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Small Factory's "Beast from the East" (Now with Burt Reynolds approval)
Topic Started: Jan 11 2013, 06:37 PM (7,493 Views)
Small Factory
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Formally Timmy2Tracks
New build! I just might finish this one.

Who am I kidding...?

So, the story on this: I have had this DF-300 for about 2 years. I purchased bearings and hardware, and built the chassis up. I got it moving under it's own power, then that was it. I wanted to go back into this and check my work, rather than pick up where I left off. Also, this allowed me to take pics as well...

So, here's what I am starting with...
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How did they know I was going to be preparing the engine and electromotive 2 version?
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Disassembly. You can see I already have installed the Hexscrews hardware kit.
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Install blue bearings to support the output shafts.
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Wheels need bearings as well.
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Edited by Small Factory, Nov 15 2013, 02:02 PM.
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Small Factory
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Formally Timmy2Tracks
Next up is the differential and gear housing thingy. This is a unit that Kyosho used from their FW04 gas car.
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Divide, then conquer.
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This already has the bearings and some grease in it. On a new DF, it will have bushings, and will be as dry as the sahara desert. Notice there are 4 bearings here, two on each side of the differential unit, and two on the shaft behind the smaller gear.
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Differential unit. Remove these 4 screws to open...
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I used this flavor of stuff.
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Fill it to the top. You want that differential to be gummy, as it is very important so the DF doesn't make a turn every time it drives across a small bump...
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Reassemble.
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Edited by Small Factory, Jan 11 2013, 10:47 PM.
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Small Factory
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Formally Timmy2Tracks
Here be a closeup of the diff unit. Bearing on this side...
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...and on this side as well. This was already greased, as you can see.
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Back together, and all gummy inside.
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Again, remove the two bushings on this little guy, and install bearings.
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Drop the diff back into the gearbox housing, and pop the little guy back into his home.
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My favorite flavor of lube (for RC's anyways). It's safe to use in contact with plastic, and is so very sticky.
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Don't be shy.
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Now, reassemble, and pat yourself on back (remove greasy glove first).
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Oh, and this housing needs the two bushings popped out of each end, and install bearings.
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More to come. Thanks for looking...!
Edited by Small Factory, Jan 11 2013, 09:18 PM.
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Blissard
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I want to clean that grease coming out of the diff case. Going stock with this one ?
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Small Factory
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Formally Timmy2Tracks
It's always a messy job, but I wear a glove on one hand, and just squish it into every available area. Then, after assembly, wipe with some paper towels and degreaser.

This will not be stock... I plan on having some real fun with this build. Been gathering parts for a while now...
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REAPER
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"It's only Money"
Can't wait to see what you got up your sleeve from this one Tim. Funny how the DF is picking up popularity again, hope that some of the important parts don't become discontinued to soon (some are getting hard to find).
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Small Factory
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Formally Timmy2Tracks
Well, I know for me, I was so excited about the release of a new dual-motor Blizzard, I stopped working on this and concentrated on the SR. After having my up's and down's with the SR for the last year or so, I have grown to appreciate this particular generation Blizzard. Maybe Kyosho will re-release a single motor Blizzard again...

What parts are becoming hard to find, do you think?
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Small Factory
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Formally Timmy2Tracks
Next up is the disk brakes.

For those who don't know, this generation Blizzard uses a Skid-Steer style turning setup, using a disk brake on each side to slow or stop power to each track independently. Having a differential, one or both tracks will always have power applied to them.

Both tracks get power from a single 540 motor. Steering servo pulls on one disk brake, it slows or stops that track while the opposite track still has full power applied, turning the cat. Simple. Effective.

