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ThunderDragonCy

Any tips on improving Boomerang steering?

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I have a bought a wreck of a Boomerang off ebay. Since being on here I have been interested to see what these Hotshot series cars are about. I have some new plastics coming for various bits as it wasn't complete, and as a result I have got a new E parts tree coming which happens to have new steering sliders. Any tips on how to get the best out of these? To grease or not? Any little mods I need to do before I get involved? 

Thanks!

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I'm not sure I understand the question, you want to improve on perfection, right.

Interesting though, on the off chance its possible, improving the turning circle would be useful...i can't help, but interested in the answers

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I find the Boomer steering to be fine, if you keep things clean and moving freely.

It might not be on par with later models but it is way better than my lads Super Hotshot

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2 hours ago, Peter_B said:

I find the Boomer steering to be fine, if you keep things clean and moving freely.

It might not be on par with later models but it is way better than my lads Super Hotshot

Thanks Peter. In that case i will just replace the old plastics and put it together nicely.

@Jonathon Gillham It may be perfection, but you know how i like to tinker! 

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I sold my boomerang because of the steering, after 5 minutes of driving on the beach the steering get stuck with a 20 kg high torgue servo,  I try to mod it to direct steering links but there is not enough room for it, then I tried a hot shot bumper they have more room for direct steering links but it was to short and do not fit.

then I made a steering rack from aluminum ta-01 parts and chop of a part of the chassis to make it fit, but with that steering rack, I tried 3 different servo's because the wheels wil not stay centered.

Then I got frustrated with the car, I only drove it for 5 minutes, but because of that stupid steering I sold it.

I wish you good luck with it.

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@dannymulder Thanks for your input. I don't plan on running it on sand. I am not sure how much running it will get in my hands, but i will do the best i can with the kit parts. Thanks for the feedback on the modification options.

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I would grease lightly (like a faint fingerprint on a glass pane).  Anymore, it will gunk up.  Such a thin coat will wear out quickly, but it will protect the parts for a run or two.  Dirt is sandpaper in loose form.  It will grind the parts, but thin grease will protect it for a short while.  

If you are not doing it already, I would also suggest zip-tying the servo saver.  

Tamiya's servo saver was designed to protect the weak servos of the 80's.  For stronger modern servos, the saver just makes it imprecise.  Zip-tie will spread too, but at much greater force.  

Here is an example of zip-tying in Bigwig.  It's a different member of the HotShot family, but you get the idea. (Too much grease on my example, though.)

ntWWu48.jpg

 

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I used a kimbrough servo saver on mine, the one that you have to drill the holes your self.

I wanted to convert the boomerang to a hotshot, but that cost me more then 100 euro on parts, and a hot shot is 170 euro on tamico, I sold my boomerang for 125 so for 45 euro more I can get a hot shot.

I like the looks of the hotshot family cars, but I do not like the abs suspension arms and bumper they look fragile to me.

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Yep, my vintage Hot Shot has very sloppy everything.  It was a hit back in the 80's as (the first?) Tamiya 4WD race buggy.  I think that's about it.  Mono-shocks were clever and unique, but did not work great.  I was glad to have the iconic 4WD back in the early 2000.  But was not overly impressed.  

Bigwig was a big improvement though.  Yes, the Hotshot arms should be more flexible.  They tend to crack where the pins go in, but they work fine even with a crack.  

 

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I have an insanely overpowered Boomerang, and one part I really can't complain about is the steering.

I've run the living daylights out of this car, on very dusty dirt mostly, and despite all the dust build-up, the high-speed crashes, the general shameful bashing abuse, the 5700kv motor and the fact that the car is so fast it'll generate enough lift at wide open throttle to simply take off and fly, I really can't complain about the steering.

Other than it is completely useless in mid-air of course, which I feel can be forgiven, seeing how it is boomerang shaped and everything...

I broke a chassis tub, I tore off entire suspension arms, ripped apart shocks, split bodies, scared dogs, launched 10 feet into the air, broke an obscure land speed record from 1967, you name it, and I think the suspension would be barely adequate for a silver can, but again, the steering, never any problems. 

No, seriously, the steering is alright. 

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I've spent a lot of time on this. From stock you're going to have to live with it. Otherwise Snappy1 is all over it really. Once you even up your arm movement from the servo the only way i've found to increase travel is to replace uprights/knuckle arms and introduce universal shafts. The result is on a par with 2wd but you need to dial back your steering servo before your shafts start rubbing on your uprights. Kyosho have a 68mm universal shaft that fits in the standard Tamiya and Dirt Burner outdrives the part no is LA231. If you combine these with RC Damper knuckle arms for the Top Force/Mantra Ray you will see far better travel from your steering arms and your car should handle more like a car and less like a Sherman tank!

Edited by dylbob
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On 13 May 2019 at 6:00 PM, ThunderDragonCy said:

I have a bought a wreck of a Boomerang off ebay. Since being on here I have been interested to see what these Hotshot series cars are about. I have some new plastics coming for various bits as it wasn't complete, and as a result I have got a new E parts tree coming which happens to have new steering sliders. Any tips on how to get the best out of these? To grease or not?

I use dry lube. Bicycle chain dry lube by White Lightning or Finish Line etc. 

Or if you don't want to invest in a bottle, grab a candle and rub wax on sliding surfaces.

Avoid grease; better to run it ungreased than attract dirt.

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1 hour ago, WillyChang said:

I use dry lube. Bicycle chain dry lube by White Lightning or Finish Line etc. 

Or if you don't want to invest in a bottle, grab a candle and rub wax on sliding surfaces.

Avoid grease; better to run it ungreased than attract dirt.

Thanks. I mountain bike so i have a bunch of that kind of thing in the garage. 

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