RE: What RC-related plans do you have this weekend?
Dust off and build my Tamiya kit. Haven't had much time to touch it, and I have a lot left to work on. That, and maybe test and tinker with some other cars.
Posted on: 8/12/2012 8:18 AM by Author "TornadoGuy" in the forum "RC Car General Discussions"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11190345

RE: Volcano exp brushless buggy
Sounds to me like it's a battery issue. If the battery isn't fully charged the car will accelerate intermittently. I experienced this with my Tornado before, after I let the battery sit for some time without being charged. The chargers RedCat provides take awhile to fully charge the battery. Give it a nice charge and see what happens. Good luck, Joe
Posted on: 7/17/2012 8:00 AM by Author "TornadoGuy" in the forum "RC Electric Off-Road Trucks, Buggies, Truggies and more"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11158562

RE: Tamiya Nissan R91CP Build Thread (High Resolution Pictures)
Thanks Vyger. I'll try to update soon, I have been pretty busy. Joe
Posted on: 7/11/2012 2:11 PM by Author "TornadoGuy" in the forum "RC Electric On-Road vehicles, race cars and more"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11151708

RE: Coming soon, the next project... here's a teaser. :)
+1 on the Corrosion X. I too had badly rusted shafts on one of my vehicles, and the Corrosion X, along with some steel wool fixed the problem. The sprayed areas will be shielded from future rusting too. Speed X is also a good thing to try for lubrication, if you need it. It has a little more anti-wear and lubricating properties than the regular Corrosion X.
Posted on: 7/10/2012 3:28 PM by Author "TornadoGuy" in the forum "RC Car General Discussions"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11150491

RE: Tamiya Nissan R91CP Build Thread (High Resolution Pictures)
Here's just a few more: Steering Servo Arms with Futaba type Servo Saver attached. [IMG]http://i1138.photobucket.com/albums/n531/joekoda/025.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i1138.photobucket.com/albums/n531/joekoda/001.jpg[/IMG] The steering uprights have a shaft that goes through it, which is secured by a grub screw. Make sure that screw is secured. [IMG]http://i1138.photobucket.com/albums/n531/joekoda/014.jpg[/IMG] Both uprights completed. [IMG]http://i1138.photobucket.com/albums/n531/joekoda/015.jpg[/IMG] That's it for now, Joe
Posted on: 7/5/2012 7:38 PM by Author "TornadoGuy" in the forum "RC Electric On-Road vehicles, race cars and more"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11144713

RE: Tamiya Nissan R91CP Build Thread (High Resolution Pictures)
Thanks for the responses. I would love to run mine at the track, but then again, I'd need a new body. The original is way to much work, and just too plain nice to run.
Posted on: 7/4/2012 2:07 PM by Author "TornadoGuy" in the forum "RC Electric On-Road vehicles, race cars and more"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11143005