The stock brakes are a bit "grabby". The system consists of a metal disk, being squeezed my two metal pads. Metal on metal tends to not have much finesse. It tends to give the DF a bit of an "on/off" steering feel...
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The brake disks sit in these hubs...
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In the past, people have glued brake pad material from nitro/gas cars onto the inside of the metal pads, to help steering. A much easier and mo-betta solution is to get a set of these...
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Remove the metal disks, and slide these whiz-bang fiber disks over the hubs...
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And drop them back into place.
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X2 (Pat self on back)
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Edited by Small Factory, Jan 11 2013, 11:07 PM.
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Small Factory
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Formally Timmy2Tracks
Now I used a little blue thread locker on the little set screw.
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Now you slide the long shaft with the small chain sprocket on the end back thru fro the outside of the chassis, thru the disk brake hub, and into the differential/gearbox. Tighten down your set screw (with fresh blue thread-lock applied)...
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Repeat for second side. These two shafts hold the (cleanly wiped just for you ScaleXtreme) differential housing in place.
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Edited by Small Factory, Jan 12 2013, 12:40 AM.
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Small Factory
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Formally Timmy2Tracks
Braking, continued.

Here is a picture of this DF previously, when I had electronics installed for testing. On the electric versions of the EV/DF-300, Kyosho has the steering servo top-side facing up. This routes the two long pull-bars which run form the steering servo, which is located at the back of the cat, all the way to the front of the cat where the brakes are located. As you can see, there is not much room on the top deck to lay out your electronics. Also, this would not work with a future modification I will be doing...
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Here is a closeup of the brake upright (chrome tube with set screw on the top, and hole in the side) that the servo pull bar pulls on.
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I don't know why Kyosho did this (I ask myself this question many times why working on these Blizzards), because on the nitro version of the DF, there is no room for the brake bars on the top of the deck, so they run them underneath, flipping the steering servo "upside down". Why not just do this on both models? Got me.

So, I purchased the nitro brake parts bag (X2) to convert the brake linkage to run under the top plate. This will free up much needed real estate up there, while using some of all that empty space down below.
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Here is a comparison of the electric brake parts (long shaft) and the nitro brake parts (short shaft).
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I should have done this before re-installing the output shafts, but I am a forgetful feller. Here is a picture of the electric brake parts from below.
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...remove shaft and brake disk/hub.
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Squeeze the metal pads together, and slide out the old "electric" upright shaft. Drop in your new-fangled "nitro" shaft, then reinstall your brake disks/hubs and output shafts.
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Edited by Small Factory, Jan 12 2013, 12:05 AM.
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Small Factory
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Formally Timmy2Tracks
Mo steering, mo problems.

Next up is mounting the servo, upside down, of course.

I got myself a real whiz-bang red 3" double servo horn. Not only does this look cool, it adds 10 horsepower I was told.
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I went thru my parts pile, and found the oldest, weakest servo I could find. In this case, again, the weaker servo will give you much more steering "feel", and cut down on the "on/off" steering feel a high torque servo would create. I believe this servo came from my Blizzard DX, so it's about 28 years old. Mounted new double horn, looks like an expensive servo now.
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Got myself another hip hop up. These little Hot Racing servo hold down clamp things are pretty effective, and I can avoid using washers to try and keep the servo held down tight.
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New top view. Wide open.
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And down below, I connected the brake arms, running from the servo horn to the disk brakes. Once the bottom plate is reinstalled, this will all be hidden from sight and out of harms way.
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Hope you like it... more to come.
Edited by Small Factory, Jan 11 2013, 11:53 PM.
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REAPER
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"It's only Money"
Timmy2Tracks
Jan 11 2013, 11:48 PM

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Hope you like it... more to come.
Where did this idea come from ^o)

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REAPER
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"It's only Money"
Hey Timmy another trick to get your servo lower so there is more room on top... put some spacers between the servo and the center plate and flip the linkages to the top side of the servo horn.
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ZippoMan
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Tim I am very anxious now!! I want my DF-300 conversion parts soon. Heheheh. I can see I will probably be spending waaaaay more money soon!! Oh noooooooooooooooooooo!! You are making me drool with this posting!! :P
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Small Factory
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Formally Timmy2Tracks
Reaper
Jan 12 2013, 12:14 AM
Where did this idea come from ^o)
Hehe. I have no ideas. I just steal from you, Reaper.

Great idea on the spacer trick. I will do that if I need the extra space...
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