Caster EX1.5

So, since yesterday's update didn't have any pictures, here's to make up for that!

Here's a mid shot of the buggy, with the battery lying as low as it can.

http://img851.imageshack.us/img851/4458/cimg0008z.jpg

This next picture shows the capacitor I had to put in the kit. The reason being is that the high powered savox servo was cutting power to the ESC when it was pushing a bit of weight, drawing more voltage. The capacitor is the exact same as the spektrum one you can buy except I made this one myself. This distributes the current evenly throughout the electrical components. ESC / MOTOR FAN / SERVO.

http://img202.imageshack.us/img202/1609/cimg0010nm.jpg

I thought it may be worth measuring the height of the 4s pack in it's new set-up. Taking into consideration the ruler doesn't start at the bottom. So it read about 3CM give or take a few mm from the side mud guard of the chassis.

http://img13.imageshack.us/img13/6515/cimg0013l.jpg

This next picture shows the gap between the battery and the spur gear

http://img585.imageshack.us/img585/5908/cimg0014g.jpg

Here we have my temporary fix of the front a-arm, 3 cable ties does the job.

http://img823.imageshack.us/img823/4831/cimg0015i.jpg

http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/6128/cimg0016n.jpg

http://img705.imageshack.us/img705/968/cimg0017sv.jpg

Next up, the battery tray mod to accommodate my large 4s lipo. This is only necessary because the pack I have features wires that come from the side, not the bullet style that are directly in the casing which are only used on hard case cells.

http://img862.imageshack.us/img862/9375/cimg0026t.jpg

http://img90.imageshack.us/img90/362/cimg0027u.jpg

http://img560.imageshack.us/img560/2918/cimg0028r.jpg

Continue to next post

My Spektrum radio and the buggy after It had been out for a pack in the rain :)

http://img192.imageshack.us/img192/1277/cimg0031fx.jpg

http://img194.imageshack.us/img194/5925/cimg0033m.jpg

I get atleast 25min runtimes with the 4s 5000mah pack. and the motor stays hot but still touchable. and the battery is at room temperature. Esc is warm.

I am having trumendous fun with this buggy! but I still don't think I'm ready to cast a final thought on the buggy.

So within the next few weeks, I should get to the track, and have my mind set about the buggy.

Cheers

Everything is still going strong with the caster buggy.

I took it out today for some speed runs up and down the road outside of my house, impressed some small kids, got some good runs and had fun chasing cars.

I'm more than satisfied with how it performs messing around on grass and small jumps, i'm just very keen to see how it will perform at the track!

The battery issue has been resolved and now the buggy is pretty hard to roll at all with the new layout.

If you haven't seen the video of it yet... check it out: [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKtTp6TMx4U]YouTube - ‪RACING AROUND THE YARD - CASTER EX1.5 BUGGY - 4S MAMBA - HD‬‏[/url]

and stay tuned for some more vids, updates, and thoughts on the kit.

Cheers

Today I had a little miss hap with the caster...

I was doing some 4-6ft jumps on grass with the caster and it nose dived in the the ground, and then went into a forward roll for about 10 feet.

Which resulted in this:

http://img684.imageshack.us/img684/900/cimg0005kq.jpg

Which later led to this:

http://img694.imageshack.us/img694/6348/cimg0007f.jpg

What happened was, the battery shifted right into the spur gear on impact. The reason being is that I had to cut the battery tray to hold my lipo. Plus it didnt help that the trays are so freakin close to the spur!!!

http://img192.imageshack.us/img192/4268/cimg0004ld.jpg

Small wooden block, sized and placed so it acts as a wall to stop the battery moving to the spur again. Solid oak wood, held down by a single screw from the bottom of the chassis.

Anyway, Fixed that, now onto the next thing.

A rather perculiar miss hap this time, the center -> rear dog bone fell out. Went to place it back in, and it apears to be 10mm too short. so I put a peice of fuel tubing around 5mm in each of the outdrives to centre the dog bone. Used for another pack after this and seems to be holding up well. Perhaps I lost spacers from inside or something but this is mighty strange.

http://img268.imageshack.us/img268/7848/cimg0014te.jpg

Next occurance, front left CVD drive pin comes loose! What ever next.

Luckily it didn't fall out completely otherwise I would have been completely screwed but it was lying on the ground next to the stalled caster :/

Took both the front axles apart, re-applied thread lock and away I went.

The rear don't have the CVD cups, they just use out-drives and dog bones.

In an attempt to cool this super hot motor...

http://img695.imageshack.us/img695/4011/cimg0003mb.jpg

Surprisingly stable, and doesn't move about but... and this is a big but. It doesn't help at all, in-fact it's probably worse than using the tiny heat sink and amazingly slow fan. If the fan was faster on the heat-sinked one, perhaps it would help a little.

Top shot of the chassis:

http://img577.imageshack.us/img577/1675/cimg0012c.jpg

View of the underside:

http://img146.imageshack.us/img146/3482/cimg0016da.jpg

Thanks, and hope your finding this useful :)

Got some more video footage :)

[url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWPwlAaMTPg]YouTube - ‪CASTER RACING BUGGY - JUMPS & BAD LANDINGS - MAMBA 4S - HD‬‏[/url]

i see you have cut an opening in the body to help cool the motor. maybe if you add a small scoop to help pull in the air
you might be able to get creative with some clamshell/blister packaging , maybe from some large ink markers

Yeah :)

What I did was actually cut three lines, and bent the lexan up acting as a scoop, you can't see it so well in the pictures though :)

I don't actually run with the body on much anyway, unless it damn mud or been raining a little :)

all helps with the cooling :D I will how ever run the body when I get the mamba motor as that will hopefully stay allot cooler.

Also I have a new clear shell waiting for me at my LHS for me to pick up.

I will pick this up on friday, along with a set of mugen front arms that should fit

I will be painting the shell black btw :D

New Shell!

Picked this up from FWM this morning along with a few other bits...

Painted myself :) Nothinng special but I think it stands out which is all that matters when your on the drivers stand!

http://img829.imageshack.us/img829/6841/cimg0008x.jpg

http://img594.imageshack.us/img594/8117/cimg0009g.jpg

http://img580.imageshack.us/img580/4516/cimg0010cb.jpg

http://img96.imageshack.us/img96/3369/cimg0024y.jpg

And of course I added some graphics bat decals xD

I have had a little change around with the electronics... Let's just say, Me and stock motor's don't get on and I had another fry up for afternoon brunch ;)

A tekin motor will be powering this thing in no time at all and all will be good ;)

I will most likely choose the 1900kv tekin motor though this will no doubt change depending on the mood i'm in when deciding for the final time. lol

http://img90.imageshack.us/img90/527/cimg0012i.jpg

So I did say I had a little change around, and this wasn't just the motor situation. I have chosen to stick with the single 4s pack. It seem to be working well whilst still being more than reasonably balanced. I have now moved the MM ESC down into the other battery tray which is currently only holding my ESC switch. I haven't tried it with this setup yet but i'm sure it will even the weight out a little more.

http://img834.imageshack.us/img834/63/cimg0014w.jpg

To be continued...