Traxxas Zero (1/10th Revofluxpede)

[EDS]

Project: Traxxas Zero
The ultimate true 1/10th basher

The traxxas stampede 4x4 came out a few months after I came up with this idea.. but I feel like the Stampede 4x4 made by Traxxas is too weak and doesn't have a TVP chassis our laydown suspension. My project will end up being slightly longer and wider then the Traxxas Stampede 4x4. I want this thing to be exetremly durable... skatepark durable, Bmx track durable, huge jump durable.

My goal: To build the Ultimate One-battery, One motor, true 1/10th scale electric basher.

Features I look to put into the project:

Built like a Tank
4wd
Custom TVP Chassis
Center Differential
Laydown suspension
High ground clearance
Long suspension travel
Inexpensive
Electric
Gear Diffs
Strong a-arms/hub carriers
Roll cage
2.8 wheels/tires
Accommodate 7.4v or 11.1v lipo
Defies Gravity
Stampede stance and look

My starting point...my Traxxas Evo8 project... I have no where to race it so I'm turning it into this project.
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/Project%20Zero/IMG_2493.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/Project%20Zero/IMG_2492.jpg

Updates to come

[EDS]

Last night I disassembled the buggy and took all the parts that I will be using for this project. I then went thru and cleaned all the parts. This project is ofcourse going to end getting dirty but it has to be clean for the finished pictures.. plus, I don't like working with dirty parts.

The Slayer a-arms will probably be replaced with Slayer Pro a-arms and the rear hubs will probably be replaced with Rpm hubs.

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/Project%20Zero/IMG_2504.jpg

I layed out partial front and rear ends to get a idea of how long its going to be .. and how everything is going to be layed out. Ofcourse the center diff and motor and all that are going to be raised up from the position that they are at in the pictures since its a monster truck.

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/Project%20Zero/IMG_2514.jpg

Here is my list of stuff to get...

1/4" lexan or 1/8" 6061-T6 aluminum for chassis
Traxxas Updated slayer a-arms
Losi High Roller Body
Dust boots
2.8 Badland or Trencher Tires
Rpm revo hub carriers
Rpm Front/Rear bumpers
Rpm Front/Rear bumper mounts
Traxxas front/rear body mounts
Ace 5000mah 3s lipo
Reciever

I have the esc and servo. and I got the motor today

I'm a bit worried it might not be the right motor for this application.. its a Speed Passion Silver Arrow motor. Diameter is 36mm and length is 63mm. Its 3214kv. Its a short course motor

I picked it up used for $40 shipped. I'm going to be using 3s. What I'm worried about is that I have a feeling this truck will be pretty heavy..especially if I use aluminum Tvp's. I'm not sure whether or not the Kv is too high. I'm shooting for around 40-45mph. I'm worried that the motor will get too hot or won't have enough torque. What do you guys think??

Heres a picture of it by itself and also a picture compared to a mamba 5700 and a Feigao 8XL.

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/silverarrow.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/IMG_2528.jpg

I'm going to actually start building the truck today. I'm going to try and get the bottom chassis plates/skid plates done and maybe even the top ones. Who knows we will see how far I get.

[What's_nitro?]

Cool project! :yes: I love seeing these hybrid builds...

If you're worried about the motor getting too hot- gear it for ~35mph, check temps, and see if there is room (thermally) to gear it up.

[simplechamp]

I would say go with alloy for chassis over Lexan, or even carbon-fiber if you can fit it into the budget. CF used for a TVP chassis would be very light and tough as nails. Plus it just has that exotic, high-end look. Of course I'm just really partial to the stuff, alloy will still do a great job too and cost much less.

EDIT: If the SpeedPassion motor doesn't work out the new Castle 1415 2400kv motor would be a great choice.

[TexasSP]

Would definitely go with 7075 over 6061 for the chassis. Cost only a little more and is stronger and will give you more rigidity. It also handles tapped holes better than 6061 without stripping.

Otherwise looks like a cool project.

[thzero]

I'd suggest a double decker design rather than a TVP. The Traxxas stuff you are using is more suited for that than TVPs anyways, as revo is almost a double deck design anyways.

Heck even G10 fiberglass would be better than lexan. But really yeah, if you want a "tank", you should go with 7075 or like 3mm CF.

Keep in mind most of the SC 4WD vehicles are around 6lbs, and the 540/550 SC motors are oriented towards 2S usage (ROAR, bleah, stupid.. should have gone 3S for 4WD), so more voltage should allow you to use lower gearing, so should keep the motor cooler.

[reno911]

Cool project, I look forward to seeing the progress. I enjoyed watching the Evo8, so I know this will be of the same likes.

[Kcaz25]

Its sad to see the 1/8th scale buggy go. It was so one of a kind.

[EDS]

whats nitro: I think I'm going to start at the lowest gearing I can 12/50 and work up from there.

Simplechamp: I've decided to use alloy. Carbon fiber looks awesome.. but I want to feel like I can beat on this thing and not have to worry about breaking a $70 chassis.

Yea, the castle 2400kv looks to be my back up plan.

Texassp: I think that 6061 will be plenty strong especially since it will be 3mm thick.

Thzero: I feel like and have heard a TVP chassis will be a lot stronger. Also making a double deck chassis with enough ground clearance or a single deck chassis with enough strength I believe would be quiet difficult.

Ok I will keep that in mind.

Reno: Yep, I can guarantee this one will be just as good.

Kcaz: I know what your saying.. but the Evo8 will be featured in a upcoming issue of RcDriver soon...so that makes me feel better about tearing it a part and turning it into this.. something I will actually use.

