Yes I think you're right. I haven't put the diff back together but was trying out some shims and could definitely get it a bit tighter than it was - You may have convinced me to get it even tighter. I was concerned that shimming the pinion was causing it to just barely rub against the diff cup - but since I'm using a plastic hd diff cup, it shouldn't be a problem. I also use synthetic grease inside the lst diff case.

Thanks for your input.

No prob, I shimmed a set of lst diffs with the tin coated gears like that about 2 yrs ago and have not had any issues even with the 1717 motor and my shock-destroying driving style...

I had some time to finish rebuilding the front end:


http://i779.photobucket.com/albums/y..._0702Small.jpg

I spent some time getting the steering as smooth as possible, there were some places that were offering a little resistance. I also moved the steering servo forward as far as possible:

http://i779.photobucket.com/albums/y..._0707Small.jpg


in order to open up more room for my battery compartments:

http://i779.photobucket.com/albums/y..._0703Small.jpg

http://i779.photobucket.com/albums/y..._0705Small.jpg


I want these to be as large as possible to give me more options when I buy new packs. I'm planning to purchase 2x5s 5000mAh packs to run in this and I should be able to get them to fit now. I have both more length and width on the trays and they are adjustable, too. (max length = 170mm, width = 50mm on one side and 45mm on the other side) I can move my current batteries farther forward to get more weight over the front tires - maybe improving handling. I can also adjust the width of the tray by loosening two screws and sliding the long Al angle. I have to cut pieces for the other compartment and then I will make a single Al strap to tie both batteries down. I'm hoping to be able to make something that is easier to use than a bunch of velcro straps under the rollcage, which I used previously.

Did you buy the baja rollcage or did you have one lying around? I did a quick search for baja rollcage on ebay but couldn't find anything. Is it called something else?

I guess "roll bar" is what its being called:

http://shop.ebay.com/?_from=R40&_trk...All-Categories

I bought one off of eBay. Some sell the center support separate, some package it all together.

What exactly is ther center support ? And most of those didn't have the metal top support. Do you happen to know what that's called as well? :)

Yeah, I looked again and the auctions now seem to be all separate. I was able to get the long roll bar set, center roll bar set, and roof plate together, but it looks like you need to buy all three separately now to get the complete roll cage, including:

http://toys.shop.ebay.com/i.html?_nk....c0.m270.l1313

This was a 9 page 127 post read that was worth every word........its an awsome 1/5 scale you made there congrats!!!!

Thanks for the kind words - I'm enjoying working on it again this winter and look forward to driving it when the weather turns nice. :smile:

Thanks for the info Brian.

Battery compartments and new strap are complete. I used 1.5" wide 1/16" thick Al to make the strap. It attaches to M4 screws with holes drilled through the cap heads for clips. I'll see how I like it:

http://i779.photobucket.com/albums/y..._0713Small.jpg

http://i779.photobucket.com/albums/y..._0714Small.jpg

http://i779.photobucket.com/albums/y..._0716Small.jpg

I hope that's really tight. Don't want the batteries being able to move at all because they'll hit that metal strap and potentially get cut.

Some velcro strap routed through the chassis would be a nice plan B.

Yes - I'll be adding some padding under the metal strap before I use it to make sure everything is snug.

Looks solid! definitely want to see more videos when it is ready. But i would definitely line the battery trays with foam of some kind?

I just had a close look to see where your ICE ESC and BEC were mounted. Have you thought about installing a fan connected to the 3rd channel to keep the ESC Cool??? Have you got any clearer images of the esc mounted to just give me a rough idea as to how large it is and mounting points etc????

Thanks

I didn't have room to mount the esc flat to my chassis so I made vertical brackets from Al strips and secured them to the chassis through some rubber pieces (to give it a little shock absorption). The esc is the same length as the 1527 it runs next to - so it's right at 4" long. I didn't have any problems with temps last summer in 80-90F weather (see back a few pages) so I didn't bother with a fan.



http://i779.photobucket.com/albums/y..._0721Small.jpg

http://i779.photobucket.com/albums/y..._0723Small.jpg




I haven't yet cleaned and rebuilt the back half of the truck yet, which you can see from some of the dirt in the pics.

