R/C Tech Forums - View Single Post - Project: Basher Buggy Build from a Racer's Perspective
Old 07-17-2012, 04:54 PM
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Krawlin
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And again…. (notice the use of cap head screws, see my note below!)





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NOTE/TIP: One thing I like to do whenever possible is replace those stupid 2mm hex button head screws with equivalent length cap head screws with a 2.5mm hex. They practically never strip the head out compared to the button head screws which strip regularly, and the weight difference, especially for a basher, is extremely minimal, and a food scale can barely pick it up. I would say the weight difference between 10 cap head screws with the 2.5mm hex and 10 button head screws with the 2mm hex is probably only a couple grams, definitely a worth while upgrade. Also, save yourself some money if you do alot of projects, buy your hardware from McMaster, you can buy boxes of 100 of these screws for like $4 to $8 each depending on the length, and that’s for black oxide coated M3 (thread) metric grade 12.9 screws, and all of the boxes I have ordered from them say Made In The USA and they are Cam-Car brand (which are great IMO). Can’t beat that.

One thing to keep in mind is if you live someplace humid and you typically store your cars in your garage or your home has a swamp cooler rather than AC, invest in some cans of WD40. I made the mistake of leaving this car in my garage for about a week now and already the shafts are rusty, diff outdrives are rusty, and the screw heads are rusty. Don’t be turned off from buying black oxide coated steel screws just because they rust, they are stronger than stainless screws (and cheaper), and a little WD40 will keep the rust away. Don’t make my mistake, as I am going to have to take alot of this car apart again to clean the rust off. USE WD40 FOLKS!

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Continuing on, I put the steering together using a Fioroni ackerman plate, it is lighter than the Mugen Prospec ackerman plate, however it is not quite as beefy, if it ends up bending I will be going back to the Prospec part, but I doubt it will. Also something to note here is that the MBX5R uses a different ackerman plate than the MBX5 buggy and the MBX5T truggy. The MBX5R’s ackerman plate actually has the holes set back by about half of their diameter, so when comparing the two the holes are half on/half off each other, I guess this was because Mugen figured something out with the steering geometry and added that change in with the MBX5R, but it’s minimal so I doubt I’ll notice a handling difference. While typing this up I did notice some slop in the steering though, namely the bell cranks moving up and down on the posts, so that needs to be shimmed, and the ackerman plate is a bit sloppy on the bellcrank arms and will need shims under it, I suspect because the threaded inserts that go into the bellcrank arms and rotate as they move left and right are a bit long and letting the ackerman plate move around a little too much for my liking. I also will be changing the ball studs to these ones Mugen makes that have a fatter washer side to them to help correct some of the bump steer than MBX5 series cars are known for having. Anyway, here is a pic of the steering mostly put together with the upper and lower arms on and the CF steering top plate. Also noting the upper arm position, I have it in the lowest position with the Mugen C & D lettered upper arm hing pin holders.


And again….


Here is a good picture showing how I shim the upper arms. Those aluminum countersunk washers, in this case ones meant for M4 screws, work excellent as shims and look good too. I used 1 aluminum countersunk washer and 2 regular flat shims in this case, but using the countersunk washer looks alot better in many cases because it takes up more room that normally you’d have some ugly thick shim pack in there. You can also see a clear anodized M4 aluminum countersunk washer used as a shim on the lower arm, its the perfect thickness and only needs 1 per side. Also not that I am using a mix of new and old parts on the steering. The plastic bell cranks and aluminum servo saver bellcrank tube and the Fioroni ackerman plate are brand new, and the spring and nut and bellcrank posts are used but in good condition.


