MY Monster Beetle is broken -- AGAIN

btsai · December 21, 2005

Well, I'm back. Haven't had much time to check the forums or play around with the Monster Beetle. Finally had a chance to run a couple battery packs worth through it.

Differential seems to be working as best I can telll, but the new problem is that the half shafts (dog bones) are spinning inside the cup area of the wheel shafts. Tried turning one of the dog bones around and that helped -- but only for a minute. I think the inside of the cups are wearing away. I know these things weren't this fragile when new...

So, any solutions out there? Any ever get brave enough and cut slots in the cups on both sides (diff side and wheel side) so that you could run more modern half shafts with the pins?

Thanks again...

kontemax · December 21, 2005

New Frog have modern shafts and cups. You will mount them as spares.

Max

btsai · December 22, 2005

Are the parts available separately anywhere on line yet? I see the Frog being sold. How about the parts as you describe?

Thanks.

billg4 · December 22, 2005

buy a Frog and part it out, you'll make most of your money back and have a more reliable foot

mymonsterbeetleisbroken · December 22, 2005

nice title []

i'd bet good money that "modelbuild" will be stocking up on frogs and breaking them up for bits, they seem to do that with many other kits creating an excellent spare parts service for vintage tamiyas.

if you can wait long enough, parts should turn up []

btsai · December 23, 2005

Hi MMBIB. Figured you'd chime in. So is "modelbuild" a web site or a user here on the forum, or???

Acto-Tuned · December 23, 2005

Modelbuild is a uK based eBay store. I haven't used them myself but they usually have an interesting selection of parts.

You really should check them out since they currently have the Monster Beetle Joint shafts (both long and short).

My brother used some Kyosho TF-4 universals for his Frog and they worked out fine (some modification was perhaps necessary but I canâ€™t remember).

OCD · December 23, 2005

quote:Originally posted by Acto-Tuned
You really should check them out since they currently have the Monster Beetle Joint shafts (both long and short).

id="quote">id="quote">

I saw that- what's the diffence between the long and the short? (besides length) Is one set for the Frog/Brat?

Acto-Tuned · December 23, 2005

I donâ€™t have any Frog based car but after checking the manual here on Tamiyaclub I would say that the short joint shaft is for the transmission. I think Tamiya calls it gearbox joint today. And the long joint shafts are what are now known as a rear wheel axle.

Somebody please correct me if Iâ€™m wrong but I feel pretty certain I got it right.

OCD · December 23, 2005

Pretty much what I was thinking.. but, are the Frog and Blackfoot axles the same?

(hold that thought- I've got both models here so I will check real quick...)

HunterZero · December 24, 2005

Yes, Frog and Monster Beetle/Blackfoot drive shafts are all the same.

Short joint shaft is the gearbox joint, long joint shaft is the axle and half shaft is the dogbone.

Normally, the problem is that the corners of the hex ends on the half shafts wear out. Are you sure the problam is with the joint shafts?

- James

btsai · December 24, 2005

Hunter Zero -- yes, I'm sure. While the corners of the hex ends are a bit worn, I can tell the cups are wearing because if I just assemble them by hand (not on the car), the half shafts spin freely when pushed all the way into the cup. If I back them out a bit they are actually farily tight. I could put a little something inside the cup area of the shafts to keep the half shafts from bottoming out in the cup area, but then I'd be afraid that I would be stressing some of the arm/chassis mounts for the suspension. (Because I would be forcing the trailing arms to push out a little bit.) Hope you follow what I mean...

Ben

jimbo858 · December 24, 2005

I saw these posts before. I hope this helps. I just ordered the cups that go into the gearbox and the axles that hold the wheels on. So, I'm pretty sure that this will work.

http://www.tamiyaclub.com/xforum/topic.asp...foot,shaft,ta02

http://www.customrcmodels.com/id95.htm

mymonsterbeetleisbroken · December 24, 2005

if modelbuild do get the new frog bits on stock i'd highly recommend them, i've used them many times for tamiya bits and their service is excellent! good luck fixing your beetle, and merry xmas everyone!

btsai · December 24, 2005

That custom RC system is nice but $99! I could almost buy an RTR Stampede for that much... (well -- at least get closer...)...

Thanks for the info! I'll check out ModelBuild too...

btsai · December 28, 2005

Had another thought -- wouldn't the pieces from a Super Blackfoot just drop right in? I know the King Blackfoot had wider suspension arms, so the dogbones for that were probably longer, but the Super Blackfoot pieces should fit, right? I can a find all the parts on the web -- unfortunately with shipping it would cost something like $50 or $60 to get them all. But IF Tower or someone starts carrying the new Frog pieces, then I think I'd be able to get all the parts from ONE source and get it all (including shipping) for closer to $25-$35...

billg4 · December 28, 2005

quote:Originally posted by btsai
Had another thought -- wouldn't the pieces from a Super Blackfoot just drop right in? I know the King Blackfoot had wider suspension arms, so the dogbones for that were probably longer, but the Super Blackfoot pieces should fit, right? I can a find all the parts on the web -- unfortunately with shipping it would cost something like $50 or $60 to get them all. But IF Tower or someone starts carrying the new Frog pieces, then I think I'd be able to get all the parts from ONE source and get it all (including shipping) for closer to $25-$35...

id="quote">id="quote">

No

Super uses king sized parts, maybe a twin det/dagger dogbone would fit

terry.sc · December 28, 2005

The Super Blackfoot has a completely different rear end, a new gearbox (same as the Bush Devil) and double wishbone rear suspension. The actual dogbones are almost twice the length of the Monster Beetle ones.

jimbo858 · December 28, 2005

quote:Originally posted by btsai
Had another thought -- wouldn't the pieces from a Super Blackfoot just drop right in? I know the King Blackfoot had wider suspension arms, so the dogbones for that were probably longer, but the Super Blackfoot pieces should fit, right? I can a find all the parts on the web -- unfortunately with shipping it would cost something like $50 or $60 to get them all. But IF Tower or someone starts carrying the new Frog pieces, then I think I'd be able to get all the parts from ONE source and get it all (including shipping) for closer to $25-$35...

id="quote">id="quote">

see this previous post...

http://www.tamiyaclub.com/xforum/topic.asp...foot,shaft,ta02

I've got these parts on order. So, I'll know for sure in a few days. BTW, the Super Blackfoot and the King Blackfoot have 70mm dog bone shafts.

btsai · December 29, 2005

One more question -- what kind of lube should I have inside my diff?

MikeT · January 3, 2006

Personally, i'd buy the custom RC conversion, as he's just a moddler liek us, trying to supply us with helpful mods to our cars, which must be a problem spot.

As for the diff, i'd use tamiya lube, or something meant for a differential.

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MY Monster Beetle is broken -- AGAIN

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