Dumbest RC related thing you have ever done?

[Hepher88]

The DumboRC RX/TX is an awesome basher radio, and it's affordable! The X6 is the best version, as it has two more channels, with the 6th channel being an optional gyro (the gyro comes turned off, (vs. the X4, which is about $8 cheaper, but has 4 channels, and no gyro) you press the little bind button that's recessed in the side of the receiver 3 times, or one time for 3 seconds, I can't remember which.

But anyway, yeah it's awesome, great response time, on par with some race radios (the slightly slower ones), and crazy long range, farther than I can see (I haven't bothered to test the range myself). I've done a few DIY "upgrades" to mine, mainly a phone bracket mount for recording some runs, and a simple one-hand-driving steering wheel extension. I'm wondering if anyone would like to see a post on that

Interesting, wonky fail-safe? That's all I can think of that would cause that, other than possibly incorrectly set servo end-points and trim.

Yeah this was on a really old car at the time, you had to connect it between the throttle trim and receiver, to be honest I have no idea why it done it. I want to say I put it in the wrong way around but I'm not sure that's possible haha I did have the X4 1st as was cheap and had great reviews, I only went up to the X6 as my dad got his car going but burnt out his receiver with a faulty battery so gave him my X4 set up. I've never used the gimble on my Nitro but planning on getting a 1:8 electric soon but still seeing what's out there

 

[The_RC_Dude]

Actually it just kept driving in a perfect straight line while the wheel just flew across the street and the Yeti's 1/18 scale so a new bumber was like 7 bucks but Horizon gave it to me for free (as well as new steel front axles and steel driveshaft when broke those later).

Who needs 4 wheels, 3 wheels for life! Just kidding (obviously). Oh yeah, I remember seeing that truck on Axial's website, it's a cool little scale "rock racer"! The bumper looks pretty low profile, must've been steep dirt mound! That's really nice of Horizon to do that, that's on par with Traxxas' support! Does Horizon still do this now?

Yeah this was on a really old car at the time, you had to connect it between the throttle trim and receiver, to be honest I have no idea why it done it. I want to say I put it in the wrong way around but I'm not sure that's possible haha I did have the X4 1st as was cheap and had great reviews, I only went up to the X6 as my dad got his car going but burnt out his receiver with a faulty battery so gave him my X4 set up. I've never used the gimble on my Nitro but planning on getting a 1:8 electric soon but still seeing what's out there

Old nitros are strange beasts, so I've heard! The X6 is "better", not because the X4 is bad, but just because the X6 have 2 extra channels, one of them being the gryo that you can turn on/off as I said. Well, your dad has a better radio now! For some people, the X4 is better, as some don't need the extra channels or the gyro, and would like to save a few bucks. A gyro, is a stabilizing unit, for example, Traxxas' and Arrma's "TSM", and "AVC" (respectively) stand for "Traxxas Stability Management" and "Active Vehicle Control" are basically gyros, and both will control your throttle and steering (I'm pretty sure AVC does both, TSM does, I know that for a fact). So if you give it full beans, and the car slides and looses traction, it'll reduce the throttle a little till the car regains traction, and it will correct the servo so the car will track straight.

Some people like being able to hammer on the throttle and drive like a hoon without their rig going crazy, but others like no "assistance", and like to have nothing else "controlling" their car. As you probably know, the gyro on the X6 can be turned down or up, for less or more sensitivity. I like to leave mine at about 1/3rd sensitivity, for my driving and preferences. You can do the same with TSM and AVC.

The Dumbo gyro isn't like industry-leading technology, but it's decent, and does help stabilize your car, but the car will of course still rely a lot on driver input. On looser or high grip surfaces, the gyro will help, as well as just keeping the car more on-track in general use. I don't recommend have the gyro turned up past ~3/4 ish, as then the gyro is super sensitive, in fact, overly sensitive, and the car will "twitch" rapidly at any speed over ~10mph.

What 1/8 scale electric are you looking at, or what category?

 

[ahr43]

Tell us the story. I'll start...

