Soldier's perspective

[widnerkj]

Well, this is my first post here.
I've slowly become a very big fan of this sight. Been reading as much as possible for a deployed soldier. Fortunatly, my deployment has me in a place where I get to play a bit more than fight. And here in Afganistan, I've discovered I have the ultimate testing grounds for ham-fisted bashers. We have quite a bit of open ground, though the sand is so fine it's like baby powder. I've moved a few cars through my tent, and am wondering what to pick up next....

The E-Revo Brushless did "ok" but the sharp rocks and huge rocks = shreaded tires. And the revo would break a part on it every time i put 2 7c nimh batteries in it. (snapped driveshafts, bent pushrods, etc..) so I upgraded and sold it off.

I built a DF-03 Dark impact for a friend. And am amazed at this little guy. Just using the motor that came with it, it's crazy quick for brushed, and hasn't broken a single part yet, (aside from melting the rear diff)

Same guy had me build up a DF-02, and it seems really durable, but kind of something more for a child.

There are two guys out here with Rustlers, and one with a bandit... and I swear they look really cool, but seem to be broken really often.

I'm feeling the 4wd buggy bug, and have ordered myself a HPI 10B cyber.(and a slipper, and swing shafts) I've got 3 brushless motor / controler combos sitting in my box, so what combo would be best in the cyber?
The Castle 5700, 7700, Or the Trax VXL from a ruined rustler VXL? I'll be running 2c lipo's in it.

I appreciate the advice, I'm sure this question has been asked a milion times, and I am glad to recieve your patience. I do promise lots of pictures of us out here, and the terrain i have to work with.

[reg]

The hpi i savageE......................

[widnerkj]

savageE? could be good... I remember I had a roomate with a nitro savage, and he was always driving it under cars in the parking lot. Seemed really durable. I'll have to look into that option

[migsy]

You need a baja 5b with a 30.5cc stroker kit, it's top notch.

[Welshy40]

Well my younger brother just came back from the fight in afghan and luckily now no longer works for the MOD. Stupid that closer to the end of his time they send him off to the front line. Still glad he came back in one piece and hope everything goes well for you to mate. We are all thinking about you guys.

Now back to buggies. Why cant you fit explosives to your buggies and have fun blowing the enemy up after doing some cool mid air jumps. Maybe you could pursyade the mod to buy a shed load of trucks to entertain the troops by starting a blow up the enemy game

[DCM]

you could play terrorist snooker, go for a red top, for one point, then choose a colour, like in snooker!!

[migsy]

Originally Posted by DCM

you could play terrorist snooker, go for a red top, for one point, then choose a colour, like in snooker!!

Steve, theres a job going at my local club...its says COMEDIAN wanted. LOL

[scotoap]

We all appreciate what you guys are doing out there so why not try a crawler, its amazing what they can tackle in the way of obsticles, they may be slow but you tend to set yourself more difficulties each time you conquer one.
Dial in RC Rock Crawlers and look through some of the forums, some are like tube framed dune buggies others like scale versions of 1:1 off-roaders some likes Monster trucks and others like tubular space frame cross country racers.
Some of th Utube clips are really realistic. might give you some rest from replacing broken parts but could also utilise some of the no defunct spares you accumilatethe graded in scales from 1/10th to 1/5th scale and you can use brushed or brushles motors, one per axle or one driving through a central tranny box.
with the engineering skills you boys have at your disposal you could even make your own. Good Luck and hope all goes well for you guys Oh and welcome to the forum too.

[DCM]

Originally Posted by migsy

Steve, theres a job going at my local club...its says COMEDIAN wanted. LOL

not joking, when I worked down RAF St Athans, it was well known, that the guards would play 'Spot Check Snooker' with the cars... you were buggered if you were driving a red car.... and black, pink was safe

[widnerkj]

I've thought about doing a rock crawler, but they have leveled out the area around our camp. There are a few very large piles for the construction, that are giving my rc8te a hell of a work out. I keep brakeing / bending the rear chassis support.

[scotoap]

Originally Posted by widnerkj

I've thought about doing a rock crawler, but they have leveled out the area around our camp. There are a few very large piles for the construction, that are giving my rc8te a hell of a work out. I keep brakeing / bending the rear chassis support.

If you have or can get some 12mm hex Monster truck wheels with tyres try maybe constructing a course from some of the dump and give it a go then; the wheels will on most bodies clear the front of the body shell, with some mods especially if you put them on a 4WDrive buggy.

Fun nights at our club we do caravan racing and thats the way I do it - buggy with monster truck tyres and wheels towing a bowser made out of a large tubular plastic bottle type container mounted on buggy wheels with single axle.
Usually ends up as a demolition derby for the caravans though but great fun

Before I got into Crawlers that is

[widnerkj]

Funny you mention that... I'll post up some pictures tomorrow. One of the guys here has a Rustler VXL, that with the help of some integy 17mm adapters, is running the beadlocks I had on the RC8T. They are proline mashers, on maximizer beadlocks. Looks pimp. Car is so bouncy now, but there is no way it can bump it's bottem on anything.


Edit ----- By the way, before anyone brings it up, I've learned my lesson already that integy is rc for shiny and broken. The hub adapters are the only thing by them I've bought that hasn't died a terriable death.

[scotoap]

Originally Posted by widnerkj

Funny you mention that... I'll post up some pictures tomorrow. One of the guys here has a Rustler VXL, that with the help of some integy 17mm adapters, is running the beadlocks I had on the RC8T. They are proline mashers, on maximizer beadlocks. Looks pimp. Car is so bouncy now, but there is no way it can bump it's bottem on anything.


Edit ----- By the way, before anyone brings it up, I've learned my lesson already that integy is rc for shiny and broken. The hub adapters are the only thing by them I've bought that hasn't died a terriable death.

Try removing one of the inner beadlock screws so air can get in and out of the tyre, should at least reduce the bouncing effect and lets the tyre have a bigger footprint thus better grip for climbing/crawling.

Then after that another tip is (with a heated up brocken ariel tube or similar size tube) to put holes horizontally (front to back) through the foams ( so it looks like gruere cheese) that softens the foam effect also on the tyre if the first does not cure its bouncing.

Next try putting thicker oil in the dampers (thicker - slower damper action).

Hope this helps too.

[widnerkj]

Well, I promised some pictures of the silly things we come up with, So here's a few





It's a trax rustler vxl, with maximizer beadlocks, and Proline badlands. 1/2" offset on front, and 0 offset in rear

[widnerkj]

err... check that the rear is offset, the front isn't