Mojave 8s Mojave EXB build

[UPPERDECKER]

Hey guys, first arrma, and before even driving it I can see how they carry their reputation so well.
I'll lay down my spec sheet first, still looking for tips and tricks on the how to's and maybe anything else I might have forgotten along the way. I tried to number them in order of install but it's a loose order.

***POWER***

1. 10K-30K/500K/10K-30K F/C/R LSD DIFFS
2. FLYSKY GT5/BS6
3. SAVOX 2210SG-BE
4. CASTLE 1717 1650kv
5. 19-22 TOOTH PINION
6. CASTLE MAMBA XLX2
7. CASTLE BEC 2.0 WP
8. ZEEE 4s 9000mah (8s)

***SHOCKS***

--SPRINGS--
SOFT (70mm, 7.7 lbs/in - 110mm 3.2 lbs/in)
STIFF (70mm, 8.6 lbs/in - 110mm 3.6 lbs/in)***
STREET (60mm 9.7 lbs/in - 95mm 5 lbs/in)

1. SHOCK OIL 90W
2. SWAY BAR FRONT/REAR (STIFF 2.9mm)
3. TEKNO RC DROOP SCREWS

***PROTECTION***

1. DRYWALL TAPE/SHOE GOO BODY
2. DUAL FAN MOTOR COOLER
3. DUAL TRAY TOP/BOTTOM BATTERY TRAY
4. SHOCK BOOTS FRONT/REAR
5. DUSTY MOTORS XXXL UNIVERSAL SHROUD (CUSTOM CUT)
6. SCORCHED EARTH REAR AXLE GAURDS
7. SCORCHED EARTH FENDERS/MUDGUARDS
8. BODY POST FOAM SUPPORT
9. BODY EDGE PROTECTION TRIM
10. M2C 2MM EXTENDED WHEEL HEX
11. CUSTOM CUT WINDSHIELD

***COSMETIC***

--LIGHTS--
1. LIGHT BAR
2. HEADLIGHTS/TAILLIGHTS
3. UNDER LIGHTING

4. HORN

***WEIGHT***
CHASSIS 169 oz
BATTERIES 52 oz
ESC 13 oz
MOTOR 21 oz
BALANCE WEIGHTS 18 oz

~17 LBS RTR

 

[MambaSenton]

Nice selection of gear, look forward to seeing the build.

 

[UPPERDECKER]

Thanks. The power train is all take off from a project that never came to full fruition, and since retired. The Mojave seems to be a perfect fit for it too. Well except the xlx2..
I started doing the drywall tape and shoe goo thing about 2 hours ago, I got almost everything covered. Was thinking about leaving out the interior area, is that not a good idea? Do you do tape goo tape goo? Or tape tape goo goo?

 

[MambaSenton]

Yea that xlx2 is pretty big! @The_Otherside had one in his Mojave with a 1100.

I can’t speak on the interior but a windshield is a good idea I’ve seen a few ppl suggest.

Not sure on the goo shoeing tape either , haven’t done that to any of my shells

 

[UPPERDECKER]

Yo this is a lot of battery hah. Feels pretty stout. Also added some more trim pieces of drywall tape before gooing. I decided to go tape tape goo goo haha. Gunna save that job for later though

 

[UPPERDECKER]

Receiver, servo, and body post padding all in, and in one shot.

 

[The_Otherside]

Gonna be disappointed with a 19-22t pinion. 30 minimum, especially with dual motor fans of any kind.

And you'll need hex extenders. You'll strip your wheels in a week on 8s.

 

[UPPERDECKER]

Thanks for the advice, @The_Otherside . I'll definitely keep that 30 minimum in mind, I haven't tried anything over a 30 pinion yet. Couldn't I lower my power output to reduce max rpms, and in turn heat? At what gearing does the load start to even out towards the esc? I'm leaning this build more towards off road bashing then speed, but I would like to tear up some parking lots on a whim. Could this be done with a single pinion installed?
Thanks again, obviously more to learn on my end.

Also, more than the m2c 2mm hexes? What's going on that makes it a problem?

 

[calebgilmore]

Thanks for the advice, @The_Otherside . I'll definitely keep that 30 minimum in mind, I haven't tried anything over a 30 pinion yet. Couldn't I lower my power output to reduce max rpms, and in turn heat? At what gearing does the load start to even out towards the esc? I'm leaning this build more towards off road bashing then speed, but I would like to tear up some parking lots on a whim. Could this be done with a single pinion installed?
Thanks again, obviously more to learn on my end.

