V0RT3X

These are in Europe but I would use HPI replacements if you want to replace with stock parts again.

http://www.die-rovan-spezialisten.de/

I'm looking at the conversion kit and 5T alum. rims.

TURBOFUNGUS

i just want rhe see-throuh spur cover and the onepice rear hubs and the aluminium rims.

willclark77

My Feedback: (2)

Some pics of the casting finish on the rims.  The finish is good.  The outside could easily be polished.  The outside looks slightly rough in the pics, but they're not at all. 









Pulled the gearbox out today and installed the longer lathe shaft for the two speed before I had to come back to work.  I'll be home Thursday night and hope to get it finished with vid up by Friday or Saturday.

willclark77

My Feedback: (2)

Got the  two speed installed today.  Well, just to test it.  Took it back apart to make the bushing in the pics below.  I did record a quick vid of it shifting on the stand.  Should have it back together and run it some tomo. 

Gearbox out



Plenty of grease





I did seperate the diff.  It actually had oil but not full.  I added some 1k to it.



All of that just to install the longer layshaft



All back together now.  The two speed is pretty straightforward.  On with the 1st gear spur and one way bearing.  They came assembled.  I'm hoping somewhere local has the one way bearings so I'll have a  spare.  I can't tell by looking, but wouldn't expect it came with a high quality bearing.  I'll know soon.



This is where I'm making a bushing.  The aluminum second gear adapter isn't a tight fit.  The 2nd gear spur will automatically tighten against 1st, but the majority of the side load when it shifts will be on the bolt.  I can see that breaking pretty quickly. 



Add a c clip



Now is when to mount the 1st gear spur, the adapter, and 2nd gear spur.  I didn't until later.  It would've been much easier if I had now.

Strike pins.  One is 2mm longer than the other four.  Keep it seperate.



Install the aluminum whatever it's called piece that supports the strike pins with the four supplied screws.  Put the strike pins in the holes.  They fit ok, but weren't a light press fit.  They could fall out, not that it'll matter running because they're held in place by the cover, but I still think they should've.  I glued them in place with red loctite.



Install it on the layshaft.  Add the longer pin kept seperate earlier.



The clutch comes preassembled.  I'll disassemble and loctite the screws before reinstalling.  The setscrews for the adjustings screws are on the inside.  In order to adjust the shift point the clutch will have to be removed.  It's simple, but annoying.





Installed



Slap on the gear cover with the four supplied screws plus the one large screw and aluminum spacer in the middle.  I'm be blue loctiting.




Video of it shifting

http://williamclark77.smugmug.com/Ot...369_f4vPL-A-LB



After the vid I made this bushing on the lathe.  A brass fitting sacrificed itself for the cause.  Still got to finish machine the id for the 2nd gear adapter to fit into and clean it up here.

nitrohead5300

You can tell when she shifts, she jerks the whole car!! You may have to play around with adjusting the shift points for the track you are running on . Good review!!

bbuzzard

My Feedback: (5)

I like that bushing mod...[8D]

willclark77

My Feedback: (2)

After reassembling with the bushing I made installed I shot this quick vid of it earlier.  I only had a few minutes to test it out.  It seems to be workin fine.  That's the factory adjustment, too.  I ran it again in a rough red clay and sandy place too just before dark, it did great.  If things go to plan, I should get much more vid as I see what it can take tomorrow. 

http://williamclark77.smugmug.com/Ot...435_b7o6r-A-LB

TIGER76

nice job will [8D] seems to be shifting well now been looking at these 2speeds lately

willclark77

My Feedback: (2)

I got to give the two speed a run this weekend and get pics and vids. After warming the engine up I needed to hold her back end up and rev it until it shifted once. After doing that one time it worked great, except for one major snafu. See the pics below.

Vid of it in action at a dirt pit

http://williamclark77.smugmug.com/Ot...969_T4Eqj-A-LB

It shifts smoothly and accurately. After this vid it still looks new. You can't tell it's ever shifted before. There's no dents in the pawls or strike pins. Granted, the stock engine isn't pushing it hard. It doesn't really have enough power or rev enough to take advantage of the extra gear.... Yet . We'll see how it holds up to more par later.

I snapped a few pics while my bud drove before it got too dark




















Now for the bad news. At the end of the vid you can hear something break. The pins for the first gear spur (the spur gear mounts on the carrier with the one way bearing just like stock) pulled out of the carrier. This is a HORRIBLE design. They thread in with nothing on the back for support. All that holds them is about 3 threads worth into the carrier. I didn't notice this while putting it on or I would have addressed it somehow. Nothing a few minutes with a tig and lathedidn't cure, but that's not the point. This will not cut it stock and can't last long. I emailed the seller/distributor yesterday about it, but haven'tgotten a reply.

The four pins screwed in here



They pulled out into the dampeners.



That's it. That little bit of threads is all that holds them in. Solid billet would be ideal, but countersunk bolts would be a much better option and probably cheaper.

bbuzzard

My Feedback: (5)

Wow, that is a poor design on those pins...hopefully it will be addressed.

tonystott

Will, Thanks for your in-depth look at the Rovan 2-speed.

Is there any possibility of you making that sleeve available, as well as whatever you finish up with for the spur/damper bolts? Ihave a suspicion if you set up to make a bunch you would be able to sell them quickly....

Tony

TIGER76

That second pic of your T is outstanding one for wallpaper me thinks lol

willclark77

My Feedback: (2)

Tony, no problem.  It's worth the trouble if it lets others know what they're getting ahead of time.  All in all it's still a decent value of a  truck if the buyer is willing to work around its flaws and be patient until the kinks are worked out.  There are several things though that should be addressed by Rovan.  I've tried contacting the seller/distributor with no luck.  He could have other stuff going on right now.  I plan to contact Rovan, but won't expect much.

I'd love to be able to make and sell them, but don't have a lathe in my shop yet.  I have a lot of work to do on it first, but hope to.  All I did to the carrier was weld the pins in then machined the welds off. 

mxzrider67

Will ,
Nice job... so after you welded the pins in , have you had anymore problems with the 2 speed ?

airbrushNC

My Feedback: (9)

So I don't think this would be a very good first choice for a gasser.  Thanks for the review, but it sounds like I need to look at something else.

reed272

That damage would never happend to that degree with an original HPIbaja.... I just dont understand why someone buys these crappy adn cheap copies-.-

bbuzzard

My Feedback: (5)

An original Baja doesn't have a two-speed...

Obeast44

I hate to break it to ya, but the almighty HPI has pretty much the same issues.

reed272

Now that's just bull****.

airbrushNC

My Feedback: (9)

I was looking because money is tight and now days everyone should be conserned about getting the most bang for the buck! The truck may still be a good deal but frustration has a diffrant price.

badboy2

My Feedback: (13)

if you cant afford the real hpi i think this one is a good starter !

reed272

I disagree with you because its much more excpencive to cover all the broken parts from the roven than just buy an hpi baja that holds up.

sparky 25

Talkin balls again.

Obeast44

I disagree with you, because the HPI doesn't hold up any better. Yes, I am speaking from experience.

Foxy

Calm down guys. Reed, we get the idea, that's enough clone bashing for a review thread please. Some people get on fine with them and value this info.