Thunders TD4 Mod Log - Hotshot cage/body fitted for added awesome

[ThunderDragonCy 8380]

Just now, toyolien said:

I really must get to one of these meets next year. 

What's making you consider selling the TD4? I've got one here that I just can't get enthused to build...

Aiming for monthly. Keep an eye out. 

What's making me wonder? It's mostly spectacularly competent, which is lovely, but I like fiddling up to a point. However the whole "taking half the chassis apart to install battery" is quite tiresome. Makes the Hotshot2 seem straightforward! Despite having swapped the shell, I am still not sold on the looks. Bit old school. Would like to make it look cooler. 

It's a really interesting chassis, so at least build it. That will be fun. 

[toyolien 5908]

20 minutes ago, ThunderDragonCy said:

Aiming for monthly. Keep an eye out. 

What's making me wonder? It's mostly spectacularly competent, which is lovely, but I like fiddling up to a point. However the whole "taking half the chassis apart to install battery" is quite tiresome. Makes the Hotshot2 seem straightforward! Despite having swapped the shell, I am still not sold on the looks. Bit old school. Would like to make it look cooler. 

It's a really interesting chassis, so at least build it. That will be fun. 

I see. I have a load of hop ups also. So I'd really have to want to build it, or I might as well sell it and put the money into something else. I'll see. For now it'll stay in the box until I've finished the two build I've got going on at the moment.

[ThunderDragonCy 8380]

10 hours ago, toyolien said:

I see. I have a load of hop ups also. So I'd really have to want to build it, or I might as well sell it and put the money into something else. I'll see. For now it'll stay in the box until I've finished the two build I've got going on at the moment.

Fair. Mine came at a price I couldn't refuse from a fellow member with (IMO) some of the perfect hop ups - universals, alloy diff nuts, slipper clutch. I have since added some metal bevels and the adjustable alloy rear suspension block, but that's all it really needs. Even the ball diffs seem good. It runs lovely with the stock CVAs so not sure shock hop ups are necessary. I just wish the proportions were less dorky! 

[ThunderDragonCy 8380]

This is just an inkling of an idea, but I was looking at my Hotshot2 and TD4 next to eachother in the storage box today, and noticed the cage on the rear of the TD4. I decided to pull the cage off the Hotshot and see what it looked like on the TD4. I needed to remove the rear shock tower, but loosely this is it

Here we go.... 

At the rear, I think with a 3d print bracket I could anchor the Hotshot cage next to the rear suspension mount 

I think the shocks would clear the cage if I do a custom shock tower. The tops clear the cage but the cross members of the kit tower are the bits that hit the cage. I would have to cut off a couple of the mounting lugs around the spur cover. 

At the front, if I design a platform that mounts off the cross member mounts for the kit driver head, I could have somewhere to screw the front of the cage to just behind the steering gear. 

I think a Super Hotshot body with long nose would cover the front of the chassis quite well. 

Just need to find some hotshot a/b parts trees to get a cage and wing mount, but unfortunately out of stock everywhere. Apart from Blockhead ones, which we won't talk anymore about 😂

What d'you think? 

 

 

[ThunderDragonCy 8380]

I got impatient and bought a blockhead cage just to get on with this. Arrived today. 

The mounting lug that is sitting on the spur cover gets cut off to clear it and the motor leads on the other side. Interestingly you can see the two side mounting lugs are connected and cross braced. On the original it's just two vertical cage "tubes" down to individual lugs. 

Now cut away I could sit the cage on and trying to fit it up. Main issue is the front mounting point is right on top of the steering mechanism. I measured up some heights on the Hotshot and I think it would be about right with a mounting plate juuuuuust about the steering bits. I might have to go back to my modified steering setup to make this easier. 

I have modelling up a cage mounting that replaces the skid plate at the rear for mounting the suspension block, and a new shock tower which would go up and over the cage. Might look weird, but I couldn't make it work threading through I don't think. I made it really thick so it should be strong enough in 3d printed material, but also means it can hopefully double as the middle cage mounting. 

Looks like this might be more complicated than I first thought, but I will get some cheap prints to test out the ideas and see if a front cage mounting is at all possible. 

[Grumpy pants 5503]

Is the cage swap for atheistics or will it do more once fitted? 

[BuggyDad 5904]

This is going to look great I think. Look forward to seeing the finished product. What will you do with the hotshot nose? I wonder whether a new one could be cut without that big recess, to encase the front gearbox a bit more? 

