Tamiya Gravel Hound DF-02 Forum

[vegasdrift]

So are you saying this is a manufacturing fault, or is this done deliberately?
I don't think it's a manufacturing error, since all kits are like that. The oil filled shocks perform better than the friction type shocks on most low end Tamiya kits. I think that is what Tamiya was aiming for. So I guess it was deliberate. You can still get by with the stock rear shocks, you just have to do some modding. The fronts seem to work well though.

[MattRX]

The stock oil shocks are ok with some thicker oil.

I have a set of the tamiya alloy shocks and I wouldn't buy them again.

To buy them in Aus thay cost me $115. This is half the price of the car.

The pistons are still a bit to loose in the shock body allowing the shock to bend when fully extended. This has caused the teflon bush that the shock shaft runs in to have its hole stretched which allows more bending .

To overcome this I have put some fuel tube over the shock shaft to stop it fully extending (approx 4mm) and fitted PCB standoffs to the ends to compensate.

If this isn't clear let me know and I will take some pics.

Overall they a not a bad quality item, but in my opinion not worth the price when other similar items are avaliable.

Matt

[crasher_craig]

Hey all,
I got me a gravel hound, put a 9T double Reedy in it, I'm battle to keep this thing straight, Went to the track and gave the .21 gas cars an absolute thumping, Just need to sort out the shocks ... Gosh they are crap for jumping. Any good ideas on this before I put my car in a race ??? I need to eat some Losi's here in SA, I'm tired of hereing them win.

[Aluma]

SA as in San Antonio? If so, you want to buy some good tire/wheels for that thing? Ever since I switched to the truck tires, I'm never going to use them again....bowties/dishwheels.

[Techpriest]

RC Driver has a review of the Tamiya Rising Storm in the December issue. Just got it today, should see it in stores soon if you don't have a subscription.

I am still very happy with my 1/8 scale buggy shocks on the rear. They are longer so the buggy does not "slap bottom" when jumping. I limited the down movement with some fuel tubing. Check around for used ones, that's how I got mine.

[CND]

*Yeah Racing (#DF001B) Alloy Front Lower Arm For DF-02 USD$10.50
*Yeah Racing (#DF002B) Alloy Rear Lower Arm For DF-02 USD$10.50
*Yeah Racing (#DF005) Alloy Bearing C-Hub For DF-02 USD$11.50
*Yeah Racing (#DF006B) Alloy Front Knuckle For DF-02 USD$10.90
*Yeah Racing (#DF007B) Alloy Rear Knuckle For DF-02 USD$9.90
*Yeah Racing (#DF008) Alloy Front Shock Tower For DF-02 USD$5.90
*Yeah Racing (#DF009) Alloy Rear Shock Tower For DF-02 USD$8.90
*Yeah Racing (#DF024F) Front Alloy Body Post For DF-02 USD$3.90
*Yeah Racing (#DF024R) Alloy Body Post Rear For DF-02 -1PR (BU) USD$3.90
GPM (#TT025) Alloy Main Shaft (Blue) For TT-01/DF-02 USD$6.90
Tamiya (#53666) Metal Motor Mount For TT-01/DF-02 USD$6.50
Tamiya (#53701) Aluminum Damper Set For DF-02 USD$45.90
Tamiya (#53787) Aluminum King Pins (Blue) For DF-02 USD$7.90
Tamiya (#53788) Turnbuckle Shafts For DF-02 USD$16.90
Tamiya (#53791) Assembly Universal Shaft For DF-02 USD$22.90

Sub-Total:USD$182.90

Or buy my friends RC10GT ready to go for half that :( My RS buggy is kinda out of action after some time spent at the sand dunes with a no limit ESC and a 7 turn motor, so it needs a few repairs haha.

[crasher_craig]

[QUOTE=Aluma]SA as in San Antonio? If so, you want to buy some good tire/wheels for that thing? E

I'm from South Africa, Onroad is very big here but offroad seems to be growing rapidly, I'm gonna use thicker oil and try slightly harder springs in the rear, the front seems to be fine, the back is just way to soft ... If that doesn't work I'll try other chocks as stated in the other comments.

[crasher_craig]

i don't think we have "Yeah racing" racing part here in South Africa, so i'm a bit limited, I will have a look into it as Tamiya parts are crazy with there pricing here. I used to race onroad HPI 1/10 gas, I won the Nationals two years ago and stopped for a while hoping the off road stuff will take off, Well it has in a big way.

Later
Crasher

[devilfish303]

Ive had my Gravel hound now for about 4 months, and have broken loads of stuff, from not particularly hard driving. this is what i have broken..

front hubs
chassis wishbone mounts
front shock tower
steering arms
rear shock tower mounting on diff cover

i have also pulled lots of screws on the chassis resorting in drilling and tapping with longer bolts...

do you guys think this car is a bit weak? or is this one of the tougher rc cars on the market.

I also have sealed the front and rear gearboxes with RTV silicone sealant, and run them in oil. this works fine with only a small oil loss out of the diff outdrives( all the bearings are sealed round the outside with RTV) this makes the care runn much more freely. i also have the spur/pinion box running in oil just sealing the motor mount on and round the top of the cover.

Devilfish

[crasher_craig]

[QUOTE=devilfish303]Ive had my Gravel hound now for about 4 months, and

The car seems to be pretty durable, What are you doing with your car that you have broken so much, I have just ordered the bath tub fram as I hit the wall with my right rear wheel and has split open the casing by the gear box, Other that that we will see, I'm racing on the 13th November so I'll see how much I break there ... It's taken quit a beating as it is. My nect step is to go for the Lost xxx4 .. need to save a bit for that one.

Later
Crasher.

[Techpriest]

do you guys think this car is a bit weak? or is this one of the tougher rc cars on the market.

The only RC I would put up against the Hound for toughness is the Traxxas Stampede and Rustler. They are only 2wd so less moving parts and that's an advantage. And maybe the Savage, never owned one but hear they are tough.

I would also have to ask, "What have you been doing to it?" You might have an unrealistic expectation of what can be done with RC vehicles.

I also wonder if you have been playing on concrete and pavement? That is very hard on parts. I have launched my hound 8' in the air, but had it land on grass every time.

Just keep in mind 30mph is 300mph in it's 1/10 scale world.

[CND]

So the 20' of air i was getting at the skatepark then landing on the flat concrete with my tt-01 last night is a bit unreasonable? ahaha

I love RC destruction

[Aluma]

I only get hopups for stuff I break, so far thats been the rear dogbones --> now CVDs and the rear drive cups-->now alumn. havent broken anything else...but I did bend the rear shock tower on a 20ft cart wheel or was it the land upside down from a jump at the track...? dunno, but I bent it back to normal.

[crasher_craig]

My GH is not even three weeks old and it looks like I've had it for years, I believe there are rims that fit the GH very well and give it more clearence for jumping, Do any of you know what they are ?

I have to get out there and clear that 6 foot jump..... Hee haa !!!

[jjmag26]

Just finished building my rising storm and thought I'd share
http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2005-4/1001102/Risingstorm016(Medium).jpg
http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2005-4/1001102/Risingstorm017(Medium).jpg

[jjmag26]

One more
http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2005-4/1001102/Risingstorm19(Medium).jpg

[crasher_craig]

Hi JJMAG26,

Please tell me what rims you have on your GH ... Looks like it's got great ground clearance.

[thundershot]

looks cool JJMAG26. Alloy HPI wheels? Anyone try a color scheme same as the Vanquish for the Risingstorm. The body looks similar I think.

[jjmag26]

Those are standard 2.2 truck tires and rims.
These are the ones with the street tires http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXM884&P=0
These are in the last pic
http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXRD77&P=0

[crasher_craig]

Thanks jjmag26

I think I'll go find meself some of those to bash around with/

[Aluma]

TA04 body posts screw into the shock towers from behind the shock mounts and you can put a truck body on...at least it'll fit in with the 1/10 gastruck boys and they'll be freaking out when your tamiya zooms by. hehehe I ran a 30.36 or so fastest lap while the best the gas guys were doing was around 34 secs a while back.

[jjmag26]

What size pinion do you guy's suggest for a chameleon 2 pro (19 turn). Thanks

[2fast2slow]

But where is all the hop-up parts

[bakabaka]

But where is all the hop-up parts

Hi 2fast2slow!

I just picked up a full set of Yeah Racing parts off ebay, most DF02 hopups can be found there. Tower Hobbies has some of the Tamiya parts as well, although they've been a bit slow at getting them in stock.

Have fun! :)

[The Plopster]

Hi 2fast2slow!

I just picked up a full set of Yeah Racing parts off ebay, most DF02 hopups can be found there. Tower Hobbies has some of the Tamiya parts as well, although they've been a bit slow at getting them in stock.

Have fun! :)

I just bought a full set too.... just waiting for them now.

How's it going bakabaka? Your DF02 page is looking good!



BTW..... both my 15t and 19t motors broke, so I'm back on a 27t Stock motor.

[Techpriest]

But where is all the hop-up parts

Not sure I understand the question.

If you want to know what parts are available I recommend you read through this forum. Also check the FAQ...
http://xyzzy.dyn.dhs.org/df02/

If you want to know where to buy them check your local hobby shop, Tower Hobbies, eBay, and www.rcmart.com among other places.

[Techpriest]

The following parts replace the Tamiya steering rods. They are much thicker and stronger. They also look pretty cool.


Having played with the buggy some more I find the RPM cups are still to tight on the balls. I used graphite to lube them and stretched them with plyers but my JR servo still can't center the wheels. I can't edit my past message, but I wanted to let everyone know that if you use RPM ball cups you will need to replace the balls with something from Losi or Associated.

I am now trying another 1/8 buggy trick and using captured ball ends. The plastic end is a loop. Inside it I put a metal ball with a hole. Add a washer and a screw and you can't get the end off without breaking anything. Will try it today and see how it works. I had the parts on hand from previous projects so no expense in trying it.

[bakabaka]

I just bought a full set too.... just waiting for them now.

How's it going bakabaka? Your DF02 page is looking good!



BTW..... both my 15t and 19t motors broke, so I'm back on a 27t Stock motor.

Hi Plopster!

It's going well. I've been playing with RC helicopters for a bit, but once these parts come in I'm going to start working on the DF-02 again. Incidentally, what happened to the 15t and 19t motors? AFAIK, they need to have the commutators cut on a lathe every now and then and have the brushes replaced. Maybe the bushings/bearings should be replaced after a while as well. What happened to actually break the motors?

Have fun! :)

[jjmag26]

Here is what I did to prevent bottoming out so bad. The top spring is stiffer so the farther they compress the stiffer it gets.

[Aluma]

the steering centering thing is the servo savers fault. I switched it to a kimborough servo saver and extended its arm. It always goes straight now. The slop in steering really isnt noticable during offroad races.... I think you'll find that out once you switch the servo saver.

[The Plopster]

Hi Plopster!

It's going well. I've been playing with RC helicopters for a bit, but once these parts come in I'm going to start working on the DF-02 again. Incidentally, what happened to the 15t and 19t motors? AFAIK, they need to have the commutators cut on a lathe every now and then and have the brushes replaced. Maybe the bushings/bearings should be replaced after a while as well. What happened to actually break the motors?

Have fun! :)


The 15t fell to bits in a head on collision and the 19t kept overheating.... I've kept them as I'm sure they are fixable but I'm WAY too lazy right now. Can't wait to get all these hop-ups. I always get my parts from an ebay seller called Dinball. Excellent stuff! I'll post pics as soon as I fit them all.

By the way, do you know of anywhere that I can get shells? I think it's time the Plopmobile had a re-vamp.

[szan]

Hi all,

I solved my pb of motor temp with a heat sink cooling fan found on Ebay in "rl0725 store". Have a look at the photos. I need to cut a bit the chassis
at the place of the on/off button and then it fits well !
So, I have now inscreased the ratio of Rising using a 10x1 motor, as it's
preserved from too hot temperatures.

Bye

[crasher_craig]

Hey JJmag26,

Depends on your roll out ... from there you can look at he correct size pinion.

[Aluma]

hmmm, as nice as that fan thing looks, imagine a landing from a big jump and it plops off and you keep going draging it along, then it catches on something which RIPS it out of your car and messes up anything attached to it. :P Besides, I thought the fan was supposed to be mounted to give air to the brush hood and not the can.

[szan]

hmmm, as nice as that fan thing looks, imagine a landing from a big jump and it plops off and you keep going draging it along, then it catches on something which RIPS it out of your car and messes up anything attached to it. :P Besides, I thought the fan was supposed to be mounted to give air to the brush hood and not the can.

We don't see on the photo, but it's well tied to the can so I don't think it
can fall easily on shocks. it helps having fresh air aroud the whole motor
so the global temp can better dissipate with the heat sink.
I supposed a fan mounted in front of the head would be better, if we had
more place in the chassis :-(

Bye

[The Plopster]

Finally got my set of YEAH Racing hop-ups in the post today. Fitted them all while substituting some of the supplied fittings (e-rings? BAH) which I suspect wouldn't be able to handle my abuse!