Here you can see alot more progress, I installed the King Headz aluminum servo tray post/mounts, the servo tray with servos, the radio box, and the center diff and front chassis brace. Nothing too special here, this picture shows it all really. I did modify both the front and rear chassis braces to use a beefy M4 screw where they bolt to the chassis. Got an Irwin M4 tap and the corresponding drill bit (I don’t remember what size it was, google it if you are interested) and drilled out the lower hole on the braces and ran the tap through them to get them to M4 thread, then used a countersinking bit to get the hole in the chassis prepped to accept an M4 countersunk screw. The reason for M4 screws on the chassis braces is because I did the same thing to the Mugen Prospec braces on my MBX5T with good results, as the stock M3 screws were always loosening up during a race and then the braces were essentially useless since the screws were loose and letting them move around. The M4 screws can be tightened down alot more without the risk of stripping the hex head of the screw, and they wont loosen up. I used what I believe are Reckward Tuning chassis braces, couldn’t find them on Amain but I am assuming they are Reckward Tuning because the color of anodizing on them matches some other Reckward Tuning stuff that I own. They are also lighter than the Mugen Prospec braces by like a few grams each, they look cool, and actually are a little beefier with more contact area on the chassis to reduce flexing. Have them for both the front and rear braces.

Also on the center diff I am running fiberglass brake rotors of unknown brand, a brand new bearings throughout the whole car. Center diff is filled with 7k weight fluid. Also running a brand new brake cam and linkage setup with brand new calipers/pads (technically no glued on pads, just the steel pieces since im running fiber brake discs). Also using a Mugen Prospec CF center diff top plate, and drilled out to use flanged bearings on the brake cams as opposed to the factory setup of bushings. They don’t get sloppy and they last a very long time. They are HB flanged bearings, and can be bought here, a worthy upgrade for any 1/8 buggy or truggy IMO - http://www.amainhobbies.com/product_...ghtning-Series


Then I got the rear end assembly put together and finished up the front. I rebuilt all of the shafts front and rear (and had a set of brand new center shafts that I put in it) with new cross pins and such to eliminate any slop in the shafts. Front end got brand new pillows balls and brand new knuckles and bearings and stub shafts. Also installed the freshly rebuilt (by previous owner) shocks up front. Put a brand new diff with new ring and pinion in the rear just like the front, shimmed it up properly and the diff is filled with 3k weight fluid. Using a pair of used Mugen Prospec aluminum rear upgrights, and brand new bearings throughout just like the rest of the car. The rear anti-squat plate is a brand new 3° King Headz anti-squat plate, and the rear toe block is a new plastic unit with 2.75° of toe in and no additional anti-squat. Went with plastic for the toe block because I didn’t have an aluminum one for 2.75° toe in and I’ve never broken a plastic one anyway on the truggy so it should be good enough for the buggy. Also installed a brand new rear shock tower, brand new wing mounts and hardware for it along with new aluminum posts/spacers for the wing mount. Did a little filing on the edges of the King Headz rear aluminum chassis brace bracket to make it look a little more like the Fioroni parts on the car. All hinge pins are Mugen Option hinge pins that have a hex head on 1 end and threaded on the other for a nut, beats captured pins and e-clip pins any day! Also something to note, if your rear uprights, toe blocks/anti-squat blocks, front lower blocks, etc. have a location for a set screw, that is there for a reason and use it, especially if any of those parts listed are aluminum! It keeps the hinge pin from turning in those aluminum parts which will wear them out. You want the pin to remain stationary and the arm to pivot on it. It’s alot cheap to replace worn out sloppy arms than it is to replace aluminum anti-squat blocks, toe blocks, etc.


King Headz 3° aluminum Anti-Squat Block


Rear view of the rear end of the car, note the aluminum uprights, brand new rear shock tower, all brand new arms for the front and rear, and the cool scalloped and vented fiber brake rotors.


Rear chassis brace installed (and just like the front it’s been re-threaded for an M4 screw at the chassis and the hole in the chassis has been countersunk for the M4 screw), along with the rear freshly rebuilt (by previous owner) shocks, sway bar, hex hubs, and a plain factory new Mugen wing. Also running AKA wheels with AKA Cityblock tires. It’s officially a roller now! Note the chassis too, no strange millwork done on this one by the previous owner, and it’s only lightly used. Also running a DE rear skid plate.


And with one of the included bodies. Talk about an old school body though, the "drivers compartment" of it is huge compared to today's cab forward buggy bodies!
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