Astute - Put the wreck to the rack. A shelf restauration.

[Kol__ 3377]

On 1/14/2023 at 11:25 AM, Collin said:

But A2 really does not look nice to me. Can I replace it with the Super Astute part or any other?

This part is the same for the Astute, Madcap, Saint Dragon and the Super Astute (og & rere) and is badly designed. The areas of plastic around the screw holes are grossly under the thickness they need to be and always split. The best long term option is an alloy aftermarket one. I believe @Muso31 is designing one👍

[Collin 1956]

@Kol__ Great, good to know which models also share this part. Yess it looks so poor how the countercsunks are placed. In my case I`d like to have a fairly original Astute just to be displayed befor I take care about a Jamie Booth replica.

Also the Astute and TRF201X do a nice historical brace around my TRF2WD and Dyna Storm collection.

 

@pUs Hey. I also did replaced all original CVDs at my runners and suddenly I have a few nice sets of CVDs as well for display models. : ) But yea, swapping is always good for me.

 

[Kol__ 3377]

3 hours ago, Collin said:

Also the Astute and TRF201X do a nice historical brace around my TRF2WD and Dyna Storm collection.

😍

🤔Photos or it didn't happen😂

[Collin 1956]

2 hours ago, Kol__ said:

😍

🤔Photos or it didn't happen😂

 

Top: heavy modded Dyna Blaster / Street Version / TR-18T (runners)
1. row: reservation for Project X (in progress) / reservation for 411X / TRF 211X mk2 / TRF 211X mk1
2. row: reservation for TRF211X mk1 runner  (in progress) / Project Kumamon / Mid Motor Dyna mk1 (runner) / 1992 original Dyna Storm (runner)
3. row: empty / Astute in a bag / heavy modded Dyna Storm (runner) / TRF201 (roller)
4. row: empty /  Beetle (runner) / 2001 original Dyna Storm (new) / empty

Well, the Beetle will once move to another place, its not part of the collection. So it means I will gain one more box, which makes three empty ones.
What to do with them? One will be a Astute prototype replica. one will probably be for a 4WD project and the last one? Maybe the remotes : )

[Kol__ 3377]

Nice mate, lots of tasty, high end goodness!

1 hour ago, Collin said:

Astute in a bag

That made me chuckle 😂

[Thommo 1217]

On 1/23/2023 at 7:23 AM, Kol__ said:

This part is the same for the Astute, Madcap, Saint Dragon and the Super Astute (og & rere) and is badly designed. The areas of plastic around the screw holes are grossly under the thickness they need to be and always split. The best long term option is an alloy aftermarket one. I believe @Muso31 is designing one👍

 

Xtra Speed Super Astute Diff Cover.   Good price too !

https://www.rcmart.com/product-search?search=Astute&page=2

 

[ruebiracer 1046]

Hey Tom, 

been again busy around the house, but thanks for the Danny Vega article on his TRF.

So you decided to restore the Astute finally! Guess who has the Extra Speed Astute Aluminum kit.

So if you need some pics of the singele parts, let me know. I still haven´t packed it out, but I can do it for you.

 Greets,

Matthias

[Collin 1956]

Hey Ho. I will definitly go with original parts to complete my Astute. The aluminum parts does not fit imo unless you go for a special comcept.

But about this parts, I can not imagine they are good quality aluminum for this price, simply cant.

[Collin 1956]

Hi. need an advice. This Astute will be a display only model. But still I want to equip it with periode eletronics I have. Its a bit stupid becausae after I picked up the astute wreck a friend asked me for the mechanic speed controller for one of his Porsche 959. Now its his and I will not ask him to returne it.

Also I have a restored working Dynatech  Technipower motor, which I think could be the right choice for this periode, right? So again, which speed controller should I look for?

Thanks guys.

[Collin 1956]

Okay, going to help myself.

This is what I had in my electronic box waiting for a good moment.

I think this will also give me a leading ways to choose colours for the body... Soon more.

[Collin 1956]

Hi fellas. Got some plastic parts today and started to do the built. Shure I soon figured out there are more parts missing and as far I can say I have no idear how to complete this little buggy. Brrr... I thought this will be quick done but seem like another longtherm project. So far I pre-built anything I could and wrote a list of part I need. Please help me if you can. Would be great if you can point me to other parts which do fit instead.

plastic-parts: C2 (x1), B8 (x2), E6, E9
front stabilizer wire
BP2 FRP reinforcing plate (X1)

 

[DGunn1 56]

Anyone know the centre to centre hole distance for the B8 parts? If so happy to check against other kits eg egress etc

[Collin 1956]

@DGunn1 I am so bad with all other Tamiya models so I really dont know : (

[DGunn1 56]

If its just for the shelf/visuals, failing any alternative you could perhaps modify the egress ones to fit (N parts tree still readily available)??

[Collin 1956]

Egress ones look way too long. Its really a puzzle putting all this things together. I would draw them and print but without a part for measuring it does not work. Some people already offert me some parts (thanks @Thommo !) but to order 6 parts from 3 different continents and UK would kill my budget only from shipping and custom fees. Usually I dont really care about shipping cost, its part of the game, but in this case it  is absolute nonsense.

