robriley

in order to get answers to my questions around here ?
i've asked quite a few simple questions and i have gotten 0 answers.
I am new to this nitro thing, and i thought you guys were here to help us newbies out.
it's hard to get help when no one will answer questions from a new guy.
Thanks

perhamrocks

all you have to do is post a question and someone will answer it. Yes that is the reason we are on here not just to help the newbies but everyone

firebird78

Rob...here to help....if your post doesnt get answers feel free to pm me anytime,,,if I dont have the answer, I will find out.....

Brett185

My Feedback: (2)

We're all here to help man.....what's your question?

amf66

Yeah! That's the best part of these forums, everyone hepls each other out! [8D]

robriley

thanks guys !!!
well, i bought a volcano sv, with the vx 18 motor but i have not ran it yet (i've had it for abotu 3 weeks, and have yet to break the engine in).
it's too cold here right now, and my local hobby shop is out of fuel.
anyway, i have a couple of easy questions.
how often to glow plugs need to be replaced? (after break in...i know that break in will pretty much kill the current glow plug).
how long do the brake disks and pads last? (i know it depends on how much they get used, but just for general knowledge)
how long do the clutch shoes last ? (again i know that it all depends on how much it gets used).
i want to buy some spare parts like this (that i would consider to be maintanance items) and i'm just wondering if one set of each will hold me over for awhile (aside from the glow plugs)
what shock oil do most of you run in the shocks on the volcano ? i put 50 wt. silicone shock oil in mine, but the shocks seem to want to re-bound too fast. (too fast compaired to my electric duratrax evader anyway) i think the fast re-bound could be contributed to the springs, and possibly to the shock valving, but i'm not positive. my evader has 50 wt. silicone oil in the shocks.
again i have not even driven this thing yet, i'm just going off of "feel" by working the suspension by hand (by pushing the entire chassis down, bottoming out the shocks, and letting it return to ride height on it's own)


i've already installed aluminum a-arms, aluminum shocks, fuel filter, header and tuned pipe that came in the hop up kit that i bought.
I am really looking forward to getting this thing running, to see how fast it really is. I know that they say 50 - 60 mph, but i am thinking maybe 35-40 in reality.
thanks so much guys.
Rob

firebird78

your right to expect 35 to 40 mph.....I would say 40 or 45 wt in the shocks...the brake pads last a long time...if u wanted to buy a spare set it wouldnt hurt...likewise with the clutch shoes...I carry alotta spares on hand myself....keep your stock arms and other parts that you replaced with the hop up kit handy...front end parts are the most common to break...also ya might want to keep a spur gear or 2 on hand...

be sure to go over the truck and check all the screws and to loctite all the screws going into metal....ya might also check the carb adjustment...also check the mesh between the clutchbell and spur gear...

firebird78

forgot the glow plug.....it just varies...sometimes they last a long time..sometimes they burn up fairly fast....I like to keep 3 or 4 around ...I use os a3 plugs in about everything and they work pretty well..

perhamrocks

once you get your fuel you can still break it in in the cold, but rap the head in aluminum foil to help keep the temp up around 220 degrees f. ; though it is best to do it when it's warmer out. I just broke my landslide in in the middle of a Minnesota winter, but i did it at an indoor race track. It's really beneficial to have a temp gun to make sure your running the right temp. I know that i wish i had one for the first time i brok my volcano in. They usually run about $20-$30.

robriley

thansk a bunch man.
i just ordered one set of everything that i mentioned (brakes, clutch shoes, spur gear, 2 os a3 glow plugs oh, and a fail safe). i also got a high flow air filter just for the fun of it.

i have already gone through the truck and put blue loc-tite on all the screws except for the engine mount screws because i have not set the gear mesh yet.
one thing tho, in the instructions it says to remove the driveshaft grub screws, put loc-tite on them and put them back in. well, i can not get those grub screws out of the driveshafts. it actually looks like there is red loc-tite residue around both of them, and i can not get them loose no matter how hard i try.
i also noticed when i pulled the stock exhaust manifold off, that there was indeed red loc-tite on the screws that held it on.
oh yeah, i do plan on keeping all of the stock parts that i replaced....something ALWAYS breaks on r/c's, no matter what.
i also got the upgraded driveshafts that came with the hop -up kit, but...like i said, i can not get the grub screws loose on the stock shafts...so i can't put the upgraded ones in.

how do i check the carb adjustment ? where should the screws be set to start off with when first starting the engine ? i know that i need to have it rich for break in, but what is a good starting point to set the screws at ?
oh yeah, one other thing...i ordered this with the v.w. baja style body, and it looks 10 times better than the truck body in my opinion.
i'll have to post some pics. of this one, and my other 2 trucks when i get a chance.
thanks again.
Rob

perhamrocks

the idle should be set so there is a 1mm opening in the carb. The high speed is screw the needle all the way in BUT NOT TIGHT, then back 2 1/2 turns. The low speed needle should be flush with the outside of the outside of the rotating throttle.

