Official RC8B3.2 “UNbuild” thread..

[WickedFog]

Don’t worry I’m an anti Facebook person and this is how I keep my self sane from my own real life shop so I plan on sticking around for as long as yall will have me.

Another gearhead. Great. Just great

 

[Tstarkey2489]

Another gearhead. Great. Just great
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Here’s what I play with daily sorry didn’t mean to hijack just trying to show yall the daily struggles lol

 

[Littlemotor]

Don’t worry I’m an anti Facebook person and this is how I keep my self sane from my own real life shop so I plan on sticking around for as long as yall will have me.

Join the club! I’m on there VERY little for full-size racecar shiit, airbrushing, and RC groups.. Mostly marketplace though.. Likely not for much longer anyhow..

Here’s what I play with daily sorry didn’t mean to hijack just trying to show yall the daily struggles lol

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We’ll get along just fine… I’ve got a LOT of LS/LTx racecar and hotrod in my blood…

 

[Tstarkey2489]

Join the club! I’m on there VERY little for full-size racecar shiit, airbrushing, and RC groups.. Mostly marketplace though.. Likely not for much longer anyhow..



We’ll get along just fine… I’ve got a LOT of LS/LTx racecar and hotrod in my blood…

My wife handles marketplace for me lol
People always think it’s a setup when she starts messaging grown men asking if they wanna trade RC cars for guns and anyother random thing of the week I send her on a manhunt for lol

Yesterday she was trying to convince someone that a AR-10 was a good deal for a Losi 5T lol

 

[Littlemotor]

Back from the dead… Working on the resurrection of this dude, as it’s been out of the picture for other current/new builds. Just had a few parts I wanted to get onto it, and get my motor back where it belongs.. Finally set aside some time to pay it some much deserved attention.

Swapping out the factory aluminum center diff top plate for a swanky, lightweight carbon fiber piece..

Also ditching my stock, heavy, steel, black shock standoffs in favor of some hard ano’d aluminum units.

Going with a pair of +5mm in the rear over the kit lengths as well.

Yeah buddy! Just using two out of this bag for the front.

Cleaning the old threadlocker/machine oil from the existing Tony’s 12.9 hardware.. I use 248, so ya don’t HAVE to be as anal about the machine oil.. or dirt.. Or old threadlocker.. I’m cleaning them anyway because I’m not a complete animal..

One screw..

And two… Yuck.

 

[Littlemotor]

Slack on a fair amount of 248 beyond where the Nylok resides.. You don’t want most threadlocker contacting that, and it’s not needed anyhow. I just use a chopped toothpick.

Muuuuuuch better..

Onto the rear joints..

+5mm FTMFW..

 

[Littlemotor]

Nut up or shut up.. Courtesy of 1-Up Racing.. Blue aluminum, flanged Nylok..

This puts the shock more on the same plane as the lower arm with my rear anti-squat, and takes out some bind throughout the entire stroke of the shock. Yes-your shock bushing helps, but it can only do so much. Some people also use these to INTRODUCE some bind.. I’m not that guy, which is why the fronts are factory length.

Now onto the center diff top plate swaparooni.. I’m gonna trim the excess off of my linkage while I take care of this install. Just something I had already planned on doing months ago.. There will be several items getting the chop..

Tearing it downtown..

This has bothered me for a while as well, Associated hardware is some of the worst I’ve ever come across.. I outfitted this kit with Tony’s Screws, but the kit I grabbed was for the previous B3 version, and it utilized SHCS hardware here, as the plate was not countersunk. I’ve since picked up so hardware that will remedy this..

These two photos exhibit how much slop there is from the factory.. Garbage hardware I swear.. one turned clockwise, the next is counter.. Likely hard to tell from the photos, but it’s terrible in person..

This one just gives you an idea of how far back and forth the driver moves in the fastener..

M3x30.. Not something I used to keep on hand, as there’s not generally much call for them.. I do now though..

Get these little M2.5 button heads outta the way, and jerk the entire assy, but leave the upper half of the diff stands/pads in place..

 

[Littlemotor]

Like so.

Really easy to get carried away with the blue stuff considering just how much stock, and Factory Team stuff is already that way, so I’m ditching this dude as well, while I’m here.. I don’t need a big honking knob on this linkage anyhow.. This doesn’t tend to see a lot of adjustment-more of a “set it, and forget it” kind of deal..

This will obviously change some dimensions for my chopping.. Not a problem. We will get to it in a bit..

