Rustler R1E Project

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Soldered up three 12ga extension lengths from the motor to the ESC. Leads plug into 4mm sockets on the ESC. First I've seen that and kind of like it. Used 4mm female ends on the other end of the extension to mate the 4mm male ends coming off the motor.

Made a soldering fixture out of a 1x2 oak block secured in a hobby vise. One end of the block is drilled for female. One end drilled for male. Holds the connectors firm and steady making lead soldering so much easier.

Having second thoughts about powering the R1E up with 3S. Thinking more and more this will be a 2S build. Save the 3S for another project under consideration. Cheers, mates. 'AC'
 

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Latest rounds of R1E upgrades and modifications complete. Had to make two sets of front shock limiters before getting the ride height I wanted. Balanced out the chassis, set the FR / RR camber and FR toe. ESC set up and then she be ready for a series of 2S shake-downs before the 3S install.

Soldered up my first XT-90 connector yesterday as part of the upgrades. That worked out well with no surprises.

Got a front splitter fabrication in mind for the 3S runs. Weather is closing in, so may begin layout of that instead of running shake-downs.

Cheers. 'AC'
 

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Lookin' good!
Thanks, mate.

Moved the GPS out from under the body onto the rear deck. Most all the speed runs I have watched on YT run the GPS external. Must be a reason for that. The RR spoiler is mostly masked - serving more as blow over protection for the GPS than providing any downforce.
 

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I have to ask...are you using plumbing flux on your electrical connections?
I've personally never seen rosin flux in a tub that large--or looking that dark.
 
I have to ask...are you using plumbing flux on your electrical connections?
I've personally never seen rosin flux in a tub that large--or looking that dark.
Good eye and good question. It is an old bucket of soldering paste that was marked as and doubled as a paste/flux. Commercial application stuff picked up at the local electronics supplier. Have since chucked it out in favor of a pure liquid soldering flux. It was well beyond pitch date as it was and left a stubborn sticky residue when used. Two reasons to pitch it. It also was seeing use as a tip cleaner-which didn't do its color any favors. I was fortunate to get away with as good as soldering joints as I did using it. Anyway, it gone.

Oh, and welcome back and to the forum. Cheers. 'AC'
 
R1E back on the bench for a project upgrade. Battery stop and re-gearing.

Yesterday's session running the new power unit and tranny upgrade brought with it an unintended issue. Anticipating an increase in performance, set in heavy drag brake on the ESC. Deceleration after a run slid the battery forward into the steering saver/servo arm resulting in an immediate hard right turn and a curb strike. No damage other than a few scratches on the externally mounted speed meter. Resolved the issue by digging into the basher stash and installing a cut down body post. That should keep the battery in its proper place.

W-a-y undergeared for the run yesterday. And, had only one upgrade pinion along. Still not enough high gear. Polished up and installed a 20T / 32P pinion to try next run - with a 22T in standby. 22T is the largest diameter pinion I can run with this motor plate. Probably the largest I want on a 1/8" motor shaft, anyway. Have a 46T spur in waiting should the R1E pull the 22/54 gearing o.k. Then can downsize the pinion and taking load off the motor shaft. Baby steps, this gearing thing.

Thanks for looking in. Cheers. 'AC'
 

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The old saying, "Know when to walk away..." came to mind Sunday last. That I did in retiring the R1E (again).

Took her for a speed run session. GNSS recorded 41mph on site. Subsequent data download revealed a series of 42.34 runs. I'll take that as a PB for the truck and retire her as a shelf queen. Spun a drive pin in the wheel doing it. Managed to auger down the wheel nut enough to do back up runs validating the speed. Wheel wobbled a bit, but she limped through.

Needed a way to retain the 22/54 gear combo for shelf display. What better way than to fit the original equipment TRX 'Stinger' 20T brushed motor as a pinion holder. Removed the sensorless power unit. Servo and radio rcvr remain, "just in case. . ." Like drag racing legend, "Big Daddy" Don Garlits says, "Retiring is easy, I've done it lots of times."

Fun project running the chassis again. Twice retired reflects well on this veteran chassis. Thanks for looking in and following along. Cheers. 'AC'
 

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Thanks, mate.

Moved the GPS out from under the body onto the rear deck. Most all the speed runs I have watched on YT run the GPS external. Must be a reason for that. The RR spoiler is mostly masked - serving more as blow over protection for the GPS than providing any downforce.
I thinking maybe because putting the GPS on the outside allows for easier viewing of the speed and adjustment of the GPS? Also not all cars have enough space on the inside for a GPS. I wonder if it's possible that placing the GPS very close to the motor or something affects it.
 
I thinking maybe because putting the GPS on the outside allows for easier viewing of the speed and adjustment of the GPS? Also not all cars have enough space on the inside for a GPS. I wonder if it's possible that placing the GPS very close to the motor or something affects it.
Interesting thought, Dude. Could be electromagnetic interference (EMI). Rusty is a back motor chassis, so motor and GNSS are relatively close in placement. Next project is mid motor with the GNSS outside back. Be interesting to see if the readout and data download speed recordings are closer to the same.

