valk

iTrader: (13)

Its about 2mm too thick for the posts it sits over. Just puy 2mm shims under the top plate where it screws to the posts and 8-10mm screws.

DBM

I found that the stock bumper screws were long enough to work. The problem is that the top plate won't tighten down onto the spacers/standoffs/posts due to the thickness of the bumper, so you couldn't tighten the screws down. That would likely result in the screws coming loose, and would also put bending forces on the screws. I think that Valk is saying that spacers over the screws below the top plate could be used to remedy this problem.
For those who don't have a mill, a drill press and router bit would easily do the job on the foam bumper. I just guided the bumper by hand anyways...... there isn't really any good way to clamp foam to a mill.

Edit: Valk beat me to it.

DBM

I guess I should give an update on the AVID bearings that I've been using for a few weeks now.
They have a bit less play in them than the stock spec-r bearings, spin more freely, but they don't seem as robust. I hit a lot of walls with the stock bearings, and none failed. I hit less walls now, but whenever I do hit a wall hard, I have to replace the avid wheel bearings in that corner. They get very crunchy after a good hit.
The yellow rubber seals fit poorly. There is a noticeably visible gap that debris could get in through. I'd use them for drivetrain use, but I'm going to order different bearings for wheel bearing use.
I like AVID's philosophy, but for $1/bearing, I got what I paid for. Better drivers who tag less walls will have much better luck though.

valk

iTrader: (13)

Should try ceramic revolution. They do have a seal gap for sure but any rubber sealed bearing will if you pull it to cleab them. The revolutions are metal shield on one side rubber the other. I took the rubber seals out and faced them inside the block. Metal faced out.
Can't comment on $1 bearings. But ceramic revokution wrte $5 each. Seem pretty decent.

DBM

I was told that the ceramic revolutions would fail even sooner, so I bought the steel revolutions instead. But now that I've seen how big the gap is between the rubber seal and the race, the metal shields are likely better for keeping debris out.
When I cleaned the grease out of mine when I got them, I didn't bother to pull the rubber seals. I just swirled them around in the bottom of a pop bottle with mineral spirits for 5 minutes.

valk

iTrader: (13)

Shimming your axles to prevent crushes will realky help with bearing blow out. Maybe a peice of silicon fuel tubing in the outdrive to keep the axle from foating around too much.
Hard bumper will definitely help with front bearings.

If goes without saying to flush out the grease with brakleeb and add a drop of oil. They come so packed with oil I'd wonder if blowouts are hydraulicly caused.
Someone needs to come up with a conical thrust bearing for these wheel bearinslgs. Similar to what real cars use.

DBM

I've shimmed the axles already, and my two wrecked wheel bearings have comes from glancing blows between my left front wheel and the inside wall at entrance of a left hander. The bumper wouldn't help much in those situations. I just need to be more careful. The fact remains that the spec-r bearings surprisingly held up better than the avid revolutions.

k_bojar

iTrader: (30)

now that's interesting... I've been using (pretty much exclusively, I might add) AVID bearings in all my cars - from mini-z to 12th scale - to my nitro and electric TCs and never had one fail from a crash like you're explaining. I'm hardly a 'top level' racer, but I can drive fairly cleanly and have some spectatular crashes as well. and ZERO bearing failures.

maybe its more how you hit instead of where you hit that blew out the bearings. 12th scale axel bearings are notoriously prone to blow outs and I think I've over ever killed 2 or 3 over the last 4 years - have some worn out, definitely, but never failed due to a crash. I've even kitted the front end of my 12th scale, running 13.5 BOOSTED, and the bearings survived without a hitch - couldn't say the same about both arms, spindles and servo saver

valk

iTrader: (13)

Obviously not everyone will have a good experience with every product. Unfortunate that yours is not.
Spec r bearings aren't bad once loobed properly. Have too much deflection for my taste though.
Maybe try xray bearings. I've had the same ones in my.nt1 sincee... ever lol.

DBM

The amount of slop in the spec-r kit bearings is why I decided to buy different bearings for the car. The AVID's were slightly better, but still had quite a bit of play in them.
For the time being, I'm going to put the spec-r bearings back in the front of the car. I'll wash them and lube them with avid slip oil. I might try the md abec 5 bearings that tqrc sells. I need to order a justock esc, and would like to try the new Sweep stc4 body as well.

mrjudd77

So I contacted SpecR yesterday and asked about the release of the S2. They responded very quickly and told me that the S2 would be released on Friday. So oly a few days left to wait. Now if we can get an eta on the R2

k_bojar

iTrader: (30)

I just started building my shocks on my S1 and noticed that the pistons seems to be really crappy. not sure if its the plastic, but they just don't seem on par with the other plastics bits in the kit.

has anyone else tried different pistons in their shocks? or are the ones from the R1 better?

valk

iTrader: (13)

R1 is the same. Just have to scrape the edges really nice.

Kevin K

iTrader: (32)

I use all tamiya internal parts in my shocks they fit much better.

k_bojar

iTrader: (30)

hmmmm

I think I need to dig thru the Tamiya parts bin if for nothing else other then different pistons, well smoother pistons