Jbo6543

Hey guys, been a while since I've been on here, as I'm pretty happy with the mods I've made for my VLB thus far. I have a question about widdening the stance to that of a truggy. How do I go about doing it? Has anyone here done it? If so can you please add a link to your page or thread, I'd love to see it. Are there after market parts to accomodate widening the set-up, or can I use arms from a different chasis? Please, any help is greatly appreciated. happy new year to all!!!!!

Hey guys, I'm looking to upgrade my motor in my Lunchbox, and wondering how low I should go to keep it managable. I currently have a sport tuned in there now with a Duratrax 16t mid-mod esc, and I modified the wheelie bar to add more stability. I'm wondering if a 17t is too much or should I go with a 19t? Any suggestions of what motors you guys are using would help, thanks in advance. It's mostly a park and street runner. Looking for the most speed without it being too much, looking to get as close to the thresehold as possible though! I was looking at a Venom Fireball and Trinity Monster, any other suggestions? Budget in mind. ($20-$40 US)

... I could swear that I've seen some some posts in the past about encasing an esc to waterproof it. If you have some pics of your own please send me the link so I might get an idea how to do it. Now that I think about it, if the ESC were encased, wouldn't it overheat really quickly? Thanks in advance.

Yep, that was it.....I had switched the motor leads, but I was forgetting about the reverse on the radio. That's what was confusing me. Thanks again!

Hey guys....I fried my TEU-101BK in my re-re Lunchbox, and just replaced it with the Duratrax 16t mild mod ESC. Anybody here use this ESC? I think I set it up properly, but I can't find an acceleration setting that gives me immediate acceleration. Moreover....I can't wheelie from a dead stop anymore! (what's the point in having a lunchbox, right?) I've tried all the different setting combos for the acceleration/traction control (0.0/0.1/0.2 second delay) and the Reverse Delay settings (0.3/0.8 seconds) and still, I only get a gradual acceleration. My top-end speed is fine. If I follow the lockout reverse settings, I actually lose the foward throttle instead...any ideas? (yes, my radio is set normally) The one thing I'm not sure I set correctly is the ABS, because I can go directly to reverse from full throttle. I want to get this figured out before I strip my gears. I guess I should have done more research on the ESC before buying it, did I make a good decision? I spent $70 US, I would expect better performance for that amount. Also, How can I waterproof the ESC? Lastly, the toggle on the on/off switch doesn't seem to be long enough to be effective if I installed it in the pre-determined slot on the chassis. Any suggestions where I should mount it? Below, find the Duratrax product sheet for the ESC, thanks in advance for the help. http://manuals.hobbico.com/dtx/dtxm1065-manual-v1_1.pdf

OK...tried to reset the ESC. Unplugged the motor, and followed the set-up sequence. I never saw multiple beeps from the red light on the ESC. When I wiggle the wires near the connectors, the light blinks on and off like I have a faulty wire somewhere. Am I correct, or is the ESC fried?

I have a re re Lunchbox, so the ESC is a TEU-101BK. Reverse works sporatically, with no forward on either of the battery packs I use. The light is on, and reacts to the throttle. The wheels do turn from left to right, so there is juice to the steering servo. Should I try resetting the ESC?

hey guys, I've been having issues with one of my battery packs. A friend of mine got the bright idea to spit into the connector before attaching the ends, and since I get nothing out of my functional battery pack either. Is my ESC fried? How do I test it? Thanks in advance

guys.....thanks Just needed to reset it. Thanks again

sorry...bad link. here's the correct one. http://s45.photobucket.com/albums/f81/jbou...20Body%20Posts/

