Jump to content
Clodbusterfan

Upgrading a Blackfoot while building it.

Recommended Posts

I am going to build a Tamiya Blackfoot but want to upgrade the parts while I am building. Such as all the parts that may break easily, ball bearings, shocks, ESC, motor, and the drivetrain. What do you guys recommend for me?  Sorry I am a newbie!

I was thinking this motor but not sure on an ESC... any ideas?

https://www.tamiyausa.com/shop/electronics/rc-motor-23t-brushed-540-2/rs540-sport-tuned/

Is the drivetrain necessary since this motor is only a 23T? I was thinking the MIP super ball diff if its needed....

Thank you guys for all the help!

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

If it’s OG, replace the shocks with ReRe shocks. 

i would also replace the rear drive hubs with alloy. 

i have a million others things that can help. Ask away...

Terry

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

The MIP will let you go brushless, but I wouldn’t go more than 2250 or so...

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I dont need to go brushless. This will be a brand new Blackfoot straight out of the box. What do you recommend for an ESC if I use that Tamiya motor? Do I need aftermarket shocks for this guy? Should I buy ball bearings from tower hobbies? What else needs to be done? I am willing to put the money into it. I don't need it super fast just a little better than stock.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

OK, upgrading a ReRe BF for street and backyard bashing.

Ball bearings all around.  The BF uses 1150 bearings in all places except inside the Transmission.  You'll need (2) 850 bearings there.  Buy lots of extra 1150 bearings for your wheels.  As they get dirty and worn, you'll want to replace them.

1.  ReRe shocks are OK.  You can upgrade but no need, IMO.
2.  ESC = the included Tamiya TBLE02 is fine for #3, and can do brushless in the future.  It is not waterproof, so if you need that, look into HobbyWing.
3.  Black Sports Tuned brushed motor.  If you want brushless, no more that about 2250.
4.  Front end:  Look for Parma blue Blackfoot "zero bump-steer" knuckles.  They help so much.  There is a 3D printed version on Shapeways you can order, if you can't find the rare Parma part.  Center Steering Servo Mod is nice.  And upgrade the steering rods with turnbuckles.  
5.  Chassis:  CRP made a wide variety of upgrades for the BF.  I like the front bumper, the front chassis plate, and rear chassis plate.  My favorite upgrade from CRP is the CRP shock bracing is a great upgrade (#1622, #1623, #1624).  These will work with the BF rear body mounts, so no need to find the increasingly rare #1627.  But these aren't "required".  A lot of these have been reproduced on Shapeways, or are still easy to find (#1622).  Nerf bars (side bars) are cool.  Ebay has a variety of different one.  I recommend one so your rear tire doesn't get caught on anything.
6.  Ok, this is the tough parts...  Rear end:  The BF tranny has a known flaw, in that after a few runs, the gear get broken in and the tranny starts to *click*.  This is b/c the side plates will bow out under pressure allowing the gears to separate slightly.  THere are a variety of fixes.  The simplest and cheapest is to add 0.1mm shims inside the tranny until the click goes away.  The most expensive would be the MIP diff.  Even more expensive than that is the vintage Thorp system.  If you have access to a friend that has tools and is very handy, you can try the OldFrogShot Mod, which essentially screws the two haves together so they don't separate.  A past TS user names Mike Heald (mheald) made a plastic plate that you could bolt onto the outside that solved the problem, but he hasn't posted since late last year...
7.  Some BF drivers have reported that the rear universal CVA drive sometimes comes out of the drive cup.  The remedy for this is the 2005 Frog Dogbone drive system.  You may also need to add a 3mm spacer inside the rear damper to prevent the arm from rotating so far down that it pulls the drive out of the cup.  This is my next project on my BarbieFoot 2...

I'm sure I'll think of more stuff...  And lots of other people can add lots of other advise...

Terry

 

  • Like 2

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
11 minutes ago, Clodbusterfan said:

Where do I get the turnbuckles for the front and the 2005 Frog Dogbone drive system?

You can find turnbuckles at most hobby shops.  It just a threaded rod that has the threading reversed on one end.  And the length will depend on what kind of servo horn you use, how you position your servo, the knuckles, etc.  I've used DuBro turnbuckles in the past.  The 1-5/8" long ones are good b/c you can cut off any excess.

Currently, I'm using Duratrax 4mm turnbuckles, since they are a little more beefy than the DuBro, but I had to buy several different length pairs until I got them the length I liked.  Luckily, I'm able to use them on my other cars.

As for the 2005 Frog dogbones, this is what you want:  https://ebay.us/4hUfoU

I'm not sure you can buy these as a "official" set from Tamiya.  I bought this exact set from this exact ebay sellfer for my daughters Blackfoot just last week.  

Terry

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Just curious, why do you immediately want to upgrade the ESC if you're not going brushless?  The TBLE02 is a very capable ESC.  I would think you'd get minimal, if any benefit from upgrading the ESC on a blackfoot basher out of the gate.  My best recommendation is to start small and upgrade as you find things that bother you.  But as already noted, I would do ball bearings straight away as well as a MIP ball diff which I did as I built my rere-blackfoot.  Then if you get serious about things and steering is bothering you, upgrade that.  So on and so forth.  As my old boss used to say, "Don't try and boil the ocean"

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Hi, the rere BF comes with universals, as per step 16 in the manual: 

49925692387_ddff853369_b.jpg

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I upgrade to bearings on all models, otherwise do minimal hopups. If you go crazy you are better off buying s better kit to start with.

For the Monster Beetle/Blackfoot I found that the MIP ball diff is essential, the stock diff didn't last with a silvercan on NiMH. Otherwise I find its a great runnee out of the box and like how it handles. I run silvercan with a 2S lipo now, using the TBLE-02S and its great. No other upgrades are necessary for a fun runner.

Thats just me though and I know there are a lot of upgrades out there and I'm sure they'll improve it, but its a 1985 model so is meant to bounce around!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

James: I heard that something with the axles on the Blackfoot and Monster Beetle are messed up and pop out of place or something. Thats why I asked about them.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
4 hours ago, Clodbusterfan said:

Are these the bearings that I should buy?

https://www.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?I=LXJTSF&P=ML

 

The other option is to just buy 1150 and 850 bearings, pretty sure its 8 1150s and 2 850s. For the price of tgat pack you would get 10 of each bearing, which gives you spares and they are common sizes so you can use them on your next build too. I buy Yeah Racing bearings from rcmart and keep a supply of them, adding them to orders when I get low. If you will only build a couple of kits the money saving is marginal so probably not worth the hassle, but spares are useful

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Where do i get the CRP Parts?

I have 2 of the 3 nessecery Parts and need the last Parts.

I do not find anything on Ebay.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

×
×
  • Create New...