Traxxas Bullet Refresh
- morrisey0
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Traxxas Bullet Refresh
Started into a Bullet refresh this weekend. Original plan was to go all out, and get the best of everything, but found out most of the parts I had (from two parts cars) cleaned up pretty well, so just decided to refresh it, and only replace what was really needed. As I found on my Slegehammer, Traxxas nylon responds very well to whitening; better than AE. Don't know if Traxxas maybe started off a little whiter originally, or it just takes to the process better. Just remember if you get into this, and I forgot this time, the gearbox case is not nylon! Don't know what plastic they are made of, but it is different than the nylon parts. The case halves on my Hammer started chalking a little bit; no damage to the Bullet though.
I also have to give props to the anodizing on the Traxxas shocks. Both my donor cars were driven rough, but the shocks are near pristine after a little cleaning up, with little to no discoloration.
I would have liked to have gone MSC on this, but they are hard to come by, and with the plan changing to do as much as I could with what I had, I just grabbed an XL-1 set up I had sitting around in another car. It would have been optional originally, so not breaking any major rules there. Had to replace some wires on the ESC, but not a big deal and it cleaned up well. Since the top plate has a servo mount for the MSC servo, the XL-1 will slide right in its place and look fairly stock.
My major problem is that I don't have a roll cage for the body, and yea, those really don't exist on their own. This ended up being the final straw to push me into resin printing, so hopefully I can make something happen with that in the future.
The build so far has gone as they usually go. I didn't get a fastener kit for this, because I don't like them in general, and I figured it would be all mostly M3 at standard lengths throughout, but nope! M2.6, M3x29, M3x33, etc. Just a hodge podge of screws needed. Most of the smaller nylon bits on the tub are secured by countersunk M3, but not the Rx mount, that is countersunk M2.6. Well, it used to be M2.6. I should have looked and seen if I could get a decent kit in Phillips head, but oh well, I made do and made changes as needed.
Didn't go crazy on the camera pics, so it just kinda jumps to be half done real quick. In the pics below, please forgive the one brown link end. I somehow ended up being one short in my hydrate / whiten pile, so a couple are whitening now.
I also have to give props to the anodizing on the Traxxas shocks. Both my donor cars were driven rough, but the shocks are near pristine after a little cleaning up, with little to no discoloration.
I would have liked to have gone MSC on this, but they are hard to come by, and with the plan changing to do as much as I could with what I had, I just grabbed an XL-1 set up I had sitting around in another car. It would have been optional originally, so not breaking any major rules there. Had to replace some wires on the ESC, but not a big deal and it cleaned up well. Since the top plate has a servo mount for the MSC servo, the XL-1 will slide right in its place and look fairly stock.
My major problem is that I don't have a roll cage for the body, and yea, those really don't exist on their own. This ended up being the final straw to push me into resin printing, so hopefully I can make something happen with that in the future.
The build so far has gone as they usually go. I didn't get a fastener kit for this, because I don't like them in general, and I figured it would be all mostly M3 at standard lengths throughout, but nope! M2.6, M3x29, M3x33, etc. Just a hodge podge of screws needed. Most of the smaller nylon bits on the tub are secured by countersunk M3, but not the Rx mount, that is countersunk M2.6. Well, it used to be M2.6. I should have looked and seen if I could get a decent kit in Phillips head, but oh well, I made do and made changes as needed.
Didn't go crazy on the camera pics, so it just kinda jumps to be half done real quick. In the pics below, please forgive the one brown link end. I somehow ended up being one short in my hydrate / whiten pile, so a couple are whitening now.
I build RCs like people would have done back in the '90s ..................................... if they had 3D printers.
- jwscab
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Re: Traxxas Bullet Refresh
Looks great! Takes me back to when I built mine. Pretty sure I built it up all white, then stripped it and dyed it all black. To match the ad.
- Lavigna
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Re: Traxxas Bullet Refresh
Looks really great. I'm a big fan of this car. I helped my friend build one when we were kids, and I thought it was so cool looking. Still is!
My Photo Gallery --->https://www.rc10talk.com/viewtopic.php?f=77&t=38934
- Frankentruck
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Re: Traxxas Bullet Refresh
The diff looks like the same unit as in The Cat. Interesting.