So here we go:

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/the_plopster_1/VERY%20NEW%202/Blue%20Metal%201%20Small.JPG
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/the_plopster_1/VERY%20NEW%202/Blue%20Metal%202%20Small.JPG

As you can see, the shell is looking very battered and is in urgent need of retirement.

[bakabaka]

Hi Plopster!

Just a head-on collision? ;) I guess that might do it. I just got the Yeah! racing parts in today, I'll be installing them this weekend. They appear at least initially to be machined well, hopefully those extra settings are as useful as they look.

As for the shells, Tamiya USA has the Gravel Hound shells and Tamiya Japan had the Rising Storm shells last I checked. It's about US $20 for a GH shell and US $24 for a Rising Storm shell, both without decals or shipping. I still have an extra Rising Storm shell, but I'm wondering if I shouldn't try painting it.

Have fun! :)

[vegasdrift]

Plopster,
You're buggy is looking awesome. I can't wait til I get my parts ordered.

[Eotz]

Hi.

Last sunsday I race for the last time this year and I used the new hop up from Yeah and GPM. First at all I'm going to say that I finish at second place in this race but at first place in the championship. :) .
In this last race finally I have some problems with the car. We ran 3 qualifying and 3 finals at 6 minutes each. About GPM parts I just have to say that they works very fine, specially the Shocks. Yeah parts work fine too except the rear lower arm. The long blue ball end bolt was very weak and was bended at the first qualifying :mad: . I think that use a bolt as long as Yeah racing's one is not a very good idea especilly if you are going to jump with the car. Soon I'm going to make a new order to rcmart and I'm going to reclace all Yeah parts excepting the shock towers by GPM parts.
I broke 2 Tamiya Universal shaft too and the One Way's spur finish totally warn along the race so I must buy a new one way to replace this part because is not sold separate :( . In any case I must admit that those were all the broken parts in 7 races (And a few warned holes in the plastic parts but this is was a easy solution problem with longest bolts and screws at the other side). I'm very happy with this car.

Bye. ;)

P.S. Sorry about my bad english :o

[devilfish303]

Anyone come up with a way to strenthen the front wishbone mounts on the chassis? might look into building a machined alloy mount and shaving the plastic off, now i have a spare (broken) chassis.....

Devilfish

[Combatcm]

I'm going to retire my TL-01B race buggy and grab a rising storm. This thing will carry matched packs and use a race radio to take on all the losi buggies. I'll use my SS5800 with it.

What stuff should I get for it? I'm looking for pure durability.

What's this chassis break problem it has? Is it the front bulkhead? What could fix that?

[vegasdrift]

I'm going to retire my TL-01B race buggy and grab a rising storm. This thing will carry matched packs and use a race radio to take on all the losi buggies. I'll use my SS5800 with it.

What stuff should I get for it? I'm looking for pure durability.

What's this chassis break problem it has? Is it the front bulkhead? What could fix that?
You'll want: an aluminum driveshaft, 8 bearings for the wheels, aluminum rear shocks( and fronts if you want them), aluminum front and rear hub carriers, and aluminum C hubs. Also, the stcok plastic hex hubs easily split in two so you'll want aluminum ones.
That should be a pretty solid setup.

I'm not sure on the chassis break problem. It has never happened to me.

[paulicat]

Not to mention that the chassis are cheap anways, so just get a backup and hang on to it.

[thundershot]

You'll want: an aluminum driveshaft, 8 bearings for the wheels, aluminum rear shocks( and fronts if you want them), aluminum front and rear hub carriers, and aluminum C hubs. Also, the stcok plastic hex hubs easily split in two so you'll want aluminum ones.
That should be a pretty solid setup.

I'm not sure on the chassis break problem. It has never happened to me.

To spend that much I'd buy a xxx4 instead. :D

[The Plopster]

The chassis seems pretty robust, I am on my second one though as I clipped an obstacle before and tore the rear gear housing open.

[vegasdrift]

To spend that much I'd buy a xxx4 instead. :D
The gravel hound with the mentioned upgrades is about $190.

[thundershot]

The gravel hound with the mentioned upgrades is about $190.

$190? The alloy shocks already cost half the kit. And I think the universals and metal outdrives are essential, too. At that price point it would be better to buy a xxx4 that's really a race buggy. Everyone knows the RS is more of a basher and indestructable kit targeted for fun than race.

[bakabaka]

Hi thundershot!

I'm sure you could hit somewhere around $190 if you didn't buy the Tamiya dampers. GPM rear dampers would more than suffice vs. the stock plastic models for significantly less, since the stock front dampers are generally fine. Certainly DF-02 buggies are not intended as racers out of the box, but I don't think there's anything wrong with putting together a raceable configuration if someone's so inclined. It wouldn't hurt for Tamiya to put out a DF-02R though. ;)

Have fun! :)

[Techpriest]

To race you might think about the steering. It is very sloppy. If I race mine more then once in a great while, I am going to have to replace all the plastic steering parts with aluminum. This will not make it stronger, I think removing the flex will make it weaker, but it will keep the wheels pointed where I want. Bashing around, so long as the wheels are in the general direction all is well. On a tight track the GH is no where near as precise as my XXX4 was. In it's favor I let a friend try it who hates Tamiya and he said, "It's not as bad as I thought it would be."

If I was looking at winning, I would look at a race buggy. It might be fun to say "I am racing a Rising Storm" but everything else about it would be a chore. I think by the time you get a RS competitive with the race class of buggies you will have as much money into it as those buggies cost, if not more. I sold my XXX4 for $120 on eBay and it was in great shape. I sold it because I was not racing much anymore and wanted a basher. I tried bashing my XXX4 and it resulted in lots of broken parts. I have bashed my GH harder and more often and broke less.

[Combatcm]

I knew it was horribly inferior, but I said "I'm racing a baja king" I had a few oval titles won with it against 1/10 trucks and I won a few races when the losi drivers had off days. But it was very fun. I got sick of the chassis breaking and the chassis camber mounts breaking. If a rising storm is a little better then a TL01B then I'd say I would have a good time with it. I had associated CVD's on all four corners, and everything GPM, it was hooked up. But I didn't like the though of a part breaking under normal use that didn't have an upgrade.

As long as the storm can rock and roll on a track and not break anything like dogbones, camber mounts, arms, the chassis, shock towers. I know tamiya has it good in the drivetrain department.

How long does it take to overhaul the chassis?

And I was also looking into the tamiya CVD's. I know you have to replace the cup joints but it also seems you need new internal gears. Are they the standard 3 gear diff like the TL01 TA02 pajero and so on...

[bakabaka]

Hi Combatcm!

I'm pretty sure you'll be happy with the DF-02's durability. There are a few points on the chassis where it can break, but breaking typically involves either hitting a wall or another vehicle, or maybe landing the wrong way. Using longer machine screws helps with the durability in some places, one example of that would be where the rear shock tower mounts on the chassis.

The stock dogbones twist pretty easily with a strong motor, so I'd say you will want to replace them with something better if you're going to race. I used them until they were twisted about 45 degrees and then picked up a set of Tobee universals (the least expensive option.) You shouldn't need to replace the internal gears unless you want a one-way or ball diff, but if you do replace the internal gears you'll need cup joints that match the new differential. The one-way and ball diff use different cup joint connectors. Tamiya's universals need a smaller cup joint than the stock version, although Square RC and Tobee have universals that use the same cup joints.

If you haven't seen the FAQ, there's a lot of info on the DF-02 here that might help with the details:

http://xyzzy.dyn.dhs.org/df02/

Have fun! :)

[Techpriest]

Somebody mentioned sealing the diffs and filling them with oil. I tried something along those lines, but have been waiting to see how well it worked after a number of runs before I mentioned it. I bought a bottle of "Smoke Away" Premium Engine Oil Treatment with Stop Leak. I simply went to the oil additive area of my local auto parts store and turned them each upside down. It took about 18 seconds for the air bubble to get from one end of the bottle to the other in this stuff, now that's thick! It is also very sticky. I brought a bottle home and removed one diff from the GH. I cleaned it out of all the grease. I took the cap off the oil and saw a metal foil seal. I punched a hole with a pencil, but did not remove the seal. I squeezed some oil into the diff and let it settle. I topped it off them put the diff back together. Oil ozzed out so I know it was full. It was very messy, do over a trash can with rags handy. Once I got the diff back together I put the outdrives back in it and set it over an empty can. I let it sit for about 24 hours. When I checked, none of the fluid had leaked. I did the other one the same way. This has given my buggy a mild "posi-traction". While not as good balls diffs for traction, it cost less then $5 and is much better then it was before. I have so much left I could clean and refill my diffs at least 10 times and not run out. So far it is working very well.

I had a ball diff rear and stripped the teeth off it. I had it set to spec and it was tight, but not to tight. It tightened on it's own after a few runs but I did not notice. It was just about locked when I started to hear the gear skipping. Can't tell for sure, but I think that helped the gear go bad. I am not going to buy a new ball diff to find out, will stick with the gear diffs now. Just thought I would mention that if you get, or have, a ball diff keep an eye on the tightness in case it changes.

[thundershot]

Hi thundershot!

I'm sure you could hit somewhere around $190 if you didn't buy the Tamiya dampers. GPM rear dampers would more than suffice vs. the stock plastic models for significantly less, since the stock front dampers are generally fine. Certainly DF-02 buggies are not intended as racers out of the box, but I don't think there's anything wrong with putting together a raceable configuration if someone's so inclined. It wouldn't hurt for Tamiya to put out a DF-02R though. ;)

Have fun! :)

I agree that its a good price point without the alloy dampers. I think the df02 should have minimal and essential upgrades. Its a good starter kit which you can totally abuse and still keep going. Equally skilled drivers on a race though would definitely be handicapped with a dfo2 if everyone else had a race buggy which has better suspension design, drivetrain, plastic/graphite materials. If there was a dfo2 spec class then that would be a different matter. Uprade all u want in this class. :D

[bakabaka]

Hi thundershot,

Yup, I'm certainly not saying the DF-02 is ideal for racing. Given enough upgrades though, it can do the job. I guess it depends on what's most important to you. If winning is everything you'd go for the highest end buggy you could get. If you're just looking to have a good time without breaking the bank, that might not be so important. Just a voice from the latter end of the fence. :D

Have fun! :)

[bakabaka]

Hi Techpriest,

Sounds interesting. The (relatively indestructible) gear diff is part of what I like about the DF-02, since I've melted a ball diff before in another RC car. Maybe I'll try filling the gear diffs with a heavy oil to see how much of a difference it makes. I have two sets of gear differentials, so it couldn't hurt to try.

Have fun! :)

[Combatcm]

The upgrade cup joints are splined so I bought the standard style diff gear to accept the spline. They were to go with the tamiya UJs. I hope that's how they were supposed to work. Hopefully I have everything to make them work.

Right off the bat I got the GPM steering links because the tamiya ones would have cost me $40 for both parts. I got the usual aluminum shaft, motor mount, and the tamiya turnbuckles.

I thought I'd try some square parts so I bought the front damper stay because I like the look of a carbon fiber front shock tower.

I figured the square "front carbon stiffener" would stiffen up the front...somehow. I looked over it and couldn't find where it goes. I bought it anyway.

A spare chassis and arms finished out my Jason's store rampage.

The GPM rear shock tower, race steering links and some clamping hubs were purchased from dinball.

Everything together was $230, I don't even have the car yet. I'll get that from tower, along with bearings in a few weeks, or as long as I can wait.

I could've got any car I wanted for $400. Heres to my DF-02 racing career...

[thundershot]

Hi thundershot,

Yup, I'm certainly not saying the DF-02 is ideal for racing. Given enough upgrades though, it can do the job. I guess it depends on what's most important to you. If winning is everything you'd go for the highest end buggy you could get. If you're just looking to have a good time without breaking the bank, that might not be so important. Just a voice from the latter end of the fence. :D

Have fun! :)

Exactly what I said. The dfo2 should have minimal upgrades. Because to upgrade it for racing spec it would break the bank. By that time get a race buggy.
In near stock form its ok and you can have fun with it coz its nearly indestructible. :D

[rczmjls]

Hi all,

There's one thing that keeps bothering me a little. Is regarding the Tamiya plastic oil filled dampers. Is it normal for them to leak a little oil from the cap? I'm constantly toping mine... Because of that, I'm running out of the Tamiya oil that came with the kit. Does anyone have tried automotive oil (it's cheaper and easier to find)?

Manuel

[bakabaka]

Hi thundershot!

That's sort of what I meant, but I wouldn't have been able to get a raceable buggy in the first place without going for something used. Having tried a used but raceable stadium truck before, an XXT, I'm much happier with hopping up the DF-02 over time. I like the fact that it has as many hop-ups as one could conceivably want. :p

Have fun! :)

[bakabaka]

Hi rczmjls!

