RC10 revisited 25 years later...

[Racersk]

New to the forum and this is my official first post after the admins approved me...


I just stumbled across a gold pan RC10, I believe it's a CE edition, as it has the Stealth tranny, gold pan, but also green bodied shocks.

Seeing as my first original circa 1988 or so RC10 was terribly slow when I was first introduced into this great hobby, I splurged a few days ago as an adult and went with a VXL-3s speed control, a Traxxas brushless kit with a 3500 (10 turn) motor and a couple 5000mah 30C LiPo's and now this newly acquired CE flat HAUL'S! Controlled by a completely new to me 2.4ghz radio! When did that happen?!

On to the post...

I am seeing the weeknesses with multiplying the power by 100x the original setup, plus this was a well used car too(a friend of mines first RC car). So far I have completely mangled an original all-thread rear upper link, so I upgraded to nice Turnbuckles both front and rear uppers (Traxxas OEM trimmed short to fit) and RPM ends. Then I sheared a dogbone end off... So I am now waiting for MIP RC10 CV's that are supposed to be bomb proof. I have yet to drain one battery...

During my down time I have done the following...

-Tightened all underside screws finding most are stripped out...

-Rebuilt the shocks filling them with 35wt oil.

-fabbed a tranny/rear bulked brace as this one was missing.

I also purchased a set of RPM rear arms before they are no more as these arms have been chopped up for suspension droop clearance. And a mini bumper for obvious reasons...



For my specific questions.

-The diff is FUBAR, crunchy and I believe in the first stages of meltdown. Can I replace it with the Robinson Racing aluminum gear that I keep seeing on Ebay? I don't know the specifics on any changes to the gearing of the Stealth tranny's. I also want to beef this up in general too... titanium upper shaft, machined inner gears, titanium outdrives etc I need some advice and sources that has this kinda info...

-The whole chassis is tweaked up in the front (previous injuries I swear!) So I need a nose piece ans those support tubes. The RC10GT aluminum nose fits, right? Any sources for those support tubes anywhere?

-The motor mount is sheared from the rear of the chassis(the part that shrouds the motor is gone). What are my options here, other than another gold mount at $15 used from Ebay...



Lastly, I am not looking to make this a era specific shelf queen. This will be a street bruiser and something I wanna drive... more than half a battery at a time... Along these lines...I am not opposed to updating things like arms, drive lines, trannies, etc to get strength. Like I am researching now on how to fit the truggy front arms/shocks/towers onto my RC10, so I can take this thing out and get some air without blowing out the front suspension!

Thank you for any help you can give me in resurrecting this vintage RC...that is newer than anything else I've had till now. lol.

Shawn K

[Flargen]

I can chime in on one thing, as it piqued my interest - the Robinson Racing steel idler gear for the RC10GT (RRP2213) will indeed fit Stealth transmissions, as the GT's original idler is part ASC6570 (same as the RC10 Stealth). The diff gear, however, cannot be used, as it's larger for a 2.60:1 gear ratio (the Stealth was 2.20 or 2.25).

[Racersk]

So am I 'stuck' with a stock gear or are there any upgraded parts I can try to search for?

Thank you for the info!

[Flargen]

Yeah, you are stuck with the stock diff gear unfortunately. But, after thinking about it (and seeing the same batshit insanity of rigging mine with an 8.5T brushless motor), I've decided I want to stick with the stock plastic idler and diff gears... Outdrives are virtually non-existent these days (I bought the last few I could find from various vendors online), let alone upgraded ones. With all the new-found torque, I'd prefer to have the plastic gears serve as fuses of sorts, as they're still widely available and easy to stock up on.

Truth be told, I'd much rather grenade the idler gear than the diff gear (let alone anything further down the driveline), as stripping the diff gear means you get to sit down and rebuild the whole diff. If I had my way, I'd have a steel diff gear, steel input gear (which is already the case), and a plastic idler just to make damn sure it would be the first piece to go.

With regard to the nose piece, the 10T nose will indeed fit your gold tub. You'll want to get 10T arms and a 10T front bulkhead while at it (both of which are still easy to come by). Longer turnbuckles will, of course, be needed.

Nose tubes are a little trickier. I have a Team Graphite so I don't have them, but I do have some old ones that were inherited 15 years ago as part of a toolbox that came with another car. They seem like they'd be simple enough to machine yourself if you can get some aluminum tube/rod of the appropriate outer diameter, and have access to a drill press with a table vise.

