Fazon. Impressions after two weeks.

[Julian]

What a weekend. Three bashing jumping sessions and early AM Costco lot...

I ran into problems with the diff brain. Again. Every time I switch to center lock for wheelie mode- I break a pin attaching the UJ ... or I break a UJ itself. Broke two and one UJ. I installed the rear HD UJs and STILL broke a pin. Only happens when I go in wheelie mode. So I look at my Nero and it's fine - never these issues. I'm believing it's the non diff brain version that keeps it out of trouble. The only thing I can think of is the slipper clutch might be too tight?

I also came seconds away from the fazon getting crushed by a car passing by. Was coming down a hill and a car was coming up the hill behind me. I braked and the fazon did a 180 turn and was going backwards pretty fast. I tried to steer it away from the car and did the opposite. It hit the rear passenger tire on the outside and bounced away. Seconds earlier? Would've went under that rear tire. My heart jumped and I grabbed it and went inside. Very scary. No more outside with traffic. No more.

 

[Afro Samurai]

What a weekend. Three bashing jumping sessions and early AM Costco lot...

I ran into problems with the diff brain. Again. Every time I switch to center lock for wheelie mode- I break a pin attaching the UJ ... or I break a UJ itself. Broke two and one UJ. I installed the rear HD UJs and STILL broke a pin. Only happens when I go in wheelie mode. So I look at my Nero and it's fine - never these issues. I'm believing it's the non diff brain version that keeps it out of trouble. The only thing I can think of is the slipper clutch might be too tight?

that is strange. ..haven't had troubles with diff brain nero...but yeah. ..why not try the slipper clutch. ..

but I also wonder. ..if you are on a grippy surface...like a parking lot. ..popping wheelies...then when the wheels come back down in contact with the high friction surface perhaps some shock loading occurs and spikes the loading beyond the capability of those parts. ..

so...i wonder if you would have the same problem with wheelie mode on grass...or in dirt...but this is all academic and hard to quantify and definitely not cheap to keep breaking things ...

the freedom in the drivetrain, when in blast mode and nothing locked by far is the most suited for untamed play which is the true intent of the blast option and which is proven across the other arrma vehicles ...while maybe the other drivetrain options should be done with just a bit more restraint knowing and understanding that it gets easier to break a few things at 13lbs of rc weight...

just random thoughts. ..I hope maybe something can be gained from it...slipper clutch or surface types...or somebody making all the diff pins and drive joints out of maraging 350...450...or 500...surely that will fix it ..

 

[Julian]

that is strange. ..haven't had troubles with diff brain nero...but yeah. ..why not try the slipper clutch. ..

but I also wonder. ..if you are on a grippy surface...like a parking lot. ..popping wheelies...then when the wheels come back down in contact with the high friction surface perhaps some shock loading occurs and spikes the loading beyond the capability of those parts. ..

so...i wonder if you would have the same problem with wheelie mode on grass...or in dirt...but this is all academic and hard to quantify and definitely not cheap to keep breaking things ...

the freedom in the drivetrain, when in blast mode and nothing locked by far is the most suited for untamed play which is the true intent of the blast option and which is proven across the other arrma vehicles ...while maybe the other drivetrain options should be done with just a bit more restraint knowing and understanding that it gets easier to break a few things at 13lbs of rc weight...

just random thoughts. ..I hope maybe something can be gained from it...slipper clutch or surface types...or somebody making all the diff pins and drive joints out of maraging 350...450...or 500...surely that will fix it ..

keeping it in blast mode - I might switch to that mode for jumping though....Brand new truck - cant believe it. Thanks for the help Afro - there HAS to be a solution...

 

[mrfurious40k]

Are you completely stopping to switch brain modes? It takes a little time for the transition to occur. It's a small servo with very little torque and not much speed. I never switch while rolling and I've never had an issue with my lockers.

 

[WoodiE]

Are you completely stopping to switch brain modes? It takes a little time for the transition to occur. It's a small servo with very little torque and not much speed. I never switch while rolling and I've never had a issue with my lockers.

I was going to ask the same thing. Moving is going to add additional stress and high speed would certainly add more.

 

[Julian]

Not a factor. I bought a non diff brain Nero back in August to avoid complications. I come to a complete stop and don't let my son near the radio. Afro is onto something as the wheelies do sometimes lift it onto the wheelie bar wheels and it falls back down. I can almost feel it snapping. Sooooo. I started to ease back on the throttle. I believe it's also the surface I'm on. Has to be flat. I'm just going to leave it in blast mode. Have the HD UJs on the rear axles but still broke a pin on the left side so I'm not really confident at all.

 

[Josh nortz]

breaking a pin is awesome! it saves the u joints and diff gears... need to learn throttle control and not be spinning wheels and hopping around on grippy surfaces such as parking lots and pavement. there is a lot of power there and wheels spinning at 80mph then getting traction gonna break something... a pin is easy cheap fix and way nicer to fix than a diff every run (xmaxx) (erevo)... if the pin holds and does not break then something else will that is the next weak point... learn throttle control it will help you stop breaking pins and blowing up tires...

 

[Julian]

Ok so no more wheelie mode on pavement? Because that is where it hops and skips while maintaining the wheelie. If I just go full throttle in wheelie mode... forget it - it goes nuts and the only thing keeping it from not backflipping is the TBone. I ease in to lift it up the feather it to keep it up. Now you have made me realize that I haven't really tested it in a field. I think that might be best but the uneven surfaces make me think that would be worse. When do you use wheelie mode josh?or do u at all? Btw. It was actually nice to learn how to do the pins. Just pulled up the exploded view and line em up and screw in with a dab of blue loctite. Tower gave me four packs of the HD UJs good for two RCs but just one pack of the HD outdrives.