I never had the CVA dampers, since the RTR I bought came with friction dampers so I don't know if this is common. Automotive oil wouldn't work as well though, the silicon oil used in the dampers keeps a more consistent viscosity through a wider range of temperatures. As the dampers get warmer, both with use and on warmer days, petroleum-based oils would be more likely to provide inconsistent damping.

FWIW, I'm using Team Associated damper oil for my Gravel Hound. It works well, and seems plentiful in the hobby shops around here.

Have fun! :)

[Aluma]

plastic dampers dont leak from the top, they leak from the bottom....just check the ball cup/arm and it'll look oily. If it IS leaking from the top, then you either over tightened it and stripped the threads or its loose.

[MattRX]

Once again I went head to head with a V1S at the track
This was the result after kissing a wall.
http://www.freewebs.com/mattrx/bent_dogbone.jpg
As you can see the top dogbone is undamaged, while the lower dogbone has seen better days.Surprisingly with the help of a vice and some multigrips they straighten up quite easily.



I didn't have any equipment to repair it at the track so I just pulled the front diff out and dogbones out and tried to run in two wheel drive.

There is only one thing I can say BIG MISTAKE!!. Trying to put almost any of the Novak Brushless power through the rear wheels only caused excessive wheelspin. If I accelerated very slowly I could keep it running straight, but just a light twitch on the throttle and the rear would rapidly overtake the front and shortly after the wall would come into the equation. I should have recorded a video of the car tearing down the straight and then hitting full throttle and watching the rear step out.

On my previous run I broke a front upright and decided to replace it and others with some shiney alloy bits. Here are a few pics

http://www.freewebs.com/mattrx/GHbare_above.jpg

I have fitted a Yeah Racing alloy front shock tower and steering arms. The steering arms came with crappy nylon bushes that rotated around the threads of the mounting screws. This was not satisfactory, so I bought some 8x4x3mm ball bearings and used them instead.

I also bought a Yeah Racing rear alloy shock tower, but I have not fitted it yet as I would rather drive the car (or break it as is often the case). Hopefully I will get motivated soon.

http://www.freewebs.com/mattrx/GHBare_side.jpg

I had to fit Deans Connectors in place of the regular Molex (Tamiya) connector as I have melted two. Hopefully the lower resistance of the Deans Connectors will help with performance.

http://www.freewebs.com/mattrx/GHBare_rear.jpg

The rear wing is unpainted as I could not wait to run it. The wing is an Associated 2x4.4" wing. It is astounding how much difference the wing makes when driving. If you turn hard when driving fast without the wing the rear end it very likely to pass you on the exit of a long corner, but with the wing in place the rear end stays planted to the ground. Now I just need to work on front end grip (It also protects the top of the shock towers when the car flips).

As you can see I have made some adjustable upper arms so I can dial in some static negative camber. This helps with turn in, but the front end still scrubs the outside of the tyre (due to slop and flex). I really need to reduce the static negative camber and increase the king pin inclination, but there is no easy way of doing that. Bugger.

And now some pics with the top on

http://www.freewebs.com/mattrx/gh_frontv.jpg

http://www.freewebs.com/mattrx/gh_rearv.jpg



Matt

[Combatcm]

Here is a little help

For the others, copy the url and skip the ads.

I have been down the 2wd road while racing my TL-01b, that's never pretty.

2 rocks could have shaped that axle nicely.

Mine should be here in a few hours. The options won't come in another week. I don't know what I should do with it.

[Combatcm]

I got mine yesterday. I started Building the diffs, but I con't find the spur washer and the ball bearings. I hope I didn't misplace them I've never had any issues with missing parts. I got all the other stuff.

Plus they sent some mini plastic buggies with it.

[bakabaka]

Hi Combatcm!

Hope you found the parts, that would be a bit of a disappointment. Did you find out where the front stiffener installs on the buggy?

Have fun! :)

[cds_uk]

Hi guys, i am thinking about coming out of RC retirement after about 15 years away, i always ran Tamiya back then, Super Astute and a very hopped up Manta Ray, lots of carbon fibre everywhere, lovely, anyhow i appreciate that times have changed but i used to run at a reasonable level, top boy at my old club and competative at regional rounds, i have looked into the Desert Gator for 2wd and being an old school Tamiya boy it had to be a GH / RS for 4wd. What i would like to know is as follows, at club level is there any way i could get this car competative with Losi`s, Yokomo`s, Predators etc, i am aware it will need a bit of hopping up but that is cool by me, does anyone else here race one of these cars, how does it go, my main worry is the weather, i am from sunny England, its ok for you guys out in the USA or Australia, all you have to worry about is a bit of dust most of the time, we have to worry about rain, mud, slush, snow and the rest of it, sometimes in one aftrnoons racing, how weather tight are these cars guys, thanks in advance for any help, i really appreciate it, Chris.

[bakabaka]

Hi cds_uk!

The short answer is maybe. It needs a lot of hop-ups to be competitive, and as a few people here have pointed out it ends up costing about as much as a good racing buggy once you buy everything. It's not likely that you'll have the top performer, but you'll have a solid buggy. I say go for it, just realize that it doesn't arrive equipped for competitive racing.

As for how weather-tight they are, if you keep the electric components dry you should be ok. The main drivetrain is protected from the elements, but there are holes in the bottom of the chassis you'd need to cover if you're driving through mud.

Have fun! :)

[Combatcm]

Did anyone get a lot of binding in the rear bevel gears? The front ones are fine, but the bevel gear mesh is way too close in the rear.

I put a motor in it to try to free it up, but it didn't work.

[bakabaka]

Hi Combatcm,

Is there perhaps a bit of "flash" (extra metal) on the rear bevel gear that fits on the of the driveshaft? Perhaps it isn't fitting on all the way. I haven't seen the gears bind yet. I assume you're using a Tamiya driveshaft, I believe someone once mentioned a problem with the GPM TT-01 driveshaft being too long.

Have fun! :)

[bakabaka]

Hi Combatcm!

Just curious if you've found out what was causing the rear bevel gear to mesh too tight in your Gravel Hound. Ideally I'd like to document the issue in the FAQ, in case the problem affects other people.

Have fun! :)

[paulicat]

On my Hound I had some flash on the big ring gear (the one that houses the diff gears) that caused some binding...getting rid of the flash cleared it up perfectly.

[Combatcm]

Just curious if you've found out what was causing the rear bevel gear to mesh too tight in your Gravel Hound. Ideally I'd like to document the issue in the FAQ, in case the problem affects other people.


I haven't checked it yet, but it binds intermittently when spinning, but it still has some resistance all around. I put the stock shaft in and it didn't have as much resistance, though I could still feel it binding in that one spot. I suppose I'll check for it.

But yes, it's because of the tamiya shaft. It's not longer by much, it probably could be a fraction of a mm or a little more. I might grind the top of it to see if I can free it up. I don't think it's the pin, it's the cone part on the ends that hit inside the cup.

I'm just curious if anyone has yet to break their stock center shaft.

[bakabaka]

Hi Combatcm!

You might try switching the front and rear diffs/bevel gears to see if it makes a difference. FWIW, I ran my GH for quite some time with the stock driveshaft and never broke it. That was with the Tamiya kit motor though. I replaced it with the TT-01 metal shaft when installing Novak's SS5800 brushless system, no sense taking chances with that kind of power.

Have fun! :)

[Techpriest]

Have ran my GH with Novak Brushless 5800 about 2 dozen times with stock shaft, even more with the 19turn before it, and not had it break or twist out of shape. Some driving was on a track, but most was bashing and high-jumping.

For racing you might want to get the metal shaft just to keep the transfer of power constant. With the shaft flexing I bet power transfer varies by 10%.

[Combatcm]

Meh, they are just the front wheels. I suppose I'll just keep the aluminum as a backup.

Which screws were the ones that back out? Or the ones that need to be longer.

Did the ring gear have the flash on it or the pinion?

Thanks.

[paulicat]

On mine it was the ring gear...

[bakabaka]

Hi Combatcm!

I'd recommend getting longer M3 screws for the rear shock tower mounts. Long enough to go all the way through the plastic to the other side. Additionally, I've found that Square RC's front shock tower/damper stay has screws which can loosen up after a while. I used longer M3 screws to hold the shock mounts on, and used split lock washers next to the nut to ensure it doesn't loosen during those bigger jumps. I landed the wrong way one time and the rear shock tower mount became loose, but longer screws fixed the issue.

Incidentally, I also highly recommend Yeah! racing's shock towers. They give the most adjustment out of any of the current choices, and they mount more securely than Square RC's front damper stay. I found that the Square CF damper stay had a tendency to bend the plastic that it attaches to, since it only braces against one set of the mount points on each side. The Yeah! racing damper stay braces against the same parts that the stock damper stay does. The rest of Yeah! racing's lineup isn't really anything special, and as others have mentioned GPM makes parts that might be better in other cases, but the Yeah! racing shock towers are great.

Have fun! :)

[TipsyMcStagger]

Hey guys...thanks for all of the past help. I know this isn't the place to post auction links (so I won't) but just thought I'd mention I'm selling my hardly used hopped-up DF-02 Rising Storm.

I'm sure most of you can figure out where it's listed without the need for me to break any forum rules :)

Thanks again!

Tipsy

[joostin421]

Combatcm - custom carbon fiber chassis would be nice ;)

justin

[bakabaka]

Hi joostin421!

It would be interesting, but unless Tamiya releases a carbon fiber version it's not likely to happen. The gearboxes are moulded into the chassis itself, so one would have to either create compatible gearboxes or chop up an existing chassis.

I also think some of the appeal (for me anyway) is the chassis itself, which is pretty tough and can be replaced for around $6 plus shipping if something breaks. Given the sort of abuse which a DF-02 is likely to be subjected to, that's a very good thing.

Have fun! :)

[bakabaka]

Hi TipsyMcStagger!

Sorry to see you go, hopefully you find a hobby that more suits your interests. I don't think I'll ever learn though, just added an RC sailboat to the livery a short time ago... Unbelieveable how much time rigging takes on those things.

Have fun! :)

[TipsyMcStagger]

Hi TipsyMcStagger!

Sorry to see you go, hopefully you find a hobby that more suits your interests. I don't think I'll ever learn though, just added an RC sailboat to the livery a short time ago... Unbelieveable how much time rigging takes on those things.

Have fun! :)Thanks BakaBaka...and thanks for your help.

I got a little excited when my 20 year-old Frog surfaced from the depths of mt parents basement. I thought I'd enjoy it as much now as I did then. I guess if I had some friends who were into RC, I might have enjoyed it some more. But now I just keep looking at a table full of $$$ and decided it's time to cash out :)

I'm selling a like new MRC Super Brain 969 Pro and everything else RC I have, so if you can find the Rising Storm listing, you'll be able to find my other items.

Have fun!

Tipsy

[bakabaka]

Hi TipsyMcStagger!

I was lucky in that I have a friend who is interested in RC. I was also able to get my wife interested, we have the Gravel Hound, a Wild Willy 2 which she drives, and two TB-02 touring cars (one for each of us.) Having more people definitely keeps it interesting.

Actually, my friend gave me back the XXT I sold him a while ago. He never bought a peak charger and always uses it at my place, so it's basically not much different except I repair it these days. We've been using the Tamiya cars more since he has a tendency of breaking parts on the XXT, which are becoming scarce. Perhaps it should go up on ebay while everything's still intact... Anyway, good luck with your auctions.

Have fun! :)

[bakabaka]

I sent a message to Yeah! Racing the other day regarding the bending issue on their rear suspension arm's connector. I was quite surprised to receive a rapid reply, and in fact today they let me know that they are working on a new revision which should be out in a few weeks or so. They even put the email up on their website, along with the FAQ link I sent them about their parts. They're certainly responsive, hopefully the new part will be stronger. I'll edit the FAQ article once the new part's out.

Have fun! :)

[LoudSilverado]

Just finished my Gravel Hound, thought I'd share a couple of pics:
http://tinypic.com/hst2xy.jpg
http://tinypic.com/hst35f.jpg

[bakabaka]

Hi LoudSilverado!

Nice job on the Gravel Hound and Desert Gator. It's especially interesting to see them next to some of their predecessors, in both cases you can really see changes Tamiya has made to the basic design. Bumpers, wheel size, suspension and chassis type both seem to follow a trend between the two. I'd be curious as to how you feel the performance has changed between the 2wd and 4wd buggy generations.

Have fun! :)

[LoudSilverado]

Just running the Gravel Hound next to the Boomerang. I have to say, the Boomerang/Hotshot design is totally awesome, and I'd put a brand new Boomerang with esc/motor/battery hop-ups vs. a Gravel Hound any day. But, I'm a little old school. They are all super nice, and go Team Tamiya!

[wanttorace]

i am new to r/c i just bought a gravel hound and i have been reading your forumand it is great but i am alittle confused are all the hop-up parts for the rising storm the same for the gavel hound can anyone help? :confused:

[bakabaka]

Hi wanttorace!

The hop-ups are the same between the two cars, they both use the DF-02 chassis. Have a look at the FAQ I've been maintaining, hopefully it clears a few things up:

http://xyzzy.dyn.dhs.org/df02/

Have fun! :)

[wanttorace]

Hi wanttorace!

