cumquat

in all fairness, durango started out as it's own company then got bought by hobbico. it'll be hard to stay in the hobby if you completely avoid all hobbico products and companies, seeing as they control well over half of the american RC industry.

DieHarder

They forecasted that 4-6" of snow was supposed to be here when I get up tomorrow morning. I'm definitely sick of the low 30's temps. I need to get my RC snow plow truck going!

I thought of using some zip ties to compress the front suspension during the speed runs. I don't have fuel line, but spacers is not a bad idea. Might try that if the zip ties don't work out.

I think the Evader ST was a good place to start, but required lots of mods which Duratrax came out with in their later models, especially the Evader Brushless. After all the upgrades I've done to my ST, I am totally more than happy with every part of it except the shocks. I need to do something with them. The shafts bend, the seals leak, I've rebuilt them like three times using the original shock bodies, etc. I'm not even sure if the rear shocks even have oil in them. So here is my proposal, has anyone ever heard of flipping the ST shocks on an Evader? There is no top shock cap since it fills from the bottom. To me, it sounds like leaking would be an absolute minimum since gravity would be pulling oil away from the cap. The question is, will this affect the shock's performance? The only thing I can think of is that the seal in the cap may not be lubricated very well, but after a few movements of the shaft, it seems it would be good to go. I've seen people flip the shocks on crawlers, but never on high speed truggies. What do you guys think?

cumquat

outside of the possibility of the shock body getting hung up on the suspension arms, i dont see any downside.

DieHarder

I think the shock could possibly ride in an air bubble when fully decompressed. Other than that and the shock body getting hung up, it sounds possible.

I'm up to nine notable, hobby-grade RCs! Wow! I'm starting to hang them from the ceiling since I've run out of space.

RustyUs

I also have issues with my rear shocks on my Evader ST. The fronts work great with stock original pistons still inside. The hard anodized ST rears are in "diagnosing" stage at the moment in my garage. The rears act like they have no dampening even though I am using 15w thicker shock oil than the front shocks. I have been putting in different AE pistons, holes getting smaller with each rebuild, and getting the same dampening effect as the previous piston. I'm beginning to think wear inside the shock is too great to recover the "new" shock feeling.

I have one last rebuild attempt using stock pistons to try and get the same plushness feeling as the front Evader shocks.

cumquat

are the AE pistons a smaller diameter? that's the only reason i can think of for the ineffectiveness.

RustyUs

AE pistons 10.07 ~ 10.08mm
Duratrax pistons 10.10 ~ 10.11mm

.03mm differance between the two pistons...But using the stock pistons on the rear shocks feels the same as using Associated pistons. The rear shocks feel like I have 10w oil in them and the rebound is way quicker than the fronts. Like I said, I got a new set of Duratrax pistons here in front of me. I gotta force myself to rebuild the shocks one more time.

In all the years I have been building shocks, I have never worn the inside wall of a shock enough to make the bodies useless. I guess it could happen right? Of course I have never had a RC vehicle as long as I had my Evader ST either.

DieHarder

I'm using the 'never been replaced' stock aluminum shock bodies. I've put new seals, caps, and pistons in them (rebuilt) three different times. I've also replaced five or six shock shafts because they were bent. I've never bought the titanium nitride coated ones, just stock. Does the thin layer of titanium even help with bending or working smoother?

When I built my SCX10 G6, it came with titanium nitride shafts. I used them and they still leak. I tried a trick I read in the RC Car Action magazine about using Teflon tape on the cap threads. I did that on my SCX10 and it seemed to help. Because the threads are on the outside of the shock bodies on the SCX10 Icon shocks, it works ok. But I imagine using it on Evader shocks would work much better because the threads are on the inside of the shock bodies and you could layer up the Teflon tape a bit more. I haven't tried it, but I will when I rebuild them next. I wish there was an aftermarket shock seal kit for them as the Duratrax ones just don't seem to hold up.

