12s Truggified RR5 Max FT-R Build

[Moirae]

Greetings gents! Got my 2nd MCD rig and it's a simple build but I love how it turned out. I bought this rig with the idea that I was going to truggify it and try to bash it at the bmx spot.




Hobbywing Max 4 + TP 5860(112mm) 800kv motor
1 inch hub extensions and I also bought the top stiffener plate/brace that comes on the ultimate but I've yet to install it.





TaylorRC/DHL got me this thing in 2 days. DHL express is not to be taken lightly, they are FAST. At the time I was still waiting on my mcd electric conversion kit from Cardinal Racing but I had a rovan F5 conversion kit so I used that instead..



I struggled to peel the plastic film off. Had to let the body sit in some heat for a while but eventually it came off and I was really happy with my paint job. I'm no pro or anything and still haven't learned how to airbrush yet but soon I will make the leap.











I'm currently not happy with the steering. I'm not even sure how to describe what is happening but it's very hard to drive on the street. Doesn't happen off road though. I think it might be due to the softer suspension? I ordered the stiffest springs I could find and am going to try those out soon. Hesitant though because the way it lands from jumps right now seems so good! there is very little bounce and it just "lands". It's actually really nice.

I've not seen anyone jumping with an MCD rig but i'll tell you what. It's definitely more durable than my dbxl 2.0 It's basically survived 2 bmx bashes so far. I gotta do a checkup after the 2nd bash as the rig kind of pulling now but other than that I haven't really broke anything yet.

Gas lovers come get you some!!! @blackrain you know it sounds good!! admit it!!

 

[Clubin]

Yes. Love it.

 

[violet604]

this is legit. Haven’t seen anyone bash these or even the W5’s. Like the attitude of bash till you break something, then fix it and chill. I might do that after I convert my XR5 to the buggy.

You think the steering has something to do with the weight of lipos on one side?

On the features page of all the MCD’s it has “adjustable weight distribution” but not a lot of info on that online.

 

[Moirae]

this is legit. Haven’t seen anyone bash these or even the W5’s. Like the attitude of bash till you break something, then fix it and chill. I might do that after I convert my XR5 to the buggy.

You think the steering has something to do with the weight of lipos on one side?

On the features page of all the MCD’s it has “adjustable weight distribution” but not a lot of info on that online.

I don't know what they meant by adjustable weight either because it sure doesn't look like it to me but i'm ignorant haha. I do feel the battery weight on one side with my XR5 but it's not as noticeable on the buggy. The problem I'm having is more like it will pull in the direction that I input any amount of steering toward. I don't know if thats the best way to describe it but I definitely think it has something to do with the softer suspension in the front. I think it's leading to too much grip in the front.

man when 1 arm cost 80$ it is no joke

 

[Moirae]

Watch the RR5 get sent!

Damage report after 2 bmx bashes = bent servo horn and bent top stiffener brace? the one that goes from the front of the rig to the center diff. I was able to bend both back with a hammer and keep it moving. I was planning on adding a 2nd stiffener bar on top of the first with the hopes it would increase the strength. Not sure how well that will work but maybe I should just leave it alone and consider it a disposable part? the servo horn bending is a bit more annoying if i'm being honest. I wasn't able to get it perfectly straight again unlike the brace. I replaced the plastic brace that comes on the ftr spec with the alloy version so that might also help in the future.

Rig is still more difficult to drive on the street than all my other 1/5th scale rigs and nothing I do seems to fix it. I put the stiffest springs I could buy on it thinking it would help and nope. I laid the front and rear shocks down flat as possible and that didn't help either. I'm starting to wonder if something is wrong with my new servo or something.

It's like the rig wants to pull easily in any direction I give any amount of steering input too. It also pulls off the line which I haven't been able to tune out yet either and it doesn't happen off road at all.

 

[violet604]

Wow, it’s clearing that path so easily compared to 8S!

In regards to the steering, since it seems to pull in either direction you steer do you think it could be due to torque steering from the differentials causing unequal torque to go to the wheels?

I guess it wouldn’t pull the same to both sides if that was the case? But maybe ..

Could it be alignment or tow settings?

 

[Clubin]

Great video.

 

[Moirae]

Wow, it’s clearing that path so easily compared to 8S!

In regards to the steering, since it seems to pull in either direction you steer do you think it could be due to torque steering from the differentials causing unequal torque to go to the wheels?

I guess it wouldn’t pull the same to both sides if that was the case? But maybe ..

Could it be alignment or tow settings?

It really was a helluva lot easier to clear it with 12s haha. In regards to the steering, maybe you're on to something with the differentials. I don't have this problem on my rovan f5 or the mcd xr5 and both of those rigs have a center spool. The RR5 has a center diff. Maybe that's the culprit? these mcd rigs are way more complicated than anything I'm use to tbh. I'm going to have to research the lsd center diff.