The hop-ups are the same between the two cars, they both use the DF-02 chassis. Have a look at the FAQ I've been maintaining, hopefully it clears a few things up:

http://xyzzy.dyn.dhs.org/df02/

Have fun! :)
thanks bakabaka do you know if the hpi superstar wheels is offered by towerhobbies and are the wheels the same for the front and back can you fit road rage tires on them or what do you think would be a good tire for the street :confused:

[bakabaka]

Hi wanttorace!

Yes, Tower has them. Here's a link to the white super nitro wheels on their website:

http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXCEA0&P=7

I used the same size for front and rear wheels myself, although the original wheels are of course more narrow in the front. I've used dirt hawg tires when driving in the street since they seem to last forever, but if you find Road Rage tires that fit the Super Nitro wheels you should be able to use them. HPI of course makes a line of tires that fit the wheels too.

Have fun! :)

[rczmjls]

Hi all!

Like some of you guys, I'm using HPI Super Star wheels in my Rising Storm. I'm using it for bashing around, at the moment mainly in a dusty concrete susface. I haven't broke anything yet, despite several severe crashes, but I find the wheels a little warped, or slightly bended. Is this normal? How they compare with the stock wheels?

BR. Manuel.

[bakabaka]

Hi rczmjls!

I haven't had a problem with the wheels warping, but I imagine it depends on what sort of crashes you get into. If you hit something hard enough, something's going to bend or break no matter what you're driving. Perhaps it's the wheels in your case.

I only use the stock wheels on dirt tracks, which I don't get to see very often so I don't have much of a basis for comparison. The rest of the time I use the HPI wheels though, and they still seem to be round.

Have fun! :)

[bakabaka]

Incidentally, has anyone here tried the GPM CVDs yet? I've had a question submitted to the FAQ about them, regarding whether they need different cup joints. Unfortunately, I haven't actually seen their DF-02 CVDs yet so I don't have an answer. Documentation on them seems a bit scarce.

Have fun! :)

[wanttorace]

hi bakabaka i had a chance to review your site and it is great you sure have put alot of time into also i took your advise and bought hpi star wheels chrome and gray also i bought the dirt hawgs on friday at the lhs you seem to be the master at the df-02 so i had another question for you do you know if the tt-01 aluminum racing steering link fits the df-02 because i want to improve the steering also do you know any other way?

[bakabaka]

Hi wanttorace!

The TT-01 aluminum racing steering links do not fit the DF-02. They're a bit too small, I actually purchased a TT-01 a while ago just to compare them. There are however steering links that can be purchased for the DF-02, Tamiya part number 53865 may be what you're looking for. Square RC also has one, it's part STG17. Tamiya's aluminum steering helps a lot as well, along with the adjustable turnbuckles. GPM also has a few steering hop-ups if the Tamiya steering looks a bit pricey.

Anyway, I'm hardly a master, but I like to document what I've learned. :p

Have fun! :)

[Boostin_69]

:confused: how do you think the GH would stand up to an Evader St
cos i hav an evader and it looks as if i could just run over a GH and the GH would break

also those shocks look wimpy mine are aluminium stock and they work great

remember i have an evader st not GH but i just wanted 2 kno

[bakabaka]

Hi Boostin_69!

I doubt the Evader would do much to the Gravel Hound. I had an Evader ST some time ago, and actually still have a Losi XXT which is very similar (and very for sale...) The DF-02 is at least as durable, and even being run over by a Clod Buster and some 1/8 scale nitro monster trucks hasn't phased mine. In fact, my wife once broke one of our Clod's axles driving into my Gravel Hound. The GH made it out with nary a scratch. Durability isn't likely to be a problem.

As for the shocks, you're right in that the stock models aren't that great. I'd recommend getting some better shocks at least for the rear of the buggy, some people here have mentioned that 1/8 buggy dampers work great. I'm using Tamiya's aluminum dampers, but you might try using the Evader buggy dampers as well.

Have fun! :)

[Boostin_69]

i can do backflips with my evader
and with the stock motor

also no offense but all that tamiya cars have going for them is that they are VERY VERY durably cos of the hard plastics they use and duratrax,losi and AE have beter designs like steering and suspension and can be just as durable

well its only my 2cents

[bakabaka]

Hi Boostin_69!

*shrug* They might not be for you, although I rather enjoy them. Thankfully you've found something you like.

Have fun! :)

[Boostin_69]

i said no offense ya kno if it wasnt 4 Tamiya i wouldnt have gotten into rc

that good ol' super hornet and blazing star

[Boostin_69]

its just the i see tamiya as a begginers brand and traxxas,duratrax,losi etc. as more advanced ya kno wat i mean :)

[321 GO]

Hey Guys

Just gettin back into electric cars after a while of stuffing around with gas cars. Awesome fun but too much mucking around for someone who just wants to go bashing with mates and being a idiot.

Got a GH that rips ok with a 12 turn Speedworks and a Novak GTX . Currently rectifying the whole susp issue with a set of GPM dampers. Mounting to yeah racing towers and noticed that you need spacers here from some pics posted earlier. Are these something you would normally find at your local hob shop or does everyone just make these up themselves???

[bakabaka]

its just the i see tamiya as a begginers brand and traxxas,duratrax,losi etc. as more advanced ya kno wat i mean :)

Hi Boostin_69!

Well, with 4wd buggies there's really not much competition for the DF-02 in its price range (about $110 for a kit.) The TNX and TRF cars don't do too badly in the high end, but for those of us who aren't willing to pay $200+ for an RC car you could do a lot worse than Tamiya's lower end offerings. I don't really see Duratrax as a better manufacturer, more a Losi of yesteryear, but they're also great low end cars. They just didn't have a 4wd buggy, which is what I wanted. Otherwise I might have purchased one. To be fair, Tamiya doesn't really have a good answer to the 2wd electric stadium truck.

Have fun! :)

[bakabaka]

Hi 321 GO!

I don't think you really need the spacers, but they were generic motherboard standoffs. Have a look at the FAQ entry:

http://xyzzy.dyn.dhs.org/df02/index.php?sid=1728&lang=en&action=artikel&cat=6&id=22&artlang=en

Have fun! :)

[321 GO]

Thanks bakabaka

Definately appears they will line up better with something there. I'll give that a go! Cheers!

[bakabaka]

Hi 321 GO!

Great! Just remember, when you're done we want pics.

Have fun! :)

[321 GO]

Will do!

[Boostin_69]

ok i guess Duratrax doesnt have a 4WD buggy but if u didnt want an ST its ok
i have no problem with the tamiya but im sayin other brand have better designs and parts etc.

[bakabaka]

Hi Boostin_69!

Understood, I guess everyone has their favorites. Good luck with your Evader ST!

Have fun! :)

[Boostin_69]

Thanks bakabaka
good luck with ur GH and other cars :):):):):):)

[joostin421]

does the Gravel Hound use the same Arms as the Top Force?

thanx,

justin

[bakabaka]

does the Gravel Hound use the same Arms as the Top Force?

thanx,

justin

Hi joostin421!

Not sure, but it looks like Tamiya's re-releasing the Top Force so it should be possible to find out. Judging from the picture at tamiyausa.com, it seems to have the same wheels on it. That's about the only thing that seems identical though. Those shock towers definitely look nice.

Have fun! :)

[XSFalcon]

Hey all. I got me a Gravel Hound at the Hobby Show awhile back and with winter setting in....its time to upgrade.

I've checked a couple of the online shops for the turnbuckles to replace the upper arms but haven't had any luck.

What are the lengths for the upper arms? I may have read in an earlier post that the front is 55mm and the rear is 60mm?

So far I have purchased these hop-ups in alloy
Front & Rear Knuckles
Front & Rear Shock Tower
Front & Rear Lower Arms

If anyone has hopped-up these parts what screws do I use?

thx

[bakabaka]

Hi XSFalcon!

Ebay's usually an easy way to find the turnbuckles if all else fails. The Tamiya turnbuckle set can currently be found in this auction, amongst others:

http://cgi.ebay.com/53788-Tamiya-DF02-DF-02-Turnbuckle-Shafts-Gravel-Hound_W0QQitemZ6012580215QQcategoryZ34063QQssPageN ameZWD1VQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

I've picked up several parts from Jason's Store on ebay, they've always been very responsive. I never did measure the turnbuckles though, I really should do that sometime.

As for the other parts, which manufacterer's parts are you using? I have all of Yeah Racing's parts on my buggy, with the exception of the rear lower arms.

Have fun! :)

[XSFalcon]

bakabaka,

GPM Racing Parts
Front & Rear Knuckle
Front & Rear Lower Arms
Front & Rear Shock Tower

3Racing
Motor Heat Sink

I'll have to grab some of the ball connectors if I order those from Jason's ebay store or did it come with? 5mm?

I have ordered from www.rcmart.com, he also has an ebay store(http://stores.ebay.com/Dinball) but his prices are less on his store website.

On his store, he has the alloy fixed upper arms which are $4.50 a piece.

The manual states the turnbuckles are 38mm.

Which would I benefit from more? the fixed alloy tie rods or the adjustable tie rods?

[mailboxck]

Hi joostin421!

Not sure, but it looks like Tamiya's re-releasing the Top Force so it should be possible to find out. Judging from the picture at tamiyausa.com, it seems to have the same wheels on it. That's about the only thing that seems identical though. Those shock towers definitely look nice.

Have fun! :)

The topforce is an old car. The arms of the top force are 2 piece moulded plastic that is held by 2 screws. They're really rigid but kinda heavy. I dont think tamiya does this anymore. But the top force is one good car. The top force chassis + short arms is actually the tamiya ta01 chassis, the very 1st touring car in the world :D

[bakabaka]

Hi XSFalcon!

Unfortunately, I'm not sure about the GPM parts. I believe the turnbuckles should come with everything you need. Whether you want them or the fixed tie rods depends on what you are looking for. If you want durability, you can't really beat a good solid piece of metal. If you want adjustability, the hop-up turnbuckle set is better.

I'd be interested in your experience with the 3racing motor mount. The Tamiya TT-01 motor mount is a bit loose, if the 3racing fits tightly it might be time to upgrade.

Have fun! :)

[bakabaka]

Hi mailboxck!

Interesting, ironic then that the DF-02 chassis is strongly based on an on-road (TT-01) chassis.

Have fun! :)

[XSFalcon]

Bakabaka,

The motor mount is pretty snug. RcMart has alot to choose from.

The 3Racing Heat Sinks are #MHS001 (enter that in the search)

Oddly enough the parts came with the spacers & pins with e-clips and a couple screws. Once I have everything done, I'll see what I need.

I ordered the fixed alloy tie rods, hopefully they come with screws to mount.

I got my Gravel Hound as a RTR at the show. Did anyone find that there was no damper fluid in the shocks? Mine just had a little bit of grease in them!?

[bakabaka]

Hi XSFalcon!

My mistake, I was thinking of the motor mount rather than the heat sink. Anyway, the RTR is a bit different from the kit version. The original dampers work by friction rather than oil damping, here's a more or less complete breakdown of the differences between the RTR and the kit:

http://xyzzy.dyn.dhs.org/df02/index.php?action=artikel&cat=1&id=15&artlang=en&highlight=rtr

I had also purchased an RTR, although I've hopped up so much on mine there aren't any real differences aside from the orange shell.

Have fun! :)

[XSFalcon]

So there the differences are.

What have you done to mod your Gravel Hound?

[bakabaka]

What haven't I done? :) So far, I have the Tamiya aluminum dampers; Tamiya hop-up turnbuckle set; Tamiya Aluminum driveshaft; Tamiya 67t spur gear; Every Yeah Racing DF-02 hop-up, in one package off ebay; Tobee universals on all 4 wheels; Tobee outdrives; HPI wheels; Pro-Line Dirt Hawg tires; Novak Super Sport brushless system; Futaba 2PL radio; a Futaba metal gear servo; and I purchased two Rising Storm shells to try my hand at painting. Quite a bit really, and I've replaced a few hop-ups that I didn't mention, but it's been hopped up over quite some time.

Have fun! :)

[bakabaka]

I should also mention a full set of bearings. That's absolutely the first thing to do, get those plastic bushings out of the wheels. Luckily, the drivetrain already has bearings so you only need to get 8 wheel bearings to complete the set.

Have fun! :)

[XSFalcon]

I've ordered some parts from RCMart. Most of the parts I have ordered are the GPM Racing and unfortunately I ordered the Yeah Racing C-Hub.
Not Compatible with the GPM Alloy Knuckles.

I'll show pics when I get home.

[windellmc]

The Top Force is essentially a hopped up Manta Ray. The Dirt Thrasher is a Manta Ray with a different body. The Blazing Star is a Manta Ray with different wheels, tires, and body. They all use the same lower arms as the Top Force. The biggest problem with the Manta Ray based cars is that the drivetrain has trouble handling low turn mods. Otherwise the suspension is not bad and would probably be more than a match for the GH.

