Fire Dragon Help

[Boothy 58]

Hello guys,

I have been building my Fire Dragon re re and last night I got the wheels on for the first time, however I have found I get a clicking sound if you push the car forwards (or back) from the rear gearbox, you can feel the click as if something catches slightly.

A little disheartened I stripped all of the rear gear box back down even though I was convinced I built it correctly the first time, I have checked and re checked and everything is spot on to the instructions, the diff spins freely and the main gearbox turns fine without the gears for the 4WD fitted. The two side gears are as the instructions and I cannot see any faults with them, each fitted on their own in position and they spin fine but put them both in position and re fit the cover and you get the click.

So has anyone else had anything similar? I know the gears are located correctly as every thing turns freely until the point of the click when you get a slight binding, I would say that it happens every complete rotation of one of the gears.

My thoughts now are to just drive through it and see if it beds in, as its plastic I am guessing it should do?

So I guess what I am asking is has anyone else had anything similar and has anyone got any advice or tips for me please?

Also when I re fitted my rear wishbones one of the pins will no longer go really tight in the B8 part, if I turned it more it feels like it will just strip is that a problem? It seems quite tight and I am pretty sure it wont just pull out but I would not like it to fly out while I am out bashing with it.

Boothy

[Saito 5]

Ah yes, I know of the clicking of which you speak. Some while back I posted a thread about this when I first built my re-re. In my case it was the bevel gears that transmit the drive power to the driveshaft. The teeth are not formed correctly, particularly at the root or base of the teeth. Look closely at them and you'll see what I mean. It makes a tight spot in the mesh that sounds like a click. I diligently filed/trimmed the bevel gears and the click got much quieter. Took me forever to find the issue and drove me nuts with all the racket. The replacement gears I bought were just as bad so filing seems to be the only cure. Fortunately I like the car too much to give up on it.

[taliesin 260]

I have a re-re with a slightly noisy gearbox, but it hasn't really become a problem. I just keep running it and nothing seems to be wearing that badly, so it just keeps getting ignored.

Not sure what to tell you about the loose pin though. Just try it I guess. My experience is that sooner or later just about every model flings a piece of hardware and there's not much you can do about it. Especially if you run them pretty hard.

I generally inspect and check all the hardware after each run. It's probably a bit daft, but it reassures me that things are working properly, and I like to spray the dirt and dust off anyway, so it's a good time to look for loose bits, and check for any screws backing out, wheel nuts about to come off, etc. Shoulder screws, shock mounting hardware and wheel nuts are a favorite to get lost, but kingpins and dogbones occasionally join the AWOL list.

[spaint2k 0]

Saito's got it, and it's not just a problem with the re-releases. I noticed this clicking in that very area when I rebuilt my thunder shot. I decided to ignore it as I figured nothing untoward happened to it when I was a kid and I doubt it's gonna start now. Still, I'll have a dig at it next time I strip the thing down.

[Boothy 58]

Cheers guys, yeah I figure I'm just goint to fit the Ezrun and get it bedded in

When I took it apart the gears did seem to bed pretty well but I am pretty new to all this so probbably missed something and it was getting late so I'll use tiredness as my excuse

I have enjoyed the build so far though, its been enjoyable and the rolling chassis seems like a pretty robust bit of kit really. Hopefully it wont end up on its roof as much as the Hornet.

Boothy

[taliesin 260]

The fire dragon is 10x more stable than the Hornet, LOL. It's a really good runner.

[Saito 5]

Taliesin's right, the FD is a great runner. Its pretty tough (nice robust drivetrain, aside from the gear molding issues) and handles rough ground very well. A real step up in performance from the more popular but more complex/fragile earlier Hot Shot series of cars.

[Boothy 58]

Thats what I wanted to hear I managed to track down a FD rather than get an off the shelf Boomer as I planned to run it and wanted something Vintage but that would hopefully perform a little more like a modern buggy.

Do any of you guys run brushless in yours? I stole the Fire Dragons ESC and fitted it into my Monster Beetle but I figured that as I can get a 9t EZrun set up for £50 off ebay its cheaper than a Superstock TZ and an upgraded ESC to run it.

Can I limit the top speed of the EZrun? I would rather it was not too quick while I get used to it? also should I use the stock 15t pinion?

cheers

Boothy

[Saito 5]

I know little of brushless, though I'm sure the FD can handle it. Normally one would gear down for a hi-po motor. In the FD's case this means a 13t pinion. I also recommend getting a steel pinion as the alloy Tamiya pinions wear bad enough with stock motors let alone modified ones.

[Power Surge 0]

I know little of brushless, though I'm sure the FD can handle it. Normally one would gear down for a hi-po motor. In the FD's case this means a 13t pinion. I also recommend getting a steel pinion as the alloy Tamiya pinions wear bad enough with stock motors let alone modified ones.

