Typhon Typhon Tales

[Sphexish]

I really love the way you write it all out. Keep it up!

Thanks man.

We didn't even get a pic of the cat in stockings? Sheesh!

Sorry about that. But I'm afraid such images would be flagged as inappropriate content...

Protip: whatever you do, do NOT google 'cat stockings' at work (or with the wife in the vicinity). 'Cats IN stockings' is (surprisingly) okay.

 

[Sphexish]

Step 54:
Inwardly curse Dutch customs as you pay the exorbitant fee to pick up your (massively delayed) package.


Step 55:
Instantly cheer up when you get home, because every new box with long-awaited RC stuff is like Christmas.


Step 56:

(Finally! The tiny bits and bobs that will -- hopefully -- allow me to install the 6S Typhon shocks!)


Step 57:
Remove additional goodies from box (cat included for scale).

(Sorry, she took off the stockings...)


Step 58:
Install optional 17mm hex adapters to Proline RAID wheels with hex screws.

Lots and lots of hex screws...

(25% done. In related news: ow, my hand.)

 

[Doom!]

(Sorry, she took off the stockings...)

Why does this make me think of Van Halen? Still upset we didn't get a pic of your cute feline wearing them.

 

[Ginglehopper]

Step 54:
Inwardly curse Dutch customs as you pay the exorbitant fee to pick up your (massively delayed) package.


Step 55:
Instantly cheer up when you get home, because every new box with long-awaited RC stuff is like Christmas.


Step 56:

(Finally! The tiny bits and bobs that will -- hopefully -- allow me to install the 6S Typhon shocks!)


Step 57:
Remove additional goodies from box (cat included for scale).

(Sorry, she took off the stockings...)


Step 58:
Install optional 17mm hex adapters to Proline RAID wheels with hex screws.

Lots and lots of hex screws...

(25% done. In related news: ow, my hand.)

Nice! Post some more pictures when your hand heals and you get them installed.

 

[Sphexish]

Step 59:
While everyone is aware of the fact that length isn't everything (as opposed to what one does with said length), you cannot resist putting these shocks side-by-side to compare. And whaddayaknow, the length is pretty much spot on!

Step 60:
Find that the Axial bushings are indeed a perfect fit, and flexible enough to wiggle into place without much hassle.

Step 61:
Confirm via test-fitting that washers are indeed required to prevent the front shocks from rubbing up against the driveshaft yoke. Hence why you ordered a set of washers in various thicknesses.


Step 62:
After much experimentation in your underground RC laboratory, settle on a total of 5 millimeters' worth of washer at the front. Proceed to install the front shocks before your annoying sister Deedee arrives to ruuuuuin everything.

Addendum 15-03-2021: I have since modified this to only two washers for a total of 3mm. This seemed sufficient and allowed the screw to thread in further, which seems like a good idea in retrospect.

Step 63:
Fiddle with the spring spacers until the suspension feels sufficiently stiff. (Pretend to know what you're doing while doing so, just in case the wife walks in.)

(Insofar as metallic red cylindrical objects can be sexy, these are pretty sexy indeed.)


Step 64:
Establish that, on top of shiny new shocks, the new Badlands MX28 tires live up to their name by virtue of their sheer bad-assery.

(Note: I also added a 1mm washer to the rear shocks, just to create a tiny bit of additional clearance.)


Step 65:
Confirm that this Typhon is gradually beginning to look like it would happily eat other, smaller Typhons for breakfast.

Step 66:

 

[Doom!]

Shocks look good, now on to the important stuff.....second breakfast!

 

[Ginglehopper]

second? I'm still counting that rabbit eat. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, ugh, whens he gonna finish? And who's making those pancakes that fast?

 

[Sphexish]

Step 67:
Purchase second, higher-capacity 3S battery so your Typhon won't run out of juice so soon during the planned trip to a local recreational area in the near future.

Subsequently take a moment to look around your house, only to come to the sudden and shocking realization that you generally prefer it not being on fire.


Step 68:
Project Bat-signal into sky.

Step 69:
NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA BAT-SAFE!

(69? ... Nice.)


