"Beater" CE build

[markbt73]

I'm just about to pack away nearly all of my RC stuff, because we're putting the house up for sale. So that big lot of RC10s that I got the other week is all going to stay in boxes for now. I wanted to keep a couple of good runners out and available, however, just to have some fun with. I already have a really great Tamiya Blackfoot beater that I love, but now with my sudden glut of RC10s, I'd be a fool not to keep one out as a runner.

So I decided to start at the bottom of the pile, and build a "beater" runner out of the scruffiest chassis of the lot.



Tweaked and badly scratched nose, front shock tower missing and presumed broken, one upper link bent, steering servo gears stripped, bushings in the rear hubs, and badly worn axles and dogbones. This one was ridden hard and put away wet.

But... after raiding the parts boxes, I got it looking like this:



Full bearings, Kyosho gold shocks (don't know where the originals went, but I had these, so I used them), an old but functional Futaba S128 servo, new shock tower, and a worn Trinity Midnight motor. The motor actually turned out to be pretty much shot, so I replaced it with a simple 540J silver-can. (My yard is small anyway. Can't go much faster than that.)

I installed a Dynamite Tazer ESC and a Traxxas 2.4ghz radio, slapped on a badly-scratched-but-never-painted Viper body (I'm finding the weirdest stuff in these boxes...), and took her out for a spin.



Runs great! And my "helper" approves. The diff was slipping, so I tightened it up (yes, I checked the slipper first). Clearly, this car was run with lots of power and not much skill. But these things are built like tanks.



So hard to get a decent action shot by yourself...

So now, I'm going to paint the body, audition some other wheels and tires, and I'll have a good RC10 runner to hoon around with until we get moved and all the other toys can come out again.

[GoMachV]

I have a few runner capable motors kicking around if you need one. One is a Green machine based stock motor, I also think I have a speed gem topaz 11t in there. I dont know the condition but I won't be using them

I'm out in wood village, it would just cost you gas

[markbt73]

I have a few runner capable motors kicking around if you need one. One is a Green machine based stock motor, I also think I have a speed gem topaz 11t in there. I dont know the condition but I won't be using them

I'm out in wood village, it would just cost you gas

Thanks for the offer, but I have a ton of motors lying around. The 540 was just the first one I saw that already had bullet plugs on it, and I didn't feel like soldering last night. I have a nice P2K2 that will probably find its way into it eventually.

I found this old Pro-Line bumper, but it wouldn't clear the 2.2 front wheels. So I dug out this pld pair of Tamiya Frog front wheels with Pro-Line Knobby tires.


Not sure about them yet; we'll see how they work. I do have a full set of jellybean wheels that are dyed black. Maybe I'll use those instead.

By the way, can anyone tell me if there's a way to tighten up the servo saver, short of replacing it? This one wobbles like a drunken sailor.

[GoMachV]

Have you tried the zip ties? You can use them or o-rings on the oval pieces and the nubs will retain them

[markbt73]

Oh yeah! Forgot about the zip-tie thing. Much better now. Thanks.

Slapped some Pactra Blue Streak on it (my default one-color paint job):



Was going to put a wing on it, but it's missing the wing tubes. Maybe they're in one of the boxes. I'll check later.

[HDMM]

looks like fun!

[markbt73]

A little update:

I recently acquired an Optima Mid project that needed a decent set of shocks, so I swiped them off this car, dug into the parts boxes, and found a set of Duratrax short front shocks and some old metal-cap RC10 rear shocks. They all hold oil, and fit nicely, so they'll do.

I've upgraded ths power source of this old girl too. She's now running on lipo batteries. I installed an Associated XP SC200 speedo to handle the new juice; it's the cheapest ESC I could find with a built-in lipo cutoff. Works great! I'll probably get another of these (or 2) for other runners. Still auditioning motors; right now it's running a Triniy Speed Gem Arconite 19t. Seems about right for my backyard, but it's noisier than other motors. I'll have to check and see if there's something funny with a brush.

And lastly, new shoes. The Road Hawgs on the back I've had forever; they have been in a box for about 15 years, since the last time I owned an RC10. The Custom Works wheels and tires on the front were delivered from Tower Hobbies this morning.



So, it's gone from a complete wreck to a reliable, fast, fun, all-around runner. Which is good, because all the rest of my RC vehicles are in storage at the moment...

[Mr. ED]

those front wheels had me fooled: I thought they were borrego's

[Bent]

Those are custom works tires and wheels for dirt oval cars. Good grip shnitty life span

[fireguy14]

Nice!