Now this is some utterly dumb shiit that Associated does.. IMHO these are not needed, as in the plate should use bearings or bushings, and would literally hold the brake cams in place because they’re captured.. These aren’t bad to install, but suuuuuuck to remove.. ESPECIALLY when you don’t have any spares on hand for when they fling across the room into another dimension.. My dumbasss dropped on on my faux dark walnut hardwood floor, and was actually able to spot it.. Whew… Unbelievable..

After my lapse in judgement, I placed the bastardd clips, and came way far across from the edge of the bench.. and where they contrasted the work surface.. like I SHOULD have done when I managed to REMOVE them like some sort of surgeon without any issues..

Using only this caveman bs..

ANYWAY… Onto the new kid.. of course they couldn’t include bearings, but at least it uses hard ano’d bushings.. Acceptable, but still not what I’d have liked to see.. I was aware when I bought it, so not a huge deal, and still far superior to the stock dealio..

Now here is a revisit to the junk associated hardware.. -and my options I now have available. Left is the factory ghey bs.. Center is a 10.9 from Uxcell, and right is a shouldered (far stronger), grade 12.9 “high strength” fastener, from Protek. Three guesses on which one I’ll be going with..

 

[Littlemotor]

Start dismantling the linkage, now that marks have been made, and I know what’s leaving the chat, via the Dremel..

Gonna be a bit of a busy barber shop sesh..
GOOD.

No need to make y’all suffer-you’ve seen me chop stuff up with my “surgical equipment” plenty of times by now.. Going back together..

Yay, you bastardss..

 

[Littlemotor]

At least it’s going back in.. They’re MUCH more manageable during install.. If you’re weary (or SMART), you can grab a Ziploc bag to work inside of when installing, or removing these dudes.

In there like swimwear..

Yahtzee.

In go the brake arms.. with a fresh haircut to one-I might add.. Much cleaner looking imo..

Much more gooder than the aluminum from where I’m sitting..

Fresh, and PROPER 12.9’s.. I’ll finally be able to sleep again..

Back on the linkage shenanigans..

First the plastic locators..

Den da sprangz..

And the collars. Will adjust/set them up in a few, so disregard the loose springs..

 

[Littlemotor]

Definitely liking this much better already..

Next debacle..

So I hunted this header for a solid month, and finally found one. I had to buy the pipe with it, but it’s a known good pipe for Picco engines.. Also does really well on a LOT of others.. ANYway, it’s hard ano’d, blah, blah, blah, yay.. HOWEVER… Must’ve been boxed up on a Friday at real close to beer:30 or someshiit… Just look at this nonsense..

SERIOUSLY?!?!? FML… Now the main reason for this header specifically was due to its length, the hard ano, and the flange arrangement.. The Hipex 2135 HD pipe I’m running DOES come with a header, but this one SHOULD have fit the bill for what I was looking to do..

Time to break out the redneck Bridgeport yet again..

This is gonna be just SUPER fun.. Gotta replace my empty cloth from the LAST time I was hand facing HAIII aluminum parts..

I make a few passes, and check. I don’t wanna destroy this unobtanium header..

 

[Littlemotor]

Almost there.. Slow is smooth..

I got caught up in the work, and less attention was payed to piktardz.. Wanted to get it dead nuts.. Pretty daamned perfecto for some caveman hackery..

Moving on…

My fresh modified Picco P3TX. I didn’t bother with the breakdown of it, y’all have seen it a page or two back in the thread if you wanna compare before & after.. Also-I don’t mind sharing the work, but I’m sworn to secrecy on who did it. He’s one of the best in the world, and they are literally a dying breed. If you ask, outright who did the work, I simply wont respond. Not gonna play the “I can neither confirm, nor deny” BS, and I’m not trying to be a diick-and I don’t HAVE to share even the photos, but thought some may appreciate it. It’s just not worth losing my engine guy over. If you manage to guess correctly, or otherwise “figure out” who did it, you’ll be wasting your time contacting him, as he has zero interest what so ever for taking on any new customers, or modifying engines for the general public. Just needed to be as clear as possible with my “disclaimer” before moving onto the pics. I’m sure most can understand, and appreciate that.

 

[Littlemotor]

 

[Littlemotor]

 

[Littlemotor]

I thought I would also share some external modificatin’ I did on that motor. I only took photos of the process on my 10-port Picco “DIX” engine though, but they share the same crankcase, so these shots are of that engine. What I did to this blue headed Picco P3TX is identical.

