Daffy the DF01 2WD Bitsa Winter Project

[ThunderDragonCy]

Seems I get to around this time of year and I want something to tinker with through the darker evenings and wet weekends. Nothing new kit was of interest or within budget, so after not really doing much in the way of RC over the summer I emptied all my boxes of spares and bits to see where I was with parts 'in stock'. As a hangover from a previous unfinished design project, I had a DF01 rear transmission sprue and some JC Racing one piece Top Force arms. From my mountain of FF01 spares I had a nearly complete ball diff, some c-hubs and shafts and other bits and pieces. From various other things I had spares CVA shock parts, springs, and other assorted adjusters and ball ends. I could have bought a few more bits and built a complete DF01 of some type, but I've built two before and never really enjoyed them that much. I really prefer 2wd buggies, and the DF01 rear trans does sterling work in Ultra Hornet. I also like a bit of design and 3D printing to keep me amused, so I thought a 2wd DF01 based thing would be good. 

After a few evenings measuring and checking things, this is where I got to. The light blue/turquoise part is a 25 deg kickup front block to fit a DF01 tub. I have ordered this to be 3D printed along with some bearing steering arms to work on a tub and some 3 deg toe in rear uprights which are otherwise DF01/TA01/2/FF01 geometry. 

I bought a manta ray tub and E parts sprue, the touring car plastic gearset, and a few assorted other bits from Plaza Japan. 

I am definitely still short a few bits, and I have no idea what body or wheels to use, but I'm going to start the build and see what I need as I go along. Should keep me out of trouble for a few weeks at least.....

Edited December 15, 2024 by ThunderDragonCy
Updated with buggy name

[Wheel_Nut]

So much potential in DF-01 based buggies.   It’s surprisingly effective, despite some issues with the stock kit.  I’ve been waiting for this project to start..😀

It needs improved steering precision as a top priority IMO.

[ThunderDragonCy]

7 hours ago, Wheel_Nut said:

So much potential in DF-01 based buggies.   It’s surprisingly effective, despite some issues with the stock kit.  I’ve been waiting for this project to start..😀

It needs improved steering precision as a top priority IMO.

I have that one fairly well sorted from FF01. My 4 deg c hubs use bearings, as do the steering arms. These use a slightly different idea for the tub chassis though (my FF01s are both carbon chassis). They use 840 bearings and i found some 4mm shoulder bolts with M3 thread. 

I made a start yesterday and i am short some 2mm e clips and a few other bits and pieces.

[ThunderDragonCy]

Little bit more today. I was short some bits for the ball diff as it turned out. However, I have two DT02 ball diffs surplus due to my Thunder Dragon experiment not working, so it gave me the push i needed to crack it open and fish the ball diffs out and put the atock diffs back in. I have a track day next weekend so it will be nice to have the Thunder Dragon running again. Took nearly 90 mins to get the diffs out and the buggy back together though! No wonder i was putting it off. Anyway, i digress.

The DT02 ball diffs are basically TA03 mechanism with a large crown gear, so i just rebuilt one of the diffs with the gear from Touring Car Plastic Gearset and voila! One ball diff suitable for a DF01 transmission. 

I got one of the arms on with the 3x48.5 shaft i had spare. 

I needed some 5mm shafts to mount the trans internals. I bought a length of 5mm carbon tube off ebay for a couple of quid a while back and cut it as required

Fortunately the old Terra Conqueror manual on this fair website gives the length of the idler shafts - 19mm and 30mm. Bit of work with the stanley knife and a file and here we are

Not pretty, but effective. Transmission is now all buttoned up. 

Need to sort power. I have a Surpass Rocket V3 17.5 brushless motor from my racing days. It's pretty punchy, but it's got loads of cooling holes which isn't ideal for offroad. And i have a spare 1060 esc. So i need to either get a steady esc like a TBLE for the 17.5, or sell the 17.5 and get a nice brushed motor. If anyone has any suggestions or power system bits to sell or swap, drop me a PM. 

