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Looking for local SCX6 to take on outdated Clodbuster

lol.... "hey, look over here at these cool bugs walking on water.... oh neat.... now.... wait what was i doing again? hmm m i forget oh well time to go home noting to see here.... i swear i was just here doing something.... wonder why i have this tx thingy in my hands".

Thats taking submerged very seriously! "thumbsup"
I know it's a crappy video but it's a e10 underwater doing um hum something
 
I know it's a crappy video but it's a e10 underwater doing um hum something


Yeah no doubt that sucker is sunk lmao. I appreciate your comments and feedback and experience.

Its got me to digging -- and I took the TRX4 for a good thrashing today, no vids, just my own good clean fun havin.

Rand a 3s 8400mah down to 11.3volts, a good lot of driving. It came to an early end in the technical rocks section ---- failed steering.

I set out to diagonose tonight --- radio all wet? yes. radio failure? Well, no because everything else still works ok IF i unplug the steering servo.

Tear apart steering servo --- supposedly waterproof DS3240 from Ali.

Well.... NOPE. Not at all IP7 waterproof. LOTS of water inside this servo and yes it went for a good swim but dam waterproof means water PROOF no?

Anyways its burned, smells burned, wont operate. Its shorting the whole system, and while the radio is soaked (my glove method doesn't work when you're trying to keep up underwater with ferp) and the whole truck worked fine just servo failure.

It has waterproof gaskets, so what the hey. Well i'll tell you what the hey --- buyer beware --- get the INJORA instead 35kg and give away the 5kg of torque.

DS cheaped this servo out for $11 --- the power is AWESOME. But the forgot to bother with a top rubber gasket to seal the spline exit on the top cap. I assume thats why there's plenty fo water in both the top and bottom sections of my servo. Working it HARD in a TRX4 for a few drives now and the water has found its way down into the motor section and burned it up. There is small amounts of surface rust on the gears so the waters been there for a short bit, i only just installed this servo a few weeks ago, but did run it in my SCLOODX6 for a couple weeks before that in the rear.

Anyways -- -check the pics when you buy. For $5 the Injora is a fair trade off still good torque at 35kg and YES the pic shows clearly a top rubber gasket.

I went back to the pics of the 1/5scale DSServos i had bought cuz i SWORE they said "waterproof" and sure enough the pics show top rubber gaskets for $20 you get 1/5scale power 8.4v and 60kg-80kg torque.

Why can't they include one .02 cent gasket on the smaller 1/10 scale 40kg servo to ensure 100% IP67 waterproof.

I noticed one seller now doesn't feature the word "waterproof" for the servo anymore on Ali. They figured it out too. Design flaw.

Drat cuz i have 2 spares sitting here. What a waste.

grrr. Just PHEW the 1/5 scales are gasketed... otherwise there is really no other reasonable price large scale servo option out there. I was worried the high voltage stripped the 1/10 scale servo --- but nope gears are fine it just failed due to water damage of all dang things!!!

Anyways the CT01 Tx/Rx with 1080 G2 ESC and all other Traxxas shifting servos were precise and fine even with wet Rx as long as nothing else is shorting it out!! 8)"thumbsup". Wonder if its been this wet and failing/shorting steering servo the whole time causing a short and radio failure even when it was on the TRX Radio and ESC system?? Probably! I think i've gone thru two of these DS40's so far maybe three but i thought the others had been cooked under strain from the SCLODX6 and just "DIED". I bet it was water penetration every time!!!! I couldn't smell the burn until i got the case open. LOL its smellproof, but not waterproof.
 
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servos are funny critters
I've had mg996 $4 servos with no waterproofing hold up fine and had expensive waterproof savox servos fail with just a little bit of water and about everything in between
I've also had servo burn up just sitting idle while I climbed over the rocks to get to the truck to keep going only to find a dead servo
I tend to buy the same servos over and over again that way when I kill one have parts for the next one
these days I try to stick to direct power servos and they seem to be waterproofed pretty good
 
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Yeah I took the plunge (hahaha), and bought the $38 big scale servo for 3s at 170kg torque -- just for the front. Rear i will keep.on 2s.