Step 70:
Discover, only now, that you're going to need extension cables to make this whole charging-in-a-case thing work...
Really should've thought of that before you ordered the big metal LiPo charging case, Einstein!
Sheesh.


Step 71:
30cm 3S balance extension cables prove cheap and easy enough to acquire.

Step 72:
Scour the interwebs for a suitable extension cable for the IC5 connection on your Spektrum Smart battery. Find that only Spektrum themselves really actually sell one, and that it isn't particularly long... Further find that they are listed as backordered on the official website, and aren't in stock on your usual RC webshops.


Step 73:
Well, crapbaskets.


Step 74:
But wait! Obscure German RC shop to the rescue!

(Ausgezeichnet!)


Step 75:
Stuggle to get the the wireway back through the lid with the thick IC5 cable wedged in there.
Barely manage without leaving a roughly bat-safe-shaped hole in your front window.

(Additionally: apply velcro tape.)


Step 76:

(Well, guess that'll work... But only because your charger already requires an IC3-to-IC5 adapter lead that adds a bit of length.)

---

On the next exciting episode of 'Typhon Tales': Battery tray modifications!!

Because I'm an idiot who purchased a (much longer) 8000mah battery which, naturally, doesn't fit the tray with the stock spacers installed! Genius!!

Same BAT-time!
Same BAT-thread!

 

[Sphexish]

Step 77:
Get new battery in the mail! 8000mah baby! Of the battery-brand-that-shall-not-be-named! Let's slap it in the Typhon and then ROCK AND RO--

(Oh.)


Step 78:
No problem, no problem... Just take out those stupid battery spacers!

(Who needs 'em!)


Step 79:
Take off the entire T-Bone skid plate first, because the screw for the spacer on the left, annoyingly, is actually completely covered up by it.

But then, there we go. Problem solved!

(Fits like the proverbial glove, once again!)


Step 80:
Now let's just re-install that skid plate and--

(Wait...)

(Oh...)


Step 81:
--discover that one of the screws for the skid plate went up into one of the battery spacers, and now has nothing to grip into.




Step 82:
Quick! To the bat-cave tool shed!

Step 83:
Simply use an M3 nut on the other side, just like the skid plate screw that's right next to the power module, and--

(Uh-oh.)

Step 84:
Okay, so there's no way to do that because the 5.5mm box driver doesn't fit into that deep little slot the nut would need to go in.


Step 85:
Back to the tool shed!

(Threaded metal bushing GET!)


Step 86:

(Now we've got something to hold on to while we put the screw back in!)


Step 87:
Sometimes, your own genius astounds even you.

(So beautiful... *sniff* They should have sent a poet...)


Step 88:
Suddenly realize that, without the spacers, your other, smaller battery has way too much space and is probably going to be sliding around a lot...


Step 89:

 

[Doom!]

Persistence pays off! Just cut a block of foam to fill the gap when your using a smaller battery.

 

[Sphexish]

Persistence pays off! Just cut a block of foam to fill the gap when your using a smaller battery.

I've been messing around with that exact idea, yeah.

Any specific type of (convenient) foam people tend to use for that purpose? I have plenty of the stuff they use in the boxes for LiPo batteries themselves, but that's pretty thin stuff. And could one just use velcro tape to secure the block of foam in place?

 

[jondilly1974]

Great thread. Many laughs were had. I’ve been down this path as well. Very fun car.

 

[Doom!]

I've been messing around with that exact idea, yeah.

Any specific type of (convenient) foam people tend to use for that purpose? I have plenty of the stuff they use in the boxes for LiPo batteries themselves, but that's pretty thin stuff. And could one just use velcro tape to secure the block of foam in place?

I just cut a chunk of styrofoam or whatever else is convenient. I've done this with my rc planes for years.

 

[LipoShirly]

Step 64:
Establish that, on top of shiny new shocks, the new Badlands MX28 tires live up to their name by virtue of their sheer bad-assery.

Ha, I had the same thoughts when I put the BadLands on my Typhon, didn't even have to power it up to put a smile on my face...
I'm curious to know if you've had any ballooning issues with those new BadLands ? The Typhon body stays out of the way unless I happen to go full throttle on a turn, the inside front wheel will usually lift and go to instant maximum angular frequency vector (pizza cutter) , which now catches the lip of the body , sounding like a playing card in the spokes of my bike when I was a kid....

