FHMT - First Run

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csp1971

csp1971

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Finally! Almost two weeks of owning this truck, I finally ran it! :clap:

Wow! It was awesome. I ran it for 45 minutes and the tank still was not empty. That P.O.S. Duratrax battery only lasted 45 minutes! Thank God for the failsafe.

That was by far the best experience I have ever had with an RC. I just ran my nitro a few nights ago. I messed with it for 45 minutes before I had it finally tuned correctly. I'm thinking that Aftershock will be visiting epay after a good cleaning. I will never again touch nitro.

I initially had trouble starting the engine on the FH. I was stressing because I spent 20 minutes in my garage cranking and cranking and cranking on it. Had my laptop and was trying to do searches to figure out the problem. I finally pulled out the spark plug and emptied the excess fuel. Dang flooding. It then started right up. I've never heard a sweeter sound!

Killed the engine, brought it up to a school soccer field for a run. LOVE IT.

After a few more tanks, I'm installing that DDM Midrange pipe that BTB reviewed. Did some bidding on ebay for the pipe and won! I still have to install the steel pinion.

Thanks to all for your help so far, the Firehammer MT ROCKS! :cool:
 
Wait till you put that pipe on it man you will be smiling all over again just like you took it out of the box.:) What battery charger did you use, new the DT battery should last a good tank or two. Make sure you discharge before charging, you will get a much better charge.
 
Rain Sucks.

Super. Rain on Sunday, Monday....all the way through Friday. I hate rain. I guess I'll put on the steel pinion. I also passed a motorcycle shop today off the highway I forgot about. I'm going in tomorrow for some good 2 cycle oil.

I'll be painting the family room this week since the weather is screwing me. Yeah, it's all about me me me.:(

I guess I could clean up the Aftershock and put it on ebay too. That way, I can have some cash to purchase a Spektrum or a Nomadio radio.

Bigger The Better- which Spektrum do you have? Just curious. Looks like Spektrum is offering a free second receiver with the DX3.0. That would be awesome since it has 4 model memory.
 
Oh yeah, I used the crappy Duratrax charger that came with the kit. I just ordered (chalk up another 35 bucks) a Dynamite peak charger that can charge 4-7 cells last night. I will now own two peak chargers. The other I have is a Duratrax. I was surprised to find out that Intellipeak dual charger only charges 6-7 cells. Thanks Duratrax! :no:
 
The new one is hot but a little more money then what is out there now, but it has 30 model memory. - https://www.largescaleforums.com/66/spektrum-dx3r-3channel-radio/
I have the DX3, which is the 3 channel. You will eventually use it. They have been offering the 2nd receiver for some time now. For around or sometimes under $200.00 you cant go wrong. Nomadio is another radio some of the guys are using, get there spin on it as well. You can find some posts in the electronics area under Nomadio. Not sure on the cost but might be around the same deal.:)
 
csp1971 said:
Oh yeah, I used the crappy Duratrax charger that came with the kit. I just ordered (chalk up another 35 bucks) a Dynamite peak charger that can charge 4-7 cells last night. I will now own two peak chargers. The other I have is a Duratrax. I was surprised to find out that Intellipeak dual charger only charges 6-7 cells. Thanks Duratrax! :no:
Click to expand...

My older charger is the same - What a waist, now I have two, one that will never get used again.:(
 
I got my Smartech Bigfoot yesterday and i just got it all ready to roll today. i drove for about 1/4 tank.

It handled like a wet turtle on ice. Any chance for the rear end to swap position with front end the truck took advantage. I spend a good 10 mins just spinning the truck around in the street. I took out some of the brake travel and its a little better. The top end on the truck is unbelieveable, why the heck does a "Monster" truck have so much top end. I mean it know it was at least hitting 43-45mph easy, it was very unstable at that speed though. I heard that i shouldnt try to jump this truck, i found out why quickly. I did a little bunny hop out of the ditch, i mean the truck didnt catch more than a foot of air, i made sure to be off the gas when the truck landed but i accidently bumped the brake and slammed the front end down. When it rebounded the front arms hyper extended and pull the shock bolts right through the front lower shock ends. It pulled away from that jump with the body resting on the front tires, it looked really sad.

maybe i can thread some spare baja shock ends on those front shocks, but who knows what will break if the shock ends don't give up?

The truck isnt nearly up to par with the quality of the baja 5b, but it is worth every bit of 500 bux that i spent on it. Just needs a little tune and tweak and it will be a true "Monster" truck.
 
sorry for Hijacking your thread. it said FHMT first run and well its not a FHMT but it was my first run and i just wanted to share.

