Hybrid RC car build thread

tuna55 wrote:

wvumtnbkr wrote: The fets can go out on the brakes/reverse. If that is the case, I am sure I have an esc for ya. Tuna, are you going to the barber race? What about any team mates that could get you stuff if you are not?

Nobody is going that I know of.

I'll gladly pay shipping - most of the stuff I need should fit in a small envelope.

I think one of the batteries is holding a charge. I am a bit confused, though, the charger is saying that it delivers 3300 mAh or so. That sounds REALLY high for a NiCad from that era.

tuna55 wrote: I think one of the batteries is holding a charge. I am a bit confused, though, the charger is saying that it delivers 3300 mAh or so. That sounds REALLY high for a NiCad from that era.

I remember 0 of the specs on what we were building back then but we were hand building our packs and doing cell matching and all that stuff. That number does seem high though.

JThw8 wrote:

tuna55 wrote: I think one of the batteries is holding a charge. I am a bit confused, though, the charger is saying that it delivers 3300 mAh or so. That sounds REALLY high for a NiCad from that era.

I remember 0 of the specs on what we were building back then but we were hand building our packs and doing cell matching and all that stuff. That number does seem high though.

Well when Rob sends me some parts, I'll slap the thing back together (I owe you guys some updates as to my progress) and check it out. Even on that motor, 3300 mAh should last for 6-7 minutes at a good pace.

Well that battery died. It started smoking and getting very hot last night during our date and I chucked it out the back door onto the rocks. I was discharging on the lowest setting. I probably did ten charge/discharge cycles over the time I've played with it. Next!!!

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Although all of those packs are suspect due to age Im also wondering with the 3300 mAh you were seeing before if a) you have the settings right on that charger or b) something is wrong with the charger

JThw8 wrote: Although all of those packs are suspect due to age Im also wondering with the 3300 mAh you were seeing before if a) you have the settings right on that charger or b) something is wrong with the charger

I am discharging using "01" and charging using "1", which I understand to be the least aggressive. I saw a few hundred mAh typically and the 3300 number was the last before it blew, so my guess is that the battery started to degrade and it fooled the charger that one time by doing something silly. I really don't know. I'll try Dan0's charger when it gets here as I have one more of your batteries that's showing a few hundred mAh.

Those red cells are sc cells at best. They are good for 1 charge and discharge per weekend. Any more than that will mess them up. You need the black cells that are scrcr cells at least.for multiple cycles. Let me check what I have.

I am currently in Alabama. I will check when I get home.

Rob

I got another delivery, thanks, Matt! The body and motors look great. The tires are a great bonus.

Today Tunakid #1 and I did a little work. I had him clean the major components (I had the front and rear suspensions off) with a toothbrush and Q tips. I explained the steering servo and the differential, and we put the rear suspension back on with some new screws I got.

Bad news is that the pins for the front suspension are frozen. They don't allow the control arms to move much, and I can't get them out yet to clean them up.

As you can see, Tunakid #3 got in on the fun.

Arghhh, I forgot about this! What type of suspension does that beast have?

I might send you an entire xxxt with esc and stuff.

I will check it out tonight.

Rob R.

Well I thought the front was rc 10 but I think it's all Losi, I have no clue on vintage. I was able to get those hinge pins out today with a little heat and I cleaned them up with steel wool while they were chucked up in the drill. I'll have Tunakid assemble the front end during the next work session.

I have no batteries.... I do have a motor, a speed control, a truck, some tires, shock oil.... What would you like me to send you?

If you send extra, I'll keep or turn into extra trucks for them, but all I need for Tunakid #1 is the shock oil, just enough to do a set for backyard bashing. As of tonight, the suspension is refurbished and reassembled onto the chassis, the bellcranks have been cleaned and polished and are assembled as well. It's a 'rolling chassis', as we took out the hot 12 turn job, and are ready to assemble one of the 27 turn jobs we received. When I get the damper rebuild kits I'll set that up, we need to switch pinions, and I have to fix the bodymounts, then we see if the batteries are any good. It's close!

Polishing the bellcrank pivots (they were frozen)

First I made him chuck the pivot into the drill:

And a VERY happy Tunakid #1

Showing a 5 and a 4 year old how a clutch worked. They learned about friction today.

Some bald guy helped him put the new E-clips on the newly polished control arm pivots.

tuna55 wrote: Well I thought the front was rc 10 but I think it's all Losi, I have no clue on vintage. I was able to get those hinge pins out today with a little heat and I cleaned them up with steel wool while they were chucked up in the drill. I'll have Tunakid assemble the front end during the next work session.

It kind of looks like the Losi NXT a friend of mine has.

IIRC, the NXT was the gas truck.

I could be totally wrong on that.

shoot an email to wvumtnbkr at hot mail .com with your address.

I will get this sent out as soon as I can.

Rob R.

No cute pics, but the kids and I mounted the motor to the chassis and they got a lesson in magnetism and motors. I also showed them how to fix plastic parts. The body mount got fixed with some glue, a toothpick, and a good wrap in thread. They were -not- impressed.

Closer, though!

More no-cute-pics, but he and I got about a few minutes and we soldered the wires onto the new motor and I explained soldering a few times. He was impressed, but he needs parts, which should be getting here soon!

Grrrr, those are Losi dampers, not TA. Now I bought the poor kid the wrong parts. Oh well. He's cleaning the guts now, learning about how they go together. Pictures to follow.

Here he is cleaning damper parts in the sink. I tried explaining what a damper does. On some rudimentary level, I do think he got it.

Well the mystery shocks don't have any rebuild parts available, they were all dry save for silver sludge that looks a lot like antisieze. I am going to buy him some takeoff from something serviceable on eBay.

I will send you my truck on Monday. It should have good shocks.

I would only clean the shock parts with simple green or rc motor cleaner.

I throw on the old set with no "damping stuff" - just springs, and he tore around the yard with it for a few minutes this evening. He just crested the $20 saved, so I wanted to give him a little taste. I will have him "pay for it" when it is done.

He was really excited. He understands just how fast it is, even with the donated (thanks!!) Stock motor. He is going to love it.

Thanks again, all.

wvumtnbkr wrote: I will send you my truck on Monday. It should have good shocks. I would only clean the shock parts with simple green or rc motor cleaner.

Thanks!

Tunakids got to play a bit today as the new dampers came in. I bought them for a Rustler, thinking that it would probably work out. It did not. They are gigantic. I will make some plates to raise the upper shock mounts for him, but I was able to cobble it together to let them take some trips around the yard with the new suspension. Take a look, Tunakid #3 got in on it too!