[bakabaka]

Hi windellmc!

Cool, I may have to get one of the re-release kits to see how it goes together. Always fun to build another one. It'd be interesting to see how one fared against my hopped up Gravel Hound.

Have fun! :)

[bakabaka]

Hi XSFalcon,

Ouch! I'll have to make a note of that in the FAQ pages. I haven't tried any of the GPM parts yet myself, I wasn't aware some of the parts were incompatible. Anyone else with experience on mixing and matching GPM/Yeah Racing parts?

Have fun! :)

[XSFalcon]

Bakabaka,
I may have spoken too soon. The top and bottom alignment of the holes from visual looked off, but when I tried it, it looked ok. I don't have the car fully assembled yet, as the original screws and the hop-ups screws are incompatible.
I am waiting for the tie rods and maybe I'll get some compatible screws with those.
Keep you posted.

[XSFalcon]

Is there a way I can post more than 1 pic?

[bakabaka]

Hi XSFalcon,

Ah, good to hear they're compatible. I wasn't sure how they could make it compatible with the stock parts, but not other hop-up parts. FWIW, I'm using Tamiya's hop-up aluminum screws with the Yeah Racing C-hubs and they seem to work fine. I haven't tried the originals that came with the DF-02 though.

Incidentally, I don't think it's possible to post more than one picture in one message without hosting them yourself. Ifyou have a website where you can post them, you can reference the pictures through a URL.

Have fun! :)

[fabolousRC]

Is there a way I can post more than 1 pic?

you can but you have to upload it from another website

[pj3373]

I've got a XB Rising Storm RTR on it's way for X-mas. Did my research, and decided that would be a good starter vehicle for me. Can't help but remembering the punk down the street that had the awesome Frog when I was growing up, that my family couldn't afford the $$$.

I've got a boat load of hop ups coming from Yeah, GPM and others coming. I've already got Dean's connectors on all the batts and charger..... Can't wait to play. My plan is to put the parts on a few at a time to see how it changes the way the vehicle performs. Once I get the parts, I'll post a list, I'm interested if any of you have suggestions for what to put on first and what order to put them on.... I want to learn as much as I can since I got the RTR and not the kit.

Happy Holidays
PJ

[bakabaka]

Hi pj3373!

From my experience, full bearings should be first, and then some oil filled dampers. Changing these two will make the biggest difference in performance on the RTR. A set of universals/CVDs and maybe metal cup joints/outdrives will make a difference too.

Have fun! :)

[newB]

I just ordered my first RC car - the Gravel Hound. Any way to increase ground clearance on this car? I was considering getting a truck instead of a buggy for the increased clearance, but like the look, speed, and maneuverability of the buggy. Thanks!

[bakabaka]

I just ordered my first RC car - the Gravel Hound. Any way to increase ground clearance on this car? I was considering getting a truck instead of a buggy for the increased clearance, but like the look, speed, and maneuverability of the buggy. Thanks!

Hi newB!

There are a few ways, depending on what you want out of it. You could try bigger tires, longer shafts for the dampers or extenders at the end of the damper's shaft. Have a look at the two following links:

http://xyzzy.dyn.dhs.org/df02/index.php?action=artikel&cat=6&id=6&artlang=en

http://xyzzy.dyn.dhs.org/df02/index.php?action=artikel&cat=6&id=22&artlang=en

Have fun! :)

[newB]

Thanks bakabaka! I'll give those a try.

[pj3373]

Bakabaka knows his stuff - no doubt about that! :)

Here's what I received from Dinball today (received everything as promised):
(some of this came in one kit, but I've listed ):

Yeah Racing Bearing For Tamiya TT-01 & DF02
Team Orion Katana 23T TL Motor
Yeah Racing 1.2mm Short Body Clips
Tamiya DT-02 Aluminum Motor Heat Sink
Yeah Racing Alloy Front Lower Arm
Yeah Racing (#DF002B) Alloy Rear Lower Arm
Yeah Racing (#DF005) Alloy Bearing C-Hub
Yeah Racing (#DF006B) Alloy Front Knuckle
Yeah Racing (#DF007B) Alloy Rear Knuckle
Yeah Racing (#DF024F) Alloy Front Body Post
Yeah Racing (#DF024R) Alloy Rear Body Post
Yeah Racing (#DF011) Titan Turnbuckle Set
GPM (#DF2028) Alloy Front Shock Tower
GPM (#DF2030) Alloy Rear Shock Tower
GPM (#DF23100R) Alloy Rear Damper
GPM (#DF2375F) Alloy Front Damper
GPM (#DF2048) Alloy Steering Assembly
GPM (#DF2054) Alloy Front Upper Arm (Tie Rod Design)
GPM (#DF2201F) Alloy Front Body Post
GPM (#DF2201R) Alloy Rear Body Post

Once I start upgrading I'll start posting pictures. I am going to run it a bit stock, then my plan is to add bearings and the rest of the parts a few at a time - probably focus on suspension stuff first, motor last (once I've learned how to drive it ok with the stock).

Probably could have bought something else, but I like all the aluminum goodies, can't help it. :)
PJ

[bakabaka]

I don't know if anyone's tried this, but the Yeah Racing front lower arms come with a short extender (that I didn't use) to connect to the dampers. I have the Square RC damper connectors in front, so I didn't need them. Instead, I recently placed the extender on the front steering knuckles where they connect to the turnbuckles. Bump steer is now pretty much history, since it corrects the angle nicely.

Have fun! :)

[pj3373]

Bakabaka-
I might try it, but it sounds like you've found a better use for them...

[321 GO]

Do I remember seeing an earlier post about installing bolts for the rear shock tower that go all the way through the mounts on top of the diff casing??.

I have a Yeah Racing shock tower and every time I roll the car now the tower missaligns itself at this point and the rear susp seizes..

[bakabaka]

Hi 321 GO,

If you have that problem, you'll want M5 screws that can go either nearly or completely through the top of the diff casing. About 3cm would suffice, a little longer would let you put a nut on the other side to tighten it down. I wouldn't go any longer than 3.5cm though.

Have fun! :)

[321 GO]

Thanks bakabaka..

[XSFalcon]

Hey pj3373,

Let me know if the screws for the front shock tower and tie rods are long enough. **You will most likely have to use part MA1 - the 3x22mm tapping screw**

It would nearly be easier if they supplied e-clips in pairs of varied sizes. I am having a hell of a time with the screws that came with the GPM parts.

[pj3373]

Thanks for the heads up. I was planning on taking a bunch of pictures throughout this, so I can post them, or give them to Bakabaka to put on his website to help others, or something like that. I may stop by the hobby shop and pick up those screws.

[bakabaka]

I'm definitely interested in hearing about experience with the GPM parts. I haven't used any of them myself, and the more knowledge there is available, the easier it'll be for others. Incidentally, I hadn't seen the Yeah Racing titanium turnbuckles before. I'll have to add that part to the FAQ.

Have fun! :)

[XSFalcon]

I recently installed the GPM (#DF2054) Alloy Front Upper Arm (Tie Rod Design) & GPM (#DF2057) Alloy Rear Upper Arm.

The steering is now out of alignment and I'll have to install the turnbuckles to connect the front knuckle to the steering assembly.

Stay away from the Alloy Drive Washer Set - the screw that holds the washer to the drive shaft strips very easy. I've gone back to using my original plastic washers.

There are 2 turnbuckles sets that I found :
YeahRacing (DF011) & Tamiya (53788) with tool.

What I have ordered so far:
1 x GPM (#DF2028) Alloy Front Shock Tower -1pc (BU) (DF2028)
1 x GPM (#DF2030) Alloy Rear Shock Tower -1PC (BU) (DF2030)
1 x GPM (#DF2055) Alloy Front Lower Arm -1pr (BU) (DF2055)
1 x GPM (#DF2056) Alloy Rear Lower Arm -1pr (BU) (DF2056)
1 x GPM (#DF2021) Alloy Front Knuckle Arm -1pr (BU) (DF2021)
1 x GPM (#DF2022) Alloy Rear Knuckle Arm -1pr (RD) (DF2022)
1 x 3Racing (#MHS001/R) Motor Heat Sink For 540 Motor (RD) (MHS001/R)
1 x *Yeah Racing (#TT001) Alloy Drive Washer Set For TT01/DF02 (BU)/(51076) (TT001)
1 x *Yeah Racing (#DF005) Alloy Bearing C-Hub For DF-02/(51076) (DF005)
1 x GPM (#DF2054) Alloy Front Upper Arm (Tie Rod Design) -1PR (BU) (DF2054)
1 x GPM (#DF2057) Alloy Rear Upper Arm (Tie Rod Design) -1PR (BU) (DF2057)

[bakabaka]

Hi XSFalcon,

If you're going to get a set of turnbuckles. I'd recommend the Tamiya set at this point. It comes with parts for the front, rear and one for the link between the servo and steering arm. The adjustment tool isn't all that great, but it can do the job.

Have fun! :)

[pj3373]

XSFalcon-

Thanks for sharing, sorry to hear you're having difficulty....
That makes a good case for my plan to put on only a few parts at a time, so if I need to I can remove any parts if they cause a problem....

Any chance you can post some picks? Sounds like you have a pretty cool car!

[nitro_n00b]

here's a rear view of my gravel hound with the GPM parts I just ordered. only replaced the rear shock tower, rear upper arms, and front and rear shocks.

I had some problems fitting the rear shocks to the shock tower and had to use the spacers that came with the tower, but once I did that, it seemed to go ok. I've taken it for a bash, but the real test will be today on the track.

Oh yeh, I found that screwing the shocks down too tight results in the rubber bladder falling inside the shock and oil coming out the top blow hole every time the shock compresses. So I haven't tightened the front ones up too much and I'll see if they come loose.

Although the Yeah Racing parts look much higher quality, I just couldn't resist the red anodized GPM parts...

[bakabaka]

Hi nitro_n00b,

How did it go at the track? I'd be curious esp. as to how well the rear dampers are able to keep the buggy from bottoming out on jumps. The Tamiya aluminum dampers are good in front, but the rear could use a bit more damping I think.

Have fun! :)

[nitro_n00b]

they were really good. I haven't yet fiddled with screwing down the springs, so they're still on default settings, but I did bleed the oil in the front shocks and replaced them with Tamiya blue (500 or 600 weight?)

The track I run on is on top of an old rubbish dump, so the surface is quite bad -- especially the straight. It's really rough, and always rocks are always appearing, even bits of glass. With the old default shocks the hound bounced EVERYWHERE down the straight. With the GPM shocks, it was much smoother. Still a few bounces, but man, what a difference.

Eventually I'll get aluminium front shock towers, front arms, and the lower rear arms...

[smileyboy]

I have read through about 35 pages. I am tired of reading :P. I have a few questions that are still not clear.
1. Shocks: I saw the Tamiya ones on Tower. But, I was wondering how the GPM shocks would hold up in a race. Also, I was wondering if someone would be able to provide a link for the duratrax shocks and any additional parts needed.

2. What about the steering stablizer? Tower Hobbies has discountnued it. Who else has it for sale?

3. Does anyone recommend any of the other GPM/Yeah parts for racing

4. What is a good ESC to pick up for racing and bashing? Gotta have the reverse?
thanks

[smileyboy]

BTW, I just picke dup a RTR Gravel Hound (too lazy to build it :) ) I love it. This is going to be fun to hop up. I have fliped this buggy no less than 10 times. Nothing is broken. I could not have done that with my XXX-4

[nitro_n00b]

www.rcmart.com sells the GPM/YR stuff.

[smileyboy]

I know where to buy it. My question is how is the performance under bashing. Especially the shocks. R they decent enough to jump and NOT bottom out?

[nitro_n00b]

I posted just before you did, so read post #1404. It has what I think of the GPM shocks. Yes, they're good, but it should be noted that I haven't used the Tamiya aluminium shocks, I'm only comparing the GPM ones to the plastic oil filled ones that came in the kit.

But those plastic ones for me would bottom out hard every time, and that caused things to always work their way loose.

[bakabaka]

Hi smileyboy,

This is my take on the last three questions, since I haven't tried the GPM shocks:

2. I assume that by steering stabilizer you're talking about the aluminum steering kit. I typically get parts through ebay, but rcmart carries them as well:

http://www.rcmart.com/catalog/default.php?cPath=595_424_744_712&sort=1a&filter_id=14

3. If you're going to race, I definitely recommend Yeah Racing's shock towers. They have more adjustment options than any of the currently available parts from other manufacturers.

4. I'm using the Novak SS 5800 brushless system, which fits the buggy perfectly. It's been noted that the Novak XRS is not a good ESC for the DF-02 though, since it has a tendency to overheat.

If you haven't looked through it already, I've condensed a fair amount of the information that's gone through this thread in a FAQ:

http://xyzzy.dyn.dhs.org/df02/

Happy holidays! :)

[smileyboy]

Sweet thank for the tips. Question is it really neccasary to go through the validation process for rc-mart.com? it seems a litte nuts to do all that.