Oh almost forgot, did you know this thing has a huge high speed metal gear servo in the front. Totally kills the stock Baja 5b steering servo in strength and speed. the throttle servo on the other hand is not even worth the pastic its encased in, 60 degrees in a min +1/2 speed. you hit the gas and 2 days later its at about mid range, don't even think your gonna slam on the brakes to avoid and obstacle. LMAO!! I can fix it, no problem.
 
You didn't hijack anything!

I ripped the metal spline off my servo last night when I hit a fence. There are no available gears for that servo, but I'm getting a free replacement.

I've been running mine a well mowed soccer field at a school. Some small jumps here and there. I haven't had any issues yet (aside from the steering servo). I have a DDM pipe that I will be putting on there after a couple more tanks. I could just kick myself for running into that fence....... While it's sitting there, I'm going to check the shock ends on mine, just in case.

You might check out the spare parts at Tower. They have just received some stuff in. Some items (like your shock ends) won't be in until the end of May. You might grab a spur and a couple pinions for spares!

You did break in the Bigfoot right?

I'm going to save for an HPI Baja. That is the next one I want.
 
you don't need to do a nitro type breakin for these i don't believe. All i did with the baja was run rich for about 5 tanks then tune for power. Same thing here run rich and run easy first couple of tanks then tune it up. its not a piston and sleeve your trying to match, its just like a car engine or lawn mower engine its got a cylinder and rings you just run it like you normally would.

i rigged up the shock ends, i use a peice of my duratrax thunder quake that i got in a trade. i cut a peice of the aluminum frame work with a hole the same size as the shock bolts. i cut it to fit on the shock end and super glued it to the shock end, i may hold i may not. ill just keep rigging untill i get some good ends or different shocks or what ever it takes to fix it. if all i have to worry about is shock ends im cool with that.
 
nope warm it up good, for maybe 4 or 5 minutes of light putting, and as long as your sure your tuning is good LET IT RIP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Drive it like you stole it, jsut Warm it up first, and be SURE about your needle settings before you get hog wild. these motors will not take a lean run like a nitro motor will. get to lean and you ll burn up the pistons/cylinders/rings
 
i didnt think they required the heat cycling like the nitros. I do run 25/1 mix though, 4oz per gallon. smokes like a freight train when i first start it but after about 4-5 mins its good to go. It still smokes when you mash on the gas. i pulled the plug yesterday its got a dark dark brown color, maybe too fat. It runs good and doesn't bog after its warm so im gonna leave it.
 
dark brown would show a bit fat. medium brown is the color i shoot for, med/light brown/ Dark Tan is considered performance tuned.
 
I swear on one of the forums someone had said that for break in running on full speed wasn't advisable on the first two tanks (I cheated a little bit). I played it safe and went that route, no harm done really! Oh well, I guess I just missed out.
 
i did some tuning today. i took all the stuffing and mesh out of the can muffler and that added a little to the top and bottom end. i took a set of lightweight clutch shoes and a 7500rpm clutch spring and i installed the clutch shoes backwards. it will nearly pull the wheels up, ok not really but its alot better than the stock setup. to lighten the shoes i just took them to a bench grinder and got off most of the material, i then cleaned them up with a dremel, i only have the hole for the clutch spring and the bolt holes left in the clutch shoes all the rest of the material is gone. they sling out with a vengance. if i put the dom torque pipe on there it will surely need wheelie bars.

Hey CSP1971 do you recall the stock gearing on your firehammer, what is the tooth count on the pinion and spur. mine is 19 pinion and 47 spur.
 
the shock mod did not hold up. ill have to redo it till i get some new ends. i found a shop that sells smartech parts on line.
 
The stock gearing is a 19tooth pinion and 48 tooth spur. Recount your spur gear teeth, I'm certain you have 48tooth as well.

You are a lot braver than I am when it comes to grinding stuff down...LOL. I'm a puss when it comes to that type of stuff! Then again, large scale is new to me so once I have gotten used to it, maybe I'll try something out!
 
the website is www.rchobbies.com.au i typed in a smartech part number in google search and it was the first hit. There website is messed up though some of the part numbers don't match the parts and some of the pictures are of the wrong part. I emailed them about it yesterday and i haven't gotten a reply yet, ill wait till i get a reply before i order from them. They showed everything to be in stock though.

It is a 48tooth spur, with that gear combo its gonna be hard to get any real power down low.
 
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