FineDesign RC
 

I know that there is a fair bit of buzz about this vendor (most of it bad), but has anyone actually dealt with Chris Fine?

After having done my buggy conversion, my buddy was really anxious to get one too. The only problem was that he's been busy lately and didn't have the time to do his own conversion. He found FineDesign on the net and saw that they were advertising a "drop in" conversion kit for the Losi 8ight, which is what my buddy has. After a few seemingly informative phone conversations with Chris Fine, my friend went ahead and ordered the kit and a couple of other things and paid over $700 for the order. This was on a Friday. My friend wanted to have it shipped second day, but Chris Fine assured him that he didn't need to because his order would be going out that day and that he would be getting it on that following Tuesday.

Well, Tuesday rolls around and no kit. We call, and call, and call and finally get him. It turns out that the kit hadn't shipped at all. My buddy got all bent out of shape because after having been told that he'd have it by Tuesday, it wasn't even shipped yet. Fine finally agreed to ship the packed by overnight express. It got in today (Saturday).

When he opend the box, all I could think was "what a piece of crap." The motor mount looked to me like boat mounts that were cut to fit the existing motor mount holes in the chassis. There is no room for adjustment. The only thing that works is a 14T pinion, which is what the kit comes with. You have to start hacking on the chassis to get any adjustment.

The next thing was that my friend was told was that the kit came with a battery tray. The battery tray turned out to be a 1/2" by 1" piece of aluminum angle with a few stand offs and this wire springy thing. We couldn't figure it out, so we called Chris. And call, and call, and call. He finally answers his phone. The sum and substance of the conversation was that he was having dinner, there are no instructions, and "you are hobbyists, figure it out."

The final thing was the motor. If you go to the FineDesign website and look at the motors that he is using in his "kits," they are designated as being XLT motors and he rates them by horsepower. Well, the XLT seemed to imply (to me anyway) that the motors in the kits were XL can motors. They are not XLs. The motor was an L can length motor.

After spending hours putting this "drop in" kit together, we finally got to the track to run it. We couldn't get more than three laps before everything overheated. The motor, the battery, and the esc. This is from a kit that was "designed" to be a drop it in and race kit.

My point is that FineDesign will rip you off. He's great on the sales end, but once he has your money, lord help you. From what I've seen, what he sells is nothing but trash.

After having spent $700, my buddy needs to get another motor (at the least) to make his buggy race worthy.

I just wanted to share this experience with the hope that no one else falls into this pit.

Check the length of the motor, it should be around 74 mm, otherwise the wrong motor was included with the kit. This would explain the overheating issues.

Contact him about this.

The 14t gear is what comes stock with the Losi 8ight. You should be able to fit a 13t, 14t, or 15t fd gear using those mounts.

I would recommend picking up some couter sunk washers to use with the bottom screws.

Like Serum said, you'll need to contact them for your issues.

If I am not mistaken. Mike has made a mount for a few people I think.

I have FD's conversion kit for the LST2. It works well and I cannot complain about the performance. However, yes the shipping was slow and there were little in the way of directions. One thing that also concerns me about his buggy conversions is his use of metal clutchbells with metal spur gears. I know first hand that this combination will eventually fail. You need to find a way to a get a plastic spur gear, or you will be breaking teeth off the modified clutchbell. The LST2 is fine because the spurs are plastic.

-Chris

AA, sorry to hear about this deal. It sounds like the typical experience that others have had and it's a perfect case in point why some of us go out of our way to give a heads-up to anyone looking to buy from FD.

If you guys like the 8ight conversion I did, it looks like I could hook him up with one. I have another guy who wants me to make one for him, and I have a couple improvement to do on it... better battery mounting and I'm talking to a local friend about doing a couple CNC mounts like I made.

It won't be earth-shattering but it will wipe FD's butt up and down the track for sure.

"I know that there is a fair bit of buzz about this vendor (most of it bad), but has anyone actually dealt with Chris Fine?"
He totally screwed me on this motor i bought from him. The thing broke down prematurely and after an email war i still didn't get my god damn money back.:035: :mad:1 :mad:1 :mad:1

FD doesn't apparently know how to do business. He sounds like he's there for the initial sale, but then leaves the customer out in the cold after the sale is made. Unfortunately, he will never get repeat customers that way... Oh well, his loss.

Serum,

Am I to understand that he should have gotten an XL can motor? If that is the case, we'll have to see about that. Thanks.


glassdoctor,

I appreciate the offer and would like to be able to draw on your experience. I saw your video and your setup obviously works. I'll shoot you a pm. Thanks.

That is really to bad. And for people wanting to switch to brushless, after dealing with him, they don't even liek brushless anymore.

Mike is actually making a mount for me right now. :027:

If i hadn't found this place, I probably would have gone there. Its strange, everywhere in rc it is usually better to buy a drop in before designing yourself, except for brushless, seems the custom stuff is better than the drop in CF hack job

Yes, the description tells it should include an XLT motor, which is the XL from my understanding.. >> which is 74 or 76 mm tall..

Yeah, the motor that he got was definitely an L can motor. I compared it to my 8L and they are the same length.

All was not lost. Although this setback back a PITA, and an expensive one at that, we got to work on the buggy today. We were able to adapt one of the motor mounts that I made for my Turmoil to his 8ight. All we had to do was spin the diff by 180 and pop a couple of new holes. It came together nicely. I just ordered an 8XL and a MM controller with heatsink from Mike. We will definitely be running by next weekend.

The only thing that I don't like about this ending is that I know, when it's all together, driving that 8ight is going to make me want to throw my Turmoil in the garbage. That's the way I felt when I first drove an XB8 anyway. I have a feeling that the 8ight is going to be even better.

good to hear you were able to find something that would work. Now get us some pictures and let us know how it turns out then you get the mm and 8xl.

Same sad story over and over.... Dont feel bad. He got me too on my first brushless system. Shipped the wrong stuff and never made good.

Glad to here you are getting your buddy straight. Way to be!!!