Tamiya Nissan R91CP Build Thread (High Resolution Pictures)
Tamiya recently Re-Released the Nissan R91CP. The car was originally made to commemorate Nissan's victory of the Daytona 24 hour race in 1992. The car feature's the same chassis as the original, with minor differences. Group C cars aren't all that popular on RCU, at least from what I can see, so I decided to dedicate a thread on building one of them. I am often busy, but I will do the best I can to keep this thread updated. Well, lets get started: Here's the complete package deal: The car, Futaba Radio System, all the paints, both Acrylics and Sprays, and a TEU-104 BK Speed Controller- Purchased from Tower Hobbies. [IMG]http://i1138.photobucket.com/albums/n531/joekoda/0012.jpg[/IMG] The first step of assembly is painting the wheels with Tamiya X-11 Chrome Silver Acrylic. I used two coats of it, to make sure I had full coverage. [IMG]http://i1138.photobucket.com/albums/n531/joekoda/023.jpg[/IMG] Here's is the fine-tip type brush I used. With a brush like this painting along the ridge is fairly easy. A steady hand and patience helps too. [:D] [IMG]http://i1138.photobucket.com/albums/n531/joekoda/005.jpg[/IMG] The Tires are finally ready for installation after that tedious painting! Double sided, clear tape, is used to secure the tires to the wheels. [IMG]http://i1138.photobucket.com/albums/n531/joekoda/010.jpg[/IMG] Below are two pictures of what can happen when applying the tires, snagging, or the tape catching the tire, should be avoided. How it should look. Notice how the tape is both smooth, and flat, between the wheel and tire. [IMG]http://i1138.photobucket.com/albums/n531/joekoda/009.jpg[/IMG] How it shouldn't Look, otherwise know as snagging. Notice the tape is sideways between the wheel and tire. Fix this fast, otherwise the tape can tear. [IMG]http://i1138.photobucket.com/albums/n531/joekoda/011.jpg[/IMG] Don't forget the SSR Racing sticker. [IMG]http://i1138.photobucket.com/albums/n531/joekoda/024.jpg[/IMG] Here they are, all the wheels are finally finished. It takes some time and effort to complete them, but the outcome sure pays off. [IMG]http://i1138.photobucket.com/albums/n531/joekoda/019-1.jpg[/IMG] Well, that's all for right now. I hope you enjoyed the build process so far. Joe
Posted on: 7/4/2012 8:58 AM by Author "TornadoGuy" in the forum "RC Electric On-Road vehicles, race cars and more"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11142625

RE: Grease For Rustler Differential
Thanks for all your input. I just finished re-installing the transmission and other components on the car. Now all it needs is a quick test drive to work everything in. Joe
Posted on: 5/28/2012 10:59 AM by Author "TornadoGuy" in the forum "RC Electric Off-Road Trucks, Buggies, Truggies and more"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11097438

Grease For Rustler Differential
After a few years of hard driving, I figured it was time to rebuild the transmission of my Rustler. I disassembled and cleaned the trans first, then I moved on to the diff. Once that was degreased of all the factory lubricant, I began to reassemble it. That leaves me here, contemplating my choices of grease to use. I have tons of it lying around, one of which is Super Lube. With that said, what did Taxxas originally put in the diff? It seems they want Thrust Bearing Grease to be used, because the Traxxas planetary gear set comes provided with that, yet Tower says to "[u]Not[/u]" use on planetary/ball diffs. [8|] Also, what should be used on the transmission gears (idler gear, drive gear, etc.)? I have seen many people on the internet using white lithium grease for these gears. Thanks, Joe
Posted on: 5/27/2012 1:25 PM by Author "TornadoGuy" in the forum "RC Electric Off-Road Trucks, Buggies, Truggies and more"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11096441

RE: My first Tamiya
Nice choice for you first Tamiya kit. I am surprised that they said the melted wheel wasn't their problem. I recently built their new Mercedes 190e TT-01E kit and the result was incredible. I don't even want to drive it, but if I don't, there was no point in buying it. My first Tamiya was a Hornet, and I have liked their cars ever since. Here's my Mercedes: [IMG]http://i1138.photobucket.com/albums/n531/joekoda/RCCarActionSubmissionPicture.jpg[/IMG] Have fun building it, Joe
Posted on: 4/29/2012 12:48 PM by Author "TornadoGuy" in the forum "RC Car General Discussions"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11061416

RE: The Hornet is Ready for Spring
Thank you crazy nick. It's nice to hear that this car brings back memories for you. My Hornet will always remain close to me because it was my first kit car, and made me get into the hobby even more than before I built it. Joe
Posted on: 4/15/2012 10:13 AM by Author "TornadoGuy" in the forum "RC Electric Off-Road Trucks, Buggies, Truggies and more"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11042835

RE: The Hornet is Ready for Spring
Thank you pritch. The blue isn't actually one of Tamiya's codes, instead it was store bought. It is Rustoleum Metallic paint and the color is Cobalt Blue Metallic. It can be purchased at Lowes or Home Depot. The code X13 (Tamiya) is the closest thing I could find to my actual color. Joe
Posted on: 4/14/2012 5:58 PM by Author "TornadoGuy" in the forum "RC Electric Off-Road Trucks, Buggies, Truggies and more"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11041789

