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| Cool But Not Perfect, Yet; fixing the engineering flaws | |
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| Topic Started: Dec 22 2007, 02:29 PM (4,130 Views) | |
| alaskadf300 | Mar 17 2008, 06:55 PM Post #101 |
Making Trax!
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Correction, still can't find a way to share "blizzin.avi".
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| "Rule #1, Never Run It where People Walk Dogs!" | |
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| kenchoco | Mar 17 2008, 08:42 PM Post #102 |
Worthy of the Trax!
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COOL....... |
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| alaskadf300 | Mar 28 2008, 07:52 PM Post #103 |
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Making Trax!
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Finally got it to upload...... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YeI4acrTEEI |
| "Rule #1, Never Run It where People Walk Dogs!" | |
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| Lonestar | Mar 31 2008, 01:23 AM Post #104 |
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Swayed by the Trax
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It's ridiculously uncontrollable but I love it! Amazing what a VLB shell can do, eh?
 Good job  Paul |
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| alaskadf300 | Mar 31 2008, 07:12 AM Post #105 |
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Making Trax!
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Thanks, yes it was pretty out of control that first time  . I have since gained more driving practice and re-programmed the ESC to far lower settings.
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| alaskadf300 | Apr 10 2008, 11:27 PM Post #106 |
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Making Trax!
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Well, the re-programming didn't make any difference in power reduction or controllability. It seems to still lauch hard and wheelie across the yard jumping along as it wishes. Don't get me wrong, this is HUGE fun, and it now seems as though runtime has increased as well. I tore it down to the inner gears today and looked for any signs of excessive wear etc.. No evidence of the brushless system causing problems whatsoever, great news. Now for the bad news, all the jumping I've been doing has snapped off one of the tiny fragile pins that locates the suspension arm. I'll rig up something to get it through the rest of winter, it was running a wheel short on one side at full throttle without any negative effect. I really can't wait to toss all the plastic parts into a bin this Summer when I fab new aluminum components. |
| "Rule #1, Never Run It where People Walk Dogs!" | |
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| alaskadf300 | Apr 13 2008, 10:51 AM Post #107 |
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Making Trax!
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Last night may well have been the last run for the "vanizzard", it's looking like the snow is going to melt.  I can finally say that I can drive now, it ran through both battery packs and I never had to leave my position and unstick her. I also made an alteration to the airflow design. The battery was getting pretty warm, trapped inside the tupperware and the rear vent kept trying to clog up with snow from wheelies. Now the air enters the filter, and as before, hits the motor first then flows across the ESC, but now it goes up into the battery box and flows out three half inch holes in the sides of the box. This works perfectly as it maintains constant flow, but prevents the battery from ever getting anything but warm. My temporary fix of the busted suspension mount also held and the spring stayed put. I'm very glad that I got a blizzard, it's not often that an outdoor winter activity keeps a smile on your face, even as your fingers are numbing from the cold.
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| jitterymonkey | Apr 15 2008, 08:29 AM Post #108 |
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Swayed by the Trax
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You can't run it without snow? I want one,not only for the snow,but also high grass and mud. Love yours by the way
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| alaskadf300 | Apr 15 2008, 06:08 PM Post #109 |
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Making Trax!
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Thank you, it was definitely worth the wait and the work I put in. No, you don't have to have snow, I've seen folks run them in sand, I just wanted something that never got dirty and really flew. |
| "Rule #1, Never Run It where People Walk Dogs!" | |
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| alaskadf300 | Apr 25 2008, 11:19 PM Post #110 |
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Making Trax!
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 It snowed!!!!!!!!!!!!, It runs again.
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| "Rule #1, Never Run It where People Walk Dogs!" | |
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| outcastrc | Apr 26 2008, 03:43 AM Post #111 |
Administrator
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| alaskadf300 | May 2 2008, 09:22 AM Post #112 |
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Making Trax!
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Running that last time was a total disaster, the snow was way too wet and unsupportive. I hit the throttle and it sank like a rock, it's now moth-balled for the Summer with the tracks and springs removed. |
| "Rule #1, Never Run It where People Walk Dogs!" | |
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| Rubbaneck | Dec 15 2008, 08:46 AM Post #113 |
Swayed by the Trax
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Is this beast still alive? |
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| Cross | Dec 16 2008, 09:38 AM Post #114 |
Swayed by the Trax
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This thread has some great ideas. You addressed a lot of the issues I did not like about the blizzard. I have been debating what to get a newer Blizzard or a DX. Then the idea of building my own has crossed my mind. I want to go with a scale model of a snowcat. Having a full aluminum tub/chassis like you built was the first thing I had in mind. Having a screaming fast cat is not my goal. I am considering running two motors one for each track giving it true cat like control. The biggest thing stopping me from building from scratch is getting a body for it. If I built one from scratch I would want to go a little bigger than what the blizzards are. i just wish I had a good hobby shop nearby so I could browse all the various parts to see what I could use to make a cat. Great thread and write up on all the improvements you have made. |
| Kyosho Blizzards are not discontinued and still available click here | |
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| RCrunner789 | Dec 20 2008, 10:05 PM Post #115 |
Worthy of the Trax!
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all you need now is a dog to try and chase it and it would prolly drive better because u dont want the dog to get it it will just take some getting used to thats all. :duh: |
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| alaskadf300 | Jan 11 2009, 10:32 PM Post #116 |
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Making Trax!
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Well, I had charged up four batteries and was all ready to run it when all of a sudden, it got super cold around here. This has lasted for weeks, but now the cold-snap has ended. I hope to see how my suspension tuning and ESC tweaks have helped. I really wanted to get out there, but the lows at night were -18F to -35F on the east side of Anchorage. This week is supposed to be snow and in the twenties. |
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| galaxiex | Jan 18 2009, 09:21 AM Post #117 |
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Swayed by the Trax
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alaskadf300, Awesome blizzard build you have there. I just got mine and have run it once stock. I see the need for a brushless upgrade. I am a little confused about exactly what you did to the suspension, not the rear track adjustment setup, but the other 3 wheels. Some kind of different springs? Could you post pictures showing how they are setup? Thanks! BTW, I used to live in the Yukon, Grew up in Whitehorse, lived there for 13 years, 1964 to 1977. Made a few trips to Alaska, awesome country! Def, the best place to own a Blizzard! |
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| galaxiex | Jan 18 2009, 01:46 PM Post #118 |
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Swayed by the Trax
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Ok, another question... I don't like the stock suspension, it seems stiff and the wheels do not flex very smoothly, also the front wheel suspension travel is "backwards", that is, it flexes forward, rather than to the rear like the others. Should the front wheels flex to the rear, like the others? Or is it made this way (flex to the front) because that is how it's done on the full scale machines? Seems to me, having the front wheels flex to the rear would give a smoother ride. 
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| RCrunner789 | Jan 22 2009, 07:58 PM Post #119 |
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Worthy of the Trax!
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vary good question i havent really noticed that but now that you mention it ill check it out |
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| Cross | Jan 23 2009, 04:29 PM Post #120 |
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Swayed by the Trax
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Does having the wheels flex to the front help keep tension on the tracks? If it moved backwards I could see the tracks coming loose and falling off. |
| Kyosho Blizzards are not discontinued and still available click here | |
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| galaxiex | Jan 23 2009, 05:22 PM Post #121 |
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Swayed by the Trax
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Possibly... but you are only likely to throw a track while making sharp turns, and then only on a high traction surface. Not too likely on snow. Not likely to throw a track while going straight. |
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| RCrunner789 | Jan 25 2009, 01:38 AM Post #122 |
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Worthy of the Trax!
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im in process of making my own set of metal trax i have all i need now i just need to measure drill tap and screw im thinking about making a 1/5 scale with a briggs n tratton engine got too many of these things sittin around workshop now i just have to figure out the cost and get the rest of the parts hey any one now how i can start my own topic so i can keep all posted without having to bug others threads |
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| galaxiex | Feb 26 2009, 11:29 AM Post #123 |
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Swayed by the Trax
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I tried to start a new topic for this, but got a page that says I am not allowed??? Oh well, here is a little onboard video from my Blizzard... http://www.vimeo.com/3374581 |
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| galaxiex | Mar 9 2009, 08:54 PM Post #124 |
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Swayed by the Trax
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Here is another vid of driving the Blizzard by camera. I added some lights so I could drive at night! http://www.vimeo.com/3552631 |
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