Big Jon

Man, don't get me started on ugly touring car bodies. I never thought that I'd think the Stratus looks better than what's being raced now. The new Zoo body looks like a dump truck.

No problem! To figure FDR, (spur teeth÷pinion teeth) times internal ratio. The internal ratio is the ratio of the non-adjustable drivetrain (transmission or pulley ratio). The XV-01 is 2.6 to 1. I run a 13.5 with a 28t pinion and a 72t spur in 48 pitch, so: 72÷28=2.57 Multiply that by the internal ratio. 2.57 x 2.6=6.68 Nice and moderate for my motor. It's very fast for the driving that I like to do, never has heat issues, and gets long run times.

Yes, the Pro Rally dampers are only 55mm. I'm not sure of the TC Pro length, but they're pretty short.

I've got 24 cars on my Futaba 4PX. It's really convenient not having a million transmitters around, and even Futaba receivers are cheaper than a cheap TX/RX for each. Having a reliable, comfortable, flexible, and high performance radio makes even the most basic cars more enjoyable.

My XV01 would have to stay. It's my all-time favorite. Always fun to drive and tune, durable and loads of personality. Just a neat car. Second place would be the Element Enduro that I just finished. A good trail rig is plain fun, and this one is superb.

With a motor that hot, I'd aim for about a 9:1 FDR for rally use. The slipper is a great plan with that much horsepower. Pay attention to heat! All brushless motors have a "sweet spot", and different brands can vary wildly. One might be a dog at 6:1 and a monster at 4:1; the same wind from a different manufacturer might melt down at 4:1 and be a rocket at 5:1, and run ok at 6:1. Rally cars are really interesting to get set up. Everything is a compromise because of the varying surfaces we run on, and every driver has different preferences.

I'm not quite sure, really. I like all of it, from the modelling aspect to the social. I really enjoy the industry side (r&d, sales, supply chain, etc.) and the constant evolution of the hobby, but also love the vintage stuff. I've been involved since the mid-'80s and haven't gotten bored or burned out yet. Nothing else has hooked me like this. Last night, we had a night crawl at a local park. In a couple of weeks, we're hosting a crawler comp and swap meet. We're planning to build a tenth scale outdoor off-road track this summer. New kits are dropping, new vendors are opening, new customers are coming in. I've got projects coming out of my ears around here and my friends are cranking on a million different builds too. I'm having as much fun now as I did as a kid, so I don't see myself quitting anytime soon.

"Base" XV01s have steering stops to prevent the dogbones from popping out at full lock. I didn't see any stops in your aluminum knuckles, so that's probably the issue. Limiting EPA won't help; they need a mechanical stop. A set of CV axles is the permanent fix and will allow much more steering lock.

Depends on the type of brake cleaner, really. Chlorinated brake cleaner is too aggressive for RC; non-chlorinated is ok. I use a lot of denatured alcohol for degreasing/general cleaning, because it's cheap and safe. VP's Power Wash is hands down the absolute best RC cleaner I've tried. Perfectly safe, smells great, gives incredible results fast. Spray it on, blow it off.

Heat (go easy) can work, although it's tricky. I've built stiffeners, which work ok. What's worked best for me has been Velcro to attach the sides of the body to the chassis, or, on scale rigs, using the sliders to pull the body in.

I've really enjoyed my MF01X. I've got the Jimny, and it's been a light trail truck, a rally car, and now, in low ride height, it's an agile gymkhana car. Mine has a few hop ups, speed gears, and a 33 turn Tamiya motor intended for tractor trailers. It's no race car, just a fun, simple, reliable and durable little chassis. It's good enough that I'd buy another, for sure.

Pro-Line Dirt Hawgs look pretty cool. The fronts are discontinued, although you can probably find some somewhere.

17.5 is going to be pretty mild in a 4WD buggy; I'd go for a 13.5 or 10.5. The Justock combos are super nice and have a great throttle feel, but like Jonathon said, they have fixed mechanical and electronic timing. The SkyRC TS120 is a great deal, and offers a lot of adjustability and performance for a reasonable price. I use one in my XV01. The Hobbywing Quicrun 120 ESC is decent enough, although it's really big compared to racing-type ESCs, and lacks the level of adjustability the SkyRC has. Steer clear of four-pole motors for this application. They have an immense amount of torque, especially when compared to brushed motors, and will cause fast wear and increased breakage.

The XV01 is my all-time favorite chassis. Check out my (re)build thread for some little tricks. You'll absolutely love the car. BTW, I'm still using the original reinforced belt from '13 or '14, and it's got a million miles on it.

Really pretty build, and the body looks incredible on the chassis.