 

[Cr3pitus]

Honestly I completely stopped driving it on asphalt because it's geared to be too powerful and torque heavy even stock. The tires are literally as wide as a real cars doughnut tire and all that grip on a surface that will accept the traction is just too much. Besides it's so much fun in dirt! On blast mode your wheels have the freedom of independent speeds so if you come down on throttle on just one or two you won't be sending drive train shock through all the rest of the system. But I drive almost exclusively in wheelie mode in dirt because I love driving with a locked center diff, so I can't judge you for that.

 

[Julian]

Agreed 100%. Although it was advertised as on road focused. Lol. My Nero is the green one. Never had these problems on or off road at all so I have the perspective and while wheelie mode might be cool. I just want to have fun and fixing this every time I go out was not fun. I work all week and only have time on the weekends.

 

[Josh nortz]

you can use wheelie mode and run it on pavement but you need to learn to not pin it wide open it pops up easy enough no need to go 60mph wheeling your asking to break poop... common sense needs to be used. I have broken a few pins on Nero and one on fazon. putting loctite on it also does no good seeing as the collars the pins go in are plastic. gotta respect the power or you are gonna keep breaking it. I learned the expensive way WOT is not always best. landing jumps on the he throttle can be bad, hitting breaks to hard in air can break diffs, things break when abused. set the wheelie bar down low if you want to rip it around on pavement and I always run center locked... soon adding red n tackey to center diff and I belive blast mode will be much more fun seeing as the power to rear is almost nonexistent in blast mode.

 

[Cr3pitus]

you can use wheelie mode and run it on pavement but you need to learn to not pin it wide open it pops up easy enough no need to go 60mph wheeling your asking to break poop... common sense needs to be used. I have broken a few pins on Nero and one on fazon. putting loctite on it also does no good seeing as the collars the pins go in are plastic. gotta respect the power or you are gonna keep breaking it. I learned the expensive way WOT is not always best. landing jumps on the he throttle can be bad, hitting breaks to hard in air can break diffs, things break when abused. set the wheelie bar down low if you want to rip it around on pavement and I always run center locked... soon adding red n tackey to center diff and I belive blast mode will be much more fun seeing as the power to rear is almost nonexistent in blast mode.

Yeah thats why its temping to always be in wheelie mode. I love wheelie mode off road. It makes the car behave like a rally car and with brake and throttle control you can get way tighter corners by doing a swish and flick around corners.

 

[Julian]

I have way more fun off road for sure - thats why I raised it up so high for the ground clearance. It also would not wheelie when it came out the box. I think that on pavement - blast mode only and off road - center locked with one exception - Jumps. My jump ramps are set up in front of a sharp elevation so there is no long way down at all. Just jumping up to a higher plain if you will. MUCH less chance of snapping something. My logic says blast mode for jumps too...

 

[Josh nortz]

I have way more fun off road for sure - thats why I raised it up so high for the ground clearance. It also would not wheelie when it came out the box. I think that on pavement - blast mode only and off road - center locked with one exception - Jumps. My jump ramps are set up in front of a sharp elevation so there is no long way down at all. Just jumping up to a higher plain if you will. MUCH less chance of snapping something. My logic says blast mode for jumps too...

blast mode sucks. may as well have a front wheel drive Hyundai compared to running center locked... maybe I will go rip center out and put new grease in diff... one of these days so much going on so little time.

 

[Cr3pitus]

blast mode sucks. may as well have a front wheel drive Hyundai compared to running center locked... maybe I will go rip center out and put new grease in diff... one of these days so much going on so little time.

I don't think blast mode sucks but it has a specific use. When I'm at the track I have to be in blast mode to have finesse of control. But for all else on dirt I just love center locked too much. When the jump is an easy land I'll stay center locked but if there's a chance I'll land crappy I'll do blast just for diff safety

 

[PPS-RC]

I put 60k diff oil in my center diff and so far so good. I can rock it in blast mode in more situations.

I still typically like running center diff locked, as I'm normally driving in low traction situations.

Just keep spare pins in stock. that's my plan of attack. I've broken 2 in 6 packs. try landing off throttle (or full brake) as much as you can.

Try lowering your wheelie bar too. it might help you from bouncing off of it so hard.

 

[Julian]

Jump in tomorrow morning. Can't wait. Gonna try the center locked off road. Takin the Senton the Kraton and the fazon. Nero needs pins - lol. Gettin here any day. Takin day off. Got new talk posts for the Senton. Not going to do long crazy wheelies. But I am jumpin for sure. Going to also hit the Costco lot and throw the src Terrain crushers on the Kraton and use the banana 6s zippy bricky. Got the Nero some new shoes......

 

[72Z15SS]

Are these the pins you are talking about? Just curious as I have a Fazon (for Christmas) and wonder if I better stock up on some before hand.

I think I know which pin... The one here on the U-Joint... Sorry...

 

[mrfurious40k]

You can't replace the one in the U-Joints (technically) so the pins that you need to stock up on are the ones in the top picture. They are about $1 each and they snap one in awhile. The U-Joints are toast when you break them.

 

[Julian]

Are these the pins you are talking about? Just curious as I have a Fazon (for Christmas) and wonder if I better stock up on some before hand.
View attachment 4270
I think I know which pin... The one here on the U-Joint... Sorry...
View attachment 4274

No buddy. It's the pin on the diff side. There's a circle post it fits in. The picture above is the right part it looks like pin with a grub attached. The UJ you showed comes like that - that pin doesn't come out. They are 4.99 for two - but search eBay - would LOVE to find em for a 1$ each !!!!! Id buy twenty!!

Almost forgot - My LHS used some traxxas pins and they fit too...hoping that helps