Tamiya Gravel Hound DF-02 Forum

[bakabaka]

Hi mo679!

I know RC Car Action did a review of the Gravel Hound, I believe they reviewed the Rising Storm too even though it's the same chassis. Not sure where to find a review online though. I put together the FAQ website basically to give people a bit more info on the chassis, there are links to videos done by others in the FAQ in case it helps.

Have fun! :)

[Nenzi]

Bloodclod did a review on the Gravel Hound on his own website. Check out page 3 of this forum for the link.

[Jeckler]

RC Driver did a review of the RS in the Dec '05 issue.

My daughter and I started building ours last night. She needs some practice with a screwdriver, so to keep her interested, I had her grabbing parts trees. :)

[mo679]

thanks a lot to everyone!

Bakabaka, your site is just great, lots of infos!
I just got today the Tamiya spring set from Jason store (blazing fast delivery, just two days from Tokyo to Rome!), I mounted the blue spring to the rear and I let the stock ones in front.....so tonight I'll go for a run and then we'll see if there is a lot of difference.

By the way I can't understand why Tamiya's spring shouldn't fit GPM shocks?

I'm having an hard time with the batteries, I'm running on two 2400mha packs wich, with th venom fireball 19T, 67t spur gear and 19t pinion, last 10 minutes or so each, what kind of run time improvement would I see upgrading to the G-maxx 3300 on sale on Rc-mart/Dinball? Is it worthed to go for two paks 3300 or should I go for one Intellect 4200?

Thank a lot guys and Have fun :)

[paulicat]

That sounds about right for the specs you listed...higher is always better!!
And make sure you have a good quality peak charger!

[mo679]

Thanks for the info, I will give a look at that!

Yesterday night bashing was fun, but I couldn't run where I wanted (too wet) so I went in the wood, lots of dirt and sand so the car was just slipping and kind of hard to control, My Shocks setup now is: red spring, with two midlle spacers and one smallest spacer, in front; on the rear blue springs (tamiya's) with two largest spacers an one smallest spacer, stock oil in front and rear
Tyres are still good, any hints how to make control better?

Somehow I was reading about Tamiya's super stock TZ 23T motor wich seems quite torquey and has 23000 rpm under load, do you think it's better than my venom fireball 19T, regarding speed and battery drain? (I can't find the rpm specs of the venom!)

Thanks a lot
Maurizio

[bakabaka]

Hi mo679,

The slipping is probably largely due to the gear diffs. You could try putting in ball diffs, or maybe putting something in the diffs to slow down the differential action. I'm probably going to pick up some OFNA diff lock grease and apply a few very thin coats. I've heard this is a good method, and it should be completely reversible with some WD-40.

I had both a Venom Fireball 17t and 19t a while ago, and was quite disappointed with the performance. The battery life was too short and the performance didn't give me the impression I'd gained much from the stock can. I'd think the Super Stock 23t would probably be a better choice than either.

FWIW I'm using the "Sport Tuned 23t" black can motor from Tamiya in a Wild Willy 2, and it really flies. It's much faster than the stock silver can motor. In fact it's now quite easy to flip it end over end just from the acceleration ;) The super stock should presumably be faster yet.

Have fun! :)

[bakabaka]

Here's a link to the diff lock grease on a google-random website.

http://www.hobbyetc.com/cgi-bin/item.cgi?part_id=11366

From the description it appears to be just what's needed to slow the differential action without losing the durability of the gear diffs.

Have fun! :)

[nitro_n00b]

hey guys, I have been using GPM red aluminium parts, but got hold of a Yeah Racing front shock tower to try.

Is it just me, or are they made out of cardboard? This was brand new before the race. It was either one of my tumbles or when I smacked into a dude who was parked in the center of the lane....

[bakabaka]

Hi nitro_n00b!

That's a pretty bad hit there. GPM has a stronger part of course, and Square RC makes a carbon fibre part with two adjustment holes that hasn't broken on me yet. The Yeah Racing part has more adjustability than either, but obviously can't take quite as much of a beating. My Yeah Racing shocktower is still ok, but I haven't had a big collision since I've had it installed. It's the rainy season here now though, so there isn't quite as much time for bashing...

Have fun! :)

[mo679]

Thanks again guys!

Yesterday I cleaned from dirt and disassembled the car and I put on the diffs gears a bit of very thick factory grease (the one used to lubricate car's joint) wich looks like to both protect the gears and probably slows down the diffs, I'll let you know.
Is the ball diff a locked diff or what?

Actually I thought the venom 19T wasn't that great and somehow I cannot find the specs of the motor, I'm glad to hear the same.

Thanks people, Have fun!

[bakabaka]

Hi mo679!

A ball diff uses "diff balls" (a lot like the balls in a bearing) in the center, rather than letting the gears contact each other. Pressure between both sides of the differential on the diff balls keeps the differential turning. The fact that the two sides are not locked to each other allows a bit of differential action. They're not nearly as durable as the metal gear diffs in the DF-02, but they allow you to adjust the amount of differential action by either tightening or loosening the differential.

AFAIK there are no published specifications for the Venom motors. Judging from the performance of the 17t and 19t units I tried, I can't say I'm surprised. A well-designed 27t motor can outperform either from what I've seen. Considering there were bearings in the motors, I really expected more from them.

Have fun! :)

[OneyedK]

The good news: I finally found the correct gearing for a 17T Nosram motor, it seems to be 16/70...

The bad news: while bashing, I broke the rear gearcase... (the backward force on the left rear wheel ruptured it)

I suppose glueing it back together is not a good idea, so the hunt for a new DF-02 bathtub frame begins :confused:

Does it have to be Tamiya? Or do good alternatives exist???

[mo679]

Hello bakabaka

Limited slip diff I would say! and the wheels don't slip! with the thicker grease in the gear diff I noticed a better traction, thanks for the hint.

I'm definetly getting rid of the venom fireball! battery life is just too short, I'm looking after a Tamiya super stock tz with high torque, good for off road. with such a torque (500 gf.cm) how fast do you think the buggy would go if geared low and on asphalt/concrete? Just speculating, but it would be nice to know how fast it goes :o

I just bought two G-maxx battery pack 3300 from dinball, maybe they are a good match for a new motor! ;)

Bash hard!

[bakabaka]

Hi mo679!

I'm not sure exactly what the speed might be, but you might want to have a look at this FAQ entry. There's a spreadsheet attached that MattRX put together for calculating approximate speeds based on gearing and motor RPMs.

http://xyzzy.dyn.dhs.org/df02/index.php?action=artikel&cat=4&id=35&artlang=en&highlight=speed

Have fun! :)

[bakabaka]

Hi OneyedK!

Usually rcmart has them, but it looks like they're out of stock at the moment. I didn't see one on ebay either. You'd need to get a Tamiya part, since I don't believe there is another chassis that would work. BTW, if you're in the US it appears that Tamiya USA now has a shopping cart system on their site (about time!) The chassis can be found and ordered at the following URL:

http://www.tamiyausa.com/product/item.php?product-id=51074

Have fun! :)

[XSFalcon]

Hi all & Happy New Year.

Just wondering how some of you are fairing with the stock esc and a upgraded motor. I've read that some are using the Tamiya Super Stock, Venom Fireball 19T, Peak Racing Dynasty 19T, Team Orion 23T and Trinity Monster Stock.

From what it sounds like the Tamiya Super Stock may be the way to go. Just looking for a good motor that I can get some decent speed from, but not breaking the bank.

To work on increasing the speed from the Stock motor & 19T pinion. According to the excel speed chart, if I stick with my 19T, switch to a 67T Spur & a motor with some decent rpms. I should be flyin'!?

Still working on getting some photos together or my car.

sorry bakabaka - you last asked me if I had installed all the hop-ups with no problems. I have everything installed but haven't fully tested it out yet. It gets a little boot in the basement but thats about it. Its a good thing I ordered the Tamiya tie rod set. Oddly with the stock tie rods and all the upgrades the tires turned way out. I should re-install the parts and take a pic from top down so you can see the difference.

[bakabaka]

Hi XsFalcon,

The 19t pinion and 67t spur seems to work best for the stock silver can motor. I definitely got a nice speed boost with this configuration. Oddly enough, the same gearing also works well for the SS5800 brushless system. Other motors might work better with different spur gear/pinion combinations, but I haven't really tried anything except the fireball. FWIW I tried a 17 tooth, 19 tooth and 21 tooth pinion along with both spur gears, and nothing seemed to work well for the Fireball. Maybe I needed a smaller pinion, but I'm happier with the brushless system anyway. Anyone else have a good config they're willing to share?

Have fun! :)

[OneyedK]

Hi OneyedK!

Usually rcmart has them, but it looks like they're out of stock at the moment. I didn't see one on ebay either. You'd need to get a Tamiya part, since I don't believe there is another chassis that would work. BTW, if you're in the US it appears that Tamiya USA now has a shopping cart system on their site (about time!) The chassis can be found and ordered at the following URL:

http://www.tamiyausa.com/product/item.php?product-id=51074

Have fun! :)

Thanks bakabaka! I just called the local hobbyshop here and they can order it for me (I'm not in USA).

About gearing:
NOSRAM VISION 17x2 (#97417, 22575rpm @ 7.2V) seems to do really well with the 16/70 (pinion/spur).
The Novak Super Sport Plus with SS5800 is absolutely tops with the gearing you recommended, 19/67. Top speed is a little higher then the car with the Nosram. It also leaves the startgrid a bit faster than the Nosram... However, during racing and bashing, it depends on who is driving... Cornering with both cars is very different...
The one with the Graupner Speed needs an upgrade, this high torque motor running with 19/70 simply isn't generating enough rpm... Very fast starter, but not enough breath and almost the same runtime as both others...

Since I still had a $25 coupon from towerhobbies, I ordered a Novak Super Stock kit, with SS4300... The gearing for that motor is not really clear...
I suppose 19/70 or 18/70 will do fine...

[mo679]

Hello everybody!
I think I'm not ready to go brushless yet, I think I will stick with a super stock tz for a while!

I need your help to decide: I really can't choose between GPM shocks and Tamiya's dampers, I Like the Gpm better but I have already the Tamiya's spring set and bakabaka said it would not fit :(, does anybody have experience about that?

[XSFalcon]

I haven't seen many specs for the motors, for instance how many rpms the stock can puts out vs these other cans. The only one I have seen so far is the Tamiya Stock RZ (a 23T motor w/ 27,500rpms). The specs will probably be listed on the packaging of the motor.
I'll order the 67T Spur gear for now.

Bakabaka, the original stock can or the black can?

As far as the manual goes the only gearing options are 16T to 19T correct?

[XSFalcon]

mo679 - I ran into the same problem. I ordered off ebay the soft & hard shocks ($10). I then ordered the GPM Shocks, rec'd them, tried to switch the shocks and to no avail do the tamiya hop-up shocks fit on the GPM. If you want I'll take a pic this evening so you can see where the problem is.

[OneyedK]

I haven't seen many specs for the motors, for instance how many rpms the stock can puts out vs these other cans.

The stock can is a RS-540RH(model 5045) Mabushi motor...
Capable of outputting 14000rpm at a torque of 103mN.m (1056g.cm)...
These are typical values and individual production types vary a lot...
I have three of them and only one is really strong...

If you have a good one (lots of torque), put on a heatspreader, a better ESC and try 20/67 or even 21/67 (pinion/spur). Pretty amazing what a cheapass can can do! Too bad they don't have ball bearings...

[bakabaka]

Hi XSFalcon!

It's the original stock can that I tried in the Gravel Hound, the black can has only been used in the Wild Willy 2. I believe the RPMs vary a bit per individual motor, and they definitely vary by the number of cells you use.

The gearing options with the 70t spur are 16t to 19t pinions, and the 67t spur gear allows 19t to 22t pinions. The increased distance due to the smaller spur gear allows you to use the larger pinions.

Have fun! :)

[bakabaka]

Hi mo679!

If you like the GPM dampers, I'd just get those. Springs are not that expensive in comparison, and the GPM dampers look easier to adjust. I might pick up a set eventually, if only so I can write an article on them for the FAQ based on first-hand experience. You can probably pick up Losi buggy springs at your LHS that should fit the GPM dampers.

The Tamiya springs can be used with the original dampers until you get the GPM dampers, or if the package is unopened you can try ebaying them.

Have fun! :)

[XSFalcon]

I may e-bay mine(Tamiya hop-up shocks) as I took them out of the package but they haven't been used yet.

