My custom carbon fiber 8ight 2.0 brushless style. pics! - Page 2 - RC-Monster Forums

slimthelineman · 06.17.2009, 11:03 PM

which version of the smartdiff did you use in the center 1.0 or 2.0? would like to use one or two in my rc8, seems to be close in size yes?

Ryu James · 06.18.2009, 04:34 AM

i didnt know there was 2 different versions of the smartdiff. is that what you are asking?

to run in the rc8 the center diff is the same though. in fact, i run a losi center smartdiff in my assoc. rc8t. all you need to do to make this work is disassemble both the smartdiff and your rc8 center diff. then take the outdrives and the bearings from your assoc. center diff and put those on the smart diff and put it back together. the only thing to consider is how large of a spur you want to run. losi and assoc. run different spur sizes and they cant be swapped. shouldnt be too big of deal but just wanted to give you a heads up that your assoc. spur gear will not fit on the losi smartdiff. but your outdrives and bearings will.

so if you are running 46t right now on your rc8 you will probably have to use the 48t losi spur when you switch and just adjust the size of your pinion to get a similar gear ratio to what you had before.

slimthelineman · 06.18.2009, 08:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ryu James

i didnt know there was 2 different versions of the smartdiff. is that what you are asking?

to run in the rc8 the center diff is the same though. in fact, i run a losi center smartdiff in my assoc. rc8t. all you need to do to make this work is disassemble both the smartdiff and your rc8 center diff. then take the outdrives and the bearings from your assoc. center diff and put those on the smart diff and put it back together. the only thing to consider is how large of a spur you want to run. losi and assoc. run different spur sizes and they cant be swapped. shouldnt be too big of deal but just wanted to give you a heads up that your assoc. spur gear will not fit on the losi smartdiff. but your outdrives and bearings will.

so if you are running 46t right now on your rc8 you will probably have to use the 48t losi spur when you switch and just adjust the size of your pinion to get a similar gear ratio to what you had before.

one was listed for the 8/8T 1.0 and the other was for the new 2.0's. sweet sounds like a easy swap. been runnin a kyosho plastic spur (44) for a while and heard it fits the losi stuff right? like the idea of the SD, kinda best of both worlds or something like that. losi also makes a one-way for the L8 model oval car. geussing at this point that it would fit but it would be fun to try right?

stum · 06.18.2009, 08:46 AM

It's much cheaper and easier to just convert your current center or front diff (reguardless of versoin 1.0 or 2.0) to a smart diff. In fact I have a set of the gears and return springs that are new on ebay for a nice deal. All you need is to make sure you swap to the heavy duty diff case, get some smart diff grease, the gears and return springs and build it yourself and save a few bucks and have more options as you get a full spring set.

JThiessen · 06.18.2009, 08:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stum

It's much cheaper and easier to just convert your current center or front diff (reguardless of versoin 1.0 or 2.0) to a smart diff. In fact I have a set of the gears and return springs that are new on ebay for a nice deal. All you need is to make sure you swap to the heavy duty diff case, get some smart diff grease, the gears and return springs and build it yourself and save a few bucks and have more options as you get a full spring set.

Give me a link to your parts....

Mentat · 06.19.2009, 05:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stum

It's much cheaper and easier to just convert your current center or front diff (reguardless of versoin 1.0 or 2.0) to a smart diff. In fact I have a set of the gears and return springs that are new on ebay for a nice deal. All you need is to make sure you swap to the heavy duty diff case, get some smart diff grease, the gears and return springs and build it yourself and save a few bucks and have more options as you get a full spring set.

So are you saying that if you have the HD Diff with the metal inserts that u can just purchase the gears and return springs along with the oil and you have a smart diff? I had been wondering about that.

stum · 06.19.2009, 07:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mentat

So are you saying that if you have the HD Diff with the metal inserts that u can just purchase the gears and return springs along with the oil and you have a smart diff? I had been wondering about that.

Yes.. it's that easy, one thing to note though while this simple conversion saves a TON of money the Losi assembled smart diff's do come standard w/ the lightened out drives and lightened spurs which are costly, but are NOT needed.

florianz · 06.19.2009, 11:34 AM

what a great car!!

one question: is there a kick-up in the front, or not?

if yes, how did you do it? if not, is there a difference in driving it w/out kick-up?
I had planned and already started to build my own carbon chassis, but solving the kickup-problem stopped me.

florian

jzemaxx · 06.18.2009, 12:22 PM

You need to make a CF chassis for the 8T 2.0 as well. ;). I will buy one!!!!!!

