Jato Got a CMX Unimog

[JatoTheRipper]

I tend to order a lot of parts and then they lay around until I get back around to that truck. I ordered these MST weights from Asia a while ago and they recently arrived.




I had read that some people have issues with these weights not working with 1.55 wheels. I was afraid I'd have that issue, but I had to try myself. Thankfully, my wheels have enough offset that they fit perfectly. If needed, you can switch the weights to the opposite sides of the truck so that the MST logo is towards the inside and you gain more clearance. I didn't need to do that.








Barely noticeable behind the sexy LURC Trail Read beadlock wheels.




And a shot of the truck just because I love the looks of this thing so much! :mrgreen:




I bought two sets of weights so I could install them on the front and the rear. After installing the front set I took the truck outside to do a test run. The weights made a surprising difference despite only being 10 grams each. With a compact "full-size" LiPo (4200mAh stick pack shape) the truck crawls my test stump. I couldn't believe it. You do have to choose your line much more carefully though. I was filming while driving one handed and it took me probably two dozen takes to get a good video. My phone may or may not have taken flight out of frustration. :mrgreen: I decided to leave off the rear weights because the truck works so well as is. Can't wait to get this thing back out on the trail!

I did notice something odd going on with this HobbyWing WP 1080 ESC. While climbing it would roll backwards at times instead of the drag brake catching which you can see in the first video. I think this has to do with the "Freewheeling" option on the ESC, but I'm not positive so I'll have to look into it.

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[2mtech]

That's pretty good for a vertical climb out...wouldn't have thought it would manage that!

 

[soze]

Damn you. I've been putting this rig aside so that I don't buy stuff for it right away. I've been looking at these weights and the links.

 

[JatoTheRipper]

That's pretty good for a vertical climb out...would've have thought it would manage that!

I didn't think it had any chance to do that either!

Damn you. I've been putting this rig aside so that I don't buy stuff for it right away. I've been looking at these weights and the links.

:lmao:

This forum is a big group of bad influences.

If you haven't driven your truck I'd suggest you try it. A ton more fun than I ever expected.

I'm still using the stock, plastic links. They are strong enough for this lightweight truck on mild power IMO. Plus, they slide better than aluminum and don't get chewed up and visually ruined nearly as quickly.

 

[alexleblanc]

I see the little truck is winning you over, the more I drive mine the more I love the platform.

 

[JatoTheRipper]

Last night Beef Tubes announced Beef Tubes for the MST axles. They make both aluminum and brass axles. After sleeping on it I decided to order brass for both axles. I was contemplating aluminum for the rear to get a forward weight bias, but I'm pretty happy with the weight bias as it sits now. The brass Beef Tubes will just add weight down low all around and make the somewhat top heavy truck less prone to rolling and therefore better at side hilling.

 

[soze]

Last night Beef Tubes announced Beef Tubes for the MST axles. They make both aluminum and brass axles. After sleeping on it I decided to order brass for both axles. I was contemplating aluminum for the rear to get a forward weight bias, but I'm pretty happy with the weight bias as it sits now. The brass Beef Tubes will just add weight down low all around and make the somewhat top heavy truck less prone to rolling and therefore better at side hilling.

It's about time MST gets some aftermarket love. Their in-house upgrades are great, but I'd like to see aftermarket jump in.

 

[JatoTheRipper]

It's about time MST gets some aftermarket love. Their in-house upgrades are great, but I'd like to see aftermarket jump in.

Which of the MST upgrades have you purchased?


I have started the tedious task of putting thread lock on each and every one of the 92 scale bolts. Never ever have I had to use thread lock on bead lock wheels or scale hardware so I'm frustrated with these LockedUp RC wheels. I don't know if the tolerances are different with the threads in the wheels or the hardware or if it's just the smaller size of the hardware, but it's frustrating that they won't stay in place. Using thread lock brings in the big risk of stripping this hardware that already has sloppy tolerances on the heads. If you've ever used scale hardware you know what I mean.

Also, when you tighten the scale hardware, even with LURC's HD tool which is a tighter fit, it is very difficult to remove the driver without wiggling it or yanking straight up. I'm not overtightening the screws IMO. I'm just getting them snug.

I decided to use a toothpick to try to limit the amount of thread lock on each scale bolt.

 

[Crawler Cads]

Which of the MST upgrades have you purchased?


I have started the tedious task of putting thread lock on each and every one of the 92 scale bolts. Never ever have I had to use thread lock on bead lock wheels or scale hardware so I'm frustrated with these LockedUp RC wheels. I don't know if the tolerances are different with the threads in the wheels or the hardware or if it's just the smaller size of the hardware, but it's frustrating that they won't stay in place. Using thread lock brings in the big risk of stripping this hardware that already has sloppy tolerances on the heads. If you've ever used scale hardware you know what I mean.