[J57ltr]

Can you even buy 3mm thick aluminum? If you want this thing to be bulletproof as you say 3mm is not even 1/8" thick. 6061 is pretty strong, and I don't even think 7075 will be strong enough for what you are talking about, but Texas SP is correct on strength, 7075 is much stronger.

If you need a source for metal try Metal Supermarket.

Jeff

[EDS]

Sorry I should have said its 1/8" which is what I will be using. Considering that the Stock Savage Flux uses 2.5 mm TVP's and weighs at least twice as much as what this truck will weigh I believe that 1/8" 6061 should be strong enough. But nobody really knows until its tested out. Guess time will tell.

[thzero]

The 2.5mm is too thin for the Flux really. 3.5mm would have been far better.

[TexasSP]

I have made custom parts with both 8th inch 6061 and 7075 and the 6061 bends too easily and does not thread well. Of course if you have to weld it the 6061 is you best bet but the 7075 is superior in every other way.

Of course the last chassis parts I ever made were titanium. Can't remember which grade though. They were beasts and never bent.

[EDS]

Unfortunatly, I have to switch my concentration back to a custom 2wd buggy I just finished..I recently became a "project' contributing editor for RcDriver magazine and so they want me to send it to them for pictures and have me write an article about it. Currently its fully disassembled and requires some new parts..Sooo I'm going to have to work on that for the next week or so. I'm sorry.

but, I did receive the wheels and bodies for this truck.
I decided to go with a Losi High Roller body becuase it is meant to fit on trucks with a 11.5"-12" wheelbase. I feel like the Stampede 4x4 is alittle bit too short so this body was the perfect size. Usually these bodies are $30 brand new.. $16.87 +$10.00 shipping...if you buy two then its about $33+$10.00 shipping .. Considering that means these are almost half price I decided to buy too since I'm sure they won't last very long..and the 1/10th High Roller has disappeared from Losi's website so who knows how much longer these bodies will be around.

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/Project%20Zero/IMG_2538.jpg

I decided to go with Imex Eagle Black Jato 2.8 rear wheels. I saw a picture of these with Badlands on them and they looked pretty sick.

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/Project%20Zero/IMG_2541.jpg

I mocked it up to get a feeling of how this beast is going end up looking.
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/Project%20Zero/IMG_2548.jpg

[EDS]

After a 4 month hiatus from this project.. I have made it my top priority project again there are just too many awesome bashing spots around here to not take advantage of them before winter comes...so updates will be coming soon.

[EDS]

The past couple of days I have been working on the lower skid plates. I have been cutting them out of 1/8" 6061-T6 aluminum with my hand-held jigsaw. Today, after an hour of filing and drilling I finished the front skid-plate. I also mounted the steering rack to the skid-plate. I'm duties a Team Associated Rc8 steering rack to take care of the steering duties.

Tomorrow I will finish the rear skid plate and have pictures of that one up also but for now here are a couple of pictures of the front to prove that I am actually making progress! ;)

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/C360_2011-07-1814-45-02.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/C360_2011-07-1814-51-35.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/C360_2011-07-1814-51-50.jpg

[JoFreak]

You do this with a hand held jigsaw and files completely free hand?
WOW....
I'm impressed, looks like it has a good symmetrie to it.
Wish I had persistance like that.

[EDS]

Yep..I draw the design out on graph paper...then package tape it to the material and start hacking away...I don't have the resources to be able to mill the parts.

Thanks...I understand this piece isn't perfect but at the same time I didn't want to spend aton of time on this one part since I have 3 more I have to do like it..not to mention the main tvp plates haha

[EDS]

Not a whole lot of excitement today... but I did finish the rear skid plate. I made sure to bend it so that it provided rear kick up like the Revo/Slayer. I cut both the front and rear skid plates to be a bit longer then they will end out being. I'm not sure exactly how long they needed to be so I made them longer just be safe.

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/C360_2011-07-1919-33-22.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/C360_2011-07-1919-35-32.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/C360_2011-07-1919-38-36.jpg

Next I will be working on the upper chassis plates and also the braces which will connect the skid plates to the upper chassis's These are also the pieces where the main twin vertical plates will connect to the front and rear of the truck.

I ordered another sheet of 6061 1/8" Aluminum plate from ebay for the main chassis plates. I will start drawing the design for those also very soon. I have a feeling that this truck is going to be a pig.

I'm getting excited about this build..and after experiencing a time of having no motivation to work on my projects...it's nice.

[EDS]

Another small some what boring update for today...

I got the front upper chassis cut out and filed. This part reminded me about how much work making custom cars really is..The part didn't take long to cut out..but it took a couple hours to file it down to get it fit right. I also had a hard time bending the piece to accomodate for the front kick-up. I resorted to sandwiching the piece between two 2x4's and crouching on top of the top 2x4. Then I pulled with all my strength upward to achieve the bend.

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/C360_2011-07-2119-01-41.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/C360_2011-07-2118-59-10.jpg

Today my piece of 1/8" 6061-T6 aluminum for the main chassis plates came. Its 12" x 24" and I have a feeling it will last me awhile.
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/C360_2011-07-2114-54-31.jpg

Tomarrow I'm having a dental implant done..so not sure if I'll be up for doing any work but tomorrow or Saturday I will finish the rear upper chassis plate and also post pictures of that one. Hopefully soon I will be able to start providing more interesting updates : )

[EDS]

Well....today no progress was made becuase of me feeling under the weather after the dental implant. BUT as a reward for making it through the process of someone drilling a screw into my mouth I decided I should order most of the parts needed to complete this project.