Ryu James · 06.18.2009, 01:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jzemaxx

You need to make a CF chassis for the 8T 2.0 as well. ;). I will buy one!!!!!!

soon jz, soon.

no really i have been working on carbon fiber chassis for many of the popular 1/8 vehicles. i do want to make them available to anyone who wants them. i only am able to spend a few hours a week on this (and some weeks no time at all) but in the near future you should be able to buy complete carbon fiber chassis conversion kits for every major 1/8 buggy and truggy.

my problem is when i build these carbon kits for myself i make changes to exactly how i like it and will use parts from different kits and stuff. so i have been trying to focus more on making the chassis work with a kit out of the box and no mods need to be made. hopefully in the next 3-6 months i will have a bunch available and a place to buy them online.

when that happens you will certainly know about it.

stum · 06.18.2009, 12:44 PM

http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZstumblinhQQhtZ-1

The Cow · 06.19.2009, 01:01 PM

Great looking build my friend... Love the Carbon Fiber addiction... I have suffered with it over the years too

Heath

suicideneil · 06.19.2009, 01:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by florianz

what a great car!!

one question: is there a kick-up in the front, or not?

if yes, how did you do it? if not, is there a difference in driving it w/out kick-up?
I had planned and already started to build my own carbon chassis, but solving the kickup-problem stopped me.

florian

Read the whole thread- he heated up the front end and formed the kickup, then let it set at that angle. He is also working on getting the CF laid onto a mould to pre-form the angle, rathe than doing it retrospectively.

Just bolting the parts in place will cause the front end to naturally curve, but this isnt ideal as it stresses the CF and makes it more likely to snap. Measuring the stock chassis to get the required angle, then laying the CF on a wooden mould and hitting it with a heatgun should give it the correct shape in the correct place.

florianz · 06.19.2009, 05:20 PM

well I've read the whole thread...

here in germany you can buy a certain carbon which can be bent under heat w/out a problem, as it is a special blend of materials. when it has cooled down, it is like a normal carbon fibre composite.

I don't believe that you can bend finished cfk with heat, whithout having problems in the long run. that's why I have asked.

mr. constructor (his chassis' are even known here in this forum) solved that problem with a patended combination of a aluminium-kickup and cfk carbon chassis.

Ryu James · 06.19.2009, 07:25 PM

hey all!

a couple things:

to Mentat and Slimthelineman,

as far as the smartdiffs go i tried just buying the smartdiff gears and internals and then tried putting those in a regular losi diff case, an associated diff case, and a Mugen diff case and they dont fit so i am not sure which diff case stum is using. i am not familar with the HD diff case. if there is a diff case that works then that would be cheaper for sure but i couldnt find one so i just bought the smartdiff and then switched the outdrives and bearings. the rc8 outdrives and bearings will work on the smartdiff. then the diff could be used in several different 1/8 vehicles as most kits out there use the 8x16mm bearing like associated. although i must say i just switched my rc8t back to the stock center diff. i seemed to lose some turn-in with the smartdiff. not sure why but i like my truggy better with the stock diff. as for my buggy i havent tried the stock diffs. i just went straight to the smartdiffs. i know that very few of the losi pro drivers use the smartdiffs and this must be for a reason cuz they have all tried them. i am thinking of switching my 8ight to the stock diffs and see if i notice a difference at all and which is better. i might have a few smartdiffs for sale here soon. lol. we'll see.

to florianz,

thanks for your comments. when i set out to build my carbon chassis' i was aware of the technique many were doing of using multiple pieces to create the kickup or using aluminum. although those ways work i specifically did not want to go this route. i wanted a one piece, lightweight design that was all carbon. so far things have worked out great.

here are some pics of the 8ight now after a couple of weekends at the track. we have had a lot of rain this month so the track has been muddy. i used to hate to get my cars all dirty after putting so much time and money into building a sweet rig. now i dont care. but it is kind of a bitch cleaning them every so often. i like to build them but not really like to maintain them.