Just had another thought. Did anyone else have problems with the smartech servos (assuming you got them with your car). Don't you think they are totally crap?

One of mine didn't work for a start. The remaining one I hooked up to the throttle. There is no where near enough accuracy in those things to make the throttle work properly.

I got a new one from the retailer free of charge. It seems smoother but is still pants. The throttle is now controlled by a Kyosho perfex servo. What a difference that makes.

the stock smartech electronics are crap! i tried to make drive shafts today, but my metals manufacturing teacher was being a butt hole. i was milling all day. i made the heads of a nut and bolt i have been working on just for practice. next class i will try to make new drive shafts. the ends wont be quite round, but they should work. someone said earlier in the thread that they replace the little bars at the ends, and i am curious what they used. if anyone has anyone knows let me know please.

the ones I saw were just a rod welded into a ball bearing and then the pin through the end was just a finishing nail pressed into it....

try to cut a 6 mm round massive steel bolt to the accurate length. drill a hole in both ends to put a pin into( a tig welding thread perhaps,stainless or a stainless screw) if you use a screw you can locktite it to hold it in place. just a few ideas.. good luck!

one more page now and we reach 100!![X(]

i will make the shaft out of either cold rolled or hot rolled steel, and maybe coat hanger for the ends. or i will just use the old end pins. i will post pictures when im done.

As far as the electronics go, They are nothing but a headache to me, I do have new servos on the way, and a fm radio as well, but I think I will still try the batery hump pack, hopfully I am not missing anything. I did notice a huge diference when I sealed the servos though. I just used silicone on all the seams, and holes. also I think the electronics box is a poor design, I am also considering looking into a more sealed design. anyone else loosing range on there buggy, at some where around 100 feet, and have it take off at full speed, towards the hardest object around. for some reason it never misses the thing it is heading for, it always seems to hit just perfact that it breaks somthing[:@]

Trailblazer, I was also having the problem with the front dogbones being chewed up. did you ever find a solution? I have read to shorten the turning radius helps. I do not like this option, I am trying to figure out a new option, Has anyone figured out what the cause is? is it binding up because the slot in the knuckle arm is to small, and would opening the slot help? or is it the drive cup (the part the dogbone ball rests in) maybe would a bit more angle help to keep the binding down?

I noticed mine had chewed almost half way through the dogbones so i pulled em out makeing it rwd but hey it seems to work just fine for me that way.

I am running mine in 2wd as well for other issues, but there is just to much snow here not to have 4x4.[&o]

I wish there was still snow here it all melted off a couple days ago and now its arround 45 degrease F outside now. It would be fun to run my car in it, i diddint get a chance to because of work.

I have had very good luck with my electronics for over a year now, with almost a gallon of fuel used up. After a hiatus from missing parts that I now have, I got to driving my buggy again. I found the throttle servo no longer works! I bought a Traxxas servo new for $5 on ebay. Works great. (I am running 2wd too, after being gipped out of the universal joint shafts (#40177))

I also found that I no longer have first gear in my tranny! It stays in second, so is gutless off the line. Anyone know how to cure this? I don't see any instructions on how to adjust the trans, or even what tool is used to do it.
I also pulled the start cord to the end, so now I have to rermove the engine and inspect the recoil. I would like to find a way to install a hex starting recess and get rid of the pull start.

I just purchased a Smartech Tiger II. Believe it or not I went into this knowing that I would have to upgrade the servos and that if improperly tuned dealing with burned out clutches. Within the first 3 hours I burned the clutch completely which locked the drive train up. As I expected to do as I learned and worked out any bugs in the car and my knowledge. Now the thing runs like a scalded ape. Parts are cheap and easy to get. A new clutch cost $2.00. I save at least $200.00 by buying this car instead of dealing with local dealers. The best website I have found for parts is "www.raidentech.com" in California. I have also found that if you take it to your local hobby shop they will be able to cross reference some part just by measuring them against other brands

Later USMC Retired and living on a budget

wow, do you mean that your car has only been through a gallon, or in a year it has been through a gallon. either way, you must not get out much, i butned 1 gal in about 1 1/2-2 months.

Ive gone through about half a gallon of nitro over the past weekend.

I filed down the cup on the axle side so there are not as sharp of edges for the dog bone to hit. decreasing the turning radius would fix it, and probably wouldn't affect turning too much. i read that if the turning radius is too much it can actually decrease how much your car turns[X(]

Thanks Trailblazer, I will try that once my parts arrive for 4wd. Just got news that my new radio and servo's have finally arived, so I will be able to get back running soon

Still, no one has answered my post... I am happy for you that you have not had to wait for parts or for free time to drive your buggies, but I have children, and a job, and a Winner Sport that does occasionally break.

Burning up a gallon of fuel is actually pretty good, considering all my priorities throughout the year. I burn 3 to 4 tankfuls each time I take the car out, unless something breaks and I have no spare parts with me...

Ok now, anyone have something REAL to reply with? Something that will actually answer one of my questions??? LOL

Well if your lookin for an awnser to your question on your tanny goin bad id suggest inspecting the gears and possibly tearing it down to inspect the clutch, i also read somthing about a screw for adjusting when it shifts id imagine that if it managed to get turned too far while running it could cause it to stay in second gear.

i ran my buggy in 2 wheel drive today for 3 tanks today, and it was still fun even without 4 wheel drive[X(] when i run wide open for more than 3 seconds when i let off the gas when it goes back to idle it stalls. but when i restart it it idles good. any ideas? ooh and trinogt i have 1 speed tranny so i cant help. sorry

ok so maby what you can do about your tranny is pull it out and take wd-40 to it, maby it locked into second and wd might loosen it up.

I also have a 1 speed tranny, I dont know alot about the 2 speed, maybe take a look at the onroad forum, I believe the onroad car is more common to the 2 speed, and I am sure it will be a similar setup. Trailblazer, maybe trim a bit more on your throtle trim, just not to much or you will risk burning up your clutch

Never heard of one getting stuck in second gear. You will have to take the tranny apart and see why second gear is locked on the drive axle. Here is how to adjust the 2 speed if it won't shift into second though. There's a hole at the front of the small cog. Hold that cog still, then rotate the larger cog, you will see the bearing inside the small cog turning, keep turning until you see the adjust ment grub screw which you can adjust with a Allen key. Counterclockwise shortens the shift to second gear, clockwise holds first gear longer.

T, use an HPI easy start. It bolts right on and the shaft goes through the back so it will work on your buggy. It costs about $50.00. I have several back plates and one easy start. Make sure you get the easy start with the correct size backplate as they make two different sizes. Hope this helps you.
Keith

Hi All,

I have just managed to assemble a Smartech Speedy Tiger, (WHAT A JOB!!!) . Instuctions were not for the same car i am sure.... My question is what do i do to prepare the car for the first run, how do i run the engine in, and do i have to apply grease to any of the parts if so what type should i use??? Any help would be great.
Another question? I dont know if i have my throttle link set up right, it works fine but when trying it out with the hand held receiver i have to flick the trigger out to throttle up and pull it in to brake. Is this the correct way as it seems a little strange.

Thanks