Another 8ight-T 2.0 conversion
 

Ok, I have seen a couple of 8ight-T conversion on this forum and they are very well done and inspired me to convert my T. I started with the Losi 8ight-T race roller and the Losi conversion kit. I added a MMM 2200 combo and a NeuEnergy 5s lipo. First a review of the roller, I opened the box and noticed the tie wraps holding it down were broken, I have heard others say this was due to rough handling and could also damage the shocks, I disassembled the shocks and they seem ok. I removed all the nitro gear and both the front and rear bulks. I noticed the rear diif had a serious bind in part of the rotation so I took the diff apart, both to check the fluid level and to see if the diff was put together right, sometime the guys at the factory don't tighten the screws holding the bevel gear properly which can cause binding. I reassembled the diffs and the bind was gone. I wanted to use a Robinson wide spur so I cut a small channel in the chassis for clearence and everything bolted together without any issues. I ground down the Losi rear motor support so it would fit the thicker MMM motor.

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r...3/01010110.jpg

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Part 2:

I added the Losi optional aluminum steering plate and servo saver arm as I heard this could be a weak spot. The wide Robinson (48T) gives me gearing closer to the stock truggy and because it is wider the wear on the pinion/spur is reduced. I am using a Losi Smart Diff in the center, I have one in my buggy and it works great. I did a quick paint job using Parma Faskolor paint and I covered the nitro motor hole with a lexan plug.

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r...3/01010129.jpg
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Very nice build, so far :yes:

I am real interested in how your temps are with the setup you are going to run and how hot the MMM combo gets in the Truggy, as I was following your Buggy build and only now noticed that you had to change motor to get the temps down from your original setup.

Are you also running the 47t Spur form Robinson Racing on this truggy (same as buggy) or are you using a 48t spur (I can sort of make out in the first pic a number of 48 on the center diff)???? Answered this in part two, I'm a bit slow at typing ;)

I do like the all black look of the 2.0, would look really hot with either the Flux motor or the Revo black motor, not saying there is anything wrong with the green, that's what I have :mdr: :lol:

Part 3:

I added a strip of 3M Dual Loc velcro to the battery tray and some foam padding. This helps keep the batteries from sliding forward and helps prevent the lipos from getting dents and battery tray breakage. I installed front and rear Sumo skids to help protect the bottom of the chassis and I added some homemade rear mud guards. I have been running a converted Kyosho ST-RR which I have been very pleased with, but I love the way my convert losi buggy handles and I hope the truggy handles the same. Without tires, body and a battery it weighted in at 6 lbs 9.2 oz.

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r...3/P1010027.jpg

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Hi, I am running the Robinson 47T spur in my buggy and the 48T spur in the truggy. Both are closer to the stock setup.

OverKill, I am not sure what is causing my temps to get so high (170 degrees) using the MMM 2650kv motor in my buggy. I used a similar motor (Neu 1512/2D) in my Kyosho buggy and it ran cool. I sold the Neu motor so I could not try it in my Losi buggy, may be I just got a lemon. I ran the 1515/1.5D in another buggy and it was solid, so I am hoping for the same results in my Losi buggy.

As far as your buggy motor temps, have you tried running without the smart diff?

bdebde, I ran the first day with a standard diff the second time out was with the Smart Diff and both times I had temps that I felt were a little high. Some runs would be fine, then there would be a run where the temps started out fine then they shot up into the 170+ degree range. I never had temps like this using my 1512/2D or 1515/1.5D in my other buggies. So yeah may be it has something to do with the SD, I'll try the 1515/1.5D which I know runs cool and see how it works in my Losi using the SD.

my temps have also been high in my 1.0 with 1515/2.5d, 6s, MMM. I have been running my ESC timing @10, I have since lowered to 0, I havnt run the truggy since I lowered the timing I will report how it did after I run again

azjc, I also read in another post about how timing even @10 could impact temps. I checked all my MMM ESC and they were all set to the default Timing of 10, so I back them all down to zero. Yeah let us know if there is a difference in your temps. I will wait to hear from you before I reinstall and try my MMM 2650kv motor with the new timings.

I got a 20 min run in today, ran it like I was racing quick accelerating and doing med speed doughnuts and it did run cooler, motor , esc and battery..and it was noticable. 48/16 gearing, and after 20 mins my 6s 5000 pack still had 20% capacity left. When I was running the timing @ 10 I wouldnt even get to 20 mins before the pack dumped and the LVC kicked in

Update:

Added some of the new KingHeadz rear carriers that use the larger (16x8) bearing.