Bakabaka, with the 20T-22T pinions, which ones can I use as Tamiya website has the
20T discontinued(58097) and
nothing on the 21T, unless I missed something.
Is this 22T (#49231) the correct one? its look right.

[bakabaka]

Hi XSFalcon!

I'm partial to the Robinson Racing metric pinions myself. They can be had for US $3.39 each at Tower Hobbies, and come in more than the entire size range supported by the DF-02. I haven't felt the need to use higher tooth count pinions than 19t though. I tried a 21t, but the stock motor I have felt overgeared with that. A 20t might be the way to go, but at the time I didn't have one.

I put in an order at Tower for the entire range of pinions that I don't have yet last night, and added a 19t to replace my current pinion since it's wearing out. If you search for "metric pinions" at their website you'll find them. One caveat: You'll need an SAE hex key or wrench to tighten the screw on the pinion.

Have fun! :)

[XSFalcon]

I just checked at Tower Hobbies and have the parts that I need. Damn. They sure get you on shipping.

[XSFalcon]

mo679, heres what happens with the tamiya springs & the gpm shocks.

[bakabaka]

Hi XSFalcon,

Tower has a special rate if all of the items you buy have a green "Parts Express" checkmark, but I'm not sure how it works outside of the US. It's probably more expensive due to the nature of international shipping. Still, a few pinions shouldn't cost much at all to ship even internationally.

FWIW, there are other vendors you might consider; I know that WalaWala store (formerly eBay, now at www.valavala.com) carries .6 module metric pinions made by Tobee craft that should work, as well as some Tamiya pinions:

http://www.valavala.com/shop/index.php?manufacturers_id=24

Their shipping might be a bit less to where you are, I suppose it can't hurt to check.

Have fun! :)

[XSFalcon]

Here is the pics of my gravel hound with the fixed stock front arms and then with the tie rods.

[XSFalcon]

Didn't do anything different.

[bakabaka]

Hi XSFalcon!

The designers of the aluminum parts probably didn't take the RTR into consideration when they were creating them, since the steering arms that come with the DF-02 kits are adjustable. It's definitely better to have the full set of turnbuckles anyway, since it allows adjustments to camber and also makes steering a bit tighter.

Have fun! :)

[mo679]

mo679, heres what happens with the tamiya springs & the gpm shocks.
Hello XSfalcon
That's weird, if I understand right the springs are too short :eek:, did you try to put spacers or to regulate the damper?

[Aluma]

dont look like too short...just too small of an inner diameter to actually fit onto the collar. like putting an TC3 spring onto an 1/8th scale shock...wont fit.

[mo679]

Got It, the spring is not large enough!

Bakabaka, do you know where to find on-line the losi spring you were talking about? I'd like to give a look at those, plus could you suggest me where to find pinions that fit the df-02?
Is there any other shock set I should consider?

Thanks a lot!

[bakabaka]

Hi mo679,

There are plenty of places to get parts, I'd start at your LHS first. You'll want to know how long the original springs are though. Losi makes a variety of springs, with various lengths and rates. The width looks about right judging from my XX-T's dampers, but that's about as much as I can determine.

As for the pinions, there's Tower Hobbies, WalaWala store, and probably several other vendors I'm forgetting right now. Just make sure you're getting a .6 module pinion. Most of them are from what I've seen, but I've also seen .5 and .4 module advertised for a few vehicles.

Have fun! :)

[pj3373]

I have a couple of things to add for some of the guys buying stuff and asking questions - a few things you might want to consider:

Motor upgrade - I put in a 23T Orion Katana (from RC Mart - don't think it's sold in the states or it's not in production anymore, don't know which). I'm very happy with it, and I run 3300 Powerline cells (they were about 30 bucks apiece) - I also hear that good 'ol Radio Shack has GP cells 3300 for $25 bucks and from some of the other guys in the battery section that they are great for bashing and you are on a budget.

Also - consider that as Murphy's law would have it, one hop up often leads to another. With the faster motor, the stock dogbones were vibrating badly so I upgraded to CVD's from Dinball - man what a difference, it is SOOOOOOO much smoother now, which means the tires stick much better and handling is much improved. A good way to test is set it on a stand a press the accelerator - you'll see a lot of vibration (exaggerated because the wheels are not supported, but still when you run the CVD's you get a fraction of the vibration under the same scenario).

Also, I had gone to GPM alloy arms front and back - I couldn't get the camber and toe in set right with these, so I switched to the Tamiya turnbuckle set (tried YEAH and didn't like them, they were kind of junky and tough to thread in straight and adjust). The tamiya is definately a good way to go, it also comes with good instructions on length to start with to get you close before adjustment.

I'm pretty much done with the hop ups, other than I am getting ready to paint a new body - thinking about going with a Home Depot stock car theme - I'm a big fan, and since I build their stores for a living, it's paid for my habit, I figure I could at least pay tribute.

On another note - I picked up a Team Associated B4 Kit which was on sale at my LHS for $140 - I couldn't pass it up. I tell you what, it's pretty sweet, the parts and the fit, finish and tolerances are really nice. It's also a great learning experience.

If anyone needs some pics to help install their upgrades just ask, and don't forget to have fun!
PJ

[bakabaka]

Hi PJ!

I'll try to integrate this info into the FAQ when I get a chance. I've heard from a few people now that the Yeah Racing turnbuckles aren't that good. It looks like they're threaded in the middle too, which would make adjustment difficult. Perhaps it's time for a turnbuckle-specific entry in the FAQ.

As for the B4, sounds cool! If I do end up looking for a 2WD buggy maybe I'll go for one. The cheapest place around here is about $180 for the kit, but I may purchase one if someone decides to buy the XX-T. Until then, my wife will kill me if I get another car... And I won't get rid of the rest. ;) BTW, do you suppose the B4's springs are similar in length to the DF-02 springs?

Have fun! :)

[pj3373]

I'll measure the B4 shocks when I get a chance. I do know they are supposed to be interchangable with the Losi XXX shocks. I haven't assembled the shocks yet, I'm waiting for Tower to get in some of the threaded shock bodies so I can use those when I build them.

See ya, :)

[mo679]

Hello everybody!

I was taking a look to the pinions, tamiya's seem poor quality, I looked at other brands, but I have a question, which might sound funny: what's the difference between .6 and 48p pinions?

I went to Conrad the other day, I guess It's just in europe, well they have a lot of nice looking alu damper, but the smallest front one is 85mm (76 hole to hole), does anybody have experience with them?

give it a look: http://www1.int.conrad.com/scripts/wgate/zcop_in/~flN0YXRlPTIxNjk4MTg4NjA=?~template=PCAT_AREA_S_BR OWSE&glb_user_js=Y&shop=A_B2C_IN&p_init_ipc=X&~cookies=1

might it be they are a bit too long? :eek:
The rear one are fine (100 mm) and the price looks reasonable too.

have fun !!

[mo679]

Looks like the string does not work
http://www1.int.conrad.com/m/2000_2999/2200/2280/2281/228166_LB_00_FB.EPS.jpg
now it should! :cool:
See you!

[bakabaka]

Hi mo679!

The dampers look ok, but it looks like you'll need a different type of connector for the top than the 5mm ball connector. That shoudn't present too much difficulty, but it's worth considering.

As for the pinions, 48 pitch basically tells you how many gear teeth can fit in one inch given the space between the teeth. In this case, the pinions are metric so inches aren't really applicable. Instead, they have "module" pitch. Module pitch is determined by the diameter of the gear in millimeters (pitch diameter, but this is more than I really wanted to write) divided by the number of teeth in the gear.

Say we have a pinion which is 19t. In order to fit .6 module gears properly, the (pitch) diameter has to be 11.4, because 11.4 divided by 19 is equal to 0.6, or easier, 19 * 0.6 = 11.4. Interestingly enough, Robinson Racing labels their metric pinions as both 48p and 32p. This was quite confusing, inaccurate, and what prompted me to look into all this pitch mess to begin with. Maybe it's time for another FAQ entry...

Have fun! :)

[bakabaka]

I just picked up several spare parts, some from Tamiya and some from Tower. Most interesting for me was Tamiya's dish wheel set (#53728). The entire set of four wheels is about $10, they have no spokes so they should be durable for those jumps, and they're white so they should be dyable. I just put Dirt Hawg III buggy tires on the front wheels, which they fit quite well. I'm going to try running it this weekend (if it doesn't rain) to see if the narrower front tires let the buggy handle any better.

Have fun! :)

[mo679]

Hello everybody,

I went bashing in the afernoon, and somehow the servo in my Rising Storm does not work perfectly anymore (it's an Acoms), It simply does not get back completely in neutral position, making impossible to keep a straight line!
I realized just today because I went on-road.
Any Hints?
I was thinking to ugrade the servo anyways, what would you people suggest? I saw a futaba s9350, what do you think?

Thanks people!

[bakabaka]

Hi mo679,

It might be possible to just replace the gears if there's a chipped tooth. Does it make any noises when it's trying to go back to neutral? As for the S9350, it looks like a nice one. It's a digital servo though. It's more precise, but you really need an FM radio to take advantage of the precision. Digital servos also have a higher power drain than analog servos from what I've been told.

I have a Futaba S3050 analog metal gear servo in my DF-02. I'm using an AM radio system and have no plans to upgrade, so I'm not really losing anything.

Have fun! :)

[Aluma]

hey mo, it might not be the servo....The stock servo saver is junk, mine kept doing that too...I switched to a kimborough unit and it holds it's line perfectly everytime.

[smileyboy]

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...

What weight did you use in the front? Does Team losi or Team Associated make any shock oil close to this?
thanks

[mo679]

Hi mo679,

It might be possible to just replace the gears if there's a chipped tooth. Does it make any noises when it's trying to go back to neutral? As for the S9350, it looks like a nice one. It's a digital servo though. It's more precise, but you really need an FM radio to take advantage of the precision. Digital servos also have a higher power drain than analog servos from what I've been told.

I have a Futaba S3050 analog metal gear servo in my DF-02. I'm using an AM radio system and have no plans to upgrade, so I'm not really losing anything.

Have fun! :)
Hello Bakabaka, I also have an Am receiver but I thought the S3050 was digital too http://www.futaba-rc.com/servos/specs-lineart/specs-futm0300.jpg
Am I getting someting wrong?
Thanks for help!

[bakabaka]

Hi smileyboy,

You might want to try somewhere between 30 and 40 weight, I'm using 40 in all four Tamiya dampers with the yellow springs. I'm probably going to go to a heavier weight for the rear dampers and use the blue springs, since the rear seems to sit a bit low with the yellow springs. I haven't heard anyone complain about the GPM rear dampers though, so I'd guess the same weight should suffice for front and rear.

Have fun! :)

[mo679]

hey mo, it might not be the servo....The stock servo saver is junk, mine kept doing that too...I switched to a kimborough unit and it holds it's line perfectly everytime.

Hy Aluma,
thanks for the reply! I checked out the kimbrough saver, they look nice, wich on are you using?
what do you think about the Square horn saver?
http://members.sparedollar.com/jr-rc/sge22baluservoa.jpg :)
Jason store has them.

Thanks Mo

[bakabaka]

Hi mo679!

You didn't get anything wrong, I just typed the wrong servo name ;) It's actually an S3305 servo. I should have looked at it rather than going from memory. I'm happy with the S3305, it has metal gears and has been going strong ever since I've had it. I originally used it in a Clod Buster, so it's received its share of abuse.

Aluma is right though, the standard servo saver can barely be called one. Once the plastic is bent either way a bit, you get play in the steering.I also have a Kimbrough servo saver in mine now. The one I bought was a bit short, so I had to use one of the corner holes and cut off the excess plastic.

Have fun! :)

[XSFalcon]

I am looking at picking up the Tamiya Superstock 23T RZ from RCMart, and have read that I should be sure to gear it properly. I will probably gear at 67T Spur with either a 20 or 21 pinion.

When installing the motor, I noticed the motor has an arrow ->. Will I be installing the motor with the arrow -> towards the spur or away from the spur?

From the feedback most are giving, the esc can handle down to 19T but shouldn't go below 21T.

Thanks gang.

[mo679]

I am looking at picking up the Tamiya Superstock 23T RZ from RCMart, and have read that I should be sure to gear it properly. I will probably gear at 67T Spur with either a 20 or 21 pinion.

When installing the motor, I noticed the motor has an arrow ->. Will I be installing the motor with the arrow -> towards the spur or away from the spur?

From the feedback most are giving, the esc can handle down to 19T but shouldn't go below 21T.

Thanks gang.

