DF01 Mad Monster Manta Bull Thrasher thing

[ThunderDragonCy]

Finished the latest addition to the fleet today. Didn't record all the steps in a full build as it didn't really warrant it, but wanted to share a few details as i think they may help people with DF01 restos. This will be wordy! 

Started out as a well used but box stock Dirt Thrasher. Won it as a crazy low bid and wasn't really sure what to do. I order the manta ray motor plate prop shaft, ta02 high speed gears with the thought of just sorting it out brushless as a buggy. Then Fusion did what they always do and take your money, do nothing for 10 days thrn when you chase them say 'oh sorry we can't get those anymore', so change of plan. 

The DF01 really needs that high speed gearset for brushless. For 13.5 or even 10.5 the stock gearing just doesn't go long enough. I had a full carbon df01 before and it was dull as dishwater on 13.5 brushless. 

In the meantime, i bought some GF01 wheels to see if they would stabilise my Comical Hornet. Before they went on there i tried them on this and a plan formed! My spare mad bull shell looked like it would fit, and my nice mad bull shell was coming free because of my truck body on the dt03. So this happened! 

The wheels cure the gearing problem. Buggy wheels are about 80mm diameter. These are 110mm. 110/80 = 1.375. If you need 7 FDR for 13.5 on buggy wheels, then to comprnsate for the wheels you need 7 x 1.375 = 9.6. I have an 18t steel 0.6mod pinion from my previous DF01 which is around 10 FDR. Good enough! So, gearing sorted. 

Bearings installed, obvs. Found the tub cracked and as i went through found some bend shock and steering rods. Clearly a front end crash, but tubs are cheap, and i picked up pistons for £4.50. 50529 Touring Car gearset went in to replace the metal originals. But of thick grease in the diffs. Red o rings and new oil in the shocks. Found that manta ray/dirt thrasher kit shock lengths are 80mm front, 87mm rear. Tamiya went to 87mm front, 94mm rear on the CVA2 black shocks you get on the Terra Conqueror and Top Force. The DF03 alloy shocks being the recommended hop up for the Manta Ray rere makes a lot more sense now, with that shock set being 80mm with the long eyelet. 

Once i found this, i built these shocks with only a 3mm spacer in the front and an m3 nut above the rod end on the rear to give 84mm front and 90mm rear. A little more travel and hround clearance. Kit rear springs and some stiffer fronts from the bit box. 

To mount the shell, the standard Mad Bull front post hole is used, but the rear isn't anywhere near. After seeing these on thercracer, i got some drone standoffs off ebay (22mm). I drilled it out and used it to stand off (funny that!) the rear body mount, all held with a M3x35 screw and a washer

I coated the post with felt tip pen, popped the shell on to get an idea of position, then drilled a 3mm hole from the underside, and opened it out to 6mm with a reamer from the top. Presto! Body mounted. 

Only other things are a metal motor plate on the way but after reafing another member mention the flex in the coat hanger prop acting to protect the drivetrain when it's all geared diffs, i liked that, so stuck with it. The original prop was bent, but luckily replacements cost buttons. 

Steering is really sloppy, so i will probably get a bearing alloy kit at some point. Other than that, it's ingood nick, plastics seem ok, even the solid upper arms are alright. Nice simple basher. I like it's not turned into a buggy. I have a Boomerwig and Thunder Dragon already so i didn't really need another 4wd vintage buggy! Its also nice to use bit box spares too. 

Anyway, i have rambled enough. Hope you like it! 

[TwistedxSlayer]

Yeah I like that. Nice little project. That's something my little boy would love.

[Mad Ax]

I like it.  Sometimes these crazy little projects end up being way more fun than a proper hi-spec buggy.  I hope it sees some use

[ThunderDragonCy]

1 hour ago, Mad Ax said:

I like it.  Sometimes these crazy little projects end up being way more fun than a proper hi-spec buggy.  I hope it sees some use

Thanks. It's definitely a runner! 

[ThunderDragonCy]

Gave it a proper run out in the street tonight. It is so much fun! The massive wheels mean great ground clearance, so even crashing up and down kerbs isn't a problem, plus you can run the suspension really soft so it tips and moves. Its so wide that it doesn't roll though. Sadly made me think yet another case of Tamiya missing an open goal. These GF01 wheels on a TT02B chassis, with a cool retro shell would be so easy to do and would work a treat. Not a cute as the Comicals, granted, but they are really quite slow and easy to tip over in corners. As a thing to drive this is loads more fun and quite versatile. It's a bit go anywhere. 

[Baddon]

A modern MadBull with 4WD and sorted handling. whats not to love.

[ThunderDragonCy]

FUUUUUUUUNNNNN! 

So good on grass. Ground clearance is perfrct for summer grass, but it still handles nice. Kit rear springs on the front, and some stiffer springs on the rear from the bit box. 500wt oil front and rear. 

Plenty fast, but the motor is barely warm. Managed to thermal the ESC but i think moving it out of the belly of the tub might help. Was fine after a minute. 

Popped a c hub off the screwpin hitting a wall, but don't appear to have broken anything. 

Ordered a bearing steering set. I think this might be a keeper. 

[Baddon]

looks a bit like a traxxas Rustler proportions.

[isomer1]

C'mon... don't tease, put the spikey GF-01 / Lunchbox wheels on it. Wheelbase should be ~260mm, little short of the madbull's 284 but it should look good.

[ThunderDragonCy]

1 hour ago, isomer1 said:

C'mon... don't tease, put the spikey GF-01 / Lunchbox wheels on it. Wheelbase should be ~260mm, little short of the madbull's 284 but it should look good.

I don't have any mad bull wheels anymore, but my feeling is these are better. The proper monster tyres balloon really badly at speed and flop around. These are really nice and stable. 

[TwistedxSlayer]

On 6/26/2019 at 8:13 PM, ThunderDragonCy said:

 Sadly made me think yet another case of Tamiya missing an open goal. These GF01 wheels on a TT02B chassis, with a cool retro shell would be so easy to do and would work a treat. Not a cute as the Comicals, granted, but they are really quite slow and easy to tip over in corners. As a thing to drive this is loads more fun and quite versatile. It's a bit go anywhere. 

It just so happens that I have these exact wheels sat on my Levant and a TT02B sat next to it on the shelf. Some wheel changes may be happening tomorrow

[TwistedxSlayer]

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Busdriver]

Oh dear I have six of these from my Dynahead that I'm not using!!! I'm not a buggy man but having seen some of the above I might be tempted. But how do I just build one and a half!!!!