bertberr Posted November 11, 2017 Share Posted November 11, 2017 Anybody got / had one of these bad boys? They do a MT, SC, Truggy & Buggy all off the same chassis. Think they're probably similar / same as the Dromida 4.18 or WL A9*9, as most brands 1/18 rigs seem to be one of these two chassis. Just got a couple of the SC versions for the kids as very cheap, but would be interested to hear some thoughts on them, problems, mods etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capri-boy Posted November 11, 2017 Share Posted November 11, 2017 Actually clones / rebrands of the Helion animus's. Mini me has the MT and it's surprisingly fun with a 2s lipo. So far nothings broke, even the spur survived a pebble getting stuck in it. The WLTOY version (from mem) takes the much smaller packs, these take 'proper' micro sized packs. How much was cheap? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bertberr Posted November 11, 2017 Author Share Posted November 11, 2017 (edited) 33 quid all in delivered (each, obviously...) is is it crying out for any mods or just pop in a 2s and enjoy it for what it is? Edited November 11, 2017 by bertberr Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capri-boy Posted November 11, 2017 Share Posted November 11, 2017 That's very cheap. Supposedly the metal motor mount but tbh we've not bothered as I can't find one anywhere for a sensible price. I've still got a Mt bnib and an on road. Not sure what to do with them - certainly haven't needed to canabalise for readily available bits. I've got a couple clear shells that fit with a bit of trimming if you want to personalise them on the cheap - sc18 associated ones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bertberr Posted November 11, 2017 Author Share Posted November 11, 2017 Thanks, I'll bear that in mind if I decide to start spending on them, but TBH I really don't want to throw too much at them, as IMO it defeats the object of the exercise. But, lets see what they're like first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bertberr Posted November 14, 2017 Author Share Posted November 14, 2017 LOL... these went up to £156 moments after I pressed the button on mine, and now they're at £463.20...!!! Gotta love Amazon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bertberr Posted November 23, 2017 Author Share Posted November 23, 2017 Been hooning this little bugger around these last couple of days, both inside and outside, been a real hoot TBH, much more fun than I expected. Outside, the speed is just about OK, but would prefer a little faster. The stock nimh 1100mah could well be the culprit as it was almost dead when I checked it on unboxing. Has had four or so charges now and is holding a charge better now, but I will start using a Voltz 1600mah in it just as soon as I've taken the dremel to the chassis side as its a nads too big right now. My 6yr old daughter really loves it and has been using it a lot indoors today, she thinks its really cute, and says she prefers it to her Slash... However... there are issues. First, the shocks, which are described in the spec and on the box as 'oil filled'... aren't... They're pogo sticks, any Grasshopper owner would be proud of them. I dug out a pair of old oil shocks from the spares box, think they're from my old RC18 from years ago, but they fit, and with some 30wt oil they make the rear a lot plusher. Still got the pogos on the front while I wait for another pair to arrive from China. Also, all the links front and rear were far too tight, everything was stiff/binding, but just backing off a few screws has done the trick. Next, there are brass bushings in all the hubs, two in each, so I need to decide if it's worth upgrading to bearings on something so cheap n cheerful that will mainly be used by the kids indoors? Also need to decide if to try a 2S lipo in it... Don't want to start destroying diffs etc, that's not what this little thing is about. But as I said at the start, a little extra speed outside would be nice... Here it is, love the body and colour! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capri-boy Posted November 23, 2017 Share Posted November 23, 2017 Mini me's Mt has copied fine with 2s 1300mah 40c. Quite nippy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bertberr Posted November 23, 2017 Author Share Posted November 23, 2017 Is that a Turnigy / Nanotech? Was looking at HK lipo finder today, and the two I found were 1500 & 1600mah, tight fit according to specs, but HK are often a bit out with their battery dimensions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capri-boy Posted November 24, 2017 Share Posted November 24, 2017 23 hours ago, bertberr said: Is that a Turnigy / Nanotech? Was looking at HK lipo finder today, and the two I found were 1500 & 1600mah, tight fit according to specs, but HK are often a bit out with their battery dimensions. Zippys from memory. Yellow packs, 1300mah. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bertberr Posted November 27, 2017 Author Share Posted November 27, 2017 Not sure if anybody's reading this or not , I know these things are a bit left field, but what the heck, may as well keep it up to date, may help someone at some point. Bent the the NSF plastic dogbone, not enough to curtail use, but needing bending back. Not even sure how it happened as no big hits (yet). So, ordered some metal dogbones meant for the WLToys A9*9 trucks, same length between pins etc, so should be OK. While I was at it I also ordered some metal outdrive cups as stock ones are plastic again . Hope they fit the Amewi diffs ok, but at 3 quid its no biggie if not. New oil shocks for the front have been ordered already, so that should make it fairly robust with the current stock brushed motor. May go BL at some point with one of those budget ebay 2435 systems, though jury still out, as it may be just be a passport to far more frequent down time / repairs... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bertberr Posted December 2, 2017 Author Share Posted December 2, 2017 Well, probably talking to myself here, but nothing new there I suppose My hand has been forced somewhat, whilst soldering on new connectors - EC3, guess either heat transfer or movement of the tiny esc wires within the all in one unit, has meant the thing is now a paperweight... So, need a new separate brushed ESC, thinking Hobbywing 1625 - anybody got any experience of these in a 1/16 or 1/18? Has to be really small, as these have a narrow chassis compared to other 1/18 trucks, and the top plate is weirdly curved / lipped, so difficult to mount anything other than a small Flysky receiver up there. If I'd had more room I would have just put a HW 1060 in. Why stick with the stock brushed 280 setup, and not a BL system? Well... having looked at the diffs, and the outdrives etc, I realised that my original assumption that the beefed up A9*9B diffs would just drop in, was in fact incorrect. These use 6x10 diff outdrive bearings, whereas the WLToys are 7x11... So... as I kinda suspected to start with, I think this little truck will excel as a fun little 'small space' basher, for me and the kids, if... if it is left fairly close to stock performance wise. Too much torque from a 4 pole BL setup, and I'll be forever replacing drive train components. The metal dogbones and oil shocks already ordered will definitely add some value, unfortunately the HD diff outdrives won't fit, so they'll be chucked in the spares box for another project. Need a decent MG servo, no wider than 22 or 23mm, and need to fabricate some little servo mounts too, may just dremel something from the old all in one casing, as it has vertical screw mounts which I'm pretty sure will work. Otherwise some FTX Outlaw mounts look like they'd work. And I've read somewhere that the Flysky GT3 will bind with the stock all in one, so hopefully it will work tuther way round, and I can bind the stock tranny to a FS GR3E receiver... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bertberr Posted December 13, 2017 Author Share Posted December 13, 2017 Stripped everything out ready for the new leccies, was going to refit the old 280 brushed can, but then came across this 2838 motor, not sure if its a 370 or 380 or something else entirely? May try this bigger can once the appropriate mount arrives, and I've dremeled the necessary material from the top plate to allow the can to sit nice n straight. Will refit the 280 in the meantime. New motor 1/18 SCT by mikeweller72, on Flickr Also got the esc, servo and servo posts through from HK Europe today. Esc etc by mikeweller72, on Flickr Looking forward to getting all this installed, perhaps tomorrow, and getting back out with it. Will try a 2S lipo in it this time. Still waiting on some larger pinions, a new motor mount, and some metal dogbones to arrive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vr5fx Posted December 14, 2017 Share Posted December 14, 2017 Oh man.... I have one of these. Sure I bought it from CB.... Running stock, these take 3s on tarmac... Well mine does anyway. The only thing I've broke is a drive shaft. Bought some Helion Animus drive shafts to replace the rears.... I've not used it too much lately though. Might dig mine out and give it a blast soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bertberr Posted December 14, 2017 Author Share Posted December 14, 2017 3S on tarmac...!!! Is that with the std all in one esc/receiver/servo and 280 brushed can? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vr5fx Posted December 14, 2017 Share Posted December 14, 2017 Yeah... I'll grab some pics later of what I have. Just to confirm. Though, if memory serves, the motor got hot.... Very hot, so probably not ideal. Brushed motors will take 12v, right?....I never thought about the all in 1 ESC, and if that would survive... Every time I look at it, I've wanted to upgrade it, but never have apart from the driveshafts. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bertberr Posted December 14, 2017 Author Share Posted December 14, 2017 On the std 7.2v nimh, and with the included heat sink, the motor didn't even get warm after 10-15 mins hard driving. Think 2S might be the safe middle ground. When you say driveshafts, do you mean the dogbones or the centre driveshaft? What about diffs, spur, pinion etc on 3S? Did they survive? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capri-boy Posted December 14, 2017 Share Posted December 14, 2017 3S? Awesome that the all - in - one didn't go boom. Mini me's run's 2s day in and out - no breakages yet but he doesn't really push the envelope with it. 3 hours ago, Vr5fx said: Oh man.... I have one of these. Sure I bought it from CB.... Running stock, these take 3s on tarmac... Well mine does anyway. The only thing I've broke is a drive shaft. Bought some Helion Animus drive shafts to replace the rears.... I've not used it too much lately though. Might dig mine out and give it a blast soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vr5fx Posted December 14, 2017 Share Posted December 14, 2017 17 minutes ago, bertberr said: On the std 7.2v nimh, and with the included heat sink, the motor didn't even get warm after 10-15 mins hard driving. Think 2S might be the safe middle ground. When you say driveshafts, do you mean the dogbones or the centre driveshaft? What about diffs, spur, pinion etc on 3S? Did they survive? A fully charged 7.2 NiMh is 8.4 volts. So initial use of both LiPo and NiMh for me are similar, it's just overall, the LiPo has far better performance and lasts longer. Dogbones on the back end. Everything else is fine at the moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bertberr Posted December 27, 2017 Author Share Posted December 27, 2017 Well, fitted the MG servo using some heavily modified / bodged turnigy trooper servo posts, and replaced the tiny motor wires with some thicker 16awg wires. Also made an esc mount for the HW 1625, which will now sit on top of the centre spar. Also dremeled some of the chassis sides back, as well as the sides of the centre spar to allow me to run a 1600mah battery. And finally, secured a flysky gr3 receiver on top of the servo so I can use my GT3C. Will get some pics at the w/e, in case anybody else is thinking of doing something similar. Still waiting on the metal dogbones, metal outdrive cups and ali motor mount to allow me to swap in a bigger can, a 370 or 380 I think. May also get an ali centre drive shaft and steel pinion/spur, but I'll hold fire on those until I work out if it's really required. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bertberr Posted January 1, 2018 Author Share Posted January 1, 2018 Got the metal dog bones, exactly the same length, not bad for less than 2 quid. The metal out drive cups though, as expected, won't work as they use an 11 mm OD bearing whereas the Amewi uses a 10 mm one. Never mind, hopefully the 380 brushed motor will be a bit kinder to the drive train than a 4 pole BL can. Pic as it stands now. Drifter! by mikeweller72, on Flickr Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capri-boy Posted January 1, 2018 Share Posted January 1, 2018 Have you a link to the driveshafts you used? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bertberr Posted January 1, 2018 Author Share Posted January 1, 2018 Yup, to be fair, if the plastic ones hadn't bent near the pin, I would have kept them as they're obviously lighter, but these seem very nicely made, and fit a treat. Sorry, not less than two quid though, my mistake... £2.78 https://www.banggood.com/4PCS-Metal-Upgrade-Dog-Bone-Transmission-Shaft-For-WLtoys-A959-B-A959-A969-A979-118-RC-Car-Parts-p-1075155.html?rmmds=myorder&cur_warehouse=CN 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vr5fx Posted February 7, 2018 Share Posted February 7, 2018 Any updates? I ordered a set of drive shafts, and a center one to see if it fits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bertberr Posted February 7, 2018 Author Share Posted February 7, 2018 It's a static model at the moment... Hit a dustbin at full chat, broke the right steering knuckle and c-hub. On closer inspection, the stock knuckle is stupidly thin, around the bearing area. Surprised it lasted this long. So didn't want to just replace like with like, assuming I could find one, so ordered the upgrade ali wltoys ones. Only colour they had was gold... But couldn't be arsed to wait. Mega chunky though, hope they fit without having to break out the dremel. Might need to get wltoys c-hubs too if they're way off...time will tell. metal dogbones were causing drivetrain to bind up ever so slightly, on re measuring I found they were 0.5mm longer, so will take a wee bit off em before fitting them again. Its wearing 12mm wheel hex adapters, with an old set of touring car wheels/tyres, and I have an ali adjustable 380 motor mount waiting to go in too, along with a 380 can and 14t pinion. I've ran it on 2s as well, certainly wakes it up a bit. oh and I'm waiting on some ball studs and rod ends to make some adjustable links for steering and servo linkage, as the stock plastic ones are too long, too much toe in. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
(Custom)(Custom)(Custom).thumb.JPG.2660545437631950b6f82e734d0a88f7.JPG)
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.