MAC FAB's RTR

[MAC FAB]

I bought this thing figuring it would be for body and parts mockup only. It sat for over a month, still in the box, begging to be released from its cardboard prison cell and be driven. Go a battery, drove inside/outside the house. Being we had a nice, high 70's degree day in So Cali today, why not take the maiden voyage, right? First off, as for now anyhow, I find the dig feature absolutely useless, would rather have had 2 speed. On a 3s lipo, it does quite well, actually real well. Took my Bomber along to compare apples and oranges, only to have the tx go dead (didn't bring AA batteries this time) on the Bomber, after taking one of the chupa cabra's lines. Bull in a china cabinet compared to the light weight and nimble goat. Minimal effort. COG is a little high, I think some full axle skids will help with that. Peeps say the stock tires suck, but on the sharp granite on a warm day, they stuck pretty darn good. Anyhow, I shot about 2 hrs of video using a couple cameras (cell phone and go joe on a tripod at different locations, so its either coming or going) and here are some screenshots of todays fun. Not a "drop the rig on the rocks" for a cool pic dealio, I'm not about that. Stock electronics workded like a charm, no issues at all. Steering servo is up to the task Props to Axial for building a great performing rig, straight out of the box. So fellow RTR owners, are you guys having the same experience with yours as I did? Any issues or concerns to be looking for other than the light bar taking a beating when she gets on the roof?


20200201_144106 by MAC FAB, on Flickr


20200201_145437 by MAC FAB, on Flickr


20200201_143847 by MAC FAB, on Flickr


20200201_143818 by MAC FAB, on Flickr


20200201_145211 by MAC FAB, on Flickr


20200201_144010 by MAC FAB, on Flickr


20200201_143025 by MAC FAB, on Flickr


20200201_145154 by MAC FAB, on Flickr

 

[woodcox]

Those panels! Nice work, Mac. They really look great. I may need some in copper.

Agreed, the tires are pretty good. Lugs are small and they take some aiming to bite the corners but grab well.
3/4 of my shocks are leaking. One of them out the box with another really unresponsive. Dig has worked for me when I’ve needed it but not often yet. It’s stance will be the first thing I address other than the 11t pinion I’ve done already. I’ve had it all tore down sans drivetrain, and found no issues with how it was put together.

SoCal always looks good. Northern Utah is still cold and wet for much dry crawling.

 

[MAC FAB]

Thanks. Aiming, still learning that as seen here. She's a bit top heavy. Click on the pic for the video clip.

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[Topher Builds]

I dig those panels on there. Congrats on your goat!

Only thing I’ve really heard about the RTRs that was a concern are the end points on the dig servos not being set causing them to crap out right away, as well as not much grease in the gears but that could be chocked up to preference in some regard.

 

[MAC FAB]

Topher, thanks for the positive feedback. Life has had RC stuff on the opposite hemisphere for me lately, wow how some things in life just suck, then suck again. I'll leave it at that. Anyhow, I recently took it out again, crawling the holes my dogs have dug up in the back yard, Capra and Bomber both. Capra is dainty, Bomber a bull. Axle set is now noisy so I'm betting my gears are lube free as well. Anything I need to know about the disassembling process or is it straight forward? Thanks in advance for insight.

 

[MAC FAB]

As predicted, no grease in the diffs. Fixed that today. Trans is next. Shocks are the Exxon Valdez specials, most if not all the oil has leaked out. I'm tempted to throw some SCORE TT tires on this thing to try a different tread, KR2 with bigger lugs to bite the granite. Recent rains have turned my drive spot into an epic Disneyland for crawling. Hiked it yesterday, took terrain pics to start a new thread elsewhere here. 1.9 or 2.2 rig paradise if you like granite or Moab style canyon stuff. Like the stuff from the video clip in post #3 and pics above it, but way gnarlier now. Looking forward to earning moe "California pinstripes" from scraping the rocks. "thumbsup"

 

[MAC FAB]

Got to play yesterday. Click the top pic if you want to see the video.

<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/146560576@N08/49777567342/in/dateposted-public/" title="20200414_174750"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/31337/49777567342_652e917b28_c.jpg" width="800" height="450" alt="20200414_174750"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Stuck in the crack? Nope, the little chivo walked out.

20200414_175712_55469-1 by MAC FAB, on Flickr

Question for the build savy: Is it feasible to use something to be able to be able to turn a front overdrive on and off, like a 2 speed tranny has a low/hi arrangement? I see it working in my head, but how to make electronics the work, that's above my pay grade. Thoughts or input? I could have benefitted from it on some climbs.

 

[MAC FAB]

Sorry, but no audio on this one, a trial and error mission last weekend. The hood attests to my errors..... Hate it that people have to dump trash everywhere. :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil:

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[celticsun33]

Issues I've had have been the dig servo, lack of grease, shocks leaked, the bleeders stripped out on me, and the light strip falling out. I've gotten it all taken care of. I threw some 2.2's on it and it runs great. I took a clear silicone and used it to hold the light strip in, works great.

 

[No-Idea113]

Looks slick. I like the hood detail in the aluminum panel.

 

[MAC FAB]

Looks slick. I like the hood detail in the aluminum panel.

Thanks, I try to be a little different than the rest. That said, it's about time for a new body for the my goat, and some different wheels and tires. What's best on granite and river rock these days, anyhow?

 

[No-Idea113]

Thanks, I try to be a little different than the rest. That said, it's about time for a new body for the my goat, and some different wheels and tires. What's best on granite and river rock these days, anyhow?

I’m sure some will scoff since they aren’t big dollar fancy but I’ve had good luck with the Injora brand (knockoffs) wheels and Duratrax Deep Woods tires.

 

[MAC FAB]

Still haven’t done wheels and tires, because I have another question to which I am clueless. Adding weight to keep the rubber side down. Will aluminum wheels solve this issue? Then there is brass, not sure if that is what I am desiring. I was contemplating building some steel skid plates for the axles, 10 ga if necessary to add weight down low. I understand go fast, how to keep my goat’s hooves to the ground is another story. Help!!!!

 

[durok]

I'd think brass portal covers would put the weight out at the lowest and widest part of the Capra, without being in an area that hangs up on the rocks, doesn't change ground clearance like skids do, and doesn't increase rotating weight at all. However, aluminum wheels would help some as well, and as long as you don't add actual lead weights on the outer rim in my humble opinion the tradeoff is worth it.

 

[MAC FAB]

Revisiting my dinosaur goat, just dug it out of mothballs. Looking for inexpensive aluminum wheels again, something along the lines of a Method 105. Anything clearance related that dq’s anything out there? Thinking red or orange anno for color for what it’s worth. Thanks in advance for any input.

 

[terrible]

I bought some cheap wheels from amazon for my mini-capra a few weeks ago. At under $40 it's hard to complain. Only issue is they are too narrow to use any of my internal brass rings. I usually only buy SSD wheels for all my builds but I wasn't sure I was going to be willing to keep the 1/18th so I cheaped out. They are called "DJX" wheels. If you're looking for something cheap they'll do, and they also fit SLW hubs.