TRX4-XL "SUPERSIZER" -- another BIG RIG to challenge SCX6!!

[WRXronald]

TRX4-XXL-RYFT MEGA MADNESS is back!!! This time I focus on hitting the hardest/tightest spots on the property after just repairing the front drive shaft, clocking it upward a hair more for smoother bind free rotation (bought a carbon steel driveshaft but its cheap Ali - and its clearances seem to BLOW CHUNKS so its rotation is not as smooth as the stainless Integy shaft was)...... anyways, it still drives really pretty good.

I'd not be concerned that it can hold its own and at least keep pace with the SCX6's... whether it can out crawl / trail them could be doubtful, but its capable enough to put a wild smile on my face every time it (doesn't) break. LOL, today was a smile day finally!!!

Back to running the F150 Raptor half-cab for a bit, just liking trucks lately, keep staring and trying to convince myself it wants the SCX6 Chevy but $129 just to half-cab something right out the gates........ ug Idk. Plus then the flat-bed would be looking a bit narrow compared out to cab, not even sure.

Those tires just want to EATTTTT

 

[WRXronald]

Quick update --- started the overhaul of this rig...

Nothing wrong with it but noticed some new SCX6 shells on the market... so it's time!!!

I picked up the SCX6 FORD F-250 extended cab from Proline for $40 felt like that was a deal.... paid well over $150 for the trail honcho half-cab but of course it's wayyyy better with light buckets, scale interior insert, etc. I don't need all that heavy jazz in this rig anyways.

Will be looking to hack out the extended cab portion and join it all back together, onverting to a single cab,, extend wheelbase 1 more inch to something like 22-23inches, and build/fit a new woder and longer wood flatbed to size better with the much larger SCX6 body. This thing is HUGE!!

NOBODY I mean NOBODY (exaggeration of course) is doing larger single cab pick-ups these days. Everything seems to come out as extended cab. I don't get why not... in rc I don't need to fit the kids in the back, ya know. And single cabs look SO classic and good if you ask me.

I have flat white in mind for color scheme will be painting the outside and inside of shell that way if paint scratches outside you'll just see white underneath from the inside paint job.

The rig has the width and length to do it --- it will be an SCX6-RYFT BEASTIE to compliment the SCX6-CLOD BEASTIE!!!!

Then will have custom SCX6 TWIN TOWERS coming your way soon, hopefully in deep snowwww!!!!!!!!

 

[JatoTheRipper]

That's a good looking beast!

 

[WRXronald]

Already taking new shape!!!! Mostly just a mock up but not much left to do overall...

Finish body/decals/mount system, widen rock sliders to fit new body shell, shore up wood bed edges somehow and mount the bed, complete/install idea on new smaller 6t pinion setup for a further 40% gear reduction.. and boom we'll have a rippin big rig!!

Sneak peek!!!

 

[WRXronald]

Slightly longer form -- some close ups and a comparison to the CEN Ford F450 body for sizes sake, which in my next vid I'll compare the CEN to the EMO X4 Gladiator 1/8th shell -- they aren't alot different, the Jeep is more stout but dimensions-wise its very close to the CEN even though it's a "1/10" shell

These SCX6 shells are GIANTS!!! Also a quick uptake on how plan to gear down another 40% !

 

[WRXronald]

MEGA STEERING TORQUE MOD almost done, just need to wire up 3s lipo dedicated for the servo!

