4wd Baja 5e based on stretched truggy chassis

[othello]

hmm ... strange. All videos are encoded the same way. I can open them with Windows Media Player, VLC, Media Player Classic ...

I updated all 3 Links. Maybe you have better luck now.

You may want to download VLC (Media Player) and try those videos again.

[redshift]

I tried my second browser and they all work

[othello]

Time for an update.

Here is a video we shot last weekend to capture some "action" driving on and trough snow.

A few details about the changes i have done by now to risk a drive through snow.

I have fitted a Castle 1717 motor instead of a Neu 1521 motor (bad carbon wrapping led to a broken rotor magnet on the Neu motor). Gearing has not changed since both motors have a similar kv (i'm still using a 15t pinion with a 52t spur). Due to the actual weather condition here (snow everywhere) i also tried to protect the electric components by fitting some lexan sheets around the chassis. ESC and receiver got an aditional treatment with a protective coating called "wet protect".



I had to cut the upper body to get better access to the batteries and to be able to remove the body without the need of removing the roll cage too.



The cut out parts can still be attached to the body (with velcro).


By now the gap between the body parts is also sealed.

After the first run on snow the chassis looked that way (best lipo pack cooling you can think of ;-))


Reason being i have not closed the opening of the rear side body panels. Since then i have learned my lesson and shortly after that run i made a second one through deep snow with the opening of the side body panels closed and almost no snow entered the rear chassis. The fun on snow can continue ...

[othello]

Some pictures i shot on the same day we shot the video

[suicideneil]

Thats pretty epic, you can really see the suspension and steering working in that video. Great photos too.

[Riko]

wow, really cool to see a oversteering electric baja :) especially in such good video quality

[othello]

Again, having some fun driving on snow ... Driving and filming (so no zoom in). Videos unedited und uncut.

video part 1
video part 2

[x-y]

awesome power.... you will kill the gas bajas

[othello]

Finaly spring is here and grip level is right where it should be. I shot a video this morning while driving at my favorite bash spot. The video is almost uncut and represents the complete run till the batteries were depleted.

Here is the video for download
alternative: Same video from a streaming server (does not require a complete download)

The batteries (2x 6s Turnigy 3600mah 30C wired in paralel) were depleted in about 11 minutes. I am usually putting back 3500mAh per batterie (meaning i`m using around 7000mAh). Average values: 636mAh per minutes, 38A or 850W.

As my chassis is almost completly closed and outside temperatures are slowly rising (16°C / 61°F) the Castle 1717 begins to warm up noticeably(around 65°C / 150°F). There is already some heat transfer from the motor to the chassis plate (due to the motor mount and the motor lying on the chassis plate). But, there is still potential to optimise heat transfer and cool this motor further (which i think will be needed when summer hits).

[JERRY2KONE]

I had overlooked this thread previously, but I have to admit the vehicle looks very capable and also fun to drive. How about some jumping videos? Nothing too drastic. Just a little sort of track action that can show how it would handle in a more competitive envronment. Nice build and love the personal custom work as well. Good creative outlook to overcome the 2wd aspect of the 5b. I can not believe that HPI has not gotten the hint and come up with its own 4X4 version of this 1/5th scale buggy. They are missing out on a pretty good size market by avoiding the shift to 4WD.

[othello]

Thanks Jerry. Now that a "drop in" BL system is available from castle i would expect HPI to release a Baja flux similar to the savage flux. I really hope though that they are working on a 4wd Baja eventually optimised for BL systems.

I'm not much into jumping but i must admit i also would like to see my chassis performance on a track compared to a 2wd Baja gasser. This would certainly require tires with another thread.

I made another run on the same spot today, now with a HD Hero action cam mounted to the chassis.



Here is the video of this run

A very bouncy ride indeed. Actually i'm quite happy how my 1:8 truggy dampers are handling those 1:5 wheels offroad.

[JERRY2KONE]

I love the action video quality that camera is able to produce considering the amount of abuse that bugy goes through driving about. Nice video, and the vehicle seems quite capable for a sort of home made buggy.

[riceman]

wow - didn't even see this thread until now. Great job! Been kicking the same idea around for a while and finally did mine. I'll post in a new thread soon.

[brian015]

And I'll chime in that this thread was one of the reasons I've been working on similar larger scale projects - good to see you still working on it and making improvements.

For me, the larger scale 4wd builds are where we can really do something unique and new, since there is little available off the shelf.

[Bmr4life]

Yeah, I'm loving vehicles like these. I partly wish I had went this route instead of modding my Savage Flux.