Hey Guys, I bought a re-re Lunchbox, and did most of the mods listed on the site. Thanks to all of you who have helped me in the past. I also run it with a Pumpkin shell. It got old pretty quick having to change out the body posts to each specific model. So...I added 4", vertical nylon body posts. I thought I'd show some pix here for those of you looking to run both the VLB and Pumpkin shells simultaneously off the same chassis. I bought 2 (2 in a pack)sets from towerhobbies, I think they were about $7 each. You will need one in the front over the steering servo and 2 in the rear deck. If your truck is a "runner" and not a "shelf queen", I strongly suggest making the switch. It looks pretty tough, and the longer body posts help in not destroying the shell when you flip the truck. refer to the picture link below: Have fun and good luck!!! If you need any further assistance, I'm here to help. The least I can do considering all the help I've gotten from the forum! 1. Attach the body posts from underneath the chassis with the provided screw set. (Front arms and rear shock dissassembly required) 2. Each set of body post comes with 2 collars, I use these for the shell to rest on, on the underside. 3. I used some ball joint screws from an extra set of shocks so I can change the height of the collars by hand when going from Pumpkin to VLB. 4. When running the Pumpkin Shell, the rear collars are useless. Make sure you bore out enough room in the rear of the shell (in the truck bed section)to get over the collars. If you look close enough at the pictures provided, you'll see a small piece of velcro on top of the ESC. attach the other side of velcro tape to the underside of the truck bed on the Pumpkin shell. (The VLB shell rests on the three collars/the Pumpkin rests on the front collar over the steering servo, and the velcro added to the rear deck). 5. Drill the appropriate holes into the top of each body shell, set the body over the posts and attach the body clips. At first, you will have to tinker a bit to find the correct height between the collars and body clips. Once you find the correct height, make a mark on the body posts for future use finding the right height. The 30 minutes I spent on the conversion has added to my enjoyment immensely! Aside from the tons of money I spent replacing the stock body mounts. hope this helps.....enjoy! http://s45.photobucket.com/albums/f81/jbou...20Body%20Posts/

Hey 28YOK, I've run into the same frustration with the flimsy body posts on the Pumpkin/VLB. I bought a re-re Lunchbox, and also run it with a Pumpkin shell. It got old pretty quick having to change out the body posts to each specific model. So...I added 4", vertical nylon body posts. I bought 2 (2 in a pack)sets from towerhobbies, I think they were about $7 each. You will need one in the front over the steering servo and 2 in the rear deck. If your truck is a "runner" and not a "shelf queen", I strongly suggest making the switch. It looks pretty tough, and the longer body posts help in not destroying the shell when you flip the truck. refer to the picture link below: Have fun and good luck!!! If you need any further assistance, I'm here to help. The least I can do considering all the help I've gotten from the forum! 1. Attach the body posts from underneath the chassis with the provided screw set. (Front arms and rear shock dissassembly required) 2. Each set of body post comes with 2 collars, I use these for the shell to rest on, on the underside. 3. I used some ball joint screws from an extra set of shocks(if you haven't already, invest in some oil-filled tamiya dampers-towerhobbies) so I can change the height of the collars by hand when going from Pumpkin to VLB. 4. When running the Pumpkin Shell, the rear collars are useless. Make sure you bore out enough room in the rear of the shell to get over the collars. If you look close enough at the pictures provided, you'll see a small piece of velcro on top of the ESC. attach the other side of velcro tape to the underside of the truck bed on the Pumpkin shell. (The VLB shell rests on the three collars, the Pumpkin rests on the front collar over the steering servo, and the velcro added to the rear deck). 5. Drill the appropriate holes into the top of each body shell, set the body over the posts and attach the body clips. At first, you will have to tinker a bit to find the correct height between the collars and body clips. Once you find the correct height, make a mark on the body posts for future use finding the right height. The 30 minutes I spent on the conversion has added to my enjoyment immensely! Aside from the tons of money I spent replacing the stock body mounts. hope this helps. I think I'll put this in the "how to" section as well, for others to see....enjoy! http://s45.photobucket.com/albums/f81/jbou...20Body%20Posts/

