TL01 Sand Help

[xSyReKzZ 13]

Hi TC Members, 

I had recently got a hold of a TL01B chassis, which I plan to turn into an inspired Icelandic 4x4 Formula Offroader. I figured the simplicity and versatility of the TL01 chassis would be ideal for this project. 
 

Currently the TL01 is mostly stock, friction dampers, stock gears, pinion and possibly plastic bearings (not sure as I’m yet to open her)

Im looking to be using this truck as a beach basher, I’ve never setup a truck for specific beach use so I’m hoping some of you can help point me in the right direction. 

I’ll be looking into running some paddle style tires (F/R), but not really sure how to setup the differentials? Locked? One way? Or open? Any thoughts on this would be extremely helpful.

dampers, what oil wt/cst would you guys recommend? 
 

I will be sticking with the standard gearing/pinion for the torque as the speed tuned gears just won’t cut it. 
 

what else can I do?
many thanks!  

 

[Aerobert 2136]

Up to now I've only run 2wd cars on the beach and all had open diffs, without any issues. Don't know what you are planning at the beach, but if you what to climb sand dunes like Formula Off-Road you should lock the diffs. If you just want casual beach running with the Formula Off-Road style you can keep them open. Sand paddles are a good idea as they make a huge difference to many standard tires. As most beach running is about speed (at least for me) I would put in a waterproof brushless set-up, and waterproof RX (the water is closer than you think 😉). All bearings which are outside the gear box should be rubber shielded. There are different opinions about the use of bearings on beach runners from essential to put in plastic bushings but I think it's better to replace a worn out bearing than an axle. I would probably go with the friction dampers first. If it doesn't work you can switch to CVA's later.

Besides that cleaning is the most important part of beach running. Sand and salt are a huge challenge for RC cars and a rough cleaning after each run should be done. Followed by a complete rebuild after holidays.

Have fun.

[alvinlwh 5894]

Waterproof everything. Change screws to SS or something that don't rust. Change all pin screws to shafts, pin screws, once rusted, can be impossible to get off. Use thick grease at gearbox joints as a sealant. On the drive train, like dogbones, universals, drive cups, remove all grease. 

Oil and springs should be as soft as you can get away with while still getting the handling, clearance, etc you wanted. There is no hard and fast rule as every car and driver is different. 

How often do/will you run this car? If you are like me, only 3 or 4 beach runs a year, a brushed motor with NiMHs will be better as lipos are not that waterproof. I was told to run them near water, they should be placed in a balloon, condom, etc. And a fellow forum member had plenty of problems with his BL set up on the beach (killed the sensor or something like that). With a brushed motor with a standard 1060 ESC, you can just hose the whole thing down after a run. BL can be made waterproof, but it really depends on your use. You have to decide if the cost of a WP BL setup is worth the number of runs you will do. Also, I had since found out that BL is not as "maintenance free" as their fans claimed, especially for beach runners.

[Gruntfuggly 562]

You'll probably want to add some protection for the battery - the TL01B is a nice simple chassis, but it really exposes the battery. If you run on sand, you'll sand blast it quite badly. If you google, you'll find a few solutions, but mostly it will be fitting some kind of plate or protector underneath.

The other thing to watch out for with the TL01B (or any Tl01/M01 type chassis) is that hard knocks will crack the suspension mounts - and because they're molded into the chassis, you end up having to totally strip it down and replace the chassis halves. Previously I've used braces made out of carbon fibre, but I can't remember where I got them from.

As the guys said above, waterproof as much as you can and be prepared for a good clean afterwards. I run with bearings on the beach (rather than plastic), but expect to have to bin them after a while - dog bones wear out quickly too. Beach running is great fun (my favourite), but expect it to be hard on your kit!