Ok, I think I'll do that. Thanks stormperson. I think I'll try to find some titanium pieces because they're still lighter than steel pieces. In the 4-40 rod ends, I see they're split so you can tighten them as they get a little bit of play in them from use, I believe that's what someone said earlier. I was wondering if they came with the screw to tighten them or if that is a seperate item? If the screw is seperate, than does anyone know where I can get it? Thanks in advance :) .

i am pretty sure it comes with it. however its a tiny screw so its not exactly standard, however AE has started to use it alot in their new kits (NTC3, T/B4). its the same size as the screws used to hold in the hingepins, however if you get an AE screw make sure it is long enough, since the short ones are only a few mm long.

also its not nessessary but for the extra buck or two pick up a set of side link o-rings. they basically scretch out the side link capture thingie so it doesnt bind, and they work wonders. you install them between the two sides of the sidelink. i know my description doesnt make any sense, however when you see them and the side links it will. possibly a more awake and cogniscent forum member could describe what i am trying to say in a way that could be understood...

and dont worry about the weigh difference between Ti and Steel. Ti is actually rather heavy (much more so than aluminuim) however it can be lighten by drilling and machining it out since it is strong. however you dont exactly drill or machine out a turnbuckle, so the weight saving are negligable, and i have never seen a broken side link, so i wouldnt worry about durability. its an eye candy piece more than anything (as are 99% of hop ups on a 12th scale)

The new car in the stable.

I have raced Nitro since day 1, and currently an MRX-3 for the last 2 years. Recently a carpet track opened up in town so I thought that I would refine my skills with a 1:12 scale.

Car : Bloody Carpet Knife
Radio : JR Racing R1
ESC : LRP Quantum Competition
Receiver : Novak XXL
Servo : Hitec HS-5245MG (JR Servo on order)


http://www.jasonjenkins.com/photos/carpet_knife.jpg

Ran the car tonight for the first time. It seemed to me that I spent a lot of my time fixing broken parts which kept me from tuning the car. Also, I'm learning battery care and maintenance. There's a lot to do and learn still. :)

My observations so far about the Carpet Knife, specifically the Team car (bloody knife).

The front axels are crap. Broke one right off the bat, the other axel bent with a slight touch to the outside wall (made of concrete). I replaced them with Parma axels and throughly crash tested them, no problems at all. It amazes me that Calandra is shipping cars with these things.

The cone washer on the diff that they ship with the car needs to be replaced with an Associated one. It will not fit, plain and simple. Again, I can not be the only person that has had this problem. Why continue to use them?

All aluminum screws need to be replaced. They are to fragile.

The assembly instructions have a lot to be desired. Improvement could be made here also.

I'm racing again in three days, hopefully I can spend some time working on the tuning of the chassis and my driving style.

I've heard that all 1/12th scale car instructions are not too good. But I've heard the 12L3 has pretty good instructions. That's where calendra gets a lot of the instructions for the carpet knife.

I have aluminum screws on my tc3 and I haven't broken one. So I haven't come to hate them.... yet ;).

I've never had any problems with anything breaking on this car except the side link hex balls, and that's why I'm changing to Speedmerchent side links. I do have the old style front end, which I bought because people say its better. And I tend to believe them, because I've never broken anything on it. And there's no play in it either. You gotta love it :D .

And my cone washer on my diff works perfectly fine. So I'm not complaining about it. Mabey you got a kit where everything is faulty :lol: , just kiddin. I hope you get all your problems worked out on your kit though because 1/12th scale is a blast to drive . But it looks like all of the things you're having problems with are pretty easy to fix so far.

Body Posts
 

I think I've ruined a brand new freshly cut Ascari body. I did not realize that the 12L3 front body posts would not work with that body. Do they work with any style body?

What body posts are people using?

John

EASY KILLER!!!! Are you attempting to drive your 1/12 the same that you dirve a gas sedan? If so no wonder why you broke....:rolleyes:

Aluminum screws can not be wrenched on with a ape type grip, some care is required...

