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Got a little muddy :-) broke something

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MrClean

MrClean

Hardcore RCTalk User
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Location
Kansas City
RC Driving Style
  1. Bashing
So it rained a little today, just enough to make it a little muddy. I think it may have been a little to sloppy but I just couldn't help myself.
IMG_0278.webp

IMG_0279.webp

IMG_0281.webp



Ok so it was a freaking blast and I was giggling like a kid in a candy store!!
A little problem though. When I hit the gas going forward, it picks up really slow. In reverse when I hit the gas it practically does a wheelie backwards. So I figure it's not the slipper clutch, I checked it anyway and it seems to be set in a good spot. The tune is good, I'm thinking it's got to be something in the tranny. I don't mind tearing into it I just want to make sure that's the place to start. Any ideas?

Man I got alot of cleaning up to do, but it was so worth it.

I should also add that I was trying to run it up a dirt pile that was a little too rough and steep.
 
Wow I don't think dirty even begins to describe it. I would cry if my brand new truck looked like that, but more power to ya. Get it all cleaned up now and it will last you a long time and keep the wear on parts to a minimum. You might want to get yourself some good nitro cleaner, personally I don't use it, I don't feel that I can get my rig clean without pulling it all the way apart anyway. Next time you go get in a lot of mud and water, make sure to wrap your electronic or you will have some serious expense issues on your hands.
 
Oh yeah, it's going to be a major clean up job but I believe that'll help with learning what I need to. I didn't get into any real water to speak of, just hit some spots that were a little muddier than the rest.
I hate seeing it that dirty but it was so much fun and I don't mind doing the cleaning. It's gonna get stripped down over the next week and cleaned. I probably won't do that again.

Any ideas on why it's not going forward like it should?
 
I'm thinking that it's most likely in the tranny. I don't think anyone can really guarantee what it is without digging in, but I'm not an expert either. I know what some of the experts are going to ask though. When you set it on a stand or box with the wheels off the ground, and try to turn the wheels by hand, what happens? Did you shift from forward to reverse while moving today? Any special jerking or noises that you noticed right before the problem showed up?

Anytime you have a problem and need someone to help with a solution, the more information like that which you can provide, the easier it is for people to diagnose the problem.

Oh BTW, tearing down your rig for a cleanup is a WONDERFUL way to learn about your rig. I was just joking about getting it dirty, everyone gived me a hard time because I keep my rigs so clean, but it sure does pay off when I go to sell a rig lol. Just a tip that I've learned, once you get it all cleaned up, if you'll brush a very light coat of WD-40 (know you've got it, saw it in the pic) onto all of the plastics, such as the arms stuff, it will keep dirt from sticking and make it a lot easier to clean, kinda like waxing your car. Some people say they soak theirs in WD-40 over night and then wipe them down, I personally use a BBQ type basting brush and wipe them with a light coat and let sit up for a lil while, and then wipe away the excess. One more thing, I highly reccomend a set of RPM arms. They are not expensive, and will save you A LOT of headaches in the future. If you take the tranny apart, consider a Forward Only Conversion. It will make the truck lighter and will make it perform MUCH better, and will make the tranny stronger. Another option if you tear into is a center diff, which includes a FOC and is used in racing and bashing application to better transfer power to the wheels, while helping to keep the front end don for harder launches under acceleration.
 
I was thinking the tranny too, I wanted to make sure there wasn't something obvious I might be missing. There were no unusual noises or actions that I noticed. But I'm pretty sure I'll find the trouble when I start the long process of cleaning...LOL.

I was thinking about putting in an FOC anyway, so I guess now I'll be doing the center diff as well. Good time to do them both while it's torn down.

Thanks for the WD-40 tip, I'll be using that over the next week or so.
 
When you take it apart to clean it, I've found the best way to keep up with all the screws and bolts is to put as many as I can back into the threads once the part is removed, and for the ones that you can't do that with, put them in a zip-lok bag and label them, and for the ones that have different size screws, I draw an illustration with the pattern and what screw goes where and stick it in the bag too.
 
Great advise Charlie!

In my opinion the center diff takes most of the fun out of bashing.The truck handles so well and is so predictable I actually get bored with it.It definetly makes it more stable for the track though.

