TOPIC:

I still need to decide what to do with those YR shocks.

Thanks boys. It's Tamiya's camel yellow. That body with black rims and those fat rear rubbers, then some dust and dirt on that, not much more in the world pleases my eyes.

We've done some cool footage and films too (my Camilla was out with me filming), just that I need to learn some film editing program before I start posting it on youtube. I'm getting there.

Here's one more for you.

.. yes, isn't it.


So after a few rounds of cycling and testing my new batteries, I shall finally leave Jadmal some great feedback on ebay.

I've bought several new Nimh packs in one go, all Overlander 3300mah, out of which 2 are humpbacks for the sand scorcher. I've also bought a few Lipos, but now I'm starting to get cold feet due to the fact that Lipos are much lighter, and so much more powerful. Using Lipo with any of my SRBs would need additional weights to give the suspension some play.

Anyway, yesterday I tested all my new nimh packs, and I didn't forget to snap some nice shots of my Fighting Buggy for you.



As you see it travels somewhat lighter than with the 5A pack I used before. I've set the rear spring tension to its minimum stiffness, next step would be to completely remove the 'nut', but that would only provide a few grams, I'd guess.

I'd like another 100 grams to make the rear wheels angle closer to 90 degrees, than now. The overlander 3A packs weigh 330g, and my old Maxam 5A pack 430g. I'm working on documenting the weight of various power packs for quick reference.




Oh and ... I've installed the "Free floating suspension" now, and filled all shocks of both my scorcher and fighter here. Wow!! what a difference in terrain management! Now we're talking damping for real. I can't believe that I didn't fill the shocks earlier, I was afraid they'd leak so I only put a little oil in them. But they don't!



I made sure that both the bottle and the hose were free of air bubbles before installing it. I did not do this moment by the manual, it seemed too messy. So I basically just squeezed the bottle a little holding it upright to evacuate most air, then attaching the hose securing it with straps. Then turning the bottle around hanging the setup with bottle upside down to leave all air at its bottom, then working the shock in/out forcing bubbles through the hose and up into the bottle where the air ended up at the top (bottom of the bottle). The bubbles will get smaller and smaller, less and less, untill almost no air remains. But, maybe you still want a few small bubbles just to be able to watch how the shock works.

And today I also took my XV-01 on its maiden voyage around the lot.

But that's a story for tomorrow.

Nice work uncle T. Be carefull with the leather of the lambo and rc dirt.

Hahah!! It is not my Lamborghini. It was on the parking lot at the time, there was some sort of football event last night on our local sport field. But it made a great picture, right?

No, I have a Pegout 107

About my XV-01 chassi now. It was a real joy and a slightly higher challenge to build, unlike the previous kits I've built this far. Many small pieces, many similar looking spacers and washers that I feel could be omitted. Otherwise a typical Tamiya but with a more realistic design, like those oil filled diffs and front mounted motor.




First test run was very pleasant and smooth. I need to adjust the toe a bit inwards, but otherwise the car ran surprisingly quiet and soft. I instantly fell in love with the XV-01! Could it be the belt that makes the car feel so soft and quiet? Compared to my TT01 the XV makes almost no sound at all!? Perhaps because it's so well integrated.

The body posts are slightly thicker, which makes it impossible to fit a body with 6 mm holes on there, so I will need to increase the holes in at least my Lancia body to 6,5 or 7 mm, to make the body slide easily on.




Also I need to add that I tested my new XV01 with my new Overlander battery packs, and I think I must have been out there at least 1½ hours. It just kept going!

Further word on my new batteries, I wanted them all 3300mah so that I wouldn't need to reconfigure my charger. I figured if all my batteries were of the same type and amount of cells I could fine tune all suspensions and not worry about the various weights of battery packs.




Although my plans changed rapidly, going with Lipos will for me at least be a revolution.

I never saw a xv01 before. It looks very pretty with it wheeles arches. But oil filled diff??? Like a 1/1car?
The belt transmission is very quiet. Same on the first belt rc the ta03.
1,5h of running time is beautifull.
I hope to see your videos

Ehm.. yes the videos will be a while, I'm still learning to make good film with Vegas.

The diffs are fill with oil, like this.

Now I have another problem. This Lipo pack is not the same size as my Nimh packs. Why?

I bought this Lipo pack to ... have a Lipo pack instead of a Nimh pack. I was looking specifically for this shape / formature of pack to replace the Nimh because it looks really alot like a Nimh. But none of my chassis, TT01, DF03 or XV01 can take it. *It is just about too long* to fit. It may fit in my Fighting Buggy, but I can't use it with my Fighter due to the pack's light weight.



Are there Lipos that are the same format as Nimhs? I don't want to modify my chassis.

In my TT01 I can place the Lipo inside the battery cradle, but as I want to secure it with the battery lock bar, the bar won't close over the post because the cables are in the way. I could use some other, thinner lock bar, but I don't want to do that. I'd like Tamiya to provide a solution for this.






And, then I have this, we can all see why I cannot use this in any of my cars. It's a brick! For what / where / when are these used? Are there cars that take these bricks at all? Why won't Tamiya make their battery compartments just a few mm larger so that it can accommodate Lipos?