My New TRF511

[djmcnz]

Well I've finished my TRF511 build and I must say it was a delight to put together compared to the 501X, so many less small shims, spacers and otherwise difficult parts to get your head and fingers around. I also learnt my lesson from the 501X and immediately discarded the standard screw set used a titanium replacement set so I won’t have to drill out any stuffed ones!

I’m using a LRP X12 8.5 and SPX Bullet Brushless Reverse and a low profile Bluebird digital servo. As you can see from the photos there’s a bit of space but watch out if you’ve got a large servo unless you have a small ESC or can somehow arrange things differently. The Rx is just a standard Sanwa 2.4 FHSS unit.

The LiPo’s fit in just fine with 2mm spacers under the standard posts. They fit between the posts and clear everything except the centre bulkheads. I got around this by shaving about 0.4mm of the LiPo case down in one corner – hardly even breaks the patterned cover so no risk of exposure. All said and done I’ve still ordered some of Fredrik’s LiPo cradles – they will remove any risk of lateral movement and I feel easily moving the weight back a bit might be a nice tuning option anyway.

Robinson Racing hard steel pinion against an Associated 87T spur gets the power to the belts and standard diffs with 10 ceramic balls each get that power to the wheels.

I’ve added the 501X aluminium steering setup and stiffener, perhaps a little more for the bling factor than anything else. I think the stiffener actually completes the look of the bulkhead assembly.

Here are some photos before the soldering. I wish I could take good pics.











Pinion/Spur mesh, not 100% but good enough.



Pinion clearing the belt.



LiPo’s in using the 2mm spacer.



Hope to enjoy it soon!

(cross posted to tamiyaclub.com)

[chemax92]

Nice pics! love it!!!

[jhammond]

^Agreed.


Looks stunning.



Julius.

[CraigM]

+1

black those wires out though

Out of interest, is that the best way to do the motor wires? I'm finishing my 511 off at the moment and was going to wire it how the TRF drivers had theirs for the euros going through the centre bulkhead and over the belt

[Fredrik Emilsson]

Very nice.

I put the wires over the center bulkheads. It was the easiest way.
The only thing you might want to avoid is to put it through the drive belt. Makes it more difficult to change drive belt (if necessary).

With the diff cover you ordered you will save both belts and pulleys.
I don´t have a scratch on my drive belts.

Only option you need now is the new ball cups. Probably the cheapest and most important option.

Put a drop of oil in the motor bearings regularly. Maybe after every 8 battery pack. Maybe you already knew that.

[Piman]

What screw kit did you use?

I have not had any issue with my 501X screws but I think you just need to use good tools and make sure they are properly seated in the screw. All good so far with mine but having just said that I can see me now stripping them hence the question.

Also where did you get the blue spacers or were they spare in the kit?

It's a lovely car, what are your planse for the body shell?

Thanks

James

[suparajicon]

yeah! nice pics! I wish everyone takes so good close ups when they sell they second hand cars.... And great car.

[T4miy4 Guy]

Nice photo`s and great build there! good luck !but tbh you should of bought a Durga!



Looks fantastic, shame about that pinon looks abit off to me(That X12 motor got a short shaft?)

(The Durga comment was a mere jest^^)

Team Durga FTW, all the best with your ride great photo`s and buildloved it!

Andy

[djmcnz]

Thanks for your comments and complements guys, always appreciated.

Regarding the wires, I will try and cover as many as I can in black shrink wrap except the heavy gauge ones. I will probably wire the motor for 'single motor maintenance' i.e. I'll hardwire it without connectors but leave the wires long and free running across the top of the belts and bulkheads so I can remove the motor and speedo as one or work on the rest of the car with the motor still wired in.

I'm patiently waiting on this fabled new grey ballcups before I get new ones, Jimmy apparently already has them so they shouldn't be long. And some Ti turnbuckles as well, although not in blue as I prefer my bling inboard (heck I even hate the kit blue wheel nuts). If the cups are that good should we be using fluorine studs as well?

Will oil the motor...

I'm using the 3 Racing 501X Ti screw set. You end up 4 x 3x8mm round heads short and 4 x 3x10mm round heads spare. Fixed by adding the 501 stiffener using up the 10mm one and freeing up the 8mm ones for redeployment... or you can just use a few other screws of course.

Yeah the kit screw problem seems to be a bit hit and miss although anecdotally it's somewhat common for the kit screws to bind (especially in a carbon/aluminium situation). It happened on most of my lower plate to alu connections - quite possibly some of us are just doing them up too tightly. The heads aren't very deep and the metal is soft exacerbating the problem. Yep, I've got a quality hex set.

Blue spacers came from the #53539 Tamiya spacer bag. Some may prefer to use a 2.5mm spacer and two are in the bag but they're silver. You'll also need to replace 4 x 3x8mm countersunk screws with 4 x 3x10mm countersunks to compensate for the spacers (they don't come with the kit). All unnecessary with Fredrik's lipo cradle of course.

Body lol, well I'm crap at painting and impatient to get this out so if I can't find a shell painter her in Amsterdam soon I'll paint it a single colour myself... most likely black like all of my previous cars.

[Fredrik Emilsson]

Regarding wheel nuts, use serrated wheel nuts. Much better, never lost one.
A friend of mine gave me a tip to use IKEA nuts.
They are actually perfect fit and IKEA cheap.

The 511 kit screws seems to better than the 501X ones. I use the kit screws. No problems so far.