New Monster Truck for go anywhere...

[Rich1978]

OK so I have Lunchbox and a DF03 but I'm after a better handling truck.

So I'm considering buying a Mudblaster II and stick a crawler motor in it.

Thing is I don't really know what a crawler motor is. I'm guessing it a high torque low speed motor?

Basically I want a truck thats more capable and doesn't get stuck on stuff like my lunchbox. And will go over bumpy gras and up muddy banks etc

Thoughts please....

[emory70]

Clodbuster

[Rich1978]

Controversially I don't like the look of them. And I want to build it and also too expensive.

[XV Pilot]

WR-01 FTW!

The Mud Blaster II is based on the WT-01 2WD chassis. The WR-01 is virtually identical, apart from the addition of a second motor and gearbox up front giving it 4WD. It is tough and rugged, very capable off road, simple to build and maintain, and can be easily converted to 4WS thanks to its symmetrical chassis.

Both the WT-01 and WR-01 would give better handling and off road performance than your Lunchbox, but if it is go-anywhere ability you are after, the 4WD WR-01 is the rig of choice.

As for crawler motors, they are high-turn, high-torque, low-speed, usually from 35t upwards, generally around the 50t mark. However with a WR-01, you wouldn't even necessarily need to worry about crawler motors. Due to the low gearing and twin motors, they climb very nicely on silver cans!

[SteveU30]

+1 on the WR-01

Here's mine having fun in the park!

http://youtu.be/ThpxA8gKgUc

[taliesin]

+1 for the 4wd WR-01. Tough as old boots and unstoppable.

[waterbok]

Loads of tuning possibilities too.

[Rich1978]

How hard to convert a wt01 to a wr01?

I can only find bf3's and mb2's for sale?

[mongoose1983]

Wild Dagger (fast) or HPI Wheely King (indestructible).

[XV Pilot]

How hard to convert a wt01 to a wr01?

I can only find bf3's and mb2's for sale?

Very easy. The only significant difference between the two is the absence/presence of the front motor/gearbox, which can be bought separately, along with an extra pair of dogbones, axles and drive cups.

[mr crispy]

As XV says you can get all the bits to convert to 4x4 for less than £40 on eBay, or stick up a post on here, there's bound to be members with spares. You also don't have to use a specific twin motor ESC, as long as you get something like a no limits ESC you can use Y spit power cables to the motors. Saying that the 2wd WT01 chassis are surprising capable especially if you lock the diff, and you can run them front or rear wheel drive depending on what you prefer! Great fun, very stable and tough.

[waterbok]

front or rear wheel drive, thats genius, somehow never thought of that.

[mr crispy]

Gives it quite different handling. I assume it wouldn't be too hard to have a 4x4 twin motor version with a kind of electronic DIG system so you could choose to have all wheels driving, or just the fronts or rears separately all controlled via the TX. It'd probably be easier if you're electronically minded than the mechanical DIG's you get on rock crawlers. Or get really clever and have a system that can choose to send more power to one motor than the other?

[waterbok]

The bit with dig isnt so hard with 2 esc and the right controller (a gt3b with the right software as example) but with dig its more about blocking front or rear. You would somehow have to disconnect the motor from the tranny to prevent drag.

[XV Pilot]

I have just such a setup on my WR01. Twin ESCs, twin steering servos and a Spektrum DX4S controller allow me to switch on the fly between 4WD, RWD and FWD, as well as front steering, rear steering, crab steering or traditional 4-wheel steering.

The DX4S is particularly well-suited to such a setup, as it comes with preset mixes for 4WS and MOA, and shows symbols on its screen to let you know which steering and motor mode is active.

[zomboided]

I love my 4wd Blackfoot III, but more capable...isn't that an Axial SCX10 or similar?

Or are we thinking more capable tyres and a couple crawler motors will do a reasonable job?

[Rich1978]

Thanks for the advice.... Think I've settled on a Mb2 with a view to upgrade to 4x4 st some point.

Next Q. I want to let my 5 yr old loose with my lunchbox. If i put a 60t motor in it, what's it going to be like?

[XV Pilot]

Slower, but not as slow as it would be with an 80t.

I put an 80t in my 5yo nephew's Rising Bull, and it suits him well, fast enough to be fun and challenging, but slow enough not to damage anything in the inevitable impacts.

[mr crispy]

I put a 50T in my daughters lunchbox thinking it would slow it down but it was still surprisingly fast! Ran it against a standard MP and it obviously lost out in drag races but the battery lasted much longer and it was easier for her to drive and control.

[Rich1978]

Does the increased torque help it get over stuff any better?

[XV Pilot]

Not really. It tends to run out of grip before it runs out of torque even with the stock silver can.

The main advantages of a high-turn motor in a wheelie machine like the LB are slower speed for easier control, longer battery life and cooler-running electronics.

[mr crispy]

It should do but I can't say I've noticed any major improvement. It's running standard LB tyres so they have sod all grip compared to crawler tyres. It is easier to manoeuvre at slow speed than with the silvercan, I guess that's down to improved torque. Still wheelies when you want it to.

[Rich1978]

Lol that's OK mine doesn't wheelie with a 19t in it now lol