Building another Mojave.

[SirCrashALot]

Happy new year, you guys!

After a year of fun with our used bought Mojave, i decided i wanted a second one.
This time i decided to build it from scratch, so I can search parts and build it the way i want.
Starting with the stock chassis and towers, that are left from all the upgrades to the first one.
It will be a mix of stock Arrma BLX, EXB and third party parts. I'll be sourcing and ordering parts gradually, so i won't have to spend close to €1000 all at once. I'm hoping to finish this build before summer.

This is what i got so far.
There's too many parts still to come to assemble yet, so i am just mocking things up for now.
I still have to decide on ESC, servo.
Not sure i want to keep using this CC 1520 motor, but i'll give it another try.

 

[RadioHacktive]

Consider your thread "watched".

 

[SirCrashALot]

Consider your thread "watched".

Thanks.
I think i will be able to build it all by myself, but as always in projects like this, i expect i will need you guys to help me out.

 

[Johnny b]

Nice! Always fun to build it yourself. Sadly it seems rtr's are quite common, although many need to be rebuilt properly or at least gone over.

 

[SirCrashALot]

I was planning to use the same configuration as my first Mojave. Which would be using all BLX diffs. But now Jennysrc accidentally sent me a EXB center diff.
What fluid would you guys recommend i'd use?
I'd like the EXB diff at least as stiff as my BLX with 500k weight.
Also. I am definitely not buying another MMX8S for this one. Thought about getting a Max6, as you guys seem to love these. Or maybe a Torox 185. Would that one be sufficient for handling the 1520 or 4995 motors?

 

[Tex Koder]

Sub'd

I'm watching..

 

[Garcbomber]

Love me some Mojave'

The torox 185 is a rebranded HW max 8 v3 and a solid 150A ESC(much better than Firma 150). Running a 4985 or Castle 1520(~4290) can is going to make that ESC work however in a 15+ lb rig and I'd recommend a HW max 6/Firma 160 when bashing.

 

[SirCrashALot]

Update:
I finally got my parts from Jennysrc. They have been in customs twice as long as it took to ship to The Netherlands.
It took me a couple of hours of wrenching and now i have a roller.
Since the BLX 185 isn't strong enough to run my 1520, i decided to run the Spektrum 2050 (warranty replacement for the BLX 2050) for now.
I am getting back on my statement that i won't get another MMX8S. It has been reliable so far, with plenty of power, smoothness and absolute waterproofness. (I've been hosing all my rigs down after use and never had a single problem with that).
My current setup in the first Mojave definitely is worth copying to this one. But for getting it rolling, i still need a servo and another flysky radio. I am not setting this car up with those awful beep menus on my current radios.
(Yes, there's a Traxxas receiver on the pictures. That's for testing.)
I ordered the Team Corally CS-5245. A 45kg servo.
The MMX8S and 4985 HW motor are plans for the months to come.

Another pic.

 

[SirCrashALot]

Current set-ups:
Both Mojaves have 70 weight shock oil all around. The first one is running all BLX diffs. Arrma metal diff case in the center with 500.000 weight. 50.000 weight front and rear, stock plastic cases. Aluminium diff housings front and rear on the first, alu front only on the build. I got a defective housing and they sent me another one. But i got it to work with some dremelling, so i put it in the rear of my current build. Looking for a cheap one to put in the front. They've been holding up very well, so why use expensive brands?
Jenny sent me an EXB center diff by mistake, but why not try it out? Stock plastic case and stock fluid.
There's stock Mojave springs on all shocks. I might get a tad stiffer later, like on the first Mojave. Heavy motor, ESC and double 3S batteries are too much for the stock springs and the car sags badly. I learned that already.

 

[SirCrashALot]

The stock plastic center braces are crap and i broke one real fast on the first Mojave. I already replaced them with EXB braces, but i don't like how they look and they don't have that notch that fits into the cutout of the chassis. I ordered and mounted black GPM's on both cars now. I did drill out the threads and put longer screws with a lock nut. It prevents me from having to keep buying braces, because the screws broke off.
That plastic center diff brace really had to go. I destroyed it on my first car and replaced it with a red, no name brand aluminium one. It has been fine since. I put another GPM one on this build. I think the top plastic brace is fine, so i'll leave that for now.

 

[SirCrashALot]

Apparently the 1520 can be run with the MMX6S. So i stripped that out of my Slash and used it in the build. So out goes the stock and in with CC.
My first Mojave needs some maintenance, so i used the servo and receiver in the build to make it run.
Team Corally servo, stiffer springs and a pinion on the way. Have to order bumpers and another Flysky to get them both running.

Apparently the 1520 can be run with the MMX6S. So i stripped that out of my Slash and used it in the build. So out goes the stock and in with CC.
My first Mojave needs some maintenance, so i used the servo and receiver in the build to make it run.
Team Corally servo, stiffer springs and a pinion on the way. Have to order bumpers and another Flysky to get them both running.

Progress.