Hey guys, I seem to have lost the reverse function on my re-re lunchbox. Since I'm a newbie, with no LHS, I really don't know what to look for or how to troubleshoot the problem. I use alternating 4200ni-mh packs which work fine and have full capacity in forward. The brakes work on the transmitter, just wont go into reverse. I have the same issue on both battery packs I use. It's a re-re VLB and I've never had any issues with the electrical system. I've looked for this issue on the message boards to no avail. here's a few things I can think of of the top of my head: I occasionally will throw it into reverse while going full speed forward to skid on a dirt surface, can this damage the ESC? I've never submerged the thing in water, but have driven thru puddles or a bit of standing water. would this maybe cause the issue? Is there possibly a broken wire connection on the ESC for reverse? Since I'm a newbie I dont' know what to look for. Thanks in advance for any help, you guys are always extremely helpful.

Hey Guys.... I run my Lunchbox off a 4200 Ni-MH pack. Two alternating packs, actually ("A" and "B"), but I'm having issues with one of the packs. The pack with the issue only produces maybe 40% of the truck speed from when it was working properly, and it doesn't react to full-throttle. Moreover, I have to go from half-throttle to Full, slowly, for the truck to move at all. Lastly, the truck will "buck", like the ESC is thermal'ed, after about 5 minutes. My other working pack has no issues, and produces great run times. I bought the two packs together, with a cheapie "Smart Charger". No difference in the break-in, as there was no break in. I just charged 'em , and off I went. Which leads me to my next question.... Do NI-MH packs need to be broken in, or discharged properly? I thought not, but maybe I'm wrong. I do not have discharge capabilities on my charger, I've seen small appliance lightbulbs hooked up to a tamiya connector for discharging, but is that neccesary for a NI-MH pack? These questions are probably all over the message board, sorry for the redundant questions, and thanks in advance for your help.... Jim

Hey, Finished the A-Team/Body Post project. Thought I'd post some pix. I know, I know...the genuine A-Team Van had a gun-metal grey top, but I only had Silver paint. I'm happy with the results. I installed a single body post in the front of the chassis, above the steering servo, and two in the rear deck. The Truck seems "tougher" this way, if that's possible. Love the set up, strongly reccomend it to anyone who wants to run both the VLB and MP shells simultaneously. The wheelie-bar mod is an axle off of one of my son's toy trucks, with a little tubing over rod I added. The giant wheels keep my wheelies to a manageable 3 or 4 inches. If anyone wants more specific instructions on converting to body posts, drop me a line. I'm happy to reply with my "how to". I think I'm going to paint the rims Black. What do you think? Thanks Guys. Check out the rest of the pictures at : http://s45.photobucket.com/albums/f81/jbou...i/A-Team%20VLB/

That's exactly what I was thinking; two mounts on the rear deck, and a single mount in front above the steering servo. I'll give it a shot and post some pix upon completion. Thanks for the help. Keep on Truckin'!

Hey Guys. Hoping you could help me out.... I've got a re-re lunchbox, and done most of the mod's listed on here. I have a Parma Midnight Pumpkin shell, and just got a Parma Lunchbox shell, for runner shells. I've grown very tired of breaking the flimsy body mounts on each run, and having to change out the body mounts specific for each body kit. I was looking through the showroom for an example of a user that runs the truck with both the VLB and Pumpkin shells, but couldn't find anything. More specifically, I'm looking if anyone uses vertical body posts, and the placement of the body posts on the chassis, fit for interchanging both the VLB and MP shells. Secondly, I have no idea how to actualy mount these universal body posts I bought. The bag includes: 2 - 4.5" body posts, 2 spacers, 2 small screws, and two headless grub screws. Any clues? I know I sound like a total newbie, but any help is appreciated, they came with no directions! I'm thinking an A-team paint job on the new Parma VLB shell. Anybody here ever mod a rear spoiler for the VLB? Thaknks guys! Jim

17 turn? That Lunchie must be next to impossible to keep upright! What ESC/Motor combo are you running? I think I'm going to attempt a Wheelie-Bar mod next. Any suggestions?

