Ultimate Basher FLM Maxx build
 

I have this build in a few other forums, but figured you guys here might want to watch it as well. I will make a couple of post to get this forum caught up. Currently Im waiting on parts.

Ok, so its finally time for me to build a basher truck. I have a good bit of parts all ready purchased for the build, but there are still things that I'm not set on. All input, questions, and comments are welcomed and encouraged.

The truck will be based off an FLM chassis. I've run this chassis before and its a beast. The goal is for this thing to handle absolutely anything I throw at it. I'm not big into jumping high, but I like going fast and am known for standing back-flips. To accommodate my style I will be going with:
Kershaw Designs 44XL motor
Leopard 150a esc
A stock emaxx trans with a single speed kit and upgraded slipper setup. I got the trans in another truck I bought and it holds up to everything, so I'm not messing with it. I'm not sure who made the single speed kit or the slipper setup though
Diffs will be UE ultralites
I'm going with the traxxas CVD's. They have done fine for me in the past so I will start with them. If they give me problems I have a set of UE 6mm TI shafts I will use
GA Bulkheads
FLM skids with rpm pads
Im thinking RPM arms and Teckno carriers, but I'm not positive just yet
Towers will be either rpm or UE knucklehead
I need suggestions on hinge pins
Now for pics
The chassis
[IMG]http://i43.tinypic.com/wuqte1.jpg[/IMG]
A few of the parts I have so far
[IMG]http://i44.tinypic.com/2vtvajm.jpg[/IMG]
The motor mounted to the trans
[IMG]http://i40.tinypic.com/2q3u8ep.jpg[/IMG]
The trans mounted
[IMG]http://i43.tinypic.com/67r045.jpg[/IMG]
I will update as I make progress.

Got a little more done today. Mounted the bulks and diffs and got the center shafts in.

[IMG]http://i40.tinypic.com/2h2jnt4.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i40.tinypic.com/11b3yu8.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i40.tinypic.com/119yvr4.jpg[/IMG]
Decided to break out the new pit mat for the build
[IMG]http://i39.tinypic.com/2woaslu.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i43.tinypic.com/10moacm.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i41.tinypic.com/9ifvc3.jpg[/IMG]

Got the rpm towers and the shocks mounted today. Looks good so far I think. Got to order my pins before anything else can really get done.

[IMG]http://i39.tinypic.com/153uzrp.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i39.tinypic.com/21m4t4h.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i41.tinypic.com/2rh65u8.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i41.tinypic.com/2qipldv.jpg[/IMG]

Comparison between shock shafts. Traxxas big bores on the right, Progressive suspension in the middle, and Proline powerstokes on the left.
[IMG]http://i41.tinypic.com/2unf4.jpg[/IMG]

I've been following this on the RC tech forum and it looks sweet, just wish your parts would arrive :whip:!! Keep up the good work :mdr:

as I have said before, it amazes me how popular the maxx trucks still are. Probably due to the enormous parts availability/aftermarket options. I did a truck very similar to yours years ago..I liked it but it did have its drawbacks.

Yours looks great so far..

If you could ever find a mono block chassis extension from Unlimited Engineering, it makes the truck longer and handle much better. Only prob is they are rare and hard to find.

They are in stock and available at the UE store. $72:yes:

Thanks for the comments guys. I just sold my previous basher truck just this morning, so I'm finishing up ordering my parts now. I'm also making an order at ue and the mono block is on the list. Not sure if I will put it on this truck since I'm just going to be beating on it, but think I might use it on my next build.

The transmission looks pretty much a stock 3905 or 3908 emaxx version.
It is a single speed until add the second gear.
Slipper looks a little different but close to stock.
Should be a beast for sure.

Sorry Coolhand, I forgot to update my first post, but someone on another forum had informed me it was a stock single speed trans. I had just completely forgot the brushless emaxxs came with the single speed. The slipper setup hasn't been pin pointed as to who made it, but it works great so its staying on the truck. Thanks for the info though.

Little update, I sold my previous basher truck this morning, so the rest of my parts will be ordered today.