[ThunderDragonCy 8380]

5 hours ago, Grumpy pants said:

Is the cage swap for atheistics or will it do more once fitted? 

Aesthetics. Just to see if I can fit a cooler body on the td4. 

[ThunderDragonCy 8380]

4 hours ago, BuggyDad said:

This is going to look great I think. Look forward to seeing the finished product. What will you do with the hotshot nose? I wonder whether a new one could be cut without that big recess, to encase the front gearbox a bit more? 

Thanks. Hope so! Current idea is to use a Super Hotshot body so it extends over the nose. 

[BuggyDad 5904]

4 hours ago, ThunderDragonCy said:

Thanks. Hope so! Current idea is to use a Super Hotshot body so it extends over the nose. 

Oh yes. Now I see. That should work a treat. 

[ThunderDragonCy 8380]

Ordered some cheap pla prints of the parts to test fit up. 

Had my Hotshot2 out and the proportions of the Blockhead cage seemed really different to the stock cage. Took the body and wing and shock off the HS2 and lined them up. Very different

Not only is the Blockhead cage taller, it considerably longer and the wing is in a completely different place. This might already havd rendered my shock tower design incorrect, but without a regular cage available to buy and cut up I am stuck with the Blockhead one for now. 

The really big win is that where the Blockhead cage interferes with the TD4 steering, the front mounts sitting right where the steering links are, the Hotshot cage is about 25mm shorter. That means it should be fairly easy to rig up a mounting plate across the tub to pick up the front feet without needing to modify the steering from stock. When I get my test prints I think I will remove the spur gear cover and hope that allows my HS2 cage to test fit without damage and I can work this all out. 

Really glad about this. I was a bit dispondent yesterday when the Blockhead cage made it look like it might not work. Stupid blockhead 

 

[ThunderDragonCy 8380]

Bit of progress. I got a used hotshot cage off an fb group, and the 3d print test parts arrived. The lower rear mount was good

Due to designing it around the Blockhead cage, the shock tower was less successful

 

Unfortunately the Hotshot wing is pretty much inline with the TD4 shock tower. Not too sure how to solve this, so going to let it sit for a few days. I think a tower that sits in front of the shock instead of behind is the solution, bug I am not sure his to mount it. 

On plus side the front of the cage looks like it should be fairly easy to mount off the cross member in the chassis so that's good. Not sorted, but not a dead idea yet! 

 

 

 

[DaveBuildsRC 216]

On 1/28/2024 at 10:12 AM, ThunderDragonCy said:

Bit of progress. I got a used hotshot cage off an fb group, and the 3d print test parts arrived. The lower rear mount was good

Due to designing it around the Blockhead cage, the shock tower was less successful

 

Unfortunately the Hotshot wing is pretty much inline with the TD4 shock tower. Not too sure how to solve this, so going to let it sit for a few days. I think a tower that sits in front of the shock instead of behind is the solution, bug I am not sure his to mount it. 

On plus side the front of the cage looks like it should be fairly easy to mount off the cross member in the chassis so that's good. Not sorted, but not a dead idea yet! 

 

 

 

 instead of the roll cage what if you mod a td4 body to your liking. Like add a hotshot or bigwig roll cage to the body and paint and stickers.

 

[ThunderDragonCy 8380]

Ran at the track, but the stock steering was just really annoying and kept jamming. Dry conditions meant tyres weren't ideal either, so parked it. Need to do my steering mod again to ditch all the links. 

[Honza 1167]

On 1/28/2024 at 4:12 PM, ThunderDragonCy said:

Not too sure how to solve this, so going to let it sit for a few days. I think a tower that sits in front of the shock instead of behind is the solution, bug I am not sure his to mount it. 

Make it 3D 😁 You can design one part that mounts into original shock tower mounting points, then a new tower that goes in front of the shocks and connect them. There appears to be enough space to do that. It will look like it would cause more load around the chassis mounting points, but since the shock forces will act into the same point, it will be more or less same as the stock tower, as long as the new part won't flex too much. You may use the body post hole for additional reinforcement.

[ThunderDragonCy 8380]

Was thinking this might be going on sale after last months debacle. I realised today at the track that i hadn't put the steering mod back on, so i did that over lunch and chat with fellow toy car fans. And once i ran it, the handling and steering were lovely again. Although i did notice these have quite a lot of bump steer. Not sure how to solve it though. Swiped the front wheels off my Thundetmr Dragon for the cut stagger tyres.

