btsai

Haven't checked in with you guys for a while. Anyone have any luck sourcing replacement parts from the new re-release of the Frog to use for replacing the dog bone set up on a Monster Beetle. My Monster Beetle Is STILL Broken... :-(

MMBIB -- I should have known you'd be the first one to post this info. I need it for my MB! I have a friend at work whose parents own an LHS. I've asked him to see if they can even order the parts separately, how long it will take to get them, and the magic question -- how much will it all cost. (2 drive shafts, 2 wheel axels and the two gear box joints) If you want, I'll post the info when I hear back from them.

One more question -- what kind of lube should I have inside my diff?

Had another thought -- wouldn't the pieces from a Super Blackfoot just drop right in? I know the King Blackfoot had wider suspension arms, so the dogbones for that were probably longer, but the Super Blackfoot pieces should fit, right? I can a find all the parts on the web -- unfortunately with shipping it would cost something like $50 or $60 to get them all. But IF Tower or someone starts carrying the new Frog pieces, then I think I'd be able to get all the parts from ONE source and get it all (including shipping) for closer to $25-$35...

As long as they make them a little more "robust". I keep putting money into my 20 year old Monster Beetle. Sure wish the diff/dogbones/axle set up was stronger/wore better...

That custom RC system is nice but $99! I could almost buy an RTR Stampede for that much... (well -- at least get closer...)... Thanks for the info! I'll check out ModelBuild too...

Hunter Zero -- yes, I'm sure. While the corners of the hex ends are a bit worn, I can tell the cups are wearing because if I just assemble them by hand (not on the car), the half shafts spin freely when pushed all the way into the cup. If I back them out a bit they are actually farily tight. I could put a little something inside the cup area of the shafts to keep the half shafts from bottoming out in the cup area, but then I'd be afraid that I would be stressing some of the arm/chassis mounts for the suspension. (Because I would be forcing the trailing arms to push out a little bit.) Hope you follow what I mean... Ben

Hi MMBIB. Figured you'd chime in. So is "modelbuild" a web site or a user here on the forum, or???

Are the parts available separately anywhere on line yet? I see the Frog being sold. How about the parts as you describe? Thanks.

Well, I'm back. Haven't had much time to check the forums or play around with the Monster Beetle. Finally had a chance to run a couple battery packs worth through it. Differential seems to be working as best I can telll, but the new problem is that the half shafts (dog bones) are spinning inside the cup area of the wheel shafts. Tried turning one of the dog bones around and that helped -- but only for a minute. I think the inside of the cups are wearing away. I know these things weren't this fragile when new... So, any solutions out there? Any ever get brave enough and cut slots in the cups on both sides (diff side and wheel side) so that you could run more modern half shafts with the pins? Thanks again...

NYDriver -- sent you an e-mail... Hunter -- I think I must have gotten one of the "fast attack" gears. I measured the old and the new with a caliper and they were NOT the same width...

jsourbeck -- I just re-read your note. My new gear does indeed say "blackfoot" on it. No wonder I had to grind it down. Guess I got lucky figuring that part out on my own, eh!

One last thing -- thought you guys would enjoy. Since the monster beetle is running now I've been trying to get the cob webs out of my driving skills. I had it on some smooth concrete this afternoon and started pulling some drifting type moves (on accident at first -- then did some more for fun). Cool!

Hunterzero -- good info! Glad to hear that my shim idea may work -- if needed, too... MMBIB -- [] jsourbeck -- also good info. If I need to replace those gears, I'll keep that in mind. It was fun to drive again. I have to admit my driving skills are rusty. Of course, running a Monster Beetle around the back yard will never qualify as "precision" driving... LOL!

DJTheo -- I checked the gears -- they looked okay. Basically re-did everything I had done before but tweaked the metal plate to adjust as MMBIB suggested. And -- it WORKS!!! Woohoo! Thanks for your help! The diff is definitely sensitive to the amount of space/play that it has. I think if I had to use the thinner gear I could make it work with some shimming... I'm still a bit tentative about driving it -- I'm not quite convinced it is as tough as it once was. (And I'm still worried about the chassis mounting points that I mentioned before...) At any rate, I'm a happy camper. Fun to make it work again. I had all three of my kids try it out - they haven't seen it work for a couple of years or so. (I take them to the local tracks once in a while to see the races -- both on-road and off -- they like off-road better (no surprise), and I've always loved on-road. (I used to race a long time ago...).