fragile revo parts?

[Mini-T Master]

Well Traxxas got on my nerves today. I'm not happy.
This morning I was jumping my Revo off my skateboard ramp propped up on a curb, and the ramp slid up onto the curb without me realizing it since I was behind it, and I hit full on into the curb, stopping my truck dead.

I broke the small plastic piece that goes over the front axle that supports the bell crank, and the rear front skid plate.

No big deal, it was a hard crash.

So I bought brand new parts, cost me $12, threw 'em on, and went back to driving.

I jumped maybe 6 times, off my small ramp, getting maybe 3 feet of air, and going 15 feet, so not big air by any means., through 1 pack.

Then we went home, and after 2 jumps just like the first 6, my truck was sitting on the ground in the front, and not going left.

CRAP!

So when I look at my truck, the SAME 2 PIECES broke in the SAME places!
Plus I broke the left front push rod off right at the end of the threads, rendering the rod end useless.

So it doesn't need saying that I'm not happy with Traxxas.
I had no hard landings or anything, and I was running a slightly above arms level ride height all around. I don't understand, my truck has never been this fragile, it's seen way worse just from my driving.

So I don't know right now, I'm broke, so now it gets to sit and wait for parts.

That was my fun Saturday with RC.

[jwaj2002]

could the chassis be tweaked and be part of why the two new parts snapped? if the chassis is tweaked it'll cause added stress and make those parts easier to break...


did you think to check and see if RPM makes those parts?

[Mini-T Master]

Well I'm going to get an aluminum bellcramk support, they're only like $14, but I don't think there are skid plates.

I was told about the chassis too, and I'll be checking tomorrow when I tear it apart.

All I noticed after the first crash was a small crack in each of the bulkheads, in different places, but the diffs were not loose at all, nor was anything else, so I don't think they are a problem yet.

Anyone got those parts for sale?
I don't want to buy a whole nother set, it cost me $14, and I only needed 1 part from each bag.

[fishymamba]

The Revo is not really a basher, some of its parts are really weak.
My friend had one and after one month he hated it soo much that he threw it away.

[Mini-T Master]

mine is converted to electric, with an e-maxx tranny, and custom battery brackets.
They are nearly indestructible, but apparently the stock parts aren't.

http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w34/masterman206/Picture001.jpg

thats a bad picture, it's a really clean layout.

And the revo is plenty a basher, most of my team Team Extreme RC (http://www.teamextremerc.com)run them, and they hardly ever break, whick is surprising when one does 65mph, gets 40+ feet of air, hits a wall, and only breaks a shock rod and, bends a pushrod, and puts a small crack in the chassis.

But yes, some parts are weak.

[fishymamba]

That looks sick! Next stem would be twin Mamba Monster!

[pasan]

It's odd that you'd break the same pieces at the same place. Look over your suspension geometry and make sure your skids aren't broken or weakened. It could be that the center screw of the bellcrank assembly is bent and throwing everything off center. If you're jumping a lot, pick up some metal skid plates, they'll go a long way in keeping your bulks intact, and they also have the capacity to absorb nasty front end collisions too.

[Mini-T Master]

yea fishy I'm planning on it. A few of our guys run them and they're sick!

And pasan the screws were brand new, but I guess I should have replaced all the skids rather than just the broken one.

I'll get metal skids eventually too.

[Mini-T Master]

here are pic's of the damage done after the second break-
http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w34/masterman206/broken%20revo/DSC_0504.jpg
http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w34/masterman206/broken%20revo/DSC_0505.jpg
http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w34/masterman206/broken%20revo/DSC_0506.jpg
http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w34/masterman206/broken%20revo/DSC_0507.jpg
http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w34/masterman206/broken%20revo/DSC_0508.jpg
http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w34/masterman206/broken%20revo/DSC_0509.jpg

I might need to buy a new chassis, bulks, plus the skids, steering support, and pushrod again, and if so, this is one revo that gets to sit for a while, I cant afford that.

[hijacker]

If the skid plate in that pic is the new one you put on, you definitely jumped it more than 6 times between the 2 breaks! That thing is seriously thrashed.

[davec-nitro-rs4]

...... and I hit full on into the curb, stopping my truck dead......