Thanks for the reply, guys. Of course!, duhhhhhhh...... I'm sure that'll do it.

...I recently bought a re-re and have done all the mods I found on here (Lexan runner shell, chassis stiffeners, oil dampers, 3rd shock addition, Sport tuned motor). Since I've completed all the mods, everytime I run it, the pinion gear loosens and the trannie spins without engaging the wheels after about ten minutes of running the truck. All I can figure, is that maybe I need to change out the pinion gear from the original to accomodate the sport tuned engine? There doesn't seem to be any kind of hole on the motor stem to line up when tightening the allen bolt on the pinion gear. Is there a "correct way" to attach the pinion gear that I'm not aware of? Any suggestions welcome, thanks in advance! Jim

hey guys, I'm a newbie, and am in the middle of modifying an RTR Lunchbox. Wanting to add more power, I'm looking at the HPI Saturn 20T motor for my Lunchbox. A few questions: Anybody ever use this motor? Any other motor suggestions? Are all 540 Motors interchangable? I know I have to change out my ESC to suit, but is there anything else I need to be mindful of before I purchase a new motor? Do I need to change the pinion gear when upgrading the motor, or do I use the one that came with the lunchbox? I know these probably sound like silly questions, but I don't have a LHS near me, so this forum is my only way to learn more about the hobby. Another silly question: When I go directly to the "Big Motor Guys" websites, (Orion, Trinity, Peak...) and I look at motors, the sizes aren't listed as 540. Am I searching the sites incorrectly? Or are 540 cans limited in production because they're specific to the older tamiya cars? I will most likely be buying a budget, brushed motor and try to get away with using my stock TEU-101BK ESC until I fry it. Is this a bad idea? Can I damage any other component other than the ESC by running it this way? Thanks in advance fo your help!

Hello All, This is my second topic starter regarding my new Lunchbox. I recently posted a topic about the cheap body mounts that come stock on the VLB. Thank you to you all for your suggestions if you happened to stumble upon that last post. I bought an RTR version, intending to modify. I've read up on most of the ideas for the Lunchy, but I need some more questions answered. I'll appologize in advance for some of them being "rookie" type questions, as I'm new to this hobby! (AND LOVING IT!) I've already broke down the gearbox and added ball bearings and added a strut to the front trees. Here are my hop-up questions: 1. Motors: Which after market motor is the best option for the Teu-101BK ESC without frying it. I've read posts on the 540SportTuned and the Trinity Revenge of the Monster Horsepower pro. Will the Trinity fry the 101BK? I'm looking for the fastest engine without having to change out my ESC, (at least not yet,I'm only 4 sessions in!) 1A. How much more speed can I expect in the upgrade from the standard 540? 1B. Anybody here ever add the hornet pinion gear to the 540? Please discuss....do I need to change out the rest of the gearing? 1C. What is a fair price for either motor, (I'm in "the States") 2. Shocks Which after market set up is best? I've been looking around for the yellow, 3" CVA's but can't find them anywhere. Anybody got any? 3. Websites: Which US based websites have the best pricing for hop-up/replacement products? Again, thanks for all your help in advance. I know some of these questions are redundant, and all over the message board. Thx Guys!!!!

Thanks for your reply's. I think I'm going to try the rubber mounts.

Hey guys, I'm new here, and also new to the hobby. Figured I'd start with my fave throwback, Vanessa's LunchBox. I bought the RTR version, with the intention to modify. I've read up on oil shocks, adding the third rear shock, stabilizing the chassis with a strut, and adding ball bearings. However, I've already busted 2 of my 4 body mounts, and lost 3 snap pins; all in 3 sessions!!! I'm looking for mod tips on body mounts, instead of replacing the cheapy stock parts which will only break again. Also, are there any other attachment options other than snap pins? Thanks in advance for your help. looking forward to modifying my new Lunchy!