D3MON's Mugen MBX5

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D3MON

Hardcore RCTalk User
Messages
2,172
Reaction score
974
Location
Missoula MT
RC Driving Style
  1. Bashing
purchased a buggy from a fellow forum member and thought id post a build thread on it as well, though i dont know how much more building it will need or ill do.
Buggy is a Mugen MBX5, from what i can tell it started life as a standard MBX5, but has most if not all the upgrades to the MBX5 prospec or higher.
didnt get any pictures really but first to get serviced were the diffs
the diffs managed to leak out most of their fluids so re-green slimed the o-rings, and filled them up.
Front 7k, Center 10K, Rear 5K, was going to follow the Chad Bradley setup sheet as from what i understand this was the go-to for racing, but given id be on looser surfaces wanted a bit thicker and go from there.
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after the diffs, started with the shocks. (again didn't take pictures, but shocks are pretty straight forward)
definitely different how the shock shaft packing is set up on these with a little wire clip, but managed to get them all rebuilt and re-oiled. old oil wasn't bad, but started turning a bit grey.
going to need to get some new shafts though before too long a few of them showed signs of pretty good wear.
as per the chad bradley sheet, set up to as close to 400CST as i could find (420CST/35wt Losi oil)
as received the buggy did not have electronics, so installed what i had about. BlueBird 100oz/in, .10 servo for throttle, and an HPI SF-50WP servo for steering.
plans to update the steering to a Protek 100T, happy with the throttle servo for now.
when setting up the throttle servo noticed the knurled stops would impact the tank and tank guard so reworked that slightly for now, plans to do a floating brake setup so i can bring the linkage closer to the servo on the horn.
swapped the Mugen aluminum chassis braces to the Eck Tec ones that were included when it was purchased.
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went through and set up all specs like Toe, Camber, ride height, and droop as close to the setup sheet as possible as well.

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dug in and cleaned the clutch also, my first time with this style. really simple and easy to adjust and install, no more messing with prying clutch springs around lol
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then a picture of the buggy next to my LRP, with its really cool "KISS" themed body, couldnt bring myself to run it, so i ordered a new re-creation body that I'm going to use as my basher body.
overall this buggy just feels super solid, nice and tight, well built, and handles almost too easy.
managed to get a warm up tank and a quick rip around had a blast. my first experience with a bump box, and learning to tune a long needle carb.
Quick Video:
 

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Incredible bro, awesome update. What a find. Speaking of camber, toe, etc, time to do that for the kyosho. Keep on brapping
 
Incredible bro, awesome update. What a find. Speaking of camber, toe, etc, time to do that for the kyosho. Keep on brapping
thanks man! yeah its been an awesome experience with this buggy so far. used to dread doing setup, but then got real tools for it and its honestly kind of fun haha.
Sounds good..
Thanks :)
Dang bruh ,you handled that track pretty good ,you should be racing!..:thumbs-up:
Engine sounds good!..:cool:
thanks!! though most of it was probably the buggy, I'm starting to get better, and it might be the track size being so small but figure if i can learn a small track when i get on something bigger will feel like a 5 lane highway!
really enjoying the engine. did tune the clutch to have a bit more early grab though, but mostly because the track size I'm usually low throttle.
 
thanks man! yeah its been an awesome experience with this buggy so far. used to dread doing setup, but then got real tools for it and its honestly kind of fun haha.

Thanks :)

thanks!! though most of it was probably the buggy, I'm starting to get better, and it might be the track size being so small but figure if i can learn a small track when i get on something bigger will feel like a 5 lane highway!
really enjoying the engine. did tune the clutch to have a bit more early grab though, but mostly because the track size I'm usually low throttle.

It wasn't about the track size ,you had very good control over the car ,an the right throttle timing
when cornering an jumping ,very good coordination!.. :thumbs-up:
 
It wasn't about the track size ,you had very good control over the car ,an the right throttle timing
when cornering an jumping ,very good coordination!.. :thumbs-up:
appreciate it man, when i was younger always dreamed about racing, but just never was able to make it happen. don't really think it will happen anytime soon at least, mainly due to proximity of a track, but who knows, might get one local eventually or make one myself, just need some land lol
 
body came in the mail and am pretty impressed by the quality of it, only gripe is that it did not have a sticker sheet, but pretty minimal gripe and i could easily have taken the time to mask everything off, but this was mostly a basher body to experiment with techniques.
paints used were Tamiya Purple Green Iridescent (PS-46), Tamiya Metallic Blue (PS-16), Tamiya Blue (PS-4), and Tamiya Cobalt Green (PS-54)
was my first practicing fading transitions, not solid lines, started with 2-3 coats of the purple green iridescent fading to about 1/3 back, then metallic blue backer transition to the regular blue, then fading to the cobalt green.
i didnt realize when i was painting that the iridescent was purple green, thought it was just purple (was kind of an afterthought) so hindsight being 20-20 wish i would have done green in front as the backer to the iridescent then fade back to blue then metallic blue.
overall i am happy with it, not perfect by any means, but practice for next time!
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Looks great buddy. Fits the buggy well and congrats on painting your first body. If I ever get a killer body, I’m leaving that pain work to the pros because I have zero interest in painting. Beautiful stuff man! How’s the buggy doing for you?
 
Looks great buddy. Fits the buggy well and congrats on painting your first body. If I ever get a killer body, I’m leaving that pain work to the pros because I have zero interest in painting. Beautiful stuff man! How’s the buggy doing for you?
thanks man really appreciate it!
it is not my complete first body, had done a few, but first one i really experimented with different techniques and designs and just kind of did whatever i wanted. had plans for the other ones and me being inexperienced did not turn out as well as id hoped, i really like the idea of painting and have ideas i want to try, but just my lack of skill and experience hinders it lmfao. havent been able to run it again yet, wanted to wait till i got the body done, hoping this weekend get some rip time with it though! really need to get a better steering servo planning on the Protek 100T.
 
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