This combined with lots of bashing/jumping...yeah, they will break. Adding the Maxx Chevron tires adds weight and stress to the suspension and steering too. Pushrods breaking at the threads, yep, especially those aluminum ones. More for show than go. I have Lunsford Ti p-rods on mine. You might bend one a little, but not break it off at the threads.

Judging from the dirt, grease and rust in the pictures, you might add some preventative maintenance to your bashing routine.

Nothing lasts forever, except the earth and sky (Kansas, Dust in the Wind, 1970something).

[Mini-T Master]

hijacker- thats really all I used it for. I am used to parts breaking, but if I thought it was a normal break, why woul I be on here whining?

dave- yes, I beat the living Sh#! out of my truck some days, but this wasn't one of those days. And the tires are a little lighter than maxx tires, but yes, stull heavy, But that pushrod that broke was a steel one. The ither one's bent from another thing a long time ago(really fast+huge air+wall= only 3 broken parts and a bent pushrod! :D )

Yea, it is dirty, but that was from repeated use the days before this happened without having any time to give it a proper cleaning after running in the last of our salty snow, which is now all gone.

Ah well, parts are on the way.

Also this is exactly why I'm getting a Micro-T.
Something to use while the revo's broken, and cheaper to fix! :D

[somedudeandanrc]

Yes, steel rods, get an aluminum bulkhead (someone please comment if there is any problem with this) and watch the corners, it looks like you took it down on a one wheel dive.

On my emaxx, the plastic on the rods always break first and i have aluminum bulkheads and I take 8 foot jumps easily with it lowered level and 1/8th shocks.

One more tip, I found putting the least bit of lube on those pins for your arms will help reduce binding when under high stress and reduce wear and slop, I used lithium grease, you only need the least bit.

You also have to consider you have 12 cells on that guy, maybe change over to lipo and brush less with the lighter weight your car will be more durable, and forget that dual mamba monster idea, I don't think you could ever use all the power put out by them both. But if you don't switch over and work out all the bugs now then get it lighter weight your car will be pretty indestructible :P

[crazy4rc]

I got a Brushless edition E-Revo last week and on the second pack I tapped, not hit, just tapped a curb and broke an A-Arm. I was a bit annoyed that such a small hit did this and it concerns me for future bashing/racing. I bought this truck to setup for the track, not beat on. I have a HPI Savage that can hit a telephone pole at WOT and not damage anythig, thats the beater :D I will be upgrading parts to RPM as we go but funds are tight :o

[Mini-T Master]

somedude- I dont think I need aluminum bulks on a revo, they're pretty strong. They are a weak point on a maxx truck, but hold up way better on the revo. People on my team running mambas or neu or Lipo, or all three dont see a need for better bulks. thats one reason I went to a revo instead of a maxx.
And I'm looking for ways to lighten it right now, just cant afford LiPo let, but it'll be coming eventually.

Crazy- I know how ya feel. My last summer truck was a Savage, and the only thing I ever broke, even from casing a 40 foot jump was spur gears when I unknowingly lost a few screws messin around. darn threadlock. but otherwise, it was a beast, and tough.
but this is the 1st bad break this truck's seen. I'm way happier than I was with my e-maxx.
They're good trucks, but you'll never go back after an e-revo!

also, I know dual mamba is WAY too much power, I was only saying 1, plus LiPos is what most of our guys run.
I'm gonna start with Yea Racing or simillar 4000/5000 2 cell packs, then a MMM 2200kV combo, and if I get the cash, a Neu 1515/1.5/d/f motor!
That Neu motor, plus 6 lipo cells will do over 65! Sucks for the nitro guys! lol

[somedudeandanrc]

I'm run el cheapo brushless but it still kicks pretty well in my max, dual 5s lipos at 4000mah each, 100amp super simple esc, and 1900kv knockoff feigaeo 9xl (75amps max)

Whole setup cost me 142, but the batteries I have must be run in pairs, otherwise they cant handle the amp draw alone, then it's heavier than 12 nimh cells.

I heard the erevo isn't the best basher, I'll be honest my maxx is lowered, widened and probably has closer handling characteristics as the revo than a maxx. So I would probably like the revo better, I'm more of a speed person.