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/Project%20Zero/order.jpg

I also ordered some 2.8" Proline Badlands. Unfortunately, now that Proline has started making tires to fit Traxxas wheels they have discontinued the tires that fit there wheels. I purchased some Imex Jato wheels awhile ago for this project and they don't have the same bead type as the Traxxas wheels. So I had to hunt down some of the old Badland tires. Everywhere I looked either didn't have them or only had one pair! So I ended up having to buy one pair from one place and the other pair from another! I also ordered some Rpm revo hubs for the rear to match the Rpm hubs which I have for the front.

Perhaps, tomorrow I will be able to get back to work on this but no promises.

[EDS]

I started to feel well enough to do some work on this today... it took quiet a bit of convincing though. Once I got started though I was able to fly through finishing the last of the 4 upper chassis plates/ skid plates! The rear one that I just finished doesn't fit exact..but the top plates will be covered in flat black vinyl and that will hide many of the in perfections.

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/C360_2011-07-2319-24-23.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/C360_2011-07-2319-24-39.jpg

I couldn't just keep feeding you guys boring updates with repetitive pictures...so to spice things up... I threw some rockers and shocks on there for a couple of pictures.

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/C360_2011-07-2319-35-39.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/C360_2011-07-2319-34-47.jpg

Tomarrow I am hoping to get the designs drawn up for the chassis braces which will connect the upper and lower chassis and also be the mounting location for the TVP's. Also, would like to get those pieces finished and mounted so that I can start designing the TVP's. I think once I start working on those...things will start to get interesting quickly!

[EDS]

Came home from work and had three packages awaiting me.. One had one pair of badlands, another had the other pair, and the last one had the RPM revo hubs.

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/C360_2011-07-2713-55-09.jpg

I'm still waiting for my big shipment from Rcplanet to come though...

Also, I had a bit of time to mount the front shocks...The rockers I have mounted are for the rear.. they will be replaced by the correct front long travel rockers once they come.

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/C360_2011-07-2722-35-09.jpg

I wasn't planning on doing that till further on in the build.. but things started to get complicated fast..as I found that the only way to make the motor fit in between the front and rear shocks was to slide the center differential as far forward as I could. How far I could push the center differential forward depended on where the shocks where mounted..so I had to mount the shocks first then return to trying to design the lexan parts which will be sandwiched inbetween the top and bottom aluminum plates and will be where the TVP's are mounted to. The lexan parts will support the center differential so that's why it's taking me longer than I had expected to design and cut those parts. A picture of the complication...
*note the center differential be raised up and the skid plate bent upward to provide more ground clearance*

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/C360_2011-07-2722-37-30.jpg

I'm crossing my fingers that tomarrow I will make large strides and be able to get the lexan chassis braces mentioned earlier mounted and also mount the center differential. (Something else I hadn't planned on doing before the chassis was completed)

Hang tight guys.

[EDS]

I'm surprised that you guys don't seem very interested in the project...sorta seems stupid for me to keep posting updates with no interest brewing..I'll post a few more updates and see if you guys come around..if not I'll just post the finished product once I'm done..

Had a wicked long day at work today..cooking burgers 8 hours a day at mcdonald's tires a guy out...but hey people gotta eat and I have to have money for my projects..and college.. anyway.. I came home to find this at my door step...

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/C360_2011-07-2816-12-55.jpg

I wonder whats inside...
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/C360_2011-07-2816-17-02.jpg

Shortly after taking the pictures..I tore into the packages in an organized and controlled matter...haha yea right!

I started to throw parts on the front end of the truck and I'm very happy with how things are turning out. The width of the truck looks like its going to be around between 13 1/2" and 14" ! Which will fit the wheelbase nicely and is much wider than a Stampede 4x4. I'm very excited about the front bumper as it will fit the Highroller body perfectly. I can't show guys pictures of it with the body.. but I'm going to tell you that the stance is killer.

Unfortunately, I didn't get a chance to do any heavy machining on the chassis braces like I wanted too. Maybe tomorrow... but till then.. some pictures of the front end...I think it looks good..but will look even better once I dye the rockers and cover the upper chassis in flat black vinyl!

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/C360_2011-07-2822-38-04_org.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/C360_2011-07-2822-37-18.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/C360_2011-07-2822-34-13.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/C360_2011-07-2822-32-48.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/C360_2011-07-2822-30-49.jpg

[cmac]

I think this project is turning out nice.keep up the good work.

[mamba max1]

Nice work. :)


I have been following, just not posting. :lol:

[brainanator]

looking good man! don't get too discouraged by the lack of posts, I'm sure many people have a read through and forget to, or just plain old don't post anything. I know I'm guilty of doing that a few times....

Lots of hard work going into this project, can't wait to see the finished product.

[Arct1k]

looking to see where its going next - looks a lot like a G-Revo with a CD and slayer arms at the moment...

[JoFreak]

looking good man! don't get too discouraged by the lack of posts, I'm sure many people have a read through and forget to, or just plain old don't post anything. I know I'm guilty of doing that a few times....

Same here, I'm following every step you post.
But posting "looking good, exited to see the finished project" every time, seems a bit off to me:lol:

[Semi Pro]

i think alot of us are watching your project, most of us dont post though, monster has been pretty quiet for the last year

[EDS]

Thanks for the compliments guys.

Its nice to see that you guys are reading the updates and are interested in the project. As far as posting I don't mind if you guys don't post.. I just felt silly becuase it felt like I was talking to myself. I am majorly guilty of lurking I just wanted to see if there was any interest on Rc-monster for it. Looks like there is, so I will continue to post my updates for you guys :)

[cmac]

I think the best thing on this forum are the build threads.

