Mechanical brake / Castle Neu problem

[starscream]

Ryu James,
I also wanted to commend you on the work you've done on your RC8T. It looks very nice.

I took a look at your other pics and since we're discussing brakes I thought I throw out my 2 cents. I see you are using a full size servo for both front and rear brakes and was wondering if you have considered using a hybrid configuration of both motor brakes and mechanical brakes.

I have installed a mini servo (such as the crt.5 servo) to only activate the rear mechanical brakes while utilizing minimal motor braking power for brake bias. I've found that using rear mech brakes along with ~10% to 15% motor brakes provides a very nice bias. Small steps in motor brake power is all you need to find the right amount of bias. This configuration also reduces the amount of power needed from a brake servo so you will not need such a large/heavy servo. The size and weight savings of this setup may be something to consider in the future.

[Ryu James]

Originally Posted by starscream

Ryu James,
I also wanted to commend you on the work you've done on your RC8T. It looks very nice.

I took a look at your other pics and since we're discussing brakes I thought I throw out my 2 cents. I see you are using a full size servo for both front and rear brakes and was wondering if you have considered using a hybrid configuration of both motor brakes and mechanical brakes.

I have installed a mini servo (such as the crt.5 servo) to only activate the rear mechanical brakes while utilizing minimal motor braking power for brake bias. I've found that using rear mech brakes along with ~10% to 15% motor brakes provides a very nice bias. Small steps in motor brake power is all you need to find the right amount of bias. This configuration also reduces the amount of power needed from a brake servo so you will not need such a large/heavy servo. The size and weight savings of this setup may be something to consider in the future.

thanks Star,
i have some carbon at the machine shop right now being CNC'd. i am making a carbon chassis for the RC8t, 8ight-T, and MBX5T with kickup. if the prototypes survive my severe testing i am going to produce them. my website is modifiedrc.com and will be up soon. these chassis' are going to be sick and i am talking with some highly-respected companies in hopes of being able to sell these as a complete conversion kit. my goal is to not compete with other companies out there but work with them and provide a means for everyone to be involved to make a little money but more importantly to just have fun and provide a kit that is not yet available to the 1/8 brushless customer. it will be more expensive than the normal conversion kits obviously due to the carbon fiber but i think there are a few people out there that this product will cater to. myself being one of them. if the venture doesnt work out i still get custom carbon 1/8 truggies for myself which is what this started out as anyway.

so as far as the brake thing that is a good idea. i will have to try the micro server. i actually have my esc set to 15% brakes with my current setup, to kind of act like down-shifting when i brake. i really like my setup but i do have my bias set more to rear so doing the rear/hybrid setup might work. just wondering though, do you have to use a bunch of spacers to get the micro server to be tall enough to be the right heighth for the center diff? i hate using spacers to achieve optimal setup. monster Mike told me about also making your own center diff top plate to extend out and mount the micro server in that. that is an option i guess. for now i will probably stick with what i have as that is how my chassis are being made. plus, the carbon chassis will save me more weight than switching to a micro server will. thanks for the tip though. i am sure i will try it out in the near future on another project or something.

[starscream]

Originally Posted by Ryu James

just wondering though, do you have to use a bunch of spacers to get the micro server to be tall enough to be the right heighth for the center diff? i hate using spacers to achieve optimal setup. monster Mike told me about also making your own center diff top plate to extend out and mount the micro server in that. that is an option i guess. for now i will probably stick with what i have as that is how my chassis are being made. plus, the carbon chassis will save me more weight than switching to a micro server will. thanks for the tip though. i am sure i will try it out in the near future on another project or something.

I made my own mount from a crt.5 radio tray which is mounted to the top of the center diff so there are no spacers involved.

You'll probably appreciate the mount as it's CF
pics in my thread here: http://www.rc-monster.com/forum/showthread.php?t=18076

The custom CF top plate would be the best way to go and is actually what I will most likely end up doing. I just have to gets some CF. Its not the cheapest material but it works and looks good.

[Ryu James]

so is that i micro server for your brake, Star? i cant tell in the pic. and is the carbon mounted to the center diff or the chassis?

[starscream]

Originally Posted by Ryu James

so is that i micro server for your brake, Star? i cant tell in the pic. and is the carbon mounted to the center diff or the chassis?

It's a hitec digital mini. I cheated and used some alum to mount the CF to the motor mount. I have a CF top plate on my mugen but the holes don't line up quite right so I got to get another piece of CF and replace the whole RC8T top plate like you mentioned.

Once again, awesome shipping from Mike. Ordered on the 16th (was the 17th here), and the spacer arrived this morning! :D Thanks Mike!

So, now the bad news lol, the spacer doesn't "space" enough lol. Lametastic! :(

I am attempting to use a 15T pinion, but it's about 1-1.5mm too far out to mesh properly, with the spacer on. The 17T is almost there, but not quite, and the 18T is almost perfect.

The spacer has improved but not fixed the issue. Without the spacer, the brake pads/screw were hitting the raised fins on the motor, so the pinion was even further away, so far that even the 18T pinion wouldn't mesh.

With the spacer, I can at least get the 18T to mesh (its probably a tiny bit too far out but I can live with that).

Anyway, the issue is that the 2200kv motor is like crazy over geared with the 17T pinion, so I can't imagine how crazy the 18T would be. The 15T is MUCH nicer, more controlable, and the amp draw and battery life is excellent, unfortunately, I can't get it to fit with the mech brakes.

So, is there anything I can do to make it fit. I assume I'd have to make a thinner spacer to add to the RCM one, like out of 3mm Aluminum or something like that, or perhaps cut some material away from the end of the can?

Here's a photo

[Ryu James]

yeah, that sucks bro. frustrating huh. you can cut into the endbell but i wouldnt. i did this and once you start it never stops and your motor looks like crap. plus you usually have to cut away way more than you had anticipated. i would get a another piece of 3mm alum or carbon and make the spacer thicker......or buy a tekno conversion kit.....at least that is what i would do next time if you plan to run mechanical brakes. Mike sells the kits on his site or you can get them from impaktrc.com. good luck.

Righto, so I decided to bulk up the RCM spacer a little to use with my CC NEU until the medusa arrives.

It's pretty rough looking, but it works - can pinions as small as 12T.