RURC

Well, well ,well. I have finally had the moments to put the final touches on my 1/6 scale 4wd electric buggy. First a little background on this buggy, it is a XTM XLB. It originally came with a nitro motor and a 2 speed transmission. I bought the buggy off eBay in a total wreck (which is what I wanted). The motor had a hole in the side of the crankcase, the 2 speed was stripped out, the steering assembly was twisted and would barely turn, it was missing 2 of the wheels. Basically it was not a well taken care of car, which is why I got it for $30.00. In any event I set out to build a brushless large scale buggy. Why you ask? Because I want to prove the vialibility of electric large scale cars, it's what I do. Not to mention that everyone (almost) told me that it would not work. Well they were wrong. This thing came out great. The sad part is that I cannot compair it to what the nitro version was like having never run it that way and I cant find one in my area. Oh well.

Enough words, here are some photos from rather eairly to finished. Let me know what you think.

This one is after I had dissassembled and cleaned it and was trying to figure out how I was going to make this work. You know just laying out how I thought it would lay out. If you look you can see the stripped 2 speed and looking closely you will see that the front and rear diffs are the old all plastic ones. Those will have to be replaced also. Also you will note that hte drive hexes for the rear are gone.


Here it is next to my B4, just for size reference. Looking here you will get a good overall view of the lay out.


Now you see the side profile. Look and you will note that the 2 speed has been replaced with the center diff assembly out of a XTM Mammoth. This now gives the buggy full 3 diffs and a metal gear that will not strip. Stripping could really be a problem now as I have almost 2 times as much power in the buggy. You cant see it in this photo but the front and rear diffs have been replaced with the newest strongest assemblies from XTM.


Here you can get a good look at the steering and brakeing servos. Yes for now I am useing the brakeing servo. Soon I will be changeing this to electric brakeing but the speed control right now cannot handle that much current. I am useing Traxxas servo mount yokes. I really like these mounts because they are cheap, strong, and very versitile. You can see the motor whis is a Neu 1515 with internal fan for cooling. Also note the fans on the esc which is mounted directly above the center diff. Note the battery holders. The batteries are 3 cell lipos at 10,000 mah. I have run this in 3 cell (11.1 vdc) and 4 cell (14.8 vdc) at 20,000 mah and 6 cell (22.2vdc) at 10,000 mah.



This is a different angle just for looking.


Here is the final view with body. I have a new body that is getting painted now, I will post new photos when that is done. You will also see that I have put 23mm Proline 4 series wheels with Bow Tie tires. This buggy has the 23mm hex adapters from ProLine also.


I would really like to thank all the guys at XTM, but mostly Craig Kaplin. He is the guru there. He gave me so much information and time that it was just amazing.

Foxy

Just for kicks, can you get pic of it next another 1/6th car, like an FG MT (if you have one of course)?

Looks like a great project, but we're gonna need some video!! Nice work.

Dave ESPI

Please list components used and how you had to modify the chassis. thanks

RURC

Foxy42 - I have a photo of it next to my 1/5 Lauterbacher I am also building.



That is the best I can do right now.

RURC

Dave ESPI- Dave how you doing?
As far as parts used it is mentioned in the post but a short list is:

Traxxas servo mount yoks X2
Neu 1515 custom. Made just for me by Steve Neu.
Batteries are from Max Amps. 2X 3 cell and 2X 4 cell lipo at 10,000 mah per pack. Depending on what voltage I want I have either 10,000 or 20,000 mah of capisity.
Tempory esc is a BK Warrior 12020.

All other parts were designed and made by myself. I am the only manufacturer of the motor mount clamps for Neu motors and I made the battery boxes.

I did the car 2 times. The first time I had one battey in the left front and one in the right rear. I did this because I did not want to mod the chassis to mount the motor into the left front. After one afternoon of driving I decided that this was not the best it could be. It was then when I went and decided that I had to do it the hard way. The real only mods to the chassis were duplicating the motor mount holes from the left rear to the left front. This was done with a complete teardown and machining the left front with the motor mounting holes. Other than that there was nothing else. I used existing holes for the battery mounts and the esc mount. The servo holes were drilled into the chassis but I may do another for my son and I will make a servo plate that will mount to the original chassis holes.

Foxy

Wow, it is as big as a marder, easily! What'll she do mister?? Eh? Eh? Video!!!

RURC

I dont know yet. We are at the Snowbirds RC races in Orlando Florida so I dont have my radar gun. But I will check the speed when we get home. But I will say that my guess is 40 easily. I will do a video then also. No room here to run this thing, its a little larger than anything else here.

Slammed

cant wait for the video

quarterscalelegends

These guys have been doing this for years with large scale RC. check them out.

http://www.finedesignrc.com/ct-hpi-hotbodies.asp

RURC

Chris has not done this. I am good friends with Chris up there and he and I have been doing this for a while. One big difference is here you start with a car that costs around $400.00 new not $1500.00 like the FG conversions. The Hot Bodies truggy is a neat off roader. One thing I feel that I do that is different than Chris is all of my cars are built to the specific wants of my client. I try to build very different than Chris dose.

airworks

Sweet, those lipos must have cost quite a bit a cash [>:]

XXT-CRer

ive been looking at the xlb for awhile. checking ebay like you. they are not ez to find for a decent $

Specialzed

My Feedback: (2)

video..... also get a truggy body on there, it will look phenomenol

RURC

Drake- I found this on my first go around. Then again not everyone is looking for a destroyed one.

devine- What truggy? An 1/8 scale body? Give me an idea please.

Lilredmachine

I'm gonna guess that a Mammoth ST shell would fit quite nicely. The XLB is big, but it's not much bigger than the mammoth, which is massive for a 1/8th scale (both longer and wider than a CEN Genesis).

RURC

I guess the Mammoth body would fit. I really like the buggy body so for now I will keep the buggy body on it.

Lilredmachine

Yeah, the Mammoth ST isn't exactly a hot looking body, it's a bit big and gawky. The original Mammoth body looks far better and should also fit. However like you I also prefer the buggy shell, it's a bit different.

tizdaz

lol they are doing an electric HPI Baja! ... maybe its jus me but largscale aint largescale unless its gas \o/ id hate to back to electric!!

RURC

Chris uses a Lehner motor in his HPI where I use the Neu BAM motor. I dont remember what he dose for voltage but I lay mine out for 6 to 10 cell lipo.

Any how since things seem to be keeping going in the direction of more limitations on noise and fuel (dont you love liberal government policies) for everything includeing RC you better start getting used to electric. Besides with the exception of the noise and ,for now, the cost everything is better. Faster acceleration, more controlable and predictable throttle, less weight, no hot exhaust, run times now are almost equal and will only get better. The limiting factor right now is the speed controls. I have been working with many companies on 200 to 300 amp controllers which is where this really needs to be at for these large scale cars. I have been in RC for more than 25 years and I have had them all. The saving grace of this sport / hobby is going to be brushless and lithium technologies I feel.