FTX Tracer / HBX 16890?

[martin34]

Keep us posted as I am tempted to get one of these.I have 2 tracers already but one of these would probably  be better and cheaper than doing a brushless conversion. 

[Ratty McRaticus]

3 hours ago, martin34 said:

Keep us posted as I am tempted to get one of these.I have 2 tracers already but one of these would probably  be better and cheaper than doing a brushless conversion. 

Only just saw these and I second the motion 🤩

[lorrylemming]

Quick lunch time skate park bash today. Car held up well until a wheel nut came loose and stopped play. I'll thread lock them soon I think.  Did a couple of full sends, landing on grass from 15 ft up without any breakages. 

 

Bit more detail on the spring changes I'm trying to make. As the car comes (oil shock pro version) it has 65mm shocks on the front and ~72mm shocks on the rear, but both use the same springs. This and the rear weight bias means the rear shocks sit in the middle of the travel (good), but the fronts sit right at the top of the travel (bad) even with zero preload. What this means is you have to pre load the rear shocks to make the car sit level. Doing this means the car has no down travel. I'm looking for some shorter springs for the front I can lower the ride height and have the car sitting in the middle of the shocks at rest. 

 

Tried a set 35mm springs on the front from Ebay but they were too stiff. I've now got a set of touring car springs coming so I'll update when I've tried them. 

[Captain Howdy]

@lorrylemming

Thanks for explaining the spring issue your working with.

[chewbacca]

19 hours ago, lorrylemming said:

Quick lunch time skate park bash today. Car held up well until a wheel nut came loose and stopped play. I'll thread lock them soon I think.  Did a couple of full sends, landing on grass from 15 ft up without any breakages. 

 

Bit more detail on the spring changes I'm trying to make. As the car comes (oil shock pro version) it has 65mm shocks on the front and ~72mm shocks on the rear, but both use the same springs. This and the rear weight bias means the rear shocks sit in the middle of the travel (good), but the fronts sit right at the top of the travel (bad) even with zero preload. What this means is you have to pre load the rear shocks to make the car sit level. Doing this means the car has no down travel. I'm looking for some shorter springs for the front I can lower the ride height and have the car sitting in the middle of the shocks at rest. 

 

Tried a set 35mm springs on the front from Ebay but they were too stiff. I've now got a set of touring car springs coming so I'll update when I've tried them. 

Is it worth putting some fuel tube on the shaft (inside the shock) to shorten the shock?

[lorrylemming]

On 15/10/2021 at 11:06, chewbacca said:

Is it worth putting some fuel tube on the shaft (inside the shock) to shorten the shock?

 

This would lower the ride height but wouldn't give any droop so not what I wanted. Would probably work for onroad only driving.

 

 

 

The touring car spring set arrived and even the softest option was too stiff so in the parts box they went. I then had a mad idea to just shorten the stock springs myself, but if you shorten a spring by compressing it you make it stiffer so I tried heating the spring on a gas hob whilst holding it with two sets of pliers and amazingly it worked! I now have two slightly charred front springs that are shorter and a bit softer. I did bend one but I re-heated it and managed to sort that out. I wouldn't reccommend unless you have no other options and a new set of shocks would only be £10 so no biggie. I'm sure the two springs I've done aren't exactly equal but close enough.

 

So what did this actually do to the car? It has changed the ride height to pretty much arms flat, I haven't got any pictures but if the stock setup is like a monster truck, its now more like a truggy. If stock is like a traxxas maxx, mine is now like an erevo in stance.

 

The handling has greatly improved, it can corner harder at higher speeds without scrubbing the front wheels so much, the car feels more agile but is easier to traction roll. It has also helped off road, the front wheels no longer bounce but actually ride over bumps and ruts.

 

 

Overall I'd reccommend this mod if you drive wheels on the terrain, if you are just hitting ramps then its not much different. If people are interested I'll make a guide on how to squish the springs but it was more luck than skill that I got it to work.

 

 

[lorrylemming]

Changed the oil today in both sets of shocks, went with 27.5wt front and 25wt rear. Both feel over damped to me so I've got some lighter weights in the post. Minor correction to one of my comments above. The front and rear shocks are the same length but the fronts are limited in extension by the arms touching the hubs, so the net result is pretty similar.

 

The shocks themselves are nice, impressed with the double oring cartridge at the bottom and the gasket at the top.  Some flashing on the outside but the inside of the body and the pistons look smooth on mine.

[Ratty McRaticus]

A short clip of my Tracer on a bmx track a little while back and my mate just  sent me the footage a few days back. Not sure why it only uploaded at 480p  lol

 

Tracer was all factory when vid was taken.