Hello XSFalcon

I read on other forums that the super stock RZ looses a bit in torque if compared with the TZ, so maybe for the DF-02 off-road action it would be good to gear it with the 19T pinion, I'm getting mine next week :D and then I'll post my impressions

Let us know! :)

[Aluma]

Hy Aluma,
thanks for the reply! I checked out the kimbrough saver, they look nice, wich on are you using?
what do you think about the Square horn saver?
http://members.sparedollar.com/jr-rc/sge22baluservoa.jpg :)
Jason store has them.

Thanks Mo

I had a touring car model saver laying around so it was shorter than the stock one. I just extended it to proper length using extra servo horn material, glue and solder gun. ;) You might want to get the longer version kimbrough makes....the square horn look nice, but it doesnt look like a servo saver, just a horn.

[XSFalcon]

Mo679, sounds good. So I assume you are getting the TZ Motor? Did you order from RCMart?

With regards to hooking up the motor. If it has the motor direction ->, am I installing the motor with the arrow towards the spur or away from the spur? Just want to make sure I've been doing the right thing. My RTR came with a blank motor so no labelling.

[smileyboy]

I have a Hot Racing blue alum center drive shaft from a tt01. I wasw wondering if anyone could give me a few details as to how to install it.
thanks

[bakabaka]

Hi Smileyboy,

It's a bit of work, you'll need to remove both the front and rear diff covers to get it open. You'll need to open up the center shaft cover from the bottom as well, it amounts to quite a bit of disassembly. The upshot is you can change the spur gear while it's out.

Have fun! :)

[bakabaka]

Hi XSFalcon,

I don't think the arrow needs to be pointing toward or away from the spur, it's probably just an indicator as to which way the motor spins or perhaps its timing.

Have fun! :)

[mo679]

Mo679, sounds good. So I assume you are getting the TZ Motor? Did you order from RCMart?

With regards to hooking up the motor. If it has the motor direction ->, am I installing the motor with the arrow towards the spur or away from the spur? Just want to make sure I've been doing the right thing. My RTR came with a blank motor so no labelling.

Hello, I'm actually going to get the RZ, Because I thought that it might work better with the stock esc, plus on the paper the torque value is the same, so I don't expect a lot of difference with the TZ and maybe it depends a lot upon the gear ratio you choose, :cool:
I still haven't gotten mine ( I picked it up from the ebay 25$)

Have fun :)

[mo679]

Hello
Is there anyone out there using the square stg-11f steering stiffner? :o

I wonder if there is something similar from other brands, because it looks an important hop-up.

Does it really cure the sloppy steering?

thanks people :)

[XSFalcon]

mo679 - I think RCMart has the Superstocks the same. Keep us posted on how it goes. I'll order one for my friend Rising Storm aswell as one for my Hound.

bakabaka - ok thanks. I've only noticed that(direction arrow) on the black stock cans for motor direction labelling.

[sljm]

Hi nitro_n00b!

That's a pretty bad hit there. GPM has a stronger part of course, and Square RC makes a carbon fibre part with two adjustment holes that hasn't broken on me yet. The Yeah Racing part has more adjustability than either, but obviously can't take quite as much of a beating. My Yeah Racing shocktower is still ok, but I haven't had a big collision since I've had it installed. It's the rainy season here now though, so there isn't quite as much time for bashing...

Have fun! :)

My Yeah racing one just broke after one bashing session, hmm how do u order the square RC part, its all in japanese !

[bakabaka]

Hi mo679!

I haven't seen an analog of Square's steering stiffener from anyone else. Anything thicker than carbon fiber would probably not be a good thing given where it has to fit. Some of the slop does indeed seem to be under the steering arms, so it should help. How much it helps I don't know yet, but I'll probably pick one up to try it.

Have fun! :)

[bakabaka]

Hi sljm!

I purchased the front carbon fiber damper stay off eBay from Jason's store. It's a strong part with two settings for the dampers. That's more adjustable than the stock and GPM towers, but less than the Yeah Racing version. It doesn't brace against the chassis as completely as the others though, and I replaced the damper screws with a longer set of M5 machine screws when they popped out on me once. It is lighter though.

IMO, Square's stuff is on par with Tamiya's hop-up parts (sometimes better). The Yeah Racing and GPM parts are much less expensive, but the look and fit of Square's parts is much better. Tobee's parts are somewhere in between Square RC and Yeah Racing (or GPM) from my experience. They're solid, but the parts I purchased are just bare metal.

Have fun! :)

[sljm]

Hi sljm!

I purchased the front carbon fiber damper stay off eBay from Jason's store. It's a strong part with two settings for the dampers. That's more adjustable than the stock and GPM towers, but less than the Yeah Racing version. It doesn't brace against the chassis as completely as the others though, and I replaced the damper screws with a longer set of M5 machine screws when they popped out on me once. It is lighter though.

IMO, Square's stuff is on par with Tamiya's hop-up parts (sometimes better). The Yeah Racing and GPM parts are much less expensive, but the look and fit of Square's parts is much better. Tobee's parts are somewhere in between Square RC and Yeah Racing (or GPM) from my experience. They're solid, but the parts I purchased are just bare metal.

Have fun! :)

Thanks Bakabaka so it should be the STG3 part right ?

[bakabaka]

Hi sljm!

Yup, that's the one (front damper stay). Although STG-4, "rear carbon tower bar", looks like it would be the rear version, it doesn't actually replace the shock tower. Rather, it braces against it to prevent breaking during a crash. Presumably it also makes the rear shock tower more rigid.

Have fun! :)

[bakabaka]

Hi sljm!

I've modified the Yeah Racing entry in the FAQ to note the durability issue you and others have had with the front shock tower from Yeah Racing. I'll contact them and give them a bit of feedback on the durability issue. Who knows, maybe they'll redesign it.

Have fun! :)

[Pee-Wee]

Hi,

I´m totally new with the GH and now I´m rebuilding it. A friend has driven the car for about 3-4 times (bought it as a RTR) and gave it to me.
OK, Bearings, Alloy main shaft & alloy motor mount are build in, now I´m looking for the shock towers. I think the Square-units will do the best job, but while looking for it on Jason´s store, I found 2 different:
- STG3 Square Front Carbon Damper Stay Tamiya DF02 DF-02
- STG11F Square Front Carbon Stiffner Tamiya DF02 DF-02
Can anybody tell me what´s the difference :confused:
I also need help for the gearing: wich gearing would work for a 17*4-Motor? (I bougth a LRP Rally 2 - got it new for 15 bucks...)

Thanks for Your help!

(PS: It´s also my first post at the RC zone forum and: excuse my bad english...)

[mo679]

Hi,

I´m totally new with the GH and now I´m rebuilding it. A friend has driven the car for about 3-4 times (bought it as a RTR) and gave it to me.
OK, Bearings, Alloy main shaft & alloy motor mount are build in, now I´m looking for the shock towers. I think the Square-units will do the best job, but while looking for it on Jason´s store, I found 2 different:
- STG3 Square Front Carbon Damper Stay Tamiya DF02 DF-02
- STG11F Square Front Carbon Stiffner Tamiya DF02 DF-02
Can anybody tell me what´s the difference :confused:
I also need help for the gearing: wich gearing would work for a 17*4-Motor? (I bougth a LRP Rally 2 - got it new for 15 bucks...)

Thanks for Your help!

(PS: It´s also my first post at the RC zone forum and: excuse my bad english...)

Welcome in the forum!
The STG3 replaces the stock shock tower and it's a pretty good item: it's really solid and you can adjust the dampers because it has two holes
The STG-11F instead is a sterring stiffner, it should be mounted on the steering crank making it more solid and should help to reduce the sloppy steering. I think this is also a really good item, but I think it's kind of costy!
For the gearing take a look in the bakabaka faq, it's full of info

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

Have fun :)

[mo679]

Hey
what do you think of theese ? :cool:

http://www1.int.conrad.com/scripts/wgate/zcop_in/~flN0YXRlPTI0NjMyOTA3MTU=?~template=PCAT_PRODUCT_D ETAILS_DOCUMENT&object_guid=A587EE3D6E872E24E10000000A010226&hmmh_alt_image=%2fm%2f2000_2999%2f2200%2f2230%2f22 35%2f223559_RB_00_FB%2eEPS%2ejpg&p_load_area=1202221&page=2&mz_flag=&master_guid=&master_group=&master_typ=&master_desc=&master_first_row=&master_last_row=&p_sortopt=

and theese?

http://www1.int.conrad.com/scripts/wgate/zcop_in/~flN0YXRlPTc3MjI5NDU2MQ==?~template=pcat_product_d etails_document&r3_matnr=000000000000223454&object_id=0000000000000000000000000000000000223454&object_guid=D409F73DBA092C4EE10000000A010220&p_load_area=1202221&text_ztab=&area=1202221&page=7&price=No+price%21


front 76 mm eye to eye and rear 100 mm :)

[scoob]

I've got a gravel hound ordered. I have a few questions. How would you rate the tranny/driveline? What kind of power is it capable of hadling?

How is the drive shaft? is it plastic and if so is there an upgrade?

I have motors in 9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16, and 19 turn as well as roar stock and some brushless setup. I'm just trying to decide what I want to put in it.

[paulicat]

It is a pastic driveshaft, but aluminum is available...
As for motor, Bakabaka has used his Novak SS5800 brushless in it with no complaints to drivetrain wear, and most others that run high powered motors have not complained of any premature wear...

[Nenzi]

Hey,
What happened to the DT-02 forum???
Anyone here know if an Astute body will fit on a Madcap? I know its a long shot, but tamiyaclub were not accepting any new members.

[heynow]

Hi all.

I'm totally new to r/c cars. I purchased a GH kit last month and have enjoyed it a great deal. Everything is stock except the addition of bearings for the wheels. All I do is bashing in the yard or at the local school. My kids think of the car as their "pet" that they run around the yard with. I've read through this thread and learned a lot, but I do have a question or two or three.....first,

I have my shocks attached to the inner most holes on the lower arms for the front and rear. It seems to have given me some more height. Is there a problem in doing this that I may not be aware of?

....second,

When i replaced the bushings to bearings I noticed the axle cups looked a little worn on the inside where the dogbones go into them. Is this also just normal wear and tear? I put grease back into the cups when I put them back together so I hope this helps.

....third,

How come the tires didn't come with foam inserts? Can we put them in these tires and is anyone using them? Or is it best to leave them as they came?

Thanks for any help.

[paulicat]

1)No problem with the first question as long as you don't have any control problems...ie if it controls fine for you, leave it that way for clearance.
2)normal wear, grease em and go.
3)I dont have inserts in my spikes, but it should be perfectly fine to put them it.
I personally like the softer feel of the spikes when Im offroading...but thats just me.
Im sure others will have their own opinion on that subject.
Have fun!

[scoob]

It is a pastic driveshaft, but aluminum is available...
As for motor, Bakabaka has used his Novak SS5800 brushless in it with no complaints to drivetrain wear, and most others that run high powered motors have not complained of any premature wear...

Thaks paulicat.

I have a ss5800 in a T3 and I know it makes some pretty good power. It's torque, and the way it hits off the bottom and throws a big roost is pretty fun. If it can handle that fine then that is a good sign.

I'll let you guys know how it goes when I get it built. It just arrived today. I think the 14 turn SGP Serpentine is a good start. I think that's what I'll put in first and see how it goes.

I've heard the suspension is a little too soft. I may try some Associated res stiff springs if they'll fit and some thicker oil.

[paulicat]

Its true, the soft suspension is clearly the weak point of the df02 chassis...but it can be remedied.
Good luck, have fun and keep us posted!

[XSFalcon]

The screws that came with the shock towers front and back are too short. What replacement screws are available for these GPM parts?

I need replacement screws for the front & back shock towers & uppers arms.

[bakabaka]

Hi XSFalcon,

M5 machine screws should work, just go to any hardware store that stocks them and get a set which is long enough to go all the way through. That's what I did for the rear shock tower mount of the buggy when I took a bit of a bad landing on a dirt track a while ago.

Have fun! :)

[bakabaka]

Hi scoob!

The SS5800 seems to be a perfect fit for the buggy. A 14 turn should be as well, although you'll need to gear lower to use it. I've never tried anything lower than a 19t in mine, since that's all the ESC (Dynamite Tazer 19t) I was using with the brushed motors could handle.

As for the suspension, you might want to try the GPM dampers. Everyone who has tried them here seems to be happy with them. I believe Associated and Losi springs fit them. The Tamiya dampers seem to use a longer version of the the springs that Tamiya uses in their touring cars, which have a smaller diameter. The Associated springs are probably too wide to fit.