[Racersk]

Since I just got here I have been doing some investigative searching.

I can see the outdrives as being a liability on the stealth tranny and more importantly a wear item-along with the dogbones/CVD's....I can find GT gears all day long online and newer B4 slippers fit if the right upper shaft is used, etc...But what's the difficulty level of just doing a tranny swap to something more available? B4, 10GT, and Traxxas all come to mind. Either that or I should just search out a used Stealth trannys replacing as I break them?

I will eventually be getting tires and rims too, so I will be looking into newer 2.2 wheels and tires for the street, so I need to decide now what axles I will be running.

Thanks for the input!

Shawn K

[Flargen]

I've seen several people do B4 transmission swaps, but you've gotta cut the chassis to accommodate the rectangular extrusion on the bottom of the transmission (you might be able to make a shim/spacer, but I haven't seen it done yet).

When it comes to retrofitting 2.2's onto the old RC10, I opted to buy B4 rear carriers, stub shafts, dogbones, and bearings (along with the wheel spacer and crosspin). Drop-in replacements other than needing to bore the hingepin hole out to 1/8" to fit the RC10 hingepins, and it widens the track enough to accommodate the different offsets of the current 2.2's as found on the B4.

On the front, the 2.2 offsets are a bit different too, leaving you a few options:

• Install B4 caster blocks and steering blocks (giving you the option of both trailing and inline axles). You'll need to bore out the hingepin hole to 1/8" as well, and then use B4 kingpins.
• Buy some inline axle shafts from the B4 (blue aluminum) and drill out the hole for the kingpin to 1/8" to accommodate the RC10 kingpin.
• Buy B4 trailing arms and shave them down enough to fit in the RC10 caster blocks, and then drill out the kingpin hole to 1/8". I tried this but quickly abandoned it, as I seem to recall it dramatically affected the needed eye-to-eye length of the steering links.

Of the above options, the B4 caster block route seems to be the most ideal with the least required work. I have all the parts to do it currently, but haven't done it just yet (my new 2.2" front wheels just arrived).

[ck33]

It is possible to put a b4 trans in a gold pan. All you need is a carbon/glass spacer under the rear arms, and a homemade bulkhead from bar stock. No chassis cut required!

http://www.rc10talk.com/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=26304

[farmer]

Since I just got here I have been doing some investigative searching.

I can see the outdrives as being a liability on the stealth tranny and more importantly a wear item-along with the dogbones/CVD's....I can find GT gears all day long online and newer B4 slippers fit if the right upper shaft is used, etc...But what's the difficulty level of just doing a tranny swap to something more available? B4, 10GT, and Traxxas all come to mind. Either that or I should just search out a used Stealth trannys replacing as I break them?

I will eventually be getting tires and rims too, so I will be looking into newer 2.2 wheels and tires for the street, so I need to decide now what axles I will be running.

Thanks for the input!

Shawn K

I've seen several people do B4 transmission swaps, but you've gotta cut the chassis to accommodate the rectangular extrusion on the bottom of the transmission (you might be able to make a shim/spacer, but I haven't seen it done yet).

When it comes to retrofitting 2.2's onto the old RC10, I opted to buy B4 rear carriers, stub shafts, dogbones, and bearings (along with the wheel spacer and crosspin). Drop-in replacements other than needing to bore the hingepin hole out to 1/8" to fit the RC10 hingepins, and it widens the track enough to accommodate the different offsets of the current 2.2's as found on the B4.

On the front, the 2.2 offsets are a bit different too, leaving you a few options:

• Install B4 caster blocks and steering blocks (giving you the option of both trailing and inline axles). You'll need to bore out the hingepin hole to 1/8" as well, and then use B4 kingpins.
• Buy some inline axle shafts from the B4 (blue aluminum) and drill out the hole for the kingpin to 1/8" to accommodate the RC10 kingpin.
• Buy B4 trailing arms and shave them down enough to fit in the RC10 caster blocks, and then drill out the kingpin hole to 1/8". I tried this but quickly abandoned it, as I seem to recall it dramatically affected the needed eye-to-eye length of the steering links.

