New 3905 Chassis steering questions...
 

So have everything bolted up to the new FLM 3905 Alum chassis... but the steering isn't a straight bolt on... not terribly disappointed, but what steering is supposed to work with this chassis?

The stock steering doesn't sit in the machined recess and is too tall... sits below where the skid pad would attach...

Any ideas? This is my first FLM Chassis build... am I missing something?

Also had to grind a bit of the hybrid bulk to get the upper Flex Tec arm to fit...

Otherwise, very impressed...

Is your chassis upside down? that's happened before on Flm builds.

I am pretty sure it is right side up... everything else lines up... I think my problem is that even though the chassis is a "3905", it takes the older style steering linkage, not the linkage from the 3905 and the newer 3.3. I ordered one so we will see... no big deal.

Standard E-maxx/T-maxx Steering fits. The 3905 steering doesn't fit into the recesses machined in and the steering arms don't clear the diff housing. Had to buy older steering for everything to work.

The 3905 center skid plate also doesn't fit... the chassis is machined to accept standard center skid plates.

This is really an extended chassis that will accept the 3905 transmission than a 3905 chassis. No big deal because I love the chassis, but if you call it a 3905 chassis, everything should bolt up from a 3905.

Finished the build last night... will post pics if I get a chance tonight.

you need to call fastlane they will fix your problem if it is not right

very good people

I don't think it was a machining issue with just my chassis... I think they just made them that way. It's designed to accept the older style steering mechanism, not the 3905's version.

No big deal, just had to buy something else to get it to work.

but they sell one for the 3905 and the 3906. sounds like you got the 3906 extended chassis. call up flm and they should give you the proper replacement.

The 3906 chassis wont take the 3905 tranny- they are 2 very seperate designs for different trucks (or trannies at any rate).

Poppox on the traxxas forum had issues with the steering too- he says that it will work better with a single steering servo setup, rather than the stock 3905 setup, as you found. A weird issue, but it seems FLM had their reasons, whatever they were....

I sorry, I just can’t be impressed or even feel good about buying something that has to be reworked to fit as advertized. When they set up to produce a part all of the R&E should be done before it is put on the market.

Welcome to RCmonster :lol::lol::rofl::rofl:.

:rofl:

Oh yes dude, customizing and tweaking our trucks to make parts fit how we want is par for the course. This aint lego afterall, if you dont want to have fitment issues, stick with a 100% stock truck; just dont moan when it falls to bits due to traxxas' awesome plastic that makes up 90% of each vehicle...

:sarcastic:
If the first 3905 chassis was so great why did they come out with the newer one that addressed the issues being discussed? I have no problem with making modifications to a part that I choose to use in an application it was not designed for. I do object to being forced to modify a part that is being used for the purpose it was sold for. It is just as easy to produce a product that is make right as it to make one that is wrong.

And my name is not "Dude", it is Michael

With the 3905 chassis, they (for some reason) designed it to work with a single steering servo, in which case there wouldnt have been any issues with the linkages hitting the braces and such. Obviously, people buying the 3905 FLM chassis for their 3905 trucks would more than likely still want to use the dual servo setup- hence the issue discussed as you pointed out, and hence the redesign.

As it is, I was responding to you quoting this:

I thought you were griping specifically about the flextech arms not fitting the FLM bulks- thats not so suprizing though as they (Flex techs) use special bushings to make the arms fit the hinge pins, and those bushings can cause issues with some bulks (there are many varying designs of the hinge pin supports, so you cant blame FLM for that).

Welcome to RC-Monster though, Michael/Dude*


*Delete as appropriate.

If the designed it for one servo why does it have places for 2 servos? And they are placed so close together that there is not enough room for the receiver box.

http://i397.photobucket.com/albums/p...05-Chassis.jpg

The new version has the same to holes for servos but at the proper angle and spaced with enough room for the stock receiver box to fit.

http://i397.photobucket.com/albums/p.../JCL_4804s.jpg

These are the type of things I was referring to. They should have sorted all of this out before putting it on the market.