I need it as she's gonna be up to 25lbs driving weight now with the SCX6 F-250 body and longer wood bed ---

I'm going thru 1/10 scale 1000oz/in brushless steering servo's like water these days --- they just don't last or have the ooomph needed to rock crawl. The brushless 1/10 servo's don't strip gears actually -- they slip the main gear on the pinion shaft of the brushless motor inside the servo -- impossible to repair or solve for actually, so its not even a gear-replacement situation. Thus, it was time to figure out 1/5th scale servo greatness on a RYFT axle!! I been having visions, then had some spare steel plates left over from a ATV snow plow install on my lawn mower, got to hacking, and it turned out better than i could have imagined!! Saw how a Capra LCG servo mount had been done == looked pretty similar to my visions, I thought i'd need more pieces to bolster it -- but after mounting with two carbon steel M4's and one M3 --- it seems incredibly solid, ther I e won't be any slop from what I can see. I'm going to add a "servo slower" to try and slow it down a touch, I don't like high speed steering on a crawler and at 150kg's it will shred parts.

Skip to 1:00 minute in if you want to go DIRECT to seeing the servo and mount plate on the RYFT axle...

 

[WRXronald]

welp.... today was gonna be the first video of new setup with the F250 body -- lots of snow to fromp in! Rig is done, inner fenders, diesel sounds, 4s lipo, 3s lipo 1/5th scale steering servo , everything wired and working great.

Rig didn't travel 10ft ft, hit the deep snow, bound up the front tires, and in high gear (not even low gear torque) I sheared the TRX4 fully built transmission --- input gear shaft straight in half. It had been slipping a bit lately so I cranked down on it hard enough to be sure that wouldn't happen again maybe a run or two ago, liol.

Also I think I mighta hurt it a bit for the short time I was testing the 6t pinion --- I had turned down a 5mm shaft to 3.17mm at the tip and mounted the 6t pinion (max bore is 3.17 for 6t on 32 pitch) for a 40% gearing reduction from the 10t pinion. Yep you saw how slow it was in vids on the 10t -- pretty dawn good crawler speeds -- - but I wanted it even slower!!!

Well the 6t pinion lasted all of 10mins last week - and a half run before I sheared the 3.17mm portion right at the flat point wear the set-screw for the pinion grabs the shaft. So that's out. 3.17mm not near enough beef.

Found out Hot Racing now makes a 8tooth 32 pitch pinion with the necessary 5mm bore -- so I was gonna try that -- until today I decided to test on the 10tooth in the snow for a bit --- I've run a bunch on the 10tooth with the smaller F150 Raptor body and 21inch wheelbase --- and whelp it snapped the tranny shaft immediately today.

So I bought a GENUINE Traxxas branded input shaft (the built TRX4 trans was a "metal' version from Ali) and gonna try that out -- see if it lasts, also bought a couple 5mm shafts made of High carbon "Bearing Steel". I have visions of making my own hardy input shaft w/out the flat points --- it sheared right there on the flat points for the clutch slipper where its probably as thin down as little as 3mm-ish. Not sure I can 2mm drill out a shaft like that (tough carbon steel) for the pins/gears/slipper/etc but I have a cheapie drill press and gonna give it a shot at least with some carbide bits.

From there, if further failures, not sure where to, kinda stuck --- anyone know the final drive ratio of a stock Ryft transmission? Too fast maybe, For $90 I don't think there's any slipper on a Ryft transmission and can get all metal case/gears looks pretty stout --- fitment is certainly a challenge in a TRX4 chassis. For $300 Vitavon makes a mod 1.0 version with a 2 speed maybe for a lower gearing -- but UG that's a lot when i'm not even sure I can make it fit in the chassis right or if the gearing is proper slow.

Maybe a direct drive LCG jobby for a wraight -- single gear no slipper all 32 pitch could fit easy --- but I need room for a 42mm wide motor can --- that also looks like it could pose an issue with Ryft transmission --- anyone know the biggest motor can that fits in there??

hmmmmmm!!!!! I'm up to 25lbs and full 22.x inches wheelbase and I now have more weight on the front wheels ----- I think the TRX4 transmission has met its match. How long before 2mm pins start failing even if I can beef up the 5mm input shaft properly. Really its the 40 series Rock Crushers --- there're just vicious tires with GRIP for days and days and so much tire diameter ---- i'm finding for each 1 inch of tire diameter you add to the rig you need to beef the motor and drivetrain exponential levels it seems to keep 'er rollin'

