Shergar’s TRX-4

[Stormbringer]

It will be sods law mate but least youl have spare bearings if needed 

[Shergar]

 

Still loving the TRX4! Have a piece of history too, if you scroll to the bottom of the sign it says “Tamiya releases Lunchbox” 😉

 

[Shergar]

Mushrooms anyone? It was huge!

 

[Stormbringer]

that is big 

[Shergar]

Next shell is definitely  sporting a General Lee  paint scheme 🤠

 

[Stormbringer]

it likes being in the air tho lol

[Shergar]

 

Giving my truck a 6 month strip down, all coming apart easily so far touch wood.  Thought I’d mention the rather cheap Injora chanquish beadlocks came apart and went back together very easily, only chewing one hex bolt out 24 - and I had thread-locked them too. Traxxas foams held up well too, no crumbling, despite my love of submerging the poor thing!

 

[Shergar]

So I’m continuing my winter strip down and service of my TRX4, heres the front axle after removal:

 

 

A bit of reference - this what it looks inside a front portal of a TRX4 after 6 months of excitable use and plenty of submerging.

 

 

My maintenance regime is shake off, hose off, GT85, then oil up with a  CLP lubricant (gun oil) nothing major. The internals had the turquoise Vanquish grease on the gears and a drop of oil in the bearings during the build. I’m really impressed with the Vanquish grease, it looks filthy in here but it seems to be doing its job, no wear on the gears, no grit and cleaned up easily. Heres what it looks like inside:

 

 

 

 

The main CVD and portal gear seem bomb proof, still operating smoothly. The stub axle has a bit of surface rust and I think the pin will shear eventually, next time I will replace it. The plastic housing Is fine but those threads will strip ultimately id imagine, but there fine for now. The SSD portal weights are pretty much like new though who knows how I’m going to get the bearings out - stuck fast. 
 

Now the bearings… better than expected! Seem to spin freely enough, no imminent failure but you can feel they have a slight grinding feel. I will fit a replacement set regardless from RC bearings. It does appear the replacements have a softer rubber insert though.

 

 

[Shergar]

In case anyone is intrseted what a diff casing looks like after 6 months of liquid abuse 🤠

 

 

Some alcohol and cotton buds cleaned most of the sludge up, but the bearings on the locked diff needed to be forced off (crunched them very gently in a vice till they fractured). The bearings were far rougher - but still functioning - in the diff than the portals. I will  add the red plastic diff cover moulded captive threads were ‘soft’ I doubt I will get another go and it will need replacing next time. (I’d probably replace the plastic side off the portals too).

 

[Stormbringer]

Its cleaned up well tho considering the water its been through 

[Shergar]

In all honesty if all the magic smoke hadn’t escaped out the motor I wouldn’t have touched it…

[Shergar]

Transmission apart today, all very tough. One bearing thats the front prop shaft output was graunchy, but thats it. Everything cleaned up nicely, a re-greasing and back together. Vanquish grease again 👍 The 2 part internal shift fork assembly (which is plastic) had wear, but perfectly useable. I reckon a single speed wouldn’t let anything in as it has no shifter shaft and grommet, I rarely use the low gear, so would stick to single speed next time. A quick picture in its popped open state:

 

Just the back axle and shocks to do, and find/buy some solder for the motor.

 

[Shergar]

Finally got round to stripping the rear end down last week, and I was surprised at what I found - good as gold 👍 a bit of surface rust on the bearings, but still all greased up inside and no wear on anything. As I had new bearing I swapped them out regardless, but left the rest and just regressed it all. (Pictures as opened up).

 

 

I swapped out the motor for a new one (with the smoke still trapped inside). In hindsight swapping a 550 21T Trailmaster for a 550 8T Crawlmaster sport *might* have been slight overkill…. According to Holmes this is a jump from 1500KV to 2300KV…. I probably didn’t need the 3S either 🤠 Still it went like a scalded cat over anything up until the point I killed the Servo! The donuts didn’t help either I’d imagine 😇

 

 

[BigGinge]

I think the surpass rocket I’ve got

in mine works out around 2300kv as well. Certainly makes for fun driving with a 3S pack in even if it was a bit of a liability when run with a big heavy shell on top. 

[Shergar]

Jury is still out if the motor is overkill, lots of power everywhere but it lifts a wheel now like an original SCX and its quiet tippy too!  So I probably need a slower higher turn motor next time round. Meanwhile…
 

However (see above) in fact the only *kill* is me being an idiot and not noticing the panhard was flapping about, and then somehow killing the servo by wedging the panhard up against the steering link… but it was fun until then 🤠

 

 

 

 

[Shergar]

Went for a gentle crawl for once, so gentle it wouldn’t even need a oil afterwards let alone a clean off. Started off through the wind felled trees….

 

 

Over then under the uprooted trees….

 

 

Then after nearly an hour of gentle low throttle behaving myself, rather bizarrely the woods was closed - there a wooden raised staged path here that must have finally been condemned, so I went the other way…

 

 

 

…..and the horns came out my head, read mist (green mist?) descended….. culminating in one stinking pond truck, a flat battery and a warm ESC 🤠 At least I didn’t have to carry this stinking thing that now weighed the same as a bag of sand half hour back to the car 🤣

 

Its drying off (flooded full of GT85) in the sun and I’m scrubbing my loafers 🤪

 

 

Edited June 12, 2023 by Shergar

[Shergar]

Oh and to update on the 550/8T crawlmaster?
 

Its absolutely fine, if a little overpowered 😇 to 👹 in one esay squeeze on the throttle!

 

For hooning a bout on loose woodland it needs at least one unlocked axle I reckon, front or rear is the question? I’m currently locked both ends.

[Stormbringer]

I knew it i just knew it would end being up to the axles in mud or slimey water mate 

[Shergar]

I tried, its a fair amount of willpower for a grown man 🤣 Its dried off oiled up and working fine thankfully!

[Stormbringer]

And you were doing so well to