I put in the 80t motors -- they are 540's though and they SUCKED BIGTIME.

no rolling or standing torque at all even on the lower gearing. Really surprised how much weaker they are.

540 vs 550 makes a sizeable diff. Thus looking fwd to 570's those should again be a nice step up in low torque if it's anything like going 540 to 550.

The 540 size can with 80 turn couldn't even break over basic beans in the bowl at 100% throttle on 3s. Really Really pathetic and anemic.

Back to 550's for now till 570's show up they will be a tricky fit I think but we gonna try!!!
 
The latest...

SCX6 aluminum steering links kit is not up to snuff.... wore out the balls already and front is all sloppy again. I ordered....

4mm Steel heim joints
4mm Steel threaded rod
6mm OD / 4mm ID Steel tube

Gonna try building my own super-duty steering links -- all steel baby!! That should take the torque of the coming 175kg servo upgrade. The sloppy aluminum SCX6 links are good enough for links on the truck for now -- some slop in a 4 link is livable as its stifferened out by the triangulation of the links themselves, but in the steering, where the ball is constantly being worked back and forth --- these are junk, just couldn't hold up long. I could tell they would fail so been eyeing quality steel heim hardware --- price not bad on Ali. We'll see how good they are. If decent, that would mean you can build your own 4mm solid steel 4 link for the SCX6 front & rear for about $50. Not too bad i don't think so if the steering works, i may just do the entire 4 link in steel too -- probably a fair amount heavier though. The balls in the heims on the aluminum set are junk for $37, but that includes steering links too I suppose, otherwise the link material and thickness themselves are just fine - i thought about just hacking and tapping the existing aluminum link rods with the 4mm steel heim joints -- might try that as yet, not sure. The aluminum kit is all one piece thought between the link body and the link tip -- kinda weird -- def would have to cut it ---- i learned this the hard way when i tried to "unthread" a tip from a link. I thought maybe they were loc-tited so i took MAD HEAT to it to no avail, eventuallyu the whole thing began to twist like a pretzel. I looked closer and upon inspection -- well shit no wonder you can't unscrew them, they are a single piece of aluminum lol!!! Just the suspension links, not the steering links. The steering links in the aluminum kit are actually separate ball link ends from the rod itself.

I know I know... Vitavon Ti set --- for $158. Um.... no - -- but its dam tempting! Those also look like 1 piece link rods.

Couple cool vids below of 'er ripping (trying anyways) thru not sure what else to call it.... a MUCK BOG DITCH.

Lots of debris in there to get hung up on -- i'd say she did ok. Not spectacular, but also the fact she came out at all a couple times i was impressed and excited about it.

NO WATERPPROOFING on the Rx in these vids.... Ferp you're a genius!!

I pulled pounds of debris off of it when i was done, i'd say at least 3lbs in the 2nd video, maybe 4 even, of wet mucky debris wrapped around all four wheels choking them off from being able to rotate freely. I don't even know how it kept spinning -- good crazy torque!

Oh yeah Diesel engine sounds too now!!! Really challenged it hard from a water perspective in the vid - it rained more and puddle had more water today when i shot the first vid posted below. Seems waterproof enough.. no glitching to speak of!

LINK: https://youtu.be/SjmXIQJwmKU?si=SA_6-ZkXgOsYNidU
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LINK: https://youtu.be/n_xp0mhHA7w?si=vvgmV7UmZ6eQM0wW
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Final modifications and she's all done!!!

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The latest..... Upgraded to 16mm lower 4 links with 8mm heims -- MASSIVELY BEEFY stuff here folks like nothin' else on any SCX6 or any RC Crawler rig for that matter that i've ever seen. Show me beefier???

Also upgraded all steering stuff but think i mentioned that already.

Went to 3s lipo solely -- -3s4p 5200mah 80C. Essentially then its 3s lipo with 20800mah of capacity. I am now running the servos from the 1080 G2's set on 8.4volt BEC outputs. So far so good and haven't needed to drop in the 3s power front servo just yet.

