So... how do you implement using these as templates? Cut them out of whatever and attach your CF to it for routing like in your vid? Or can you actually trace over a CF sheet and rout it out that way? Seems like doing it that way would be LESS accurate, but I don't know.

If I need to trace a paper or cardboard shape, I lay wide masking tape on the CF, covering it completely in the area I will be working, and trace onto the tape...then cut it out in my various methods.

Also, every custom CF part on my Revo that I made is made out of 2mm 3k weave.

Yes, just because graphite-girl doesn't have it listed, that doesn't mean they don't have it, and calling them is a good idea (I do it all the time...tell the Chadworkz sent ya). Like I said, they manufacture ALL of their sheets, so they have a huge stock.

1k weave will work fine, as long as the part doesn't have to sustain or support a load, but 3k weave is perfect for structural parts. Anything higher than 3k weave is expensive and overkill, really, so...

The larger the mesh looks, the lower the weave number. If the weave is very tiny, and you can barely see the fibers, that's a high-number weave.

Here's how I did it. I will explain what is shown in my video. Let's take the top plate for example. I would take the original aluminum top plate from the LST XXL and stick it on the sheet of CF like shown in the video. Then I would use this original stock aluminum plate as a template to make these holes in the CF. The holes that are in red in the pic are the holes that I will use to secure the new CF top plate and by using the original top plate from the LST XXL, you can be sure the holes will be perfect.

http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w...p_plate001.jpg

Once those holes are done, you can use screws and nuts to secure the stock aluminum top plate to the CF sheet using the holes you just made to run the thing against your bit to cut the CF exactly in the same shape as the original top plate. Like it is shown in the vid.

Then you can use the pdf file that you printed to serve as a guide to make the extra holes needed to make the truck like I did it. The holes and openings in red in this pic.

http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w...p_plate002.jpg

If those are the PDF's I gave you, I have updated ones now. The LST2 length chassis plates were good, but the XXL files were off a bit, both on hole locations, and length of chassis.

JT the pdf files I have are the ones of the parts I made for my LST XXL so they are not the ones I got from you. But your files helped me make my own though and I thank you. If you have updated files of the stock XXL chassis and you'd like to share them then please do so and thanks again.

So, i need to just drill holes based off whatever sized screws I want to use, and worry about countersinking them later. I'm not sure that I have enough matching screws and nuts in metric size (I like to use Revo screws for my Losi's and tap whatever holes I need to). Specifically on the shock towers. I retap them to accept 4mm screws.

Thanks Ray!

You know... when I first joined RCM... I had it in my head that you guys were elitist snobs. But the only way for me to take what I knew about RC to the next level, I had to join and start asking questions. Even though I knew that I would come off like a total noob. I had to just swallow my pride and take my chances. The only way to grow and learn, is by surrounding yourself with people who know more than you do! That's why I have such a wide range of friends. I learn something from all of them!

But my reaction to you guys being elitist snobs was more based in my own insecurities. And even still, I have to ask questions that are so obvious to many of you. I'm really grateful that you all have been so kind and patient. I can assure you that I'm not nearly as worrisome and nervous as I come across. I just can't immediately tackle projects like some of you can, and I sometimes have to ask the same questions over and over until it sinks in. But you all have been really cool and nice, and I have learned a TON!! Heck, even Neil is nice these days :lol: And I got him banned (again) from the Traxxas forum about a year ago, cuz he was being a grumpy arse, and the mods weren't havin' it. :intello: Funny.

Anywho... Chad... for some reason I am not "gettin" what yer saying here. Like I said, I'm a visual learner. And I just can't visualize what yer trying to say:

Are you saying that you lay the CF on the sticky side up? Then you trace around the edges with a pencil, directly onto the sticky part of the tape? Man... I just DO NOT GET IT! HA! Sorry. I don't get where tape needs to come into to this? I could see you taping the CF to whatever yer tracing so it doesn't move... then tracing the part yer duplicating over the CF. I'm assuming that you can write on CF with a pencil and it will wipe off?

The info you gave regarding CF weave was great. I needed that. So thanks!

Jason

I think he means you just cover the CF with tape on one side, lay the part your are copying onto the tap, then trace around the part onto the tape. Then you use your dremel/ router / files etc to cut the CF to match what you've drawn- making sure to accurately mark the hole locations.