 

[ferp420]

i think hardened steel translates to soft butter in chinese i prefer ssd shafts for my axials
i dont know whats available for the trx4 but im sure theres something out there

almost all my large scale rigs running chinese trans have sheered a shaft or 2
and thats not on 40 series tires ether just what happens when you try to use 1:10 scale parts on a 1:6 scale rig

hay atleast they still make replacement parts for that 1 though lol

 

[WRXronald]

i think hardened steel translates to soft butter in chinese i prefer ssd shafts for my axials
i dont know whats available for the trx4 but im sure theres something out there

almost all my large scale rigs running chinese trans have sheered a shaft or 2
and thats not on 40 series tires ether just what happens when you try to use 1:10 scale parts on a 1:6 scale rig

hay atleast they still make replacement parts for that 1 though lol

yeap so it goes --- you're not wrong, again. lol. 1:10 parts in a big heavy 1:6 rig at that, metal wheels with 40 series tires, just dumb. I think the foams are wet too -- I ran in big rain full submerge just before all the snow/cold hit around new years. It hit me why is she so heavy last time I picked her up... was beginning to remind me of carrying around the 34lb CLOD BEASTIE.

I mean I know I beefed it up with a bigger bed, more metal, bigger shell, bigger servo, etc, but it was too heavy and couldn't understand why ---- water in the foams!!! ALOT -- those are big foams - each Rock Crusher foam is nearly 1/2lb dry -- just the foam! imagine when wet.

Well anyways -- I also noticed too much grease in the transmission -- too hard to rotate -- more strain on that shaft when trying to quickly transfer power.

Also -- 20 degrees outside -- first time trucks been outside in the bitter COLD in quite some time, had been sitting out for 5mins or so while I played with the dog -- I wonder that the shaft was a bit cold shocked as well -- didn't like that and was already snap prone, just was ready to go.

I have more faith in the Traxxas branded part -- so we'll throw that in and give it go. Absent success, i'm really perplexed on where to go from here. I guess the Vitavon MOD 1.0 Ryft 2-speed but for $300 its a steep un-returnable price with 2 big unknowns.....

Does a 42mm motor can fit in the mount w/out hitting the side of the trans case whilst running a small pinion - say 10 tooth ? And can I even fit the transmission in the TRX4 chassis and get outdrives to the axles -- who knows - looks tight, seems like i'd have to stand it up and RUIN low/forward COG motor mount of the TRX4 setup. none ideal.

TRX4 Chinese parts held up pretty darn good until I cranked super hard on the clutch nut -- I mean until I wasn't even sure if it was stripping or grabbing anymore. It broke shortly thereafter. Coincidence?

Anyways, bummed for now, but shouldn't be surprised at all. It was a good run, for some reason I have faith the Traxxas part will last ALOT longer -- for $12 -- we're gonna find out!!

 

[ferp420]

heres a crazy idea use the trx4 trans as a tcase and use another transmission or forward mounted motor set up that way it would 1 lower your gear ratio sum and 2 spead the shock load out between more parts so that 1 shaft isent under as much pressure
i have seen the parts but cant remeber were lol but shouldent be to hard to make that happen

 

[WRXronald]

heres a crazy idea use the trx4 trans as a tcase and use another transmission or forward mounted motor set up that way it would 1 lower your gear ratio sum and 2 spead the shock load out between more parts so that 1 shaft isent under as much pressure
i have seen the parts but cant remeber were lol but shouldent be to hard to make that happen

I have to say I don't love it. LOL its actually not a bad idea at all -- just that I have a BUNCH of jazz all mounted up front batteries sound box, U-shaped aluminum shock tower brace. I'd have to shift some sh_t around for sure.

But still, I really kinda like it - that leaves me much more easily choosing from some of the LCG all steel 32 pitch direct drive transmissions out there rather than some big honker from one of the big rigs.