 

[SirCrashALot]

So i just let my daughter rip the Mojave around a nearby muddy dirt road. The MMX6S handles it just fine. To be honest, that's what i expected, because the MMX6S outclasses the stock stuff by far.
There is a construction site next to that road that isn't fenced (yet?) and they covered the ground with steel road plates. We destroyed the rear bumper and bulkhead screws on them.

Here's another picture of how well the Dusty Motors shroud works. Mud all over the inside of the body and on the axles, arms etc.
Nothing but a bit of fine dust inside the cover.

 

[SirCrashALot]

Some more parts have arrived.
I am curious to find how a servo this powerful will do in the Mojave.

 

[SirCrashALot]

The servo is in.
I adjusted the steering links, so trim is at zero and it tracks straight. At least it does now, in the living room.
The original servo and 20 kg servos couldn't even move the wheels at stand still, let alone center properly.
This one is moving!
I'll ad the stiffer springs and will probably test run it tomorrow.

 

[SirCrashALot]

I said earlier:
"I am not setting this car up with those awful beep menus on my current radios."

Well. I totally forgot Traxxas TQI radios have Traxxas Link.
Since they are decent radios, i decided to run one on this build for now.
Doing the setup via Traxxas Link went just fine.
Only downside is that it's all 6 Volts max.

As some of you know by now, i ruined the 4985 motor. So the 1520 is back on its MMX8S and i paired the MMX6S with the Spektrum 2050kv motor.
Waiting for Jennysrc to restock, so i can order bumper sets.

Still on my wish list:
FS-GT5.
Another Corally servo. As this thing is wicked in the build, i want one in both Mojaves.
A TP4060 to replace the ruined 4985 motor. since they some €40 cheaper, but you guys seem to like them just as much.
I just ordered a set of two aluminium bulkheads from Ali. With thanks to Slick 2500 for the link.
They will take a while to arrive, though.
Maybe another MMX8S, though the 6S seams to run the 1520 just fine.

And since i now have two of these Mojaves,
I am in need of more batteries and chargers.

And you guys say Slashes are money pits

 

[SirCrashALot]

"I just ordered a set of two aluminium bulkheads from Ali. With thanks to Slick 2500 for the link."

They have arrived already.
I am pleasantly surprised.
They look and feel like quality products.
Assembly will have to wait till the EXB steering rack and towers have arrived from Jennysrc.

 

[SirCrashALot]

It has been a while since I posted, so here's an update.
The Ali bulkheads have been in my build with the MMX8S and HW 4985 for a while now and they are holding up great.
They are a perfect fit and have no binding at all.
The GPM ones however in the BLX somehow keep stripping pinion gears, especially the one in the front. The BLX has the slower 1520 motor and is run mainly on 4S. So i am thinking of getting another set of those Ali bulkheadsand toss the GPMs in the bin.
I found a nice deal on a Max6/4985 yesterday.
€224 plus €15 for shipping. As much as i like CC systems, i am not ignoring an offer like that.
I could buy two HW sets now instead of one CC MMX8S/1717. It's being shipped already.
I wasn't planning this yet, but because the Mojave is so much heavier than CC recommends for the MMX6S, i still went for this deal.
The Corally servo crapped out. Probably my own fault for not checking endpoints after a reset.
I may claim warranty, but in the mean time i ordered two 30kg PowerHD servo's for €30 each.
Since i keep destroying the expensive Mojave bodies, i got a black TMT body.
It took some time to cut and trim all the venting holes and windows, but i am happy with the results. I put the original stock roll cage in.

 

[SirCrashALot]

I found some dirt cheap aluminium parts on Ali Express. I already have these cheap bulkheads and they are a perfect fit. I ordered some more from an even cheaper source. Still awaiting them. But these already came in. I am curious how they will be. I'll start with rebuilding my plastic center diff with these. The front and rear i will do when the bulkheads arrive. I'll let you all know how they perform.

 

[SirCrashALot]

The bulkheads haven't arrived yet.
I destroyed a rear diff pinion. I should have seen it coming, because the car had increased rolling resistance, but i ignored it because i couldn't find it. I am now in the process of rebuilding the diffs with the cheap Ali diff cups. They are for BLX diffs and opposed to the Arrma metal cups, they use the 'tumb stones'.
One center diff is already running the Ali cup and it has been fine on the few runs it has made until now.
So far I have always used a lot of bearing grease in the diff housings. Because i have one car with self made bulkhead gaskets it was fine. Last time i decided not to use a gasket and, well, it became a black sand papery mess in there. Pretty sure that's what killed my input bearings.
I read that people use dry lube on the diff ring and pinion with good results. I have plenty of that for my motorcycle, so now is a good time to try that.
Somehow i came up with the idea of using window seal strips as a gasket. They are foamy and compress to less than a millimeter, so i was thinking it would be perfect for this. I sure want to try it out, because this stuff is cheap and much easier to apply than cutting gaskets.

 

[MisterEMM]

@SirCrashALot ,
I'm currently rebuilding a Mojave. This one is also matt black because the original body looks pretty used...
I wish you lots of fun screwing.
Is the clear Majave body available to you in the states ? In Germany I have nothing at the moment.