Felony Well !! That escalated Quickly!

[Diem Turner]

You can improve the steering assembly with some 6x10x3mm bearings to replace the stock bushings.

I don't know what your budget for the servo is.

I'd consider this if you don't want to spend a whole lot but still want power: https://amz.run/6AP9

If you have a larger budget, $120 will get you the Perfect Pass Monster (https://amz.run/6APE), or for a little more you could get a Savöx SB-2290sg, Promodeler DS630 or DS635.

I'm not 100% certain on AVC with the XLX2 but my gut instinct is that it should work.

As for the fan mount, it sounds like you need to consider drilling it out and tapping it for the next larger sized screw. Aluminum is notoriously soft and if you have a tendency for overtightening, it's bound to happen. One thing you can do to make the fan clamp hold better on the motor is to use a thermal pad. If you drill & tap it, the larger screw should help prevent you from stripping it quite as easily. Just go a bit gentler next time (I speak from experience, I did the same thing with my Powerhobby motor clamp).

 

[Dan B.]

I’m only running GP5 in front as I liked the way it pulled from front of car …

Be careful of that. If you’re still running the Felony front wheels and larger rear wheels you need to keep the ratios the way they were. Or run GP5’s front and rear with the same size tires f/r like the Infraction. If you change the ratios your diffs will suffer greatly and your handling will be greatly diminished.

 

[Ron Burgandy]

I’ve been running 42/100 tires all the way around, with gp5 front diff (30k) and gp6 rear diff (50k) (100k center) for quite some time .
I purchased infraction rear diff from Jrc and didn’t like the way it handled??
So I put the gp6 back in and at a full speed throw car into slide I prefer the way the front pulls keeping rear from coming around…..
It may be totally different with this new setup ?
I havnt blown any diffs that I can recall.
Not to long ago the front diff input cup set screw came loose , I didn’t notice until I went to service front diff ….
The ring gear was rubbing on the outer circumference of the HR diff housing, and of course the pinion gear and ring gear were not meshing correctly which caused them to wear , hence why i was looking for gp5 pinion.
Like I say it may be different with new setup? And maybe the slightly slick asphalt I run it on has not shown me the best handling characteristics??
Or maybe If tires are spinning all the time it don’t matter …. Lol
Once I getter all buttoned up I may try same ratio front and rear .
Appreciate everyone’s input.

 

[Ron Burgandy]

Parts trickling in !!!
This is fairly sizable!!!!

 

[Ron Burgandy]

Hey dudes
So I received the vertical ESC mount from JBI and of course the XLX2 .
So what connector is recommended for the XLX2 ?
Just an FYI I suck at soldering!!!!!!!
Also where does a fella who actually really wants to use his old rusty screws get good hardware to mount said vertical mount and XLX2 among other new parts ?
Kinda thought some mounting hardware would have been included in “some” of these aftermarket items !
Just sayin….
Thanks
RFB

 

[Diem Turner]

Hey dudes
So I received the vertical ESC mount from JBI and of course the XLX2 .
So what connector is recommended for the XLX2 ?
Just an FYI I suck at soldering!!!!!!!
Also where does a fella who actually really wants to use his old rusty screws get good hardware to mount said vertical mount and XLX2 among other new parts ?
Kinda thought some mounting hardware would have been included in “some” of these aftermarket items !
Just sayin….
Thanks
RFB

There are a few things to consider here, so I might get wordy...

First choice:

On my own cars, I like to use 8mm bullets for connectors on my ESC. If you feel comfortable with connectors where you have to pay attention to what you're doing because they will allow you to plug your batteries in wrong which, in a worst case scenario, can kill your ESC or your batteries or actually hurt yourself if you get it wrong, then look no further. Bullets have the potential to provide all of those things. If you're more of the autopilot "plug things in and go" kind of guy, then perhaps skip these.

