messin with the 4 holes on the sway?

 

[smittycm]

Good to know you got it to work without cutting it down, I will try doing the same. Have you tried messin with the 4 holes on the sway?

Haven't played with different settings yet. About to leave TAD for a couple weeks, so it will be a little while before I get a chance to really play with the settings and test it out.

 

[smittycm]

Back from TAD. Had a few boxes waiting for me. Was excited to see the CF panels came in. Painted those and installed. Great fit. Took a little sanding to remove the sharp edge, but no other prep required. No problems with install at all.





Next up is the RR Gen 3 Slipper.