S-Maxx to a T-Maxx conversion (4WD)

[Revo Rancher]

Tomorrow, I am picking up this killer deal. I almost feel bad.

Some guy at my favorite LHS bought a NIB SMaxx from a supposed friend. When he got it home, it was missing the body, the motor, and the pipe. He paid 300 for it! Since then he has had to move back to his mothers house and is selling the SMaxx for 150.00. I just happened to walk into my favorite LHS about 10 minutes after he left trying to sell it to the shop (they know this guy so he thought they might help him out).

I left my cell number and he called the next day and said he would be in the area of the shop on Thursday and we had a deal. The shop owner, a friend of mine, said it was brand new, just missing the parts above. He said it even still had the sticker over the fuel tank and the antenna for the Rx was still wrapped up.

Anyhow, back to why I am doing this. I plan to keep my wife's T-Maxx mainly stock for her and use it as a show case for my shelf queen bodies for a T-Maxx. But I also want a T-Maxx I can race or at least do some serious running when I get bored with my Revo or buggies.

So, here it is. I need to convert it to 4 wheel drive. I will go with a FOC, but I want 4WD for braking and handling. Should I buy the Traxxas conversion kit? Or is there a better alternative?

I have a list of other upgrades I plan to do, such as RPM arms, Werks clutch, Powerstroke shocks new servos, steering, MIP axles and driveshafts, etc. I already have the OFNA/Picco .26 pullstart I bought from Bruce (RuchRC) last week. What pipe would you guys use with that motor?

 

[Tarant]

yeah just get the Traxxas 4-wheel drive mod, it takes about 30 min to put in, Well that is how long it took me to put mine in,

never used that engine so i can't help you with the pipe

 

[jon2]

try the Sirio Big Bore Pipe. Anything else may be too big for the stock chassis.

 

[Revo Rancher]

Great. I know my LHS has that pipe. I suppose it has the proper header for the T-Maxx, too.

 

[olds97_lss]

If your going from nothing directly to a BB engine, I'd suggest beefing up the front diff instead of wasting money on the stock parts.

Get an integy diff case, integy diff collar, boca green seal bearings, maximizer diff cup and a set of stock inner cup spider gears/shaft/pinions. Oh, and a shim kit to get everything good and tight.

Since your going to run aftermarket cvd's anyway, you might as well spend the $30 for the conversion kit on better diff parts right off the bat. It would be a good idea to do the rear end as well at the same time.

Here's a few links to get you started:
Maximizer cup
Diff Collar
Diff Case

Normally, I'd never refer anyone to integy crap, but their diff cases weren't bad...

 

[Revo Rancher]

Thanks Olds. I forgot about the weak kneed diffs.

I was just looking at the motor RushRC sold me and realized I need a flywheel, a clutch and a gear.

I plan to get the Werks clutch. Any thoughts on this or any other recommendations?

What about a flywheel? RRP?

And what gear and ratio? Brand?

 

[rbmaxxbasher]

I don't know what you want to spend on this thing, but as I'm sure you already know it can be expensive.

Personally, I wouldn't run CVDs unless you feel like beefing up the diffs and tranny with rrp gears and integy cases. (trans and diff) What I'd do if I were in your situation is go with a 66 tooth delrin spur gear (dynamite), werks clutch, and a heavy rrp flywheel. The heavy flywheel will change the power curve a bit so that you don't have too much torque at a dead stop.

I run stock drive shafts, traxxas foc, dynamite delrin spur gear, stock diffs (shimmed), and normal size (not 40 series) bow ties on dynamite aluminum rims. I also run the omega (picco) .21 drop in. Another thing I use is the MIP exhaust upgrade (header and pipe) It restricts a bit more than the sirio pipe, but I like it. For me, this thing runs great.

I've never blown a diff or snapped a drive shaft with this setup, yet I can still pull wheelies on demand and smoke my competion. This thing will walk all over my savage 25 with a .26 omega engine.

Hope this helps.

 

[Plaidfish]

Revo you'd do better to take th e150 and start building a scratch T-maxx.....LOL....after building mine I realized I should have done that from the start...I think Olds hit the best parts list....I'd only add the RRP diff gears to that.....well actually since you're going to a .26 you might want to seriously consider redoing thediffs w/ an 1/8 scale setup.....if it's going to be a serious basher anyway.....the 10th scale diffs just too soft IMO......at least do the RRP setup though....

 

[SMaxxin]

If it's an S Maxx you won't need a foc because the tranny is already forward only with 2 speed. It is also ready to accept the 4wd.

 

[Revo Rancher]

Plaid and RBMAXX, great suggestions.

Plaid, most of my projects I just throw money at them to get them done right away. This one will be a long term work in progress. I mainly want to get it up and running, in 4WD mode, with as little as possible of glitches in the drivetrain. I want to break in the OFNA/Picco .26 Max motor and go from there. But, as OLDS said, while I am adding the 4WD kit might as well upgrade the diffs. I guess it is Integy Diff cases, RRP gears and flywheel, Werks clutch and Dynamite Spur. I am still undecided about the pipe, but looks like a Sirio to me.

SMaxx, you posted while I was doing so as well.

Yeah, I realized that last night after I went over to the Traxxas site and saw that the S-Maxx was different from the sportmaxx.

 

[Plaidfish]

I always thought the S-maxx WAS the sport maxx???
revo have you tried the sportwerks clutches??? I read Diver's post today about the thrust bearings needing to be checked frequently.....I didn't even know they had thrust bearings in them.....I look at all the clutch options for BB engines and I think I'm just gonna stick w/ the standard shoe type setups for a while....at least until that new design I read about on here comes down a bit in price.....

 

[Revo Rancher]

No, I haven't. This was going to be my first adventure into that type of clutch. Centax style or otherwise, I have always used plain shoe types. I'll keep the board posted on my results.

 

[SMaxxin]

I always thought the S-maxx WAS the sport maxx??

The S-Maxx is a Stadium Maxx. The only difference between the Stadium Maxx and the newer Sport Maxx are tires and body. Both have a 2 speed forward only tranny. The Stadium is the lightest of all the Traxxas monsters weighing under 8lbs out of the box. You add 9 oz when you convert to 4wd.

 

[Revo Rancher]

Well, after a bit of a brief delay, I finally picked up the S-Maxx. Dropped int he OFNA/Picco Max .26 mill, put on the THS pipe, and found out it did nto fit. Went back and got the Vantage CF side exhaust pipe. Poured some Byrons 25% in it and fired it up. That pullstart has a nasty back lash to it! Anyhow, it started up right away. Ran a tank and a half through it on the bench. Worked out some idle kinks and after the tank and a half it was hitting 223F. Leaned the HSN 1/8th.

Ran it again the next night, but not afterh aving some battery problems. The 5 cell humpo pack I put in it was dying so I hooked up the Revo charger to it and it showed by the indicator light that it was fully charged. I messed around some more and it stil was dead. Went to the LHS and bought a new battery, but while I was there the LHS charged the old battery and it held a charge. Went home and all worked well. Broke in the motor some more for about another two tanks. Still getting about 210f on the temp gun. Not taking fuel past half throttle, so I will run a few more tanks through it and then adjust the HSN. I suspect it might actually be too lean as I am not getting as much smoke and snot out of the pipe as I usually get when breaking in a new motor.

It definitely has a lot of power, even this early on. Just starting from a standstill with a little throttle it pulls the front wheels off of the ground. Sounds neat, too, with the CF pipe.

I am using the HPI Dirt Bonz meats and Maximizer beadlock wheels. Now since it has 4 wheel drive, I can't wait to see this thing climb. As parts break I will beef them up with better after market parts.