 

[Sphexish]

Ha, I had the same thoughts when I put the BadLands on my Typhon, didn't even have to power it up to put a smile on my face...
I'm curious to know if you've had any ballooning issues with those new BadLands ? The Typhon body stays out of the way unless I happen to go full throttle on a turn, the inside front wheel will usually lift and go to instant maximum angular frequency vector (pizza cutter) , which now catches the lip of the body , sounding like a playing card in the spokes of my bike when I was a kid....

They certainly do balloon, but I haven't really noticed that particular issue yet. Granted, I've only been out bashing twice since I slapped on the Badlands, so my experience thus far is limited. I'll keep an eye (or ear, in this case) on it!

 

[Sphexish]

Step 90:
"Leftover foam!"
"Gorilla Tape!"
"Velcro tape!"
"HEART!"

"By your powers combined, I am--"

(--this bloody thing, apparently...)


Step 91:
Do not knock it if it works.

Step 92:
Take the car out for a test-run, eager to try out the new battery--
--only to discover it will not run. Find out some of the bearings in your wheel hubs have rusted and seized up.

Step 93:
Order a bearing kit from Avid. Wait one (1) day for them to ship it to you. Wait three (3) days for the package to arrive in the Netherlands. Then wait approx. 1.9 million (1.900.000) years for Dutch customs to process your package and charge you some more of those wonderful fees.


Step 94:
While you wait, take the entire Typhon apart, clean everything, and just.... just threadlock all of the things, bro.

(Disclaimer: we here at Typhon Tales do not, in fact, actually recommend threadlocking everything. Especially not your wheels. Or your table.)


Step 95:
Check your diffs and find them mostly empty (thanks, Arrbama!), so fill them up with a bunch more 10.000 weight oil.

Step 96:
You know you're bored and eager to do anything RC-related when you get excited upon the arrival of a bunch of tiny metal shims.

Step 97:
Install said shims in the power module to prevent the spur gear from further scoring the inside of the plastic case, which (as you've learned from the good folks here on Arrmaforum) is responsible for the fine black dust you kept finding inside of there.

Step 98:
Balls.

(And stickers. Don't forget the stickers! )


Step 99:
New bearings have arrived!!

(Caution: mysteriously airborne trophies may randomly fall on your head whilst using our products. Apparently.)


Step 100:
Also arrived: the Official Avid Ball-Removal Nut-Cracker Thingie (tm).

(Shiny... )


Step 101:
Unable to figure out if the shock pliers can also be used to install the new steel pivot balls, you decide to just do it the old-fashioned way.

Step 102:
Wait, are there, in fact, still more goodies tucked away in that fancy zip-lock Avid bag?

(Aw yeah... Now that's what I call a free sticker sheet, baby!)

(I'm sensing the beginnings of a new obsession...)

 

[Sphexish]

Step 103:
Discover that one of the metal turnbuckles on your Typhon is hopelessly bent, most likely due to your amateurish jumping skillz.

Step 104:
We can rebuild her. We have the technology.

(And stickers. We also have those.)


Step 105:
Conclude that the gentlemen over at Lunsford weren't kidding with their marketing material when it said that their turnbuckles were slightly longer that the stock ones. (And way, waaay lighter.)

("Well there's yer problem!")


Step 106:
FAQ time!
Do they look snazzy? YES
Are they a PITA to install? YES
Is it any easier with the little turnbuckle wrench? YES
Did you still end up with a massive blister after doing all six? YES

Step 107:
Are we there yet?

(Looks that way... Also, slapped on some 3D-printed mud guards I got from a bloke on eBay. See how those hold up.)


Step 108:
ALMOST FORGET THE MOST IMPORTANT PART!!!!!1one

(Phew. You gotta put on the free stickers, dude...)

 

[Doom!]

Don't envy the turnbuckle twisting, but YAY to free stickers!

 

[Sphexish]

Step 109:
Ebay mudguards = approved

(Stickers = also approved)

 

[Sphexish]

Step 110: