Evo Inspired Gen 1 Chassis Mod
 

Mission: Get those Gen 1 batteries as low as possible using basic stock components and custom chassis.

1. Holes cut for Gen 1 battery holders (not entirely smooth cuts)
http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a2...2/CIMG5216.jpg
http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a2...2/CIMG5220.jpg

2. File battery holder beveled edges WAY down nearly to battery contact tabs to fit snug in the chassis cut-outs. Once holders in place, secure using a fine line of hot glue.
http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a2...2/CIMG5226.jpg

3. Modify steering servo to accept new servo arm.
a. This involves filing down the tabs on either side of the servo horn.
b. Then one must find the new "center position" for a side-lying servo.
c. Cut a shaft off the rear upper deck for the new servo arm.
d. The new servo arm fit directly over the old servo arm and is secured
using a longer screw.
e. Use another long screw for the tab that turns the tierod.
http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a2...2/CIMG5221.jpg

4. Mount the servo on the upper plate using double sided foam tape. (no movement noted after many races and crashes)
http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a2...2/CIMG5222.jpg

5. Mount the electronics board on top of the servo and rx to the uppper plate using the same double sided foam tape. (vertical mounting to either side of the servo attempted, however not enough length in rx wire to allow)
http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a2...2/CIMG5223.jpg

6. Put batteries in and screw in upper plate. (not pretty, but functional)
http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a2...2/CIMG5234.jpg

Extra pics:
http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a2...2/CIMG5237.jpg
http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a2...2/CIMG5239.jpg

Had to use 11 tooth pinion and white gear to allow for proper spacing and mesh.
Amazingly it runs great and steers fine with no binding or problems.
Check-out the blue Subaru WRX in Xmods of Tulsa 3 video.

YouTube Video

That's **** slick! How tighter is the steering? Longer servo arm, more servo travel, tighter turns?

dude that is pretty sick, what is that material?

awesome car, that chassis came out pretty good, is that dope in the background music on the video?

Thanks for the compliments. I've been working on this on and (mostly) off since July '07. Haven't had much time to really refine everything. Just made if functional.

I usually install the tight turns resistor mod on all of my cars. That's not really needed on this one.

Texan, the steering is ridiculously tight. The longer servo arm max's-out touching on the center shaft holder.

Mustang, the material is similar to that of a pc electronics board. McCarder is what I was told it is. Extremely stiff stuff!!

Suicide, yes thats Dope.

Looks aswome!!! I like the hole style of it,looks like it'll also be really fast on the track,with all the tight turns and all...

It looks like a lypo aluminum plate, except that its been extended all the way back...

Rdkrt, which i actually havnt seen in a while, was trying to design something over the rear lower deck, because that is the only piece they do not make in aluminum...Since this does cover that area as well, if this was made out of something like aluminum (What you made it out of is fine, but prob not as light, and wont tie in the entire aluminum look very well) you could probably sell a ton of these...

Seems cool. It would work great with Li-Po batteries and a smaller board/servo...

But with stock stuff, I don't see much point, since you left the stuff in the plastic (heavy), and it pretty much raised the COG..

That is sick!!!!!!!!!!!! can you fit bodies over it or is it too tall???????? Great Job:)

Right now I'm fitting the Subaru body over it as you can see in the video posted above.

Even though the servo and electronics board are high, the car does not flip at stage 2 WOT and turning. Whereas, a normal Gen 1 chassis with soft or foam tires would flip on almost every turn after getting up to speed.

In fact, I've been running the sticky foam tires and soft slicks on my rcp track with this chassis and experiencing nice handling and cornering.

When I run the track pictured in the video from post #1, I have to change the front tires to hard slicks to prevent flipping. Thus allowing for a little front end push because we generally have more track to get going faster.

All in all, the batteries on the bottom hold the car down a little better. I wouldn't mind throwing a set of lipo's on that thing. That may be my next venture.

Cool project. The batteries are the bulk of the chassis weight so you could mount the boards even higher and not effect your cog as much. Great conversion here. If you do lipos, you might consider some sort of ballast weight to keep the cog where it is.

Good point about about keeping the COG low and intact if lipo's are used. I just hate to add weight, but I see why it might be necessary.

That looks sick! Is the turning much better now?

that subi went insane throughout the whole video. the crashing reminded me of darkenblades pool bashing days.i love track and i give 85% thumbs-up 2 the driving and the subi 100%.

Turning is much better. So much so, that I have to turn the steering trim down 1 -1/2 turn or it's too much.

The car flies! I would like to get a set of lipo's and a gen 2 electronics board. Can you image?

I could sell you a gen 1 elctronics board for pretty cheap, Just missing the light holder white things, and a capictor, Pm me if you want.
Btw, thats a pretty sick mod, I dont think I could do it.

It looks good, but IMO, its too much work getting the batts down that low, and just raising the board and stuff that high. If you look at an MR-015 (?) the battery setup is quite similar to that of a gen1 xmod. The only problem is, the xmods batterys sit almost a quarter inch off the ground in my *project* (lol, teasers coming not to long) I just filed the hinges off the battery holders, dropped it down maybe 1/8-3/16's of an inch down, and called it.

I'm running Intellect cells at 750mah, stiff springs all around, and a 42t Neo's pattern wound motor, and 2wd the handling was improved, not majorly. Corner speed and understeer were improved, but not to Mini-Z standards. I'm looking to the tite turnz and tie rod modification to fix the understeer problems.

It looks great, and the turn system is excellent, but the motor, elecs and servo are still waiting upstairs for a drop. Good luck.

Later,
RedSXmodder

I agree, the board that high up is not optimal. At one point in the project, I had the servo sitting on top of the board, but obviously it didn't work. The servo arm was not long enough to fit in the tierod groove.

If I was any good at soldering, I would snip the wires from the rx and elongate them to allow the board to sit vertical on one side and rx flat on the other. Unfortunately after several years and much jacked-up xmod gear, I've learned my limitations. I'll let you soldering pro's handle those special jobs.