Anyone else into RC rock crawling?

[CMBD]

My daughter goofing off with her 2wd brushless Slash at a campground this weekend .

The Traxxas Slash has to be one of the most durable RCs ever made. This one is at least 15 years old and lived most its life as a brushless 3s powered Baja Bug sand car. Has gone end over end at 50+ on hard packed sand a lotta times and never have broken anything. Ruined a lot of pinions and spurs but that's it.

 

[reddvltj]

My daughter goofing off with her 2wd brushless Slash at a campground this weekend .

The Traxxas Slash has to be one of the most durable RCs ever made. This one is at least 15 years old and lived most its life as a brushless 3s powered Baja Bug sand car. Has gone end over end at 50+ on hard packed sand a lotta times and never have broken anything. Ruined a lot of pinions and spurs but that's it.



View attachment 650210

View attachment 650211

Sometimes I wish I had the 2wd vs the 4x4 Slash. The drive shaft and slipper clutch design SUCK on the 4x4. It likes collecting tiny rocks inside the drive shaft compartment and they either jam up the lock nut on the slipper or find some where to wedge themselves in the tunnel and act like a lathe cutting the aluminum drive shaft.

You are right about them being fairly indestructible though. i bashed mine for years with the stock pinion and spur and chewed up countless spur gears. I finally switched to a 8th scale pinion with the help of a shaft adapter and got a steel Spur gear to go along with it. The gear ratio was also a LOT higher then what you could get for the stock 4x4 slash... New speed level opened up!!! My top speed went from @60 to OMG please don't go airborne!

My first high speed run with that gear setup turned into a cartwheel fest that I thought for sure was going to end with multiple broken suspension components and maybe even bulkhead parts needing replacement. None of the above fortunately just had to readjust the pinion/and spur gear lash.

 

[CMBD]

Sometimes I wish I had the 2wd vs the 4x4 Slash. The drive shaft and slipper clutch design SUCK on the 4x4. It likes collecting tiny rocks inside the drive shaft compartment and they either jam up the lock nut on the slipper or find some where to wedge themselves in the tunnel and act like a lathe cutting the aluminum drive shaft.

You are right about them being fairly indestructible though. i bashed mine for years with the stock pinion and spur and chewed up countless spur gears. I finally switched to a 8th scale pinion with the help of a shaft adapter and got a steel Spur gear to go along with it. The gear ratio was also a LOT higher then what you could get for the stock 4x4 slash... New speed level opened up!!! My top speed went from @60 to OMG please don't go airborne!

My first high speed run with that gear setup turned into a cartwheel fest that I thought for sure was going to end with multiple broken suspension components and maybe even bulkhead parts needing replacement. None of the above fortunately just had to readjust the pinion/and spur gear lash.

Got home today and Im looking for a 4wd roller because someone in my group this weekend said we should all get Slashes for our next get together The control with the 4wd is sooo much better.

Im thinkin 4wd Slash, spooled rear, heavy grease in the front diff (acts almost like a stiff LSD), sensored brushless, and 3s. Would be like an IFS/IRS Ultra4 car. Could crawl and go fast. You can get around the junk caught up in the drivetrain, or minimalize it anyway.

Or... I have a complete Axial Yeti with broke front end parts. Love Axial but they piss me off with the lack of support for the Yeti. Yeti is an IFS/ SRA Ultra4 car for the most part.

 

[reddvltj]

Got home today and Im looking for a 4wd roller because someone in my group this weekend said we should all get Slashes for our next get together The control with the 4wd is sooo much better.

Im thinkin 4wd Slash, spooled rear, heavy grease in the front diff (acts almost like a stiff LSD), sensored brushless, and 3s. Would be like an IFS/IRS Ultra4 car. Could crawl and go fast. You can get around the junk caught up in the drivetrain, or minimalize it anyway.

Or... I have a complete Axial Yeti with broke front end parts. Love Axial but they piss me off with the lack of support for the Yeti. Yeti is an IFS/ SRA Ultra4 car for the most part.

Oh Definitely 4wd and 2wd are night and day different. The 2wd is basically a Rustler just a longer and wider chassis on the slash.

I figured out the best way to keep crap out of the drive shaft is to use some scrap lexan and make a flexible skid to block rocks from coming in under the dive shaft, that is held on by the front bulkhead to pan bolts and a small piece of tape over the slipper clutch adjustment window.

I'd be very careful putting a spool in the rear of a slash, you'll likely go through a ton of axles, especially with 3s. As far as using the Slash as a crawler, I'm not sure what motor you're thinking about, but I know with mine the stock brushless is VERY jittery when you try to go too slow.

 

[CMBD]

Oh Definitely 4wd and 2wd are night and day different. The 2wd is basically a Rustler just a longer and wider chassis on the slash.

I figured out the best way to keep crap out of the drive shaft is to use some scrap lexan and make a flexible skid to block rocks from coming in under the dive shaft, that is held on by the front bulkhead to pan bolts and a small piece of tape over the slipper clutch adjustment window.