RE: The Hornet is Ready for Spring
The stripes look great for being painted. Stickers can be very annoying sometimes. The tires on the rear are grasshopper tires. I feel they work better for me on pavement. Joe
Posted on: 4/14/2012 2:23 PM by Author "TornadoGuy" in the forum "RC Electric Off-Road Trucks, Buggies, Truggies and more"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11041828

The Hornet is Ready for Spring
Here is my freshly detailed, and painted Hornet. I love the way the metallic blue laid down, and it is a nice change from my other black body. I haven't seen many of these around here lately, so if any of you have a Hornet, post it if you'd like. Here are some pictures of it: [IMG]http://i1138.photobucket.com/albums/n531/joekoda/089.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i1138.photobucket.com/albums/n531/joekoda/002-1.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i1138.photobucket.com/albums/n531/joekoda/007.jpg[/IMG] Hornet Crawling Shot [8D] [IMG]http://i1138.photobucket.com/albums/n531/joekoda/093.jpg[/IMG] Joe
Posted on: 4/14/2012 1:06 PM by Author "TornadoGuy" in the forum "RC Electric Off-Road Trucks, Buggies, Truggies and more"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11041757

RE: 13 y.o. son looking for $200 basher
For the $200 price range I would look into the Traxxas Rustler XL-5. I have one, and let me tell you, it can handle off-road, rocky, and even grassy terrain. I don't know how important 4WD is to you, but the Rustler is only 2WD. For being a 2WD stadium Truck it handles the road well though. I upgraded mine to a brushless Velineon system, which takes it to nearly 50 mph, and it handles exceptionally well for that kind of speed. If I remember correctly, my radar gun clocked the car at a top speed of 25mph, stock. It seems fast, but a good suspension makes handling it easier. In the beginning you may also set the Speed Controller to 50% throttle to get a feel for the car. After that, set it to sport mode for the full potential of the car. Right now Tower Hobbies has the Rustler for $209 with a 7 cell battery and charger included. Just charge the battery and he will be ready to run. It is a great truck indeed, and can handle a good beating. Here's a link to the car: [link=http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXNJH9**&P=ML]Traxxas Rustler XL-5[/link] Enjoy, Joe
Posted on: 4/8/2012 6:26 PM by Author "TornadoGuy" in the forum "RC Car General Discussions"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11033694

RE: Duratrax Onyx Charger Question
Alright guver, thank you for the help. I am new to these Onyx chargers, so they can be a bit confusing. I am anxious for its arrival on Tuesday so I can get charging; those packs are tired after sitting for the winter. Joe
Posted on: 4/8/2012 6:07 PM by Author "TornadoGuy" in the forum "RC Electric Off-Road Trucks, Buggies, Truggies and more"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11033666

RE: Duratrax Onyx Charger Question
Thank you Guver for the quick response. So my 3600mah packs will require 2 charges, correct? What exactly do I do for that? Unplug the battery and plug it in right away, or unplug and wait and hour or so? Thanks again, Joe
Posted on: 4/8/2012 12:42 PM by Author "TornadoGuy" in the forum "RC Electric Off-Road Trucks, Buggies, Truggies and more"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11033338

Duratrax Onyx Charger Question
Recently, I just purchased a Duratrax Onyx 100 charger. I needed a small step up from the basic wall chargers that have come with my cars. As I looked through the manual I came across a chart that said batteries 2500mah-6000mah should be charged at 4A. Seemed fine until I read on further. In a small paragraph, they stated: "The AC power supply has a maximum power limitation that limits charge current to 2 amps maximum." I have an 8 cell battery, which the charger can handle, and many 6 cell batteries that are 2500mah-6000mah. In technical terms, they should be charged at 4A (according to Duratrax's chart). So knowing that the AC input has limitations now, does this mean that I can only charge these batteries at 2A, even though it they should be charged at 4A? If this is so, will the batteries still peak charge and achieve full power? How much longer will they take to charge at 2A? Thanks for all the help in advance, Joe
Posted on: 4/8/2012 12:19 PM by Author "TornadoGuy" in the forum "RC Electric Off-Road Trucks, Buggies, Truggies and more"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11033311