Rusty might be right about the shock bodies wearing out. I like the Duratrax shocks and all, but I think they needed to be a little higher quality. If I ever ruin the shock bodies I think I might get me a set of them pro-line highly rated ones. As for now, I might do something with the shocks this winter during my off-season.

EXT2Rob

My Feedback: (1)

The titanium-nitride coating will not make the shafts stronger, they just make the shaft smoother. The Duratrax aluminum shocks for the Evader just don't have good seals. They're fine for a while, but eventually they leak. I've never had an issue with them leaking from around the threads. The just leak around the seals. Only thing you can do is replace the shafts and seals at the same time, to make sure you have the tightest seal. My problem with them was the way the seal/caps were made. That inner cap that is supposed to snap on after you've installed the new seals and spacer frequently didn't, or would come loose later. I got into the habit of using CA glue on it, and would build a whole set that way, so if I needed a new one, I could just pop it on without having to wait for glue to dry.

Had a great race day yesterday. Finally got some rain last week, did some work on the track, and got another good soaker on Saturday. Track was in great shape for running the Evaders. Nice and moist. Got a couple battery packs thru them, but my Subie-vader took a bad nose dive at high speed and my Graphite chassis finally bit it. Cracked right behind the "hinge". Complete rebuild is in it's future. Not really looking forward to that.

EGbasher an I are amazed, after a year of running the 4wd Hyper TTs, how difficult it can be to drive the Evaders fast. We've sort of lost the touch. We were just getting "the feel" back when I busted my chassis. You really gotta be smooth and easy on the throttle to keep it from getting squirrelly. I have a lot of respect for the pros who can pilot those 2wd buggies and SCTs in full fields. The 4wd TT is just so much more controllable and easier to get on the gas out of corners.

RustyUs

With those smooth clay tracks nowadays, it's less "off-road" then the track from yesteryears.

Sunday, had a bunch of people over for daughter's birthday party... the Evader got a work out one last time for the year I do believe (We got 6" of snow now as I type this and still coming down).

I may have started something good with me handing over the radios over to about four new drivers of RC cars. Everyone had a blast, bashing my ST and buggy at the track. I caught myself saying, many times, "You know there is a thing called throttle control with that trigger." We all laughed at each other's reckless driving ... it was more like a circus on wheels ... cartwheels, endos, arms locking. I pretty much knew it was gonna be one of the last times outside with my vehicles, so I let it all hang out... putting the fastest motors I had in the ST and buggy for the new drivers, and no cutting back on the throttle End Points.

RustyUs

Yes the shafts do make a difference, big difference. I guess I was trying to go frugal for too long ...using original shafts up until now.

So Rob, you gonna switch over to the EXT chassis now?

DieHarder

I'm still using the original ST chassis. lol

RustyUs

Since the snow has come, I sit and think about next RC season at the track. Gonna make some portable ramps, that's my plan anyway, to put the Evader into the air again. I tired of having my jumps wash out. Poor little ST... gonna be hurtin' after it's all said and done.

EXT2Rob

My Feedback: (1)

"Switch over" to the EXT chassis? Don't get ya. An Evader chassis is an Evader chassis, no? I mean, DTX doesn't make an ST chassis and an EXT chassis, just an Evader chassis. All the same these days, right? (EDIT: D'oh! I get it. Yes Rusty, I am.)

Yeah, I really feel for you guys back east. BRRRR!!! Weather ain't fit for ducks. Snow Geese maybe.... Certainly not good for plastics that become brittle with cold temps. We've been getting a good series of rain storms here in Calif. Hopefully, this is scenes of things to come! We bloody well need the rain. The nice thing about my little slice o' heaven here is that the dirt track dries out pretty quick after a rain. That is, it doesn't stay muddy. The surface just soaks it up and remains drivable. Good traction, but it holds together. Our "racing season" is really just getting started.

One of these days, my buddy an I gotta go down to an RC track when they're holding races. I'd like to see how the average club racer keeps things from getting chaotic when there are eight or more cars on the track. Of course, we're driving open-wheel truggies, so contact is more "exciting?" as opposed to full fendered short course trucks, but still....