Great video.

Thanks bro!

 

[Moirae]

Wow, it’s clearing that path so easily compared to 8S!

In regards to the steering, since it seems to pull in either direction you steer do you think it could be due to torque steering from the differentials causing unequal torque to go to the wheels?

I guess it wouldn’t pull the same to both sides if that was the case? But maybe ..

Could it be alignment or tow settings?

I did some more digging and I'm wondering if I found the real culprit! I spent a lot of time going over the web page for this car trying to figure this poop out lol. I found out that the name for what I'm experiencing is "steering wander" so at least I have something to call it now



I compared this part to my xr5 and rovan f5 and both of those rigs were using the bottom hole but the rr5 was using the top hole. Both the other rigs don't have the same problems so i'm hoping this difference is what's giving me the nasty handling in comparison to the other two rigs.

I get to test it tomorrow so fingers crossed. Rig will be perfect after I figure this out.

 

[Moirae]

Going to that bottom center of gravity adjustment hole made all the difference in the world and I only did it in the front. Maybe this was obvious to more experienced people but I spent a lot of time trying to figure this out so I definitely feel kind of accomplished right now

Hope this ends up helping someone else in the future. I have no idea why the buggy is tuned like that from the factory but maybe it's an acquired taste? it had to go on my rig though because I was sweating and clenching my cheeks every time I hit the throttle.

 

[Clubin]

That’s super satisfying. Good find!

 

[Moirae]

That’s super satisfying. Good find!

Thanks fam! This might be my favorite rig now lol. Everyone should own an MCD! I haven't even had to really do any real maint to either of them so far besides tightening some screws and using chain lube in a few places just because I thought it was a good idea.






Doubled up on the stiffener with the hopes that it will help me out with hard bashing and stop it from bending. Hopefully removing this weakpoint doesn't cause bigger problems.

 

[crucialRC]

Sorry late to this but I think your steering wander is based off those soft proline xmaxx tires. The adjustable weight transfer is the ability to move the rear shocks in front of or behind the rear shock tower. It can change drivability characteristics dramatically. Especially for jumping. The reason the xr5 is in the top hole of the bottom of the hubs is because it’s an on road car and you want the car as low as possible. If you put the correct tires back on the buggy it will handle a lot better.

 

[Moirae]

Sorry late to this but I think your steering wander is based off those soft proline xmaxx tires. The adjustable weight transfer is the ability to move the rear shocks in front of or behind the rear shock tower. It can change drivability characteristics dramatically. Especially for jumping. The reason the xr5 is in the top hole of the bottom of the hubs is because it’s an on road car and you want the car as low as possible. If you put the correct tires back on the buggy it will handle a lot better.

Hmm, it was doing that with every set of tires I tried though. Granted I never tried the stock tires. I tried the on road mcd tires as well as the rovan f5 tires and it did it with those too. Changing that hole location has fixed it with all 3 sets of tires. I should stop being lazy and go glue the stock tires. When the on road tires came glued I expected the buggy tires to come glued too

Thanks for your insight bro! keeping that setting might just be the sacrifice I have to make to run something besides stock tires. I love the versatility of being able to take it from basher to on road.

 

[violet604]

Thanks fam! This might be my favorite rig now lol. Everyone should own an MCD! I haven't even had to really do any real maint to either of them so far besides tightening some screws and using chain lube in a few places just because I thought it was a good idea.




View attachment 89017

Doubled up on the stiffener with the hopes that it will help me out with hard bashing and stop it from bending. Hopefully removing this weakpoint doesn't cause bigger problems.

Thanks fam! This might be my favorite rig now lol. Everyone should own an MCD! I haven't even had to really do any real maint to either of them so far besides tightening some screws and using chain lube in a few places just because I thought it was a good idea.




View attachment 89017

Doubled up on the stiffener with the hopes that it will help me out with hard bashing and stop it from bending. Hopefully removing this weakpoint doesn't cause bigger problems.

Glad you got it sorted out!

So much adjustability on these rigs it’s insane. Thanks for sharing, it’s good to know it can help with those issues.

 

[violet604]

Kind of unrelated, but I remember you said you’re running mechanical brakes on your XR5, so did you loose your functionality to go in reverse?

Is there a way to assign reverse to one of the nobs on the transmitter for reverse and use the trigger for mechanical brakes?

 

[Moirae]

Kind of unrelated, but I remember you said you’re running mechanical brakes on your XR5, so did you loose your functionality to go in reverse?

Is there a way to assign reverse to one of the nobs on the transmitter for reverse and use the trigger for mechanical brakes?

I actually assigned the mechanical brake to a different button on my radio so I still have the esc brake/reverse in the normal spot. I think there is a way to do what you're thinking but I don't know how to do it. I remember I saw a thread about it somewhere though.