FWIW, I used Tamiya's blue DF-02 springs with 80w oil in the rear for a while and that definitely worked well jumping the speed bumps on pavement. It would probably be too stiff for dirt though.

Have fun! :)

[bakabaka]

This is a bit off topic, completely off topic really, but I thought I'd mention that Tamiya has another 4WD buggy coming out. It's going to be kit #58370 according to Tamiya USA's web site. It doesn't have a name yet on any of their websites, but I was able to find concept renderings in a PDF file flyer for a Tamiya event to be held in Nuremburg. Lots of adjutsability on the shock towers, and an interesting design centering the battery directly under the driveshaft for undercarriage access.

This is apparently the buggy for which the coming-soon pin spike tires and wheels are made. It doesn't look too much like the DF-02 from the renderings, but perhaps we might be seeing a TRF treatment? ;) It is, after all, the year of the hound in the Chinese zodiac...

Have fun! :)

[heynow]

Thanks Paulicat for your reply. I'm really enjoying this car. Last weekend I had it covered in mud which was a lot of fun....I even had fun cleaning it. Take care.

[XSFalcon]

Thanks Bakabaka. I noticed that with the front & rear shock towers as well as the upper & lower arm assembly, that the bolts are not long enough or were either too big or too small for the yeah & gpm parts. I ended up using the original 3x22mm for the towers & 3x14mm for the upper arms.

[wanttorace]

hey everybody i love this site with so much and info i just wish i could spend more time on it i have a question for the people who have yeah racing mods on there hound thanks to bakabaka and the cool pics on his site i decided to pick them all up and it looks great but i am running into abit of a problem it seems when i really try to turn sharp the dog bone seems to pop out of the front knuckle :eek: has anyone had a problem with this? :confused: and does anyone know how to fix it thanks to everyone bash hard :)

[XSFalcon]

WanttoRace -
Did you purchase the TDF2264C - Swing Set & DF2041 - Differential Joint
or
DF2041 - Differential Joint, DF2039 - Wheel Joint & DF2264D-Dog Bones?

[wanttorace]

hey its me again i forgot to ask one more question i ordered the front knuckles and 4 king pins like bakabakas ride but i do not get how it all goes together it seems the king pins do not reach and i can not figure out how the silver spacers,brass spacers,o ring and king pin go together :confused: can someone hlep me on this problem i got the knuckle on the car with out the king pins and silver spacers just the brass ones but i am sure it can not be write in fact i know it isn't thanks everyone. :)

[wanttorace]

WanttoRace -
Did you purchase the TDF2264C - Swing Set & DF2041 - Differential Joint
or
DF2041 - Differential Joint, DF2039 - Wheel Joint & DF2264D-Dog Bones?
hey XSFALCAN i am not sure what a swing set is or wheel joint?all i got was yeah racing mods are front/rear shock towers,racing steering set.turnbuckles,frontknuckles,4 king pinsand front arms.i left the drive cups and axle stock until i order the tobee ones that bakabaka recomends i am not sure if this helps but as far as i can see the was really nothing else to buy thanks for replying so fast.

[smileyboy]

Busted my chassis at the track today. :(

[smileyboy]

:( One more pic. So where is the cheapest place to buy a chassis. BTW what hopups is everyone else using who is racing? Are you guys using the Yeah A-arms or just the stock ones. Ireally don't want to break the chassis again. I am trying to prep for a race in 2 weeks.

[smileyboy]

:( One more pic. So where is the cheapest place to buy a chassis. BTW what hopups is everyone else using who is racing? Are you guys using the Yeah A-arms or just the stock ones. Ireally don't want to break the chassis again. I am trying to prep for a race in 2 weeks.

Well, it looks like tower no longer has the chassis. I guess I will buy it from rcmart.com plus a few other parts.

[XSFalcon]

ouch! How did that happen?

[smileyboy]

I hit a the side of a steel pipe as I came around a turn. I think I need to change the springs on my GPMs anyone got any suggestions?

[P8ntballJunkee]

Hey everyone, I'm a new member here and I just wanted to thank everyone for all the great information I've learned here so far. Picked up my GH about 6 months ago, first RC I've really ever owned and I'm loving it. A cousin decided to start a family racing league and it's grown into 13 cars last race day, with a lap counter, and transpoders for every car. My wife has me on a tight budget....sadly the house payment comes first...but I'm slowly working on adding hop-ups when parts break. I'll keep this short, just wanted to say "GREAT FORUM" and thank everyone for all their helpfull posts.

[bakabaka]

Hi Smileyboy!

Strange that Tower doesn't have them anymore. Maybe it has something to do with Tamiya selling things online now, I picked up a chassis and several other parts from them a short time ago. I picked up the dish wheel set at the same time, which I'm quite happy with so far.

Have fun! :)

[smileyboy]

Do u have the tamiya.com link to the chassis you bought?

[bakabaka]

Hi smileyboy!

The link's below. I'm in the US, so I used the tamiyausa.com site. I noted that Tamiya Japan mentions an online shop as well, although I haven't looked closely at any of the other international websites.

http://www.tamiyausa.com/product/item.php?product-id=51074

Have fun! :)

[smileyboy]

Thanks. I just went out and bought some Team losi Yellows for the front shocks and Reds for the back shocks. What do I need to change as far as gearing? I am going to put in my P2k2 stock motor next weekend.
Thanks

[mo679]

Hello everybody

I was reading in the forum today about the possibility of using two battery packs :eek: wired together to get longer run times, can somebody explain me how to do that and what kind of cable is required?

thanks a lot
Have fun :)

[bakabaka]

Hi mo679!

You'd need to set them up in parallel, I suppose a Y connector (where red connects to red, and black connects to black) would probably work. Typical battery packs are designed in serial to increase voltage as you add cells.

Your packs will probably get hotter in parallel though, and if they're not matched well it will almost certainly decrease their lifespan. I wouldn't recommend it for the DF-02 myself, since there isn't that much room for the second pack. The Clod Buster AIRC had a "power vs. runtime" switch for the batteries, which I'd wager switched the manual speed controller between parallel and serial circuits.

Have fun! :)

[bakabaka]

Hi Smileyboy!

Which motor were you using before? I've heard the P2K2 motor has pretty good torque, so you might want to try a 20 or 21t with it. I've only used one in my TB-02, it's definitely a kick compared to the stock motor.

Have fun! :)

[bakabaka]

Hi wanttorace,

You might want to try checking the camber adjustment on your front wheels if you have the turnbuckles. Other than that, try adjusting the EPA on your transmitter if it has it, the RTR TX doesn't. If you don't have universals/CVDs/swing shafts (quite an assortment of names for this component!) yet, they would probably help. I've actually heard that the Tamiya swing shafts, although a bit expensive, are very good for the front. They require a different, smaller cup joint/outdrive, but this outdrive provides greater precision and smoother turns.

As for the kingpins, I just put them in with a plastic spacer I found on the top/bottom. The screws on the bottom of the kingpins are a bit too long it seems. You could also try using shorter screws.

Incidentally, I noticed I'd written in an earlier post that I used M5 screws for attaching most components to the chassis, which was a typo. I've been using M3 with .5 pitch. Whoops...

Have fun! :)

[scoob]

Hi scoob!

The SS5800 seems to be a perfect fit for the buggy. A 14 turn should be as well, although you'll need to gear lower to use it. I've never tried anything lower than a 19t in mine, since that's all the ESC (Dynamite Tazer 19t) I was using with the brushed motors could handle.

As for the suspension, you might want to try the GPM dampers. Everyone who has tried them here seems to be happy with them. I believe Associated and Losi springs fit them. The Tamiya dampers seem to use a longer version of the the springs that Tamiya uses in their touring cars, which have a smaller diameter. The Associated springs are probably too wide to fit.

FWIW, I used Tamiya's blue DF-02 springs with 80w oil in the rear for a while and that definitely worked well jumping the speed bumps on pavement. It would probably be too stiff for dirt though.

Have fun! :)

Thanks Bakabaka.

I was hoping the Associated springs would work because I've got lots of them. I'll look into the GPM dampers.

As for the motor and gearing. 16/70 is the highest ratio right? I'll try that with the 14 turn an see what happens. If it runs hot I'll go to a 15 or 16 turn, or maybe take my 5800 out of my T3. How did you gear the 19 turn? We'll see. :)

[bakabaka]

Hi scoob!

I was using a 17t pinion with the 70t spur at the time. I wasn't very impressed with the moderate performance and lost battery life, but since I've had good luck with a Trinity PK2K in a TC I'm assuming it was just the cheap Venom Fireball motor I was using. Another 19t, maybe something like a Chameleon, would probably give a much better showing.

Have fun! :)

[wanttorace]

hey guys since we are on the topic of motors i had a question i bought a novak esc good for 15turns i bought a peak raven 15tx2 and installed it i am still using the stock gearing it is faster then the silvercan motor but not great do you think a 67 spur gear would make a big difference or is there another combo spur gear,piniongear that someone has tried i mostly want speed but still keep a good acceleration also is there a 15t motor someone can reccomend for good speed like a trinity or something like that to get me by until i save up the 400$ for my brushless :)

[bakabaka]

Hi wanttorace!

If the acceleration is bad then you may be overgearing the motor. Try using a smaller pinion with the 70t spur and see if things improve. If the motor is overgeared, you won't reach top speed due to lack of torque. Both the motor and ESC will get hot quickly.

The Trinity Chameleon I mentioned before is supposed to be a nice motor. It's a 19t rather than a 15t, but I've heard good things about it. Incidentally, which ESC are you using?

Have fun! :)

[scoob]

I have a Chameleon and it is pretty stout.

Wanttorace- If your running the stock gearing on the 15 turn then your probably over geared. I think I know the motor your using and it doesn't have much torque at all. I have an Orion method 15 turn and it is not a strong motor. It's a little faster than a good stock motor. Peak and Orion motors are kind of like Chevy and GMC, pretty much the same. I believe the Raven is the Peak equivalent to the Method.
The motor is nice though for $15. It's held up very well with the V type brush layout. I have a Trinity Speed Gems pro Titanite 15 turn and it's in another league as far as power. Step up to that or a Reedy flash 15turn ( even stronger) and you will be very happy with the power. Make sure you change gearing though or you'll burn it up in a run or two. I'd start with a 16t pinion and if things are cool after a run gear up to 17t.

[wanttorace]

hi bakabaka thanks for the info so the spacers you put on your c-hubs on the front knucles are just something you had extra laying around the house also you did not use the silver,copper spacers then?thanks for the gearing suggestions i had prebought a 67 tooth spurgear would this be the same as dropping the pinion gears and if i order pinion gears does tamiya sell 16,17,18 should i buy all 3 are gears?will they say made for the gravel hound i am not sure?or can buy any make of a pinion gear.To anwser your question i bought the novak XRS esc for my hound i am still new to the hobby and trying to learn everyday so i was not sure what to buy i just knew novak was a good name but now i know i sould have gotten a lower turn esc oh well i want brushless anyway :D talk to you soon

[wanttorace]

hey scoob thanks i might just invest in one of the 2 you do not happen to know the RPM's on those do you?my raven has a max of 28772 RPM is that any comparison to the trinity or the reedy are those expensive motors and how is the maintance on those? i am still new to electric r/c so i have alot of questions but i really welcome your help :) is gearing down pinion gears more speed so a 16 is faster then a 18 or is it the opposite 18 is faster then 16 and so on i also asked bakabaka a question is a 67 spur gear the same as changing the pinion and would 67 be faster then then 70?does just everbody just stay with 70 and just change the pinion if so why?thanks wanttorace :D

[scoob]

hey scoob thanks i might just invest in one of the 2 you do not happen to know the RPM's on those do you?my raven has a max of 28772 RPM is that any comparison to the trinity or the reedy are those expensive motors and how is the maintance on those? i am still new to electric r/c so i have alot of questions but i really welcome your help :) is gearing down pinion gears more speed so a 16 is faster then a 18 or is it the opposite 18 is faster then 16 and so on i also asked bakabaka a question is a 67 spur gear the same as changing the pinion and would 67 be faster then then 70?does just everbody just stay with 70 and just change the pinion if so why?thanks wanttorace :D

I don't know the rpm of the motors off hand. The motors I mentioned are usually 30-35 buck.