RE: Official Tamiya TT-01 Thread
That's a nice TT-01 chevyb. It reminds me of my Mercedes 190e kit I built over this summer (from behind). The result was so great, I have trouble getting myself to drive it. Now its sitting in the original box because NJ winters usually aren't On-Road RC friendly. Here it is: [IMG]http://i1138.photobucket.com/albums/n531/joekoda/RCCarActionSubmissionPicture.jpg[/IMG] Joe
Posted on: 1/7/2012 4:21 PM by Author "TornadoGuy" in the forum "RC Electric On-Road vehicles, race cars and more"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10896873

RE: Official Tamiya TT-01 Thread
Thanks for all of the complements on the car guys. It really is another classic design of German engineering. I mean, I'm an American classic car enthusiast, but when I saw this Mercedes-Benz, there was no question that I wanted it. I will try to enjoy it when I can, though there is no bashing this one! [:D] Joe
Posted on: 9/1/2011 6:03 PM by Author "TornadoGuy" in the forum "RC Electric On-Road vehicles, race cars and more"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10697557

RE: Official Tamiya TT-01 Thread
Well, I finished building my summer project not too long ago, so I decided to post some pictures of it. When I saw this car on Tower hobbies, I had to have it...the detail got me. [8D] It seems it isn't too common of a car, being that I haven't seen it on this thread, the rest of RCU, and in the magazines I subscribe to. So I thought to post some pics to give the car some well deserved attention. I ran the car only once, before the body was painted, as a preliminary test run. After the car was sprayed, and the small details were finished up, I can't get myself to run it. I guess I'm afraid of hitting a rock and flipping it. This car was an A+ job on Tamiya's part. Enjoy. [IMG]http://i1138.photobucket.com/albums/n531/joekoda/039.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i1138.photobucket.com/albums/n531/joekoda/040.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i1138.photobucket.com/albums/n531/joekoda/028.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i1138.photobucket.com/albums/n531/joekoda/026.jpg[/IMG] Joe
Posted on: 8/31/2011 6:08 PM by Author "TornadoGuy" in the forum "RC Electric On-Road vehicles, race cars and more"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10695858

RE: Centering RC Car Steering Servo
[quote]What servo are you using also? [/quote] [link=http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXH288&P=V]Futaba S3003 Servo Standard[/link] It is a bit tough to center the trim 6stringer. That was my problem. I did what you did, and counted the marks out. It turned out the center mark on my radio was a little big than the others, and had a line down the middle. Thanks a lot for the help. My main problem was getting that servo trim centered on the radio. So now I should get the car running straight. Joe
Posted on: 8/15/2011 5:08 PM by Author "TornadoGuy" in the forum "RC Car General Discussions"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10665505

Centering RC Car Steering Servo
Well, I just finished building Tamiya's new Mercedes 190e TT-01E kit. So today I took out the car for a first test run. I noticed the car had a pull to the left, so I adjusted the steering trim. After awhile, I noticed that the trim knob was set all the way to one side, and the car still pulled to the left. I know I adjusted it the right way, because when I turned the knob the other way, the car really pulled. So, this leads me to believe when I put on the servo it wasn't centered correctly. Now, my question is, how do I fix this problem? I know I must center the servo, but how can I be sure the steering trim knob is centered, and the servo is centered? Is there a method I don't know about, or are there any markings on the servo itself that help me align things properly? I am using a Futaba 2PH (FUTJ13) system; Radio, Receiver, Steering Servo etc. Thanks in advance for the help provided, Joe
Posted on: 8/10/2011 5:53 PM by Author "TornadoGuy" in the forum "RC Car General Discussions"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10664925