So, i think it stays, and I need to get back on my hotshot body design. 

[ThunderDragonCy 8380]

Some 3D printed bits arrived, and i think we are onto something. Reworked rear tower, and a front cage mount

Quick look see with my Hotshot 2 bits

I think it's got enough potential i am going to get a Super Hotshot body and see how it goes.

[BuggyDad 5904]

14 minutes ago, ThunderDragonCy said:

Some 3D printed bits arrived, and i think we are onto something. Reworked rear tower, and a front cage mount

Quick look see with my Hotshot 2 bits

I think it's got enough potential i am going to get a Super Hotshot body and see how it goes.

Ooh yes. It's got the full trodden on (just kidding. Sorry! 😉) Hotshot look! Looks great. 

Hey have you tried the Hotshot wheels for 2.2" tyres from JCR? Were they the gold wheels you scuffed up too easily like I did my silver pepperpots? I think I'm going to get some for my Boomerang but they'll be white. I think they come with the vintage style three point hubs but I guess such things are a direct fit on modern axles anyway. 

[ThunderDragonCy 8380]

Just now, BuggyDad said:

Ooh yes. It's got the full trodden on (just kidding. Sorry! 😉) Hotshot look! Looks great. 

Hey have you tried the Hotshot wheels for 2.2" tyres from JCR? Were they the gold wheels you scuffed up too easily like I did my silver pepperpots? I think I'm going to get some for my Boomerang but they'll be white. I think they come with the vintage style three point hubs but I guess such things are a direct fit on modern axles anyway. 

Yes, i did. The silver ones that scuffed up super easy were those. They do fit on the three point mounting, and that works with modern axles. No bother. White ones will be fine.

[Honza 1167]

That looks cool! It's bummer that Tamiya didn't release some retro bodies on these chassis. It looks like it's been made for that.

[toyolien 5908]

That looks great. Although, I think you should get some new decals made up. It needs to be called the "Long Shot" !

[ThunderDragonCy 8380]

Well this came out ok....

It's using a cut down Thundershot body mount screwed to my cage mounting plate. Probably needs cutting a bit more, and paintjob was a rush to be ready for Tamiya Junkies tomorrow. Will need another coat or two eventually, and stickers.

Might have a look at some kind of 3d printed bodywork to cover the section in front of the motor. Need to shorten the wires and figure out mounting a driver. Pretty happy with it though. Looks way better than a Super Avante!

[toyolien 5908]

That looks fab!

What front tires are those? Are they 4wd versions of the 2wd stagger ribs?

[ThunderDragonCy 8380]

1 hour ago, toyolien said:

That looks fab!

What front tires are those? Are they 4wd versions of the 2wd stagger ribs?

Thanks. Yes, tyres are wide stagger ribs. Great on 4wd

https://www.racing-cars.com/wheels-tyres/off-road-tyres/wide-stagger-rib-1-10-yellow-pr-u6810

 

[ThunderDragonCy 8380]

Looks great on track! Was a bit frustrating this morning with radio issues (faulty Rx turns out) and lots of understeer now we are on dry astro and the kit tyres are no good. Running Schumacher Minispike rear and wide cut stagger front as per most of my other cars. Was better in the afternoon with fresher fronts (was borrowing off other cars).

One change i did: I have the XV02 12deg front uprights, but that drops the steering arm ball on the knuckles so you get quite bad bump steer. I noticed the DB01 version on my Thunder Dragon which isn't symmetrical, so i swapped them. No bumpsteer anymore, but mucho adjustment on steering arms to shorten them to suit. Took a fair bit of dialling in on the Rx but i think it's better than before. Need to do proper setup using measurements on turnbuckles now i am home.

Was also much better after lunch when i emptied the dampers, cleaned them and put fresh oil in. 550 rear, 500 front. Who knew half leaked dirty oil dampers would be bad? 🤦

Anyway, upshot is that i need to buy some front tyres for this buggy, and spend some time tweaking the geometry (tweak rear roll centre i think) and get some Super Hotshot stickers.

Anyone interested in the parts to mount the cage? Will cost a fortune on shapeways, but if i have maybe 5 people interested i can get some done in the uk.