NE way I got the following:1 x GPM (#DF2048) Alloy Steering Assembly -3pcs Set (BU) (DF2048) GPM (#DF23100R) Alloy Rear Damper (100mm) -1pr (BU) (DF23100R)
GPM (#DF2375F) Alloy Front Damper (75mm) -1pr (BU) (DF2375F)
Hot Racing (#TT12506) Alloy Main Shaft (BU) For TT-01/DF-02 (TT12506)
GPM (#DF2028) Alloy Front Shock Tower -1pc (BU)/(51075) (DF2028)
GPM (#DF2030) Alloy Rear Shock Tower -1PC (BU)/(51075) (DF2030)
GPM (#DF2054) Alloy Front Upper Arm (Tie Rod Design) -1PR (BU) (DF2054)
GPM (#DF2055) Alloy Front Lower Arm -1pr (BU)/(51077) (DF2055) GPM (#DF2056) Alloy Rear Lower Arm -1pr (BU)/(51077) (DF2056)GPM (#DF2057) Alloy Rear Upper Arm (Tie Rod Design) -1PR (BU) (DF2057)

What esc would u all order, for bashing and racing?
thanks

[bakabaka]

Question is it really neccasary to go through the validation process for rc-mart.com? it seems a litte nuts to do all that.

To be honest, I don't know. I actually had an order queued up on their website until I saw the validation process. I'm impatient so I just decided to get it from their ebay store (Dinball). It was cheaper to get the parts directly from them last I checked, but I didn't want to wait for validation and then shipping.

Happy holidays! :)

[smileyboy]

It seems like a pain in the butt. When do they ship and how long does it take?
thanks again

[smileyboy]

It seems like a pain in the butt. When do they ship and how long does it take?
thanks again

[smileyboy]

Sorry for the double post.

[bakabaka]

It's been a while, but IIRC I received it maybe 4 or 5 days after the order. Not bad considering where it has to come from, US customs and the like. I live in California though, so being on the coast near a few port cities probably helps.

Happy holidays! :)

[XSFalcon]

I've ordered from RCMart a couple times and each order takes about 8 days and I live in Toronto.

[bakabaka]

Hi XSFalcon,

Were you able to get the GPM parts installed yet? I'd be curious as to how well everything fits together.

Happy holidays! :)

[sljm]

Hmm been reading for the pass few hours on the thread ever since i got my Gravel hound, what spring options other than the tamiya ones are there ? Cause my LHS all seem to run out of the DF-02 spring set...

[bakabaka]

Hi sljm,

The first thing to try would be to ask your hobby shop if they can order it, just bring the Tamiya part number with you and ask them to get a set from Tamiya. If you haven't purchased upgraded dampers yet, you may want to consider GPM or Duratrax dampers instead, which IIRC allow you to use Losi springs. You might also want to try ebay, an online shop, or perhaps ordering direct from Tamiya.

Have fun! :)

[smileyboy]

I ordered all my suspension stuff and got ball bearings too. I guess, i'll get a esc and motor at a different date.

Got my wife one too. this should be fun.

[smileyboy]

What about CVD's I didn't see any references to thosw on your FAQ, bakabaka (whats that mean anyway :) ). Where can I buy those? Thanks again..

[bakabaka]

Hi smileyboy,

The article's here:

http://xyzzy.dyn.dhs.org/df02/index.php?action=artikel&cat=2&id=30&artlang=en

Looks like I need to update the keywords on it to include the term CVD. Anyway, as mentioned I typically get these parts from an ebay store, Jason's Store tends to stock the Square RC parts and Dinball tends to stock what Jason's store doesn't.

As for bakabaka... Well, it's Japanese. I'm sure you can find a reference to it somewhere.

Have fun! :)

[pj3373]

:D Ok, so here's how my X-mas experience went this morning (I hope you see the same humor I did):

7:15 am - woken up by 8 year old wanting to open presents

7:30 am - First cup of coffee down, unwrapping my present - New RTR XB Rising Storm

8:30 am - all presents opened, time for breakfast, then help 8 year old with his presents needing some assembly

10:00 am - ready for maiden voyage of Rising Storm. Switch out tires and wheels for HPI 5 stars.

10:02 am - Rear right wheel comes loose, able to find bearing and retainer nut, but the locking wheel nut is hopelessly lost.

10:05 - Let the wife know, the batmobile lost a wheel, sit at the kitchen table until 1 pm working on replacing rear suspension with hop up parts. Status - not complete - have to leave to grandma's.....


This ought to be a mastercard commercial... LOL :D

Current status - picked up replacement wheel nuts (with spares from LHS).

Lesson learned - always check nuts to see if they work loose from a new installation......

[bakabaka]

Lesson learned - always check nuts to see if they work loose from a new installation......

Been there, done that. ;) I find a bit of loctite helps a lot if you think a part might fly off.

Have fun! :)

[szan]

Been there, done that. ;) I find a bit of loctite helps a lot if you think a part might fly off.

Hi all,

I agreee with bakaka, I have upgraded with full Yeah Racing hop-ups, and I had to put some loctite on every screws. Before that, a lot of them flyed off at each run !

bye

[pj3373]

I've downloaded some of the pics that people have uploaded here, of the front and rear suspensions, that include new hop ups. I had assumed that everything would be a 1 for 1 swap, the new kits come with a lot of additional pieces that weren't needed for the original parts. Any pics that you have of your set up that you could post would be much appreciated.

PS - hope everyone is having a great holiday.

Thanks
PJ

[gsm2004]

Hi all
Have just got myself a Rising Storm DF-02 chassis and I am looking to buy some parts from Square or GPM. Apart from ebay can anyone tell me some stores where I can get the parts. I am in Australia but I will buy from all around the world.

Regards
GSM

[pj3373]

www.rcmart.com

Carries GPM, YEAH, and Tamiya.

www.tamiyausa.com

Has quite a bit of information, a few hopups.

There's also good old ebay.

[bakabaka]

Hi gsm2004,

For RC Square (and Tobee) parts, I've typically purchased from Jason's Store on ebay. If your Japanese is good, there are a few vendors in Japan who will ship internationally as well. The ones I've dealt with can do a bit of English through electronic translation, but their catalogues/prices are all in Japanese. It's typically easier to go through ebay.

Have fun! :)

[bakabaka]

Hi pj3373,

I'll take some pictures and put them up shortly. The Yeah Racing parts might go on a bit differently from the GPM parts, but they're probably similar enough to give you an idea.

Have fun! :)

[wanttorace]

hey how is everyone hope you had a good christmas i had one question i have 2 df-02 and both seem to have the same problem that when the front wheels are straight one wheel seems to be going in another direction and not straight and they are new and it has not run in to anything anyone have any ideas?

[bakabaka]

Here's the pictures of my DF-02 with Yeah Racing suspension parts installed. It also shows the method I used to eliminate bump steer, in case anyone is interested in doing something similar.

http://xyzzy.dyn.dhs.org/camera/gravel-hound/yeah-racing-mods/

Have fun! :)

[bakabaka]

when the front wheels are straight one wheel seems to be going in another direction

Hi wanttorace!

It sounds like you might have a bit too much toe out or toe in, one of the turnbuckles might be longer than the other, or perhaps your steering is miscalibrated. It's difficult to tell from the description. Do you have any pictures of the problem?

Have fun! :)

[pj3373]

Bakabaka -
Thanks for posting the pictures, that's a big help to see it done right. I made the mistake of thinking the aftermarket kits are 1 for 1 switches with the OEM parts. Not at all.

I've got a few more pics to snap and I will post some pics. I've got it up and running, this thing is a blast. I especially like the GPM shocks with the adjustable collars for spring tension. Very nice.

I'm trying to switch out the motor for a Team Orion 23T, but I can't get the pinion gear off - set screw is ridiculously tight. I found a new one at the LHS, but they only have 18 or 20 tooth, not 19 like the stock....

[wanttorace]

sorry bakabaka i can not take apicture to help but i did see all your hop-ups and they look sweet i had one question the tobee universalshafts you have what are the cups at the other end called are they called"tobee craft gear box joints" i am not sure i want to order the universal shaft but i want to get the other end to have a complete set also i liked the turnbuckles you got so i am going to get those to did 1 set do the whole hound?i will be ordering from jasons store on ebay thanks for the help hope to here from you soon.

[bakabaka]

Hi wanttorace,

The turnbuckle set is from Tamiya, and yes, it does the whole chassis. They replace the turnbuckles, the connector from the servo to the steering crank, and the front and back upper arms. Each link is now adjustable where there were no adjustments before on my RTR, so it's definitely a good investment.

As for the cup joints/outdrives, yes, that's what they're called. The Tobee parts may not be the lightest or prettiest of the aftermarket cup joints, but they're solid and well balanced. For a basher like myself they're perfect.

Have fun! :)

[pj3373]

sorry bakabaka i can not take apicture to help but i did see all your hop-ups and they look sweet i had one question the tobee universalshafts you have what are the cups at the other end called are they called"tobee craft gear box joints" i am not sure i want to order the universal shaft but i want to get the other end to have a complete set also i liked the turnbuckles you got so i am going to get those to did 1 set do the whole hound?i will be ordering from jasons store on ebay thanks for the help hope to here from you soon.

Hey Wanttorace - I'm not sure about the cups, but here's some advice on the turnbuckles:

Don't buy the YEAH racing ones, they suck. I have them, and they're crap. Here's a link so you know what not to get:
http://www.rcmart.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=595_424_744_712&products_id=16191

Here's another place to get a good set (Tamiya Brand):
http://www.rcmart.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=595_424_744_712&products_id=11698
$16.90 + $$$ shipping & handling

Or you can order straight from Tamiya - $29.00 + $6.00 s/h
http://www.tamiyausa.com/product/item.php?product-id=53788

I've seen this set on some other nice hounds/storms on here, and from the pictures Bakabaka posted, I'd be willing to bet that's what he's got.

I've had good luck with rc mart so far, just order your stuff all at once so you save on shipping. They've got a very comprehensive list of hop ups for the DF-02 chassis.

Good luck.

[bakabaka]

Hi pj3373,

Good to know about the Yeah Racing turnbuckles. The Tamiya set is quite reasonably priced and high quality, so there's little incentive to use another manufacturer's on the DF02 IMO.

Incidentally, did you get the pinion off the stock motor? The first time I removed mine it took quite a bit of effort, I thought I was going to strip the hex wrench. Give it just a bit more effort, possibly a bit of WD-40, and it should come off. If you want to get another pinion, I'd recommend getting a set of Robinson Racing metric pinions. They use SAE set screws, which was a bit of a surprise when I got them, but the pinions themselves do seem quite strong. Tower Hobbies carries them, just search for "metric pinion".

Have fun! :)

[pj3373]

Bakabaka -
No I haven't had any luck getting the pinion off, but I will try the WD 40. If not, I will use the 20 tooth - not listed with a 70 on your web page, but I think I get it - If I follow the logic, it would be 45 degrees from the top, or 225 degrees to be correct.

I'm going to go figure out how to upload these pics I've been taking.

See ya.

[smileyboy]

Anyone have any batteries they recommend? I would like something for bashing and racing. Thanks

[smileyboy]

I got a dumb question for you all.

I just installed 8 of the 10 bearings for the drivetrain. Where do the rest of them go? I wish I had the non-RTR directions for thw DF-02 chasis.

[OneyedK]

Hi all... new to this forum ;-)

I order my batteries from: http://nrgdynamics.co.uk/
It's actually a one-man-shop, service and batteries are really good...
Tried Sanyo and Nosram before...
Best to mail chris@nrgdynamics.co.uk before you order, the man can give you great tips and tricks...

I have a question myself. Noticed that not many people have accidents with GH and DS... Guess you all are too careful :p

I started off with one Desert Storm kit... After breaking the front suspension tower, I bought a 2nd hand DS RTR, very cheap to have quick replacement parts... Ended op with two buggies... I have two sons, so in no time I had two non-running buggies... (front tower broke again in DS and one kingpin lost from the DS RTR)... Again, spareparts needed quickly :D so I bought a GH kit to fix the two others...

So atm:
DS all ball bearing, Nosram Vision 17x2/Magnum reverse, alu drive shaft, alu motor heatsink and alu motor mounting, Carson suspension with "oil 600", Titan Turnbuckle Set...

DS RTR all ball bearing, Graupner Speed 600BB, stock ESC, stock suspension wth extra washers and "oil 600" alu drive shaft, alu motor heatsink and alu motor mounting, Titan Turnbuckle Set...

GH (under construction) all ball bearing, Titan Turnbuckle Set, Alloy Main Shaft, Alloy Complete Hop Ups Set (Yeah Racing), Aluminum Damper Set, Aluminum King Pins, Alloy Drive Washer Set...
I tried to run it in 2WD configuration, but that was a complete disaster, even with the stock engine...

