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Munkeyfeet

Help needed....original Monster Beetle....

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Hi Guys,

thanks for taking the time to read and help me on what I’m sure will be a rewarding and frustrating journey.

so after 30 years of no rc cars my eldest turned 8 and is wanting to have some rc fun. As a result of wanting to ensure it wasn’t a flash in a pan before Christmas rolls around I grabbed my cars out of the loft (monster beetle and hornet) and dusted them down. I was shocked to see that the MB worked but the original battery was shot and so replaced it with a 4500mAh nimh battery and voila we had lift off.

so long story short we both got hooked, I made a small jump from plywood and now the rear wheels won’t turn (everything else is fine). 

Now I know they have their faults so I am planning a complete rebuild but want to upgrade the car so it’s strong, reliable and i don’t have to bother with this again.

my questions:

1) what should I be changing/upgrading?

2) where do you guys buy from? Who are the best and most reliable places. If I need advice or have a problem which places give good advice and know their cars?

3) If we want to change a few things to freshen it up, where can we buy new wheels/tyres that will fit (we only have the original gold wheels). Are there any custom shells that will fit or can be made to fit (don’t come pre drilled for clips) 

4) are items like these any good? 

https://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/new-option-parts-for-TAMIYA-2WD-Monster-Beetle-Blackfoot-Mud-blaster-RC-Car/132531044649?ul_ref=https://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/710-53481-19255-0/1?ff3=2&toolid=10039&campid=5338356998&customid=182199&item=132531044649&vectorid=229508&lgeo=1&srcrot=710-53481-19255-0&rvr_id=2095533007062&rvr_ts=eddf52ec16c0aad73c143cddfff328c8&_mwBanner=1&_rdt=1&ul_noapp=true&pageci=70b26d89-75ec-43bb-b9e1-6dc6d1110239

sorry for what I’m sure are obvious questions but this is all very new to me and I don’t want to make stupid mistakes.

thanks in advance for your help.

8CDFE74C-5F0F-490D-B45C-7E09B7D5F120.jpeg

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Looks to have been hardly used from the look of the tyres etc . When you say the wheels won't turn are the wheels stuck in both directions as in 'jammed' but you can rotate the wheels in opposite directions by using the diff , or is it all completely locked up sold ?  . Unbolt the motor and remove it , try turning the wheels then see if it is any different . If it works then it is the motor , if not then something has failed or bound up in the gearbox . A gearbox strip down will tell you everything then . Gears sets are available as a direct replacement for the old ones . A ball diff is available , but costly . You could also replace the rear Hex drive shafts and joints with the more modern dog bones set up ( not exactly a proven improvement as the shafts can drop out without some fettling ) . A set of metal or rubber shielded ball races are essential to replace the old plastic ones that are probably in the gearbox and wheels ( same goes for the Hornet ) . The body shell can be quickly replaced with the Blackfoot or Subaru Brat truck bodies if you change the body posts . When you strip the chassis down , check the red chassis parts for any cracking around the 'self tapper' holes as these stree badly and can crack , a new chassis set is available , or drill out the self tap thread and replace with a 3mm bolt and lock nut . Other bodies can be adapted to fit , check the wheelbase and width before purchasing . The old radio gear can be replaced with more modern 2.4ghz set up with ESC instead of the old speed controller and a better than stock motor . Strip and rebuild the CVA dampers and refit them . Wheels and tyres can also be replaced with same if you need to but yours look great if the tyres aren't cracked / dried out . Ebay is your best bet for spares , lots of top UK sellers on there who are most reliable and are also Tamiya Club members , so all good . You can throw heaps of money at these cars , so decide what you want to do at the minimum and price that up , then if that fits your budget you can then expand to other goodies ;)

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Get bearings :)

if they still do the gearbox brace get that.

replace the damper oil

otherwise everything else just needs a clean up 

JJ

 

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I was in your shoes several years ago...  I had an old Frog...  I went full bore and fixed/upgraded everything...  Somewhere along the line, it wasn't "the car I had as a kid" and became "the car I have now"...

IMO, you should just buy a re-re Monster Beetle and work on that.  Keep your OG MB as is, and enjoy it as "the car I had as a kid"...  Get a new one to bash around the yard...

But to answer your questions:

1.  Upgrade the shocks (Tamiya #50520) and the electronics (ESC instead of MSC).  You will eventually want to reinforce the transmission with pressure plates on each side.  MHeald made some beautiful parts as mentioned by Kev, but I think you can make something similar with a trip to the your local hardware store...  If you want to go further with upgrades, CRP made many valuable upgrades.  I recommend ALL of them...  As for today's 3D printing reality, you should search for AmPro.  He has a whole line of modern 3D printed products designed for the Frog/BF/MB that can greatly improve your car...

