More Clodbuster Advice

[mudslinger]

Hi! I bought a standard vintage clodbuster last week and i am sat here fiddiling with it as i type to you! I never had one as a child so i dont really know how they are sopposed to perform! For starters it seem very slow! also the steering servo is very week? The truck seems lazy to turn when in motion? Any ideas...... also the switch at the side of the chassis for ecomomy and power settings only seems to work on economy setting? could this be the switch or ESC? Please any advice?

[Mountain]

Hi! I bought a standard vintage clodbuster last week and i am sat here fiddiling with it as i type to you! I never had one as a child so i dont really know how they are sopposed to perform! For starters it seem very slow! also the steering servo is very week? The truck seems lazy to turn when in motion? Any ideas...... also the switch at the side of the chassis for ecomomy and power settings only seems to work on economy setting? could this be the switch or ESC? Please any advice?

Its not the world's fastest truck. In stock form its pretty slow but has lots of torque, think it basically has an extra gear over the buggy gear boxes.

The steering in stock form isn't that great either especially if you only have a standard servo. Get a better servo (TowerPro are cheap at 6 ish) or move to a better steering solution. Which then means you have to upgrade your suspension as the stock suspension has about a cm of suspension travel.

Does it have a ESC or an MSC ? The switch should flick the motors between parallel and series giving you more speed or longer run times respectively. If you have an ESC then it might be wired up slightly differenlty then the normal switch so hence it doesn't actually do anything. Hardly anybody would run in economy.

[terry.sc]

Slow speed, weak, lazy steering. all standard Clod traits. It also bounces across the ground instead of following the lumps and bumps. The reason the Clod was seen as a great truck was only because of its size.

The economy/power switch is for use with the mechanical speed controller, if there's an ESC fitted then the switch isn't connected to anything.

[secretasianman]

also the switch at the side of the chassis for ecomomy and power settings only seems to work on economy setting? could this be the switch or ESC? Please any advice?

If the economy switch only works on one setting, chances are a bridge wire came loose or was removed, or the previous owner didn't rewire it properly. If you look up the super clod on tamiyausa.com (identical platform, debranded body) you'll find the manual which covers the wiring schematic. IMO like others have said, running the motors in series/economy is less desired and does not exploit the Clod's true strength. If you bypass that unit you'll get more speed at the cost of battery life. From the rear motor, simply connect the rear-positive to the esc positive and the rear negative to the esc negative.

on the front motor, do the reverse and connect the front negative to the esc positive, and the front positive to the esc negative. This will result in a parallel connection to both motors and let the forward motor turn in the proper direction.

As for the steering, unfortunately it feels abysmal. If you remove the radio deck and peer deep inside the tub, you'll find the steering linkages connect to a 1 inch round servo saver, with a very short radius from the servo horn center to the ball link. Unfortunately this provides very little output throw and no adjustable options and need to make adjustments elsewhere: At each axle, there's a steering bellcrank on top of the gearcase, and the default setting on the output arm is in the middle hole. If you need more output throw, move the drag-link to the outermost position and see if your steering improves. This solution however presents two drawbacks: this adds extra load to the steering servo and the drag link will knock into the guard. If the load becomes an issue, upgrade the servo to a higher torque and if the rod knocking against the guard is an issue, you can either remove the screw from that corner and trim the guard, or simply remove the guard altogether.

Hope this info helps!

[mudslinger]

Ok thanks guys! looked at the switch and changed a couple of wires about and now i have reverse too! also messed aroud with the transmitter i am using (always forget about the trim settings, bit faster too! i will keep a look out for a servo.

Also if i was to but better motors in what would be a safe turn?

thanks again!

[adam1973]

For a great upgrade ESC fit either an M-Tronics http://www.modelsport.co.uk/?CallFunction=...mp;ItemID=23729 or a TEU 103 http://www.tamiyausa.com/product/item.php?product-id=45037 . For better price options have a look on ebay. If you fit a high torque steering servo, then fitting a 6v RX battery pack will get the most out the servo.

As to other hop ups to make the truck better, either search on here or on the WWW.......

[mymonsterbeetleisbroken]

Dont forget the clod buster is a 1980's model of a 1980's monster truck.

This means it's got an awesome looking body, huge tyres for driving in deep mud and hard suspension for crushing cars

When i got my clod I was about 12 years old and i thought it was the greatest thing i'd ever seen

If it was no good, tamiya wouldn't make it anymore.

Mine is 20 years old, bought it from my cousin years ago. Its stock apart from ball bearings and an esc, and thats the way its going to stay!

Just find a big mud filled area and you'll see what the clod is all about. After all, even the number plate on the back says MUDBOG

[billg4]

build, or buy a 4 link and chassis kit

it really isn't hard to do, see this article done by 2 brothers http://myrcmt.com/review/briancpe/

[mudslinger]

build, or buy a 4 link and chassis kit

it really isn't hard to do, see this article done by 2 brothers http://myrcmt.com/review/briancpe/

I was just thinking that and i have got my hands on one of these? Any good?

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/ryan.coombes/razorclod.htm

[billg4]

well if it's an eye candy chassis you want then it looks decent.

However http://www.crawfordperformanceengineering.com/ are very user friendly and less money. Brett is very helpfull, and he has quality product.

[frugalman]

Ok thanks guys! looked at the switch and changed a couple of wires about and now i have reverse too! also messed aroud with the transmitter i am using (always forget about the trim settings, bit faster too! i will keep a look out for a servo.

Also if i was to but better motors in what would be a safe turn?

thanks again!

what is the cheapest ESC that would work with super clod?

would the Novak XRS Reversible Sport ESC be good?

so i would need 2 xrs, 1 for each motor? (if running parallel)