I ran the 9T EZrun in mine with a Robinson steel 15t pinion and it was perfect. Car was a rocketship and motor never got hot.

[Boothy 58]

Cheers guys, I ordered a 9t EZrun last night

Can you point me in the right direction for a steel pinion? also should I go 14t or 15t do we think? I am thinking 13t will shread tyres pretty quickly it it adds alot more torque.

Andy

[Power Surge 0]

Cheers guys, I ordered a 9t EZrun last night

Can you point me in the right direction for a steel pinion? also should I go 14t or 15t do we think? I am thinking 13t will shread tyres pretty quickly it it adds alot more torque.

Andy

As mentioned above, I ran the 15t and still had to dial the power back on the ESC to make the car do more than just burnouts.

[Boothy 58]

As mentioned above, I ran the 15t and still had to dial the power back on the ESC to make the car do more than just burnouts.

So you can dial the power back on the esc? I think I'll be doing that at least to start with. I'll go with the 15t then, where

can I get a steel one to fit the FD?

Thanks

Andy

[Power Surge 0]

So you can dial the power back on the esc? I think I'll be doing that at least to start with. I'll go with the 15t then, where

can I get a steel one to fit the FD?

Thanks

Andy

Yes, you can adjust the "punch" (take off power) and the "timing" (total power). I had both dialed back, otherwise the car was borderline uncontrollable.

Robinson Racing makes the steel pinion. Any place that sell them should have one.

Oh, and here's a video of my T-shot project in it's first incarnation, you can see the power of the 9T with the 15 tooth...

[Boothy 58]

Cool vid.

One thing I have noticed is that when you push down in the car at full compression of the suspension the bottom of the chassis will touch the floor, I am guessing thats normal but is there a reason for it? I am guessing the chassis hitting the floor from jumps would cause the car to be unstable or damage the chassis. Is it am idea to fit bumpstops? I have never noticed anyone doing it.

cheers

Andy

[Power Surge 0]

Cool vid.

One thing I have noticed is that when you push down in the car at full compression of the suspension the bottom of the chassis will touch the floor, I am guessing thats normal but is there a reason for it? I am guessing the chassis hitting the floor from jumps would cause the car to be unstable or damage the chassis. Is it am idea to fit bumpstops? I have never noticed anyone doing it.

cheers

Andy

You want the chassis tub to bottom out otherwise you will be breaking shocks/shock towers. The key to your shock/spring setup, is you want to absorb the landing so that the tub bottoms out, but not too hard. And too stiff a spring will make the car overly bouncy.

I can tell you right now, if you plan to do a LOT of jumping with this car, you'll be cracking the front and rear parts on the chassis where the screws are that go into the gearbox, and you'll be spitting out the driveshaft as well (happens on very hard landings where the chassis flexes).

[taliesin 260]

The A-5 part will break if you make huge jumps or T-bone the neighborhood streetlamp once too often. You can make a brace for it, but ... it's easier to treat it like a 20 year old design and not try for any FAA approved flight plans, and to simply MISS the streetlamps.

[Boothy 58]

[Boothy 58]

Sorry for being a little thick but I am confused by pinions, I only know to look for 15t but the sizes etc are different so what else am I looking for? Also I cant seem to find Robinson Racing in the uk so does anyone know who stock them over here or a different make?

Thanks

Andy

[Saito 5]

You'll be after a 15 tooth, 32 pitch pinion.

[Boothy 58]

Well here she is! just needs a driver and then its hop up time

I must admit I like this car, I know its not to everyones taste but I really think its quite cool

[Boothy 58]

Well I just gave it its first test drive, only on my street but crikey its quick! when I use the GT tuned Hornet on the street I use about half of the length of the cul de sac, but this thing needed the hole street!

The standard tyres are way to hard, on tarmac its like driving on glass! the car would spin for fun which at that speed made it entertaining

The car however is very planted and stable, the grid on our street would make the hornet do a triple somersault and crash but the FD glides over it at double the speed. It also looks fab in red with bright yellow dampers

So now its a quest for grip as I do like to take the car out on the rough stuff but its also nice to be able to just take it on the front for a quick play!

Also what a difference in battery time, the hornet will do well over 30 mins with a good 15-20 at full power, the ezrun did about 5 or ten at full power and I need to run it down now. Think its time for a better battery!

Boothy

[Boothy 58]

Ok I just ordered some DF03 wheels off time tunnel and now I need some hex adaptors. Which type should I go for? I have seen the cheap ones on e-bay but they seem to be for different models. Will the ones for a DF03 do the trick?

Andy

[Boothy 58]

Or will the tamiya 53056 ones do the trick?

[NJhopper 0]

Or will the tamiya 53056 ones do the trick?

DF-03 Hexes are the exact part ya need. I took wheels/ Hexes directly off my Dark impact and Bolted right onto the T-Shot No prob.