Also sometimes you have to crawl before you can walk, let alone run:D

The instructions could be better, but would you prefer to have an RTR kit?;)

Eric

Relax, enjoy life.

my lhs started stocking crc parts, i was looking at side dampner tubes in particular, i am wondering if they will bolt up to my 12l3 and replace the friction disk thing and if i need any additional parts to complete the change over or if it is even worth the $. in winter we run on a small carpet track. thanks

CRC actually sells a dampener tube conversion for the 12L3 that comes with the dampener tubes and rear chassis brace and top plate that they would connect too. I beleive it even comes with the side springs that ultimately convert the 12L3 into a Six Pack setup that CRC also sells as an alternative to the carpet knife. I beleive the conversion runs about $30

Bob

I haven't broke a screw and stripped one due to assembly. I broke one in an 'incident'. My train of thought is that if it broke once, it can break again. Better to replace them with something better and if one screw is capable of breaking, then all the aluminum screws have the same vulnerability. I will never loose a race to the same breakage twice if it can be prevented. :) Yea I know, there are flaws in my theory. :D

I have an idea with the link hex ball and will be trying it out tonight. If it works, I'll post pictures and part numbers tonight.

I wouldn't say that it's a faulty kit. Just my own personal opinion but I believe that there are parts that could be better, and I will replace those as I go along. It's a good car and I am glad that I got it. I just need to learn more about it and learn what parts I need to carry with me and more importantly, learn how to drive it like an electric car and not like 1:8 Scale GP.
:cool:

manbik- its not a MRX-3!!!!:D ;) you cannot hit a concrete wall and expect nothing to happen (although i highly doubt you could pull off hitting the wall with the mugen and not have to replace something). these cars are made to run on carpet with plastic covered wooden walls that are more forgiving. however if you hit anything expect there to possibly be some damage. i have never before heard of an axle actually breaking, so congradulations! You are the first to my knowledge.

the cone washer should be fine on the diff, what is exaclty wrong with yours? and BTW i suggest replacing the stock 6 ball diff with an IRS 12 ball one, you will thank yourself once you do.

iron chef- yes you can do that. infact i think mike dumas did that as well on his rc12l3 when i saw his car at the '03 carpet nats.

john robb- there are alot of things that should work. try speedmerchant body posts, which are i think pretty much the same thing as the NTC3 front body posts which are probably the same as the rc10 DS or whatever posts. if you want to keep the stock posts you could dremel or grind them down to lower them.

I'll have to take a picture of the track someday. In the back room of the hobby shop is the carpet track. In the center of the room is the carpet and around the outside they made this half height wall out of brick and concrete. The lane dividers are nice and forgiving but dont take the turn to sharp that is at the end of the straight. If you do, the lane divider will launch your car right into the outside brick wall.

If I concentrate, I hit my marks pretty well and run a nice clean line. If I get out of my rhythm or get distracted, then I go into Nitro mode and hit the corners to soon thinking that the car will push a bit before the turn, but it doesnt and then... well I have another incident. :)

Oh, the cone washer is just to big in diameter. It appears to me that once the differential is assembled the right rear tire should go over the cone washer easily, allowing you to bolt the tire to the hub. Mine gets stuck on the washer. I'll take a picture tonigt of the Associated washer next to the one that came in the kit.

Jason,

The alu screws are more fragile than steel, and thats the beauty of it. its cheaper and easier to replace a screw than replace a broken chassie. When you learn to drive 1/12 properly you will think that driving 1/8 is clumpsy and slow

CK 3.1
 

I have broken few things on my CK. I bent a King Pin, and sheared a front axle right off, but I was driving crazy, and asked for it. I HAVE broken about 6 bumpers. They take up the shock, and save my front tires and front suspension. Some thing will break, so I choose a $4.99 bumper. I have bent the screws that hold the bumper on, but you get new ones with the bumper.

I chose the 3.1 not red version because of the al screws. Just don't like em or need em.

Last week, I was practicing with my CK at a parking lot race, and got punted by a TC. The thing went an easy three feet into the air. It bounced, rolled and landed on its side. Somebody righted it and away I went.

Last, I have an L30 I race with a T-Bar, and the carpet knife, I find the CK MUCH easier to set up. Thinking of trying a Pantoura next year in the parking lot.

David Root

Freshly painted Speed8 waiting to race!!
The tequilla Sunrise.

12L3 with CRC Damper Tubes
 

I did not know CRC makes a conversion for the 12L3, did my one conversion! Still needs tuning to be able to say it really works!
here is my car. Peace!!