My first 3-speed, need advice please!

[rhenbelz]

I just won a Hilux off eBay and it looks to be in pretty fair shape. All I need as far as I know is a couple cosmetic bits and some tires. Got a radio system for it. However, I don't know much about these trucks as far as making them runners goes. So here are some questions:

1. Should I bother ballracing the truck? I plan to run it maybe 4 times a week at most, never in water.

2. What should I do for a battery? Will a 7.2v humppack fit, should I make a custom pack, or just strap one of my six-cells on somewhere?

3. Should I replace the leafs with Bruiser leafs? I don't need usable flex, I want scale flex.

4. How exactly do the locking hubs operate, and how do I properly engage the 4WD?

5. Will I be able to fit other tires to the rims, or TC/XC wheels somehow?

6. Will a Bruiser 750 motor have the same pinion and just bolt on?

7. Are there any shock absorbers I can add on that don't have any function but look realistic?

8. How does its monetary value compare with that of a Bruiser?

Thanks in advance!

[Stickman]

Hi,

I am envious!

The only advice I can offer (as I don't have a 3 speeder myself) is to fit ballraces thoughout, it will improve run time, performance and cut wear on alxes and the like (even if you're only running a few times a week), they are the best hop-up you can fit for the money.

Good luck with getting it sorted!

Cheers

Dave

[fatboyslim]

Hi the Hilux is a nice truck, as to your Q's

1)Yes ballrace it!! For the reasons stickman gave, the main downside being that you'll need 10 of the 850 FLANGED bearings if you plan on doing the transmission as well plus you'll need some shims for the transmission, there is a couple of good on-line manuals which will guide you through the whole process, but I can't remember the links!!

2)I managed to fit a 7.2v stick pack in my Hilux,but you could just dismantle a stick pack and build it up like a saddle pack which will then fit nicely as it'll be roughly the same size as the original 6v packs which Tamiya designed or the Hilux

3)I stuck with the stock Hilux leafs, yes the Bruiser ones are a bit softer but if it doesn't bother you then why change

4)The locking hubs need to be activated by hand you pull the front hubs out and then twist them till they click into place, but if you use reverse they automatically disengage, the 4wd is activated by the transmitter stick as you have a choice of 2wd,4wd low and 4wd high

5)XC tyres fit the Hilux rims and look pretty good plus they are a badword of a lot cheaper than proper Hilux tyres, rim wise your pretty much stuck with Hilux or custom made rims as they bolt to the hubs using 2mm socket head bolts

6)Not sure about that!! I would think so though!!

7)The official Tamiya upgrade for the Hilux were SRB shox

8)All of the 3-speeds fetch good money, but from what I've seen the Hilux seems to be worth slightly less than the rest, but don't worry about that!! Get another body as the Hilux bodies and parts are hideousley expensive and if you have a good one it'd be a shame to wreck it!!

 

[DJTheo]

I just won a Hilux off eBay and it looks to be in pretty fair shape. All I need as far as I know is a couple cosmetic bits and some tires. Got a radio system for it. However, I don't know much about these trucks as far as making them runners goes. So here are some questions:

1. Should I bother ballracing the truck? I plan to run it maybe 4 times a week at most, never in water.

2. What should I do for a battery? Will a 7.2v humppack fit, should I make a custom pack, or just strap one of my six-cells on somewhere?

3. Should I replace the leafs with Bruiser leafs? I don't need usable flex, I want scale flex.

4. How exactly do the locking hubs operate, and how do I properly engage the 4WD?

5. Will I be able to fit other tires to the rims, or TC/XC wheels somehow?

6. Will a Bruiser 750 motor have the same pinion and just bolt on?

7. Are there any shock absorbers I can add on that don't have any function but look realistic?

8. How does its monetary value compare with that of a Bruiser?

Thanks in advance!

1. Its good to ballrace it when you plan running it, at least the axles

2. Any pack will fit, even modern 7.2V ones (a bit sideways)

3. For running yes, Hilux ones look better but almost don't flex at all

4. In one position its fully locked 4wd, in the others its one way, that means 4wd only forward, but reverse 2wd (good for steering on grippy surface), you change from one to other by pulling and rotating the hub

5. You can fit XC tires, but not other Tamiya wheels (except Blazer), at least not without significant modifications

6. No and no.

7. Yes, the SRB ones, which look stunningly realistic, also its a original hop up, check Hilux manual

8. Depends on period, but in general not too different, guess will keep its value better then the Bruiser now with the Hilift release (as Bruisers were also bought for runners or modifications while Hilux aren't so good to drive or modify and are mainly shelf queens)

Cheers

[Mr.Nismo]

Check: http://kope.com/bruiser/ hit the "tech" button and then the "gearbox service manual"

Check: http://myrcmt.net/ipb/index.php?showtopic=47 Very much useful information.

Good luck!!

[Thorvald]

>The locking hubs need to be activated by hand you pull the front hubs

out and then twist them till they

>click into place, but if you use

reverse they automatically disengage.

Does this apply to the Bruiser as well? I still don't have my front axle back together but I did notice that the front hubs have those tiny little round rods and the hex scaped insert with the metal cage around it.  I assumed it would automatically lock when driving forward and release when reversing.

Do you have to manually twist them to engage? (And then it will automatically disengage?)

Just the first I've seen of this in all the messages.

Thanks

[mr_pushrod]

I believe the Bruiser has one way bearings in the front hubs which do not require adjusting to switch from 2WD to 4WD.

[DJTheo]

Bruiser hubs are working like the Hilux ones in the one-way mode, only you cant choose a full 4WD mode.

Cheers

[rhenbelz]

4. In one position its fully locked 4wd, in the others its one way, that means 4wd only forward, but reverse 2wd (good for steering on grippy surface), you change from one to other by pulling and rotating the hub

Um... So in one position it's like a locked front diff, putting equal power to both wheels all the time, and in the other it's still 4wd but it allows front differential action like most modern 4wd trucks? That's what I'd expect anyhow, because it seems that steering on grippy surfaces like pavement would mean one wheel would be trying to turn slower than the other, which would require an unlocked diff to let that happen, else it would chew up the tires.

???

By the way thanks so much, everyone, for all the info and tips.

[fatboyslim]

Yes with the hubs locked it's both wheels driven permanantly, when the hubs aren't locked it's like a diff action

[DJTheo]

When "unlocked" its acting like a one way, allowing front wheels to roll faster then the rear (as it happens in curves) but as soon front ones are to become slower, power is transmitted to them, giving power to both front wheels at forward but only rear wheel drive at reverse. A diff transmitts more power to the wheel with less traction (unless its a torsen one), so a Hilux with just traction on one front wheel (other 3 tires for example in soft sand) would move forward, while a front diff one be stuck.

Cheers

[billg4]

and you can even put a front hub setup on the rear of a hilux-blazer and unlock 1 side for running around indoors on carpet. I did, works perfect, and turns on a dime.

 

I seldom lock the front, if you travel over any hard surface you can risk breaking a front axle shaft, I know, done it. When I drive on sand or gravel is the only time I fully lock mine down.