Also, more than the m2c 2mm hexes? What's going on that makes it a problem?

I'd start where you were and see what kind of speed you get and gear up from there. I know yours will have added weight but if you go too far over 60 the body tries to make it go airplane status. That and you may think about belted tires if you are going to push faster than that. Methodrc makes some with some weak tread pattern on them but they might not balloon as bad. I am running that power combo on a v1 infraction and it's running 24/46 and if my maths are anywhere near correct that's 80ish on grp's and 8s. Your tire diameter will be a lot bigger but your diffs will be geared a little lower.

 

[Jerold]

A few thoughts.

That combo is going to be very fast on 8S, maybe too fast and extremely scary and awesome at the same time. The standard Spectrum electronics will get that beast up to about 50 mph pretty easily and nearly 60mph on pavement. It's got soft suspension and lots of body roll which makes it all a bit squirrelly. I'm not saying don't do it, but realize that your putting a rocket ending a Honda. Start slow and be careful to not injury anyone. Also keep in mind that the braking is heating the engine just the same as running it fast and builds up heat quickly.

The XLX2 has a good ESC in there. -"Powerful Integrated 20A Peak Adjustable BEC (5.25V-8.0V)". The limiting factor in your system is the Flyscy BS6 (6.5V). I don't know that you will need a ton of servo speed with the giant truck, although you might want more torque. Unless you are isolating your servo to run at 7.4V the BEC is worthless. Or run receiver that can run at 7.4V.

For the drywall tape and Shoe Goo. You do good work, can I send you some stuff? Do it, not doubt in my mind. My friend trashed the Mojave body pretty quickly. Some of that damage was from a learning curve, the rest it that it's Lexan and eventually cracks. My Slash body got trashed quickly as well. Shoe goo is your friend.

You should order some more body posts now, they are not that great and tend to break pretty quickly. Just order in bulk.

I ran a mesh shroud on my Slash for a while. It kept out the big sticks for the most part but let all the little dust and dirt through. In the end it just made turning it on/off and swapping batteries more difficult. I found that without it I can address the dust/dirt problem with a hose and and air compressor in about 3 mins when I got home. Not a fan of dust covers. I think you're better off with the inner fenders you have.

Best of luck!

 

[UPPERDECKER]

@calebgilmore I'm certainly not trying to push the car passed 60 off road. Maybe after I grow into it a little more. What should I be looking for in a belted off road tire for the Mojave? That Methodrc tire and wheel combo looks decent, but I've never glued tires before. I might pull the trigger if I hear someone local can do it. For on road I have two belted bandito 2.8's I'd like to try on all four, are these worth getting two more? I'm not pushing for travelling speed, but id like to be able to break traction at mid to high speeds in an open area like a parking lot or court or something. Also, how long do tires last bashing on road?

@Jerold Thanks for pointing out that breaking is loading the motor just the same as accelerating, ill be sure to watch my braking just as much. How hard is the strain during full lock during say, emergency stopping the car from like 40+mph? I haven't thought about that coming from the crawler side of rc. I always put power adjustment on the right dial knob on the flysky so at least ill have a governor haha. Does turning down the power and going full throttle strain the motor more than less throttle on full power?
I do plan on running the CC bec directly from esc terminal to servo at the servo's full potential. I'm using it more or less for convenience, I have the same model in two of my crawlers and a friends car, it seemed like a decent "do most" servo, and the plan was to be able to save on rebuild kits if the worst ever happened. I've had brownouts before but never at higher speeds so the bec was an easy choice. The esc will be doing the auxiliary work with the lights and fans, and the horn is a riot haha.
The tape job was killing me honestly, was dreading until I got started but seeing it take shape made it easier to follow through. Some of those corners are real tricky, I got lucky enough the tape would stay down, but after sitting some have come up so ill have to take some hot glue to it later. Now I'm dreading the goo as much as the tape. I also got some spray on flex seal I'm going to lay over the goo, figured I'd just go all the way. I too have a trashed slash body, and I guess that made a good motivator haha.
Is there a certain way to lay the foam that makes it more effective? After playing with it a little bit I noticed it still needs work. It seems the post arms just need something to bottom out against right?
And about the mesh, the idea was to cut slots out where they would be over the fans, and use a very light strip of velco to secure it around the face of them. I feel this would counteract the low airflow problem, at least directly where they are needed, and at the same time ambient air being forced through the mesh?
Thanks again you guys.

