Axial EXO Terra Buggy Tech Tips

[Brandon]

I will be adding tech tips to this post as they become available. Please feel free to add anything you have found

Motor Mount Installation and Tips:
EXO Terra Buggy Build Tips: Motor Mount

Battery Tray Adjustment, How-To swap:
Axial EXO - How to swap batteries

Shock Building Tips:
Axial EXO Terra Buggy Tech Tips

[Jay-Em]

-The plastic motorslide works as well, or even better than the cast alu one. Only thing to watch out for is overheating the motor, as that will influence the mesh of the pinion on the spur, leading to pssible stripping.
You can use one of those fiber-insulators that come with Tamiya RC-kits, to isolate the motor from the slide, decreasing the risk of warping it through heat.

-For cooling, You can cut-out the bottoms of the rear-seats, and use fly-mesh to stick on the underside of the interior piece. That way no rubble can enter the insides, yet you'll still have decent cooling, especially if the fan of the ESC is close to the seats.

-there are little dimples in the top of the roll-cage. they are very useful when fitting lights, because the dimples can be used to fix tie-wraps on that spot, helping in very clean wiring. (Axial should have mentioned the purpose of the little dimples, and the "fork-thingy" on the inside of the cage. It took me some pondering and an "Aha-erlebnis" to realize what it was for.)

-Using the 20000 diff-oil all around, makes the EXO more planted in the rough stuff.

-Any 2.2 SC tire/wheel combi fits the EXO (thought I'd add hat, 'cause peeps were wondering)

-For those with little money left after buying the EXO, or those without a brushless set around: The EXO runs fine with a traxxas 12t 550 Titan, be it on 54/12 or 54/11 gearing. Not super fast, but I was amazed that it did, and didn't run very hot. 52/12 will make the Titan run a little hot, but that can be fixed by using a motor-fan.(could have been the high grass too.. )

[sockmonkey]

for the side body mount holes that are very very thin when reaming for screws, you can add some tiny washers under your screws. i found some that fit in the holes perfectly.

you can just see them in this pic.

[Brandon]

When building the stock shocks take extra care not to over-tighten the nut holding the pistons onto the shock shaft.

If these are too tight the piston will expand and bind inside the shock body. Barely snug is all it takes, the shocks will operate surprisingly smooth when this is done correctly.

[RickM]

I just tried posting this and it did not show up.

Anyone tried using pen springs to help center all the drive component dogbones? I wonder if this would at least get rid of some of the rattling.

Also the pins for the hub carriers seam to have set screws that strip easily. Anyone have any thoughts about running traxxas threaded pins?

[Chili]

Originally Posted by RickM

I just tried posting this and it did not show up.

Anyone tried using pen springs to help center all the drive component dogbones? I wonder if this would at least get rid of some of the rattling.

Also the pins for the hub carriers seam to have set screws that strip easily. Anyone have any thoughts about running traxxas threaded pins?

I used pensprings on a 1/18 vehicle, I quess they could work on this too, might get to that once I get my electronics sorted out.

[RCTagz]

Originally Posted by RickM

I just tried posting this and it did not show up.

Anyone tried using pen springs to help center all the drive component dogbones? I wonder if this would at least get rid of some of the rattling.

Also the pins for the hub carriers seam to have set screws that strip easily. Anyone have any thoughts about running traxxas threaded pins?

Instead of springs behind the dogbones, I've been using a 3mm slice of nitro fuel tubing with great success. Cheap and easy to replace if you lose them!

[srt6]

Well just got my exo built and first run slung a dog bone out the rear, really don't want any more camber in the rear to keep them in so i orderes some front 96mm to put in the rear

[Drew]

To keep the bearings front binding install spacers between the stub axle and small bearing.

I haven't found any off the shelf yet, but here are some basic dimensions needed.

.365" outside diameter .300" inside diameter .075" thick

[Dave C]

Originally Posted by Drew

To keep the bearings front binding install spacers between the stub axle and small bearing.

I haven't found any off the shelf yet, but here are some basic dimensions needed.