Just ordered a bunch of parts. Hopefully they will be here this week and building will continue. For hinge pins Im thinking either FLM hardened steel or lundsford TI. Any suggestions? I will be running RPM arms. From what Ive read I will have to get to sets of the Lundsfords to get enough pins to fit with the rpm arms. Anyone have any information? Or what has anyone else used? I would use plastix pins, but I don't want to drill into these GA bulks to make set screw holes

You don't need to drill holes into the bulks for the setscrews. You can cut a recess towards the end of each hinge pin so you can use the regular e-clip. By the way, get the plastixs through-hardened ejector pins. They are better compared to the regular ejector pins or Ti hinge pins.

I stand corrected...thanks :yes:

figures, they were rare as anything when I was building my truck

Thanks George, for some reason I didn't think of that

Sorry for the delay guys, ordered parts last week and ordered some wrong stuff. Ordered more this past weekend and more parts arrived today :nod:, lots of parts. Ive been trying to keep the wheels I got a secret until it was done, but I cant keep it any longer, so here they are. I probably wont run them all the time, but they sure will look good when its not being run. I just can't decide if I should polish them or go with the natural finish. Let me know what yall think of the wheels and should I polish them all or leave them natural?

Unlimited Engineering Starr wheels
[IMG]http://i42.tinypic.com/muwdc1.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i40.tinypic.com/69qfqx.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i43.tinypic.com/1zn30hu.jpg[/IMG]

Polish them.

Polish them then seal them so you don't have to repolish them all the time.

Truck looks great,
Nick

Lookin' good, Blazer. My only comment is that the RPM arms, while flexible enough to prevent breaking themselves in a pretty big impact, can transfer the load to the cvds. The arms flex enough to load the cvd shafts in a way they are intended for, which will either bend the cvd shaft or possible damage the diff(UE steel shafts are quite strong and may damage diff before bending). I personally think the Traxxas cvds would be preferred over the UE Ti shafts, but the UE steel cvds are the best out there. The Ti units are light, but Titanium is nowhere near as hard as heat treated steel, so they wear at the ball very quickly. Get UE suspension arms if you can - they are quite rugged. FLM arms are pretty durable as well and have a good warranty.
The Progressive shocks are quite rare(I have a set here myself), too. I also have a pair of 40 series Aluminum rims that are directional(2 left side and 2 right side) that are rare on one of my Maxx trucks.

Thanks for the response guys, polish it is. Monster mike, a special thanks to you for your post. I was a member on ue before here and never saw robin post in someones thread with comments, it means a lot to me to see that your interested and watching what your members are doing.

I would love a set of ue arms, I simply just don't have any yet. To tell you the truth I'm already buying parts for my next 2 builds and I'm trying not to spend too much more on this one. I have decided on the traxxas cvd's, simply because they hold up well enough and they are available everywhere. The last thing I want to do is ruin some of my ue parts. Building will resume tomorrow and pics will be added.

Forgot to ask, monster mike, do you have pics of your trucks and those wheels posted somewhere?

patiently awaiting your next updates

Got some work done today and still working on it. Here are a few updates.

[IMG]http://i41.tinypic.com/zmd3ch.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i42.tinypic.com/etwby8.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i42.tinypic.com/v6q2xg.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i43.tinypic.com/2vns3rk.jpg[/IMG]

Ran into a problem today. With the Tekno carriers you must install their stub shaft on your axel or cvd because it is larger in diameter. Im running the Traxxas cvd's and you can't remove stub shafts from them. My only option is to find cvd's with removable stubs, or just get rpm carriers. Im just getting rpm carriers. A little disappointed because the tekno's look really good and look like they would hold up to anything. I will use them on a future build I suppose. I did get the rear all done since Im running the tru-track on it. Now I have to wait for carriers to arrive.

This shows how you install the Tekno stubs onto stock traxxas axles and how the traxxas cvd stubs aren't removable, or atleast not in a way that will allow you to use the Tekno stubs
[IMG]http://i41.tinypic.com/kaogwh.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i43.tinypic.com/ohtl3d.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i44.tinypic.com/21an7mw.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i43.tinypic.com/8xnax4.jpg[/IMG]

Polish them
 

I have to agree. Polish them. So far so good. I really like the look of those heavy duty shocks you have with the fat shafts. Where did you get those (link)? Looking good. Oh and use the Plastix hardened steel pins. The titanium pins bend much too easy, and the stock pins are shameful.

as i said on your other threads looking nice. hope mine looks just as nice when done.

