Monster Beetle revival

[Robinho 0]

Looking for some advice, I've got my old MB from the 80s and want to get it back up and running again. Got new batteries but the comms are shot, any recommendations for new controller/receiver, want to upgrade to an ESC and steering servo. Been out the loop for a couple of decades and feeling overwhelmed by the options. 

[moffman 5752]

I would just go for tamiya's kit standard tble-02s for the esc it's good reliable and its brushed/brushless and sport tuned motor would probably be the maximum motor because your gearbox was never the strongest and taking into account its age aswell! The steering servo I put in my monster beetles is the core rc 9016 9kg I find it super reliable and very good value at £13(ish) I've had far more expensive servos give up but the core rc servos have never let me down!

[Frog Jumper 3658]

My recommendation, from having rebuilt my original Frog, is buy a re-release MB and go crazy on that. 

Clean up and rebuild your original MB, but put it in a shelf and reminisce.

Terry

 

 

 

 

 

[Frog Jumper 3658]

As for electronics, the Tamiya tble02 is fine, though it is not waterproof (I shorted mine out at the beach). An inexpensive Futaba servo is what I have. And you can buy a FlySky radio/rx set. They are cheap and easy.  

 

[Robinho 0]

Thanks, would really like to have the old thing running though as would my toddler son. I'm really not looking for it to be showroom worthy, just for running around the back yard. Might spend a bit more time and money on my Mardave  later. Waterproof is not a big concern, snow and ice would be the only potential hazard for that. I'll take a look for Futaba and FlySky sources around New England. 👍

[78Triumph 2610]

My cheap FlySky transmitter has outlasted my Futaba.   They're decent and if you want to add more cars to your fleet you can just buy a cheap 10 dollar flysky receiver since the transmitter can be used with multiple receivers.  So basically you only need one transmitter for up to ten cars!

[Robinho 0]

Awesome, which model is that? 

[Robinho 0]

On 5/10/2020 at 7:35 PM, Frog Jumper said:

My recommendation, from having rebuilt my original Frog, is buy a re-release MB and go crazy on that. 

Clean up and rebuild your original MB, but put it in a shelf and reminisce.

Terry

 

 

 

 

 

Should've listened and shelved the MB, I'm quickly disappearing down a gearbox and shocks rabbit hole. 🙈

[Kitzbuehel74 146]

On 5/11/2020 at 12:35 AM, Frog Jumper said:

My recommendation, from having rebuilt my original Frog, is buy a re-release MB and go crazy on that. 

Clean up and rebuild your original MB, but put it in a shelf and reminisce.

Terry

 

 

 

 

 

+1 for this, I have recently finished restoring my original Blackfoot and have decided to shelve it - bought a new kit as a runner.  You can still choose to upgrade the heck out of the re-re!

[axel68 23]

18 hours ago, Robinho said:

Should've listened and shelved the MB, I'm quickly disappearing down a gearbox and shocks rabbit hole. 🙈

Curious as to what challenges you are running into? I am planning on starting the exact same project (vintage MB).

[Robinho 0]

3 hours ago, axel68 said:

Curious as to what challenges you are running into? I am planning on starting the exact same project (vintage MB).

Ended up buying all new comms and steering servo (originals were shot), new batteries with charger as my old one would no longer take a charge added to the fact that I now live in the states and my UK charger was incompatible. The original shocks no longer function properly, too one apart and the fibre had expanded to fill half the chamber so have purchased new shocks (still waiting for delivery, covid delay no doubt). Disassembled the gearbox, cleaned, regreased and rebuilt and the diff still slips like I remembered from way back, I see there's a ball diff upgrade available for $65 but that's a bitter pill to swallow, I bought the drive shaft upgrade and fitted them but they're no use until the diff is functional. 

I feel I'm in deep enough now that I need to keep going but the pace is slowing to long term project. 

[axel68 23]

On 6/15/2020 at 6:53 PM, Robinho said:

Ended up buying all new comms and steering servo (originals were shot), new batteries with charger as my old one would no longer take a charge added to the fact that I now live in the states and my UK charger was incompatible. The original shocks no longer function properly, too one apart and the fibre had expanded to fill half the chamber so have purchased new shocks (still waiting for delivery, covid delay no doubt). Disassembled the gearbox, cleaned, regreased and rebuilt and the diff still slips like I remembered from way back, I see there's a ball diff upgrade available for $65 but that's a bitter pill to swallow, I bought the drive shaft upgrade and fitted them but they're no use until the diff is functional. 

I feel I'm in deep enough now that I need to keep going but the pace is slowing to long term project. 

I get it

I just started to disassembled my MB the other evening and everything seems to be in decent shape. I too will be upgrading the electronics, and stripping and re-painting the body. Mine too is a long term project. Be sure to post some pictures of your MB.