Im still not nice though- you should see me in action on BYT; them noobs be thoroughly cooked.... :lol:

Neil nailed it.

Cool. Thanks guys. Neil... you have a typo.. you said to "lay the part you are copying on to the tap". Tap? Omg... a TAP is involved now? LOL!

I visit BYT sometimes, but I don't spend much time there. I hang out here and no where else really. I'll have to check out some of the beat downs you've been handing out. I like to think of it as "conditioning". :diablo:

I reworked the HPI Flux motor mount that serves as a rear motor support on my XXL. I made it thinner and lighter and did some sanding to make it look purdier. I also installed one of my 8th scale CDs in the tranny. It has something like 250k in it so it is stiff but still unloads a bit. Wheelies are still there but are more controllable.

http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w...r_support4.jpg

Last I stripped a wheel with the Losi 17 mm hexes I installed. I measured the size of the Losi hexes compared to Traxxas hexes I had and wasn't using.

Losi: 16.87 mm
Traxxas: 16.97 mm

The bigger size of the Traxxas hexes should result in a snugger fit in the wheels with less chance of stripping them so I modified them to fit.

http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w...xas_hexes1.jpg

This is why I use 23mm hexes all the way. The splined Traxxas hubs are nice though and I've never stripped a splined hub when I once used them.

There aren't a lot of choices for 23mm hubs though. Proline's are about it, and I don't feel like they are all that great. The alum is thin and over time, the centers wear and become misshaped causing your wheels to wobble. I use another brand of 23mm hubs now, and they work GREAT. They don't work on Traxxas veh's though, because you have to use the Pro Line ones specific to Traxxas. Bummer. I generally don't tell anyone about them for fear that everyone and their brother will start using them, thus increasing the supply and demand... and the PRICE! They are dirt cheap now....

The other problem is... 23mm rims are somewhat hard to find too. However I've heard that HPI is coming out with a new hub size or something like that... which would allow us to use 1/5 scale rims and tires if we wanted. That could be cool.

j

That is very interesting and I'll keep an eye out to see if it's true. I hope it is.

Use Dace Mfg. 23mm Hex-Adapters, they are the best made!

I believe the HPIs are 24mm to run the 5B/T wheels on a savage. I have been running the Dynamite 23mm adapters for a while. They seem to be holding up fantastic.

-JB

The Dace 23mm hexes are made out of 7075-T6 billet, are drilled for lightness, and have a flange on the nut for increased contact between the nut and the wheel, which causes more friction, resulting in less loosening of the nuts over time. Plus, the flanges on the nuts have holes drilled in them, so they add extra friction to keep the nuts from loosening.

http://pics.offroadextremes.com/rc/dace_hexes2_1.jpg


http://pics.offroadextremes.com/rc/dace_hexes2_2.jpg

The CEN 23mm hubs fit the LST2/XXL/Muggy axles better than anything and their made of steel. They can be found on Fleabay for under $15.00 delivered.

From what I've seen from the specs of the HPI Baja 5B rear hexes, all that is needed is a small sleeve with an 8 mm I.D, 2.35 mm wall and 12.7 mm O.D. The hole for the pin would have to be drilled to 4 mm diam. on the LST's axles and then Baja 5B rear hexes could be installed on the LST to run Baja 5B rear wheels and tires all around. But I don't know if the hole of the hex would line up with the hole of the axle. So who's gonna do it :lol:

I won't. I have a bin full of many tires and wheels all with 17 mm hexes. When I use up all of them then I might look into other options.

I'll second that - so far my 17's have worked fine for me - nary a stripped hex so far.

My car is all packed, I'm going to the race track today for a few hours to see how well (or how poorly) this LST XXL of mine will handle an 8th scale off road track.

I'm back from the track. Today was an open practice day so I got to run this truck on 6S with a new set of Panther Pythons mounted on TRX dish wheels. These tires give good traction on any kind of track surface, dusty, loamy, blue groove, it doesn't matter, the tires just have great bite and I love them. I didn't have any problems clearing the big jumps. It was even easy to over shoot them farther than the Truggys did. I still had the stock springs on and my diffs were way too stiff. The truck was squirrely and it bottomed out in many places. Other than that, the handling was very good and with yellow springs and lighter lube in the diffs, this truck would be an awesome racer.

The temps after a set of 3S Turnigy 5800 mah were 150 motor, 125 ESC, 110 lipos. The weather was sunny and very humid with no wind and a temperature in the 30 Celsius. Very hot day.