DieHarder

Duratrax sells those kwik ramp things that don't look too bad, but I bet you could build some bigger, better, badder ones. I think Rob's right. I only know of one chassis. However the rear chassis plates are all different except the VW Baja, EXT, and EXT2 have the same plate.

It dropped below 14 degrees the other night. Pretty cold for November! Grand Rapids also set an all time record of the most snow in November, somewhere around 30 inches. But we had a big warm up in the past few days and all the snow is gone. It's not supposed to drop below freezing until December 17, and no snow until the 19th. Barely gonna have a white Christmas, so it sounds.

I've always wanted to go to a real track and try it out. Show off my Evader ST that doesn't even look close to it. lol I wanna see how good my driving skills really are. There is a place in Grand Rapids just south of my Grandma's like 2-3 miles that costs $5 a practice night. I think races are around $20-25. I'd love to go try out the practice night, but I can't really get over there since dad's not into the hobby. He's not going to stand around and watch while I have 'hours of fun', ya know what I mean.

RustyUs

Are you going to get a graphite Evader chassis to replace the one that broke or a more flexible Magnaflex Evader chassis? Just curious I am.

EXT2Rob

My Feedback: (1)

Naw, will just get the regular chassis. The only reason I got the graphite chassis that just broke was because a couple years ago, I broke the chassis and needed a new one, and the only one the store had in stock at the time was an "old" graphite chassis. They offered to sell it to me for the cost of a regular one. That's like a $30 savings, so of course I jumped on it. I don't even know if they are available anymore.

Ah I forgot about the rear plate. Yer right. Different tranny cases, too. I think those are the only parts you can "get wrong", along with the parts associated with the top gear.

Ramps? I've seen these advertised in RCCA, http://www.landwaveproducts.com/Other-Uses.htm Tough enough for skateboards/BMX.

RustyUs

Hurry... get your Duratrax Evader EXT2 large scale truck on Amazon!?


I sure hope a potential buyer looks at the specs in the description, and realizes it's a typo.

DieHarder

Anybody see these new plugs: http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LNERUC Hobbico Star Plugs. They are Deans plugs with a sleeve that covers the solder joint, so no more shrink tube and it looks neater! I'm thinking about trying a few. It was in February's edition of RC Car Action.

EXT2Rob

My Feedback: (1)

Funny!
Can you imagine a 1/5 scale Evader?!? Just sizing up all the parts would make the thing very tough.

EXT2Rob

My Feedback: (1)

Huh! Finally! Someone put a cover on to protect the solder joints! BFT! Price isn't bad, and they'll be more comfy on your finners than std Deans

RustyUs

Put one more notch on the rant list for QC from Duratrax and Tower Hobbies. I know the people at Tower Hobbies just grab parts and put them in a box... off it goes to consumer. I had to laugh when opening a gift from my wife. It only took me a split second to see a bag of bevel gears for the BL Evader diff had 5 good gears and 1 gear that had NO teeth on it. I wanted to take a picture of it, but threw it in an envelope so quick ; back to Tower Hobbies it went.

That's the only bad part of not having a hobby shop around that stock parts for you vehicle.

Shame on quality control personnel at the factory....they must have been on a pee break, and I got the consequences of it.

EXT2Rob

My Feedback: (1)

Ha ha ha ha Sorry Rusty, that just made me laugh. NO teeth?! Pheeew! They must be hiring blind Chinese kids to stuff those bags. (they're cheaper)

EXT2Rob

My Feedback: (1)

Ha ha ha ha Sorry Rusty, that just made me laugh. NO teeth?! Pheeew! They must be hiring blind Chinese kids to stuff those bags. (they're cheaper)

DieHarder

Dang! Toothless is not much of a gear! lol Other than my BL diff not being assembled when it said it was on the bag, I haven't had much trouble with things not being all there/damaged.