Moonstone's winter builds/rebuilds

[Moonstonemike]

So this isn't a typical build thread.
More of a build/rebuild journal.

I've been in the hobby for about a year now but have had a blast Bashing, Building, and reading posts on AF.

Over the winter I will be rebuilding and modding 8 vehicles (will probably end up being more) to various degrees. This will be my first time doing most of these things so if you want to give advice I will try not to be offended.

So let's get started on a full tear down and rebuild of my son's Granite.
Here it is after our last bash for the season. Also our first time at a skate park

I think I remembered how it goes back???

Bearings were all in rough shape.

Opened each new bearing and packed it with grease. Hopefully this helps in case they get wet.

Also found a crack in the chassis. I ordered a replacement but will try to fix it with JB weld. Roughed it up with sandpaper first to help adhering.

After epoxy

Steering rack installed. New bearings and bushings

Front suspension done-ish

To be continued....

 

[PshmokN’EM887]

Dope I’m the middle of maintenance pm on a limitless and infraction and a new build.
plus I got the kraton exb for Xmas so I’ll be getting that ready I want to be ready for riding season!

 

[Moonstonemike]

Dope I’m the middle of maintenance pm on a limitless and infraction and a new build.
plus I got the kraton exb for Xmas so I’ll be getting that ready I want to be ready for riding season!

Nice, I was so close to buying a limitless during the summer but a great deal for an open box Infraction came up and I couldn't pass. Are you going to do a build thread?

 

[hobo]

cleaning diff oil changes new bearings. and scorched rc upgrades for new kraton v5

 

[PshmokN’EM887]

Nice, I was so close to buying a limitless during the summer but a great deal for an open box Infraction came up and I couldn't pass. Are you going to do a build thread?

I wish I knew how I would ! Lol no seriously

 

[Moonstonemike]

So far so good.
Still trying to figure out what I like using best to clean. Tried simple green, baby wipes, and regular dish soap and water.

Also ended up adding a 0.5mm washer to each control arm pin to take up the play.
Now time to clean and fill the diffs. Main gear and input gear are a bit worn but will run them until they fail.

 

[Moonstonemike]

First diff cleaned and starting to fill.

My tech tip- duplo blocks are super useful. By changing the blocks I can make it long for infraction or tall for granite or make a shock stand by adding a few holes. Also great fun to test out articulating in crawlers.

 

[Moonstonemike]

Chassis and diffs are done. Both diffs were maybe 1/4 full. Filled now with 20k. Also rear diff was seemed to be shimmed on the wrong side and the was play on the crown gear.
I see now why some say to completely disassemble brand new rigs

 

[Moonstonemike]

One of my shocks looked pretty beat on the bottom eyelet so I put a larger washer to see if it works too protect it better.

Cleaned and refilled the shocks.

But I think I need to order new o rings. I don't know if they swelled or I don't know what I'm doing but I could not get them to seat properly. They kept bulging out on one side or another. Maybe I was going to tight?

 

[Moonstonemike]

So I'm waiting on a motor plate to finish my son's Granite. So started working on my wltoys. 144001 and 124017.

So a bit of a pay it forward.
My son's 144001 motor burned out.
So the the motor from my new 124017 that I got for Christmas is going into the 144001.

The 3650 (3900kv)motor and ESC from my son's Granite are going into my 124017.

Then the stock motor/esc from my granite 3660 (3200kv) is going into my son's Granite.

Then my granite will get a new 120amp esc with 3670 (2650kv)

Crazy how one burnt out 550 caused a snowball effect.

I guess I could have just got a new 550

So here's a few pictures of the work on my 124027

Motor removed

Shaved the plastic to fit ESC down low and tight.

Added some diff fluid to the rear diff and grease in the front.
Cleaned motor bearings.

 

[Moonstonemike]

Got it mostly together. Cut part of battery tray off to clear the connector.
Also cut one of the "windows" out from the body because the esc was hitting. It ended up perfect so air blows right into the fan now.

Still have to figure out the best route for the wires. It's a pretty tight fit under the body.

Window opening

 

[Moonstonemike]

Swapped the new 550 into my son's 144001 wltoys. Also made some front shock tower protection out of some brackets I had laying stuff.

 

[Moonstonemike]

So finished up the buggies... Mostly
Gave them both an alignment.
Only things left are install the new wing when it shows up and figure if there's any way to calibrate this goolrc esc.
Edit: Couldn't find any way to set throttle end points and having a weird brake issue. I did fix the cogging issue with it though.

Starting on the Infraction now. It's only had about 6 packs through it so it doesn't need much. I'm switching the pinion from the stock 15 tooth to an 18 tooth.

Also going to change to thicker diff fluid. I'm sure there's probably an easier way but Im just going to jump in and started disassembling until I get to the diffs.

 

[Moonstonemike]

So got the rear diff out and there was barely anything inside. What was inside looked like sludge.

Also the main input gear looked a bit sharp and seemed to be shimmed way to loose.
I shimmed it up a bit but not sure if it's one of those things that's gonna hold forever or snap on first trip out.

A year ago when I started the hobby I thought why would anyone strip down a brand new really expensive car. Well I know what I'm doing on my next purchase.

Also I'm back tracking on my 124017 build. Esc is giving me a bit of trouble. When I go full brakes it feels like it's only on 25% . I thought maybe it's just not that strong of a brake. So set the neutral brake to 100% and it would brake hard when in neutral but would start coasting when I hit the brakes??? Ordered a blx100 to see if it's any better.

 

[Moonstonemike]

Removed and worked on front diff today.

Front diff had a tiny bit more fluid but it still looked nasty for half dozen runs. I shimmed the pinion but I think it was a hair on the tight side. Some spots spin loose but some I can feel a tiny bit of tightness.
I haven't decided if I will just run it and cross fingers or go full ocd and take the front and rear apart again until I'm satisfied.

 

[Moonstonemike]

So, I wasn't happy with shimming of both front and rear diff. So took both apart and redid then. Nice and smooth now.
Only other change I made was countersunk my mangled front splitter and installed 4mm screws.

Infraction is now done. Only things left in the spring are recalibrate esc and put tires on.

 

[Moonstonemike]

Today me and my son took apart his crawler to clean out the mud.
Also had him help take apart the new motor module and slipper clutch for his granite. Still waiting on motor plate to come next week.

 

[Moonstonemike]

So today I got my granite taken apart, cleaned, and am now assembling. It's so much easier this time now that I'm more familiar. Both my diff pinions were very worn so I changed both. Used 30k and 20k fluid in the diffs.

Also found a long crack in the chassis , but luckily I had a spare.

I will epoxy the cracked one to have as back up.

Only real mod I did was drill out the steering arm and pressed in small bearings. It fixed the slop perfectly.

 

[Moonstonemike]

I got the motor module together. Using the new thicker vendetta motor mount plate and the new 3670 2650kv motor

Also recieved the new motor plate for my son's Granite. It's the same thickness as stock plate but it's thicker where the support ribs are machined. It is way lighter though. We will see how it goes up.

Also found this nice long crack on the chassis after cleaning off all the first dirt. Luckily had a back up one. Still patched up this one with JB weld to keep as a spare.

 

[Moonstonemike]

Working on shocks now

Also jumped back to my son's Granite and realized that I didn't have the little splined pieces that goes into the drive shaft so cut down the old mega slipper to use.