[brainanator]

thanks for continuing with the build thread! I've always wanted to do one, but I don't have the patience to stop and take photos at each step, haha, need to get on with it! I also haven't done anything really note worthy, just repairs and bolt on parts and such...

Your work looks great! I know how it is, I have to do any custom plastic work with a mini hack saw and a small file set. Need to get a dremel here some day...

[EDS]

Yeaa brainanator these types of projects takes LOTS of patience. I have been lucky enough with this build where I haven't had to re-make parts because I messed up on the first one..on some projects I have to remake a single part two or three times.

Yep, I definitely don't have the money to get stuff CNC'ed so hand tools it is... amazingly though..to this day I still don't own a Dremel. Perhaps that would make stuff easier.

I finally got the front chassis braces done and mounted today. These parts took some time because I had to make sure that I had the holes in exactly the right spots so that that the center differ would be straight and would spin freely. I also had to make sure the tops and bottoms where completely flat and that my cuts where straight so that these parts would fit flush and weren't crooked.

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/C360_2011-07-3120-03-02.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/C360_2011-07-3119-58-50.jpg

Once I got the pieces cut and drilled then it was another challenge to mount them to the upper and lower chassis. These parts have to be square and straight so that the TVP's will be parallel and won't be crooked.

I think I ended up doing a pretty good job considering that I'm useing hand tools and I'm happy with how it fits together. I think it will prove to be very durable

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/C360_2011-07-3121-12-46.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/C360_2011-07-3121-12-26.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/C360_2011-07-3121-14-07.jpg

I also discovered today that Long Travel Rockers fit the front of the Slayer but will NOT fit the rear becuase the push-rods interfere with upper a-arm. So I will be have to use P2 rockers on the front and back.
The front clip as it stands..
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/C360_2011-07-3121-13-54.jpg

Now that I have the majority of the front clip completed I'm going to start working on the rear clip. Once I get the rear clip done I will finally be able to design and fabricate the chassis plates!

[EDS]

Today I started off the day by a nice trip to the hobby shop. Knowing that I couldn't move on with the project until I knew how far from the rocker posts the shock mounts were placed on a Revo or Slayer. So I picked up a Revo rear bulkhead. Took it out of the package and measured it. I was talking to my girlfriend about how I just bought this part for $15 and won't even be using it on my project..and that I just needed it to get the measurement. She was like " Uh...Ethan why didn't you just measure the part at the store and not wasted $15?" I responded.."umm I didn't think of that" haha :lol: Since I had opened the package I wasn't able to return the part..she thought it was hilarious.

Anyway..knowing the distance of how far I should mount the shock mount from the rock posts on the rear and I got to work and mounted the rear shock mount along with the shocks, rockers, and Push rods. I also put the a-arms on and the hubs. Then, I bent the rear lower skid plate up to allow for better ground clearance to finish the day off.

The rear clip as it stands...

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/C360_2011-08-0422-20-11.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/C360_2011-08-0422-20-26.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/C360_2011-08-0422-20-44.jpg

The front and rear clips..
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/C360_2011-08-0422-33-02.jpg

Tomorrow my goal is to get the rear chassis braces drawn up , cut out, filed/sanded, and mounted. Once I do that....I can FINALLY start designing the TVP's.

[EDS]

Another small update today. I got the rear chassis braces designed, cut, and mounted just as I had wanted to. I bent the rear skid-plate up dramatically to increase the ground clearance. I then cut the skid-plate and bolted the other end to the brace. The pieces aren't the best looking because in order for the lexan and aluminum to be flush I had to file the aluminum while the lexan was mounted. It doesn't matter though since the lexan parts will be covered by the Tvp's

Here's a of pictures of the rear chassis braces.
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/C360_2011-08-0522-52-56.jpg

The front and rear clips in there respected positions..
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/C360_2011-08-0522-56-23.jpg

The picture makes the truck look pretty short but in reality I am shooting for a wheelbase around 12 inches. Considering that the Stampede 4x4 has a wheelbase of 10.83 in. I believe that 12 inches should be perfect.

I'm currently designing the TVP's as we speak. I'm not sure when I will be able to work on them but it should be in the next few days.

Stay tuned..once I get the TVP's done..this thing will really start to come together quickly.

[EDS]

Over the past couple days I have been gradually working on the Twin Verticle Chassis Plates (TVP's). I started out with a basic drawing with dimensions I knew the Tvps had to fit into. I then made a couple copies of that drawing and taped them to the 3mm (1/8") 6061-T6 Aluminum sheet I bought off of ebay.

Once I got the basic rectangles cut out and I drew the cut at the bottom of the plates that increase the ground clearance. At this point I was ready to mount them to the lexan pieces. I won't explain the boreing and lengthly method I used to get all the holes in the right places and to make sure they line up..so i will skip to the pictures...

*Keep in mind that these Tvp's aren't even close to being finished.. once I get the motor, battery, servo,etc mounted I will take everything back off and finish the design, shorten them, cut sections out to reduce weight, and file the pieces*

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/C360_2011-08-0819-55-01.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/C360_2011-08-0819-56-25.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/C360_2011-08-0819-56-08.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/C360_2011-08-0819-55-12.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/C360_2011-08-0819-46-31.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/C360_2011-08-0819-49-14.jpg

The next task on the list is to cut a section out of the left TVP for the motor to fit through and also get the motor mounted up.

[lincpimp]

Very interesting. Your work looks good!

