Budget TLR 8eight 3.0 Frankenstein resurrection

[chilly81]

I picked up this old, well used, TLR 8ight 3.0 (I think) chassis with electric conversion kit from the classifieds a few weeks ago for $50 just as something to play with. A way to satisfy my kit craving without breaking the bank. No electronics, no shocks, but everything else seems pretty decent, including diffs. Driveshafts are a little bent but I may be able to straighten them a bit. A bit loose for competitive racing I'm sure, but could be something fun to throw a Jenny's 3S or 4S basic system in just for the heck of it.

In the middle of tearing it all down now to do bearings diffs etc and see what shape it's in, but I'll hold those pics for the next post.

Then plan to see what parts I can cobble together from. my own pile and from Jenny's - trying to keep as budget as possible. Not planning to comb eBay for probably expensive TLR leftover parts unless I really have to and they aren't super expensive components. Honestly probably won't run it that much or that hard at least because of the parts situation, but it's a really cool quality rig that should be fun to redo.

 

[dure16]

Bringing retired race cars back to life is my favorite RC activity. This thing will make a great basher if that’s your goal. Enjoy!

 

[chilly81]

Bringing retired race cars back to life is my favorite RC activity. This thing will make a great basher if that’s your goal. Enjoy!

It really is fun, huh? I even like it more than building a brand new kit. The transformation, and being able to tear it down and build it up without a manual and figuring out how it all works - very fulfilling and interesting. I did a TLR 22-4 belt drive 4wd buggy a couple years ago that will make a nice pair with this guy.

 

[gotnitro]

Just from looking at that chassis, that thing was never raced.

 

[Dandolorion]

I recently resurrected a poor looking, sloppy Xray XB4. Like you I picked it up as a bargain (1/4 of what i paid for my main XB4 and less that a new diff!) and have likely spent $15 on other bits for it from scrapped XB4's. It was one of the most satisfying things I have done. She is now smooth as butter and would be a great runner in stock form.

You have got an awesome buy and I must say I'm a little jealous! Love doing stuff up that has seen better days and bring them back to life.

Stripped down, Cleaned (even down to the screws)

 

[Dan B.]

Franken-rigs are awesome. Have fun with this, looking forward to seeing your build!

 

[chilly81]

Step one pretty successful. Full teardown (well, not quite as full as @Dandolorion!) and everything looks really good.

Worst part was having to drill out the grub screw in one of the wheel hexes. I'll make sure the pin is a friction fit so it doesn't fall out when I inevitably forget about it when I take the wheel off later. Other than that, just had to slot the head of one more screw in the belly to get it out.

Diffs look great. Center diff is missing the o-ring+washer on one but looks no worse for the wear.

Most bearings are shot though.... definitely wheel bearings. Nothing seized, but remotely smooth either. There are special flanged bearings around the diffs that hopefully aren't a specialty item since I'll need 6.

Both front hinge pins both bent perfectly symmetrically, but arms are fine. Seem to be same diameter as Arrma 6s and shorter, so my box of junk and a cutoff wheel should have that covered.

There is a crack in the leg of the servo mount. It's one big piece with the RX box and is a bit flimsy - from the nitro-electric conversion. I'm not going to let the see water, so I think I"ll probably ditch that and just hard mount the servo using those two holes. I've got the original mount from my Fireteam that should work. Then just put the RX somewhere else - maybe a box maybe not.

Now to order some bearings and clean everything up. And see if I straighten out the driveshafts a bit.

 

[J.Rambo]

I'm excited to see what u come up with!

 

[Dan B.]

Dang, this is moving quickly! Enjoy, man!

 

[EJunlimited]

Nice! I have an old HPI touring car that I refreshed by throwing in a brushless system and running that for a while. Now I just gotta find a rear diff, because it blew apart on the last time I had it out. Whoops. Lol

 

[chilly81]

Took a while to figure out the center diff mount. Between the right being an electric conversion, this part apparently being even further aftermarket, and then having it be a little broken - it was pretty confusing to figure out what it wanted to be. OH, and they mix imperial and metric hardware on top of all that!

I think I sorted it though. Had to chase some threads with a tiny metric tap and found a surprise match for a pretty long skinny non standard bolt in my spare parts bin, and I think I'm good to go. Pretty tight machining on that part too - not much room to drill bigger or a helical, so glad it worked. Those black button heads are the ones I found. And the stainless cap head lying there was the screw that was in there - oversized and not long enough to reach the lower half of the brace. We good now.

Ordered a full Eddy's bearing kit $32 and the washers and seal needed to put the diffs back together $13 (a bunch of each of course, plus new gaskets).
Also order the little 'pills' that let you adjust alignment (which I'll never be able to tell the difference anyway - but must have the options!!!).

 

[chilly81]

All I can do for now until my bearings get here.

 

[J.Rambo]

Wow! What a transformation! Looking good bro!

 

[chilly81]

Wow! What a transformation! Looking good bro!

Thanks! Hey, I was wondering, do you still have a 8ight 3.0 that’s running out at least mostly complete? I’m gonna have to try to figure out what I can do for shocks next, and I was hoping I could find somebody to take a couple measurements. There’s so many varieties of this vehicle. It’s really hard to google things! I think they are 16 mm diameter, 115 mm and 105 mm. But I know there’s something funny going on down by the spring perch because the OEM springs taper for clearance on the driveshaft I think. That may be my biggest challenge.