 

 

Edited October 20, 2021 by Ratty McRaticus

[Stormbringer]

Hmm it didnt break but it was going well tho 

[bertberr]

Finally managed to destroy my rear wing, the lower section that screws to the wing mount, stayed attached to the car, and the rest parted company...  Made a new lower section out of 3mm HDPE, that is now full width, seems a lot more solid, but still flexes nicely, which is important when you're jumping it on concrete like I do.  Just wish I had more time to use it properly!

[Captain Howdy]

@bertberr

Always thought the wing on 16890 was far too small anyway.

 

 

[bertberr]

Yeah, pretty insubstantial really, prob the weakest area on the car, but overall the thing can sure take a beating!

[bertberr]

Can't believe how tough these little rigs are.  Beat the snot out of it again the other day, jumping on concrete using a 1/10 ramp, so major air, with some horrible landings (as in air control isn't great with stock esc and little wheels), and it just kept coming back for more.  It has its faults, but strength isn't one of them 😲

[bertberr]

Has anyone upgraded to the metal CVDs front and metal axles rear, and metal diff outdrive cups?  and if so, was it because the stockers failed, or just because, well... because it's fun to tinker? 😁  Thought about ordering all the parts the other day, as my rear wheels don't exactly spin true anymore, but TBH, it still goes and stops, so kind of thinking what's the point...???!!! 

[Russell iow]

Im  tempted to get metal bits but to be honest the only things to break so far are a servo, battery, diff drive pinions and a rear wing.

Ive lost a couple of drive shafts because the top arm was falling off but a washer fixed that.

I have also lost a pin from a rear drive shaft so i took one from a spare front cvd and super glued it in place.

Ive converted one to brushless so it now wheelies just about but oddley it was the brushed one that the pinions failed.

Has anyone fitted a stronger servo as the standard 3 wire one is a bit weak

?

Edited October 31, 2021 by Russell iow

[lorrylemming]

Added a set of FTX wheels made for the mini revo. They're pretty wide and tall but look the business. 

 

 

Haven't driven with them yet. Hopefully the extra weight doesn't create any weak spots. 

[Captain Howdy]

I fitted all the metal upgrades to mine, I hadn't broken anything, I just wanted to mess around make it all a bit stronger with a view to fitting a new motor and electrics.

All the metal bits came to to over £50 so the new Pro version of the 16890 seems like a real bargain!

Car also has a  satisfying sound to it now.

 

I'm also looking for a quality servo I can fit.

[lorrylemming]

I wonder if there's any benefit in shimming the servo saver spring? 

[Captain Howdy]

I'm still quite new to rc , but I can't find any servo saver on mine mate, maybe mines didn't have one? (original HBX16890 Destroyer) maybe that's why my servo is no longer accurate? hehe

 

Interested in any progress  you make with it !

 

 

[lorrylemming]

2 hours ago, Captain Howdy said:

I'm still quite new to rc , but I can't find any servo saver on mine mate, maybe mines didn't have one? (original HBX16890 Destroyer) maybe that's why my servo is no longer accurate? hehe

 

Interested in any progress  you make with it !

 

 

That spring on the servo horn is what I'm talking about. 

Edited November 1, 2021 by lorrylemming

[Captain Howdy]

Gotcha mate ! thanks

[Captain Howdy]

So when the front wheels are hit heavily, that spring compresses and disengages the servo from the servo horn/arm?

How is it able to reset back to normal ?

 

Sorry for being rc stupid/lost in music.

 

 

Edited November 9, 2021 by Captain Howdy

[lorrylemming]

12 hours ago, Captain Howdy said:

So when the front wheels are hit heavily, that spring compresses and disengages the servo from the servo horn/arm?

How is it able to reset back to normal ?

 

Sorry for being rc stupid/lost in music.

 

 

 

It has a pair of ramps that are pushed together by the spring, when you hit a front wheel these move but will slide back to centre down the ramp. Picture from a different car but same idea. 

 

[bertberr]

On 01/11/2021 at 16:09, lorrylemming said:

Added a set of FTX wheels made for the mini revo. They're pretty wide and tall but look the business. 

 

 

Haven't driven with them yet. Hopefully the extra weight doesn't create any weak spots. 

 

How are these working out?  What is the outer diameter and width?  Is there much offset to prevent them from hitting the knuckles? 

[bertberr]

On 01/11/2021 at 16:09, Captain Howdy said:

I fitted all the metal upgrades to mine, I hadn't broken anything, I just wanted to mess around make it all a bit stronger with a view to fitting a new motor and electrics.

All the metal bits came to to over £50 so the new Pro version of the 16890 seems like a real bargain!

Car also has a  satisfying sound to it now.

 

I'm also looking for a quality servo I can fit.

 

Apart from the front CVD's, diff outdrive cups and the rear axles, what else did you fit?  50 quid seems pricey!  I was reckoning on 15-20 quid for those bits I mentioned...