But just to explain why I prefer this connector type for my ESC and QS8s on my batteries...they allow for the greatest flexibility in terms of battery configuration (series, parallel or any combination of those) with less adapters and wires. Correct me if I'm wrong, but my gut tells me you'd rather keep it safe without the possibility of catastrophic failure if you're not paying attention. I don't want to bore you too much detail about something you don't feel comfortable with. We can go deeper into this if you like, but I'll leave that up to you.

These are Castle 8mm bullets but, as I'll explain below, it's possible to extract the male connectors from QS8 connectors which can be used as longer pronged 8mm bullets.

Second choice:

For connectors, I'm a big proponent of QS8 connectors. They're huge, they can accommodate up to 6AWG wires (XLX2 has 8AWG wires, more on that in a moment), they can take huge amp loads, if you need 8mm bullet connectors, you can remove the connector pins from the male plugs and use those (they have the advantage of being longer than your typical Castle or other 8mm bullets so you get deeper seating connections which is never a bad thing). As a bonus they have an integrated resistor which eliminates the arcing or loud pops when you plug in your battery (which I hate). This has the added benefit of eliminating the black burn marks and pitting of the connectors that occur with high amp arcs so the connectors will last longer. They make really solid and tight connections (particularly when they're new) and they're really rugged and durable. Those are the pros.

As for the cons...if you don't feel confident in your soldering abilities, QS8s probably aren't the best test subject as they pose some unique challenges when compared to other connectors. Because of their size, they require a relatively powerful soldering iron (I recommend a minimum of 100W, 125 or 150W would be better) because they will suck the heat out of your soldering iron making it difficult to maintain adequate temperature to keep the solder flowing. If you know someone who's adept at soldering, I'd recommend seeing if they wouldn't mind doing it for you and teaching you the ins and outs of soldering while they're at it, should you decide on QS8s.

Third choice:

Here's where it gets a little tricky with the XLX2 as there aren't many other options that will accommodate 8AWG wires. I might be overlooking something, but the only other connectors I can think of that will accept 8AWG wires natively are XT150s (I've never used them myself so I might be wrong on this, but from the looks of them, it appears that it's possible to plug them in with reversed polarity...if anyone can confirm or refute this, please do).

XT90 (come in two variations with and without anti-spark, the latter you'll find under the designation XT90-S), EC5/IC5 won't take anything larger than 10AWG so you'd either need to make adapters from something that accepts 8AWG to a connector of your choice, or, whittle down the 8AWG wires that come off the XLX2 until they fit into whatever connector it is that you want to use. Neither of these options is particularly desireable because...what's the point of having an ESC capable of high amp loads if you're going to neuter the connecting wires? Best practice is to keep adapters to a minimum as each adapter introduces another potential point of failure. In a perfect world every thing would be hard wired together with the shortest, fattest leads possible, but in the real world this isn't practical for obvious reasons.

All of this throws up the question of what kind of connectors your batteries have. If you already have a bunch of batteries that are all outfitted with the same connector, moving everything to a different ecosystem will be a giant PITA. I made the decision early on to use almost exclusively QS8 for my batteries (I have two CNHL that are outfitted with 8mm female bullets because I ran out of QS8 but those are compatible with with QS8s). If you want to give me a rundown of the batteries you intend to use in this car (how many, etc.) and what sort of connectors they're on, this might help in trying to work out what the best course of action is.

XT150:

XT90-S and XT90:

EC5/IC5 (are intercompatible, IC5 is Spektrum/Firma's version of the EC5 that has a 3rd pin for battery telemetry - only relevant if you're running using the Spektrum SMART equipment: ESC, Tx/Rx, batteries, charger). IC5 on the left, EC5 on the right:

Hardware:

When it comes to screws, I prefer to just use the standard black steel screws you find on all of your Arrma vehicles. Stainless steel may seem appealing, but it's a much softer metal which results in more rounded out hexes, particularly those with 2mm hex heads (button heads are particularly bad). You can either buy screws you need in bulk, or, places like JRC offer complete sets of screws for whatever vehicle you're working on. Unless you have something special in mind, those typically offer a wide assortment of screws, nuts, and bolts that you can use to mount stuff on your car. The black steel screws may oxidize a little, but in the long run I'd rather have some surface rust on screws that I can remove than shiny stainless steel that I can't.

