Project: Savage Flux 5T
 

Started to convert my Savage XL into a Savage Flux. Posting a gallery here.

Planning on using the TCS Crawlers 5T conversion kit powered by a MMM with a 1518 or 1518 Neu-Castle on 6s.

However, as I noted in another thread, I'm not completely satisified by the TVP layout from TCS since the motor/gearbox was kept in stock position rather than being moved forward for a bit more balance. We'll see though, may elect to keep it or get some custom TVPs made either for the gearbox or potentially a center diff.

Here's some measurements and weights:

Wheelbase...

22.4" TSC Crawlers Baja 5T
15.74" HPI Savage XL
13.6" HPI Savage X

Chassis (TVP)...
535mm TSC Crawlers Baja 5T
372mm HPI Savage XL
314mm HPI Savage X

Chassis (TVP) Thickness...
5mm TSC Crawlers Baja 5T
3mm HPI Savage XL
2.5mm HPI Savage X

Chassis (TVP) Weights...

17 5/8 oz TSC Crawlers Baja 5T
4 1/8 oz HPI Savage XL
2 5/8 oz HPI Savage X

Wow 2 to 17 oz!!!!

Yeah! I updated the info to show the thickness, and the others are beefy at 5mm. But they also contain a lot of unneeded material, especially in the form of the "rollcage" or whatever you want to call it.

And everyone seems to think the 5t sized savvy will be sooo close to a regular savage weight... You got an extra pound in tvps... Depending on tire and body choice you could easily be looking at 3+ lbs. Lower gearing and good lipos will be a must for the flux setup, and forget 4s...

I agree, When I start building mine I'm gonna go with FLM towers and bulks the rest will be plastic. If I can shave some weight by drilling or removing some material weight via the TVP's I will.
For what it's worth the Savage XL wheel and tire combo is faily light for as large as they are, much lighter than say Moabs for sure.

Well, if its within 2 or 3 lbs, thats not too bad. However I think the TCS Crawler stuff is unnecessarily heavy. 4mm probably would have sufficed; maybe even 3.5mm.

Since I'm not real happy with the TCS Crawlers TVPs, and the other source for TVPs I know of is 'still' beta, I'm thinking about mocking up some of my own. Plan would be to use 4mm thickness using carbide blades cut them out with a table saw and a router. Then use a table drill press to do up all the screw holes.

Anyone have recommendations on good place to get some 2'x2' or so sheets of aluminum?

I've bought a lot of aluminum sheet and various angle & box off ebay, was cheap too.

online metals are a pretty good place to get material. I have also used ebay before, not sure who I used but it was a store on there that only did metal. Get 6061 at least, that is what I used for my stretched tvps. Not sure on the thickness but it was thicker than the stock flux tvps.

Ok, thanks. The stock flux I think are only 2.5mm. The XLs are 3mm, but they are kinda flexible by hand. The TCS Crawlers stuff, by hand without alot of torque, are pretty unflexible but they weigh a lot which is why I think I'll try 4mm as a happy medium.

I had thought about talking to Mike, but he had previously told me his machines wouldn't do a stretch (7.5") RC8T truggy chassis; not to mention another query about custom work to bore out a flux motor mount has gone unanswered. :(

FLM45100 seems to have the tranny moved a bit forward, but not sure on this. I know FLM49000 does this since I have that kit myself. Balance seems to be good but didn't jump it yet (stupid weather). The downside is that 6S will be nearly impossible to fit with the stock Flux Blur, a 1518 is even a tad I guess so that would be mission impossible.

You could opt for the GCM Desert Boy conversion.

Thanks, I'd seen that, but the chassis isn't long enough. I'm looking for a 5T conversion which means a 22.4" wheelbase. Nor is the DesertBoy17 which is only 17.6".

I did contact GCM and they have a couple of 5T length DesertBoy chassis, however just like the TCS Crawler's the motor/gearbox is in the standard Flux location. They wanted 400+ for custom TVPs.

that's wrong about the desertboy being same motor location as the tcs one. the desertboy motor is in the front and not the back best i can tell

Desert Boy chassis has motor/ESC in front, Batterys in rear. I just got done looking at the DB chassis, I do like it but the TCS is much larger !