How do you plan to mount the batteries? On the outside, a-la flux?

Sould be a solid performer. I have a pede 4x4 and it just leaves alot to be desired as far as arm and driveshaft strength goes. I did have a slayer/revo hybrid a while back and it was a great basher, so I think you will have alot of success here. My only advice will be never use the al pivot balls (they are costly and like to break), and you will likely have to play with the spring rates and shock oils to get it to handle just right.

[mamba max1]

Looks to be quite stout. Bet it will handle pretty darn well too!

[brainanator]

Looks nice! Really thick stuff all around...has to be tough! haha

[EDS]

Linc: I do plan to mount the battery on the side like a flux.

I agree..I don't have a Stampede 4x4 but I think this will be a tank compared to it. Thanks for the suggestion about the pivot balls


Mamba and Brainator: It is is thick and stout..but that's what I'm shooting for. I need this thing to survive..insane bashing


Would you guys by opposed to the idea of this being a dual battery (4s) car instead of a single 3s battery truck? Thinking possibly a Mamba 2650 or 2400 on 4s in this..?

I personally have always been not so fond of dual battery set-ups..as you have to buy more batteries and have to charge more..I have a charger that can charge two batteries at the same time..and I already have the batteries..plus I think this thing would be insane on 4s. The other thing is that it would make mounting the motor a lot easier....

So I need your opinions...? Dual battery (4s) or single 3s?

[brainanator]

I've liked my dual batt savage a little more now that I made a 4S balance adapter for 2 2S batts. Lets me charge twice the amount of batts in the same amount of time.
I agree it would make it way easier in figuring out the motor placement, and give a pretty good left/right balance.
You're choice in the end, the single batt is tempting if you can squeeze it somewhere.

[EDS]

Yea..I have a 4s balance adapter so I can charge in series so that shouldn't be a problem.


I have decided to go with 4s. Since this truck is going to be close to the same weight as a 1/8th e-buggy I think 4s will be required to give it enough power.

The speedpassion silver arrow motor will be sold.

After much research I have found an inexpensive motor which I think will give this thing plenty of power. I don't want to spend a ton of money on the electronics because well.. this thing will be beaten and I don't want to feel guilty when I take this monster to the skate park..or jump it off a 20ft ledge,etc.

Anyway.. I believe I will be using this motor along with two 2s batteries. Looks like a great deal for $50
http://www.hobbypartz.com/96m802-4074-2150kv.html
I just hope 2150kv is enough.

[lincpimp]

Good choice on the motor, that will be plenty on 4s.

[EDS]

Well I ordered a motor today but its not the tacon 2150kv motor that I showed you guys earlier...that's because I found a steal of a deal on a used original neu 1515 1y/f 2200kv motor for $50 shipped! For those who aren't well versed on neu motors...(most of you on RCM probably are) neu is the company which castle creations partnered up with to make the castle mamba monster line of motors. Neu is known for making arguably the best brushless motors you can buy..but they are also known for having very high prices. The motor I just bought is very similar to the castle 2200 motor. So...basically..im getting perhaps one of the best motors you can get for the same price as the tacon motor...im pretty psyched!

Right now im working on the motor mount so that I can mount the motor once it gets here.

[cmac]

Well I ordered a motor today but its not the tacon 2150kv motor that I showed you guys earlier...that's because I found a steal of a deal on a used original neu 1515 1y/f 2200kv motor for $50 shipped! For those who aren't well versed on neu motors...(most of you on RCM probably are) neu is the company which castle creations partnered up with to make the castle mamba monster line of motors. Neu is known for making arguably the best brushless motors you can buy..but they are also known for having very high prices. The motor I just bought is very similar to the castle 2200 motor. So...basically..im getting perhaps one of the best motors you can get for the same price as the tacon motor...im pretty psyched!

Right now im working on the motor mount so that I can mount the motor once it gets here.
Where did you get the motor from?

[EDS]

Its used, I found it on the forums at Rctech.net.

[EDS]

I got the motor today and it looks to be in great condition. And uh...its pretty darn big,but it fits perfectly in between the front and rear shocks. On to the pictures..

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/C360_2011-08-2417-15-02.jpg

Here is a comparison between a regular 540 motor, a 550 motor (the motor I previously was going to use in this truck) , and the beast Neu 1515 2200kv.

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/C360_2011-08-2417-13-48.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/C360_2011-08-2417-14-09.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/C360_2011-08-2417-14-34.jpg

This thing is going to be insane! Anyway, the next couple days I will be working on the driveling and will get some pictures of this thing mounted on the chassis.

[EDS]

I got the motor mounted today. I mounted it with a RC8e motor mount. Like I said before this motor fits perfectly! Adjusting gear mesh will obviously be a pain in the butt but it won't be to bad since I have a L - shaped allen key that I trimmed to get into that space. My only concern with this set-up is that the slots on the motor mount are vertical...so I can just imagine going off a big jump having a hard landing and the motor sliding down on the motor mount since its so heavy, so I'm trying to figure out a way to support it from underneath so that doesn't happen. But other than that it fits perfectly and the black can will fit in one I cover the aluminum in flat black vinyl.

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/C360_2011-08-2612-31-58.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/C360_2011-08-2612-32-10.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/C360_2011-08-2612-32-38.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/C360_2011-08-2612-34-35.jpg

Next I have to work on the drive line. Does anybody have a suggestion for diff fluid for the front/center/rear diffs?

[Aussie Nerd]

This is an awesome build, I check RCM every day just to see if you've posted an update. Massive props to you for essentially building your own RC:intello: I eagerly await the end result!

