Hoss VXL 4x4 Brushless

[vdubb23ca]

Ok so I think I have moved on from the intro forum and thought I would start a thread on my Hoss. Just things I have done already and with advice from the helpful community already I am gonna take another swipe at things.. Damn this hobby gets expensive.. Think I have spent more in parts already than what the truck cost me brand new in colourful Canadian money.

Anyways I am going to remove the aluminum suspension arms and go back to a composite heavy duty type, I do plan on running this truck in the winter here and plan on burying it in snow at some point soon.. Well ya know when the weather cooperates. a few months yet. I am going to leave the aluminum shock tower alone though, I don't really bash and do ramp stuff, so I think the towers won't cause me too much extra stress on the vehicle.

I am going with mostly orange colour themed under the body, green cambers and toelinks. grabbed some orange rubber wheelie wheels. Orange drag link and orange hex nuts for the wheels..

Here are some pix of the current state of the truck and I will update once the changes are done.. I couldn't justify a 3rd set of shocks this time around. Gonna stick with the big bore ones for now.

 

[9x19]

Wrenching on them is half the fun.... but don't keep up with how much you've spent, that can be depressing.

 

[turbo27]

I have a Hoss. One of my favorites. The motor on 3s is CRAZY fast. It does Wheelies So easy. I love it. Now I'm into the Sledge.

 

[9x19]

My Hoss is a fun truck. I have a set of aluminum axle carriers/steering blocks inbound for it. The shocks got upgraded pretty early, just because I didn't think the Ultras would last with the rougher treatment I had planned for it.

I agree, it is a wheelie monster on 3S! I think that high chassis (compared to the Rustler 4x4) helps there.

 

[DrFranz]

How much ground clearance you got to the chassis? I'm looking for a good rig for the snow this winter, and it's been pointed out that sufficient clearance is important.

 

[9x19]

Rustler 4x4 has about an inch of ground clearance, the Hoss has nearly three inches.

 

[turbo27]

The Hoss has decent ground clearance and plenty of torque for snow bashing. The Sledge would be good as well. A nice set of paddle tires would help in a big way.

 

[vdubb23ca]

How much ground clearance you got to the chassis? I'm looking for a good rig for the snow this winter, and it's been pointed out that sufficient clearance is important.

Hey. so I have been messing with my truck alot but I took measurements. there is about 2.5 inches of clearance in the front in the center where the suspension arms attach to the chassis. and once you get past that part there is a good 3 inches of clearance where there drive shaft and all the electronics are housed in the plastic. I can't wait to see what it does to snow.. I get lots where I am in Ontario Canada.

 

[turbo27]

Those tires will help. Paddles.

 

[9x19]

I got the aluminum axle carriers/steering blocks installed on mine yesterday.

 

[vdubb23ca]

first snowfall man, I am driving the thing right off the back deck, poof. Wanna see these SledgeHammer spew a white rooster tail. Then once I break something cause we know I will, I will check into getting some paddle tires installed as well. if I can find the video we have someone in my area that installed paddle tires and the crazy ****er is driving it on water.. .its insane friggin thing is so fast. who needs a boat.. If I had disposable income maybe I would try it. but man one wrong turn your fishing that outta the lake and taking it all apart to dry out nicely. at least its all fresh water here.

 

[turbo27]

Skimming is a bad idea, if you sink, you're sunk. Trust me on the Sun screen. And the paddles.

 

[vdubb23ca]

Hey turbo.. I totally agree. it was just so cool to watch it.. think it went fast on water then land.. haha I wouldn't do it myself personally unless I was really annoyed with the vehicle and was looking for a reason to trash it.. No plans for that in the near future.

 

[turbo27]

Google the song. Sun screen. It is too cool.

 

[vdubb23ca]

ha listened to the sun screen clip.. ha great advice and so true.. Tenacious D was the follow-up to it.. lol nice. thanks for the advice

 

[DrFranz]

I put paddle tires on my Rustler 4x4VXL for the beach sand, and it was just too insane! High speed wheelies and back flips, too much traction, then spun the spur gear to hell. So, I figure I'll use them in the snow, but on a car with more ground clearance.

 

[vdubb23ca]

I have a question again.. So I have taken my Hoss apart far to many times already. I am noticing that I do not seem to have that original torque feeling anymore. What I mean by that is I remember out of the box using 3S lipo the truck basically wanted to do wheelies every frigging time you gave er gas. I do not seem to have that same start up torque anymore.. Would this have anything to do with my shocks and making them harder as in I added 50WT oil instead of the default 30 that comes in the shocks and I did add the largest spacers to my shock on the rear.. would removing the larger spaces and putting slimmer ones in help with that initial take off and get er up on 2 wheels again? or is it something else possibly?

 

[DrFranz]

Have you disassembled the slipper clutch during these procedures? More likely the tension in there is different....

 

[vdubb23ca]

i have not touched anything gear related yet.. All I have touched are the suspension arms, shocks, toelinks and camber links. Oh and aluminum caster blocks and steering links. I have not delved into the gear stuff yet.

 

[turbo27]

When you put the Hoss on its lid do the wheels still rotate with ease? Sounds like something is binding. With tires on the ground mash the front and rear end. Does it bounce back? Is the steering working properly? Could it be in the 50% training mode? Check the TSM, Especially the throttle part. Hope this helps.
I decided to get paddle tires and a Dusty cover for my Sledge. Going winter driving this year. Will post pics when it's all set up.