The newer Picco engines use a short spring (included) on opposing sides of the case to secure the header to the engine. -well with my flange arrangement, those springs are too long. I searched for MONTHS to find a spring that would resolve this, but to no avail.. I COULD just run a standard long spring all the way around (as I intended to do for the lower flange holes), but it would look like asss, and deform the spring as well. With racecar parts (especially in my decades of experience with 1:1 stuff), you had better be ready to “perform surgery” on your high end, swanky, brand new stuff to make it work with your OTHER manufacturers’ high end, swanky, brand new, often times CUSTOM stuff.. Just comes with the territory..

Now I’m good with the Dremel, and could have easily handled this with any of my several cutoff wheel selections, but that would’ve put a TON of aluminum dust in the air, and turned the entire engine into a freakin bass boat paint job with all the “metal flake”.. That’s fine if I’m gonna tear down both engines to the bare case, and then let them hang out in the parts washer for a couple hours.. I’ll pass. I don’t mind going slow, and steady..

The offending “ear” for the short spring setup.. One per side, per engine..

Bring on the hackery…

With this, I can manage my chip/dust production FAR more effectively, and I’ve capped off every orifice on the engines, as well as sealed off the 10-port DIX with a simple rubber band between/over the gap at the flywheel/case to keep anything out from in there as well. I don’t care that the front bearing is “sealed”..

I also come in with the vacuum, and toothbrush between cuts. Worked very well imo.

One slot..

Two slots.

Three slots..

Then I’ll simply slide in a small flat head screwdriver, and twist.

Like so.

You can see one of the “tabs” I popped off just lying there. perfect.

Then a small file..

And perfect.

I did all (4) “ears” between both engines this way verbatim. Very happy with the results.

 

[Littlemotor]

When I was running the Reds Superveloce, and X-One 2143 pipe, the stinger was a bit further back in the chassis. Nothing to it.

Presto. Sanding drum on the Dremel at 3:40am made short work of that.

Like it never was a thing..

This dude right here comes in CLUTCH… @Chubaka

Always pull the crank forward before sliding your collet down. Continue pulling forward as you install the flywheel, and then the flywheel nut. This keeps slop out of the engine internals, your cranking, and rod off the backplate, as well as keeping your rod perpendicular with your bore. This isn’t just good practice, it’s a necessity.

Carbon shoe, and light spring first on this install..

 

[Littlemotor]

The long end of the spring passes into the clutch shoe hole.

-and the short side of the spring slides into the flywheel hole.

Then thread in your pin. Do NOT ape handle these. Also no threadlocker. This shiit gets HOT. You want them to back out? Use threadlocker.

Next is an aluminum, and heavier spring. You want the same shoes 180 out, obviously..

And ready for the clutch bell.

Shim enough to keep the bell off of the flywheel only.

Now you can shim the rest at the crank “bolt”. You want a “tick” of play. Too loose, and your CB will be all over the place. Too tight, and you’ll smoke your bearings immediately.

Dry run/mock up to get right..

Once you like it, you’re ready for some 248. Do what you want, and it seems everyone does things differently, but as I’ve said many times before-I run my flywheel nut DRY. I threadlocker 248 paste my crank “bolt”. Only time I’ve EVER had an issue was when I did it OPPOSITE of this, and that’s been over 20yrs ago now. Have t had a failure one time; doing it this way.

ALWAYS protect your flywheel. Honestly-it grips better as well. And hold your Chan-Mel-lock’s the correct direction for the love of god..

Ready to party..

Hooping up my engine to upper mount fasteners.. Tony’s 12.9 & 248, with steel flat washers..

 

[Littlemotor]

A bit of “bodywork”.. As expected, and nuthin’ to it.. I’ve needed to run some paper around my cuts, and tool marks regardless.. I’ll do that after the Dremel work is kaput..

Obviously due to the longer Hipex header.. This thing is gonna be a beast all over, but DEFINITELY won’t be lacking on the bottom..

Access hole for my main needle..

Chassis flex is your friend broski’s..

Some mechanical progress shots.. More or less buttoned up, as I was focused on wrenching over photards..

Very happy with the throttle/brake linkage, and new carbon fiber top plate..

HAIII Aluminum +5mm rear shock standoff’s..

 

[Littlemotor]

All wrapped up-save for the air filter assembly, and radio setup.

Pretty daamned stoked with how it shaped up.. Hate it ended up shoved in the corner for a minute, but the USPS was in charge of that.. I wasn’t gonna stop the Jammin’ mini-truggy build in the middle of it..

 

[Littlemotor]

Thinking I may have just decided to unload this one.. Ugggggh.. See how I feel about it in 24hrs..