I was 15. I just put a brand new motor in a Kyosho Javelin. I put a fresh battery in and turned it on, cradling the car in my left arm like a cute little baby. I was going to take it out for a quick donut or two in the driveway before taking off to an old strip mine we called "The Gobs". I reached over to grab the controller, and while doing so I gave it full throttle. The car did a 30mph 2" long burnout on my inner forearm with those treacherous spikey tires. I carried a 3 striped scar for years, and it is still slightly visible 35+ years later.

Today I did THE EXACT SAME THING with my son's Granite, but it just slightly caught me. But it was a very close call. Sometimes you might learn your lesson, and enough time goes by and you manage to forget. Just like Algebra

Well, gosh, Dude. I've done a lot of dumb things during my twenty plus years in RC. Yesterday's makes the short list. Blew the rear tires off the R1E testing for its latest speed run. Bolted on a pair of P-L Prime slicks out of the basher stash, ready mounted to a pair of DE Racing dish wheels. Only problem, I was to find out at the speed site-they never got glued. Duhh. Fortunately it was a mild pass working my way up to a full throttle pass with the just installed 10.5T Justock. GNSS captured the moment of failure with a 38mph peak speed. No damage other than a scuffed bead on one wheel. Ended the day though.

Had the old set of Prime's along, but held to Rule #5 of speed running, "Know when to walk away". So I packed up and headed home. Too windy anyway. 18mph gusting to 20+. Too much for speed runs. Cheers. 'AC'

 

[Doom!]

Knowing when to walk away applies to rc aircraft too!

 

[The_RC_Dude]

Well, gosh, Dude. I've done a lot of dumb things during my twenty plus years in RC. Yesterday's makes the short list. Blew the rear tires off the R1E testing for its latest speed run. Bolted on a pair of P-L Prime slicks out of the basher stash, ready mounted to a pair of DE Racing dish wheels. Only problem, I was to find out at the speed site-they never got glued. Duhh. Fortunately it was a mild pass working my way up to a full throttle pass with the just installed 10.5T Justock. GNSS captured the moment of failure with a 38mph peak speed. No damage other than a scuffed bead on one wheel. Ended the day though.

Had the old set of Prime's along, but held to Rule #5 of speed running, "Know when to walk away". So I packed up and headed home. Too windy anyway. 18mph gusting to 20+. Too much for speed runs. Cheers. 'AC'

Oh man! Was it kinda funny at least? It looks like the tires just shifted on the rim a lot...make sure to sand down and re-scuff that rim before gluing!

That honestly very good on your part, too many people don't know when to call it quits and go home!

 

[ahr43]

Oh man! Was it kinda funny at least? It looks like the tires just shifted on the rim a lot...make sure to sand down and re-scuff that rim before gluing!

That honestly very good on your part, too many people don't know when to call it quits and go home!

Funny? Yeah. I had a good laugh at myself over that dumb move. Chickened out on the gluing. Mounted the Primes to a pair of Gmade bead lock wheels.

Am I done doing dumb stuff in RC? Probably not. Stay tuned. Cheers. 'AC'

 

[BuZzLigHtyEAR]

Decide to get rc cars in the first place my money is no longer mine.

 

[WickedFog]

I just realized I forgot to locktite the steering link screw into the servo horn on our Ryft, and the screw backed out and mangled up the threads on the nice servo horn that came with the Tekin servo

 

[The_RC_Dude]

Funny? Yeah. I had a good laugh at myself over that dumb move. Chickened out on the gluing. Mounted the Primes to a pair of Gmade bead lock wheels.

Am I done doing dumb stuff in RC? Probably not. Stay tuned. Cheers. 'AC'

Tire gluing isn't that bad, I actually made a thread where I asked about it. I repaired some parts of my buggy tires (where the stock glue wore down) with some Gorilla Super Glue, it's not pretty, and maybe not the strongest, but I haven't had any tires come off yet. That was my first time "gluing" tires! Beadlocks on a speed runner? Cool! I thought the tires were worn down before I saw the rubber mold line/ring apparently those tires COME "bald"!

Is that a sensored motor to boot?

