Build Thread Axial SCX24 - Project Doomsday

[Lucifur10]

I'm actually having issues seeing the parts for mine! The tiny little screws are so hard to work with. I need an 1/8th scale version.

 

[WickedFog]

I'm actually having issues seeing the parts for mine! The tiny little screws are so hard to work with. I need an 1/8th scale version.

Do you have a nerd headset? These are awesome!
Limited-time deal: YOCTOSUN LED Head Magnifier, Rechargeable Hands Free Headband Magnifying Glasses with 2 Led, Professional Jeweler's Loupe Light Bracket and Headband are Interchangeable https://a.co/d/3WNU71y

 

[PewPewChris]

Do you have a nerd headset? These are awesome!
Limited-time deal: YOCTOSUN LED Head Magnifier, Rechargeable Hands Free Headband Magnifying Glasses with 2 Led, Professional Jeweler's Loupe Light Bracket and Headband are Interchangeable https://a.co/d/3WNU71y

I've literally been trying to figure out the best solution to my sight issue in my shop. I was about to buy and bolt some huge light/magnifier to my table...I think this is a much more viable and less expensive option to try first. Thanks for the recommendation!

 

[Lucifur10]

I've literally been trying to figure out the best solution to my sight issue in my shop. I was about to buy and bolt some huge light/magnifier to my table...I think this is a much more viable and less expensive option to try first. Thanks for the recommendation!

I bought one, takes a bit getting used to. I also have the bolt on to the table unit with a magnifying lens and light.

 

[PewPewChris]

I bought one, takes a bit getting used to. I also have the bolt on to the table unit with a magnifying lens and light.

It has to be better than what I am dealing with right now...old eyes and zero magnification.

 

[Lucifur10]

It has to be better than what I am dealing with right now...old eyes and zero magnification.

I'm in the same boat! Getting old is so overrated.

 

[WickedFog]

Anything strapped to your head is going to be worse than nothing. But hey, at least you get some high powered eyes and some light where you need it. I like them a lot better than reading glasses

 

[Doom!]

I still have them in my amazon cart, but keep buying rc parts instead.

 

[WickedFog]

I installed the extended rear axles and hub extenders yesterday. This gives the Doomsday an 18mm wider track total in the rear.

These Tree Hobby extended axles actually aren't bad.

The screws that hold the bearing in had washers on them, which ultimately interfered with rotation. I ended up taking the washers off, ditching the cap screw, and just used buttonhead screws. Pic shows the washers still on the screws.

This shows the difference after installing the middle axle.

There has not been a single screw on this chassis that has been tight

 

[Greywolf74]

Man, you're gonna make me work on my MB24 build now!

 

[WickedFog]

Man, you're gonna make me work on my MB24 build now!

Yeah, what happened to doing that yesterday ya slacker?

 

[Doom!]

There has not been a single screw on this chassis that has been tight

That's why I mailed it in a baggy, I was afraid a screw would fall out in transit. Everything is looking good!

 

[Greywolf74]

Yeah, what happened to doing that yesterday ya slacker?

Work and straightening out bills happened

 

[WickedFog]

I've been trying to stay as busy as I can on this 6x6 build. But every time I turn around I find shite that needs replaced. Like the shaft the spur gear runs on in the transmission is about .002" undersize, and that shaft goes through a bearing. So this is causing the spur gear to wobble around freely. It actually moves enough to completely disengage the pinion from the spur.

So I ordered these, and they are much better.
RCLIONS 51T/19T Hardened Steel Transmission Gearbox Gear Set for 1/24 Axial SCX24 Accessories https://a.co/d/4v4voih

Review:
The reviews suck on them, but I have some RCLions 1.9 wheels that are the nicest RC wheels I have ever seen. Excellent machine work, and very high quality finish. Such a nice finish I have them wrapped in tissue paper, in a bubble wrap shipping bag, in a drawer. These gears are no exception. Just zoom in on the pic, and it don't lie. That is exactly what the parts look like.

After putting these gears in and test fitting, they felt pretty good (see Problems section below). Case went together fine. So the one review that stated the gear are too thick... mine are perfect.

Problems:
After putting a couple screws in the case, there was still quite a bit of play in the spur gear. Not quite as much though. Bugger! Upon further inspection, the bearing journals (pockets the bearings sit in), have been machined at least .001" oversize. So the bearing wobbles in the journal, causing a much larger deviation out at the spur gear due to the teeth are much farter out on the arc of travel. So I need to order a new transmission case.

Instead of ordering that and discovering yet another problem, I did some more inspection. The bearings are fairly close on the inner and out diameter, a tad under. Definitely contributing to the problem, but not as much as the journals are.

But, if you grab the inner race and outer race separately and wiggle the inner race, it has some play too. Meaning these bearings either have small balls lol (undersize), or the ball grooves between the races have been machined oversize. Or both could be at fault. Regardless - shite bearings. There are much better bearings out there.

Solutions:
Order a new transmission case and bearings. Already blew the RC budget and then some this month, so the boring wait begins again.

One step forward and two steps back

 

[Doom!]

Dang, Didn't expect all of these little problems. Gonna be cool when you get it all worked out.

 

[WickedFog]

Dang, Didn't expect all of these little problems. Gonna be cool when you get it all worked out.

It'll be all good when I replace a few parts.

The upper link mount on the rear axle has a hole completely stripped out too where a screw goes through the diff cover. The screw wouldn't even unscrew from the threads. It just spun in the hole and I had to push it out from the back. I think I'll just grab some Injora stuff to throw at it.

The front axle CVD's are also binding up at a very shallow turning angle. I bet this wouldn't turn around an 18" radius. But my plan has been to grab the LGRP Super 8 front axle anyway, which will add 16mm of track width in the front, getting close to the 18mm I added to the rear.

More to come

 

[WickedFog]

Got the Treal transmission case in, along with the new bearings.

I have already test fit everything, and it seems the play in the spur is now minimal. Better than the stock SCX24 transmission anyway. The gears move smoothly after an initial test where they didn't. Turns out one of the small bearings wasn't completely seated into the pocket in the transmission housing, putting an interference on the idler shaft.

But I ran into another problem. The idler shaft that came with the gearset I bought has two flats ground on it for the spur to lock onto. These flats weren't machined far enough, so the distance across the flats is a smidge too big, and the spur gear goes on super tight. I plan to take a flat stone and polish those flats up just a bit.

That's just how it goes sometimes when you mix and match components from various manufacturers. Sometimes you just gotta make things work.

I will update this post with more pics as I get this latest issue resolved. Pain has set in so I need a break.

 

[Doom!]

It's good to see you working on a project again. I know this one has had a few challenges.

 

[WickedFog]

It's good to see you working on a project again. I know this one has has a few challenges.

I have a few irons in the fire at the moment. Organizing and ckeaning my bench, this build, and now this new MT12 radio I'm trying to document my experience with. I try to stay busy, but not being able to move around well is slowing me down, and it pisses me off

 

[WickedFog]

I got the Unity motor bolted to the transmission and noticed I had to flip the crossmember around to mount the motor rearward. It's too long to mount towards the front, because it runs into the servo.

But after getting everything swapped around, I started to bolt the transmission in. Yet another stripped hole. That makes 4 parts on this thing that need to be replaced so far

The trans case was crap, both rear upper link mounts had stripped holes. Now the crossmember.

Word to the wise - do not buy one of the SCX24 6x6 kits. Buy the chassis kit, axles, driveshafts and links individually. Buy aftermarket for everything else and don't waste your time with this terrible Chinesium