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r...3/DSC05653.jpg

I would really like to see RPM make arms and bearing carriers for the Truggies I love
the RPM upgrades for the Revo, did you notice any improvements with the KingHeadz?

The truggy hasn't been on the track yet, I just read a bunch of post on another forum where several racers mentioned problems with the smaller rear 14x8mm bearings not holding up. So it is more for preventative maintenance.

Yeah I don't understand why RPM doesn't make more stuff for truggies/buggies. Plastic is much lighter (and cheaper) than aluminum. The pros use plastic because it is light, but they can afford to get new parts everytime they run, so they don't have to worry about durability.

Update:

I Finally got my Losi 8ight-T on the track today. The track has been completely redone since the last time I was there, very technical with lots of quads, offcamber, elevations, etc. Very difficult track for a truggy. At first the truggy was a handful to control, very inconsistant, then I remembered Losi recommends a break in period. After two packs the truggy felt much better and I was able to put in some hot laps. I have a Smart diff in the center but under power it still seemed to send more power to the front, my front tires were ballooning and I even popped a few wheelies when I really nailed it and that is a major no-no for a truggy. I blew both front stock Losi tires off the rims and then I switched to some new AKA's, these wheels/tires were dialed for this track (blue groove). I was happy with the handling, it turned much better than I expected and pivoted perfectly. Jumping was good and controlling altitude was a piece of cake tapping the brakes or when I stabbed the throttle. But not all was roses, one of the rear shock ends pulled off (I heard that the factory sometimes over tigthens the ends and messes up the internal threads), I lost a screw and lock nut holding the front inside upper toelink pivot ball, I blew off two of the factory glues tires and the inside of the rims rubbed on the spindle. But on the other hand I took a couple of big hits when I was getting used to the new track and darted a few of my double double attempts over the quads and nothing broke (except for the shock end). The Motor performed well and was faster than all the other truggies/buggies on the track. Temps on the motor were great (118 max, with ambient temps in the 80's).

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r...uggy040509.jpg
Eagle Tree data (motor and battery temps)

Update:

I recieved my Traxxas ESC mount and added it to the Losi. I used the existing holes in the Losi battery tray. Nice clean looking and holds the esc securely. The built in switch mount is also handy.

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r...3/Image1-8.jpg

That looks very clean with that TRX hold down thingy :mdr:

I'm waiting for mine to be available in the next month or so, when they ship to hobby shops that freight international, can't wait, yours looks excellent :yes:

As I reported earlier I am running a Smart Diff in the center and the truggy didn't feel right. It didn't seem that the SD was working correctly, too much power was still transferring to the front. So I opened it up and found a couple of problems. First, all (or most) of the grease was gone, apparently even when it seems to be full of grease the centrifugal force causes the grease to squeeze into all the open spaces around the outside of the diff, leaving the middle dry. Secondly I had accidentally rebuilt it using the 90 degree ramps which don't lock as aggressively. So I added the 120 degree ramps, removed two of the four .15mm springs, and regreased everything. Hopefully this will get it to lock up a little faster and more aggressively.

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r...3/DSC05761.jpg
All the grease is around the outside, with nothing in the middle.

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Dry diff

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90 degree ramp on the left, 120 ramp on the right.

Are you going to regrease or will you use some diff oil and fill her up? Maybe 3K or something like that, just to keep the gears lubed :yes:

Overkill, I have been told by others not to use silicone diff oil in the SD because it is not a good lubricant. Some have tried stuff made for cars (Mobil syn oil) but I am sticking with the Losi grease, I just made sure I really packed it in there this time.

the neu castle 2200s do sure seem to run cooler then the 2650's.

Im glad I got the bigger tekin 1515 size for my buggy.

youre not the only one to experience temp problems with the 2650 shark.

most everyone around here can put in 25 min on a 2200 and come off with real cool temps just like you

Bradfox2, roger that. Since I switched to the 1515 size motors the temps have been excellent and they are only a few grams heavier than the 1512 sized cans. The 1515's run cooler and give you more battery/gearing options.

hey, im about to convert my own 8ight-t and was wounderin if u had to get new screws for the losi motor mount. I've heard some people having problems. Love ur conversion btw, helped me alot in my reseach :smile:

I hated the Losi motor mount I went with the RCM mount with my conversion

yeah yeah i know everyone hates it and ill probably get too eventually, but id rather spend only 3$ to get the losi to work as opposed to 50$ for an rcm mount. Shark413 got it to work, so its possible. ill only be bashing so if everythings not smooth as butter, thats ok.