 

[ahr43]

Tire gluing isn't that bad, I actually made a thread where I asked about it. I repaired some parts of my buggy tires (where the stock glue wore down) with some Gorilla Super Glue, it's not pretty, and maybe not the strongest, but I haven't had any tires come off yet. That was my first time "gluing" tires! Beadlocks on a speed runner? Cool! I thought the tires were worn down before I saw the rubber mold line/ring apparently those tires COME "bald"!

Is that a sensored motor to boot?

Hey Dude. Yeah, P-L Primes have no tread. There is a double row of arrows simulating a tread-more of a directional aid install arrow. Not sure mounting them to a bead lock is such a good idea for running at speed. Had 'em in the basher stash, so up for giving it a try. What the hey. The Primes are a thin, light tire and the bead lock has a bit of weight to it over a standard ST rim. As a tire/wheel combo, weight is probably a wash so should not over strain the drive shafts. This tire/wheel combo uses the P-L blue closed cell hard insert. Other pair of Primes are fit with Schumacher soft inserts. Too soft for my liking running at speed.

Motor is now a HW 10.5 FT w/80A ESC, and yes sensored set-up it is.

Cheers. 'AC'

 

[2wdMod]

absolute biggest dumb-bunny moment was I built a Bolink (now RJ speed)1/10 nitro top fuel car and took it to work to show off at lunch, I started it up etc, and evidently forgot to turn on the receiver pack for the car it was slightly above idle but enough to end up heading about 25mph into the wall of the building next to us destroying the front end.. after I replaced about $30 in front end parts a couple weeks later, I took it back to work and proceeded to do the exact same freaking thing!!! In my defense I was racing a ton of both nitro and electric at the time and in my mind the engine was running so the car was "on" or it wouldnt be running right?? LOL yeah 3rd time was the charm .. finally showed my buddies how cool it was NOT to crash it ..LOL

 

[Doom!]

@2wdMod Now that sounds like something I would do. I launched an rc plane out of the back of my truck one day because I thought I had already turned on the transmitter. DOH!

 

[The_RC_Dude]

I just realized I forgot to locktite the steering link screw into the servo horn on our Ryft, and the screw backed out and mangled up the threads on the nice servo horn that came with the Tekin servo

You mean the ball screw that attached the steering link to the servo horn backed out? At least you didn't mangle the servo horn spline, or worse yet, the servo's spline! Could you use a coarse threaded screw instead, of maybe drill the servo horn hole out like .5mm and do the same to the steering linkage, so you can use a slightly thicker screw, and re-use the damaged horn?

 

[The_RC_Dude]

Hey Dude. Yeah, P-L Primes have no tread. There is a double row of arrows simulating a tread-more of a directional aid install arrow. Not sure mounting them to a bead lock is such a good idea for running at speed. Had 'em in the basher stash, so up for giving it a try. What the hey. The Primes are a thin, light tire and the bead lock has a bit of weight to it over a standard ST rim. As a tire/wheel combo, weight is probably a wash so should not over strain the drive shafts. This tire/wheel combo uses the P-L blue closed cell hard insert. Other pair of Primes are fit with Schumacher soft inserts. Too soft for my liking running at speed.

Motor is now a HW 10.5 FT w/80A ESC, and yes sensored set-up it is.

Cheers. 'AC'

That reminds me of this joke I once saw, I can't remember what video it was, but a guy was reviewing this road bike or road bike tire (I don't even remember how/why a Mountain Biker like myself was watching that, probably because I was subbed to that channel), and the website or tire said "XYZ company tread design" (I also can't remember the brand, possibly Bontrager, which is owned by Trek), but it was a pure road tire, with ZERO tread, it really look like the outside of an inner tube, completely smooth! The guy was like "Yeah, sorry, but there's no tread whatsoever". It doesn't sound very funny in words, but it was in the video!

Anyway, yeah, I take it that tire is best suited for the smoothest of road, for max grip? I see some faint outlines in the outside of the tire, that could just be the foams though. I don't see any arrows, but I'll take your word for it! Your "basher stash" is very handy, too bad my "stash" is, well, meager!