 

 

[Grumpy pants]

Nice project! 

[ThunderDragonCy]

3D printed bits finally arrived.

Gotta go out in a couple of minutes so just did a quick fit up to check the new things

Steering arms use shoulder screws from accu into 840 bearings. Seems to work nicely.

 

 

 

 

[ThunderDragonCy]

Tried to get on with this today. Didn't go as well as i had hoped....

First the steering arms. Too low.

The cross link hits the tub when moving the steering. I checked again on the CAD it does that in the model too. I simply didn't check. Because i'm stupid. 

I did assemble the front block

Arms fit nicely. Bumper fits. The shock tower mounting holes are too narrow. I assumed spacing would be same as FF01. It's 8mm wider than that. I didn't check. Because I'm an idiot.

Front axles have these spacers installed. Basically 1150 bearing sized with a shoulder to butt up against a kit supplied plastic bush so i can run bearing fronts.

These did work. Small wins.

Installed the rear uprights. Bearing spacing was too wide so the drive pin wouldn't fit 

As a result the driveshaft plunge was too much and binding the suspension

So, quite a frustrating time! Needed to redesign everything, so here's a list of mods.

Steering arms lifted up so they are similar to my existing bearing arms i succesfully used on my FF01. I have retained the 840 bearings and shoulder screw pivot though. This is good at least!

Front block - widened the shock tower mount. With the lifted steering arms the camber link now interfered with them so i pushed the tower and front axle mounts forward 2mm. Then went around the houses on the shock tower height to make sure the cva mini shocks i am using still fit. Also tweaked the bumper attachment as it was a little tight on the first go. New front axle position now puts wheelbase at 270.

Rear uprights - Widened them by 0.5mm and pushed the bearing spacing in by 1mm. This will pull the drive shaft out of the outdrive by 1.5mm and make sure the drive pin clears.

All this didn't get me to minimum order so I did some 0 deg c hubs as my ff01 4 deg ones are quite chunky and limit droop to possibly less than i want/need. Was going to let it ride, but these did the job to give me an option that's still cheaper than buying the parts tree for the kit versions.

I'll get there in the end.

In other news, i decided to sell my 17.5 surpass rocket motor (it's on ebay) and buy a nice brushed motor with whatever money i get. DF01 trans is so low geared that i think they suit high speed brushed motors better. Having been a bit disappointed with the pace of Ultra G EVO with the superstock motor i think i am looking just getting a generic 15t something. The Reedy motor in Ultra Hornet must go to about 30000rpm, so something similar would be nice.

 

 

[Old_Corny]

Nice to see this project progressing - even when it doesn't go quite to plan. It's good to know we're all human!

[jonboy1]

just stumbled across this - fantastic work @ThunderDragonCy

I can totally empathise with feeling an idiot (is it the same one you and I feel, or are they different?) I couldn't begin to count the amount of times I've sent files off to the printers quite excited and happy only to be cursing myself soon after. Sometimes it has started mere minutes after hitting the payment button....

This is looking like a great winter project - will be following with interest!! 👍

By the way, have you tried Midlands3D? They don't have a minimum order policy, so can prove useful when you are fixing small mistakes.

[ThunderDragonCy]

@jonboy1 Thank you. It's all part of the process, but it is frustrating.

I have had a look at Midlands 3D, but the quality wasn't quite there with the parts I got from them. It wasn't a huge amount I needed to top up this time due to needing to redo everything though. 

[Pylon80]

On 11/3/2024 at 10:13 AM, ThunderDragonCy said:

I bought a length of 5mm carbon tube off ebay for a couple of quid a while back and cut it as required

Hey Cy, I found what works best for cutting carbon shafts is a (metal) hack saw with a fresh blade and wrapping the shaft very tightly in masking tape to prevent pulling stands of carbon. You can finish with 400 grit... Wet... Beware of the dust obviously.

Following your thread with interest 🍿

[ThunderDragonCy]

Few little bits to pass a filthy afternoon here in the uk.

