What to do with a second hand Frog?

[Bwaaatch]

Have just bought a used XB Frog that I didn’t know I needed 😜.

Looking for some advice on:

- Things to check out on a used ORV.

- Any specifics about dismantling/servicing an XB machine? Mine seems to come with the original transmitter and receiver. Any good?

- You stories/suggestions about what you do with cars that somehow find their way to you against your better judgment and that you don’t really need! Perhaps it depends on the exact condition, but I think I want to run it, but unsure whether to go quite stock or to do some mad tuning (I have a mild addiction to Blockhead motors and T4 Works). Could be tempted by doing something a bit mad, as price was pretty cheap.

Thanks everyone!

pic attached. Apparently the missing wheel will be included, but unsure about the wing. 

[JeffSpicoli]

If it were me - 

I'd tear it down to ground, slap an MIP ball diff in the gear box for starters.    Put a sport tuned can on it.  Complete bearings if it doesn't have them.  Then buy a body and paint up a shell of my own.   

Total cost:  ~ $150-160 plus labor.

If you just want to get it running smooth, maybe just do the diff for $60 and tear it down and lube everything.

It depends on what you're willing to put into it for time.

 

[Bwaaatch]

Thanks @JeffSpicoli. Good to know that a few cheap upgrades are worth it.

[JeffSpicoli]

3 minutes ago, Bwaaatch said:

Thanks @JeffSpicoli. Good to know that a few cheap upgrades are worth it.

The ORV gets a bad rap, if you put an MIP ball diff in it, the car becomes worlds better.  Just depends on how far you wanna go with it.

I'm the kind of enthusiast who wants every OEM+ part I can get my hands on, turning a $192 Frog into a $500 showpiece lol.

 

https://www.amazon.com/MIP-Super-Ball-Diff-Blackfoot/dp/B073XRXKYN/ref=sr_1_2?crid=1ICWYVZXCFZJH&keywords=MIP+diff&qid=1640366589&sprefix=mip+diff%2Caps%2C77&sr=8-2

[mongoose1983]

Why don't you try a Subaru Brat? You can make it look any way you want and the Frog chassis is very fun to run, too.

Merry Christmas y'all !!

 

[Bwaaatch]

@mongoose1983, love it! Perhaps beyond my skills, but super cool.

Brilliant that we can all celebrate Christmas in our own ways these days 🤪. Have a great one!

[Sprocket]

I would have to ask what is your budget on money and time? 

[mongoose1983]

11 hours ago, Bwaaatch said:

@mongoose1983, love it! Perhaps beyond my skills, but super cool.

Oh, the truck is not mine. It was built by a talented guy somewhere in the States about a decade ago, if my memory doesn't fail.

[Bwaaatch]

7 hours ago, Sprocket said:

I would have to ask what is your budget on money and time? 

Good question. Probably £100 would be my limit? 

[JeffSpicoli]

the diff is the best upgrade for this chassis, the other things can be lived with. but it just depends on what you prioritize. 

[Sprocket]

You can get a diff brace if you want to keep costs down. Search this forum or PM Xeostar. 
 

I’d start with a complete teardown to get a baseline for what else may be broke/missing 

[El Gecko]

7 hours ago, Sprocket said:

I’d start with a complete teardown to get a baseline for what else may be broke/missing 

This for sure, and @Bwaaatch if you want to keep it on the cheap side you can stick with the stock diff gears. Replacements are cheap if they break!

Honestly a lot of the "required" hopups for this chassis are not all that necessary. First get it rolling and driving, and then figure out what you want to improve from there.

[Frog Jumper]

I’ve run a Robinson, a Thorp, and I own an MIP.  I’ve never run the MIP, but I’m not convinced the ORV needs such an expensive ball diff.

Now I run the standard gears with Frog dog-bones, and braces for the tranny cases.

[Wooders28]

One of my, in my head, projects, is a Brat or Frog with a jconcepts '82 K10 body ,and do a Fall Guy rep....

My original Frog bitd was a nightmare for munching gearbox parts, and driveshafts (the daft hex things). I believe the re release has dogbones, and you can swap the outdrives etc over, and an MIP diff is a option (an expensive one though...), but one 'upgrade' for the original diff ,was just to nail the outdrives together, they've a hole already down the centre, so can tap one (2mm if I remember right), and just enlarge the other slightly, add a thrust bearing and a 2mm cap screw , clamp it up. It's a bit 'Heath Robinson' and if you leave out the thrust bearing, will kind spool it, but it's cheap! 

 

Found it! - 

 

 

[Bwaaatch]

15 hours ago, El Gecko said:

This for sure, and @Bwaaatch if you want to keep it on the cheap side you can stick with the stock diff gears. Replacements are cheap if they break!

Honestly a lot of the "required" hopups for this chassis are not all that necessary. First get it rolling and driving, and then figure out what you want to improve from there.

This is reassuring. We all like buying more ‘stuff’, so I appreciate the odd reminder that it’s not always needed. My acquisitive mature is what got me into this problem I. the first place, so it would seem odd if that same character flaw was the route out of it 🤪.

I think I will start by getting a pdf manual, reviewing some tear down threads and maybe getting some bearings. Possible raid my spare wheel and tire options and then take her for a spin!

Thanks for all the input, everyone!

[Sprocket]

You can definitely go crazy on mods. Especially mods that give marginal/no performance benefit. That’s why I ask about budget. I may have been there blowing a budget out of the water a time or two…or more