Another step back, figured out the yellow dampers are no Astute ones. I was a bit frustrated yesterday but I think I found a nice walkaround. Dug out a set of Hi Caps mk1 which are the perfect replacement for the yellow plastic ones. I did refurbe them today and they are ready to put on.

[Collin 1956]

Funny, thought I could not do any more on this Astute while waiting of printed spare parts and small bits and pieces. But hey, dampers done and electrics installed. Still a dog with three legs but now its really quick done when all parts arrive. Also I decided to install this one Super Astute front reinforcement part which I have laying around from my TRF211X projects. Hmmm... not shure if I leave it but it does not hurt.

Next steps to do:
ball diff and gearbox internals
front body mount
body & wing
right rear suspension
need nice rubbers for the black rims
 

I am really glad with the decision to complete this wreck. It cost me less than expected but even more then I should inverst LOL who does not know about...

Have a nice evening.

[wtcc5 4896]

On 2/13/2023 at 9:21 PM, Collin said:

 

plastic-parts: C2 (x1), B8 (x2), E6, E9
front stabilizer wire
ball diff: SC1 ball thrust bearing (x2), 0.05mm spacer (x1)
BF8 damper mount (x4)
BP2 FRP reinforcing plate (X1)

 

 

 

I am sorry, again I missed your content 

Do you still need the mentioned parts?

I can offer to look in my Super Astute box (not sure though how many parts are the same on both models).

[Collin 1956]

19 hours ago, wtcc5 said:

 

I am sorry, again I missed your content 

Do you still need the mentioned parts?

I can offer to look in my Super Astute box (not sure though how many parts are the same on both models).

Hi K.
Basicly I got all parts but still looking fo E6, E9 instead of 3D printed ones, front body mount and bumper.

 

[wtcc5 4896]

Found them… but they are used:

 

 

Let me know if you want them.

 

[Collin 1956]

Oh how nice : )

[Collin 1956]

How funny. Still found some things to assemble. To the fact that the balldiff is loaded from the bottom I was able to build the gears. And you know what? I installed the motor that way that the lable faces up and made some longer cables just to figure out the gearcover coveres also that side of the motor. Well done!

Also I did not had a 23T pinion and used a 24T for now. I had a look at the manual for gearing and was a bit curious. Maybe you can enlighten me?

23T / 70T is for standard motor
20T / 70T is for Technigold motor
19T / 70T is for Dynatech motor

I always thought Techni and Dyna are stronger motors so they can pull more load so you go up with the pinion size? What did I fundamentaly misunderstood?

[Kol__ 3377]

34 minutes ago, Collin said:

I had a look at the manual for gearing and was a bit curious. Maybe you can enlighten me?

23T / 70T is for standard motor
20T / 70T is for Technigold motor
19T / 70T is for Dynatech motor

I always thought Techni and Dyna are stronger motors so they can pull more load so you go up with the pinion size? What did I fundamentaly misunderstood?

I would think that going down in pinion size is to protect the drive train from the high revs of those two higher speed motors. Probably the weak diff would melt very easily if the pinion size remained the same you just chucked a load more power through the gearbox.

[Collin 1956]

@Kol__ Thats a good point. Regarding my Technipower motor, It is a 23T with 20k rpm, which pinion size shall I take? Also 19/20T?

[Saito2 6686]

12 hours ago, Collin said:

I always thought Techni and Dyna are stronger motors so they can pull more load so you go up with the pinion size? What did I fundamentaly misunderstood?

True, but gearing old brushed mod motors is kind of counterintuitive at times. Unlike brushless, they need to go down in pinion size to spool up faster. This is why Tamiya shows the use of smaller pinions typically in charts depicting their modified motors. The "hotter" or more powerful the motor, the smaller the pinion. The Technipower was not as powerful as the Technigold, so gearing could slot in between the standard motor and the Technigold suggestion. Honestly, it may even be able to run the same gearing as the stock motor. The original Hotshot manual (with silvercan 540 included in the kit) and the original Supershot manual (with Technipower included in the kit) both suggest using a 13T or 15T pinion and both models use the same drivetrain.

Its important to note that gearing is just a suggestion too. While gearing down for a brushed mod motor is a good rule of thumb, the surface and load placed on the vehicle will be the end deciding factor. I used to try the suggested Tamiya gearing and then go for a run. I would use the old "3 second rule" trick. After running for a little bit, put your finger on the motor can. If you can hold it there for a solid 3 seconds, you're probably good. If you burn the heck out of yourself, run your finger under cold water while muttering (J/K) and then gear down with a smaller pinion and try again.

In the old racing days when our awesome "pushed" Nicad battery packs barely lasted, the trick was to gear up as high as possible to make it through a 5 or 4 minute race without the batteries dumping just before the finish line. Of course those race motors were maintenance intensive, being constantly torn down, re-brushed, coms being cut, etc. so we were less interested in motor longevity. 

[Collin 1956]

Nice conclusion, always a pleasure to read your posts.