 

[The_Otherside]

I'm running 35t.

If it's "too fast" adjust the input on the transmitter or just run 4s.

Simple solution. Plus you'll be ready for when you're comfortable. Why spend $20-40 on pinions when you can go big and easily dial it back. There's no way to dial it up.

Save money on the body posts until they break... I've broke one and I beat the ever living piss out of mine. Plus you have the updated version. No need to spend money on them if they're not broken.

You'll need the hex extenders.

Here's proof this thing is durable AF. 30t and 35t in these videos.

And also, body roll doesn't mean much. Doesn't mean its hard to drive or that it rolls over a lot, because it doesn't.

And on the "parachuting" that can be fixed with the smallest bit of use input while it's in the air, if at all

Hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

 

[N.Mango]

I'm running 35t.

If it's "too fast" adjust the input on the transmitter or just run 4s.

Simple solution. Plus you'll be ready for when you're comfortable. Why spend $20-40 on pinions when you can go big and easily dial it back. There's no way to dial it up.

@UPPERDECKER This guy @The_Otherside is a maniac with the mojave...proceed with caution!

 

[The_Otherside]

@UPPERDECKER This guy @The_Otherside is a maniac with the mojave...proceed with caution!

Added proof.

 

[N.Mango]

Added proof.

Yep...Maniac!

 

[Jerold]

I can relate. I started with crawlers. Lots of fund and I'm fascinated with the suspension. All the details matter on those.

The tape job was killing me honestly, was dreading until I got started but seeing it take shape made it easier to follow through. Some of those corners are real tricky, I got lucky enough the tape would stay down, but after sitting some have come up so ill have to take some hot glue to it later. Now I'm dreading the goo as much as the tape. I also got some spray on flex seal I'm going to lay over the goo, figured I'd just go all the way. I too have a trashed slash body, and I guess that made a good motivator haha.
Is there a certain way to lay the foam that makes it more effective?

There are different camps about Shoe Goo vs Flex Seal vs .... It's a bit of holy war and opinions will vary. It doesn't mean it's the right choice for you, but from what I've seen Shoe Goo is the most popular. There are a lot of YouTube videos on the subject, testing, application, etc.

I tried the spray Flex Seal and drywall tape and it was a mess. The tape just blew off and there are tiny strings of Flex Seal everywhere. Then again my imagination exceeds my talent most days. In the end it seems to work but it was a total mess for me. Maybe the brush on Flex Seal will better?

With the Shoe Goo, I found that using a small flash stick of wood, think Popsicle stick, to work the Shoe Goo in works well. Just mush it in there.

Just my unsolicited and do what works for you.

And also, body roll doesn't mean much. Doesn't mean its hard to drive or that it rolls over a lot, because it doesn't.

Totally agree, body roll doesn't have much to do with rolling over or crashing. In fact you want more body roll on loose surfaces because it allows for suspension travel. However, it does impede your control on hard surface, because it reduces the tire contact patch. Less patch means less traction, i.e. squirrelly.

 

[N.Mango]

I can relate. I started with crawlers. Lots of fund and I'm fascinated with the suspension. All the details matter on those.


Totally agree, body roll doesn't have much to do with rolling over or crashing. In fact you want more body roll on loose surfaces because it allows for suspension travel. However, it does impede your control on hard surface, because it reduces the tire contact patch. Less patch means less traction, i.e. squirrelly.

Diggin these statements!
I'm a suspension freak too...probably my favorite part. I like seeing suspension in action.
My krton and lasernut both have no sway bars so as to have more suspension action (i left the arm on the lasernut cause it looks cool tho) but the theres no bar connected.

 

[calebgilmore]

@calebgilmore I'm certainly not trying to push the car passed 60 off road. Maybe after I grow into it a little more. What should I be looking for in a belted off road tire for the Mojave? That Methodrc tire and wheel combo looks decent, but I've never glued tires before. I might pull the trigger if I hear someone local can do it. For on road I have two belted bandito 2.8's I'd like to try on all four, are these worth getting two more? I'm not pushing for travelling speed, but id like to be able to break traction at mid to high speeds in an open area like a parking lot or court or something. Also, how long do tires last bashing on road?