Smaller/lower tooth pinion= better acceleration and lower top speed. Smaller spur= less acceleration higher top speed. The two gears in combination can cancel eachother out. A small pinion with large spur may be the same ratio as a large pinion with smaller spur. Untill you better understand the relationship of the spur/pinion you may want to stick to changing pinions to change gearing. The effect that the spur has on the final ratio is much smaller than the pinion and the pinion is easier to change anyway. The only reason I would change a spur is if I ran out of pinion options and needed a lower or higher ratio.

To answer your question, if you changed from 70 to 67 on the spur you'd have a slight gain in top speed. What you need to remember is that gearing for higher top speed can overheat your motor and cause much quicker wear on the comm and brushes. Extreme gearing can ruin a motor in one run. It's always best to start with a small pinion and check motor heat. If the motor and ESC are cool after one run then you can add a tooth at a time to the pinion and check again untill you reach the best combination of speed, acceleration, ect. Also gearing for top-end will lower runtime.

Think of it this way. Your RC car is a single speed tranny so it's locked in one gear. If your automobile had one gear you wouldn't want it to be locked in 5th gear because it would accelerate really slow and be a killer on the engine.
You'd want it somewhere in between.

Anytime you go with a hotter motor (lower turn) you need to gear the motor with a higher ratio( meaning smaller pinion or "lower gearing", which is confusing I know). The extra speed will still be there, trust me.

With a 15 turn, you should probably start with a 16 or 17 tooth pinion on the 70 or 67 spur and if it runs cool, you can go up. Just trying to keep you from buying a new motor and frying it :) .

Try searching "gearing" on the electric forum for more info. It can be confusing but if you do a little research you'll understand it in no time.

[wanttorace]

thanks scoob i think i understand better now :) so what kind of hop-ups do you have on your car?so how often are you suppose to change the brushes and comm and is it easy also should i be lubing the motor with oil sometime?

[bakabaka]

Hi!

The 70t spur on the DF-02 seems to be best suited to modified motors 19t and lower. The 67t is useful for getting more speed from motors with lots of torque, like stock motors and interestingly enough the SS5800 brushless. The DF-02 uses metric .6 module gears, so the pinions also need to be .6 module metric. I use Robinson Racing metric pinions, which are available from Tower Hobbies and are all apparently .6 module.

Have fun! :)

[bakabaka]

Hi scoob!

Which ESC were you using in your DF-02? I'd be curious as to how you gear it with the motor you end up using as well.

Have fun! :)

[fabolousRC]

http://www.tamiyausa.com/images/product/250/58370/header_58370.jpg

From Tamiya USA (http://www.tamiyausa.com) website:

This 1/10 scale 4WD buggy is specially designed to excel in off-road buggy racing. It features a mid-rear mounted motor and longitundinally mounted battery for optimum balance for jumping. Battery is inserted through the bottom of the chassis, eliminating need to remove body, which makes routine maintenance easy and quick. High performance shaft drive 4WD combines with suspension system featuring extra long suspension arms for improved stability and off-road handling.

About the Model

* High performance 1/10 4WD buggy chassis designed for off-road racing
* 4-wheel independent double wishbone suspension features CVA oil dampers and extra long suspension arms for improved stability and handling
* Includes sealed diff gearbox indispensable for off-road running
* Features full ball bearings
* Comes with Type 540 motor
* Newly designed off-road tires and wheels featured larger diameter and width, and new tread pattern designed for excellent running and control on hard dirt tracks
* Tires: High Density Spike Tires K (4WD/Front, 62/25), High Density Spike Tires K (Rear, 62/35)
* Wheels: Large Dish Wheels (4WD/Front, 62/25), Large Dish Wheels (Rear 62/35)

Tentative name for this product according to Tamiya Japan Site is 1/10 R/C Racing 4WD Buggy Dark Impact

Show Pictures Courtesy of RC-Junkies.com (http://www.rc-junkies.com)

http://www.bb-hardware.com/modules/xgallery/cache/albums/nurnberg06/Tamiya_11.jpg
http://www.bb-hardware.com/modules/xgallery/cache/albums/nurnberg06/Tamiya_13.jpg
http://www.bb-hardware.com/modules/xgallery/cache/albums/nurnberg06/Tamiya_14.jpg
http://www.bb-hardware.com/modules/xgallery/cache/albums/nurnberg06/Tamiya_15.jpg
http://www.bb-hardware.com/modules/xgallery/cache/albums/nurnberg06/Tamiya_16.jpg

[Combatcm]

I think it could take on losi buggies.

I just built my DF-02 up to race spec. I would rather have this though. It looks like it has good balance and I like the bottom loaded battery.

I hop it had full CVD's and gear diffs. I always hated ball diffs.

[scoob]

Hi scoob!

Which ESC were you using in your DF-02? I'd be curious as to how you gear it with the motor you end up using as well.

Have fun! :)

I'm going to go with a Novak GTS. It is on order and should be in next week. I'm going to try the Speed Gems 14 turn Serpantine with 16/70 to start with and see how that goes. The 16 tooth metric pinion is also on order so it'll be a while before I get it set up. If it runs cool I'll go to a 17 tooth. I recently roasted the com in a Chameleon 2 in my Stampede because I over geared so I'm being VERY conservative right now with brushed motors. I've acually got more experience with brushless but I got an awesome deal on a bunch of brand new brushed motors so I figured I'd snach them up. I have like 15different motors. I've got all the Speedgem pro motors except the 19 turn Arcornite and the 17 turn Amber, so I've got 9,10,11,12,13,14,15, and 16 turn. A Chameleon 2 three Trinity stock motors : p2k, p2k2, Monster stock and a few others. Got them all new for $125 !!! A freind was getting out of RC and needed to sell out.

I've also got the propeller shaft ordered that was recommended on your FAQ site. Your site is very helpful and appreciated. :)

[smileyboy]

I WAS JUST PRACTICING AT THE TRACK WITH THE STOCK MOTOR. The only thing that sucks is that when we do the 4wd class, there is only one class so I will be in the Modified class. I might need a motor with more power than a P2k2...........

[XSFalcon]

Damn. Dark Impact looks sweet.

Ok let me get this straight. I just changed to a 67T Spur Gear with the available pinions of 19 to 22. I still have the stock motor that came with the buggy. So, I'll test it out and check the motor heat. If it doesn't get too hot, I can then go up one pinion size.....right?

Since I am gonna stick with the stock ESC, from what I've come to understand I can only go as low as a 21T motor. I'll check my local hobby shops (only got a couple here in the GTA)

Note regarding the GPM Shocks

I haven't even taken the car for a test run yet and the shocks are already leaking.

Remove the cap and remove the oil seal cap. There is a small plastic ring inside. Remove that plastic ring.

I had 2 shocks leak due to the shaft piercing through the oil seal.

[wanttorace]

thanks guys for the help i am going to my lhs and order some robinson racing gears i will get 16-18 just to be sure to bad i just bought 2 67 spurgears i guess i will just put in my other car for now just because it has the stock motor.

[wanttorace]

thats to bad to hear XSFALCON i was just thinking of ordering some for my car i have the same problem in the GTA to has anyone else have the same happen to them which shock GPM,yeah or tamiya is the best shock or are they pretty much all the same?

[scoob]

Damn. Dark Impact looks sweet.

Ok let me get this straight. I just changed to a 67T Spur Gear with the available pinions of 19 to 22. I still have the stock motor that came with the buggy. So, I'll test it out and check the motor heat. If it doesn't get too hot, I can then go up one pinion size.....right?

Since I am gonna stick with the stock ESC, from what I've come to understand I can only go as low as a 21T motor. I'll check my local hobby shops (only got a couple here in the GTA)

Note regarding the GPM Shocks

I haven't even taken the car for a test run yet and the shocks are already leaking.

Remove the cap and remove the oil seal cap. There is a small plastic ring inside. Remove that plastic ring.

I had 2 shocks leak due to the shaft piercing through the oil seal.



Where did you get the GPM shocks?

[smileyboy]

I got my GPM shocks from www.rcmart.com. They are in Hong Kong. So be prepared to pay $$$ for shipping< you could also check out ebay.

[smileyboy]

Can someone provide a link for the GH manual. I bough the XB version and since the chasis broke I am goinh to need to put it together.

Also, what do u all think about going with the stock A arms for racing purposes.

[XSFalcon]

I got mine from RCMart also.

I purchased some replacement seals from Hobby Hobby over the weekend. No problems now.

[losiXXXman]

Smileyboy,

Here is a link to the Rising Storm Manual - hope that helps....

http://www.tamiyaclub.com/manual.asp?id=556

[szan]

Damn. Dark Impact looks sweet.

Note regarding the GPM Shocks

I haven't even taken the car for a test run yet and the shocks are already leaking.

Remove the cap and remove the oil seal cap. There is a small plastic ring inside. Remove that plastic ring.

I had 2 shocks leak due to the shaft piercing through the oil seal.

Hi,

I've replaced the GPM oil seals with tamiya one (the same I had with the kit), they fit perfectly and much better than GPM original too large seals.
I couldn't close the damper without leaking using the GPM seals. I think, it's a bad point for GPM damper choice...

bye

[szan]

Smileyboy,

Here is a link to the Rising Storm Manual - hope that helps....

http://www.tamiyaclub.com/manual.asp?id=556

Hi,

You'll find a lot of full pdf manuals on tamiya inc too http://tamiya.com/english/rc/manuals.htm

bye

[bakabaka]

Hi fabolousRC,

Thanks for the pointer to the pics! I've been intrigued ever since I saw the listing under Coming Soon on Tamiya USA's website, but... Holy cramped chassis batman! It looks nice and adjustable, and it looks like there might even be a slipper clutch on the transmission, but I have no idea where I'd put my Super Sport ESC in that thing. I'll probably get the kit anyway once it comes out. Hopefully there's a good amount of space under the body, especially with the servo being where it is. No doubt someone's going to work out a way to use a shorter shaft and put the servo closer to the steering...

Have fun! :)

[bakabaka]

Hi scoob!

Thanks, that's the best I can hope for with the FAQ. Incidentally, I've been trying to put together a database of motor/gearing combinations, and which ESC the combination was used with. If you wouldn't mind dropping a note with your results as to what seemed to work best, I'd be happy to add it to an article (or a set of articles.) There's a link to submit articles too ;)

Anyway, the DF-02 can probably use a bit larger pinions than the Stampede, since the tires are smaller and more narrow. A 19t motor could probably be used with the 18t or 17t pinions without too much pain.

Have fun! :)

[Aluma]

Darkstar...yeah it does look a bit cramped, but seems to be well balanced. all weight towards the rear/middle...wont nose dive so bad on huge jumps...probably be my next offroad car. :D looks like a normal buggy too.

[Nenzi]

Technically the Impact looks ok, but I hate those rims! Personally I like the top force rims but black, or the simple madcap/manta dish rims.

The body looks pretty sweet, but its a bit on the boxy side. It needs to be a little more curvy. First thing I'd do is put some decent shocks on it and then it will start to at least look competitive. If it does have a slipper clutch and full bearings, this thing might be good straight out of the box. Wonder if tamiya will release a Neo or Super version with carbon bits...... ;)

Anyone know any release dates :confused:

[fabolousRC]

I think they released a set of F/R dish wheels for the Gravel Hound late last year (that's because everybody has been begging and got tired looking at those star wheels) and they also had come up with a set of white version of Impact wheels as well. The white version looks nicer than stock, trust me. YOu can see them at the Tamiya.com/english pages of the Nuremberg show.

On top of that, Kyosho SuperTen wheels fits them as well...well..that is when Kyosho decided to bring it back to the market after Tower discontinued them all.

I presume Tokyo Hobby Show would be Japanese release and RCX would be US release time. I'm pretty sure I will be there when they roll it out @RCX. (hopefully I bring my own digicam this time around).

[smileyboy]

Thanks for the link to the. I think the new buggy looks awsome. can't wait to get my hands on it and start racin.

[scoob]

Hi scoob!

Thanks, that's the best I can hope for with the FAQ. Incidentally, I've been trying to put together a database of motor/gearing combinations, and which ESC the combination was used with. If you wouldn't mind dropping a note with your results as to what seemed to work best, I'd be happy to add it to an article (or a set of articles.) There's a link to submit articles too ;)

Anyway, the DF-02 can probably use a bit larger pinions than the Stampede, since the tires are smaller and more narrow. A 19t motor could probably be used with the 18t or 17t pinions without too much pain.

Have fun! :)

Will be sure to add my experiences when I get it set up. I may try some diferent motor and gearing combos and give my thoughts on each. I like experimenting and now that I've got all this equipment I can . :)

[heynow]

I'm sure this is a basic question for some of you but would appreciate some help concerning the oil dampers.

