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Baddon

Thundershot, Terra Scorcher, Fire Dragon & ThunderDragon re-builds

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OK, after getting the family all up and running with WT-01's and Madbulls its time to start the hard work, restoring my old Thundershot.

This is it as it was lifted out of its box after over 25 years.

SAD, covered in stuck on sawdust, with bits missing, 2 flatspotted tires and some of em starting to crack.

Edit:- Have now started work on a Terra Scorcher I picked up, looked ok but knew there was something not right with drive train as it was tooo tight and the chassis also had a split at the front gearbox top mounting hole on the Prop shaft side.

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So parts have arrived and started to strip it down. Packet of baby wipes to help with cleaning......has to be a better way??

Shell cleaned up , now to remove all the stickers that I added as a early teenager.......oppps

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Question:- The stub axle in the rear transfer box had a washer on top of this into a bushing in the removed box?

Can this be replaced with a stock bearing? It does fit BUT only if you remove the washer as the bushing is thin.

I knew the chassis was broke at the front on the prop side but turns out there were also 2 splits in the rear on the bottom gearbox mountings as well.

I am going to do a total rebuild and clean although both boxes seem to be smooth enough  and as the transfer one shows the gears are in good condition.

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yes that plastic e1 part and washer can be replaced with a ball bearing

i have done this myself over the last 10 years with no issues, ball bearing sellers never include these in their sets!

On the flip slide my 2005 rere thundershot still has the plastic e1 spacer and is still fine with 50+ hours through it!

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looks like a great project, id be tempted to strip clean and replace where only absolute necessary! 

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1 hour ago, Baddon said:

Question:- The stub axle in the rear transfer box had a washer on top of this into a bushing in the removed box?

Can this be replaced with a stock bearing? It does fit BUT only if you remove the washer as the bushing is thin.

Are you speaking of the THRUST BEARING?

They work on forces perpendicular to a radial bearing. Std ballbearings are raced  like a donut around axle, thrust bearings like a sandwich or lazysusan. They're not interchangeable with a ballbearing, imho you're better off leaving it as-is.

Hotshot provided proper thrust bearing originally, but later 4WDs moved to cheap plastic blobs... for Boomerang I usually steal one from a Hotshot:-

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I hope this works, Its the Thrust washer and part E1. 

The bearing fits in where E1 is BUT not if you leave the thrust washer in place, its quite thick. Taking both out they are equal to a stock ballrace.

Thundershot.PNG

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yes a thrust bearing is the correct one to change with e1 and washer, BUT ive driven my tshot runner over 100+ hours (no lower than 15t motor) with no problems with a ball bearing there instead

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on your last pic the terra scorcher manual shows e1 and washer replaced by a bearing.

 

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look what arrived today, so started the rear gearbox. My sub drive and the side of the box it screwed into both had v small splits so replaced them with some old ones and while I was at it had to match up the other side of the box so all three are new. Also replaced all the bearings and found I had a thrust bearing but in the wrong place so put in the right place. Also fitted a barely used sport tuned motor while I was at it.........

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rebuilt back end and added the new wheels that arrived today as you do to see how they looked and also stripped the front end and started to clean it.

NOTE - parts in ultrasonic cleaner were finished with an old tooth brush and some elbow grease.

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Got the front end cleaned up and rebuilt today. Replaced the 2 front gear casings and the sub one as well, also the two up-rights for the steering as both were cracked. Part A5 was in decent condition so just added the metal strengthener. ALL bearing replaced throughout. New rear body posts as well.

Front gearbox refitted to the new tub and its back to a full roller. All drive parts smooooooooth and with new wheels fitted I have hooked a battery direct to motor to just check all is fine (it is)

So

QUESTION 1 - white or black wheels? They were from China and about £10 a set so got one white set and one black set for the Terra Scorcher....maybe.

The wheels are larger diameter so it sits higher. With the Sport tuned motor it will likely fly but if acceleration is sluggish I can always reduce from the 15T to a smaller pinion.

As this is my old basher it will be rebuilt as it was (apart from wheels and tires - I was running my old Boomerang rims and tires so it had larger wheels anyways and I intend to put in an ESC as well as the sport tuned motor) 

I will keep the ugly self made front end twin shocks and the double front bumper as well. The body has a bite make in it where our old family pet chased it and caught it....