My driving was rusty to say the least, I hadn't been on a track in over a year so I made quite a few mistakes. But that is fine, all those missed landings and hits and cartwheels really tested the durability of the truck. That thing is tough!The only thing that didn't hold up to the abuse was one of the battery boxes. I was very disappointed with that and it put an end to my day prematurely.
There is a huge double immediately followed by a small single. I had to come in at a controlled speed to just make the double and glide through the small single. That is the fast way of doing it. I over shot the double and lawn darted the small single from 12 feet high. One of the battery box wasn't strong enough for the weight of the lipo moving forward and the front of the box completely snapped off.
So I will have to find either a better to mount these boxes or find a stronger alternative.

Here's what I came up with to strengthen my battery boxes. Brackets made of aluminum angle with reinforcements at the corners. I'm thinking of testing this by putting my heaviest lipos in the boxes and dropping the truck on its nose from 16 feet.

http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w..._brackets1.jpg http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w..._brackets2.jpg http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w..._brackets3.jpg

Great idea! Let us know how it turns out. If it passes this test, get the truck up to top speed and run it into a brick wall. Then you'll really know that you're good to go.

[btw: the brackets look nice]

Thanks and I'm not dumb enough the run the truck in a brick wall. I was thinking more of jumping it in a wood chipper. :na: :smile: Dropping it on the nose would simulate that jump I missed at the track when I lawn darted in the face of a jump. That's when the battery box broke. If I can recreate that event and the battery boxes survive then I'll know these brackets are good. If not then I'll have to get back to the drawing board.

................

.......................

Dude, you are friggin' amazing...these parts look professionally made, seriously!

http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w.../brackets1.jpg

No Chit - nice stuff. What were they before? I see a mold line of some sort on the inside of the big bracket, and matching ones on the smaller brackets..

They were just regular aluminum angle. Pretty much all of the aluminum angle I have seen have that same line (or similar ones) which is formed as the raw semi-molten aluminum is forced through the shaping-die that creates the angle out of regular aluminum stock.

What's wrong with doing some every other day bash jumps??? Of course, with the all important acid test........ use a camera when you do it :na:

It would probably be more fun to go out and jump the truck trying to land it on the nose instead of just dropping the thing from the top of my backyard deck.

Must use a different supplier than we do. I have never seen similar die lines in 20 years.

The aluminum angle was just something I picked up at Home Depot a while back. I just tried the truck with the biggest and heaviest 3S lipos I have which are the Turnigy 5800 mah and jumped it funny quite a few times. Landing on the lid, the rear, the nose, cartwheeling. I cracked the body and slightly bent a steering turnbuckle in the process but the battery boxes are intact. Looks like those brackets are doing the job.

Yeah, I'm sure the Dace ones rule. I've never actually used them, but was a big fan of all things GArc and UE when I had an Emaxx. So, what trucks do the Dace work with? Cuz usually if an adapter works with the Losi, it will not work with the Revo and vice versa.

Thanks!

Yummy! Me likey! Are they hard to find? Where do get them?

I use Loctite on my hex nuts and it works well. But it is a royal pain having to check those all the time. Esp if you don't have the wrench handy.

l

And thanks to Jeff... they will soon be $25 delivered. j/k :lol:

Ok.. the secret's out... I use the CEN 23mm hubs for my Losi's and they are great. Much better than the ProLines, and ghetto cheap!!

Just breakin' yer ball, bro. (say that three times fast!)

j

Did you MAKE those brackets??? WOW. I'm impressed. Like... REALLY impressed! How on earth did you make those, dare I ask?

I hope it works, because with all that effort you put into building them, it would be really sad if it didn't. But, ya gotta try in order to know for sure huh?

Dace made 23mm hex-adapters for more than just the Maxx/Revo style trucks, they made them for pretty much every popular "different" style made. They also made 17mm hex-adapters as well.

Anyway, the Dace 23mm Maxx/Revo Hex-Adapters fit over an existing 14mm hex, so they will work on any vehicle that uses a 14mm hex or any vehicle that a 14mm hex can be fitted to.

In case I decide to go with 23 mm hexes in the future, I got a full set of CEN hexes on ebay from RC NITRO HOBBIES for 12.26 shipped to Canada. Eh!

How do the CEN hexes mount on the axles?