Of the above options, the B4 caster block route seems to be the most ideal with the least required work. I have all the parts to do it currently, but haven't done it just yet (my new 2.2" front wheels just arrived).

well i guess ill be the huckleberry
there is a cr@p load of WOIN build on here that you can search and read tell your head hurts with more combinations of adapting wheels that you could skin a cat with
but if you just want to keep it simple
just get some JCracing wheels that are 2.2 and the fit the stock rear
or go here http://www.pargustore.com and they make a adapter for stock to 12mm hex
as far as the tranny you should not be blowing out gears if you are toasting gears that fast you have something wrong going on
i have stealth's that have ran mods as low as 7x1 for years with no issues! you need to be adjusting your slipper and stop staying on the throttle when your landing off a jump, thats what going to save your tranny
other than that
we are all here to help
thx farmer

[Racersk]

Ah yes the slipper. I found it...and tightened! I know this is bad, but the urge to pull rolling wheelies is too tempting!

I think the diff is just used and needs a rebuild. I am also thinking towards the future, when getting parts will become increasingly difficult... like my other passion... a 74 Toyota Corollla...try finding a new windshield for one!

If you think a rebuild with currently available parts is strong enough for a few years of abuse, I'm cool with not spending any more cash...if not. What parts should I stock up on? ie:slipper discs...

Shawn K

[vintage88]

Honestly check ur bearing make sure they aren't worn out and use the 4th gen top shaft and slipper and make sure everything is cleaned and properly lubed and u should be fine

[Racersk]

Honestly check ur bearing make sure they aren't worn out and use the 4th gen top shaft and slipper and make sure everything is cleaned and properly lubed and u should be fine

So the 4th gen slipper is the newer B4, right?

So after some searching, the list of 'extreme duty mods' are the following:

-rebuild stock diff with new parts

ASC6577 - outdrive hub, right
ASC6578 - outdrive hub, left
ASC6570 - idler gear
ASC6580 - diff gear
ASC3926 - TC3 diff rebuild kit (still available, Stealth-compatible). TH breakdown.
ASC6581 - carbide diff balls, 3/32", 12 total

-install B4 top shaft - ASC9601 (optional? MIP12156)
http://www.amainhobbies.com/product_info.php/cPath/1_25_1450_824/products_id/238040/n/MIP-Associated-Aluminum-Hard-Coated-Top-Shaft
-install B4 slipper assy. as stock - pn?
(optional? AVD1020-MOD)
http://www.amainhobbies.com/product_info.php/cPath/1_25_1450_824/products_id/241375/n/Avid-RC-Mod-Triad-Slipper-Clutch-81T-84T

Then find an RC10T front clip to swap onto the front of this buggy - longer travel shocks and possibly going with the skinny truck rims/tires? So it'll still look like a buggy, just with bigger wheels on it for better jumping recoveries - thoughts and or pn?



Oh...I also thought a visual would keep up interest!
Here are the current pics:











Last but not least...

Can I put this onto a stock RC10 motor plate, and if not, how can I? As you can see I need a motor plate anyhow, so if I can get one that is 'bomb proof' I'm for it!

http://www.integy.com/st_prod.html?p_prodid=7268&p_catid=256#.UQ2asTcgizI


Thanks for all the assistance and rapid 'chat's.

[vintage88]

Dont know about the gear cover just seams like extra weight without much gain and yes the b-4/b-44 topshaft

[Racersk]

A small update...

After two sets of tires, Tired the Duratrax and the front bearing carriers blew out, tried their rear and the pins spun out of the hubs, tried the B4 compatibles, fronts going strong, but have a neg offset, and I have blown out one of the rears(lock nut backed off...) So...

I need to hook up a hex conversion and try out a set of the SC truck tires! Although it took a bit of searching here are my list of parts...

SC10B --- RC10B4.2

9880 steering block 9880
9881 axle (hex) 7496
9882 'C' clip 9882
9883 hex adaptor 7497(9891 alloy fr, 9890 rr)
7922 castor block 9580
9622 pin 97622
2-56x1/8" button head screws
3/16 shim x1
3/16 x 3/8 bearings x2

But the problem I am having is what rims/tires should I get for mostly pavement pounding?


AND

I am on my 3rd ball diff now, I'm done. How can I put one of the SC10 gear diffs into my RC10(T/SC)? Will it fit an RC10T 2.65 case?

Thanks!