Now, the questions:
Would the GH benefit from TT-01 ball differentials? And how?
What motor and ESC should I choose?
--> The graupner with stock ESC is actally more fun to drive than the 17x2 engine (tried all possible pinion-combinations with the 70Tspur)
We drive mostly on mixed terrain, strip of asphalt combined with grass and rough construction area...
I considered brushless, but the onces available here don't seem to have a reverse (and yes, we have use for that with our driving "style" :rolleyes: )

:o euhm... and what is a "CVD"??? :o

Any hints? (sorry for the long post, promise I will be brief next time ;) )

[OneyedK]

I got a dumb question for you all.

I just installed 8 of the 10 bearings for the drivetrain. Where do the rest of them go? I wish I had the non-RTR directions for thw DF-02 chasis.
Euhm... There are only 8...

4x RB1 (1150) --> differentials
4x RB3 (1280) --> front and rear near propeller shaft (if you have two extra ball bearings, that means you used the plastic bearings in the worng place :D )

[smileyboy]

no.... I just ordered ball bearings. I installed 4 in the front and 4 in the rear

[OneyedK]

oups... sorry... my technical english is not as good as it should be :o

So you ordered ball bearings for the wheel axles?
In that case, 2/wheel... = 8 = complete ;-)

[smileyboy]

ok cool. I thought that 12 were needed?! That is what bakabaka's FAQs say????????

[OneyedK]

Depends... The RTR models came with at least 4 ball bearings installed...
So, in that case, you need the additional 12...
The models I have all came with 8, so I only needed 8 extra...

[smileyboy]

So where do the rest go? Can someone send me a pdf of the kit instructions?

[OneyedK]

http://tamiya.com/english/rc/manuals.htm

;)

[bakabaka]

Hi smileyboy,

Just put the bearings on either side of the wheel axles. Plastic bushings (bearing-shaped plastic pieces) came with the kit, you want to remove these and replace them with the bearings. After the bearings are added, you should notice the car coasts along better when the motor is not being given power.

Have fun! :)

[smileyboy]

I did that. But, i thoguht more were needed. that is what is stated here.http://xyzzy.dyn.dhs.org/df02/index.php?action=artikel&cat=2&id=12&artlang=en&highlight=bearings

[bakabaka]

Hi smileyboy,

I see! That's a slight typo. The first number should have been 16, not 12. There is a place for a total of 16 bearings in the DF-02 chassis, including the axles:

2 5x11 bearings for the front of the driveshaft
2 5x11 bearings for the rear of the driveshaft
8 5x11 bearings, 2 on each axle
2 8x12 bearings for the front differential
2 8x12 bearings for the rear differential

You may well already have everything installed, I'll fix the FAQ entry.

Have fun! :)

[smileyboy]

Does the RTR come with any ball bearings?

[bakabaka]

Does the RTR come with any ball bearings?

Hi smileyboy,

Yes, the driveshaft and differentials come with bearings on both the kit and RTR as per the article. Only the first "12" was incorrect, since it was supposed to be the total number of bearings on the DF-02 including the axles (it's actually 16.) Thanks for pointing this out, it's fixed now.

Have fun! :)

[OneyedK]

Aha, everybody is awake again ;-)

Q1: Would TT-01 ball differentials help me?

Q2: What engine to choose? I prefer Nosram, because they are easy to come by in the area where I live...
19x2
14x2
or even 12x2 ???
--> objective: bashing and racing mixed terrain (asphalt, grass, construction area)
One of the DF-02's has a 17x2/Nosram Magnum revers combi on it and I feel it lacks torque, even if I switch to 16/70... Switched back to 19/70 because at least I have the better top speed then... Runtime still better than 15 mins with 3300GP nrgdynamics batteries...

btw, all those DF-02's suffer from understeering, any sollutions for that problem??? The only thing that works is to brake-drift-fullthrottle to take small corners... No need to say that trick costs speed...

These cars "eat" tires too... expensive joke... :eek:

[pj3373]

Ok so here's some pictures of my progress on hopping up my Rising Storm:

This is what I started with:
http://img528.imageshack.us/img528/569/risingstorm25ls.jpg

New Wheels and tires (HPI):
http://img528.imageshack.us/img528/1083/risingstorm41pf.jpg

After I lost a wheel nut on X-mas and got bored, decided to put in the rest of hop ups:
http://img528.imageshack.us/img528/5531/risingstorm54jd.jpg

After finishing, but still needing turnbuckles and motor:
http://img528.imageshack.us/img528/5557/risingstorm68nm.jpg

PJ3373

[pj3373]

Pics of Rear Suspension:

http://img528.imageshack.us/img528/9885/risingstorm74zf.jpg

http://img528.imageshack.us/img528/9633/risingstorm103sk.jpg


PJ

[pj3373]

Pics of Front Suspension (still need turnbuckles):

http://img528.imageshack.us/img528/1318/risingstorm130kf.jpg

http://img528.imageshack.us/img528/135/risingstorm114el.jpg

http://img528.imageshack.us/img528/1363/risingstorm90es.jpg

http://img528.imageshack.us/img528/4438/risingstorm146yh.jpg

Next step - Install this:

http://img528.imageshack.us/img528/8184/risingstorm157jd.jpg

Hope this helps others doing these hop ups, I know it took me a while to figure it all out, and you always worry when you have parts left over!!! :eek:

[newB]

Anyone know if you can use truck tires (the bigger the better) on the Gravel Hound? I saw the recommendations for tire upgrades on this site, and am wondering if you can use an even bigger truck tire and wheel? Thanks.

[bakabaka]

Hi OneyedK,

Here's a few answers, hope it helps!

Q1: It might, but keep in mind that the ball diffs are not quite as durable as the gear diffs. For bashing, the gear diffs are better IMO. I've heard that OFNA makes a diff lock grease which, when used in small amounts, can be used to give the gear diffs a bit of posi. One person here has even filled the diffs with a very heavy oil to get about the same effect.

Q2: I have no idea, I can say that I like Trinity motors in my touring cars (TB-02) though. I'd recommend their Monster Stock and PK2K any day. I don't recommend Venom's motors, I tried a 19t from them and it wasn't appreciably faster than the stock silver can motor. If you have the cash, a Novak brushless SS5800 system is a perfect fit. I love mine.

If you have a lot of understeer, you might want to consider giving the front wheels a bit of toe-out. That is, make the front wheels point outward a bit when centered. That should cause it to steer more aggressively, although you'll again lose a bit of speed.

Finally, the stock wheels do indeed lose their spikes quickly. I've had a set of Pro-Line dirt hawgs on my buggy nearly since I purchased it though. They have yet to wear out, I've even purchased another set of the narrower dirt hawgs so I can try them out. I have been using the same width on the front as the rear, when I get another set of front wheels I'm going to see if the car handles any better with narrower front tires.

Have fun! :)

[bakabaka]

Hi newB!

I know that HPI MT tires can fit the DF-02, but make sure that they're the wide variety that places the hex connector closest to the chassis to avoid scraping. Wheels for Tamiya's Wild Dagger/Twin Detonator trucks also fit fine. You should be able to find a variety of tires that fit these wider wheels. I believe standard stadium truck tires work in both cases.

One last thing, make sure you're using a 16t pinion and the 70t spur gear. Otherwise you'll be unhappy with the performance, and your ESC and motor will heat up quickly.

Happy new year! :)

[OneyedK]

Thanks Bakabaka... Happy New Year!

--> I'll stick with the gear diffs and experiment with different lubricants to see if there's a significant change in performance...

--> the novak brushless was on my wishlist, but it seems very difficult to come by in Belgium... will check the local hobbyshop to see what kind of engines they can supply...
Would a 19T have more torque than a 17T?

--> about tires, the academy SB Pro/sport rims and tires are available here, maybe they are a good alternative...
Will check if there's a possibility to order the dirt hawgs in an online shop (not all of the ship to europe :-()

[OneyedK]

:p Just ordered the Novak Super Sport Plus Brushless System 8.5 from towerhobbies, hope it will arrive soon (didn't want to end up buying another brushed motor with wrong windings, wrong make choice :D )...
Hope it's as good as everybody's tellin' me...

Ah yes, bakabaka, I'll try the toe-out setting on one of the buggies to see if it helps... If I remember correctly, last time I tried that, the car ended op pulling sometimes to the right, sometimes tot the left, but that was with the original suspension settings...

[bakabaka]

Hi OneyedK!

Generally, motors with higher windings have more torque but less top end and lower power requirements. This isn't always the case, as I'd mentioned my Trinity P2K2 27 turn definitely has more top end than the Venom Fireball 19t I had, but with comparable motors it should hold true. The Super Sport brushless system has wonderfully ridiculous amounts of battery-draining torque though. You'll be surprised at the difference.

Too much toe-out in the front can be bad, it's something that you have to adjust and play with until you're happy with the performance. Just make sure both sides have the same amount of toe-out. I'd also recommend the Tamiya turnbuckles and aluminum steering parts to tighten the steering up a bit if you still have a problem with it. I'm thinking of replacing the servo saver with one closer to what I have on my TB-02 as well, since I'm pretty sure it's adding unnecessary slop to the steering.

As for the tires, I've been meaning to get a set of the Academy SB Sport tires myself. They look nice, but there's no availability here. I doubt they'd last as long as the Dirt Hawgs, but they should grip in the dirt pretty well. I'd imagine a muddy track would make the relatively short pin spikes useless though.

Have fun! :)

[hawkeye75]

I have been out of the RC car seen since the mid eighties with my Hornet. I just bought a ready to run Gravel Hound from Tower Hobbies.

1. What should I do to it to beef it up some (make it more solid) and maybe add a liittle more power?

2. where should I buy the stuff?.

3.Also how hard is it to do what ever you guys recommend? I am probably going to need help but hopefully not?

This is all just for fun maybe a little friendly racing at the local track here in Boise Idaho but mostly just "bashing" it in grass, dirt, gravel.

Thanks you guys for any help from Tony in Boise

[OneyedK]

The Super Sport brushless system has wonderfully ridiculous amounts of battery-draining torque though. You'll be surprised at the difference.

;-) The GP3300's from nrgdynamics are very good batteries, so I think with the correct gearing, I'll still be able to maintain runtimes of more than 20 mins...

As for the tires, I've been meaning to get a set of the Academy SB Sport tires myself. They look nice, but there's no availability here. I doubt they'd last as long as the Dirt Hawgs, but they should grip in the dirt pretty well. I'd imagine a muddy track would make the relatively short pin spikes useless though.

The wheels and tyres of a Kyosho Inferno TR15 seems like a very good alternative... Shop was closed today, so I didn't have the chance to check on availability of Kyosho and Academy parts.
Don't know where you live, but I could always send them to you...

[Batfish]

The Academy wheels fit the DF-02 just right. They're also less than $6 per pair. My local shop carries them. I believe you can also order from MRC directly via phone.
www.modelrectifier.com

[pj3373]

Hey Hawkeye - welcome back to the hobby!

First thing is to check out Bakabaka's web site. You won't find a more comprehensive site for the DF-02 chassis. It's got tons of detail, and before you buy anything, I'd read through everything you see there. I would also read through this site, on this thread. Everything pretty much applies to the Gravel Hound/Rising Storm, and you can learn from other's experiences with different brands of hop ups, etc.

So here's Bakabaka's web site:
xyzzy.dyn.dhs.org/df02/ (http://)

As for upgrades a good place to start would be:

Front and Rear Shocks - the DF 02 tends to bottom out. I like the GPM brand because of the adjustability of the springs. I got mine from Dinball (RC mart): www.rcmart.com (http://)
It's overseas, but they have been very prompt.

Ballbearings - see Bakabaka's web site on that. RC mart carries them and they're cheap, someone might be able to reccommend something else too.
You'll instantly gain a little speed from that because the car comes with plastic bearings.

Next thing I would reccommend would be front and rear lower arms and steering knuckles. The arms will you give more adjustibility in tuning your suspension to avoid bottoming out (several have suggested plastic tubing on the shock shaft - look through the forum for pics - this may be a cheaper solution for you).

If you do those, I would also reccommend a turnbuckle set, (not the YEAH, I have some and they are kind of junky - go with Tamiya brand). This will allow you to adjust the steering and the toe in on the wheels.

At some point you may need to replace your dog bones as well. I haven't replaced mine, but others have, again - Bakabaka's site details sources for that.

So here are some more places to get stuff:
Jason's store on ebay - stores.ebay.com/Jasons-Store (http://)
(some of the stuff seems pricey to me)

www.tamiyausa.com (http://)

www.towerhobbies.com (http://)

Beyond that, you may want to upgrade the 540 can motor it came with, you can go brushless if you've got the $$$ - see Bakabaka's again on that, if not, the existing ESC is supposed to be rated for a motor down to 23 turns, towerhobbies is a good source for something like that.

As far as help installing, the guys around here will help, if you post pics, we can help the most that way. Also take a look at the pics posted in this thread, I found them to very helpful in figuring out how to put the hop ups in.