Kieren

[brainanator]

now lets see whats in the chassis...HOLY CRAP! IT'S ALL MOTOR!!! lol

Lookin good! Diff fluid really depends on how you want it to handle, somewhere around 10k ish in the outter diffs and 10k ish in the center if you don't want wheelies and want it to unload, or if you're looking for controllable wheelies go up to 100k or more. Someone with better experience will chime in I'm sure :)

[Overdriven]

Nice build, I really like the concept too. I'd go with 30k up front, 10-20k out back, traxxas diffs need thicker oil than 1/8th diffs. For the center it depends on how resistant you want it to be from unloading and the style of handling you want. If its going to be about buggy weight 30-50k would be a good starting point though for an all around basher. I like mine with 30-50k, gives enough resistance to unloading for me, yet I still get diff action on low grip surfaces so the handling is there. IMO 100k has very little diff action unless its on high grip surfaces, a heavy vehicle, big tires, lots of power or a combo of those. So the handling is more like a MT with a trans than a buggy or truggy. Experimentation will likely be required to get YOUR desired result either way.

[mamba max1]

Nice man. I like how all of the weight will be crammed as tight as possible. :) I bet it will handle amazingly well too.

[EDS]

Aussie nerd: That's awesome that your so interested in the project!

Brainator: Yep its all motor :)

Mamba: Just wait until I get the batteries,esc,receiver,and servo in there..its going to be very cramped

Overdriven: Since this is going to be a hardcore basher I think I'm going to try going with 100k in the center..sounds like this is usually what people suggest for bashing. Like you said it will take some testing.

Tonight I got the drive-train all put together. I have decided to go with 100k diff oil in the center Since I had modified some Revo axles in my Evo8 project to fit in the Rc8 center diff I was able to use that..Some of you haven't seen my Evo8 project so I will describe the process of being able to use slider drive shafts for a 1/8th scale diff.

1.First I had to shave about 1/8th inch off of the black plastic part where the axle hooks on to the sliders.

2.Then I spent about an hour and half using my hand saw to cut down the axles so that they where the same length as the Rc8 inputs.
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/Traxxas%20evo8/0702091911.jpg

3. That's about all there is to it after that I just started putting it back together.
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/Traxxas%20evo8/0702091911a.jpg
(Right is stock, Center is cut-down, Left is the completed one)

4. Once you have it put all together it should look like this.
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/Traxxas%20evo8/0702091919.jpg

Since I had that all done..all I had to do was measure to how much I needed to shorten the Revo drive shafts I recently had bought. It turns out that I didn't have to trim the drive shaft for the rear at all so that was easy as pie.

Now.. the front on the other hand was a bit more of a handful. I was planning on using just a cut-down slayer drive shaft for the front center drive shaft..but that ended up being way too long. The other problem is that on the Revo/Slayer/Summit the front differential is angled upward. My center diff is mounted horizontal. So I had to trim down the bulkhead so that the front differential could be at the correct angle to match up with the center diff.

I noticed that the male end of a Slayer drive shaft fits perfectly over the output shaft on the front diff. So I trimmed one down drilled a hole and put a pin thru it. To keep the pin in I made a simple sleeve. I have to say that so far this is the part that I'm the most proud of..because not being able to hook up a front center drive shaft is a big problem and I was able to fix it in a creative way..anyway enough talking..more pictures.

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/C360_2011-08-3119-12-31.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/C360_2011-08-3119-13-16.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/C360_2011-08-3119-14-32.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/C360_2011-08-3119-13-46.jpg

Tomorrow or friday a little package with my battery boxes and some drive shafts should arrive....that means I'll be able to get the driveshafts installed but more importantly...I will be able to get the batteries, esc,receiver,and servo mounted!!

But till then...back to my calculus homework.

[EDS]

I waited around all day for a package of parts today so I could work on this....found out the package was in my neighbors mail box.

Anyway...got the battery boxes mounted and I'm getting very excited about this project!! Here is as it stands...need I say more?

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/C360_2011-09-0221-13-15.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/C360_2011-09-0221-13-58.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/C360_2011-09-0221-15-32.jpg

The battery boxs fit awesome... and the esc,receiver,and servo will also be mounted in the boxes. I'm going to try and route as much of the wires in the boxes so that it will be a very clean electronics install. Here is how I'm planning on having the batteries/electronics layed out

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/C360_2011-09-0221-16-22.jpg

I'm getting closer and I'm very excited about this project! Its gonna turn out sick.

Here's my to-do list

Mount esc/receiver
Mount servo
Order parts
Cut/mount drive shafts
Make roll cage (If time allows)
Trim TVPs
Fill front/rear diffs with oil
Cover parts in vinyl
Paint body
Take final pictures
Take videos!!

[The Dude]

in your list you forgot one thing
-BREAK IT !!!:mdr:

a really original project :yes: and a nice nice build !! :great:

[ransom]

wow those flux battery boxes fit sooo good on there

is that one of those fragile hk100 escs with the remote caps poking out there ?

[JoFreak]

Looks nice and packed, no wasted space in there, like it!
One thing though:
What wheels/tires are you going to use?
Because from the looks of it, I'd say pretty much everything without a lot of offset will hit the battery trays at full steering lock.
But maybe it's just the angle of the pictures that's missleading me...

[brainanator]

Make sure you get some velcro straps to throw around those battery boxes. Also, try switching them around, so the hinge is on the outside. They give you a little better access that way. I don't run that way, but my brother does, and I kinda like it...lol

[EDS]

The Dude: Yep, that comes with insane bashing.