Also, when you tighten the scale hardware, even with LURC's HD tool which is a tighter fit, it is very difficult to remove the driver without wiggling it or yanking straight up. I'm not overtightening the screws IMO. I'm just getting them snug.

I decided to use a toothpick to try to limit the amount of thread lock on each scale bolt.

Blimey that's tedious!
I tend to squirt some on a non porous surface and dab the bolt end on it, keeps it tidy and much easier than squirting each time!

Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk

 

[2mtech]

Which of the MST upgrades have you purchased?


I have started the tedious task of putting thread lock on each and every one of the 92 scale bolts. Never ever have I had to use thread lock on bead lock wheels or scale hardware so I'm frustrated with these LockedUp RC wheels. I don't know if the tolerances are different with the threads in the wheels or the hardware or if it's just the smaller size of the hardware, but it's frustrating that they won't stay in place. Using thread lock brings in the big risk of stripping this hardware that already has sloppy tolerances on the heads. If you've ever used scale hardware you know what I mean.

Also, when you tighten the scale hardware, even with LURC's HD tool which is a tighter fit, it is very difficult to remove the driver without wiggling it or yanking straight up. I'm not overtightening the screws IMO. I'm just getting them snug.

I decided to use a toothpick to try to limit the amount of thread lock on each scale bolt.

I can see the advantage to this method vs my water bottle cap/dip approach being you're only putting the threadlock high on the shank instead of at the end...makes more sense to only have it at the thread engagement point when tightened, especially if you ever want to unthread it again.

 

[Jboucher]

I use locktite gel. Found it at a local hardware store.
You can keep the bottle upright and turn a screw under it to squirt out blue paste up top and then just touch it with the screw tip.

 

[JatoTheRipper]

Blimey that's tedious!
I tend to squirt some on a non porous surface and dab the bolt end on it, keeps it tidy and much easier than squirting each time!

Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk

I don't use "blimey" but blimey tedious sounds about right!

How do you like your Pixel?

I can see the advantage to this method vs my water bottle cap/dip approach being you're only putting the threadlock high on the shank instead of at the end...makes more sense to only have it at the thread engagement point when tightened, especially if you ever want to unthread it again.

That was my thinking. Hopefully it prevents loose screws and stripped screws.

 

[Crawler Cads]

I don't use "blimey" but blimey tedious sounds about right!

How do you like your Pixel?



That was my thinking. Hopefully it prevents loose screws and stripped screws.

It's a good phone albeit can be battery hungry which I think may actually be Tapatalk. Just need to remember to force the app to shut occasionally.
Work phone though so being free to me I can't complain [emoji6]
'blimey' might be more a UK thing perhaps [emoji3]

Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk

 

[JatoTheRipper]

I use locktite gel. Found it at a local hardware store.
You can keep the bottle upright and turn a screw under it to squirt out blue paste up top and then just touch it with the screw tip.

Cool idea. I'm not sure if I have the gel here. I seem to lose nearly as much thread lock as I buy.

I do prefer the liquid in this case though. You put a drop on and it automatically wicks around the threads.

It's a good phone albeit can be battery hungry which I think may actually be Tapatalk. Just need to remember to force the app to shut occasionally.
Work phone though so being free to me I can't complain [emoji6]
'blimey' might be more a UK thing perhaps [emoji3]

Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk

I'm torn between the soon to be released Pixel 3 and whatever iPhone comes next. I was a diehard Android phone until recently.

Blimey is definitely a UK thing. It's a cool word though. "thumbsup"

 

[Jboucher]

Grab a heavily discounted Pixel 2 xl, it's still one of the top android phone out there.

It's my next one whenever it drops below 200$ at my provider's store.

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

 

[JatoTheRipper]

Last night I was bored. My AR-15 build is finished and I didn't have anything else RC related that I wanted to delve into so I decided to put some meat on my CMX. Time to install some Beef Tubes.

This is what Beef Tubes look like in case there are a few that haven't seen them.




They weight 30 grams or 1.05 ounces per set. Not a huge amount of weight, but it's in the axle and will be as low as possible so it will help. Plus, the truck itself is very light so I'm sure the installation of these tubes will have a noticeable impact on performance.




I forgot, but was quickly reminded that the axles on this truck are one, solid piece. That's great for durability and getting rid of slop so I am a fan, but it does make some things more difficult. Installing Beef Tubes is one of those things. I removed the axle, split the case and took out the assembly.


I then used my Dremel to get rid of the plastic flat spots inside the axle housing. You must do this in order to fit the Beef Tubes.