Good luck! :)

[pj3373]

Hey guys, I need a little help-

I am trying to install a Team Orion 23T motor, but now that I have it installed, the ESC makes a solid beep when you press forward or reverse. I tried resetting the ESC, same thing (not sure I did that right, I have the RTR, and couldn't find the instructions for setting the ESC). I also tried switching the leads from the ESC (using dean's connectors) and still same result - I did this because there are no labels on the ESC or the original motor on what is + or -.

Any ideas - other than get a new ESC? I am going to try hooking up the older motor again tonight.

Thanks,
PJ

[OneyedK]

Set-up (or reset) procedure for the TEU-101BK (your ESC):

(1)Switch on transmitter
(2)Switch on receiver
(3)Throttle trigger in neutral, push set button (on ESC) more than 0.5 sec, LED will flash once
(4)Pull throttle trigger to max acceleration, keep it there, push set button once, LED will change to a double flash
(5)Push throttle trigger to max reverse (full brake), keep it there, push set button once, LED turns off

Then go go go! :p

If still not okay and wiring is really fine... You'll have to find another ESC :(
--> make sure the motor is running freely!

[Jeckler]

I've joined the ranks. I just finished ordering a Rising Storm from TH. They've been out of stock for a little while, but I saw tonight that they're back. With the $25 discount they have going right now, I did it. Ordered bearings and Dirt Hawgs too. I was wondering what the mesh wheels would look like, but after seeing Bakabaka's, I liked the Super Stars more, so a full set got thrown in. Can't wait to start building.

[pj3373]

Hmmmmm..... Well, tried that, followed directions just fine, and got all the correct blinking lights and results.... but still nothing. When in neutral, ESC does not blink or make sound, when I put it in drive or reverse it gives a solid tone with a constant light....

I guess I'll try putting the old motor back in.

[pj3373]

I got it. Except forward is reverse and vise versa...... I think I can fix that no problem, just switch the leads...

The motor mount bolts were too long and blocking the motor from turning on the inside... so why did they send the wrong #$%$%!@#! screws with the motor... :mad:

Well anyway, the darn thing goes like a bat out of hell! Love it, can't wait until it's light out tomorrow. :D

[OneyedK]

:D You're luck the ESC is well protected, otherwise you needed more than just shorter screws...

Have fun!

[szan]

Hi,

The Super Sport + system from Novak seems fit weel the df-02 as I read the posts. I actually use a brushed Orion 10T V2 and my rising runs around 50km/h, it's fast, I love that.
If I go to SS5800, will I go slower or equivalent ? As it's quite expensive, I don't want to do a mistake :-)

Have you heard about using the GTB 5.5 ou 6.5 on the df-02, I don't know if the fan fit under the shell of the RS or GH !

PS: about battery choice question, I use the G-MAXX from rcmart.com, they are cheap and give high performance all along the run. try them with closed eyes...

Sylvain

[OneyedK]

Nice to hear the G-Maxx batteries are good.
They really are cheap...

rcmart did something strange with the pricing...
If you buy 1, you get 1 for free...
So 2 batteries equals $32.90

They also have a combo pack 5 wich costs $139.90 :D
--> better not take the combo :p

Too bad they don't offer them as saddle packs :(

How are we supposed to equalise a stick pack???

Another question, since G-maxx doesn't make it's own cells, what make are they using?

About the Novak, I don't know yet (still waiting for arrival) but all I read about them is they are equally good as an 8T motor but with more torque...

[bakabaka]

I haven't really compared it against a brushed motor, but I've heard they're something like a 10 or 12 turn with longer runtimes. They also don't need replacement brushes or cutting of the commutator, so it's a lot less hassle. That's the real reason I ended up with a brushless system. Just keep the bearings in shape by giving them a drop of oil every now and then, and you should be good to go.

The SS5800 motor is apparently a 8.5 turn sensored brushless FWIW. It seems that a sensored brushless motor is slower than a brushed motor given the same number of turns, but takes less electricity. I wouldn't be surprised if the 5800 had more torque than an 8 turn brushed though. The lower turn motors from Novak require the GTB ESC, presumably they should be faster and have shorter runtimes.

Have fun! :)

[szan]

Nice to hear the G-Maxx batteries are good.
They really are cheap...

rcmart did something strange with the pricing...
If you buy 1, you get 1 for free...
So 2 batteries equals $32.90

They also have a combo pack 5 wich costs $139.90 :D
--> better not take the combo :p


Yes, that's for 3300mah, I've only tried 3600mah from G-MAXX. 3300 may be
ok too, I suppose. I just need to change the wires and connector to bigger
wires and real gold conn. to avoid melting with my 10T motor.

bye

[szan]

I haven't really compared it against a brushed motor, but I've heard they're something like a 10 or 12 turn with longer runtimes.

Yes, I found on some other forums, it should be comparable to 12T-14T brushed. It seems logical as the ESC can handle brushed motors down to 12T.

bye

[bakabaka]

I'd guess it leans more toward 11 or 12. The motor doesn't need to deal with the friction of the brushes against the commutator, which should work in the brushless system's advantage.

Have fun! :)

[OneyedK]

Yes, that's for 3300mah, I've only tried 3600mah from G-MAXX. 3300 may be ok too, I suppose. I just need to change the wires and connector to bigger wires and real gold conn. to avoid melting with my 10T motor.

I currently use PowerPole (PP) connectors, they are great but take a lot of space... So I'll switch to the Black Deans. Chris Chandler from nrgdynamics told me the red Deans Ultra connectors are more a hype than real life difference. (and he always gave me very good advise)

Maybe I'll try a few of those 3600's too, they really are cheap and if something goes wrong, I still can build saddlepacks out of them ;)

@bakabaka: Where exactly do the Novak brushless engines need a drop of oil? What kind of oil do you use?

[smileyboy]

OK so G-maxx batteries.? which ones are you all ordering from rcmart? The G-maxx 3300mah (1+1)? Please provide a link.

BTW I am still waiting for my Yeah parts from rcmart.com.

Just want to thank everyone for their help and prompt responses.

[szan]

OK so G-maxx batteries.? which ones are you all ordering from rcmart? The G-maxx 3300mah (1+1)? Please provide a link.


I just buy these http://www.rcmart.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=421_52_351&products_id=12623, you can find them on their Ebay store too.

bye

[bakabaka]

Hi OneyedK!

I've heard there are bearing oils out there, but I just give a drop or two of 3-in-1 oil on the top of the motor's shaft every now and then. I'll probably disassemble the motor sometime so I can oil the bearings properly, it's been working so well that I haven't had to do anything to it really.

Have fun! :)

[OneyedK]

;) If it's not broken, don't fix it ;)

[szan]

Hi,

For those how are looking for GH body and decals, Jason Store on Ebay have some !

bye

[bakabaka]

Hi,

For those how are looking for GH body and decals, Jason Store on Ebay have some !

bye

Cool! It's about time that it's available in an easily accessable place.

Have fun! :)

[sljm]

Just to ask those who have the Yeah Racing hop ups are they a one for one replacement, i just broke my front shock tower and intend to replace with a Yeah Racing one and keep the rest of my plastic parts.

[szan]

Just to ask those who have the Yeah Racing hop ups are they a one for one replacement, i just broke my front shock tower and intend to replace with a Yeah Racing one and keep the rest of my plastic parts.

Yes it is, but if you want to keep black color, just choose de carbon tower from Square, it's very strong. I have broken my Yeah racing tower so I
go back to my Square tower for a moment :-)

bye

[szan]

Hi,

I've decided for this system, 168 $ on ebay bidding last night, good deal I think !
I get the notice from novak site, they tell about the ratio, and recommend about 7.3 and not less that 6.5.
Bakabaka, in your FAQ, you recommend ratio of 9, why ? did you experience
pb with the lowest ratio of the df-02 ? may be novak speeks about on-road
cars with small wheels and smooth driving :-)

see ya

[hawkeye75]

How is RCMART to deal with? They wanted me to verify my address? What do you guys think iof them?

[szan]

How is RCMART to deal with? They wanted me to verify my address? What do you guys think iof them?

Yeah, they're great, I often buy from them. Most of their products are also available on their ebay store Dinball.

Bye

[pj3373]

How is RCMART to deal with? They wanted me to verify my address? What do you guys think iof them?

I've had good luck with them too. I believe if you paypal, you don't have to do the address verification thing. I know I never did, and have received several shipments from them.

A couple of things, they were out of stock of a hop up kit I wanted, but got the same thing by buying several parts. Also, they only ship to the US from what they told me by EMS, which is more expensive. You might want to order more at once, or if you are only ordering a single part buy it through their ebay store where the shipping is less costly. EMS is cool because you can track the shipment though. Usually receive in the US in about 8 - 10 days.

I've also learned that some of the components from GPM & Yeah, although they are compatible, that you get a little more "slop" in the fit if you mix match but they will fit and work.

If you've got a specific list of what you're going to buy, we might be able to provide more feedback, and you might look at some of the older posts in this thread.

Good luck,

[OneyedK]

How is RCMART to deal with? They wanted me to verify my address? What do you guys think iof them?

They are great... I ordered with VISA and also received the "address-verification-e-mail"... I never replied to that... That was no problem...
They just wait until they get the address-verification from VISA, wich takes about 3 working days... So they ship three days later...
But their goods arrive in prime condition, nicely packed, shipping costs exactly as payed for...

Too bad they don't ship what you forget to order :D
I forgot to order the Tamiya aluminium racing steering set :o

Still waiting for my brushless kit, I ordered it from towerhobbies at about the same time a the stuff from rcmart... hmmm...

[bakabaka]

Hi szan,

Yup, the ratio depends on the size, width and traction of the tires you're using. The 7.3 recommendation is for touring cars, with significantly smaller wheels. They recommend a ratio of 9 for off-road buggies, the information can be found in thier updated gearing documentation:
http://www.teamnovak.com/download/instructions/pdfs/updated_motor_specgearing.pdf

I used the 19t pinion with the 5800 to great effect. The 70t spur gear was a bit slower but the ESC doesn't heat up much at all. The 67t spur gear can cause the ESC to get quite warm on a hot day, but it definitely goes faster. I'd sort of like an in-between gearing option, but the 67t spur gear is in there now. FWIW, gearing higher doesn't seem to help much, and gearing lower just wastes performance since you'll probably get all the torque you want at about a 9:1 ratio.

Have fun! :)

[szan]

Thanks for the doc bakabaka, it's clear now.
19T pinion and 67T spur gear is probably the best deal. I have this config so
I just wait for the esc...

bye

[mo679]

Hi everyone, I just got my first serious buggy (rising S. ;) ) as a gift, What a gift! I simply love it! I found this forum because I was looking for some tuninig and I must say you guys are awesome! This is by far the best rc-forum on the web! I've been running the car a lot lately since we have sunny days and not too cold temp ( I live in Rome Italy) and I have to say handling is great with the stock tires on dirt/grass and even better on concrete, but somehow I noticed a strong understeering when bashing full throttle, so I started to play around to solve this little issue. after reading a lot in the forum I tried to put M. standoffs which improved ground clearance, (great for jumps) but somehow the car had even more understeering, so I worked out a couple of shock brackets like I've read in the forum, but just to move out the suspension to change the geometry, well, I realized this system works great and if more ground clearance is not needed this thing could be the answer, what do you think?

Somehow i felt in love with that Gpm shocks set in blue aluminum, do you think is good or tamiya's shocks are better? do you know if tamiya's spring set fits this shock set?

Thanks a lot and have fun bashing!

[bakabaka]

Hi mo679!

The GPM dampers are a bit better for taking jumps from what I understand, the Tamiya ones are meant more for keeping all four wheels on the ground. The rear dampers in the Tamiya set have a tendency of bottoming out. The springs on the GPM dampers are different than the Tamiya springs, but I understand that Losi buggy springs should work ok. FWIW I recently worked out the bump steer on my buggy by putting extenders under the ball connectors attached to the front knuckles.

Most of my bashing doesn't involve the sort of behavior where understeer would be noticeable, but I'd like to see pictures of what you've done if possible.

Have fun! :)

[mo679]

Thanks a lot Bakabaka, so you think tamiya's springs wouldn't fit gpm shocks?
Too bad I just ordered a set! I will post images of the brackets if I understand how to do it :confused:

Actually driving full throttle on gravel shows understeering, but with the stock shoks/spring even more when steering during acceleration with big transfer of load to the rear compressing the shocks, especially this effect reduced after changing the position of the dampers, probably because it stiffens the shocks by changing lever angles, as already stated in the forum

By the way, do you think the esc in the Novak ss5800 system can handle also faster brushless motors? sorry I'm pretty confused about brushless!

DF-02 Rules!

[bakabaka]

Hi mo269,

The ESC included with the SS5800 system doesn't handle faster brushless motors. Novak makes an ESC, the GTB, which handles down to at least a 5 turn brushless or so. They sell it with down to a 5.5 I believe. LRP also makes a brushless ESC called the Sphere which handles fairly low turn brushless.

Have fun! :)

[mo679]

Hello everyone!

Does anybody know were to find a nice review of the GH/rinsing storm? Maybe with pics and video?
thanks for all the infos I'm learning on this forum!

Have fun bashing