Bushings at the beach?

[Saito2]

I might get a chance for a day trip to the beach and want to take my Lunch Box or Hornet along. Out of curiosity, would it be better to run bronze or plastic bushings in the front wheels and possibly the outer axles? Bushings certainly are more tolerant to grit and possible water entry. They can't seize up. While bronze bushings are more durable, they could score up the axle as they wear, which plastics don't, being sacrificial. Perhaps I'm overthinking this...

[MadInventor]

I've run both a clod buster and TXT-1 at the beach and never had any issues with corroded roller bearings (They've got rubber shields). I'd run bronze bushes rather than the plastic ones. The tolerances are tighter and there's less chance of grains of sand being wedged between the bearing and the axle. But then I think the best solution is to use roller bearings and don't lubricate the axles. Grease or oil will attract sand.

The real trick is to stick to dry sand and stay out of the sea

 

[berman]

Dont use anything other than ball bearings (races). With the plastic and bronze phosphate bushings the inner circumference runs on the shafts creating friction, this will grind sand particles into the shaft wearing them. With ball bearings the inner race is meant to stay stationaryand the bearing and outer race roll around them. If sand gets in the race (small partiicles will, metal or rubber shielded, doesn't matter) you can clean or replace them cheaply.

[nowinaminute]

Use rubber sealed bearings, I haven't had issues using them at the beach, a little wipe off with fresh water and a dab of oil on them afterwards if you like. With plastic bushings, once grit gets in it will get stuck in the plastic and it will act like a grinding stone. It's not the plastic you have to worry about, it's what gets embedded in it.

[Prescient]

Considering a set of bearings for a LB on the parts that will be exposed to sand and salt water would probably cost you £5 tops, I wouldn't even worry about it.

Corrosion kills bearings more often than sand in my experience, especially sea water if left unchecked. Plus most of the time the beach sand is too course to even get into the bearings which ever shield type you have.  

Sand, grit and dust is only an issue if it causes wear on the plastic casing/housing or internal rotating shaft. Most of the time with bushings they wear first. 

I would run bearings over bushings though in any kind of dusty/sandy environment but given they are so cheap is a no brainer.

Ultimately, many elements of the drive train are considered consumerables on RC cars and spares are cheap. 

Last time I ran my Super Clod down the beach and in the sea, I didn't clean it down for a few weeks after and it was fine. I just use comma high performance grease on exposed drive train parts as a seal. This stuff works so well and one tub is a lifetime of RC. Great for diff locking too.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Comma-BG2500G-Performance-Bearing-Grease/dp/B007WR38TY

[MadInventor]

51 minutes ago, Prescient said:

 

Last time I ran my Super Clod down the beach and in the sea, I didn't clean it down for a few weeks after and it was fine.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Comma-BG2500G-Performance-Bearing-Grease/dp/B007WR38TY

My sons Clod has been to the beach on our last 3 holidays and I still haven't cleaned it

[Gruntfuggly]

As you said, keep it out of the water and it'll be fine.

Remember:

( Brushless + LiPo ) * Blitzer = fast

fast * sand = fun

But also, 

fun * ( sand + big jumps ) = broken.

You can replace Blitzer with Lunchbox or Hornet and amazingly it still works... 

[Wooders28]

For the price of bearings these days, I'd just run the cars and replace parts if/when they break.

Enjoy!! 

[Country Mike]

The lunchbox faired the best at the beach. I i'd waterproofed it better as I didn't, then it would have kept going. 

[Saito2]

Rubber shielded bearings it is!

[Shodog]

Rubber shielded bearings would be the best choice but I’ve not had any problems with the metal shielded bearings on my Rough Rider