Sitting here for 10mins envisioning, trying to think out the ratio math on that, really interesting stuff here.

FERP FTW yet again I might just try something like this if the slipper and shaft keep failing. Would also open avenues for extreme low gearing!!

 

[WRXronald]

Ok so here's the conundrum of the hour --- sifting thru 32 pitch steel 3-gear transmissions out there -- the LCG versions.

Looks like quite a few good ones that would be great for FERP's idea --- -but they ALL have a center gear riding on what looks to be 3mm shaft?

The outputs are all on 5mm but the center gears are all 3mm....

I don't think a 3mm shaft is going to last long in there -- maybe be a new weak point. Any suggestions of a beefier version all 5mm shafts?

 

[ferp420]

Ok so here's the conundrum of the hour --- sifting thru 32 pitch steel 3-gear transmissions out there -- the LCG versions.

Looks like quite a few good ones that would be great for FERP's idea --- -but they ALL have a center gear riding on what looks to be 3mm shaft?

The outputs are all on 5mm but the center gears are all 3mm....

I don't think a 3mm shaft is going to last long in there -- maybe be a new weak point. Any suggestions of a beefier version all 5mm shafts?

were do you plan to use this lcg trans

personally i use alot of 3 gear transmissions they can be mounted all kinds of different ways

i can look at the injora lcg trans in the morning i have one here going in a build for a freind

 

[WRXronald]

Well -- yeah I think I really like your idea of piling a trans on a trans. So i'm thinking i'll go with the center front-mount rotary/planetary gear style and then like you said just use the TRX4 transmission as a two-speed transfer case. I'll replace the clutch shaft with a solid 5mm carbon-steel shaft that is 2mm pinned to the outdrive from the front mounted transmission.

Heck -- put a 2-speed in the front mount and keep the 2 speed in the TRX4 and I got the best of ALL worlds. I can get just about to the same gearing I have right now with the 10t 32 pitch pinion..... But also but shifting to Low-Low in both transmission I would be gearing down to about a 5.6 tooth pinion equivalent in the TRX4 alone ---- thats the sweet spot 6-tooth pinion ULTRA low speed gearing I wanted, and would be without sacrificing the somewhat higher speed HIgh-High gear for snow and mud wheeling challenges.

And from what I see these look pretty solid - - .7 modules is equivalent of about 31.75 pitch so almost as beefie as 32 pitch. And I did find a 15 tooth .7 modules pinion with a 5mm bore so I can make it work with the 14 pole, 4250 big block brushless outrunner.

And maybe it gives me future room to fit an even beefier 5055 Outrunner someday although have to overcome 8mm shaft output of those Outrunners.

I'm going to take a shot at using Imgur in a sec here lol.....

 

[WRXronald]

Ok so something like this.... Nix the transfer case, keep the TRX4 transmission -- and connect the axle outdrive to a custom made 5mm shaft that replaces the double-flat sided clutch shaft.

These look beefie inside -- found a vid on Youtube of someone disassembling and all the gears look to be solid and come together quite nice -- bizarre the use of .7 modules but whatever like I said I was able to find a 15t pinion .7modules with the necessary 5mm bore for larger motors.

This is the single-speed but there's also a 2-speed version!! 1:8 low gear, 1:4.8 high gear for output --- best I can think about it the input of the motor pinion / clutch gear setup now is 10t / 45t = 1:4.5

So essentially if put the transmission in high gear it will be like it was when I ran the TRX4 trans alone with 10tooth motor pinion (technically closer to 9.3 tooth equivalent by my math)

And when I put the transmission in low gear it will be as if I switched the TRX4 motor pinion to something like 5.6 teeth --- much lower gearing than what I can accomplish now because 10t (or maybe 8t) is the smallest 32 pitch pinion you can get for a 5mm bore shaft motor.