@Jerold Thanks for pointing out that breaking is loading the motor just the same as accelerating, ill be sure to watch my braking just as much. How hard is the strain during full lock during say, emergency stopping the car from like 40+mph? I haven't thought about that coming from the crawler side of rc. I always put power adjustment on the right dial knob on the flysky so at least ill have a governor haha. Does turning down the power and going full throttle strain the motor more than less throttle on full power?
I do plan on running the CC bec directly from esc terminal to servo at the servo's full potential. I'm using it more or less for convenience, I have the same model in two of my crawlers and a friends car, it seemed like a decent "do most" servo, and the plan was to be able to save on rebuild kits if the worst ever happened. I've had brownouts before but never at higher speeds so the bec was an easy choice. The esc will be doing the auxiliary work with the lights and fans, and the horn is a riot haha.
The tape job was killing me honestly, was dreading until I got started but seeing it take shape made it easier to follow through. Some of those corners are real tricky, I got lucky enough the tape would stay down, but after sitting some have come up so ill have to take some hot glue to it later. Now I'm dreading the goo as much as the tape. I also got some spray on flex seal I'm going to lay over the goo, figured I'd just go all the way. I too have a trashed slash body, and I guess that made a good motivator haha.
Is there a certain way to lay the foam that makes it more effective? After playing with it a little bit I noticed it still needs work. It seems the post arms just need something to bottom out against right?
And about the mesh, the idea was to cut slots out where they would be over the fans, and use a very light strip of velco to secure it around the face of them. I feel this would counteract the low airflow problem, at least directly where they are needed, and at the same time ambient air being forced through the mesh?
Thanks again you guys.

I run 1/8 grp's on typhons and my infraction but a little small for the mojave. There are 1/5 grp's with the just bash it adapters that will work. As far as grip i don't know how well they do with the stickier compounds since i had some harder ones on my stretched mojave, but if they are sticky like the softer 1/8's they would work well.

 

[Moirae]

I'd start where you were and see what kind of speed you get and gear up from there. I know yours will have added weight but if you go too far over 60 the body tries to make it go airplane status. That and you may think about belted tires if you are going to push faster than that. Methodrc makes some with some weak tread pattern on them but they might not balloon as bad. I am running that power combo on a v1 infraction and it's running 24/46 and if my maths are anywhere near correct that's 80ish on grp's and 8s. Your tire diameter will be a lot bigger but your diffs will be geared a little lower.

I'm running the methodRC tires on 8s with a tp 4060 cm 2080kv and they handle it great.

 

[UPPERDECKER]

@The_Otherside Wow. Just stunned at how the truck shrugs off anything you throw at it. Definitely harder then I plan to bash haha. I think it's a good call on just running a bigger pinion and dialling the power back. I'll probably get a 30-32 tooth. 1650kv is a little hot for 8s, and redlining at 100% full tilt. So it should be happy with 8s volts, but lower power output right?

@Jerold Yeah I've read a lot about people preaching their method, but they all seem pretty centered around the tape then goo, so that's what I went with. The flex seal spin was more for the factory finish look with the tape and goo underneath. I'll make sure to snag a seal spreader from work tonight too, good call on that one.

@calebgilmore I hear a lot of people using grp tires, and the 1/5 for the Mojave a bit too. But are they more for speed running? Or do you just need them for general street bashing on a larger scale with more power? Those 1/8s would look a little small haha. How long is the wear on them? I guess I could bite the bullet on a few pairs if they last longer then a couple sessions. My slash was 2wd so it wasn't so bad to just need rear tires most of the time.

I got my shocks rebuilt with the 1.4 pistons and 90wt on all four, as well as the stiffest springs arrma sells for the Mojave specifically and boots for the shafts. Took about half the 2oz bottle to do all four. Still need to install the stiffer sway bars, but I didn't really notice much difference in spring rate after reinstalling the shocks. How hard does your guy's chassis slap the ground when you land? I couldn't go over about 2 feet without slapping but I feel that's asking too much of the chassis, and even the parts holding the high dollar pieces, watching these videos jump 15-20 feet up. How far can you tune suspension to drive well but still take mild (3-5 foot high) running jumps?