I took the stock dampers off my GH to add some of the stock oil and to clean them. When I removed them from the car I took the spring off to clean everything. I pushed the piston rod in and it really didn't rebound. I then opened them up and added oil.

After the oil was added and before I put the spring back on I pushed the piston rod in and it rebounds almost all the way back out. There is also more resistance when I push in. Is this normal???

Again, I'm new to r/c and will have many questions.

Thanks.

[paulicat]

Yes, its normal, and I had the exact same question when I was building my gravel hound too ;)
Cheers!

[szan]

After the oil was added and before I put the spring back on I pushed the piston rod in and it rebounds almost all the way back out. There is also more resistance when I push in. Is this normal???


Hi,

When oil filled and your push the piston rod, the oil seal goes in reverse under oil pressure. When you release it, it takes its normal shape pushing the rod away making a rebound. So, don't worry for that !

Bye

[mo679]

hello everybody

I got the tamiya super stock rz yesterday ( finally ;) )
Today I did a bit break-in and then went for a run.
The motor looks really nice and seems to be well built, it's completely rebuildable and comes with detailed instructions. The specs should be:
27500 rpm max,
23000 rpm at best efficiency,
76% efficiency
500 gf-cm at best efficiency.

First consideration: 1 gf/cm is equivalent to 0,0001 Nm, so the torque should be 0.05 Nm, the torque is mesured at 23000 rpm but looking at the graph on the box it should be around 2500 gf/cm so circa 0.25 Nm @ 8000 rpm, if I calculated right, this is not an high value if compared with other stock 23T motors like orion or Reedy, but anyway better than stock silver can.
I would like to see I dyno test of this motor to have it Clear
Second Consideration: the stock TEU-101bk got pretty hot running inside the house with lots of forward and reverse, but did not overheat. I took the car out with a temperatur of +4 C° and after 12 minutes of running I checked the ESC and Motor and they both were slightly warm.
the only trouble I had was that when the battery is almost empty, the car starts to steer left by itself, but maybe that might be due to some interference with the receiver.
Third consideration: speed.
I ran the Rising storm with full ball bearing, 70 and 67t spur gear and 19T pinion. It was fast! Top speed increased a lot, (better than the Venom fireball 19T)
and the torque looked to be really good too! I would like to see how to compare to other stockers
Check out this page:
http://www.schumacher.clara.net/stockreview.htm
I am really happy with the performance of this little tamiya motor giving the DF-02 a good kick thus not making it impossible to drive!

Did anybody try to do some tuning, I would like to add ball bearings to it, any experience?

Let me know your opinion about theese tamiya motor
Have fun :)

[kampat]

Hi all,

I am new to GH. I have a kit and am in the process of building it

With a Superstock TZ Motor and Tamiya 302BK ESC, what would be a good gear ratio to use (i.e. spur size and pinion size)?

Also, I tried to install tt01 aluminium propeller shaft and it was slightly too big, maybe 0.5mm, but it was enough not to let the front diff sit properly in the body. Has anyone else had this issue, anyway I returned it and ordered a hot racing one instead.

Thanks,
Kampat

[smileyboy]

Here are a few pics for everyone http://homepage.mac.com/macnrover/PhotoAlbum3.html

[mo679]

Here are a few pics for everyone http://homepage.mac.com/macnrover/PhotoAlbum3.html

Really nice car!

What are the specs of the motor? Rpm Torque?

Have fun :)

[heynow]

Hi all, It's me again with another GH question. First, thanks to the reply about the dampers and the rebound.

My question of the day is:

My GH is stock except for bearings I put in all of the wheels. The problem (if it is one...you tell me) is I have a lot of play/wobble in the front wheels. For example, if you hold the entire wheel and jiggle it there is play where the axle goes into the part that holds the wheel bearings. It seems the axle cup is moving around when I jiggle the wheel. Is there anything I can to to correct this if it is a problem?

I hope this makes sense. Thanks again for any help.

[fabolousRC]

the only trouble I had was that when the battery is almost empty, the car starts to steer left by itself, but maybe that might be due to some interference with the receiver.


That's not interference problem. That is a fail safe build into the ESC so your car won't wonder away from the transmitter when the voltage fell below a certain level. That's good for rookies. No more runaway cars YAY! :D

[fabolousRC]

Hi all, It's me again with another GH question. First, thanks to the reply about the dampers and the rebound.

My question of the day is:

My GH is stock except for bearings I put in all of the wheels. The problem (if it is one...you tell me) is I have a lot of play/wobble in the front wheels. For example, if you hold the entire wheel and jiggle it there is play where the axle goes into the part that holds the wheel bearings. It seems the axle cup is moving around when I jiggle the wheel. Is there anything I can to to correct this if it is a problem?

I hope this makes sense. Thanks again for any help.

Add an O-ring inside the cup to take that gap away. Also, when you purchase the ball diff it, it comes with a polyutherane bump stop that you must install inside the diff-side ball cup. For now, just use the black O-ring that you use for the oil shocks.

[fabolousRC]

Here are a few pics for everyone http://homepage.mac.com/macnrover/PhotoAlbum3.html

awesome looking car...looks kinda heavy with all those aluminum though...

[smileyboy]

It is a little heavier than I would like it. Some of the aluminum parts are coming off on race day.

[szan]

Hi all,

My experience about spring topic : I've tested the Associated B4 springs, they DON'T fit GPM dampers ! Not large enough.
But they should fit well tamiya style dampers.

Bye

[mo679]

That's not interference problem. That is a fail safe build into the ESC so your car won't wonder away from the transmitter when the voltage fell below a certain level. That's good for rookies. No more runaway cars YAY! :D


Thanks for the hint! any solution for that? I did not have this problem with the stock silver can

THANKS Have fun :)

[wanttorace]

Add an O-ring inside the cup to take that gap away. Also, when you purchase the ball diff it, it comes with a polyutherane bump stop that you must install inside the diff-side ball cup. For now, just use the black O-ring that you use for the oil shocks.
thanks fabolousRC that idea about the o-rings is great i was have the same problem with my car i am going to try that.HEYNOW have you tried them yet? if so how did you find they worked for you?

[XSFalcon]

A friend of mine just purchased the Peak Racing - Jaguar 23T ($25) motor to install in his Rising Storm.

When the weather is good here in Toronto, we'll test it out.

[smileyboy]

I just changed the rear springs to the TL Greens. They work alot better. The Fronts are still the same. I highly recommend these over the stock GPM springs

[heynow]

thanks fabolousRC that idea about the o-rings is great i was have the same problem with my car i am going to try that.HEYNOW have you tried them yet? if so how did you find they worked for you?

Hi,wanttorace


I haven't tried the o-ring idea yet. I don't have any o-rings available on hand. If you try it let me know. I did try to put a washer in between the pin on the axle and the bearing on the axle...the problem with that is when I put on the wheel and tighten up the little wheel/axle nut it makes it where the wheel is difficult to turn, but it stops the cup from jiggling! :)

Any other ideas?

[szan]

I just changed the rear springs to the TL Greens. They work alot better. The Fronts are still the same. I highly recommend these over the stock GPM springs

Hi smileyboy,

What do you mean with "TL" springs, do you have an url where to find some ?

Thanks

[smileyboy]

team losi springs. Your LHS (local hobby shop) should have them

[szan]

team losi springs. Your LHS (local hobby shop) should have them

Oh yes of course, thanks :-)
I've found this link about different TL springs http://www.teamlosi.com/techtips/spring_chart.htm

Bye

[XSFalcon]

What type of batteries & chargers are you guys using?

I have 2 chargers, 1 old school from 15 years ago that has a discharge switch and a relatively newer one I thnk Hobbico brand which does a 1/2 hr charge.

Battery - I think my batteries are along the lines of 1500 or 1700. Whichever one came with the RTR kit.

[smileyboy]

I have 3300 mah. Does anyone have the wobbly wheel issue?

[rczmjls]

. Does anyone have the wobbly wheel issue?

I have it. I try not to think too much about it :p .
Maybe sometime I'll try the O-ring...

Br.
MS

[smileyboy]

please inform me about the O-ring?

[fabolousRC]

Thanks for the hint! any solution for that? I did not have this problem with the stock silver can

THANKS Have fun :)

Have you tried this: soldier some schottky diode into the motor. Go to your LHS and ask for some schottky diode for your motor.

[fabolousRC]

please inform me about the O-ring?

smileyboy: the O-ring is the same one you put into the CVA shocks. It comes either in black or red color.

[smileyboy]

and what do you do with them? Where do they go?
thanks

[fabolousRC]

and what do you do with them? Where do they go?
thanks

In the inside of both drive cups. Put one on the diff side and one on the wheel side. If you have a universal drive shaft then you only put one on diff side.

[smileyboy]

I plan on buying a few pinons. What would work best on a tight track with 4-5 jumps. One being pretty tall. I bought the 67t Spur. Now I am looking a pinon. i have a stock motor. what do u all recommend? I have the stock pinon and a 19t so far.
thanks

[wanttorace]

thanks FabolousRC those o-rings work great hey Smileyboy and Heynow you should give them a try they stop the problem for sure.Does anyone have the Yeah Racing Turnbuckle set because i put them on the rear and the tires turn inward :confused: as far as i know it is suppose to effect toe in and out but not in to the car i took it apart and nothing looks bent to me has anyone had this problem :confused: help

[wanttorace]

I plan on buying a few pinons. What would work best on a tight track with 4-5 jumps. One being pretty tall. I bought the 67t Spur. Now I am looking a pinon. i have a stock motor. what do u all recommend? I have the stock pinon and a 19t so far.
thanks
hey smileboy i was just wondering if you saw a big difference in the 67 spur to the 70 i have one but have not put it in yet have you looked at upgrading your esc and motor? talk to you soon :D

[smileyboy]

I have not even put in my 67t gear either. Trying to keep the stock esc for a while. I have a Fantom Stock motor. BTW. Anyone else?

[heynow]

hey wanttorace:

I didn't have any of the o-rings from the dampers left so I picked up some small ones from the Home Depot. I tried to put them in the drive cup but it made the dogbone too tight so the wheel hardly spun. I'm glad it worked for you but I seem to be having a difficult time of it....it's been one of those days.

[XSFalcon]

Here is my old school battery charger.

[heynow]

XSFalcon, I see U like DISCO. :p

[wanttorace]

hi Heynow i picked up my o-rings from homedepot too mine fit perfect on to the drive cup shaft are you putting them in before you put the drive cup back in the knuckles or before the bearing?Hey XSfalcon how fast does your charger work?

[XSFalcon]

Charges & Discharges the batteries in 15mins

[heynow]

wanttorace,

are you sliding the o-ring on the axle and putting the o-ring in between the bearing and the pin on the axle? Does this "bind" the wheel up at all?

or

are you putting the o-ring inside the cup itself?

sorry for all the questions.

[fabolousRC]

wanttorace,

are you sliding the o-ring on the axle and putting the o-ring in between the bearing and the pin on the axle? Does this "bind" the wheel up at all?

or

are you putting the o-ring inside the cup itself?

sorry for all the questions.

Inside the cup, sire...inside the cup ;)

Make sure the size is the same because you do want some play on the shaft but not too much.

[smileyboy]

Sound Pretty Cool. Thanks For The Tip

[viper7016]

Hey guys, I have gone through about 27 pages of this thread and take it anymore. I want to get the Yeah racing aluminum steering setup and wanted to know what size bearing it uses. If anyone knows.

[bakabaka]

Hi viper7016!

I haven't seen any documentation on them, but it looks like they use maybe 9mm bearings. I'll send their tech dept an email asking about it.

Have fun! :)

[viper7016]

Thank-you bakabaka. I would really appreciate it. I have a Rising Storm coming in the mail along with some other goodies like a GTB 6.5 and some aluminum replacement parts. I intend to enjoy myself.

[szan]

Thank-you bakabaka. I would really appreciate it. I have a Rising Storm coming in the mail along with some other goodies like a GTB 6.5 and some aluminum replacement parts. I intend to enjoy myself.

Hi viper7016,

Don't forget to give feedback about GTB. Maybe a new FAQ entry, bakabaka !
I think you'll be the first with this system on df-02.

bye

[bakabaka]

Hi viper7016,

Don't forget to give feedback about GTB. Maybe a new FAQ entry, bakabaka !
I think you'll be the first with this system on df-02.

bye

Definitely. The more articles, the less people have to read through 30+ pages of the forum to get their answers ;)

Have fun! :)

[szan]

Hi,

I found this product on Novak site :
http://www.shopatron.com/product/product_id=NOV5922/135.0.8180.0.0.0.0
it's a higher-strength rotor and larger front-end bearing, that should increase performances of SS5800.
I don't know if it makes a good difference ! Do someone have tried ?