FINAL UPGRADES UNDER WAY NOW --- making custom STEEL 17mm Hex Hub axle extensions --- longer than the 30mm versions that are commercially available in aluminum (7075 if you buy a set from Vitavon for the SCX6 but i don't think those are longer than 20mm extension).

Anyways --- I'm going super wide since they are STEEL baby --- 62.5mm. If all goes well should pick up at least 1 inch width per side and land at about 17.5 inches wide tire to tire track width. Ran into issues making them out of aluminum, really i just don't have the right tools is all. Looks like using steel will work out better anyways.

Adds weight down low too!

Gears are holding up well and I have been thrashing them good -- sorry no more vids just yet but want to get axle extensions done and will then be taking it to Chagrin Falls quarry run for some romping and a solid long form vid!!!

Decided i don't need the wheelspeed and it goes a bit faster than my casual walking pace even under load --- so i'm dropping down to 55t lathe 550 motors to get more slow speed torque profile in the picture!

I tried to weigh it and um well i need a bigger scale lol --- went for half weights front/rear and my scale goes to 15lb and got maxxed on both front and rear --- meaning its got to be over 30lbs total!!!! YIKES!

:mrgreen::mrgreen::mrgreen: :mrgreen: Loving this truck now that its all beefed up and running solid as a rock!!! (lol it might break tomorrow for me running my mouth today :lmao:)

Also been doing some pulling tests -- i hooked up a garden wagon supposedly capable of 400lbs. I sat in it with my 8lb dog so about 160lbs including the wagon --- has no issues pulling us around with ease -- did not have to add any weight at all to the rig. Once i hit steep inclines though the front end comes up and can see that it needs weight on the front to keep gripping at all 4 tires. I think if it had weight at the front and could get the grip that similar to Kevin Talbots vids this rig could easily pull the GTR, maybe something heavier or a 2nd car even... not sure it could pull the weight of 3 cars like Kevin's Vitavon SCX6, but for a rig based on tech developed 35+ years prior to the SCX6...... i don't think the old CLOD is doin too bad here folks!!!

I can say my TRX4 is now 100% CEASED and no longer running after 7yrs of water bashing. The CLOD has seen same, still rotates fine. Yes gears have seen a rebuild for different reasons of course, but as far as transmission corrosion goes, sad to see the TRX4 finally go down for the count and CLOD doesn't seem to run into those issues nearly as much.

LOL watch to the end for a freak sneak peak appearance from Gojira, in the flesh!! :ror:
 
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so what happened to the video?
Sorry man - the rig is done and has pulled two friends in the wagon half way up the steep driveway - 275lbs, from a standstill. The servos have now failed. Not sure, water I think, the front goes 100% to the side, the rear goes twitchy like nuts, I don't think its gears, I do think its water again. (deep water run in river, see vid).

Once the servos failed after the water run, I put the rig on the shelf for last 2 weeks.... been building a new BIG RIG to put all SCX6 would-be "Rock Crawlers" to shame. Alas, The SCX6 Clodbuster Beastie has become massively portly and now at 33lbs, 3.2ozs, she really is not going to be able to outcrawl or even come close to the FOC Rock-crawler low-slung dedicated SCX's out there. The CLOD is now going to be BIG MUD, BIG SNOW, BIG HAULIN, BIG HILL CLIMB, and some ROCKS, but not rock crawler dedicated once I get the servos fixed and water-proofed this time with polyurethane coatings.

Instead of the SCX6 Vitavon monstsrosity i was planning to build, (too pricey, too heavy, parts availability etc, excuses excuses) I wanted to repurpose what I already had on hand and get to building NOW. And was so TIRED of my old tired TRX4 and 1/10 scale rigs -- everybody has one. And the axles had seized finally (front bearing on bevel pinion is so seized that even torch RED hot with NUT BREAKER will not release it, the bearing race is toast). $30 for a set of ring & pinion and bearing kit for front TRX4 axle. SO DUMB.