firebird78

hmm never knew of them to put locktite on anything, especially red....all I can say is keep working at it...sooner or later you will have to remove the screws....your carb should be adjusted somewhat close to the pic...its a baseline...make sure when u turn the high speed and low speed needles in you not only count the turn but also do not turn them once they bottom out...you will feel the difference...take your time and be carefull...the engine should be but arent allways set....your idle screw should have a 1mm gap...to set the idle you need to have both the transmitter and reciever turned on....also make sure when the brakes are applied the 1mm gap does not change

robriley

yeah, i'm in the market for a temp gun right now. i just missed a clearance sale at the local lowes (like menards / home depot). they had infrared temp guns on clearance for $7.50 each !!!
they went up to 400 deg f., and i was going to buy every one that they had.
but i messed out on them.
so yeah, i've seen themn anywhere from $20.00 - over $100.00.
i'm not really in a hurry to break the engine in right now anyway.

robriley

i don't know....i just tried loosening those driveshaft grub screws again, and none of them will move. i'm putting quite a bit of force on them with my allan wrench and i'm actually watching the wrench flex quite a bit. these screws are standard right hand thread right ?
i'm afraid to put any more pressure on the wrench because i'm afraid that either the wrench will break, or the allan holes on the screws will round out.

perhamrocks

yes they are all right hand thread, and if you ever want them off you will either have to put a little more pressure on it and get it loose or strip it, and if you strip it you will just have to drill out the grub screw

robriley

i think i'll leave them in as they are and take my chances. if they come loose and fall out, then i'll put in the upgraded driveshafts. but i'm telling you, they are in there VERY tight....i don't see them loosening up and falling out. i understand that the driveshafts will be under alot of stress and vibrations....but these damm screws will not budge. i even tried turning the alan wrench by using a pair of pliers on the end of it. the alan wrench is wanting to twist.
yes, it is a good quality alan wrench (snap -on).

firebird78

this is weird...never known of redcat to put loctite on anything (especially red) or get something so tight I couldnt get it loose..I cant think of anyway to heat it up without melting the surrounding plastic parts....

robriley

no, i don't want to put heat on them at all.
i was trying to loc-tite everything before i actually run the truck.
i don't want to tear the entire chassis apart to get to these screws either.
i am able to get at all 4 screws without taking any surrounding parts off.
i am able to apply good leverage on the alan wrench as well, but damm...they are tight...they will not budge.
i highly doubt that all 4 of them are cross-threaded...i just think that whoever put these screws in was having a really good day, and they tightened the hell out of them.

cpcleaning

my hurricane had something red on the engine mount screws.I assume it was locktite .I loosened them pretty easy.I thought the red was permanent .

AllAboutFunHobbies

They've been locktighting the screws at the factory for about a year, but it's the crappy chineese stuff and it's so so. THere's a few different types of locktight, normally blue is associated with semi perm and red is associated with perm, but there are variations of the red mostly it's the quality.

I have had some of the dog bone cups that have WAY to much lock tight on them and they won't come out no matter what you do. You can try using a soldering iron or something that will heat up the screw and soften the locktight so you can get it out, but I'ave found with this chineese stuff that it turns into an impermiable brick if there's to much.

robriley

yes, there is residue around the outside edges of the driveshaft grub screws that appears to be red loc-tite. (or similar) I also found some on the screws that hold the exhaust manifold onto the engine when i took it off. (where the screws screw into the manifold)
The exhaust manifold screws were a s.o.b. to get off !!
however, i did find that the 8 grub screws that hold the 12 mm hexes to the axles (that the rims slide into) were only snug. i removed all 8 of them and loc-tited them.
i am going over this with a fine tooth comb before i actually run it.
i ordered a fail safe, and i'm just waiting for it to arrive. I am also waiting on my hobby shop to get more fuel.
from what he told me, it will be 1-2 weeks before he gets any.
i know that i can buy it off e-bay, but by the time i pay the shipping, i will be paying almost double than what i can get it for at the hobby shop here in town.

AllAboutFunHobbies

That's one of the reasons I don't bother selling fuel on my website. It costs $10 for shipping per can not even worth it unless your super desperate or live in the middle of no where. I can't believe your local shop is out of fuel, that's just crazy, that's one of the staples of a hobby shop, sounds like bad inventory management or just bad management all together. Sorry to hear your out of fuel, you might want to stock up on a gallon or so.

robriley

well, the hobby shop is small, and it's been here since the early 70's. the owner is about 80 years old, and sometimes he is a little forgetful. he said that he forgot to order more fuel when he realized that he was down to 2 quarts on the shelf. he and his wife (she has to be pushing 80 herself) are the only 2 people that work in the store. they are both super nice people, just a little forgetful in their old age.
i went there today, and he got some in.
$12.76 for a quart of the traxxas "top fuel".

perhamrocks

that's what i run in my volcano too, except i buy it in a gallon for about $35 dollars because you save money

robriley

yeah he didn't have any gallons, just quarts...so i had to get what i could. for the price of 2 quarts, you could almost pay for a gallon.