2. Personally, I buy most of my stuff from EBAY.

3. A quick search for "Tamiya Blackfoot Wheels" will show you what is out there.  The typical re-release Blackfoot wheels/tires will fit, and they are very easy to find.  Keep your original Gold wheels on a shelf...  Almost any "2.2" tire will fit the Blackfoot wheel.  The re-release MB has Gold wheels, so you can get new ones...  You could replace your MB body with a lexan one or get a Blackfoot body.  Parma makes a Blackfoot truck body but they are very rare.  The various Tamiya VW Bug bodies will fit with a little work.  Or just get a re-release MB body kit...

4. Those specific items are *bling*.  They are *shiny* and designed to part you from your money...  The only one I would say is "worth it" would be the rear axle hubs (the round things that secure to the back of your rear wheels - the plastic ones split due to old age and torque)...

If you have any questions, please feel free to send me a PM.  I've developed my ORV Jedi Skills over the last few years, and am glad to share what I have learned the last few years...

Terry

 

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"so it’s strong, reliable and i don’t have to bother with this again" 

Yeah, this will never happen...  The ORV is a great chassis, but being vintage design, it will always need massaging.  

What's the saying?  "A polished turd is still a turd"???

If you want "don't bother", get a Traxxas beater!

Terry

 

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I almost wrote “by a re-re and save the original from certain death”

its probably the best piece of advice tbh

when you have time you can restore the original (doesn’t look like it needs much work anyway)

JJ

 

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9 hours ago, KEV THE REV said:

Looks to have been hardly used from the look of the tyres etc . When you say the wheels won't turn are the wheels stuck in both directions as in 'jammed' but you can rotate the wheels in opposite directions by using the diff , or is it all completely locked up sold ?  . Unbolt the motor and remove it , try turning the wheels then see if it is any different . If it works then it is the motor , if not then something has failed or bound up in the gearbox . A gearbox strip down will tell you everything then . Gears sets are available as a direct replacement for the old ones . A ball diff is available , but costly . You could also replace the rear Hex drive shafts and joints with the more modern dog bones set up ( not exactly a proven improvement as the shafts can drop out without some fettling ) . A set of metal or rubber shielded ball races are essential to replace the old plastic ones that are probably in the gearbox and wheels ( same goes for the Hornet ) . The body shell can be quickly replaced with the Blackfoot or Subaru Brat truck bodies if you change the body posts . When you strip the chassis down , check the red chassis parts for any cracking around the 'self tapper' holes as these stree badly and can crack , a new chassis set is available , or drill out the self tap thread and replace with a 3mm bolt and lock nut . Other bodies can be adapted to fit , check the wheelbase and width before purchasing . The old radio gear can be replaced with more modern 2.4ghz set up with ESC instead of the old speed controller and a better than stock motor . Strip and rebuild the CVA dampers and refit them . Wheels and tyres can also be replaced with same if you need to but yours look great if the tyres aren't cracked / dried out . Ebay is your best bet for spares , lots of top UK sellers on there who are most reliable and are also Tamiya Club members , so all good . You can throw heaps of money at these cars , so decide what you want to do at the minimum and price that up , then if that fits your budget you can then expand to other goodies ;)

Hi Kev,

When you push forward or backwards the motor revs accordingly but nothing else moves - the wheels aren't stuck in position just have lost the ability to drive the MB. 

Al

 

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9 hours ago, Problemchild said:

Get bearings :)

if they still do the gearbox brace get that.

replace the damper oil

otherwise everything else just needs a clean up 

JJ

 

Thanks, in terms of bearings are these the ones you recommend? https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Tamiya-Monster-Beetle-58618-Bearing-Set-8x1150-2x850-Steel-Ball-Races/161881295546

1 hour ago, Frog Jumper said:

I was in your shoes several years ago...  I had an old Frog...  I went full bore and fixed/upgraded everything...  Somewhere along the line, it wasn't "the car I had as a kid" and became "the car I have now"...

IMO, you should just buy a re-re Monster Beetle and work on that.  Keep your OG MB as is, and enjoy it as "the car I had as a kid"...  Get a new one to bash around the yard...

But to answer your questions:

1.  Upgrade the shocks (Tamiya #50520) and the electronics (ESC instead of MSC).  You will eventually want to reinforce the transmission with pressure plates on each side.  MHeald made some beautiful parts as mentioned by Kev, but I think you can make something similar with a trip to the your local hardware store...  If you want to go further with upgrades, CRP made many valuable upgrades.  I recommend ALL of them...  As for today's 3D printing reality, you should search for AmPro.  He has a whole line of modern 3D printed products designed for the Frog/BF/MB that can greatly improve your car...