What's a standard "ST" rim? The beadlocks will allow you to quickly, and less messily change tires, you may want to Loctite those beadlock screws though, I'd imagine that if those screws came loose or backed out, that'd be a real pain! I know it's 32 screws to Loctite, but at least it's not one of those crawler rims with like 12-16 screws per side!

Sounds like you got your foams sorted! I don't mess with foams or tires, I just run whatever the car comes with (tire/rim/foam wise, but my buggy's stock tires are looking worn, it's gonna get a new, better set sometime)! Also, do I see a little vent hole in the outside of the tire shown? I haven't seen that on road tires yet.

-Isaac

@2wdMod Now that sounds like something I would do. I launched an rc plane out of the back of my truck one day because I thought I had already turned on the transmitter. DOH!

I can just see it, you standing in the bed of a pickup, cocking your arm back with the plane, letting it fly...then it nose diving! Good thing most of use don't throw our cars out of out 1:1 scale cars! Actually, some people while just go WOT, and let their rig fly out of the back of their truck!

absolute biggest dumb-bunny moment was I built a Bolink (now RJ speed)1/10 nitro top fuel car and took it to work to show off at lunch, I started it up etc, and evidently forgot to turn on the receiver pack for the car it was slightly above idle but enough to end up heading about 25mph into the wall of the building next to us destroying the front end.. after I replaced about $30 in front end parts a couple weeks later, I took it back to work and proceeded to do the exact same freaking thing!!! In my defense I was racing a ton of both nitro and electric at the time and in my mind the engine was running so the car was "on" or it wouldnt be running right?? LOL yeah 3rd time was the charm .. finally showed my buddies how cool it was NOT to crash it ..LOL

Man, I've heard a lot of stories of disasters happening when showing co-workers your rig! I get nervous too when showing others/strangers my rig (s), luckily both are small scale electrics, and no disasters have happened...yet! I'll bear in mind to be extra careful next time!

$30 in crash damage isn't terrible, it could've been worse!

 

[Doom!]

The plane was in the bed of my truck, thought I had the radio on plugged in the battery, waited for the esc beeps then watched it launch out of the bed all by itself...I'm just glad it had a little down trim, it only flew about 10 feet before it landed in some tall weeds, just glad there was nobody standing there at the time.

 

[The_RC_Dude]

The plane was in the bed of my truck, thought I had the radio on plugged in the battery, waited for the esc beeps then watched it launch out of the bed all by itself...I'm just glad it had a little down trim, it only flew about 10 feet before it landed in some tall weeds, just glad there was nobody standing there at the time.

I miss read your previous message,

It just started flying by itself? Strange...but what do I know about planes?! "...just glad there was nobody standing there at the time." Now THEN you'd have to do some explaining!

 

[silver drill can]

Never bump the throttle with your elbow when you are working on your rc plane in the living room

I have my Tx dual rate setup to flatline. Tx swA up is 0-0-0-0-0. Tx swA down is (100)-(50)-0-50-100. With an electric esc no brake while driving it acts as a panic kill switch. I learned that one after I ripped the axle out. I have two panic switches, one for the throttle and one for the steering.

 

[Gresvk]

Yestready I was fitting my ESC fan and had to unscrew the chassis brace for clearance, my son was crying to go and drive the car....

1-2-3 up and downs and the body was pooping out wtf? The 4th time the spur gear gave in

the screws for the chassis brace holds the differtential also OPS!

Worst part is that I dont have a spare one and weekend fun is lost!