.365" outside diameter .300" inside diameter .075" thick

I did a test on mine and put a spacer to act as the wheel and cranked the nut on. Came to the conclusion that there is no binding what so ever and the spacer in between was a waste of time. A company making new aftermarket knuckles made a good and valid point that the outer bearings are too small for the car. I have ceramic bearings on the way so I will be testing those out once my traxass bearings fail. The spacer idea is not a bad idea but its just not going to fix the problem unfortunately. Better bearings seem to be lasting longer on my car. I even put a set of new stock ones in the rear driverside knuckle and they still failed before my Traxxas bearings have.

[Drew]

Dave, there is a thrust load induced by the stub axle and wheel hex on the small bearing when you tighten down the wheels. These tiny bearings can't handle a whole lot of thrust load without trashing the bearing cage and forcing the balls against the races.

On my truck specifically, without the spacers I can run about 5 mins, pick up the buggy and the rear bearings feel like crap. Just plain trashed. After pulling the wheels off I can loosen the wheel hex and retighten it and for a brief period the bearings feel great.

This to me is 100% thrust load related, tightening down of the wheels is more force than the truck sees while driving.

EVERY other rc I own has bearing spacers and every one I have worked on has bearing spacers. I honestly don't know why axial didn't think they need them or chose not to use them. IMO they are required parts.

[Dave C]

Originally Posted by Drew

Dave, there is a thrust load induced by the stub axle and wheel hex on the small bearing when you tighten down the wheels. These tiny bearings can't handle a whole lot of thrust load without trashing the bearing cage and forcing the balls against the races.

On my truck specifically, without the spacers I can run about 5 mins, pick up the buggy and the rear bearings feel like crap. Just plain trashed. After pulling the wheels off I can loosen the wheel hex and retighten it and for a brief period the bearings feel great.

This to me is 100% thrust load related, tightening down of the wheels is more force than the truck sees while driving.

EVERY other rc I own has bearing spacers and every one I have worked on has bearing spacers. I honestly don't know why axial didn't think they need them or chose not to use them. IMO they are required parts.

What you are saying is when you tighten down the wheels it basically puts pressure against the bearings correct? Mine dont have any pressure on them. I still have .019 of an inch gap after the hex nut is tightened down. If it was binding against it I could see how I would be forced to put a crush sleeve on it and a washer but its not. At least not on my car its not.

[mrkdubaya]

Here's a small tip the proline universal mounting kit works without modification and I used the plastic pivot balls on bottom rear! And loctite the whole aluminum mount lol the 14t pinion is perfect until I get a better motor mount!




Sent from my iPhone 4s using Tapatalk

[panaba453]

Sorry for the bad video, i need a new camera

[Mopar2ked]

I've got one coming thursday with about have of the ST Racing aluminum pieces including the shock bodies. Does anyone know if the the PL powerstroke springs fit the stock shocks. It looks like ST RC will be selling springs that look like the PL ones. The ST RC pieces coming are in the Axial green color, not because of Axial but because I like green.

[EncoreUneMod!]

Screen venting.
I removed the back seats and added a hole in the driver seat to let the electronic get some air.

[Antmax]

Since I just scanned them for someone else I thought I'd stick these up. Early on when the Exo went into production there were some steps that were later changed and most kits came with revisions to the manual in the box and some extra hardware.

I only got the first two revisions 6 & 11. These are the ones I have scanned. Perhaps someone else would put up revision 17? which I never got. With the Extra spacers/washers on the steering rack above the flanged bearings.





These might be handy for anyone that for whatever reason no longer has the revision pages with their manual.

[btomos]

hey guys my name is bryan i just bought the rtr exo. at slow speeds then stoping she is making a grinding noise ,only just when i am about to stop. Is that normal?

[sockmonkey]

Originally Posted by btomos

hey guys my name is bryan i just bought the rtr exo. at slow speeds then stoping she is making a grinding noise ,only just when i am about to stop. Is that normal?

that's a weird tech tip

[Chili]

Not a tip, but would like to hear some answers:
I think my rear bearings are worn out, but I can't get the larger bearings off of the rear hubs.