I like to them them dirty,isn't that why you got it?I ran mine in some man made sand dunes.My only regret is I should have waited until I could have spent a few hours on them instead of 10 minutes.The sand trashed almost every bearing in the truck.They all would have needed to be replaced eventually anway,the sand just accelerated the process.That was some real fun though and I will do it again.I may wait until its time for a complete tear down though and take it out for a final thrashing.
 
I'd also like to add to Charlie's advise on keeping the screws organized, that you keep a pail or a coffee can next to you and save all the ones that you have left over. You never know. Sooner or later one of them might come in handy.
 
You guys are full of great advice, that can only come from experience. You can't see it in the pictures, but just to the right are a bunch of empty cans with misc bolts and screws in them. I'm going to consolidate some and make room for my RC stuff.

I was a little nervous about tearing the truck down, especially since it's only a few weeks old. But after being here for awhile I know I can do it and if I run into problems, I have a good source for information.
 
MrClean, I think I found your problem. I just read your other post, and I read how much you tightened up the slipper clutch. This is what caused the tranny to break. The slipper clutch acts as a shock absorber, so when blunt force is applied to it by the engine, it will allow the power to be applied gradually, although it's almost instantaneous, it still absorbs just enough to protect vital parts in the drivetrain. The more you tighten the slipper clutch (a 1/4 of a turn will make A LOT of difference), the more force gets applied to the drivetrain. I think your tranny gears were the weak spot, and I think you need to return the slipper clutch to it's orginal position. With the right tune, you can have the slipper clutch setup to save the drivetrain, yet still have the power to pull wheelies on command.
 
Thanks Charlie! I'll be sure to back off the slipper clutch when I tear it down. When I tightened it up it allowed the truck to shift to 2nd gear. I was also having trouble with it going forward (like I am now...LOL), I would hit the gas and it would rev the engine up but the truck would just roll along very slowly.
 
Everytime that I've had problems with the truck shifting into second gear, it's a tuning issue rather than anything else. If the truck is out of tune even a tiny bit it will not allow the transmission to shift as it should. Once you get it back together and all dialed in, when you have trouble with the shifting, check the tune before anything else. I've had about 4 nitro rigs, and I didn't have to adjust the shift points hardly at all from the factory settings, but if it was out of tune they would not shift at all. I think that might be where your issue is, as it takes a lil while to learn to get a tune and watch the temps and adjust accordingly.
 
I thought that the slipper clutch and the shift point adjustment were seperate adjustments? I haven't touched the shift point settings (the set screw inside the tranny), I've only adjusted the slipper clutch. Maybe I'm confusing the issue, which I sometimes do....LOL.
 
A picture for Charlie

I know Charlie will appreciate this picture. :)
IMG_0283.webp


It's not clean enough for the shelf, but it's alot better then the 'before' pictures.
 
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Since I installed the center diff/rear brake, I obviously got rid of the Opti-drive unit and the forward/reverse servo. I was wondering if there are any aftermarket boxes to kinda clean up under the hood a little.
I've seen pics of other Revo's and some have a much smaller box on them. I'm still using the stock throttle servo and RX box, didn't know if what I'm seeing on everyones rigs are aftermarket upgrades or what.
 
http://www.impaktrc.com/product_info.php?cPath=22&products_id=43
This probably the most commonly used. I like it because you can use any fuel tank you want pretty easily. i reccommend the Mugen MB5XT 150+cc tank. It fits nice and actually made the engine run more consistent from a full tank to an empty tank.

Downside, the radio box is not as easy to get into. You have to remove 3 screws to open it, and stuffing all the wiring in is a pain. I like the design of the Platinum radio box better.
 
Dang, it's been 16 days since I broke my Revo, seems like it's been months. Thought I had it fixed then found the stripped diff gears, just got confirmation that the new parts arrived at the house today :banana: ........... it's going to be a good weekend. I took Thursday off to make it a 4-day'er.
 
7 days off......:D
The only part of my job I like.
 
Scrogg said:
7 days off......:D
The only part of my job I like.
Click to expand...

:angry:

j/k........ Got the Revo back together, I wanted to fine tune it some more before the 4th. We're having a small party and a friend of mine wanted to see it run, I was going to let him take it for a spin but I might have to hold off on that. I haven't had a chance to check the tune on it since I switched brands of fuel and got my temp gun.
 

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