Shocks....

As this is a bitsa build these are spare short cva2 (possibly from my Thunder Dragon) built with some of those piece piston/rod things you get in cheap kits that i have about 4 sets of. Eyelets and spring fittings off spare cva sprues. New Red o rings, 500 oil and new red/soft springs from the DT02 sprint set i got from Plaza Japan.

Rather than ball screws in the plastic shock tower, I went a little more secure and used some spare ball collars with 20mm screws. Lots of screw in the tower.

Bitsa again for the front. Mini shocks leftover from my GH2 Black Edition, more solid piston/rods, long eyelets, spare spring platforms and hard/blue DT02 springs. These will clash horribly with my Saint Dragon body so might dig in my spares for some other springs. 550 oil in these.

Only other thing i could do until the revised printed parts arrive was powering up the servo and centring it so i got mount it up. ESC will mount on the platform over the battery.

 

 

 

[ThunderDragonCy]

Revised 3d printed bits arrived and I built them yesterday afternoon. It was all uneventful thankfully! Just took a lot of time finding the right combinations of the turnbuckles I have and the adjusters of different flavours to make the correct length links. 

Steering went together lovely

And front end fully assembled

Need to swipe a motor out of another car and get the power system installed, then find some wheels in my spares box. After that it will be trying to fit the couple of spare buggy bodies I have. Nearly there!

 

[ThunderDragonCy]

Kinda finished. Finally figured out where I stashed my fully 3d printed FF01 (long story, was supposed to be my lunchtime car park runaround at work, but never got there for reasons) so I fished out the unused GT Tuned motor from that, soldered on the spare ESC and was able to power up the car.

I did look briefly at pulling the end bell off to change the bearings and try and re-time it, but although it looks like it should come off, the case is crimped to the end bell and the bell itself isn't stiff enough to allow it to be prised off. Shame. Lovely motor but it would be nice to tinker.

Had to trim back the FF01 style top flange of the front block to clear the steering arm. 

The rear dampers seem pretty nice feeling, but the fronts were way too fast. These have the one piece rod/pistons remember. Seem very imbalanced front to rear. I put 800 oil in them and they are better, but not spot on I don't think. Will give them a spin though, before spending any money on new piston rods.

Sits nice though

Fitted the spare dish wheels I dyed red when trying to do orange. The bearing front idea didn't work so hexes all round.

Next was body. I have two spare buggy bodies; my yellow Grasshopper 2 and purple Saint Dragon. Neither fit. I cut the cross brace on the front tower and got them both on. The GH2 doesn't really sit on the DF01 tub, but the Saint Dragon showed promise. I trimmed the front to clear the dampers and it sits nicely.

 

Shame it clashes so horribly with the wheels, and I don't know what buggy tyres to get. I don't think I have spares. I have some wishy washy orange JC Racing pepperpots, but they have massive offset so not sure. I have the flouro yellow tamiya star dishes off the TD4, and some tamiya spikes that fit them. Maybe they would be better? I dis briefly look at a new shell, but even a repop Madcap shell, decals and paint will run me £60 which kinda defeats the object.

Still, its a bitsa build and it runs. Not going to make the Christmas track meet, but keen to give this a run. 

 

 

 

[Kol__]

This is a great bitsa build mate, loving it! Ingenious solutions as always I see👍

The Saint Dragon shell looks great on the DF-01 chassis and I love that you simply have a load of front post holes in the front of the body so that it fits your different chassis.

9 hours ago, ThunderDragonCy said:

The rear dampers seem pretty nice feeling, but the fronts were way too fast. These have the one piece rod/pistons remember. Seem very imbalanced front to rear. I put 800 oil in them and they are better, but not spot on I don't think. Will give them a spin though, before spending any money on new piston rods

Ah man those fixed piston rods are horrible aren't they. I have quite a few set of the piston rods for that shock size and a big bag of spare piston parts trees (although you might still have the pistons on a tree somewhere?). Just let me know and I'll send you them bud.