WOW IT IS HUGE

im going to struggle to fit that in my already tight chassis. I will need to make a secure mount for it.

Just looking at your wiring... How do you have the BEC wired up exactly?

BEC input (power) wires are soldered to wires going to my extra capacitors which are soldered to the battery leads of the esc (connected near the esc caps). BEC output goes to the battery input on the rx.

If that makes sense.

i guess i sort of get that... i may ask for a clearer explaination once i eventually get my pieces...

the CC BEC PRO is $44! i think ill be getting the turnigy one instead!

You could simply solder the BEC power wires along with the esc power wires to whatever battery connectors you put on the esc. I did it the way I did because I was adding extra caps at the same time I was connecting the BEC.

I decided to add another heatsink to my motor. I was unable to find any clip on ones that would fit in my confined space, so I made my own from cheap cpu heatsinks.

Here is one I've had installed, and a new one:

http://i779.photobucket.com/albums/y..._0725Small.jpg

I cut grooves in the new one with a hacksaw through (almost) to the thermal tape:

http://i779.photobucket.com/albums/y..._0732Small.jpg

next I bent it around the motor:

http://i779.photobucket.com/albums/y..._0737Small.jpg

and then installed it:

http://i779.photobucket.com/albums/y..._0738Small.jpg

I've tried the same idea before. Worked ok. But here's a much better option:

http://www.hobbycity.com/hobbyking/s...idProduct=9131

i like! nice job!

I previously added a bearing to each of my front carriers:

http://www.rc-monster.com/forum/show...t=26979&page=8

Now I'm getting around to doing the same to the rears. I used an 18mm OD Al tube, 1mm thick, as a sleeve for another 16mm bearing:

http://i779.photobucket.com/albums/y..._0787Small.jpg

So that I can go from this:

http://i779.photobucket.com/albums/y..._0786Small.jpg

to this:

http://i779.photobucket.com/albums/y..._0785Small.jpg

With sleeve and extra bearing installed:

http://i779.photobucket.com/albums/y..._0791Small.jpg

I did this to help give more support to the axle, since the thin 15x21 bearings have failed at least once on me previously.

Another large-scale truck idea - question...
 

As I've been rebuilding this, I've gotten the itch to build another "larger scale" truck. I love the Muggy/LST2 platform, and for budgetary reasons want to stick with it, so I'm planning on doing a monster-truck style build that would incorporate the following:

1. Castle 1717 - I couldn't pass up the Castle sale and now want to use one of these in a larger build. I figure it weighs almost as much as my 1527 so it could handle a truck of similar size (maybe 17 or so pounds).
2. MMM on 6s
3. RC8T CD w/54t spur - I already bought one of these because I like the large spur which should make mounting up the 1717 very doable.
4. 1/5 scale tires - I just love the look of these large tires
5. room for two 6s packs run in parallel for good run time and current output.
6. approximately 17 inch wheelbase

Now my main question is what body should I use? I'd like to choose a body before I build this so I can get the wheelbase the right length (I could probably do anything 16.5 inches or longer - but don't want this to be baja 5t length). This will probably fall in the 1/6 category. I'd like to find something more interesting than a pick-up truck body, but would settle on that if need be. So if anyone has good ideas for bodies of this size, please let me know.

:great:

looking forward to the build brian...

I am a little out of touch with bodies as i couldnt find anything suitable for my 17" Wheelbase savage so went with the nylon roll cage... 17" wheel base proved to be a weird length... you either have the 1/8 bodies or the 1/5 bodies... one of the large 1/8 bodies i found was the GCM Proline truck body (transformers truck) or the Short course bodies... Really annoying!!!

Can i ask you a quick question regarding the extra bearing you installed in your lst hub please...
Why did you put a 1mm sleeve on it? was it necessary to get it to fit correctly? did you just want to distribute the weight of the axle on the bearing evenly? how well did it work?

THANKS BUD

edit...
Isnt the XXL LST2 around a 17-18" wheel base?

