Originally Posted by Joel Lagace
james: Just for fun why not leave your receipts and a grand total in big bold print on the table next to this gear and snap a picture of your wifes face when she reads the total! LOL
Nice spread. Nothing like a new build eh?
Ironically my wife, for the first time in a long time, took a look at my credit card bill and let's just say it made for a bad morning. I reminded her she said it was ok but when she saw over $800 spent just on this project she wasn't thrilled. Mind you that $800 doesn't include the cost of the T4!
Here is an update on the assembly for those interested...
Front End Assembly
Didn't have the best start as I was a little miffed that for $80 Lunsford couldn't include the 2 4-40 x 7/16 screws for the steering rack and for $100 Acer didn't feel obligated to include the steering rack bearings. Titanium screws proved to cause multiple headaches as I stripped more than 1 head even after first tapping the hole with a regular screw.
Lunsford did redeem themselves with the front axles as they went in with a breeze and I really appreciated the free quality steel tool that came with the hinge pin & turnbuckle set. After I shined up the hinge pins with jewerly polish everything went together smooth as silk. Another high point I first discovered on the front end is the Losi Titanium Ball Cups! These things are sweet with their hex whole in the top for easy screwing!
Once I mounted the RPM front bumper I realized I made a mistake as the screws sunk down about 1/8" past the surface. While not a big deal I knew I would be digging dirt out of those holes for the rest of my life if I left it so I went back to the stock bumper.
Rear End Assembly
Acer sticks it to me again by not including bearings for the Differential in their T4 bearing kit but at least their diff & thrust balls are smooth as glass. The Racer's Edge Aluminum Rear hubs are also very nice and I find myself well on my way.
Then around 3am I make the dumbest mistake ever! I am putting together the MIP CVD's 1/2 asleep and decide to use the rear axle roll pin instead of the CVD cross pin to connect the CVD bone to the CVD axle. As you can imagine the roll pin wouldn't go in easily so instead of questioning whether I was using the right pin or not I pull out the vice grips and jam it through. After what I believed to be a successful yet difficult CVD assembly I head to bed. In the morning when I go to test what should be a free moving CVD I realize my stupid mistake as the CVD cross pins, still on my work table, stare up at me. After a very long struggle I tear them apart, let's just say the shape they end up in is not worthy of the Dream Stock T4 status!
So as of today I have to wait for my order of replacement Titanium Screws from Lunsford to arrive and while I wait I am back to deciding if I want to just pick up a replacement set of MIP CVDs or go ahead and try out the Titanium Racing CVDs. Regardless I have a couple days of waiting ahead.