Michael/Dude:na:

I have that same FLM Chassis kit and am running two servos. I have had no issues with them hitting the braces or anything.
http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g3...x/DSC00706.jpg

And that is great for you. But it looks like you are not running stock E-maxx parts and that is what the discussion is about. Were you able to mount you receiver box in the stock position or did you have to find somewhere else to put it? There is not enough room between the servos to mount it with out modifying it and giving up its waterproof qualities. :oops:

Well seeing as how I did not have a stock emaxx to play with, and I built mine from the ground up(as Niel said, not legos), I just came to the conclusion that FLM can't cater to everyone's taste and just mounted the receiver. If you look between the two servos you can see it. Or if it really bothers you, you can make a mounting plate out of CF or something either behind the tranny or make it go above the servos so you can mount it. Just an idea, since that's what we are talking about.

FYI, the stock rx box isnt water tight anyway, and no-one with any sense/ respect for their property would drive a sensitive BL system through any kind of deep puddle or shallow stream etc- water and electronics dont mix. As it is (funny part), traxxas wont warrenty water damaged parts on their trucks, so it shows how much faith they have in the 'water proof' rx box and servos.

I understand its frustrating that the stock rx box wont fit, but its ugly anyway, and the FLM one was designed to be sleaker and more compact- the stock rx box is also huge, as is the stock rx, and most upgraders would be be using a better radio with a smaller rx- hence the smaller gap between the servo locations. In addition, jholthus does seem to be using stock steering parts, just different (decent) servos, so it shouldnt take too much hassler to make the setup work with stock servos.

Or, to look at things a bit more objectively, designs evolve and get tweaked as potential issues get identified by users who have a miriad of possible setups, not all of which could be tested by the manufactuer to ensure compatibilty and reliabilty, eg:

MMM is on its 3rd incarnation (V3)
Hybrid revo diffs are also in their 3rd incarnation.
Emaxx has been tweaked and upgraded half a dozen times- several times in the 3906 format.
Tmaxx has been altered god knows how many times, same too with any r/c model.


Gotta cut FLM a little slack- they responded to customer feedback and altered the design to make people happy, thats alot more than some companies do :smile:

And on this they are to be commended. But if they had done this the first time around it would have saved a long list of people problems they had not bargained for.

Being ugly is just your opinion and you know what they say about opinions? As for the FLM receiver box, I found you mention of one on their web site or that one was needed with the 3905 chassis.

On the rest, you and jholthus seem to have lost sight of my original complaint. Jholthus said he built his from the ground up If he had the talent he could have done the same thing with a sheet of aluminum and called it anything he wanted to. But FLM calls theirs “E-Maxx 3905 Extended Chassis”. But it is not an E-Maxx chassis. It is a chassis that can be adapted for use with some E-Maxx parts. It should be marketed as such. Not everyone in this hobby has the skills, the tools or the inclination to do the modification necessary to upgrade to parts the “almost fit”. FLM and many other companies that produce aftermarket parts should indicate on their web site that the part is a “direct replacement” or that “some modification” will be required.

As I am sure you will readjust you argument to fit , this will be my last post on the matter.
Door closed.
:smile:

P.S. This is an example of type of marketing I am referring to byTekno. This lets the buyer know what they are in for.

NOTE: The RX box is for the receiver only and is intended for people who already have somewhere else to mount the battery and fuel tank. The RX box also requires you have a single steering servo setup. This is not compatible with the stock battery box.

Dont let that door hit you on the ass on the way out now... :sarcastic:

(I ment the FLM chassis was narrower and sleaker than the stock 3905 one FYI, they dont make an rx box that I know of).

wow.....all over a receiver box. Could get some axial posts, sheet of CF and there you go, mounting location by the servos. Oh well.

(and I am pretty sure that all my parts used are Emaxx parts)

mjosparky- yeah, we get it. We understood your first argument. I agree with you, to a point. Obviously FLM agrees with you too, that's why they made revisions.

So, they fixed the problems, and you still want to complain about their first version? Nobody jumped on your bandwagon so you get huffy and leave? They're opinions, like you said, everybody has one. You shared your opinion and we disagreed. Nothing to get mad or argumentative about.