 

[Mrgoodwrench35]

I'm sure I've done worse things over the years but this would be the most recent. Met up last weekend at the park with a buddy from work. I brought my outcast and he had a kraton. Both of us using flysky GT5's. We took a short brake, I picked up what I thought was my transmitter and ran his car straight into the side of my Lexus. Broke his shock tower and dented my door, the whole time staring at my outcast wondering why it wasn't responding. Oops

 

[Penguin Fart Racing]

OUCH ! Something similar happened to me. I took my transmitters and emblazoned them with stickers, a visible and a hidden address tag and fabbed a neck strap with small diameter PARACORD. NOTE: since transmitter antennas are often hidden in the top "handle", make sure there is absolutely NO METAL on your neck strap. Enclosed are some PIX. The local hobby shoppe is a VERY BIG TRAXXAS DEALER. So, many people around me have their radio. I even used a simple TRAXXAS RADIO in my retrieval/rescue boat if a float plane or boat gets in trouble ( https://zippkits.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=86&zenid=6e04accdbe1bb0853db4da2ef3fcb1fc ). I also a. Including a photo of my ANCIENT CITIZENSHIP tube CC-1 that transmits on 465 MHz. Oh FWIIW, the matching receiver is also a ONE TUBER. Lastly, I picked up a household LAZY SUSAN RING https://millertv.shoptruevalue.com/p/lazy-susan-swivel-plate-square-773199650065 and mounted a vehicle holder on it; see the attached video. This gadget makes working on my RPVS MUCH EASIER ! Oooops, video fild needs to be converted. Will upload the bid soon. Still having trouble with vid file formats. You get the idea. A craft shop woos box is on the lazy Susan making it easier to work on my RPVS after I crash and smash them

Ooo man, that's a pretty nasty injury! And finger injuries, while mostly small, and cumbersome, you realize just how much you use your fingers every day! Always keep your body parts out of a cut/drill path! We're always taught that, but only when we learn it the hard way a few times does it stick! When I was younger, I used to be more careless with my utility knife, it's no katana or saber (), but I did get small, minor cuts here and there on my fingers, mostly at nighttime. It was inconvenient, but I've learned! I've admittedly worked into night too before, but not till 2am, just up to like 12:30am (don't tell anybody!), last time I was converting my 1/14 scale brushed buggy to brushless, and that day the parts came, I could resist...I got the chassis cleaned up, got the motor on the mount with the pinion, trimmed the gear cover (to fit the smaller pinion), and got the job 75% done, then had to call it a night.

Doesn't sound like much, but I work slowly and carefully, plus I take the opprotunity to clean everything I couldn't clean before (like the part of the chassis under the motor, the central drive shaft bearings, ect.)! Next night I fitted the new BL ESC and tidied up the wires. How much power can a little 12v drill have? Not much I guess (we have a 20v BL Dewalt drill, more than enough power for our needs), but perhaps you thought the same thing, and underestimated it? Funny the power difference, 3s in an RC and "3s" in a drill is completely different.

Anyway, moving on, you just casually said "...didn't cut the tendons, just chipped a bone"! I would be screaming near bloody mary by then! I haven't actually broke any bones or gone to the ER before, luckily, but I still have many years to do that!

Gotta have fast reflexes and jump out of the way of an incoming RC beast! I always subconciously take a few step back when I'm driving my RC down the road at speed toward myself, mainly so I can see it better as it whizzes the other way. Perhaps you should wear some shin guards while running!

1 inch of clearance, for a big 1/5 scale in the winter? That ain't very good (if you don't mind me saying!), most 1/10 scale off-road rigs can beat that, heck, my 1/16 scale MT, stock, has a little over 1 1/4 inches of clearance! It's not even jacked up or anything!

I've thought about Nitro a few times, they seem cool and all, but the price, having to buy fuel over and over, all that tuning (I like to tinker, but not messing about in the cold and with gas, I don't know anything about Nitro!), ect. just doesn't seem practical and all. I think I'll stick to electric, but if someone let me drive a Nitro for a quick while, that'd be fun!

Well, seems like the person who bought it got a great deal...next time, sell something for higher! $140-$175 per run...man, talk about a money waster! I agree, it's best you got rid of it, for many reasons! Some things are just better to not have, I've heard! What rigs do you run now?

More dumb stuff from Ron ---》didn't use push sticks. Rip saw got angry and now my guitar playing suffers. Have been lucky do far with my new stick welder. No digits "welded" yet to my intergalactic sport ship ! Oh yeah, I DO stand back from the particle beam of my LINAC ( Cherenkov Radiation. ).