And that's all of the photos that I remembered to take so you'll have to look at these for now. :ror: I will say that the holes for the screws are drilled too far "in" or my housings are slightly different because the screws holding the rear lockouts do not screw in perfectly straight and line up with the Beef Tubes. This causes me to screw up the threads on one and strip it before I realized it. That's a huge bummer.

The front and more photos are still to come...

 

[2mtech]

Somehow I have yet to install Beef Tubes on anything...horrible oversight on my part, no doubt.

5 1/2 hours and no more pics?? ;-)

 

[JatoTheRipper]

Sunday morning I woke up around 10:30 AM and I was wide awake which is rare. So I got out of bed, got dressed, drank a tomato juice (I would live on that stuff if I could!) and headed to my work bench to install the Beef Tubes on the front of my CMX.

First, let's pull out the front axle. Simple and stout.




The front axle is one solid, metal shaft like the rear. The PITA with the front is having to remove the snap rings for the front CVD-ishes. The C-hubs won't pull off over the CVD-ish ends and that's why the snap rings have to be removed first. I say CVD-ishes because they aren't quite CVDs. There isn't a barrel in the center like on CVDs. That's the only part that's missing. So these are sloppier than CVDs, but once everything is together I don't notice anymore slop than standard CVDs.




Here's the front axle assembly. Everything is captured on this assembly - even the outer bearings. Again, a simple and stout design. MST does engineering gooder than the average bear.




You have to split the differential/locker housing in order to get the axle halves apart so that you can install the Beef Tubes. The two halves are held into the plastic locker by drive pins.

Getting this drive pin installed was a royal PITA. The 3 notches cut into the pot metal diff gear aren't deep enough to line the drive pin up with the hole. You actually have to drop the drive pin into the locker into the corner right next to the screw hole. And then you have to tilt the ring gear and finagle the pin into place. It's tedious and requires patience - more patience than what is typical for doing this just because it's a tighter fit.




The SOB pin installed. :lmao: After locking the assembly into a vice and using a needle nose pliers it went faster than expected though. I got lucky and had the pin and ring gear in the perfect position and the pin just dropped into place. Your mileage may vary.




Here's the assembly wit (for those Philly cheesesteak lovers out there) Beef Tubes. The best part is the hideous brass is hidden.

I didn't have problems with the screw alignment like I did on the front Beef Tubes. This set was machined perfectly.




Pro Tip - Once you install the assembly into one side of the axle, installed screws into the Beef Tubes. This holds them into place until you get the axle halves assembled back together.




Upon reassembly of the CVD-ishes I lubed them with good ol' Ballistol.




A dim light bulb went off in my mushy brain and I remembered that I had ordered the upgraded, aluminum servo plate from MST. The bigger miracle is that I found it in my little RC shop of horrors. Organization is no longer a strong suit yet it was when I was a child... Parts of my personality (patience, organization, etc) have regressed into childhood as I got to adulthood. Doesn't make any sense to me, but anyway here's proof I found it! :mrgreen:




Here's the servo plate installed. I love how MST cut out the plate to place it as low as possible on the axle! "thumbsup"

As I stated earlier, MST products are well engineered. The quality of their plastics is also second to none. Even the three tiny screws that hold the metal ring gear to the plastic diff housing have a hard stop when they get tight. There's no guessing when you're at the point of being tight unlike some of the other brands (*cough* Axial *cough*) where you can't tell if the screw is tight or on the verge of stripping out the hole.




I took the truck out for a quick spin. Was the benefit of the Beef Tubes drastic? Hmm...I'd say no, but it definitely did help so I'm happy with the purchase.

 

[2mtech]

At least you found the trick with those pins. They reminded me of one of those infuriating cheap games from the '60's where you had to tilt the game to make a ball bearing drop into the clown's nose or something.

Fun Sunday morning project. "thumbsup"

 

[soze]

As I stated earlier, MST products are well engineered. The quality of their plastics is also second to none. Even the three tiny screws that hold the metal ring gear to the plastic diff housing have a hard stop when they get tight. There's no guessing when you're at the point of being tight unlike some of the other brands (*cough* Axial *cough*) where you can't tell if the screw is tight or on the verge of stripping out the hole.

Those were my thoughts when I build my CFX-W last year. Packaging was nice and organized, plastics were great, and engineering was nice as well. It's a shame MST Crawlers haven't gained more traction here in the States. They really needed to be available at LHS's and multiple online shops. Amain alone wasn't enough to carry the torch. Probably would've helped to do some marketing in this market as well.

At least you found the trick with those pins. They reminded me of one of those infuriating cheap games from the '60's where you had to tilt the game to make a ball bearing drop into the clown's nose or something.

Fun Sunday morning project. "thumbsup"

Yep... needle nose pliers.