QUESTION 2- can you still get Polycarb paint pots as I need a bit of touching in before major repairs and my first go with Shoe Goo. If so any links as I need white for this one. Also what is best strengthening material and again a link please?

Question 3- best economy ESP (with exception of a Hobby wing for £6!!!!! as I want to run it this year)

Also any comments or questions for me?

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Looks an enjoyable job. No old ones lurking in my loft sadly. Totally new to this. Wish I did have one to restore. Must resist eBay searching!

Personally prefer the black wheels too. 

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QUESTION 2- can you still get Polycarb paint pots as I need a bit of touching in before major repairs and my first go with Shoe Goo. If so any links as I need white for this one. Also what is best strengthening material and again a link please?

Question 3- best economy ESP (with exception of a Hobby wing for £6!!!!! as I want to run it this year)

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Item number:
282353908038

cheapo speed control, should be able to find it cheaper, have approx 6 of them, never any issues so far

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@taffer, wow they are exceptional value....could put one in all the cars at that sort of money. We (youngest lad & I ) drowned one at the weekend...

went to beech and he got his Madbull in some thick gloopy mud and when we got home I washed car with garden hose.......now it wont work (steering still does so receiver I know is good) oppppps

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Started on the Terra Scorcher today. Looks ok when you see the photo in my first post in this thread.

OMG......The drive train was stiffer than it should be so I knew there was an issue somewhere.

Started to rebuild into a new chassis and the front gearbox is smooth and as it should be cant see any signs of splits even in the A5 part and round screw mounts. 

BUT the rear gearbox is so stiff its unreal. Also one of the casings has the main bottom mount split so had to strip to change this and found the problem.

One of the shafts on the main gearbox cog is supposed to be mounted on a bearing and it had the bearing all right BUT a thrust washer as well, these are quite thick and was causing the cog to drag and not turn freely. Also the diff was not assembled tightly, gears all ok but the screw are not seated correctly.

Easy fix after strip BUT how does an experienced racer build it wrong? Even if he built as a novice when he moved on to racing Cats would he not have worked out something was wrong and check? I spotted something up in 5 seconds just turning wheels and I am no expert.

I still have a Fire Dragon to rebuild and know it needs a rear box which I now will have to use on this Terra Scorcher, SO long story short I need another rear gearbox. 

Anyone out there got a A parts tree that they have taken A5 from and have the rest? I have 2 spare front boxes already so only need the rear and the sub one as well.

Most of the gearboxes were very dirty with grim stuck to oil so checked and shocks all not doing as they should and when I stripped them found most only half full off oil. 

Morel of the pretty looking vintage car is it may hide a lot of issues. My old Thundershot was in better mechanical running order than this and had obviously seen way more use, the rear box was worn at the bottom from scraping the ground, but thats what they are for right?

Anyways back to it!

 

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I have been sent 2 Terra Scorchers by old school chums who I raced against back in the day.

They offered my £100 to do em both up (parts to come out of the £100)

They both look very tidy on first inspection with a lot less body wear than mine.....BUT after some investigation they need the following:-

Car 1 - Black Terra Scorcher

needs front right gearbox, Part A5 and a A5 reinforcement plate, 3 bottom suspension arms, 8 bearings for wheels, Wheels and tires OR tires to fit Boomerang rims. 2 battery holders, rear gear box protector, Front anti roll bar and an ESC.

Car 2 - with a Thundershot body

needs to rear drive shafts as both V. Badly buckled, Part A5 and an A5 reinforcing plate, 8 bearings for wheels, 4 tires to fit Boomerang hubs, 2 rear body mounting posts, Rear gear box protector, motor mount plate, 2 motor mount bolts, motor and an ESC.

 

I also need the little mounting bits that go through the eye's on the shocks that the mounting bolts go through.

Can anyone help me with part used part trees?? - Tree A  for A5 and gearbox, Tree B for mount posts, rear gearbox protector and battey holders.

I dont need new parts, just in decent order. So if anyone has stripped out used parts for a Shelf Queen and still has bits.

Thanks in advance.

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on car two it sounds like you need the brass motor mount tubes that the motor mount screws go into (they slide into the gearbox)???????

used second hand parts i have the following....

front anti roll bar

two rear body mounts

6x brass stand offs to mount the shocks

2x A5, both were split, one has been repair with epoxy, the second one would need repair (ok to use with reinforce plate) 

flat half of the rear bumper

used but ok drive shafts

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