Hello to everyone on the Redcat Forum. I have been lurking on here for a about 1 1/2 weeks. I bought a Volcano SV last week and am happy with it so far. Only problems being the clutch spring which I replaced with the 4146x and the tuning after break-in and the weak radio system which I am in the process of upgrading to a futaba. The information on this site is great and I know I am glad that a lot of you are so helpful out there.

I finally brought my truck to work which has a large open area with rocks and ruts and now the volcano is filthy. Dirt and dust just stuck to it everywhere. How do you clean it. I was thinking about removing the engine and electronics from the frame rinsing off the frame suspension etc. with water. Blowing off the water with a compressor and them lubing everything with oil or WD-40. Is this an ok method to clean it?

Again thank you for all the help you have given me so far and any help to come.

you could do that if its really dirty but try a small paint brush like a 2'' one and a old tooth brush and just brush every thing off
then blow it all off with your compressor it mite save you some time and for the body i use baby shampoo it leaves it so clean it will look like you waxed it

Ah you beat me to louie. Nice work. Yeah that sounds good I use an old tooth brush and air compressor. Putting wd40 on all the screws wouldn't be a bad idea either. (rust an all) That will keep from rusting but you already new that. I would try from getting the wd40 on the screw it self just the heads. Just make sure you use locktite after you take things apart especially screws that go into metal.

By the way welcome to the form jczechjr. And Hello!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

put denatured alcahol in a spray bottle and spray down with it and use a brush if needed then blow off with compressed air in a can or a compressor if you have one. have been doing this for years, the alcahol will not bother the electronics either since it dries fast.

Like most people, I use a 2" paint brush and toothbrush and blow off with a compressor as well. I used the compressed Nitro Cleaner from the LHS, which worked well, but it was gone after like 1.5 uses. $6 down the drain... I've also heard that brake cleaner has the same effect as the Nitro Cleaner, but you can get that at Wal Mart or an auto parts store for half the cost. I want to get my hands on some denatured alcohol, whatever the hell that is, as I've heard even before this post that it's great at degreasing and safe for electronics. That's a bonus

Where would one get denatured alcohol???

Bottom line jczechjr, don't spray your r/c down with water, and as far as I've heard and read, there is no need to ever lube anything on your r/c aside from greasing the diffs every now and again. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

Rule of thumb - if it's not broken, don't take it apart...

hi ab you can get that stuff at the hardware store or at a paint store or even homedepot in the paint section thats were i got mine
3 bucks a quart

Thanks! I ended up using the compressor and the brushes had to take the front end apart anyway tweaked my steering "A" part and had to do a little engineering with a washer on it to fix it until a new one gets here. Had a little head on accident into a Truck tire when Volcano got a little out of range. Can't wait until my futaba and failsafe get here.

I use 90% isopropynol. Pretty much the same thing as the denatured stuff. You can find it at wallyworld or anyother store for the most part.

Louie, thanks. I found it at Home Depot this morning. I'll give it a shot later. It's raining here in MA. No driving today...

Guys, check out my "wheel mod" post. Pretty good stuff some of you may like... http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_4892311/tm.htm

jczechjr, hopefully you read the specs on your failsafe. For some reason, Futaba failsafes ONLY work with NiCD batts, NOT alkaline or NiMH batts! Supposedly there's something to do with the discharge rate on them. Anyway, I am placing an order in a few weeks for a Duratrax Mini Quake and a whole bunch of goodies and included in that order will be a Duratrax failsafe, which will work like a charm. The Venom and OFNA failsafes might be okay too, but their comments don't specify.

This is copied directly from the comments section of the Futaba fail safe on Tower Hobbies:
COMMENTS: For use with NiCd batteries only, no alkalines or Manganese dry
cells.
The discharge curve of alkalines and NiMH cells is different from
that of the NiCd cells for which this unit was designed. Non-NiCd
cells will not provide the warning at the appropriate time.
Does not work with transmitter in PCM mode.

This one is straight from the Futaba receiver with built in fail safe:
COMMENTS: The R143F receiver cannot be used with dry cell or NiMH batteries.
These batteries cannot endure a large current draw and the voltage
will drop frequently even though the battery is new

Here's the Duratrax Fail Safe - http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...&I=LXHLV3&P=ML

This comment is included in the specs:
REQUIRES: Use of NiCD or NiMH batteries, do NOT use ALKALINES
Connecting between receiver and throttle servo

Remember - always read the fine print... [:@]

The Failsafe wasn't a Futaba it is a dynamite failsafe and I went ahead and installed while I am waiting for the futaba radio. I am also going to ad a HPI 5 cell 6v hump receiver pack that has a seperate plug for charging. No more removing batteries just plug up and recharge.

Good deal jczechjr. Hope that one works out. Isn't that screwed up how you can't have an exclusive Futaba system? I was pretty pi$$ed off to tell you the truth.
I may order one of those batteries instead of the 1600 mAh OFNA. That's a pretty handy feature. No need to open that box for a long time.
Where did you see the HPI battery? I'm gonna check Tower, seeing that's where I'm placing a large order from. I can't wait to get that Mini Quake! It would be perfect for a miserable, rainy day like I'm dealing with now. I'm just staring at my Volcano and I can't do a darn thing. Shoot, maybe the wife won't mind too much if I rip it around the house a bit [:@]

Gotta have the best of both worlds - nitro and electric...

jczechjr, I believe I just found that HPI battery at Tower...
http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...7&I=LXFJT1&P=K

Here's the OFNA I was considering.
http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...7&I=LXNMD7&P=K

Although the OFNA has 400 more mAh than the HPI, the separate charge feed on the HPI makes it a better deal. It's not like you'll be draining the battery THAT much quicker just because it has 400 less mAh.

Not to mention the price difference:
HPI - $21.99
OFNA - $29.99

Will that battery fit in the battery case I have in my tornado? Do they have packs for the controller?

Hey glk420247,

5 cell or "hump pack" is specific for the receiver. Yes it will fit the Tornado and all other nitros.

You will notice the servos react quicker. I think the mah rating will only effect how long they last on one charge as they are all 6.0v

http://www.topspeedtoys.com/index.ph...0e83aab86f71aa

Don't know about the radio though.

Mark

WD-40 is the worst thing you can use on these trucks. i talked to a guy who had been doing this for 20 years, and he said dont ever use WD-40. go to your local hobby town and ask them for a cleaner-degreaser. it comes in a quart and is pink.

The wd-40 is just for the screws so you don't get rust. Not for cleaning

exactly

THanks TST looks like I will be making a order soon