As for mounting hardware not being included...that will vary depending on who you're buying from. Top tier suppliers like Scorched RC and others generally include all necessary hardware (if not, it will be mentioned in the item description). No name Chinesium...might include it, might not.

Sorry for the long post. I hope it provides some useful information in terms of thinking about how you want to proceed. Like I said up top, If you want to get into more detail on wiring, let me know. You're always welcome to shoot me a PM if you like.

 

[Ron Burgandy]

Ima have to read again in morning just getting in from a 15 hr Day ….
With another 15+ day tomorrow!
As always @Diem Turner I very much appreciate your knowledge and help with this build . You have went above and beyond helping.
I’ll definitely be in touch.
Thanks again for everyone’s input and help .

 

[Ron Burgandy]

“but my gut tells me you'd rather keep it safe without the possibility of catastrophic failure if you're not paying attention.”
Correct !
Definitely not bored in regards to your posts . They are very informative.
Just been super busy
It’s my “intention” to run on 8s only …???
However…… I don’t have everything mounted up so I don’t even know if I’ll still be using 2 battery trays , or just one ?
Havnt done any research on “8s” batteries to speak of .
So don’t know what connectors are the norm for 8s or even 2x 4s
I’m pretty use the the factory spectrum 6s esc connectors. (Ec5 I think )
But if those won’t hold up to the 8s system then I’ll use whatever needs to be used .
I’ll be the only one running or should I say hooking up batteries to the “Felonaction” .
It’s also the only 8s rig at Burgandy ranch!
Having said all that ….
I did just purchase a 6s noto for my middle man’s bday (shhhhhhh)
And figured it would be handful enuf on 4s for him ?
Man……..
idk ?
Don’t really wanna “share batteries” lol ??
Why am I making this sooooo freaking difficult???
Lol

 

[Diem Turner]

“but my gut tells me you'd rather keep it safe without the possibility of catastrophic failure if you're not paying attention.”
Correct !
Definitely not bored in regards to your posts . They are very informative.
Just been super busy
It’s my “intention” to run on 8s only …???
However…… I don’t have everything mounted up so I don’t even know if I’ll still be using 2 battery trays , or just one ?
Havnt done any research on “8s” batteries to speak of .
So don’t know what connectors are the norm for 8s or even 2x 4s
I’m pretty use the the factory spectrum 6s esc connectors. (Ec5 I think )
But if those won’t hold up to the 8s system then I’ll use whatever needs to be used .
I’ll be the only one running or should I say hooking up batteries to the “Felonaction” .
It’s also the only 8s rig at Burgandy ranch!
Having said all that ….
I did just purchase a 6s noto for my middle man’s bday (shhhhhhh)
And figured it would be handful enuf on 4s for him ?
Man……..
idk ?
Don’t really wanna “share batteries” lol ??
Why am I making this sooooo freaking difficult???
Lol

Ok, so I was reading the room correctly.

No worries Mr. Burgandy, I understand that you have a life and family outside of AF so no worries. I know you'll get around to checking back in eventually. I mean, I'm assuming you'll read the answers to questions you yourself posed. Otherwise...what would the point be of all this?

lol...the words "8S" and "only" should never be used in the same sentence. 8S is a retarded amount of power, but if you're making a street basher, it does make a certain amount of sense. Higher voltages translate to lower current (amps). Lower amps translate into lower temperatures.

You'd be fine using EC5/IC5 connectors. You're not going to be drawing ridiculous amps and they'll definitely do the job just fine. If you already have EC5 connectors on your batteries, I don't see the power draw of this car putting you in the position of needing to change all of your connectors. So as I was saying in my last post, you'll need to shave some of the strands off the ESC leads so the wire gest a little "thinner" if you take my meaning so that it will fit into the cup of the EC5 connector. Basically trim it a little like you might trim the bristles of a paint brush.