It really is a nice rig though!

 

[J.Rambo]

Thanks! Hey, I was wondering, do you still have a 8ight 3.0 that’s running out at least mostly complete? I’m gonna have to try to figure out what I can do for shocks next, and I was hoping I could find somebody to take a couple measurements. There’s so many varieties of this vehicle. It’s really hard to google things! I think they are 16 mm diameter, 115 mm and 105 mm. But I know there’s something funny going on down by the spring perch because the OEM springs taper for clearance on the driveshaft I think. That may be my biggest challenge.

It really is a nice rig though!

What exactly do you need measured? Springs? Shock body? And eye to eye? F/R?

 

[chilly81]

What exactly do you need measured? Springs? Shock body? And eye to eye? F/R?

I figured out the OEM springs and perches for this rig, and just went ahead and ordered a set of the lightest ones, figuring they'd be a good start for spring rates and lengths and are only $10 a set. When those get here, I can see if my Arrma 6S shocks will work with those springs and perches.

The springs are tapered at the bottom which I thought was necessary for driveshaft clearance, but now that I have it all back together it's looking like clearance might not really be a problem even with just standard Arrma 6S shocks, so we'll see what I can cobble together.

So for now, think I'm OK... will see how things fall together. Might want to check something down the line. Tempted to just try some of the other brand 1/8 buggy shocks that are still more available.... like from Mugen or Kyosho's. But can't find overall lengths on those, so don't want to just guess since they aren't super cheap. I have the Arrma one's in hand from upgraded 3S cars, so I can play with them without spending any $$.

 

[chilly81]

If you've never raced or spent any time messing with one of these racing buggies, and you have the opportunity to without spending a fortune, you really should. This is a a totally different beast than anything else I own. I feel like I'm wrenching for Max Verstappen compared to my normal mode of feeling like I'm building demolition derby cars in my shed. Hard to explain when it's not in your hands and you're not taking it apart. Love it.

Phase 1 went great. Rebuild the chassis I bought and all it needed was a bearing kit ($32), and unfortunately I was unable to straighten the driveshafts, so I have those on order ($29). I even managed to salvage the RX box/servo mount with a cracked leg by drilling the cracked leg all the way through the top of the box, allowing me to thread a really long bolt all the way up and through. Was going to put a washer and nut on top, but it feels super solid enough just like this (can kind of see the grey crack low on that support) .

Then I thew my "standard 3S upgrade to 6S shocks" off my granite and they seem to fit really well. Will play with springs but seems like a decent first try.

 

[gotnitro]

If you've never raced or spent any time messing with one of these racing buggies, and you have the opportunity to without spending a fortune, you really should. This is a a totally different beast than anything else I own. I feel like I'm wrenching for Max Verstappen compared to my normal mode of feeling like I'm building demolition derby cars in my shed. Hard to explain when it's not in your hands and you're not taking it apart. Love it.

Phase 1 went great. Rebuild the chassis I bought and all it needed was a bearing kit ($32), and unfortunately I was unable to straighten the driveshafts, so I have those on order ($29). I even managed to salvage the RX box/servo mount with a cracked leg by drilling the cracked leg all the way through the top of the box, allowing me to thread a really long bolt all the way up and through. Was going to put a washer and nut on top, but it feels super solid enough just like this (can kind of see the grey crack low on that support) .
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Then I thew my "standard 3S upgrade to 6S shocks" off my granite and they seem to fit really well. Will play with springs but seems like a decent first try.
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Good to see a “basher gone racer” so to say, but another opinion in this forum other than a few of us about kits. Isn’t it nice to put something together and it feels like magnets are pulling the parts in perfect place with micron tolerances? I’m exaggerating just a tad, but am I?

 

[chilly81]

Good to see a “basher gone racer” so to say, but another opinion in this forum other than a few of us about kits. Isn’t it nice to put something together and it feels like magnets are pulling the parts in perfect place with micron tolerances? I’m exaggerating just a tad, but am I?

Yeah that's a really good way to describe it. Make me think of when they try to model some advanced galactic artifact in the Marvel movies or iron man's powerplant.
You'd think with all that advanced engineering they could have picked metric or english though. Unforgivable. But that's my only complaint so far.

 

[chilly81]

Got my driveshafts in, and my 2nd potential shock option. Again so impressed - look how close that driveshaft is to the other components. Crazy. I'm assuming it doesn't hit of course, lol, since I haven't run it yet.

Built a set of Kyosho mp10 shocks from Jenny'src for $40 a pair I just couldn't pass up. They are probably 5 mm longer than the standard 6S I upgraded my granite to. They are so sweet and plooosh though. And they look pretty high quality. Soft springs so the longer shock fades into more sag. We'll see how it runs - just about level arms without a battery or body. Have some Typhon TLR shocks on order too to try. I needed shocks for two cars, so just trying different things and will use both.

Also got a EXB shock tower that I'm going to cut up as an adapter plate to bolt to the existing shock tower but provide mount points down low so I can mount some 6S felon shocks and drop the ride height. Would only be like a 10 minute switch over to be able to go between plush buggy and road car. That's the theory.