2. Personally, I buy most of my stuff from EBAY.

3. A quick search for "Tamiya Blackfoot Wheels" will show you what is out there.  The typical re-release Blackfoot wheels/tires will fit, and they are very easy to find.  Keep your original Gold wheels on a shelf...  Almost any "2.2" tire will fit the Blackfoot wheel.  The re-release MB has Gold wheels, so you can get new ones...  You could replace your MB body with a lexan one or get a Blackfoot body.  Parma makes a Blackfoot truck body but they are very rare.  The various Tamiya VW Bug bodies will fit with a little work.  Or just get a re-release MB body kit...

4. Those specific items are *bling*.  They are *shiny* and designed to part you from your money...  The only one I would say is "worth it" would be the rear axle hubs (the round things that secure to the back of your rear wheels - the plastic ones split due to old age and torque)...

If you have any questions, please feel free to send me a PM.  I've developed my ORV Jedi Skills over the last few years, and am glad to share what I have learned the last few years...

Terry

 

I know its probably sacrilege to say but I will get a brushless Traxxas so this is for the kids to play and learn - id rather they crash and I fix this than a £200+ car! 

Thanks, that's really useful info, I will definitely be PMing you as I work through it all. 

56 minutes ago, Problemchild said:

I almost wrote “by a re-re and save the original from certain death”

its probably the best piece of advice tbh

when you have time you can restore the original (doesn’t look like it needs much work anyway)

JJ

 

If I have to keep rebuilding it then maybe its not a bad thing, helps me to get better at this and practice makes perfect. I will keep the original parts to one side should I ever sell it, then the next owner can make a choice as to how they want it set up. 

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One rear hub is split in half.

anyone know where I can source a replacement, ideally metal, in the uk. Everywhere seems to be USA or China and don’t really want a three week wait....

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I think the hub has probably split because of its age because they are pretty tough if you just have a standard motor in it or even a slightly hot motor (sport tuned) thing is if you go down the road of a metal hub all it will probably do is damage the next thing down the line which is your original gold rims because they too will be not as strong with age the monster beetle 2015 hub is on the c pars about £10ish and widely available! If that's any help👍

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56 minutes ago, Munkeyfeet said:

anyone know where I can source a replacement, ideally metal, in the uk

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Tamiya-Lunchbox-Midnight-Pumpkin-CNC-Machined-Alloy-Wheel-Hubs/264447572464?hash=item3d924db9f0:g:dDwAAOSwT5tcGibn

If your rear wheels are free to turn , you have lost power to the motor somewhere , check all leads from speed controller back to motor inc the resistor . Does the speed controller servo move when you push the transmitter stick foreward or back ?

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Does the motor make any rotating noise when you push the throttle stick ? ,I if it does make a noise it could be that the motor pinion grub screw has loosened off 

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I got it working, took the diff apart and that's looking brand new, cleaned it up and applied some grease. 

The issue was that the cog that you tighten to the motor with an Allen key was loose and I think slipped out of the gearing. Have tightened it a paper width away from the edge of the motor and all is now fine. 

At the moment I am thinking of adding:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Tamiya-50520-C-V-A-Short-Shock-Unit-Set-II-Lunch-Box-Midnight-Pumpkin/332029143355?hash=item4d4e7aa93b&_trkparms=ispr%3D1&enc=AQAEAAADIKvsXIZtBqdkfsZsMtzFbFsbX3WcW5fmB%2Fx7ZbaZTyex04SNg9kLCPGMStmt95KC2fyKuXJk0ymgv6RrzOnfneFmd4JyLCg2mlyLX5QjeZDTo9QOGux4uFrKa51FMVKw7SNsjeJQiwTUfmd0WqwF2Urn1j8pI9Eq%2BuPNvjXaPLQzFNiU0Y%2FKgBs%2FxN53Rq5dZszn9t0wPRQtup356O3thgEO7VqUOUAfw2RtUZ2Ugx8WXEzzr1z93ZsgmxQRp2opGhYCUVr2pHBjvntonpmMDjzFG%2F3zMmi8HR%2FNP3mxZsm%2BP9%2BaRf5GPjFHOnnKRxel6B5JT6N6bLNuOD9UVBwQBF7Nnkaf25hMhbApHVMiOWfVb9ELo5Wx3qPEAuUSV4V9ItVhuEGrWK9xnFBXrhb22dlmhjgV6vn%2FQyE5cjNNctKT43AtFB5FL%2Fx8BvmqK5AIgQ7r1nZky87DXF6LfyMjTUfD3%2FMYtyDbNUlhnutUxGn%2BxtA%2B2jyE46U0wAVukEHOFEh6Tm6HQOM1tKd1T1oNKiHQf4dr2W2hwL38b%2FFj8szIqGlA9KGoLmnBRH0wZnZ3ozOfHaAH1vkc6hhyFIwlouL%2F16c1V2MVPxDxfTbI78soQ6Sf6H5HlvzkZEVZQzD7QXVoeAmKlCr5z2zwC3vyakr9xtqOcYQsRPf%2BTrC78b1366MvgMwlCzZbk7JF7%2BPPv%2FQIZCZQ7XqRr8oYxXRNw0aFpEtY%2FBlfyg%2FbHkgi5YZC9tiasGuGFx7pEqswxotpAXPNs2xQ9gvLZuIRn%2F9mg2jM82eJzhCLRu7%2F6FLnd4TMCl4%2FhMoKDBb3LnCjLWg0iYUrL2ho7WeTMBeEVVZKWOQur5aAMyl41BGIzX5go1ple36m%2Fwuhus1c2HS6rydDxHm4Dh4bLwJVcmx1Hj5oR02gNkbV%2BbDxaIC5JK1iRoiU8t774qfa1Wzmg6W%2FKUU8dLtBl71fo5pVVA8w6th8aUTY2h%2BVFwfeAM5Es7ZleAPf7sWk4Aj7t6d3%2BVzYsXjRAfbjcnh65R1mpPON%2F6RFgWRJ4uE%2BcOdYXgAt7Xme3LpY&checksum=33202914335584a433a4da11443db6d48d098980eebb