I haven't posted pictures of many of my trucks, but I am a Maxx truck lover from way back, so suffice to say I have had quite a few bad ass maxx trucks in my time. I still have a few that are probably worth some $$, too - what used to be my race truck, for instance, could be show worthy with a few hours of clean-up. I may have a picture or two of one of my Maxx trucks around - will see if I can dig one up real quick. :)

EMaxx
 

Pictures are a few years old, but the truck is in exactly the same condition, save for some dust. I never even painted the body - the truck looked so good, paint would hide it. :)
This truck has RDLogics wheels on it, GorillaMaxx chassis with a custom rear upper deck that integrated a heat sink for the Quark ESC(which is also modified with a couple ounces of extra copper inside). Also has the original Slipperential transmission installed. :)
This truck was basically modelled after my race truck, but not quite as spec'd out(has Hybrid bulks, while my race truck has UE towerless bulks, etc.).

I have seen a couple of the ones Mike has built as well.
Makes me drool!
Something about all that aluminum and shiny stuff.

nice maxx there, getting anxious now for mine to come more together.

Nice wheels
 

Nice truck Mike. And nice set of SPI wheels as well. I have a set of those on one of my SuperMaxx's with blue anodized center caps. The Maxx trucks have become the classics.

Monster mike > That's seriously good looking. Those RD Logics wheels are badaxx! Are they true bead loc wheels or just look alikes?

The RDL wheels, while nice, are not true beadlocks. They have interchangeable centers, which were available in different colors and styles - they were less than $200 for the full set, too if I remember correctly. I don't think they are available any more and I don't have those particular rims myself anymore, either. :(

Jerry, those shocks are progressive suspension shocks. They make motorcycle shocks and only produced those for a short time. They were very pricey and I don't think many were sold. No longer available now, but if you really want a set I know where a brand new set is sitting, but they will cost you. Pm me if you want the persons information that has them.

Monster mike, nice looking truck there. The gmaxx trucks are one of my weaknesses. Love the first gen slipperential in there, that's the first gmaxx I have seen with one. Heck it's only the second first gen ive seen.

Parts will be ordered tonight and hopefully I can continue this build this weekend.

Little update, I figured out I can run a different bearing in the carriers and the traxxas Cvd's will work. I got them on the way now

cant wait to see how those traxxas cvds look on those carriers

Nice truck Mike,

Ive seen gen 1 slippers before,

http://www.tinuss.com/pics/forum/vbs/vbscd.jpg

one of mine has one... :)

Ralf

trucks
 

Nice one Ralf - my race truck is similarly spec'd, but with the towerless UE bulks and setback arms. :yes:

Nice truck there Ralf.

Got my bearings today and made some progress.

[IMG]http://i41.tinypic.com/6o048l.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i43.tinypic.com/iolvkm.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i40.tinypic.com/70i8mu.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i42.tinypic.com/2mq416o.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i39.tinypic.com/14ag4dg.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i41.tinypic.com/r9l94l.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i44.tinypic.com/125kolj.jpg[/IMG]

Got a little bad news. With the Tekno carriers I have to run truggy wheels. The carrier rubs on the inside of the wheels with standard maxx wheels. This means the UE starr's wont work on this truck. Now worries though, they will look great on one of my next builds.

Thats a nice looking Maxx you have there. You know I had a set of those shocks, never had them apart, were really beat up and just figured they were some cheapos. Traded them away with a bunch of other parts, now you have me curious if I should try and get them back!

sorry for thread robbing but who makes that tranny setup? or is it one of a kind?

Roost, that is the 1st gen slipperential and mount that monster mike made. I have only seen a few on trucks, so I would say they are very rare. The last one I saw on eBay brought a very high price, they look awesome though.

thanks for letting me know.too bad they arnt available. it gives me a idea for a project tho:yipi:

great looking build btw.