[ThunderDragonCy]

8 hours ago, Kol__ said:

This is a great bitsa build mate, loving it! Ingenious solutions as always I see👍

The Saint Dragon shell looks great on the DF-01 chassis and I love that you simply have a load of front post holes in the front of the body so that it fits your different chassis.

Thanks Chief! Saint Dragon only has all those holes because it's always been a bit of a spare. I originally did it as a lightweight shell for Ultra G for track work. It make that car handle noticeably nicer and more responsive, but I always  prefer the GH2. It did some time as the Not Super Avante shell on the TD4 before I did the Hotshot body for that. You are right about how it sits though. Fits really nicely. Very low and sleek.

8 hours ago, Kol__ said:

Ah man those fixed piston rods are horrible aren't they. I have quite a few set of the piston rods for that shock size and a big bag of spare piston parts trees (although you might still have the pistons on a tree somewhere?). Just let me know and I'll send you them bud.

Thank you again, for the offer, but I have spare piston sprues coming out of ears. It's the rods I would need. I know it's only a few quid, but I am sort of mindedly sticking to my bitsa build strategy where I can, at least to start with. Especially as I had to buy the 3d printed bits twice. I want to run it first at least. If it handles really badly then I will change. No point having a rubbish car. 

For now the bigger question in terms of spend is tyres. I think the flouro td4 wheels and their kit spikes will be first port of call.

[BuggyDad]

On piston rods for a stock mini/short setup, worth checking the lengths in 9400414. IIRC it's only about a tenner and you might value some of the other spares in it. I'm getting quite into the idea of budget builds but the desire to chuck those one piece pistons overrides it!

A CVA Obsessive 😜

[Kol__]

57 minutes ago, ThunderDragonCy said:

Saint Dragon only has all those holes because it's always been a bit of a spare. I originally did it as a lightweight shell for Ultra G for track work. It make that car handle noticeably nicer and more responsive

Yes, I remember it well! Don't remember seeing it go on the TD4, sounds cool, do you have a link to the build thread? I must've missed that one.

58 minutes ago, ThunderDragonCy said:

It's the rods I would need. I know it's only a few quid, but I am sort of mindedly sticking to my bitsa build strategy where I can, at least to start with

Yeah I'm with you on that, is the bitsa ethos! However one man bits are the same as another man's bits (or something less innuendo😂), so if you want a set if the rods sending over just let me know, still a bitsa!😆

[jonboy1]

I love this - looks awesome! Great work mate!!

 

[ThunderDragonCy]

Quick lunchtime bit of street running outside my house. All seems good. Even running a storage voltage lipo the GT Tuned motor has a nice turn of speed. I tried the flouro yellow wheels on and they looked horrendous!  I think the red and purple is growing on me. Maybe I'll get some red saint dragon decals for the shell and that would match it all in. 

One thing I noticed is the clear canopy means you can see all the ugly guts of the electrics. Yuck!

Added the body back to the driver head as there is space, but still doesn't really cover up

Any suggestions to cover this up for a df01/manta ray?

Also realised the suspension was a bit mismatched with lots more droop front than rear, so I moved the bottom front shock eyelets from the innermost to the middle position on the arms. Sits nice now. 

 

 

 

 

[Grumpy pants]

On 12/5/2024 at 9:51 PM, ThunderDragonCy said:

Kinda finished. Finally figured out where I stashed my fully 3d printed FF01 (long story, was supposed to be my lunchtime car park runaround at work, but never got there for reasons) so I fished out the unused GT Tuned motor from that, soldered on the spare ESC and was able to power up the car.

I did look briefly at pulling the end bell off to change the bearings and try and re-time it, but although it looks like it should come off, the case is crimped to the end bell and the bell itself isn't stiff enough to allow it to be prised off. Shame. Lovely motor but it would be nice to tinker.

Had to trim back the FF01 style top flange of the front block to clear the steering arm. 