And right now because the TRX4 shifts the motor to the side of the chassis in its mount location, I have about 1mm exactly of motor can clearance on the 4250 (42mm wide motor). Using this transmission gets the motor center-mounted in the chassis, earning me probably at least 4mm more per side of motor can, allowing me to step up to a 50mm wide unit (5055 brushless outrunner) for MEGA SHAFT SNAPPING POWA!!!! Lol. No clue why I would do that but stay tuned long enough and I just might.

Queue IMGUR!!! LOL -- was not easy for me to get this image up, i'll get better as I go hopefully!
I didn't sign up, I don't think it gives sizing options w/out an account, not sure... 3rd try lol.....

 

[WRXronald]

Ok well for now -- I just replaced the clutch shaft with genuine Traxxas version, skipped the clutch spring, and locked it down as tight as I could get it. I still think its slipping in high gear, I may just CA glue it solid.

I go the 8 tooth pinion installed (5mm bore) 32 pitch - can't believe they make one this small! NICE!!! Its quality!! I count approx 70 turns of the motor to get 1 full tire rotation on Low Gear. Such giant tires unfortunately automatically gear you UP alot more than one realizes, challenge to offset. Guess it doesn't help they're just DANG hard to turn that big a radius lol.

She runs good on low gear, still in high gear basically only good for light gra grass/pavement moving around more quickly to the next crawl spot. Won't go in the snow at all in High gear.

Low gear goes decent, but tires fill up with snow, and lose traction -- needs chains, but I not even sure the motor has the ooomph to turn if it had chains.

Anyways -- if this transmission to tranmission idea works out -- I'm going up to a 5065 brushless outrunner on up to 6s lipo. That should be more than enough torque to snap 5mm shafts lol. At least a few of the input shafts could be upgraded to 6mm custom jobs.... but from there prolly need MOD1 Ryft transmission or SCX6 trans from Vitavon.

Ah well - - this did not impress me much -- looks good though, just need to power it up. I actually could drop a 6s in it right now and volt up, only on 4s currently. Something likely will break though lol - but I suppose that will show me what's weak before wasting all the time upgrading into a 5065 outrunner.

Its gonna just have to be a mega slow rock crawler for now. I'll make some chains for it and with the 2nd transmission be able to gear it down further and then maybe get traction with slow speed and beefie chains. By then all the snow will melt lol and be a waste! Ah well, good fun.

 

[WRXronald]

Well that'l do it.... she's done for now. Sheared a carbon steel front drive shaft (inner spline) right in half today. It's done. I think the inner splines are as skinny as 4mm at the inner points of the star shape --- at 19 degrees F today that steel just said "H_LL F_CK NO" and shat the bed on me.

I'm aiming for the Vitavon SCX6 hardeded steel transmission internals + Vitavon 8mm steel SCX6 Driveshafts + Stock SCX6 transmission case = $350ish puke!! $430 if I get the 290mm extended rear driveshaft grrrrr.

But I think then I can more easily expect to run a 5065 Outrunner (8mm motor shaft is a challenge for pinions) but we'll figure somethin out) in terms of how SCX6 motors mount in the trans. I think the MOD1 at least goes down to 14 tooth with a 8mm bore so that's a possibility. The big 5065 Outrunners go down as low as 170kv I think so getting low gearing is still quite doable!!

I'm really surprised how badly the marine grease was holding back transmission operation --- my Clod axles LOVE that same grease and spin beutifully free and smooth when the motors are out - but there are no 90 degree gearing transitions in a CLOD axle, and quite a bit larger diameter gears inside too, and fewer of course --- I guess maybe that helps.

I don't need to go fast but some wheelspeed for the snow and mud would be nice at least --- you see how it struggles with that ultra low tire speed on that sticky icky frozen clay snow, it can't clear the lugs for a shiz and that's reallly holding it back badly I think. Chains (need torque and beefie parts) would also make all the difference here.

 

[WRXronald]

DAMAGE UPDATE:

She'll run again soon!!!! Didn't snap the inner spline after all! Just a screw backing out was the issue....