So, the TRX4 LC70 KillerBody rig I had on the channel is no longer... I auctioned the hard body, bought a bunch of aluminum L channel, steel tube and rod, and 4mm heims, and new axles, and got to building!!!

On Ali, for $35 per axle, you can now get CAPRA style very wide 225mm hex-to-hex portal axles. Come with ROBUST 7075 housings, hardened steel shafts, tool steel U-Joints, --- serious legit ok quality stuff!!!! I added 40mm of widening per side, 80mm total. WOWOWWW. And I can say they are taking a PHWOMPING the last few days no signs of death yet lol.

Ended up with 22inch wheelbase, 15 inch trackwidth wheel to wheel, 12inch rear lower 4 links in steel, upper links in aluminum, all steel M4 heims ball joints, 14.5inch rear drive shaft pieced together with steel half-shafts and shored up inside a single long tube 16mm 6063 aluminum filled with JB Weld and the steel half-shafts stuffed thru it. Custom steel skid plate extension and steel rod ladder stiffeners throughout. Metal 2-speed tranny with hardened steel gears. Running on Redcat Rock Crushers 8inch tall tires with my custom inflatable tire mod setup on Scooter inner tubes on 40 series RC4WD Aluminum beadlocks, custom cut & arrowed by me into pizza-cutter like tires.

Longer wheelbase than SCX6, long overall than SCX6, slightly bigger (essentially same) track width as SCX6) and again, taller tires than an SCX6!!!

Comes in on the mega diet at just 19lbs running 3s lipos 5000mah. Was looking to keep it light weight and ready to CRAWL!!!!

So far is showing it will be an AMAZINGLY CAPABLE crawler, has conquered terrain at my house that nothing else has been able to so far, GLUED to the EARTH.

Running Turnigy Aerostar 4250 Big Block Outrunner brushless motor on Rhino 80Amp Esc up to 5s and 1000watt capable motor, 375kv --- mega slow Sine wave setup with AM32 programming, mega torque for days!!!!!

It did do 2.1 miles round trip with the SCX Clodbuster on the dog walk one night a couple weeks back, its putting in some work so far.... The transmissions are holding up just fine, still had to carry it home the last 100yards do to a drive pin falling out the CVD cup near the end, needs red loctite---- BRUTAL long walk with 33lbs on your head let me tell you, you think several times about where you're driving this truck, because if it fails on the trails, how is it coming home????!!!! ;)

SCX Clodbuster -- hitting the river (and trashing my 1/5th scale servos!!)
---> can start in the 11:30 range if want to skip to EXTREME deep water scene....
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Guess I'll put the new build in another thread -- I have a couple vids on it and will keep 'em comin' for both rigs very soon!!!!

The building madness just never stops....... its whack, its rudimentary, I don't have time for perfection, but as far as i'm concerned, these rigs are just the bees knees and what I was planning for so far!!!! Very pleased with them, now that I have two up and running (just about), Ferp your invited. Head to Ohio and lets do some riggin' together!
 
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Steering Break-Thru moments today!!! The SCX6 Clodbuster is a near 34lb heavy weight.... and much of the weight is focused to the front end with lipos and weighted wheels and heavy body setup shifting more of the 34lbs that direction. It means steering is always a battle.

The 5th scale servos setup didn't last, wore thru several of them (I think some water damage bs "waterproof" servos my arse) anyways --- I finally figured out how to double up the front servo setup -----

and so now I give you the first ever......

TWIN 1/5th Scale Front Steering Servo Mod on a CLODBUSTER in the history of all time!!! (fairly presumptuous of me, but certainly there isn't another one on Youtbue like this right now!)

In the making --

Finished product --


And these are just 60kg/cm3 of torque 1/5th scale servos (833oz/in). For another $10 you can get 150kg/cm3 same brand servo that runs on 3s lipo direct drive and at full 12.6 volts it puts out 175kg's!!!! For $35. So for $70 I can now confidently put 2 of them up front and have 300+ KG of steering torque.... that HAS GOT to be the most steering torque per $$ on the market in a big rig.

