TOPIC:

tamiya wrote:

Nice job looks very good and a great save its not about value in this hobby its nice to restore a car using as many of the original parts as possible and not taking the easy option with re release bits.

I totally agree, saving the old's worth a lot more than just buying new.

The 23 turns Lrp motor I will be using... and an adapter I made so I can leave the original wires on to connect to my ESCs.
I have given them all Deans but would rather not "waste" connectors on a motor that isn't rebuildable.
Gold connectors are recycled from my Lrp ESC (cut them off for the aforementioned Deans)...



Soldering's going better every time. Good skill to have.
Below here on the left, an 18T 32dp Traxxas pinion I will try. Seems better than the aluminium ninja star in the middle.
On the right, what an original Tamiya pinion would look like before you touch it. Lol



What's strange to notice, is that a stock 19T Traxxas pinion (below right) has teeth that look quite a bit different :



We'll have to see how noisy is it (that'll tell how well the pitch matches)...

Since I'm using the Hornet chassis mounts, it would be better if I also put on the special lower mounts for the shocks of that car.



Screwing down the part from the Frog (m6, at the red dot on the right below here) would make for quite a rigid connection...
That might get in the way of the overall flexibility (and may even start to grind at some point).



Switching the Hornet ball joint for m6 is the obvious fix but that is not a great match.
The Frog spring has an inner diameter of about 8mm and is 1.5mm smaller than the Hornet's.
Because of the misplaced raised edge on it, the Frog spring rests on the ball joint quite badly.
First thing - to sand of that edge (only the right side of the picture is relevant, the left was an earlier plan that didn't work) :



Then glue on a couple of nylon 850 bearings (outer diameter 8mm) with epoxy :



Take out the shafts :



Then clean up, slightly enlarge the hole and paint... on the left Hornet, on the right Frornet :



And yes, the cylinder could use some polishing.

Interesting ... are those the Frog springs? I think you'd be better off using a pair of Grasshopper springs (assuming they're a similar diameter).



I broke one of the front shock towers off a Grasshopper/Hornet chassis back in the day, and to "repair" it, cut off the other one, fitted a bit of Meccano, & used Frog shocks ... IIRC, it completely cured the usual bump steer problems completely

Sounds like a home made version of the CRP kit.

I kinda like the black springs (the are vintage Frog indeed) but the rear ones from the Grasshopper are a good alternative.
Hadn't measured them yet but they are actually (the exact) same length and diameter...

Not sure what the minimod's gonna be called though if I put on Grasshopper springs. Frohorhopper... Frograssnet?

Edou wrote:

Sounds like a home made version of the CRP kit.

I kinda like the black springs (the are vintage Frog indeed) but the rear ones from the Grasshopper are a good alternative.
Hadn't measured them yet but they are actually (the exact) same length and diameter...

No, it was still single wishbone ... "curing" the bump steer was the result of the shocks being so hard the front end was pretty much solid


I haven't taken anything apart to measure, but I'm thinking the Grasshopper springs will be way softer than the Frog ones (which are way too hard, even for the heavier Frog) & will be a much better match.

I think you're right. They're like AC/DC and Karen Carpenter.
Would like to have a look how they interact with the double shocks on the axle though...

Another advantage of using the Hornet shock mounts is that the movement of the gearbox becomes more vertical (and less rotational), leaving more room for a 540 motor to fit with the extra shocks there.

Came across this and it looks interesting, simple and quite effective - an LSD for your Hopper :



I think I'll have a go at it as well...
With some bits that are nicely cut though and not looking like I bit them off.

My limited slip diff will be a TRF one.
Because I'll use some of the 2mm hollow silicone that came to protect the tip of the hex driver.