Bye

[mo679]

Hello,
I Just Broke the front right knuckle :( , but Yeah racing replacement is on the way!

I was playing around with the tamiya super stock Rz, and I was wandering if I could replace the bushing with some good quality bearings? do you know if the size of motor's bearing is standard?
Thanks a lot

Have fun!

[kampat]

Hey quick question,

I got the tamiya turnbuckle shaft set yesterday, HOW DO YOU GET THOSE SCREWS IN?, the ones that look like small tubes that have a hole on one side and solid on the other?, is there an allen key you are supposed to use or what?

[bakabaka]

Hi kampat!

IIRC I did use a hex (allen) key set on the Tamiya parts. It's been quite some time since I assembled them though, try using the hex wrench that comes with the car for the pinion set screw.

Have fun! :)

[bakabaka]

Hi szan,

Looks like my next upgrade ;) $30 to increase either speed or power doesn't sound too bad. Hopefully it makes a noticeable difference.

Have fun! :)

[szan]

Hi szan,

Looks like my next upgrade ;) $30 to increase either speed or power doesn't sound too bad. Hopefully it makes a noticeable difference.

Have fun! :)

Yes bakabaka, me too, I think that for the price, it's not a big risk to upgrade ! I'm waiting for my SS for the end of the month, so I'll may upgrade during march. If you upgrade tell us about it !

bye

[kampat]

Hi there,

Does anyone have the Square Aluminium Center Shaft Set, it aparently comes with cup joints as well to hold the center shaft. Also where can I purchase it?

Thanks,
Kampat

[szan]

Hi there,

Does anyone have the Square Aluminium Center Shaft Set, it aparently comes with cup joints as well to hold the center shaft. Also where can I purchase it?

Thanks,
Kampat

Hi Kampat,
I have bought it (and I recommend it) from Jason's Store on Ebay, but they're on holyday until March 4th so their store is empty. Just wait a few :-)
Bye

[kampat]

Hi Kampat,
I have bought it (and I recommend it) from Jason's Store on Ebay, but they're on holyday until March 4th so their store is empty. Just wait a few :-)
Bye


thanks Szan.

Has anyone else had this issue :
I was installing the Tamiya Steering set (I bought the Tamiya steering link also). when I was installing the steering arms, the screw that you use needs a hex key (supplied) and it was tough screwing them in. In fact half way though, the hex grove on the top of the screw slowly got chewed and I ended up taking them back out (with a plier!) and will now replace them with standard phillips 3 x 18mm.

anyway take this as a potenial warning. I assumed they used Hex screws as these steering arms need to be held in place really well and they don't want the plastic thread on the body to deteriorate?

Thanks,
Kamal

[scoob]

Hi szan,

Looks like my next upgrade ;) $30 to increase either speed or power doesn't sound too bad. Hopefully it makes a noticeable difference.

Have fun! :)

I've heard that it adds lots of torque and looses a few revs, which is right up my ally. I'm all about knobby scorching power more so than top-speed. I also heard that the upgraded rotor version can be geared higher to have higher top speed than standard, however with same gearing as standard, it will have slightly less top and better acceleration. I may add it to my 5800 in my T3 since it's due for new bearings anyway.

[mbs]

Wich screws I have to use to mount the DF-02 Front(STG-3)and rear (STG-4) Carbon Damper Stay. Are all necessary screws in the package?

Thanks a lot.

[szan]

Wich screws I have to use to mount the DF-02 Front(STG-3)and rear (STG-4) Carbon Damper Stay. Are all necessary screws in the package?

Thanks a lot.

Yes they are !

[wanttorace]

hey bakabaka iwas reading a few threads back about you trying your hand at painting a rising storm body you bought so there are no hang ups on using that body on the gh?have you take any up to date pictures of your car?hope to see some soon :D thanks for all the help in the past and i am sure for more in the future :)

[wanttorace]

so heynow how are you finding the o-rings now?did you figure it out.talk to you soon bye

[smileyboy]

I heard some pretty loud clicking during 2 of my track runs today. Its not the universals. Could it be the tt01 drive shaft or could the motor/pinon be mounted to close to the spur? Help.

Plus I m going to put a 12x2 turn motor in it. what gearing do u think I should us?
thanks

[JDT]

I have run an Epic Intense and an Orion Revolution 12 X 2 motors in my Rising Storm and they both seemed to like 70/16 best, the Epic did not overheat at 70/17 but was not as punchy as I would like, the Orion felt much better but got too hot for my taste, in its defense it was tuned the epic is stock timing so that probably had something to do with it as the timing on the Orion was set by the guy that rebuilt and tuned it. It got way to hot at 70/18 so after one test with the epic I knew I was going the wrong direction. I have used the stock tires to the point they are worn out so the 12 turn is almost enough as traction is very hard to come by, not scary fast enough top speed for me but it seems about twice as fast as the stock can but I could be off on that respect, the 12 turn made the small bumps in the street much more pronounced, with the stock silver can I could hit them full speed no problem the same crack/bump with either 12 turn resulted in the rear of the car passing the front in the air then landing upside down sliding backwards..DOH.. This is my first post here on RCZONE I have been lurking for nearly a year now, I've got alot of info off Bakabaka FAQ site, even have it favorited on my work laptop. My Rising Storm is lightly upgraded with Tamiya aluminum center shaft, uppper arms replaced with ti turnbuckles and rpm ball caps on losi ball studs, I use an LRP AI Pro Reverse ESC, I have broken a few front shock towers and a couple of chassis but I am always amazed at what my df 02 can take, my first chassis spent as much time in the air as it did on the ground and drove away from wrecks that I was sure would have busted something. I have had the most fun with this car running 70/16 gearing with 2.2 Truck dirt hawgs on Traxxas Stampede front wheels all around, tires are two inches wide and 4.25 inches tall and about double the clearance, I have tried this with a couple different motors but my favorite had to be my Kyosho Mad Scientist Atomic 17 turn but I had fun with a Reedy Quad mag 19 for a little while also but it seemed to wear out the brushes too fast for me so I plan on brushless soon. Sorry for the long post just wanted to answer this gearing question and say hello to all the people I have been reading posts from for quite a while now.

[smileyboy]

I get this rythmic clicking from the drivetrain as the car went around the track. I guess i need to investigate tomorrow.

[fabolousRC]

thanks Szan.

Has anyone else had this issue :
I was installing the Tamiya Steering set (I bought the Tamiya steering link also). when I was installing the steering arms, the screw that you use needs a hex key (supplied) and it was tough screwing them in. In fact half way though, the hex grove on the top of the screw slowly got chewed and I ended up taking them back out (with a plier!) and will now replace them with standard phillips 3 x 18mm.

anyway take this as a potenial warning. I assumed they used Hex screws as these steering arms need to be held in place really well and they don't want the plastic thread on the body to deteriorate?

Thanks,
Kamal


I would suggest buying a set of quality hex tools would help you in future installation process. (Your problem) sounded like you got a bit impatient screwing the hex screws in which is normal when you're not use to it and ended up chewing the hex screw hat. The correct way to tighten these screw is that you hand tighten them down until you can't turn no more and then use the allen key to complete the process. Put the longer allen key (that's what the tool is called) on the screw hat and just turn it until it's tight but not too tight. A hex tool will help you turn better because just like a screw driver, it is longer and solid by design. If you ask any of us, we would prefer hex hat to phillips hat especially since Tamiya uses very soft phillips hat screw material especially on the counter sunk stuff. Man, those are a pain!

I would say that your assumption is only half correct. It's the machined type screw that was chosen because they hold against the plastic better than regular screws because they backout slower than regular screws. It was not because of the screw hat.

[fabolousRC]

I heard some pretty loud clicking during 2 of my track runs today. Its not the universals. Could it be the tt01 drive shaft or could the motor/pinon be mounted to close to the spur? Help.

Plus I m going to put a 12x2 turn motor in it. what gearing do u think I should us?
thanks

I wouldn't say the pinion mounted too close to the spur because it is always going to be in fixed position :D However, I do want to check the gear surface and relube them as well as how does the drivetrain feel without a motor and a pinion being inserted. Is it smooth or is it draggy?

[smileyboy]

It is draggy. Sounds like it is coming from the rear

[fabolousRC]

It is draggy. Sounds like it is coming from the rear

It could be a bearing that's going out. You might want to disassemble the rear end, take out the bearings, clean it with motor spray, relube it and see if it still making noise. Also, check the gear surface to make sure there is no scars or chip or anything similar to that.

[thundershot]

No one has been posting any pics of their df02 lately. Lets see some rides. :D

[viper7016]

Thundershot

I will as soon as mine gets here on monday or tuesday and build it! :D

[TRF-Inferno]

No one has been posting any pics of their df02 lately. Lets see some rides. :D
If you insist.

http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/5590/12pp.jpg

Let a friend's kid drive it on an indoor carpet track. Finally broke a piece of the steering assembly after hitting the wall from various angles about 8-10 times. Pretty durable I must say. Is there any places in North America that carries the aluminum steering assembly and the A-Parts tree? I hate waiting almost 2 weeks for it to get here from RCMart.

[viper7016]

Yeah racing aluminum steering set

Does anyone know what size bearings this uses? I know Bakabaka and I both emailed Yeah Racing with no reply so far. I'm hoping someone else has this part and can tell me.

[kampat]

Hello all!

I have a Futaba reciever and a tamiya 302bk controller. I am trying to get the wiring tidy so there is little or no interference and so it also looks tidy.

the instructions say that you can use the small 'table' to prop the receiver and speed controller on if using a tamiya servo. The picture for all other servos is rubbish and I can't determine how to do it without being too forceful with the wiring. I am trying to be very careful as the components are delicate as well as being expensive.

Would someone please shed some light on this simple matter?

Thanks a lot.
Kampat

[fsh_62]

No one has been posting any pics of their df02 lately. Lets see some rides. :D
Okay, so I've Been lurking around forever, have read every post. Here's some pics of a stock RTR.

[fsh_62]

Mostly stock except for ball bearings

[fsh_62]

And HPI wheels with Pro Line Dirt Hawgs. Also have installed a Futaba MC 330cr ESC since this pic. Have lots of hop ups on the way from Dinballs RC Mart(Don't ever order while they're celebrating New Years). Notice the toe in and positive camber in front and toe in at rear, can't wait for those turn buckles.

[fsh_62]

And HPI wheels with Pro Line Dirt Hawgs. Also have installed a Futaba MC 330cr ESC since this pic. Have lots of hop ups on the way from Dinballs RC Mart(Don't ever order while they're celebrating New Years). Notice the toe in and positive camber in front and toe in at rear, can't wait for those turn buckles.
Sorry, meant Toe out in front

[fsh_62]

Hello all!

I have a Futaba reciever and a tamiya 302bk controller. I am trying to get the wiring tidy so there is little or no interference and so it also looks tidy.

the instructions say that you can use the small 'table' to prop the receiver and speed controller on if using a tamiya servo. The picture for all other servos is rubbish and I can't determine how to do it without being too forceful with the wiring. I am trying to be very careful as the components are delicate as well as being expensive.

Would someone please shed some light on this simple matter?

Thanks a lot.
Kampat
You need to mount the small table to the larger one that holds the servo in place. Mount it with only two screws before you install the whole assembly over the servo. The small table sets more to the center of the chassis. Should look like the pic in post 1709.

[raytracer]

This thread is great. Looking for info on this chassis. Anyone have thoughts on which is better? The df02, manta ray? Anyone used both chassis have insight?They're both available at my lhs I want to get one.

[TRF-Inferno]

This thread is great. Looking for info on this chassis. Anyone have thoughts on which is better? The df02, manta ray? Anyone used both chassis have insight?They're both available at my lhs I want to get one.
I don't have any experience with the Manta Ray, but I know it is based on an older chassis (DF-01) along with the Dirt Thrasher. The DF-02 obviously is the replacement, and I would go with that just based on parts availability.

...I guess no one knows any U.S. distributors that carries at least the aluminum steering set for the DF-02. Time to go to RCMart. -Sigh-

[szan]

This thread is great. Looking for info on this chassis. Anyone have thoughts on which is better? The df02, manta ray? Anyone used both chassis have insight?They're both available at my lhs I want to get one.

