Rock Rey kit build

[mond]

I bought a rock rey kit!  At £284 delivered, it seemed like a pretty good deal.  Ordered a few SSD parts as well.  Going to use electrics from an SCTE 2.0 and hopefully some 8ight 2.0 shocks. 

 

So the first impression is that it's a Vaterra kit, branded as a Losi. It has a few Losi designed parts - the gears for the diffs, the outdrives, the designs of some of the plastics like the knuckles and hubs are all either copies of SCTE parts. It's all metric though, so some of it won't be compatible and some of the hardware used isn't the normal quality you'd expect in a TLR kit. 

 

Firs thing to do is build the front diff and bulkhead. Apparently the stock plastic one flexes when using 3S so this is the SSD version. As ever, it's nicely made. The quality is better than say the Dhawk/boom YetiXL front bulkhead.  It's held together with one screw until later in the build. 

 

You get no diff oils in the kit but clear grease. The front and centre diff are pretty much from an SCTE so are sealed and can use oil. 

 

 

Next up is the arms and drive shafts. The are plastic shafts with metal universals. They seem to be fairly solid, weighty parts. 

 

 

The arms have a flat bottom. The two plates that sit on either end are retained with the worlds smallest eclips. 

 

 

The way the knuckles and hubs assemble and work is identicle to the Ten/SCTE/8ight and even the 5ive. The arms arent' solid, they are hollow with a plate that scews down on the top. That plate is pretty soft. The turnbuckles come pre-assembled. 

 

 

There's no provision for a sway bar. That super long top plate though looks like it may be a very rigid chassis. I added a hot racing bracket, as that part really keeps both sides of the diff case together.

 

Next up, the rear axle.

 

Another diff, this one has a locker. The shafts themselves are similar to how the AR60 works, with a square peg that goes into the locker. It's a pretty solid shaft though, thicker than the Axial AR60 or Vanquish shafts for the AR60. The upper links are an option part you get in the kit and seem pretty well made.  The hardware though isn't all that great and I seem to have way more than I need. I also bought the SSD third member which has a larger bearing.

 

 

 

 

Instead of lockouts, the ends of the axles have a screw down end cap. There's two bearings, the first one inside the axles is trapped between an eclip and a molding in the axle however the outer bearing is only retained by a metal ring, that's kept in place by the hex mount and pin. There's very little play in the whole thing though.

 

 

That's the rear axle all built. The mount for the upper arms is an option part included in the kit. The lower arms are plastic but pretty solid. Generally compared to the Yeti/Wraith rear end, this is more substantial. 

 

 

So far the kit seems ok. I don't think it was ever designed with maintenance though. If there is a problem with that front diff, it's going to quite some effort to get it out. Why they didn't just use an SCTE front end..... To get to the rear diff, it's at least 10 screws.

 

Edited December 11, 2017 by mond

[Oh How Original]

May I ask where you got it from for that money?

I kept looking at the Baja Rey, that price is certainly tempting, if they have more.

[mond]

It's available from Horizon and Wheelspin. I think one is 284 and the other is 290.

[mond]

On to the chassis

 

 

The battery door

 

Slightly fuzzy back of the truck. I also got the Losi option parts for the link mounts on the chassis. The stock plastic looks robust so not needed but they look good. 

 

 

 

 

Another view of the chassis and the access point for the motor and you can just about see the transfer case. It's big enough for an 8th scale buggy motor. I don't think the tranfer case would handle it though. The gears are huge, the housing and mounts are not. 

 

 

The transfer case itself. It doesn't look too robust. It contains a diff and another gear. The gears themselves look very good quality. 

However, tiny cross head screws. It's very much like an SCTE diff but with crap hardwear. 

 

Now with the servo mount, which doubles as a place where the top plate bolts down too and the motor cover bolts on to. I went for the Losi option part

And the hot racing steering rack. It was fairly cheap so went with it. The stock one comes with bearings although the servo saver is a bit fiddly once in place. The adjustment nut is hidden away.

 

Now its a case of clamping it all together, and remembering the second time around to put the drive shaft in. Once this is done and the body is on, I think to access that front diff is going to take 20+ screws to get through. It is however an extremely robust design but the hardware seems a little cheap and perhaps small. 

 

 

 

I don't think I can really say any more about how poorly designed the access is to the front diff. Even the centre diff wil require the entire front assembly to be taken off to access it. 

[mond]

The oddity continues with the front bumper.

 

 

Another part that has to be removed to get to that front diff.

So no motor, esc or receiver yet. The space at the back is meant for these things. Since there is no box for any of it and I only have a not very water proof Futaba receiver, a not very water proof Mamba Max Pro SCT  I will need to come up with something but I don't know how much space I'll have until I've put the body on. The next part is the body.

 

 

Also, that plastic bit that screws down between the back plate and the top plate - the two front screws have to come out if you want to remove the plate, to get to that front diff. Who ever designed this needs to be taken out back and disposed off.  

 

 

 

Edited December 12, 2017 by mond

[mond]

Onto the cage

Its a bit of an annoying design because the cage has to go on before the shock tower

The internal detail is servicable and in black styrene. The lightbar comes with the kit

 

The 8ight 2.0 15mm shocks fit! The stock shocks are apparently fine but I had these in a spares box and they are excellent. THere's no clearance problems either. 

 

The rears also fit although only in one position. 

 

 

And that's all until I get the electrics. The wheels are SSD Assassins and Proline Hyrax with single stage, closed cell foams.