Amain did a YT eval on the GNSS. The readings they got differed minimally. Within a tenth (0.1mph) or two. Not nearly as much as what I am seeing.
 
The old saying, "Know when to walk away..." came to mind Sunday last. That I did in retiring the R1E (again).

Took her for a speed run session. GNSS recorded 41mph on site. Subsequent data download revealed a series of 42.34 runs. I'll take that as a PB for the truck and retire her as a shelf queen. Spun a drive pin in the wheel doing it. Managed to auger down the wheel nut enough to do back up runs validating the speed. Wheel wobbled a bit, but she limped through.

Needed a way to retain the 22/54 gear combo for shelf display. What better way than to fit the original equipment TRX 'Stinger' 20T brushed motor as a pinion holder. Removed the sensorless power unit. Servo and radio rcvr remain, "just in case. . ." Like drag racing legend, "Big Daddy" Don Garlits says, "Retiring is easy, I've done it lots of times."

Fun project running the chassis again. Twice retired reflects well on this veteran chassis. Thanks for looking in and following along. Cheers. 'AC'
So you're gonna shelve it for another decade? I'd recommend keeping it out just to rip up and down the street now and then, shelving it would be a waste and a shame! Or you could turn it into a wheelie machine, or a no-prep drag car! I know it's not super modern or as exciting as other rigs, but IMO it still deserves to be ran now and then!
Interesting thought, Dude. Could be electromagnetic interference (EMI). Rusty is a back motor chassis, so motor and GNSS are relatively close in placement. Next project is mid motor with the GNSS outside back. Be interesting to see if the readout and data download speed recordings are closer to the same.

Amain did a YT eval on the GNSS. The readings they got differed minimally. Within a tenth (0.1mph) or two. Not nearly as much as what I am seeing.
That's just speculation, you may not see any difference, as motors have magnets and all, but that doesn't mess up the ESC, servo, or LiPo. The mid motor setup may get different speeds because of the motor placement and affected traction. A mid motor setup may result in more grip, and it'll keep those front wheels down better. What are you comparing the GNSS to?

FFT, we actually have no way of knowing what GPS is correct, as MPH is a human-made theory, so we don't really have a solid thing to compare it to! I mean, if you were brainy, and scientific, you could somehow determine the speed of your car by using start and finish points, a slow-mo camera, and do the calculations to find the MPH, but that's overkill.
 
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Right you are RC_Dude. Couldn't see her as a shelf queen. Unretired for the third time. Power unit is a Maclan/Pico 100A ESC and V2 17.5T from the basher stash. 2S x 4600 LiPo HV 'shorty' is the go-to battery pack.

Going back to 12mm hexes on the rear allowing fitment of a pair of PL Prime slicks mounted to DE Racing disc wheels. Got a test run in this afternoon after setting the ESC parameters. Running the ESC in 'Smart Sense' mode and the motor as sensorless. She cogs a bit now and again. Nothing I can't live with.

Radio system is again the Airtronics MX-V. Really like its ABS feature. Steering servo remains a ProTec 100T.

Got a few more refinements in mind and going to do something with the body to freshen its look. I'll keep it active in the inventory as a back up speed runner. This is a project that apparently will never end. . .

Cheers. 'AC'
 

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Funny story on this mod. Fitting a 46T x 32p spur to a TRX slipper eliminator hub this morning.

Been better part of a week searching the basher stash for this spur gear. Though I had bought one. Finally had to go to my Amain order history to confirm. Yeah, back Dec 7th, bought one. Knowing it was somewhere in the shop, intensified the search and finally found it. Anyway. . .

Like Kimbrough spurs. They give you lots of holes for mounting a spur. Reamed six holes. Three for the drive pins and three for the M3x10mm attaching screws. "Looks" like a concentric mount. Real test will be mounting and checking gear lash and run out in two or three places. Fingers crossed for no binds or wobble.

This will replace the 54T presently on the R1E. Matching it to my 23T pinion will up the ratio to 2.00:1 instead of the present 2.34. That and the taller rear tire should [hopefully] give me a few more mph. Thanks for looking in. Cheers. 'AC'
 

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Right you are RC_Dude. Couldn't see her as a shelf queen. Unretired for the third time. Power unit is a Maclan/Pico 100A ESC and V2 17.5T from the basher stash. 2S x 4600 LiPo HV 'shorty' is the go-to battery pack.

Going back to 12mm hexes on the rear allowing fitment of a pair of PL Prime slicks mounted to DE Racing disc wheels. Got a test run in this afternoon after setting the ESC parameters. Running the ESC in 'Smart Sense' mode and the motor as sensorless. She cogs a bit now and again. Nothing I can't live with.

