iTz Nicholas72

Is anyone really liking the new RC18's. I like the idea of a belt drive since it's different and the fact for $120 you get a nice kit and can choose Truck or Buggy and switch if you change your mind.

calvino

I think they are cool how they updated the design but they kept some of the stuff the same. If I was (and I am getting back into?) mini's they are sorta interesting! I think it is also cool how they got gear and oil diffs now, they are really starting to make some new things out there. I got a ton of old 18T parts around so despite the obvious changes, I think I may consider picking my self up one. I have driven belt cars before and they are crazy quiet and smooth, just what I like [8D]

Mike St.Clair

Are they on sale yet? If so, where?

Nesal

Amain has them on preorder last time I checked

trx1

My Feedback: (2)

pics will b helpful

tomst-maxx

My Feedback: (8)

I have the sc18 and love it, the belt drive is much much smoother and doesnt make and nosie while racing it, I race the rc18r's so in comparision i like the new desigh better

iTz Nicholas72

I might get one sometime in the summer. Probably won't get a high power BL System just something to keep me entertained.

suburban_hooligan

if the kit drops down to a $100 or less i may do something i said i wouldn't do and jump on one. 
but right now, i just can't see doing it. by the time its put together and done with brushless and lipo its 1/10 scale money.  they are going to have to temp me to the point where i can't say no

Sancho1388

kits is in stock at tower. im picking one up payday 

iTz Nicholas72

http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...&I=LXZHH7&P=EP

There is a link for anyone wanting to check it out. I really want to pick one up but I know that I'll be happoer if I get a HPI Blitz first. I could always get the TC18T2 next...

mrgoodbar

bump

scb28

Anybody out there with problems? I have this kit but haven't started to assemble it yet. I've read that there are problems with the front belt being too tight and the pinion rubbing the belt. Also, I've heard that the diffs are suspect. There's ball diffs available now but I guess I'll try the stock ones first, to see how they work out.

Any input from somebody with a b2/t2 that's running would be helpful.

Thanks, scb28

Thomas P

My Race RC18B2... I have app 20 packs with my on the big 1/10th scale astroturf track (10-15min per pack). There is some smal lthings that is needed to get this car perfect...after that you will never ever looking back

Shimming rear diff away from spurgear, 3-4 shim...
Lower the front belt tensioner shim it, or cut both sides app 1-1.5mm only if ya handy and then CA glue( i did, and it works ace)...
My car is shrouded with.

Exotek towers front/rar,
Exotek batt strap
MIP CVD (with stock gear diff, ya have to sand the pins to fit outdrives..)
Factoryteram titanium t buckles
Novak mongosse 10.5T
Moded long piniong to not rub belt 14T
Futaba 3156
Spectrum Micro
3Racing shocks, even if the new orings and bladder wrking good, they are NOT in the same league..i have drilled my 2 holes in pistons front 0.9mm in rear keept one hole and drilled the other 1mm...
15w rear and 30w front...
Losi mini t silver rea rcut to fit...AE rear silver cut to fit front..

The car is a rocket on the track and lap...the best i ever had tried...

New tires for astro track...TOPCAD DOT3, like Schumacher minispikes...








The diffs working ACE...small amount of 30k in front and 10k in rear..

scb28

Well I started assembling my RC18B2 a couple of days ago. Pretty straight forward, exept that the belts are too tight and the pinion does rub the front belt. I'm not too concerned about the tight belts, but the pinion to belt rubbing is not acceptable in my opinion. I sent an e-mail to AE about the problems, so we'll see what they have to say.

scb28

Thomas P

That is a major issiue...i got long pinions, and dremeled them down to smaller diamater. No rub here, but that is bad to do with a new car...

Clubmate filmed me at Green Hill... 1/10th astro track..

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmMu48gYTUo[/youtube]

choffman123

I love the new design... i used my spare turnbuckles from my 18b spare parts and they fixed the tight front end. 

my trouble is heat. i am using the same setup from my original 18b.
a sidewinder micro w/ a 6800kv castle w/dxt 1600 mah NiMh bat. i used the gears that came with the kit (12t/60t). (had no problem with the pinion hitting the belt. i went under the belt.)  after a short run time i started to get cogging (never did in the original 18b) checked the temp and wow the motor and batt were super hot!! 

any thoughts?

scb28

The overheating problem seems to be caused by the drivetrain(read belts) being too tight. The front belt is the one that seems to be the tightest. AE's recommended fix is to loosen all the screws that hold down the front diff cover by one turn. That seems hokey to me. Other owners have modified the front belt tensioner, or left the tensioner bearing out, or shimmed under the screws that hold the tensioner in place. You're lucky you don't have the pinion rub problem. AE's response to that problem is that there is no rub when the vehicle is under power, but I don't think thats true, because my pinion is pushing on the belt pretty tightly. I'll build mine and run it. If it gets damaged by these problems, I deal w/ AE then.

scb28

Thomas P

As scb says, the front belt are the major issiue...i have shortened my tenisoner just a little..maybe 1mm or so..and the pinion do rub belt....but after some dremeling that is no longer any problem. If i give full sped a short one, it rolls REAL,REAL long...aostK18B.. i do not thing the belts will loosen up

choffman123

thanks for the tips i'll give them a try!

tomst-maxx

My Feedback: (8)

so has anyone else had problems with the steering cross bar breaking? I have broke 2 of them already. just ordered up an aluminum steering system, hopefully that works out better.

Kloft

Thomas- Sweeet buggy! I'm thinking about getting an sc18..

choffman123

HI,

Thomas P

Have you fixed your pinion choffman?, even if you shimdown the tensioner and loosen the topplate, it will rub hard...if you take away the bb and the shaft, the belt will get lower in the tunnel, and you will get some serious belt/rubbing.

Il see if i have any time today to get a pic on my dremeld long piniong..mine only touch, say 0.01mm, so mine rolls REAL good, and after 15 mins of har race tempo, my motor is real hot, but thats is normal.

choffman123

HI,
thanks, as i was getting into it when i figured that out and took adifferentapproach i took out the belt tensioner nut and reduced itsdiameterwith a thin grinder on my dremel tool just where the bearing sits which lowered the position slightly... that combined with the spacers under the chassis gave me a little lesstension... i am getting about 15 min run times before the heat is to the point i shut it off and the cogging is pretty much gone. not sure if its from reseting my sidewinder back to defaults or not... too many changes at once to tell... and just maybe the belt hafinallystretcheda little too...


thanks every one for all the info !

Thomas P

After almost 100 packs + i decided to change the front belt...since it gave me some klicking noice under hard braking on Carpet indoor..2 days ago, i was able to do 12 packs on a BIG carpet track, with some good jumps on it, and the B2 did not faile me...it is with out a doubt the best mini car ive been driving, and still i got my modified TEK14b here..

My car...Shrouded with all race goodies named above



The track...



Left belt is over 100 pack old...