General repairs

[Mtbmatty]

I have a small order being delivered today, a servo for the trx4m and a rear steer servo for the axial Capra
I feel like there is always something that is in the queue and In need of repair.
Our B6.4 is always in need of general maintenance. It gets run hard and has been a great car. But things loosen up and shock and diff service is almost a monthly requirement.
Spent the time at the track last weekend working on the big rock, while my son was laying down laps.
This is not a complaint, I love doing it!!!
My problem is my freakin job is getting in the way of my otherwise busy RC schedule.
We’ll be back at the track tomorrow, and while my favorite person in the world (my 9 year old son) is laying down laps, I’ll be charging batteries and making repairs
HELL YA!!

 

[bill_delong]

Best investment I ever made was a low voltage cordless screwdriver with a low torque clutch, I can rebuild a car in a couple hours, I use this one here:
https://www.amazon.com/metabo-hpt-d...es/dp/B07L78Y72J?tag=namespacebran246-20&th=1

Having a soft clutch is VERY important so you don't strip any plastic threads.
More info on the Metabo here: Which Cordless Screwdriver is best?

Some other useful tools I use to reduce wrenching time:
https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?3119059-Tools-for-the-pit-table

 

[Mtbmatty]

Thanks bill.

I have my eye on this Milwaukee
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Milwauk...teries-Charger-and-Tool-Bag-2401-22/100615066
I have seen the light and realized the value and time savings that a power driver would afford.
Will definitely check the other links and see if there is anything else I can’t live without

-Matt

 

[ahr43]

Last year my RC model inventory got reduced drastically. Result being getting a lot more run time out of the remaining active models.

Have two sets of two RCs. Two 2WD TRX Rustler and two 4WD AE MT10. Cuts down on parts inventory and simplifies repair and upgrade activity.

I use my RYOBI power drill to loosen and remove fasteners-especially useful on the P-L 'Raid' wheels with replaceable 12mm hexes. Generally hand tighten all fasteners on the chassis.

Good luck and have fun. 'AC'

 

[bill_delong]

Thanks bill.

I have my eye on this Milwaukee
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Milwauk...teries-Charger-and-Tool-Bag-2401-22/100615066
I have seen the light and realized the value and time savings that a power driver would afford.
Will definitely check the other links and see if there is anything else I can’t live without

-Matt

I would caution that drill being a 12V, not sure how soft the clutch will be, I would only consider one of the three brands of cordless drills tested in the link I posted above:

If you're hard set on Milwaukee, then this is the one they tested as marked with one of the lowest clutch torque loads:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Milwauk...x-Screwdriver-2-Battery-Kit-2101-22/203857652

Note that I bought a Hitachi which was rebranded as Metabo, I have since replaced the batteries from the Hitachi that I bought with these aftermarket batteries here:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07TSM5N8V

These drills will likely last a lifetime, so I take into consideration the cost for battery replacement to go along with performance


For me the biggest factor in saving time is RPM's you want to drive those screws as fast as possible to get through the rebuild fast and the Metabo is the fastest drill in the test:

 

[WickedFog]

I have this one and the lowest setting is too weak to screw into plastic. I usually run at 2 or 3, depending on the screw size and length of engagement. But I always finish my screws by hand anyway. This is just the tool. You'll need a charger and batteries.
Milwaukee 2401-20 M12 12-Volt Lithium-Ion Cordless 1/4 in. Hex Screwdriver (Tool-Only) https://a.co/d/8wbS97j

Thanks bill.

I have my eye on this Milwaukee
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Milwauk...teries-Charger-and-Tool-Bag-2401-22/100615066
I have seen the light and realized the value and time savings that a power driver would afford.
Will definitely check the other links and see if there is anything else I can’t live without

-Matt

Yup, that's the one I use. I love it. I even designed and printed a stand to hold it along with my M12 rotary tool.

 

[bill_delong]

looks beautiful Kevin.... I regret selling my Ender 3 Pro when we moved full time into an RV about 16 months ago... home renovations are almost complete enough for us to move in soon and fortunately kept my CNC in storage, can't wait to buy another 3D Printer soon!

 

[WickedFog]

looks beautiful Kevin.... I regret selling my Ender 3 Pro when we moved full time into an RV about 16 months ago... home renovations are almost complete enough for us to move in soon and fortunately kept my CNC in storage, can't wait to buy another 3D Printer soon!

Thanks Bill.

What CNC do you have? I always wanted a little Haas Mini mill and lathe, but not having a garage and living in an apartment makes that impossible. If I had those though, I'd be making some seriously cool RC stuff.

The Enders are pretty nice, but I would run into a lot of size restraints with one. I have a CR10 and a CR10 S5. The S5 comes in really handy when you need a near 500mm part, but those are pretty rare occasions. The CR10 is really about ideal for most things I do.

 

[bill_delong]

Here's my CNC thread:
https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?4129825-Desktop-CNC-Milling-for-RC

 

[WickedFog]

Here's my CNC thread:
https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?4129825-Desktop-CNC-Milling-for-RC

Pretty cool. I considered a small CNC router/mill, but the mess would just be too much on my carpets.

 

[bill_delong]

Pretty cool. I considered a small CNC router/mill, but the mess would just be too much on my carpets.

It wasn't too bad, you can always put it in an enclosure which is what I do with my 3D Printer anyway.... generally not a good idea to breathe carbon dust anyway

something like this would work:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GKGGICC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I have found that I make far more parts with the CNC than I ever did with the 3D Printer

 

[ahr43]

You guys are w-a-y out ahead of me. Twenty-first century stuff.

Band saw, drill press and 1in vert. belt sander for fabrication here. All twentieth century old school stuff.

Back '02-'03 had a Black & Decker NiCD power screwdriver without a torque limiter. Battery was always dead when I went to use it. Today's Lithium battery power drivers with torque limiters are a vast improvement. Perhaps worth a re-look. Thanks for the links and info. 'AC'

 

[WickedFog]

3d printers have their place, especially in RC. As long as you understand part orientation on your printer when designing your parts, you can create some pretty durable designs. But I would love to be able to make carbon and aluminum parts too. And yeah, cutting carbon fiber sucks. I did it for two years at an aerospace shop. We mostly made Predator drone parts, but we also did a lot of other aircraft stuff too, like this custom build. The molds for this was actually the first thing I machined there...

 

[bill_delong]

Very cool... I found that printing with TPU was very effective and durable for RC, though the vast majority of my designs are cutting Delrin and Carbon Fiber

 

[ahr43]

Yeah, Delrin is a hidden secret in RC. Had Delrin front wheels on my RC dragster back '08-'09. Light and darned near indestructible. 'AC'