My biggest undertaking so far.
This is a model hovercraft kit I have just received.
It looks to be both a unique and challenging build.
You can find out more about the kit here.
Testing my team C Jekyll buggy. I am impressed with the performance but it is overheating my esc so I need to sort that out.
13×3 Orion Motor.
Mtroniks 10t limit sniper esc
8.4v 5100 Orion Rocket Pack Nimh
Spektrum DSM radio.
Here you can see the Jekyll doing a little wall riding. This is with a 7.2v battery pack.
When I first saw this kit on modelsport I was intrigued. It was only £39 and I wanted to know just how good a car you would get for the price. You have to supply your own Electronic Speed Controller, Servo, Receiver and Motor bringing the total minimum build price to around £70- £80. I spent a bit more as I wanted to but some more decent bits in it.
The packaging and parts were a decent quality considering the price and the manual was easy to follow. This would make a nice inexpensive first kit.
Things I used to complete the build:
It seems I made a bad choice with the esc as the 13×3 motor seems to overheat it very easily, I am looking into a solution for that. On top of this I melted a battery connector to the esc so I ordered some traxxas connectors to deal with the current.
Soldering the new connectors
I also ordered a set of UK buggy bearings to ball race the kit. These replaced the bronze bushings that come as standard.
I do intend to replace my battery connectors with deans but the reason I went with a traxxas in this instance is I got this rocket pack battery in a sale. Its a 5100Mah 8.4 V Orion Rocket pack and really makes the thing go.
The bad thing is its too big for the battery compartment so I have to tape it in each time!
In summary this kit is easy to build, robust and well its cheap enough to buy a second one for a complete set of spare parts. I will upload some videos of it in action soon!
My stock 17.5 Thunder tiger smoked out last week so I have replaced it with an orion 12×2 motor.
Modelsport is currently selling orion motors at half price.
I am tempted to pick up some more as spares.
Today I took my Twin Hammers to the local skate park. It gets some nice height on the jump there, much more than my other cars.
Here is a highlight clip from the session. I have much more video footage also including my micro short course truck to upload later.
It’s getting pretty blue with hop ups now. I can now set the camber on all 4 wheels. Not played with it too much but will adjust it for drifting.
A short video of my first drive with the Twin Hammers Rock Crawler / Buggy.
I was not going full throttle as I was only driving with one hand and this was towards the end of the battery.
Its great fun to drive and I was surprised at how often it wheelies from a standstill. It is very easy to tip over at speed and therefore requires much more brake control than most vehicles.
Last time I was out with this buggy a gear stripped and I later found out the gears were not meshing properly. When my ball-race bearings arrived I took the car apart upgraded it and re-meshed the gears. Its now running at a decent pace and it great fun to drive!
I was filming in one hand and steering with the other which is way the steering’s a little crazy.
Today I fitted a part aluminium ball joint steering upgrade to my TT01 chassis. This replaces the stock steering track which is all plastic and screwed in. This upgrade has improved steering control which is especially handy when drifting.
The upgrade item is a 3Racing Steering Track. It says it is for the TT01E but comes with the parts also needed to fit it to the TT01.
New steering track in action.
Shane's Shed 