Hi,

My brother has a Mantaray. I can say the the DF02 the really more robust in the gearbox (simplest and metal), damper towers, drive shafts... I'll advise a df02 which have also much more hopups.
But Mantaray is a very good car for begining in 4wd, maybe a little fragile if you upgrade it with a serious motor... A lots of good memories with it !

Bye

[fabolousRC]

This thread is great. Looking for info on this chassis. Anyone have thoughts on which is better? The df02, manta ray? Anyone used both chassis have insight?They're both available at my lhs I want to get one.

Here are some pros and cons between Manta ray and DF02s chassis:
*MR/DF01 has more pinion choices than DF02. I think Manta Ray can have 16-22 by rotating the motor mount whereas DF02 can only have 4 (16-19).
*but DF01 has the most inefficient transmission out there. Manta Ray tranny is known the users as the "whailers" or the "whiners" because it whails on full speed. DF02 is the simplest and there are plenty of options to make it more efficient.
*DF01 is rather heavy because of the enormous plastic that was put into development on the chassis. DF02 in turn is the simplest. There are only 4 (four) chassis parts: Main, Bottom Cover, and two gearbox enclosures. DF01 has 7 (seven).
*Options for Manta Ray is rare and hard to come by unless you know somebody in Asia...DF02 being a close sibling of TT01 is a bit easier although access to Asia makes it significantly better that Manta Ray.
*DF02 sits lower than DF01 (or is it DT01?). Which means lower center of gravity, better cornering etc etc.

[viper7016]

Hey Fabulous

What options are there to make it "more efficient"?

I have put a GTB 6.5 system in my gravel hound geared 16/70 and it is still geared to high when I use my normal GP3300 packs. Its only adequete when using my Li-Mn pack which has a higher voltage.

There is no way to gear it any lower is there?

[raytracer]

Thanks for the reply. I thought the manta performed better since it was a tao2.

[bakabaka]

Hi viper7016,

That's currently the lowest gearing option for the chassis. It might be possible with a modified motor mount to use a smaller pinion, but the motor's so close to the driveshaft that it might not be possible. A bigger spur would allow for lower gearing, but none are available at the moment. Perhaps a custom .6 module spur could be made. I also know that at least one person is looking into making a 48p spur for the DF-02, which would be another way to do it. You'd need different pinions to do that though.

You might want to try a set of universals if you aren't using them already. Lower profile tires are also a potential option, although I'm not sure how much lower you can safely go given the relatively low clearance of the DF-02.

Have fun! :)

[kampat]

Hi there,

I tried to use the table to mount the speed controller and reciever for the FUTABA steering servo and it seemed to fit well, even though the instructions say the table is only for the TAMIYA steering servos (parts A6 and A8). Has anyone else out there used the table for the FUTABA steering servo?, is there something extra I need to do when using the FUTABA servo?

[scoob]

Well, I got my GH built and just tested it out. Setup with a Novak GTS, Speed Gem Serpantine 14 turn, and an IB3800 6-cell stick pack. Geared 16/70.

The car is very quick. I've never driven a 4wd before and it is amazing how qiuckly it accelerates and handles. Turns very quickly and throws a big roost. Does estimated 30+ on top-end. The motor got pretty hot though in a 5 minute run. I wish I could go 1 tooth smaller on the pinion but that's not an option. I think I'll limit my runs to 5 minutes even though the pack will run much longer untill I can get a heatsink and maybe a fan.

Overall I am pleased with the car. I went with full ball bearings and the upgraded propellar shaft. The car doesn't have much ground clearance and the suspension travel is lacking. I threw all the shims on the shocks to get it to sit up as high as possible but it would still get caught on gravel and tossed around. I ran it some in my gravel driveway and it's ironic that the Gravel Hound doesn't like gravel LOL.

On a side note, I fully recommend the Novak GTS ESC. It is tiny and handled the 14turn without breaking a sweat. It is also very smooth.

[scoob]

Hi there,

I tried to use the table to mount the speed controller and reciever for the FUTABA steering servo and it seemed to fit well, even though the instructions say the table is only for the TAMIYA steering servos (parts A6 and A8). Has anyone else out there used the table for the FUTABA steering servo?, is there something extra I need to do when using the FUTABA servo?

I just got through building mine and used a Futaba and it fits perfectly. I noticed the same thing, that it is intende for a Tamiya servo but I figured maybe Tamiya servos are made by Futaba.

[viper7016]

Hey Bakabaka:

I put bearings in the wheels and Tamiya universals on it and am using the stock tires and a set of dirt hawgs. It is slightly better with the stock tires. Better grip in my yard too. I also bought a TAMIYA TT-01 aluminum prop shaft and it doesn't fit. It is too long, causing the front pinion gear and differential gear to bind. Why is that? The stock plastic ones fits perfectly. I don't know how long it will last though.

[kampat]

I had the EXACT same problem, then I got a Hot Racing prop shaft from rc mart and it was slightly better but same issue. I filed a little off the inside of one of the cup joints and made it fit, but i think i may have damaged the cup joint slightly. Anyway I am going to get the RC-SQUARE center shaft set which comes with the shaft and the two joints. When Jason gets back on the 4th that is!! HOPEFULLY that works.

But I am surprised hardly anyne else has the same issue, like you say the standard plastic prop fits perfect!

Cheers,
Kampat

Hey Bakabaka:

I put bearings in the wheels and Tamiya universals on it and am using the stock tires and a set of dirt hawgs. It is slightly better with the stock tires. Better grip in my yard too. I also bought a TAMIYA TT-01 aluminum prop shaft and it doesn't fit. It is too long, causing the front pinion gear and differential gear to bind. Why is that? The stock plastic ones fits perfectly. I don't know how long it will last though.

[kampat]

cool, thanks!

I just got through building mine and used a Futaba and it fits perfectly. I noticed the same thing, that it is intende for a Tamiya servo but I figured maybe Tamiya servos are made by Futaba.

[smileyboy]

I have had the same issue as well. I might go buy a file and try to file it down. I have both the Hot Racing shaft and the TT-01 hop up aluminum shaft. They both have the same problem.
That was where my loud clicking sound came from everytime I ran the car.

[wanttorace]

hey guys just saying hi does anyone know if you can put a tt-01 body on the df-02 I think it should fit since it is pretty much the same car.Can anyone confrim this. I was thinking of getting a novak 5800 and i was reading a few threads up and seen the since the lowest gearing is 16/70 do you think the motor will have a problem over heating and wreak the motor or should i get a slower brushless like the 4300 any help on this?have a good one :D

[kampat]

I have had the same issue as well. I might go buy a file and try to file it down. I have both the Hot Racing shaft and the TT-01 hop up aluminum shaft. They both have the same problem.
That was where my loud clicking sound came from everytime I ran the car.


I am going to get square-rc center shaft set. it is made specifically for df-02 from Jasons store (it should work as you get the cup joints and the shaft), where as the Hot Racing shaft and the TT-01 hop up aluminum shaft are for the tt-01. Note how df-02 is not mentioned on the tt01 tamiya shaft pack, but it is on the kit box!!

I know one person has used the square-rc center shaft set, any one else?

[kampat]

I have had the same issue as well. I might go buy a file and try to file it down. I have both the Hot Racing shaft and the TT-01 hop up aluminum shaft. They both have the same problem.
That was where my loud clicking sound came from everytime I ran the car.

what are you using now?, the standard plastic shaft?

[smileyboy]

for now yes

[viper7016]

After reading the gearing recomendations from novak my DF-02 is actually a little under-geared. I guess I'm just not use to the way a 4WD buggy accelerates. According to Novak it should be geared 17/70

[smileyboy]

Can someone post a link to the square-rc shaft? thanks

[kampat]

Can someone post a link to the square-rc shaft? thanks

The website is in japanese.

http://www.rc-square.com/

there is a picture of it, the code is STG-22S

You buy it from Jasons store on ebay, I don't know how much it costs though!

[raytracer]

Do the new cells fit the df02?

[viet_mafia]

Does anyone know where I can get the Rising Storm Shell and Wing separately? I have a friend living in Japan and he can't even find them!! How can Tamiya be stupid enough to make a whole 1/10 4WD buggy kit without having spare replacement shells and wings???

[JDT]

I was able to get an RS body and decal sheet from Tamiya USA in december try them. I have used the Tamiya TT 01 in my RS without incident, nice blue aluminum and cheap from Tower Hobbies part number is 53620.

[fsh_62]

Hi there,

I tried to use the table to mount the speed controller and reciever for the FUTABA steering servo and it seemed to fit well, even though the instructions say the table is only for the TAMIYA steering servos (parts A6 and A8). Has anyone else out there used the table for the FUTABA steering servo?, is there something extra I need to do when using the FUTABA servo?
I believe the Tamiya servo may be made by Futaba. My servo saver has Futaba printed on it.

[smileyboy]

I guess I will try and reinstall the center shaft and do a little cleaning tonight before I make the choice to buy from Jason's Store.
Thx all.

Now what is all the talk of the servo and why are you changing it?

[scoob]

I believe the Tamiya servo may be made by Futaba. My servo saver has Futaba printed on it.

I believe that is the case. My standard Futaba servo fits perfectly.

[bakabaka]

Hi viet_mafia,

I purchased two RS shells (the wing comes attached, you have to cut the body out of the Lexan) and a set of decals through RC Champ, they have shops in both Akihabara and Osaka. Depending on where your friend is, you might ask if he could check there. They special ordered the shells and decals directly from Tamiya Japan, so I paid Tamiya Japan retail for the shells.

It cost about $30 each with shipping and currency exchange fees though, if Tamiya USA has them it would probably be a lot cheaper for just the shell. I purchased several RC Square and Tobee parts at the same time, so the overall cost wasn't too bad. Slightly cheaper than going through eBay for the parts all told. Note that their catalogs are all in Japanese, but they do accept international orders in English if you know what you want and the part number.

http://www.rc-champ.co.jp/

Have fun! :)

[heynow]

Please tell me there are others that HAVE NOT had a problem with the Tamiya aluminum prop. shaft TT-01 fitting and working in the Gravel Hound as I have one on order from Tower Hobbies. Should have it in a few days.

Also, what replacement antenna tubes do you all use? I ordered some from Tower...hope they fit.http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXJGV1&P=7

[scoob]

Please tell me there are others that HAVE NOT had a problem with the Tamiya aluminum prop. shaft TT-01 fitting and working in the Gravel Hound as I have one on order from Tower Hobbies. Should have it in a few days.

Also, what replacement antenna tubes do you all use? I ordered some from Tower...hope they fit.http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXJGV1&P=7

Mine worked fine. :)

[XSFalcon]

Is this the shaft you are talking about? If so, mine works fine.

[bakabaka]

Hi heynow!

I'm using it and it seems fine, but it's strange that a significant number of people are having this issue. OTOH I'm using Tobee cup joints on either side of the driveshaft rather than the stock plastic ones, so that might make a difference. Definitely let us know if you have the problem.

Have fun! :)

[smileyboy]

that is odd. Maybe I need new cups joints

[bakabaka]

that is odd. Maybe I need new cups joints

I'm not sure, I had the aluminum driveshaft before I bought the cup joints and didn't have any problems before either. My lack of trouble with the clicking sound may be unrelated, but I thought I should at least mention that the parts attached directly to the driveshaft aren't stock.

Have fun! :)

[scoob]

Yea, I'm using the stock cup joints and mines fine, kinda odd.

On a side note, Bakabaka I sent you an my experiences so far with the 14 turn Speed Gem and GTS combo for the FAQ if you choose to use it. You may want to type it in your own words or do some editing. I don't know if I'm "article" material. :)

[bakabaka]

Hi scoob,

Thanks for the article, it looks perfect to me. It's been added to the FAQ completely intact, let me know if you want to modify it in the future. The article can be seen here:

http://xyzzy.dyn.dhs.org/df02/index.php?sid=2399&lang=en&action=artikel&cat=7&id=43&artlang=en

Have fun! :)

[scoob]

Cool. :)

I may compare a few other motors and gearing combos in the future, but then again I may just throw the ss5800 in there and be done with it. ;)

[vmaxcruzer]

Does anyone know if the paint for my RS has to be from a hobby shop. Can't I use regular rattle can from the store?

[bakabaka]

Hi vmaxcruzer,

I tried using regular plastic model paint, but it didn't work very well. The paint started cracking and chipping off rather quickly, even though it was painted inside the chassis. I've since painted a few lexan bodies with Tamiya paint for polycarbonates, and it works much better. The bodies have hit walls a few times at a local track, and the paint still adheres without cracks or chipping. Based on my mistake, I'd strongly recommend getting paint designed specifically for lexan bodies.

Have fun! :)