[Mini-T Master]

so what is the setup you got so cheap?
the cheaper the better for me. :D

[somedudeandanrc]

ok, no guarantees on this setup but if I could get someone to post a video of this thing maybe you could get an idea of the performance. But I get about 40-45mph I think and the speed is almost the same on short grass.

My setup:
1900kv motor (I think I want a 2200kv because it handles more amps but I don't think my batteries can still put out enough power for this motor so no use right now) http://www.hobbycity.com/hobbycity/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idProduct=6678

I have a mystery 100amp esc, it's a pile of crap but it works reliably, has a failsafe, does not have reverse or a variable brake, so your either on the throttle and if you set the trigger in neutral it auto switches to brake. but I think it's 30 shipped and has a cutoff for 5cell and up. The reason why I say it's a pile of crap is because the control takes a little bit to get used to because it has a ramp up delay on the power so you don't strip the drivetrain or something, and it also is not to detailed with control, so without being used to it you can torque it too much and your rc will be left doing a skid on it's top backwards. I'm still with it because I haven't gotten the 200 to go with a mamba monster or ez 160 esc.

You will need a BEC for the servos because the esc doesnt have one built in.

The batteries are picked up are also piles of crap but for bashing they are awesome for bashing and I can bash for a long while, about an hour or jumping bike ramps. The motor does get a bit hot though, so you have to get a couple GOOD heatsinks, like the traxxas sinks. The packs actually only output 40 amps continuous but if you have two of them in parallel they equal 80amps and 120 amps burst.

gearing I'm running a 60 tooth spur on my max (16.8v tranny) and a 23tooth pinion, I've also got all metal cv's and I think that's a must for brushless, I'm not aware of how brushless ready the cv's are for your revo

[Mini-T Master]

sounds like alot of fun for cheap.
I like the motors, I'll probably get the 2800 kV one (http://www.hobbycity.com/hobbycity/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idProduct=6677&Product_Name=KD36-74-06XL_2800kv_Brushless_Inrunner), but I need linear brakes, so I'm still looking for a speedo, probably use a TURNIGY Sentilon100A HV 5-12S BESC (Ver4) (http://www.hobbycity.com/hobbycity/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idProduct=4691&Product_Name=TURNIGY_Sentilon100A_HV_5-12S_BESC_(Ver4)) or simmilar, and I'm gonna use a pair of Hobby City 3 Cell LiPos , 4000 (http://www.hobbycity.com/hobbycity/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idProduct=7634) or 5000 (http://www.hobbycity.com/hobbycity/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idProduct=8579), depending on my finds at the time, for a 6S setup.

If that ESC had brakes, it seems like a decent deal, since the 2800 can do 110 ams, the speedo 100, and the batteries put out 20C, so should be a cool setup, for not too mush money.

[Mini-T Master]

ok, so after tearing down the truck, I need the following parts-
Front Bulkheads, Steering support, Front back skid plate, and a pushrod.

I think the bulkheads being cracked aided in the 2nd failure.

I'll order them this week, and let ya know what happens.

And the chassis doesn't appear to be bent at all, so I got lucky there. :D

[somedudeandanrc]

Yeah the motors are worth it, one recommendation though, if the 3mm screws strip out int he aluminum get 4mm machine screws to replace them, and make sure they are Allen so you can torque them down and add lock tight, no problem since then and my suspension drops out hard on 8 foot jumps and such

[Mini-T Master]

it all seems to be holding together now.

I took a tooth off my spur by being stuped, and yesterday, I broke the front of one of the arms. still driveable, but needing repair.

The darn tree jumped out of nowhere! (lol, it's what I get for driving around a car where I cant see) :D :D

[BashemSmashem]

I think the bulkheads being cracked aided in the 2nd failure.

I think youre right !

[Mini-T Master]

Yea it's all holding up for the most part now.
Like I already said, I broke the lower left arm, and stripped the pivot ball out of the top left one, but yesterday, I broke the right rear axle.
Just out of nowhere I punched it, and weeee goes the wheel without the truck.
Oh well, getting the parts tomorrow, and hopefully that's all I'll need for a while, because I need a new phone!