Simply its a 2-piece spline/U-jont joined with an M3 screw thru the U-Jiont down into the hollow of the spline.

That screw backed out, releasing the inner spline (now lost in the snow somewhere!) and nothing else wrong, well, slightly bent shaft too but that probably happened when the set screw damage incident took place and shaved the Transmission case.

I have a spare spline - already CA'd it in place and 2mm drill-hole Pinned it (you can't access the M3 screw head holding the spline as the U-Joints don't come apart at all and are in the way to get a driver on the M3. So a drilled hole and pin is the only option to replace with new spline shaft and keep a perfectly good U-joint in the game!

I forget this common problem from Ali Carbon Steel dtrive-shafts - i just put a new one in recently and forgot to CA glue that M3 screw (they apparently don't loc-tite it). Since you can't access it / back it out to add loc-tite, all you can do is drop some CA in there and hope to hold it from backing out and losing the Spline - so i just 2mm PIN it.

But when that screw backs out, it then interferes with the U-Joint jamming everything up when it turns a sharp angle - causing damage to the U-Joint itself, so its best to CA it no matter what even if you do drill and pin it.

 

[89Industries]

Sounds like you have it under control but you can use wicking grade loctite on the screw.

Like this loctite 290.


Of course if the screw isn't tight to begin with the loctite simply does what you use the CA for. If it is properly tightened then the loctite would make the 2mm pin redundant. But sometimes redundancy is good.

 

[WRXronald]

Thank you --- that's not a bad idea at all -- but I've already nailed it all with CA in the spline back up in the U-joint tube and got the M3 down in there as well out the way --- the " * " star shaped style spline is what's really holding it under rotation -- the pin or the M3 screw just keep it from slipping out of the U-Joint.

I suspect my CA + baking soda would do the job alone -- I then coat it in conformal epoxy to water-proof the bond. But I couldn't help but put my new mini-drill press and flat table-vice to work on the bench ---- so many years been lining up fine holes with NO drill press. dumb waste. Pressing makes like almost to dam easy. So I pinned to be certain.

Although I stopped short last night at being able to punch a 2mm carbide bit thru a 5mm stainless steel motor shaft. its a $40 "jig your own drill" drill press, so uh yeah.

But hey I punch that same 2mm right thru the "hardened" steel Ali U-joint and spline... lol ?? Hey maybe it dulled my bit. But anyway I could hardly even put a mark on the stainless drill bit. I also couldn't put a detent into it with my hardened steel punch so ---- the shaft is WAYY WAYY hard. Need a better harder sharper bit and a stronger press, I was aligning the hole thru a 5mm OD x 2mm ID aluminum tube to keep it from walking off the center point of the stainless steel 5mm shaft. It still began opening the 2mm alum tube walls, trying to walk a wee bit. In the end it looks like maybe "heat" malled a tiny dimple in the steel shaft and that's about it, or it had just started cutting but couldn't get much further, perhaps I gave up too soon. I was cooling it with oil and pushing pretty hard on the weak-sauce Ali drill press. Prolly expecting too much.

NOTE -- the clutch was still slipping in this last vid -- I suspect that's what's limiting high gear -- I think the motor was not struggling as much as I thought -- just the motor and clutch gear turning but the shaft and clutch plates slip slip slipping. I CA'd it together now (plates and a fresh steel spur gear) and was going to punch holes three 2mm holes thru that whole assembly in a triangle pattern to guarantee no slippage; but the CA seems to be EXTREMELY strong hold --- I doubt it will slip again before breaking shafts.

Need to bend the front out-drive shaft back straight and then its ready to roll again!!

Had another EPIC SNOW run with the Clod Beastie today, flawless performance --- why is it the best runs are never video'd!?! I think that's when I just get down and drive and have at it, 2 hands makes it easier I suppose. But for some reason it all just goes better no cam!!