I'd be very careful putting a spool in the rear of a slash, you'll likely go through a ton of axles, especially with 3s. As far as using the Slash as a crawler, I'm not sure what motor you're thinking about, but I know with mine the stock brushless is VERY jittery when you try to go too slow.

That green bug I posted had a modeling clay spool and big paddles the entire time I did 3s stuff with it. It didnt kill the stock axles. And the slipper was cranked to no not slip.

Sensored brushless is the way for a crawler. No cogging down low, pick the KV for the high RPM.

 

[joe98tj]

Some progress on my mashigan

 

[joe98tj]

Lots of tinkering going on this winter. Almost wrapped up with the driver side body armor on the mashigan.

I also got my LGRP ripper build back up and running so its no longer a shelf piece. Also got this sweet little ZJ rig.

The 1/24 army is growing.

Was waiting for the new proline 2.2 Krawlers to come in. I was running the West Dessert Wheeler cut n shuts on my capra but test fitted them on the mashigan and it just needed to have them. So Heres the capra on the new proline 2.2s and the mashigan on the cut n shuts.

 

[matkal]

Got new bodies for my crawlers, TRX-4(the power wagon body had too many tumbles down the mountain) got a "Jeep J20" ish body, some may recognize the theme though it needs a bit more weathering. And my Vanquish VRD carbon went from a "S10" cab only to a "Jeep Comanche" pickup. I tried a multi-color, "cartoon" style for the first time and i like how it turned out!
(pics to follow, I have to load them from my phone. SMH)
Waiting for a grill that my SIL is cricuting for me

 

[reddvltj]

Got new bodies for my crawlers, TRX-4(the power wagon body had too many tumbles down the mountain) got a "Jeep J20" ish body, some may recognize the theme though it needs a bit more weathering. And my Vanquish VRD carbon went from a "S10" cab only to a "Jeep Comanche" pickup. I tried a multi-color, "cartoon" style for the first time and i like how it turned out!
(pics to follow, I have to load them from my phone. SMH)

(insert post for thread)

 

[matkal]

(insert post for thread)

Happy now?

 

[reddvltj]

Happy now?

Mucho betters!!! Gotta ask where'd you find the J series body... well both bodies for that matter.

 

[matkal]

They’re both JConcepts, Lloyd 2 and Warlord. Ordered both from Amain

 

[reddvltj]

They’re both JConcepts, Lloyd 2 and Warlord. Ordered both from Amain

Thank you for that.

 

[joe98tj]

I just got a warlord body for my 10.2 kit. Working on something similar with the sharpie lines.

 

[Mike_H]

I picked up an Element Enduro12 as a donor to my old blackfoot body. Currently in process...I kinda took a big ol bite of scale modelling.

Had to make new rear links and shorten the driveshaft to match the wheelbase (also notice the new wheels).

Cut the ugly aftermarket style "bar" grill out for a 3d printed replica of the Original 1981 Ford grill. Grill has since been updated with light

buckets and lenses for the headlights and signals also.

Another change to the OG blackfoot...Went with a wood bed instead of the flat tonneau. Had to mold some oversize styrene fender wells to cover the "scale" 37's too.

Just a couple more things to do to make it functional. I have a rollbar modeled and printed, have an idea for a bumper/push bar, and I need to install my interior and mount the body (going with 4 magnets). Then its off to paint!

 

[matkal]

I picked up an Element Enduro12 as a donor to my old blackfoot body. Currently in process...I kinda took a big ol bite of scale modelling.

View attachment 673654

View attachment 673653


Had to make new rear links and shorten the driveshaft to match the wheelbase (also notice the new wheels).



View attachment 673655


Cut the ugly aftermarket style "bar" grill out for a 3d printed replica of the Original 1981 Ford grill. Grill has since been updated with light

buckets and lenses for the headlights and signals also.

View attachment 673656
Another change to the OG blackfoot...Went with a wood bed instead of the flat tonneau. Had to mold some oversize styrene fender wells to cover the "scale" 37's too.
View attachment 673658

Just a couple more things to do to make it functional. I have a rollbar modeled and printed, have an idea for a bumper/push bar, and I need to install my interior and mount the body (going with 4 magnets). Then its off to paint!

Looks great !

 

[matkal]

I just got a warlord body for my 10.2 kit. Working on something similar with the sharpie lines.

Post some pics when you get it done

 

[reddvltj]

They’re both JConcepts, Lloyd 2 and Warlord. Ordered both from Amain

Well that was kind of let down,. Having the Land Rover chassis (@12.75 wb) means about the only non Traxxas bodies available to fit are the Gladiator or Toyota LC70... I'm starting to think I should shorten the wheel base or maybe..... just buy a SWB TRX4...

 

[matkal]

Well that was kind of let down,. Having the Land Rover chassis (@12.75 wb) means about the only non Traxxas bodies available to fit are the Gladiator or Toyota LC70... I'm starting to think I should shorten the wheel base or maybe..... just buy a SWB TRX4...

I trimmed the living crap out of the wheel wells on both bodies. Also ended up putting longer rear links on the Traxxas, mostly to get better approach and departure angle. We do what we gotta do. LOL

 

[Apparition]

Not really rock crawling but I thought it was interesting to watch.