Crew -- you realize with both 150's in there its going to be 4000oz/in of Steering TORQUE!!!!!!! It might just damage my steering knuckles lol.

Frankly how it test drove tonight, the 120KG of torque is more more than enough and a huge improvement all-round. It feels more planted and goes straighter now with the rear locked out too -- glad I did away with rear-steer, it was more of a hassle than the occasional help.

Trail, Hill Climb, and Rock crawling videos of both this rig and the new TRX4-XL Supersizer coming up very soon!!!!!!! LOL maybe i'll double-fist a bit ;)
 
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Put a little test in on the dual steering setup -- YESSS!! Way better than before that's for sure, of course what would you expect from 2x the torque with half the load per servo essentially.

Motors (servo) were a little warm at the end but I was intentionally working them a good bit more than I would have needed just to test it all out and the rig was sitting in 90degree sun for hours before I ran it. Don't think it was an issue at all but going to keep a temp gun going at them during longer runs just in case need a rest.

Added a cross-brace steel link with steel heims right on the servo arm pivot point -- this keeps the servos perfectly spaced and no flex apart can take place from the point of pivot which may help with rigidity is my hope!

She took a bit of a hard roll in this video, went over 360 degrees down the bean hill -- no damage!

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The 570T big boy motors (67mm can length, 10mm longer than a 550) finally made it thru customs and arrived today!! A little fishing around to get them fitted as they are longer and run into things --- but I got them both installed today.

Video tomorrow i'm hoping at least around the house -- first run I didn't video but the rig runs with POWA!!!! BIG POWA!!! I was finally able to conquer the rock wall on the east side of my house -- the one that only the TRX4-MEGA build just recently got up and over. The added rear torque was SO needed. I think it should be repeatable so tomorrow I will go at it again and get f vid this time! I wasn't shooting as frankly didn't expect anything good to happen lol -- was just gonna take a quick stab and move on to light testing. But bam, it did it on my first try, 2nd approach after adjusting the line ever so slightly. WOW! Impressed myself again! Rig just keeps getting better!! No signs yet of breakage on the axles or transmission gears! Not sure if I'm just getting lucky or what --- but now with TWIN/ 570's if it all holds up I will absolutely be convinced a built CLOD is far more robust than anyone is giving it credit for.

These 570's mount up the same as a 550 and are 3.17mm shafts - so for pretty cheap $10 you can up your torque profile alot --- if your hauling or crawling -- happy with these so far! Just wish they ran bearings instead of bushings -- apply ample marine grease if you're hitting water!

570T 16k rpm @ 12v
 
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i got nothing new to say so all you get outa me is a stupid like
right on and i'll roll one in your honor and appreciation!

Here's my mic drop for this thread for a bit...

The Big Block 570T motors are in and running beutifully -- somewhat a tricky fit, but overall no big issues..... and finally have the rear torque needed to conquer the big rock wall on east side of my house (only TRX4 MEGA had done it until now).

Can now probably easily pull well over 500lbs with the wagon.... no issue, really probably can pull real. cars like Kevin Talbot lol.

Skip to last 2-3mins (28-29) minutes range if you only want to see it conquer the final rock wall.




What more is there to prove? Well, I noticed the rear aluminum 4-links get hung on rocks (ALU is annoying like this, even 7075 sometimes but not as bad as the softer non zinc versions). So I set out to design and install a STEEL skid plate under the rear 4-link Quick short below of skid plate installed (literally just happened to have a spare piece of stainless sheet metal laying around from when I bought 2 square and cut one small piece for the TRX4 MEGA center skid plate/axle protector. Took the other sheet and made this huge skid plate!! I thnk it will slide off the rocks WAYYY better!

And hey just noticed - 3k views in a few hours - my most viral short ever lol -- weird!
 
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Steel skid plate in the flesh!!! Testing went well enough --- its got some scars now to show its workin' lol!!! The scratches are just that though -- cosmetic -- no actual "gouges" like with aluminum.

I def think it will be a game changer on certain types of pointy rocks that are getting centered and then jammed up on my rear axle/transmission housing.

 
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