Losi XXX-T CR SC Conversion

[thzero]

So I've had this XXX-T CR sitting around for awhile. Bought it some time ago because I'd always wanted a Losi (not sure why) when back in the day we were running RC10Ts with foam on indoor tracks. Anyways, I do like the SC bodies but wasn't real thrilled about getting a new truck (and the Strike sucks) so when two companies offered conversion kits I jumped at the chance.

Two kits... Team CRC (http://www.teamcrc.com/crc/modules.p...prodID=7719120) and Exotec (http://exotekracing.com/EXOTEK_NEWS/.../31_SCX-T.html).

Probably could have done as good of job as they did by myself, wouldn't have looked as clean/professional using only hand tools. Oh well. Everyone knows what a XXX-T looks like so I won't do a lot of before pics, but here is it before...

Pretty standard stuff... MMP/CC5700 (for bashing really... may need to replace and use this in a top fuel dragster), JR 9100S servo.



And then with the Team CRC conversion...



The Team CRC conversion is nice and well done and its all carbon fiber. It makes use of the Desert Trucks front bumper and the rear bumper. The rear bumper is used to attach the body rear body mounts to. The front body mounts attach to a custom piece that is mounted to the front bulkhead.



The body posts for the front are just way too long IMO, I didn't really like it. Also by using the DT front/rear bumpers, they aren't big enough and the body just swamps them.

I just got in the Exotec kit. Its a bit more expensive but I like the body mounting system better. The rear body mounts are attached just in front of the rear shock tower onto the chassis extension. The front mounts actually attach to the front shock tower. The Exotec parts are from G10 material and are designed to match the flex of the XXX-T chassis. It uses the Strike front bumper, and you need to modify a RPM Slash 4x4 rear bumper to fit up to their kit. Both should clear the body which is great.

I'll post some more shots once I switch over to the Exotec kit parts.

Think I will end up using the body mounts and bumpers from the Exotec kit, and then the extension from CRC. Why? I think I want a solid piece that doesn't flex so that the body of the XXX-T flexes as it would when just running as a "Stadium Truck" But we'll see.

Both kits include a new front set of axles which are shorter than even the stock XXX-T (not CR) versions to meet the ROAR SC specs. Similiarly for the CR you will need to convert from the "quick change" rear hubs into the standard XXX-T hubs. Bit of a pain.

Bodies for this that seem to fit are Strike bodies and HPI Blitz Bodies (I chose the JConcepts Manta Blitz body... but I do love that new Raptor body). You need to use SC10 wheels.

[E-Revonut]

I race at CRC against many people using there conversion kit. It does look a little funny with the bumpers under the body but they are great performers on the track. I'll stick with my SC10 though

[T-birdJunkie]

Ya need some video of that sucker now :)

Got wheels and tires?

[thzero]

Yeah, JConcepts SC10 wheels and some ProLine Trenchers for bashing...

Originally Posted by T-birdJunkie

Ya need some video of that sucker now :)

Got wheels and tires?

[T-birdJunkie]

Thinking about putting a set of Trenchers on the SC10. The Switches on the rear are pretty much bald.

[thzero]

They seem to be rather beefy. For I think bashing they'll work well, not sure if they are a good racing tire though.

Originally Posted by T-birdJunkie

Thinking about putting a set of Trenchers on the SC10. The Switches on the rear are pretty much bald.

[T-birdJunkie]

Eh, just need pair. Not planning on putting those on the track :)

Let us know how the Trenchers work out though...'cuz ITBJHO the Switches kinda suck everywhere.

[thzero]

Hehehe... :)

[thzero]

I have the conversion done as far as the chassis goes. Glued up the tires last night. I decided to go completely with the Exotec kit. Quality seems top-notch although I had to slightly grind the extension plates to fit flush with the rear shock towers but it was very minor.

I'm a bit skeptical of the rear bumper attachment as it seems to not be well supported using only two horizontal braces and no vertical (will need some pics) so we'll have to see how it holds up to tumbling.

The only other complain I really have is that it seems there is more than requires material for the extended body mount plates. Where the front body mounting ststem is mounted does make it hard to remove the front shocks without removing the front body mount system.

The Exotec kit is a bit more involved as you have to cut up an RPM Slash 4x4 bumper support/attachment pieces to be used for a) the rear bumper support/attachment, b) part of the front bumper attachment pieces and c) the attachment for the front body posts.

I do think the price though is a tad high considering that you need to buy two parts (RPM Slash 4x4 rear bumper and Losi Strike front bumper) on your own.

As a note, the Exotec kit comes with an extended t-plate that replaces the standard Losi t-plate, which was my reasoning for switching. As I've broken a few Losi t-plates in my time, I am a bit curious to show how the extened one holds up. It may be that I switch back to the CRC stretch plates as they use the standard t-plate with their chassis extension.

[T-birdJunkie]

VIDEOS or you're full of it :D

[thzero]

Well, found an issue. The Exotec kit has a wheelbase of 334.9625mm. This is just under the max 335mm for ROAR. Why do we care? Because that makes it 2mm longer than the Slash's (333mm) wheelbase. So for the Exotec kit you basically need a body made for the Slash. For reference the Strike has a wheelbase of 347.58 so its way out there and the body probably wouldn't be a good fit.

The CRC kit has a wheel base of 329.5mm which is about the same size as the standard Blitz (329mm) or SC10 (327mm). So either bodies made for the Blitz or SC10 will fit.

So I'm going back to the CRC kit for the extension to go with the shorter wheelbase as I have a Blitz JConcept Manta body.

[T-birdJunkie]

Just for the record, SC10 bodies seem to have a longer wheelbase than the SC10 itself...rear tires on ThunderbirdJunkie's SC10 are DEFINITELY not centered in the wheelwell.

[thzero]

Interesting... well I mounted the JConcepts Manta body (blitz) that I had based on centering the back wheels as much as possible but making sure to leave room for the front wheels to turn, etc.

However, I'm about to pitch the entire truck (along with any more Horizon crap). LOSA6401 pin does NOT fit in the LOSA2960. The hole in the LOSA2960 is not big enough for the pin to slide in. Yet Horizon Hobby customer support claims otherwise even though I provided them the exact dimensions of the part (I need to remeasure because I lost the sheet I had it written on) in MILLIMETERS. If you measured in fractions, both came out the same, but measuring in millimeters proved that they were different sizes. Sure customer support sent me another pack of pins free, but really if they don't fit in the first place, that doesn't solve anything.

Originally Posted by T-birdJunkie

Just for the record, SC10 bodies seem to have a longer wheelbase than the SC10 itself...rear tires on ThunderbirdJunkie's SC10 are DEFINITELY not centered in the wheelwell.

[T-birdJunkie]

ThunderbirdJunkie will take it off your hands :D

[thzero]

As a note, Losi has come out with their own XXX-T based SC. What the Strike should have been.