Update:

Ok I have taken the truggy out three practice/race weekends and put about 12 5s lipo packs thru the truggy. Continues to impress with great handling and speed. The 120 degree Smart Diff ramps and two .15mm springs seems to have reduced the front tire ballooning issue. I have zero issues with the electronics. The fit and finish of the Losi kit is a little less than perfect, pulled one shock end off. It appeared to be over tigthened from the factory. Another thing I noticed is the shock end does not seem to have as deep a thread as my Kyosho shock end did. Tore all the shocks apart an found one of the rear shocks had a stripped screw holding the piston partially on (from the factory). Since those longer shafts are impossible to find, I bought a 2-56 tap and retapped the shaft. One axle/hub pin was found to be broken and the stock front rims rub big time on the suspension arms. Kingheadz rear carrier is working great (larger bearing). But no major breakage and the drivetrain is still tight. Overall I am very happy with the Losi truggy, conversion kit and MMM combo.

Took the center Smart diff apart to check. It had plenty of grease, the grease was still semi-clear and the gears, ramps, etc. still looked good. Have three race weekends on the diff. I have a Tekin T8 2000kv motor on the way and I will try that with my MMM ESC in a sensorless mode to see how it compares to the MMM 2200kv motor.

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Thanks for the update. Have you had any of the steering woes I've been having with mine?

Dave, no problems at all with my steering. I am using the stock 2.0 spring with the adjuster all the way down then one turn up. I am using the Losi optional aluminum steering arm and a Hobbico CS-170 servo (300oz of torque). Sounds like your EPA is set, so I agree it could be the plastic parts binding and not giving. When I was setting up my steering I could see the saver activate when I cranked the steering over (before I adjusted the EPA).

I just rec'd the 1.0 plastic parts today. I can already see it looks much better than mine, I really think I just got one in my 2.0 truck which wasn't molded properly. I should know more after racing tomorrow.

My Tekin motor showed up today. I soldered the leads on and hooked it up to the Losi motor mount using the 4mm screws. The motor is very well made, it has both 3mm and 4mm mounting holes which is a great idea. I use 4mm whenever I can, to hold such a big heavy motor 3mm just doesn't cut it, a holdover from 1/10 scale electric. Anyways back to the motor, the front cover is removable which will make bearing replacement much easier, it is also held on with six screws, I have heard of motors with four screws getting ripped open on hard landings. I hooked it up to my MMM ESC and took it for a spin up and down the street, it feels just as strong as the MMM 2200kv motor. I hope to have it out on the track this weekend where I will be able to see if temps are the same and more importantly what my lap times are compared to my MMM motor. The Tekin motor also has a plastic spacer under the front cover, a nice touch, as it gives you a little extra protection from long mounting screws. I really like the solder on tabs, I had issues with the 6.5mm bullets I was using on my MMM getting loose and pulling apart, which required adjusting the bullet tension.

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r...3/DSC05840.jpg

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r...3/DSC05843.jpg
The MMM 2200kv and Tekin 4038 2000kv motors are about the same length.

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r...3/DSC05857.jpg
Hooked up and ready to go.

One more thing, I noticed that when using finned motors (MMM and Tekin T8's) the motors rub on the middle mud guard screw. It will snag on the screw whenever you remove the motor. I just took a dremel and just touched the grinding wheel to the screw, thats all you need.


http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r...3/DSC05849.jpg

Anything on the track where you could compare yet?? Very interested.

Unfortunetly I was not able to make it out to the track this weekend, but I was able to get it out on the street again hooked up to an Eagle Tree data logger. I have a nice flat area about 50-60 yards long where I can give it full throttle and full brake. With my tracking gearing I am usually able to hit 30+ mph in this distance. I checked for clogging from a stand still, and noticed that sometimes there was some slight clogging, once the motor was spinning it was smooth and powerful. I made 6 runs (full throttle/full brake) on paved road (100% traction) and then checked the temps/Eagle Tree data. The ambient temps were about 70 degrees, I checked the motor and it was 103 degrees, the ESC was 98 degrees. The Eagle tree showed it was drawing 140amps (max). Those numbers looked normal, but one thing happen that was strange, while I was checking the Eagle tree data I heard a fan whirling, I looked and the MMM ESC fan was running, I double checked the ESC temp and it now read 93 (cooled slightly), after a second or two the fan stopped. I understand the fan is supposed to come on at 140 degrees, but my ESC never got over 100 degrees, don't know why the fan came on. Will need to keep an eye on the temps when I do get on the track.