The rear dampers seem pretty nice feeling, but the fronts were way too fast. These have the one piece rod/pistons remember. Seem very imbalanced front to rear. I put 800 oil in them and they are better, but not spot on I don't think. Will give them a spin though, before spending any money on new piston rods.

Sits nice though

Fitted the spare dish wheels I dyed red when trying to do orange. The bearing front idea didn't work so hexes all round.

Next was body. I have two spare buggy bodies; my yellow Grasshopper 2 and purple Saint Dragon. Neither fit. I cut the cross brace on the front tower and got them both on. The GH2 doesn't really sit on the DF01 tub, but the Saint Dragon showed promise. I trimmed the front to clear the dampers and it sits nicely.

 

Shame it clashes so horribly with the wheels, and I don't know what buggy tyres to get. I don't think I have spares. I have some wishy washy orange JC Racing pepperpots, but they have massive offset so not sure. I have the flouro yellow tamiya star dishes off the TD4, and some tamiya spikes that fit them. Maybe they would be better? I dis briefly look at a new shell, but even a repop Madcap shell, decals and paint will run me £60 which kinda defeats the object.

Still, its a bitsa build and it runs. Not going to make the Christmas track meet, but keen to give this a run. 

 

 

 

Are these tyres any use to you Cy?

Happy to stick them in the post for you.

[ThunderDragonCy]

@Grumpy pants  Oddly enough I do have some of those. Gotta be worth a go. Thanks for the offer though.

[ThunderDragonCy]

Day off, so dropped in at the club track on my way to meet a friend. Got a proper run with this. 

Was VERY greasy and damp, so these tyres didn't stay on long. As i was in the spares box for tyres anyway i had put a ramdom set of schumacher race wheels eith silver compound Darts i bought for wet running on track meets. They are barely used but totally saved the day! Had traction, but then no front grip so i swapped on some yellow compound Mezzos on the front that were way too snatchy in the dry on the TD4 or Thunder Dragon. 

Initial impressions are that it has good bones. Balance was pretty nice. Steering doesn't have enough angle, but can't do anything with that without modifying things because the master arm hits the tub. Also stripped the step screw out so that clearly isn't up to the job either. Rescued with a radom long M3, but needs properly sorting.

GT Tuned motor is nice. 

I ran Ultra G EVO and the damping is SO much more refined on those hopped up cva, I think I will cave and get some nice internals for these. I think we are going to be friends. As a result it needs a name. I thought Daffy, the DF01 based buggy.

[ThunderDragonCy]

Few bits in for damper upgrades ahead of a few days off.

Given I only need two of the bigger pistons for the rear damper I thought it would upgrade the pistons in Ultra G too. Didn't buy a second set of rod guides though. Never mind.

The SSBB pistons will have their holes opened out from 1mm to 1.2mm, same as Ultra G EVO. I thought the white Tamiya front pistons were Touring Car spec so did some maths to figure out I needed to open out the holes to 1.3mm, maybe 1.4mm. Turns out the pistons were spares from the DF03 aluminium dampers I have on my Thunder Dragon. They are 1.4mm holes so I was right! Nice to know.

I needed another two 10mm pistons for Ultra G, but couldn't find more of the DF03 pistons so I dug out the Yeah Racing spare pistons and opened them out to 1.4mm holes with my pin vise.

That's all for a couple of days, but Daffy should have some nicer and better balanced dampers by the end of the week. I am hoping to squeeze a couple if hours track running in on Saturday at Tamiya Junkies on my way to the inlaws so hopefully will get a bit of track time too.

[ThunderDragonCy]

Had a bit of time this morning, so got on with the front dampers. Fitted the yeah racing pistons, popped a rod guide in to replace one of the o rings and filled with 500 oil

Seems the maths doesn't quite match the reality because it was still super fast. I had spare pistons so did the other with 1.2mm holes. Its still maybe a bit fast, but definitely better, so i built them both like this. I will see how it runs before making any other changes.