RE: Belt Drive Vs. Shaft Drive
Thanks a lot for all the information in your posts. From this, I will most likely choose a Shaft-Driven vehicle because of the faster acceleration, and better efficiency. Also, I wont be racing. [quote]How crazy are you going to get with the speed runs?[/quote] I think I will be leaving this one stock, as I already have a couple modified, faster, cars. Just the kind of speed runs up and down a parking lot with a radar gun is what I will be doing for the most part. Nothing too crazy. Thanks again for all the help, Joe
Posted on: 7/15/2011 7:37 AM by Author "TornadoGuy" in the forum "RC Electric On-Road vehicles, race cars and more"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10622287

Belt Drive Vs. Shaft Drive
Well, I have been on the market for a new RC car now. I already have two buggies and a stadium truck, so I am looking for something different; an On-Road car. My choices have been narrowed down to three groups of Tamiya Kit cars: 4WD Belt Drive On-Road 4WD On-Road Cars (TB03) 4WD On-Road Cars (TT01) Now, the problem is, I don't know which would be the best for my application. I will only drive the car on smooth, flat pavement; mainly doing speed runs. Here are some of the questions I need clearing up on: -Is the belt-drive with the ball-differential best? Or will a direct, shaft-driven car better suit my needs? -What is the real difference between them? Does one offer better handling, or speed than the other? Thanks for all the help, as I am new to On-Road cars. Joe
Posted on: 7/14/2011 2:32 PM by Author "TornadoGuy" in the forum "RC Electric On-Road vehicles, race cars and more"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10621285

RE: Tamiya RTR SVT Mustang Cobra
Thanks for the all of the helpful responses. When I saw this model, I guess I got a little too excited. Talking real cars, I enjoy the SVT, and Mach 1 Mustangs. So I was amazed when I saw scaled down version. I will look into a newer kit, with a better chassis. Joe
Posted on: 7/1/2011 11:22 PM by Author "TornadoGuy" in the forum "RC Car General Discussions"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10602376

RE: Tamiya RTR SVT Mustang Cobra
Thanks for the all of the helpful responses. I like the SVT, and Mach 1 Mustangs, so this scaled down RC model looked ideal. I even found a website that still has one. I guess it was just too good to be true. After hearing they are junk, I will probably look at building a newer chassis car, that isn't junk. Joe
Posted on: 7/1/2011 11:17 PM by Author "TornadoGuy" in the forum "RC Electric On-Road vehicles, race cars and more"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10602369

Tamiya RTR SVT Mustang Cobra
Well, I was just browsing Tamiya Club and a certain car caught my eye. As I scrolled through the showroom stats I saw the SVT Mustang. Next to the model name is listed the number of members with that car in their showroom. Only three members had this car in their showroom. At this point, I can only guess it is pretty rare. I mean, 300+ members have a Hornet in their showroom. So to my question. Is this car a rare find, and collectible? In other words, is it so hard to come by, that if there was one for sale, you would jump on it? Thanks in advance, Joe
Posted on: 7/1/2011 5:50 PM by Author "TornadoGuy" in the forum "RC Electric On-Road vehicles, race cars and more"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10602027

Tamiya RTR SVT Mustang Cobra
Well, I was just browsing Tamiya Club and a certain car caught my eye. As I scrolled through the showroom stats I saw the SVT Mustang. Next to the model name is listed the number of members with that car in their showroom. Only three members had this car in their showroom. At this point, I can only guess it is pretty rare. I mean, 300+ members have a Hornet in their showroom. So to my question. Is this car a rare find, and collectible? In other words, is it so hard to come by, that if there was one for sale, you would jump on it? Thanks in advance, Joe
Posted on: 7/1/2011 4:35 PM by Author "TornadoGuy" in the forum "RC Car General Discussions"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10601942

RE: Pictures of your redcats
Well, there are a lot of nice cars on here, so I decided to post mine. It is a RedCat Racing Tornado EPX. I have left it all stock, so on pavement, my top speed is about 19mph. As of right now though, it is sitting in its original box, because N.J. winters and that car don't mix all that well. Joe
Posted on: 1/15/2011 2:42 PM by Author "TornadoGuy" in the forum "Redcat Racing Support"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10265895