As for 8S batteries, I really wouldn't. Very few battery manufacturers actually make 8S packs (Powerhobby makes them but the quality of their cells is iffy, they're YUGE and they're not cheap). Stick to running two 4S in series. You'll have better weight distribution and, in the case of a crash, it increases your chances of coming out of it with at least one battery in tact.

I don't know anything about your middle man and his RC driving skills so, that's your call

Why are you making this so difficult? Because it's there and because you can

 

[Dan B.]

Yo Ron, it’s worth mentioning that https://www.radiocontrolpower.com/ will do all the soldering for you and do whatever adapters you need. For example, if you have QS8’s on your ESC you could get a single, a double series or a double parallel adapter with EC5’s for the batteries and the QS8’s to plug into your ESC. That way you could share batteries from rig to rig and still have the big (necessary) QS8’s on your ESC. I would only ever consider QS8’s on the XLX2 though. I think Castle might even give you warranty woes if you put EC5, XT90, or other connectors on them that weren’t rated for the amperage the ESC can draw. Check their website, they make it very clear what connectors they feel are adequate.
I use those guys at the above website for my “heavy gauge” soldering needs, because even though I’m capable doing it the bigger connectors are indeed trickier to get a good joint on, as @Diem Turner pointed out. I also use them when I’m simply too lazy or busy to do a lot of soldering. Yes, I’m guilty!
They also have some good deals on components and will solder whatever you want on their ESC’s that they sell. Super convenient, and they’re a good bunch with outstanding customer service in my experience. They were very patient with me when I was learning this stuff.

 

[Ron Burgandy]

Dang it Dan ….
That’s what I need …
1 more website to buy stuff from !!!! Lol
Appreciate it
I’ll most likely be touching base with radiocontrolpower
RFB

 

[Ron Burgandy]

Looking for opinions on esc mount
I have the JBI vertical mount
But not visualizing how it’s all gonna fit on chassis with 2 lipos as well
Would one of these brace:esc mounts clear the TP motor and put the ESC in the center for maybe better weight distribution
And gimmi more room for lipo on each side of chassis????
Hope that make sense ???
Input, ideas ????

 

[Dan B.]

Looking for opinions on esc mount
I have the JBI vertical mount
But not visualizing how it’s all gonna fit on chassis with 2 lipos as well
Would one of these brace:esc mounts clear the TP motor and put the ESC in the center for maybe better weight distribution
And gimmi more room for lipo on each side of chassis????
Hope that make sense ???
Input, ideas ????
View attachment 260781

Mount the ESC on the flat lowered portion of your chassis brace. Looks like it’s probably already drilled for XLX2?

 

[Ron Burgandy]

That’s just a pic of the brace I found on the interwebs…
Just didn’t know if said brace/ esc mount would clear TP motor?
My tiny brain thinks mounting the ESC centrally on one of these esc brace mounts is the better way to go as far as esc mounting???

 

[Dan B.]

That’s just a pic of the brace I found on the interwebs…
Just didn’t know if said brace/ esc mount would clear TP motor?
My tiny brain thinks mounting the ESC centrally on one of these esc brace mounts is the better way to go as far as esc mounting???

What size TP? I’d bet the 40xx motors would be no problem, not sure if you go up to a 56xx or bigger. I thought that was your picture. Mounting it on the brace saves a lot of real estate on the chassis.

 

[Ron Burgandy]

5860 TP
Sorry
Heck I forgot the motor size all the time ..!

 

[Ron Burgandy]

Turns out “radiocontrolpower” will not solder connectors on my XLX2 as I did not purchase from them …..
Still cogitating !!!

 

[Ron Burgandy]

This is pain staking wait for the carbon center shafts and diff cups !!!!

 

[Ron Burgandy]

Still just mocking her up ….
Waiting on parts still .
Quick question….
What side skirts could a fella use that also have the tabs for body side skirt mounting tabs ??
I’m sure I could fab a set from original battery boxes???
Opinions
Ideas????

 

[Ron Burgandy]

More Parts trickling in !!!!
Scorched Ti front and rear drive shafts
And some diff cups !!!!