Ransom: Thanks man... Yea it is a Hk 100a esc.. I'm going to try it and see if it holds up.. it held up in my Evo8 project on 4s and a Feigao 8XL so maybe it will hold up in this..i'm not sure..if not I'll throw it out and grab me a Hobbywing 150a... I love hobbywing.

Jofreak: Thanks. Definitely no wasted space on this.

I will be useing Imex rear Jato wheels and Proline 2.8 badland tires. The Jato wheels have plenty...almost too much offset to them..and don't come anywhere close of hitting the battery boxs.

Brainator: Yep, I have some tekno ones I'm going to throw around them. I looked into doing that and since the shocks and motor are there..I feel like it would be hard to squeeze the latches. Once I trim down the TVP's the battery box tops will open up more than enough.

I got a small update for you guys today...

When I got the Slayer Pro a-arms I was under the impression that the stock Slayer Driveshafts would be long enough to work with the Pro extended a-arms. I didn't feel like they would be so I bought some Revo Driveshafts. Summit driveshafts would've been better since you don't have to worry about the little e-clips falling out but the Summit drive shafts are crazy expensive. So, I went with Revo drive shafts. Revo drive shafts are obviously way too long...so I got out the scroll saw and trimmed them down.

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/C360_2011-09-0623-39-57.jpg

As many of you know Revo driveshafts are beefy...how beefy you ask? This beefy!
(Left is a Jato/Rustler/Stampede drive shaft, center is a stock slayer drive shaft, and right is the revo drive shafts )
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/C360_2011-09-0623-41-47.jpg

With the drive shafts installed...
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/C360_2011-09-0700-03-52.jpg

While I was at it I put some Jato rod-ends on the Rc8 steering turnbuckles I had used on the Evo8 in order to make them long enough and mounted them

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/C360_2011-09-0700-04-11.jpg

On the rear I installed the drive shafts and installed Jato rod-ends also on the Toe links.

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/C360_2011-09-0700-08-21.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/C360_2011-09-0700-11-24.jpg

I ordered the last of the parts that I need to complete this project and they should be here Friday or Saturday. I have a busy week and weekend so I'm not sure how much I will be able to get done. But we'll see....

[EDS]

Today I got the steering servo mounted.. I was going to just cut a rectangle out of the battery box..and just bolt the servo directly to that..but I didn't think it would be stiff enough. So I cut a aluminum piece and then cut a lexan piece and bolted the lexan piece standing up on the aluminum... I then bolted the lexan to the Tvp and the servo to the aluminum and also to the battery box. No flex here..

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/C360_2011-09-0823-09-54.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/C360_2011-09-0823-10-20.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/C360_2011-09-0823-13-47.jpg

Now it's come to that point into time where I have to tear down the entire truck and run thru everything... fill the diffs, trim the TVP's , cover the aluminum pieces in flat black vinyl, make sure everything is spinning freely, etc

Once I get all the nit-picky stuff done I will be putting it all back together...mounting the esc and rx , wire everything up, take care of any last minute touches, and finally paint the body.

[brainanator]

nice use of the extra space in the battery boxes! :)

[EDS]

Thanks!

Sorry guys for the lack of updates...I have been very busy between college and work. I'm not used to having to spend so much time studying...and that darn calculus is kicking my butt...

anyway.. over the last couple of days I have been slowly working on this...

First I decided to wrap the Tvp's and the upper chassis plates with black vinyl..as I'm going for the blacked out look. Once I got that done I started putting everything back together. The center differential didn't spin freely so I spent a couple of hours sorting that out and now it spins like butter. I also filled the front diff with 50k diff oil and the rear with 30k.

I have been looking at the huge brick of a motor and I have been worrying about the possibility of the truck landing off a huge jump and the motor sliding down on the motor mount and on to the spur. So I made a bracket that slides up and down with the motor and that supports the rear of the motor.

The 12mm aluminum hexs I ordered from Tekno didn't end up the way I wanted because they fit the axles but the pins where way too small. So I was browsing the hobby shop and I found some Losi ten-t wheels. I came to find out they are PERFECT for this build..they are 2.8...fit on 6mm rims and have 13mm hexs. I picked up the hexs to go with them and they have the same size of pin as the revo axles use!

As you can probably tell I have been pretty busy..unfortunately.. I am un-able to post pictures of the black covered aluminum parts, the hexs, and the motor support...but since you guys have waited so long I decided to snap a few pictures of how it stands...
I'm very close to finishing..just a few small things here and there.

I don't like the chrome ten-t wheels so I will be stripping the chrome and dying them black... I will also put the red springs into the dye bath as well for the blacked out look...

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/C360_2011-09-1721-56-41.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/C360_2011-09-1721-57-50.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/C360_2011-09-1721-56-02.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/C360_2011-09-1721-57-50.jpg

[Galladon]

I like it, stance is great! I'm with you on the chrome rims.

[EDS]

Long story short...I tried doing a bench test and my piece of crap Hobbyking 100a esc blew up...:flaming: so I have everything else done but have an esc installed... so you could say its a complete roller

Tonight I'm ordering a Hobbywing esc and once that gets here I will get it installed and shoot a video of it at a few different bash spots.

Until then...enjoy some pictures!
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/C360_2011-09-2518-22-15.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/C360_2011-09-2518-27-10.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/C360_2011-09-2518-27-43.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/C360_2011-09-2518-30-07.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/C360_2011-09-2518-28-46.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/C360_2011-09-2518-24-15.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/C360_2011-09-2518-25-36.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/C360_2011-09-2518-34-02.jpg

[Overdriven]

That looks awesome! Really cool stance and the tires are a perfect size to the body, has a bitchin look to it!! Can't wait to hear how it drives.

[brainanator]

dddaaaaaaaayyyyyuuuummmmmm!

[crazyjr]

You're missing a couple screws on the lower front bulk plate, Just a heads up. you need some RC-M decals to go with the BYT and the URC decals

[mamba max1]

I like it! Looks like it will be a lot more stout than a 4x4 pede.

[The Dude]

:great::great::great:

[EDS]

Overdriven ,brainator, and the dude : Thanks guys! I'm glad you guys like how it turned out!

Crazyjr: Yea...well I tried to see if Mike sells RCM decals but doesn't look like he does anymore.

mamba max: Oh yes... it is a tank compared to the 4x4.

Sorry for the lack of updates guys. I've once again been busy with school. I got a Hobbywing xerun 150a esc from hobbypartz last week to replace the HobbyKING esc that blew up. The Hobbywing esc is pretty large which caused some fitment issues in the battery box. I had two choices..to stand it up on its side..or to mount it like you would regularly mount an esc. Mounting it sideways would work..and the top wouldn't stick out from the side of the battery box but the problem was that the wires would be sticking out of the battery box in the opposite direction of the motor so wiring would've been a mess.

So, I decided to mount it like you would traditionally mount an esc...I had to enlarge the hole on the battery box by quiet a bit to make it fit...I also had bolt on a cut down RPM Stampede esc mount to mount the esc on since the side of the esc sticks out past the battery box. Mounting it like this allows the wiring to be a lot cleaner. Unfortunately, 1/4 of the esc is sticking out so perhaps later on I will make a plastic guard to protect it..but for now I think it should be fine.

Here are some pictures with the esc mounted... along with a couple of pictures showing the finished truck without the body.

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/C360_2011-09-2918-45-40.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/C360_2011-09-2918-45-29.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/C360_2011-09-2918-45-10.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/C360_2011-09-2918-45-53.jpg

After I got everything wired up I managed to take it for its first test run. I have to say it definitely has enough power. It can do controllable wheelies. Unfortunately, no standing back flips because of the center diff but its very fast and accelerates quickly . I got 20 minutes of running in before I stripped the plastic spur gear.

Today I went to change the spur gear and it takes FOREVER to change the spur gear on this because its buried under everything. I'm thinking possibly I should replace the plastic 50t spur gear I had with a steel one. I know that plastic ones are quieter and last awhile with proper mesh but I feel like if I have a steel one in there I won't have to run the chance of getting the spur gear eaten up if the motor moves. Especially, because it takes so long to change the spur. Plus the flux has a steel spur so why not my truck?

Once I get a new spur I will get some videos for you guys. Stay tuned!

[Urgeoner]

:great:That lookin crazy man. I like it alot. btw, that is plexiglass that holds the front/rear clips on, or is there other material? I'll be checking for updates 4 sure!

[Aussie Nerd]

:great: Simply the best monster truck I have seen. Now I want one! It looks like it would handle just about anything offroad with those badlands too...

Cheers
Kieren

[Savagery]

:gasp: that's one of the best builds I've ever seen, seems very durable and well made, with the body on it looks just awesome!

good job! :yes:

[Serum]

Nice and clean! Good work with the dye too.

[JoFreak]

Looks realy great!
No wasted space in there.:yes:

But one thing is missing...
The videos of this thing running!:whip:

[pietrvds]

yep i want to see this beast running too :)

[Savagery]

indeed, running vid would be awesome!:yes: :yes:

[EDS]

Sorry guys for it taking such a long time to get a video up...but I finally have one for you guys..I hope you guys aren't too disappointed...I planned on bashing it harder than what's in this video but, I don't want to mess it up too bad before I have to possibly send it to the magazine. And once I get it back from the magazine I'll be putting it up for sale. Originally I had a lot of big plans for this video but I can't put anymore money into this project as I have to focus on racing...

anyway enough talking here it is...
(and yes I know that I need to learn how to jump haha...I just build the cars I don't drive much)
LM7xvu8whqk

[EDS]

When I was taking some shoots for the video I stopped by the LHS and they has a 2wd stampede and a e-revo on display so I decided to take some comparison pictures for you guys to show you the actual size of this thing since some people are confused.. its just a tad bigger than the Stampede 2wd/4x4 but quiet bit smaller than the Revo. As you can see the Zero is BEEF compared to the stampede.

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/C360_2011-10-2115-53-44.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/C360_2011-10-2115-53-31.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/C360_2011-10-2115-54-13.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/C360_2011-10-2115-54-27.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/C360_2011-10-2115-58-02.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/C360_2011-10-2115-57-50.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/C360_2011-10-2115-57-31.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/C360_2011-10-2115-56-59.jpg

[EDS]

Announcement:

On Saturday February 18th at 7pm ET. I will be posting my project up for sale on the front page of my website.

www.teamkassanova.com

It will come with everything except a Rx/Tx. My asking price, latest pictures of everything included, and additional information will be post on the listing. I was going to post the project on ebay..so everyone could bid on it.. but ebay+paypal fees are over the top.

I'm going to ask that once the posting is posted that anyone interested will email me. I won't be taking offers till the truck is officially posted. I want to give anyone interested a fair chance.


Thank you,
Ethan

[EDS]

This project is now for sale ARTR with a custom body, tons of parts, etc for $500 shipped

For more info go too..

www.Teamkassanova.com

If your interested please EMAIL me at esimonton24@gmail.com. Please don't PM me.