Radio system is again the Airtronics MX-V. Really like its ABS feature. Steering servo remains a ProTec 100T.

Got a few more refinements in mind and going to do something with the body to freshen its look. I'll keep it active in the inventory as a back up speed runner. This is a project that apparently will never end. . .

Cheers. 'AC'
That ESC looks pretty compact! It's cool how in these 1/10 scale 2wd cars, you have so much room in the chassis to play with, just look at yours! With smaller scale cars, we have to fit all the stuff in a smaller chassis, often as snug "as a bug in a rug"! No chassis side/dirt guards to keep some debris out and provide a larger contact patch for the body shell side pannels?

I thought those tires were bald at first, before reading the whole thing 🤣🤣 So I take it that motor is sensorless? With sensorless motors, especially when geared higher, they will cog a little bit, but it shouldn't be too bad.

What does "ABS" stand for? I know that Traxxas' "TSM" stands for "Traxxas Stability Management", and Arrma's "AVC" stands for "Active Vehicle Control".

One day I'll have "backup" RCs too 🤣🤣
 
Stick around this hobby long enough, RC_Dude, and you'll have lots of back-ups. Whether you want them or not. LOL.

More correctly, it is ALB instead of ABS. Senior moment on my part. Anti-Lock Braking as defined by Airtronics/Sanwa. Even grabbing full trigger brake, truck stops straight. No more rear end skid and/or step out. That, and trigger brake on the R1E is set to 80% with heavy ESC drag brake.

Yeah, scads of room to mount stuff on this flat chassis. Back motor helps too. Newer 1/10 mid-motor trucks, mounting space comes at a premium. Drawback to a flat chassis like built for the R1E is flex and sag. Flex is o.k. to a certain extend. Top 'plate' on my chassis is 1/16" CF. Pretty flimsy. It was O.K. for RC drag racing back '05-'06. Thinking not so much so for speed runs now. Keeping an eye on the main chassis plate for signs of stress on the sheet. For now, letting the suspension work a lot to lessen impact transfer to the chassis. May end up fabricating a thicker top plate.

[Edit. On the PL Prime RR tire pair. There is a barely visible " > " representing a directional rotation and "tread". Back in the day (1960's), we called them 'cheater slicks'. First glimpse, they do in fact look bald. Have a lot of crown to them too. O.K. for lower power-like my truck. Less footprint; less rolling friction.]
 
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Stick around this hobby long enough, RC_Dude, and you'll have lots of back-ups. Whether you want them or not. LOL.

More correctly, it is ALB instead of ABS. Senior moment on my part. Anti-Lock Braking as defined by Airtronics/Sanwa. Even grabbing full trigger brake, truck stops straight. No more rear end skid and/or step out. That, and trigger brake on the R1E is set to 80% with heavy ESC drag brake.

Yeah, scads of room to mount stuff on this flat chassis. Back motor helps too. Newer 1/10 mid-motor trucks, mounting space comes at a premium. Drawback to a flat chassis like built for the R1E is flex and sag. Flex is o.k. to a certain extend. Top 'plate' on my chassis is 1/16" CF. Pretty flimsy. It was O.K. for RC drag racing back '05-'06. Thinking not so much so for speed runs now. Keeping an eye on the main chassis plate for signs of stress on the sheet. For now, letting the suspension work a lot to lessen impact transfer to the chassis. May end up fabricating a thicker top plate.
I plan to stick around for a "while" in this hobby! I'm focusing on expanding the types of vehicles in my collection, so I probably won't get duplicates or cars that are very similar to ones I already have until I have a good variety. Next up is probably a crawler!

Oh, right, I remember you telling me about that!

The disavantage to a back-motor is that the car will wheelie more (not good for speed runs, but good for tricks), have more of a rear-weight bias in handling and jumping, and a bad/wonky landing could impact the motor (especially if you land on a protruding thing). A thicker top plate/deck would help stiffen things up, maybe consider an aluminum plate.
 
Chassis upgrades yesterday. RPM FR and RR shock towers and a TRX blue anodized aluminum bellcrank assembly.

No drama here. Everything fit perfectly. Kudos to the manus for making this an easy do. Opted out of using blue locker on the screws going into the aluminum bellcrank. Used 3mm black oxide lock washers under the heads of the screws instead.

Test run today. Everything checks out A.O.K. Anxious to make a series of runs with the new 22/46 gearing. Holding off until re-install of the Spektrum 3300kV sensorless. Cheers, mates. 'AC'
 

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That chassis looks sweeet!
Thanks, Kevin. Chassis is veteran of two seasons bracket class in RC drag racing, '05-'06. Placed 21st in national standings 2006. Brought her out of retirement for this project.

Staging opposite one of my frequent competitors back then, he said "I'm gonna build a slow car like yours so I can always leave first. . ." I just grinned and then took the win light (again). HeHe. Fun times. 'AC'
 
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