 

I need to paint the body, probably service those shocks as they've been in a draw for 3 years and find some electrics and fit them. The stock tyres seem pretty good but will need some of those dual stage foams to work, as they are very very tall. The stock foams are open cell and the stock wheels are standard plastic glued beads. 

 

 So far this truck looks extremely solid, however I think if it does break, especially in that front end, you're going home. There's no fixing in the field. 

 

 

 

Edited December 12, 2017 by mond

[Oh How Original]

*wipes up dribble* 

[Isle of Wight Basher]

That looks great with the grey cage, nice build thread too 

 

My Baja Rey is very tough, I've yet to have a bashing session end due to breakages.

[mond]

16 hours ago, Isle of Wight Basher said:

That looks great with the grey cage, nice build thread too 

 

My Baja Rey is very tough, I've yet to have a bashing session end due to breakages.

It does look extremely tough with the dual 3mm plates and really stout axles. 

[Gaz!]

Hmm, that looks really sweet! 

 

 

[Oh How Original]

I saw one of these posted on Insta, the guy had sprayed the cage, either bright orange or green, can't remember which it was now and it looked like a custom bouncer build, I was fooled at first.

Definitely a good looking bit of kit!

[mond]

I think I saw one with an orange cage. Looked good.  Will pain the body by the end of the week. After moving house I couldn't find my airbrush, then couldn't find my air brush cleaning pot or the fascolor paint i'd just bought prior to moving.

 

Still undecided on the electrics. I do have a spare HW Max 8 but it doesn't do 2S which really limits this truck, as 2S is meant to be enough with the right gearing.

I'm thinking something 550 size, under 2500kv, can do 2 or 3S, sensored and ideally weather proof given the very exposed spot the ESC sits in.

 

The stock RTR is a rebranded HW WP SC8 with a 3000kv motor and people are reporting back that it cogs badly and needs a seperate BEC if the servo has any kind of power too it. I've stuck a relatively powerful Savox in this.

[ostewart]

44 minutes ago, mond said:

I think I saw one with an orange cage. Looked good.  Will pain the body by the end of the week. After moving house I couldn't find my airbrush, then couldn't find my air brush cleaning pot or the fascolor paint i'd just bought prior to moving.

 

Still undecided on the electrics. I do have a spare HW Max 8 but it doesn't do 2S which really limits this truck, as 2S is meant to be enough with the right gearing.

I'm thinking something 550 size, under 2500kv, can do 2 or 3S, sensored and ideally weather proof given the very exposed spot the ESC sits in.

 

The stock RTR is a rebranded HW WP SC8 with a 3000kv motor and people are reporting back that it cogs badly and needs a seperate BEC if the servo has any kind of power too it. I've stuck a relatively powerful Savox in this.

 

Max10 SCT is what you need then

[mond]

I think that's just a not waterproof SC8.

[mond]

So cheapest, waterproof sensored setup I could get is the Castle Mamba X SCT with the 2400kv for 150 at RCmart. 

[NOFX]

Have you bought the castle combo? If not. Have a look on gool rc. I got a 120a esc & motor for about £ 40. That's waterproof too.

[mond]

13 minutes ago, NOFX said:

Have you bought the castle combo? If not. Have a look on gool rc. I got a 120a esc & motor for about £ 40. That's waterproof too.

Where did you see this? There's very little on the goolrc site

[t2boats]

I use a number of GoolRC motors in various RC's, and I've found them as good as the next. None have ever stopped working yet and they always delivery excellent performance. The larger motors, I'm using the 3660 size cans (both 3800kv) in my Outlaw and Viper on Hobbywing ESC's (WP-SC8 120A), 3S up their backsides with no problems at all. I've looked for the GoolRC combo's but can't find any, unless it's the 3650 can 4300kv and 60a esc, too small for your Rock Rey (which looks the Mutts Nuts by the way)    what sort of size can are you after mond?

[mond]

It will need to be 550 size 2400-3800KV, the lower the better really. I've ordered the Castle combo but probably have a day to cancel if need be. Not the end of the world as it was a good price and it's a good combo.

[mond]

Got the body painted up today. The 8ight 2.0 shocks are too big so some trimming is required! Also, the light bar is on upside down. Also add another 14 screws to the list to get to the front diff. The lexan body has to come off before the screws for the cage come out. Sigh.

 

 

 

Edited December 15, 2017 by mond

[bertberr]

On 13 December 2017 at 16:57, mond said:

I think that's just a not waterproof SC8.

 

No, max 10 SCT is waterproof and has a decent switchable BEC too, up to 7.4v.

[mond]

I think the beadlocks need to match! I'm tempted to spray the frame as well, as when it chips, it will look not to bad. That's bit of a pain to put on though - each screw has two washers. Some kind of internal splash guard is also needed.

 

 

[mond]

The electrics have been intercepted by customs annoyingly. Seems every other time I order from Rcmart, they get me. 

[froggy8]

On ‎18‎/‎12‎/‎2017 at 00:46, mond said:

The electrics have been intercepted by customs annoyingly. Seems every other time I order from Rcmart, they get me. 

cant believe you got this!

looks very good  

[mond]

So I finally got my ESC and motor, and despite customs charges being raised, I wasn't actually left a ransom note and the item was delivered. However RCmart sent me the wrong motor, the one with the 3.17mm shaft and not the 5mm shaft.