XXL wheelbase is 15.3" - so I'm going for XXXL!!!


I needed the 1mm thick sleeve to properly fit the inside of the stock carriers - otherwise I would have just jammed the bearing in there and been done!

thanks... that is good to know for myself if i do the LST hub conversion... main reason was to run 3 bearings and larger wheels...

Here is a comparison of my DB-17 and a stock length LST2
should help you see the size difference
http://i975.photobucket.com/albums/a...0/P1020128.jpg

I have an RC8T with an extra diff. I've been mulling around the idea of putting it in my DB17. I just don't have the time to get it done. I've been in my hobby room for less than 10 mins for the last week.

I think the FG VW bug body with full fenders is really cool, always wanted to have one. That and Exceed has a '48 chevy truck body they put on their Rampage clone that I really want but can't seem to find for sale separately from the truck.

MCD has a SC style body
http://www.largescalerc.com/mcdbaja1...bodyshell.aspx

Or if you want something really different MCD also has one of those Euro transporter van bodies. Its meant for onroad, but it could be cool, in a 1/5 scale "Lunchbox" kinda way! :lol:
http://www.largescalerc.com/mcdvwtra...bodyshell.aspx

Speaking of onroad theres a Nascar body for MCD/FG cars too.
http://www.largescalerc.com/StockCar...n-RoadCar.aspx

thats a lot of money for these bodies! I would hate destroying $150 let alone marking it on a roll over

Thanks for the input :yes: - I like the FG beetle as well, but I was also giving some thought to the FG Jeep - we'll see.


And for the on-road stuff, maybe that will have to wait till my next build - who knows?

Doh I forgot to put the jeep in my post. Knew I was forgetting something. Only bad thing about the beetle with full fenders is finding the right size tires and keeping them off the fenders when the suspension is compressed. I'm pretty picky about the bottom of the body covering the chassis though, making that part a little harder. FYI, the width is just about right for a monster truck suspension with standard offset wheels.

I'm really starting to like the FG Jeep body after looking at more pics:


http://i779.photobucket.com/albums/y...eep_2Small.jpg


The FG truck has a wheelbase of 475mm (18.7in):
FG Monster Jeep


Looking at this pic, the Jeep Body seems to have a slightly shorter wheelbase than the truck itself:

http://i779.photobucket.com/albums/y...largeSmall.jpg

So I'm thinking that I could build my truck an inch shorter - 17.5 in wheelbase - and have it fit nicely under that body. But I'm still open to other ideas.

Well, unfortunately it looks like these FG Jeep bodies are currently unavailable from US suppliers. I sent out some emails over the weekend, but am being told that they're not being supplied right now. So unless something turns up, I'll probably have to go in another direction.

Brian, where about did you get your axle extenders from? are they a 23mm hex as well???

From Trevor's (can't beat the price on these):

http://cgi.ebay.com/Pro-Line-23mm-He...item230e21fdc9

yep - 23mm hex

Edit: and they have held up great - no problems with these at all.

THANKS A LOT BUD! THAT IS A CRAZY CHEAP PRICE!!!

As i am thinking about running baja rear tyres all around, i was thinking of just running the extenders on teh rear like i did with my XL Savage axles... gave good turn in and drifiting ability as it had a slightly wider track in the rear... Ill buy 4 any way at that price just in case... have you broken them yet with any of your jumps? they must obviously taking their toll on your bearings right?

No problems with these extenders at all - and I've done plenty of cartwheels. But you see why I've added a bearing to each of my carriers to help support the axles.

I run these all the way around for the greater stability while driving. I have to really try to make this thing roll over. My rear wheels are wider and slightly offset so the rear is slightly wider than the front.

Mate you have done some great things to this buggy along the way, i like the idea of the 23mm hex and using the Baja wheels did you ever run it with the losi wheels?

Thanks, I decided pretty early on in the build that I really liked the look and size of the baja wheels, so I've only used them. I got around to weighing them recently and the fronts are each 460g and the rears 560g - so they definitely add some weight to the buggy.