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Tamiya-53068-RS-540-Sport-Tuned-Motor-DT02-DT03-TA02-TT01-TT02-M05-M06-Hornet/331470829192?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Tamiya-Monster-Beetle-58618-Bearing-Set-8x1150-2x850-Steel-Ball-Races/161881295546?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649

Would these fit? https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/4Pcs-119mm-Wheel-Rim-Tires-for-1-10-Monster-Truck-Racing-RC-Car-Accessories-K/333305089749?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649

Is this the right esc from msc? https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-Tamiya-TEU-104BK-ESC-Electronic-Speed-Controller-TEU-101BK-MSC-Replacement/401188811113?hash=item5d68b77169:g:SK8AAOSwKupZzNhY

Also debating adding some of these because well, kids love lights on things, ok ok I also do - modified all the lego trains to have lights as well :)

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RC-Led-Light-For-Tamiya-Holiday-Buggy-Monster-Beetle-Blitzer-Stadium-Wild-Willy/323297080405

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RC-Truck-Roof-Led-Light-Bar-for-Tamiya-Blackfoot-Lunchbox-Bruiser-Monster-Beetle/323860061494

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Rc-Car-Aluminium-Roof-Rack-with-Led-Lights-for-Tamiya-Monster-Beetle/323840044140

How do you add lights kits? What else needs to go in? Is there a thread where someone has done a build or how to guide?

Anything else you guys would suggest?

whats the best charger for the nimh batteries? Still using the original one that came with the mb and to say it’s slow is an understatement 

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5 minutes ago, KEV THE REV said:

Does the motor make any rotating noise when you push the throttle stick ? ,I if it does make a noise it could be that the motor pinion grub screw has loosened off 

Exactly that 

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A huge thank you to @Frog Jumper who has guided me quite a bit.

started off having battery length issues which were solved by taking the diff/gearbox to bits, washing everything thoroughly and putting back together with lots of grease. Now it’s getting 40/50 mins with 4500 and 5000 mah batteries. 

Fitted the new bearings to the gearbox and wheels, added new cva shocks, a torque tuned motor and alloy hubs.

few more bits in the post but it’s coming along nicely.

0388CE19-9FB6-4507-A298-4510338D0C5E.jpeg

744399FB-B662-4862-BE3B-BD574D6880DE.jpeg

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Also had my old charger and then went cheap and bought a usb to tamiya lead which I put to my iPhone plug but it was woeful so it’s in the bin and this replaced it.

can charge at 2/3.5/5a speeds so it’s perfect.

 

 

F6D9B592-BF9B-48A2-BB98-5E7BF5FB63E1.jpeg

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I'm glad you were able to work out your battery life issue!  Happy driving!

Terry

 

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Just now, KEV THE REV said:

You're welcome

I thanked you above but terry had put up with many PMs from me hence the special note.

apologies if you felt I had taken your advice for granted, I can assure you it wasn’t the case. 

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OK the nice clean diff that gave me great running times has now been filled with black/silver as it tried to eat itself. Alas lots of clicking and not much go.

Decided I'm too far in to give up so MIP ball bearing diff #16210 and frog shaft set #53908 both ordered.

Hoping this is the last thing that needs replacing for a while.  

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