Frankensteined RC10T3 / Franky Jr RC10GT-e (x2) / A+ stamp / Toy Story RC / Graphite replica / B1.5 BFG 5LTi / Clonewald / Hyper Hornet
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"I love the effort, but it sure looks like you took the long way around to a tub again"
- TRX-1-3
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Re: Traxxas Bullet Refresh
Frankentruck wrote: ↑Sun Mar 10, 2024 9:57 pm The diff looks like the same unit as in The Cat. Interesting.
This is the same case/diff/trans (options) that came with the initial issue Eagle and Radicator also. I think it's white ABS. The Eagle had the ball diff, out of the box, but the Rad 1.0, I believe, had the gear diff you describe. This is an awesomely clean build BTW. Those gearbox 1/2's are really hard to find.
Hope you're doin' something fun.
- morrisey0
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Re: Traxxas Bullet Refresh
Design flaw. The Traxxas ESC switch does not fit in the Traxxas car.
I build RCs like people would have done back in the '90s ..................................... if they had 3D printers.
- Frankentruck
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Re: Traxxas Bullet Refresh
Which ESC are you using?
Frankensteined RC10T3 / Franky Jr RC10GT-e (x2) / A+ stamp / Toy Story RC / Graphite replica / B1.5 BFG 5LTi / Clonewald / Hyper Hornet
"I love the effort, but it sure looks like you took the long way around to a tub again"
"I love the effort, but it sure looks like you took the long way around to a tub again"
- morrisey0
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Re: Traxxas Bullet Refresh
It's an XL-1. Per the parts manual, this would have been an available option.
I build RCs like people would have done back in the '90s ..................................... if they had 3D printers.
- morrisey0
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Re: Traxxas Bullet Refresh
Just popped the switch out of its case, and just going to run it exposed. I think its water and dirt days are over, so I don't think it will be an issue. The servo mount could have been trimmed enough, and still be plenty strong, so there is also a different route. The XL-1 may end up being too tall for the body mounted as is, but the body hasn't gotten here, so I can't test yet.
I build RCs like people would have done back in the '90s ..................................... if they had 3D printers.
- morrisey0
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Re: Traxxas Bullet Refresh
Yea, mine are cracked at the link mounts, and this seems to be fairly typical of many of the pics I have seen of other vehicles. These are the only broken parts on my rig.
I build RCs like people would have done back in the '90s ..................................... if they had 3D printers.
- morrisey0
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Re: Traxxas Bullet Refresh
She is mechanically complete. The body is a few days out, and then I need to figure out the plan with the roll cage. I almost don't want to do anything with the body and leave it as-is, because let's be honest, its not the best looking body out there.
The only new parts used on this car are: shock towers, motor mount, links, electronics plate / upper chassis, dust cover, and tires. Some new wire / screws / e-clips / bearings / etc of course. The electronics and motor were pulled from other cars. She isn't perfect, but came out pretty well for just a clean up and reassemble.
And I guess after looking at the bottom of the tub again, I may have been incorrect in saying that both donors were driven hard, because the pan is in great condition. The weird part about the car that the pan came from was that it was left somewhere wet for some time, because everything was really rusty on that one, even breaking the screws that held the bellcranks. Both donors had pretty worn tires, so not sure how this pan is so clean. You can tell from the pan pic also that I had to swap between phillips and hex screws a little bit, which isn't ideal, but I am okay with it. This is the only part of the car where it is obvious, and most of the other hex screws are hidden for the most part.
edit: I took all these pics and then realized the brown link end is still on there!
The only new parts used on this car are: shock towers, motor mount, links, electronics plate / upper chassis, dust cover, and tires. Some new wire / screws / e-clips / bearings / etc of course. The electronics and motor were pulled from other cars. She isn't perfect, but came out pretty well for just a clean up and reassemble.
And I guess after looking at the bottom of the tub again, I may have been incorrect in saying that both donors were driven hard, because the pan is in great condition. The weird part about the car that the pan came from was that it was left somewhere wet for some time, because everything was really rusty on that one, even breaking the screws that held the bellcranks. Both donors had pretty worn tires, so not sure how this pan is so clean. You can tell from the pan pic also that I had to swap between phillips and hex screws a little bit, which isn't ideal, but I am okay with it. This is the only part of the car where it is obvious, and most of the other hex screws are hidden for the most part.
edit: I took all these pics and then realized the brown link end is still on there!
I build RCs like people would have done back in the '90s ..................................... if they had 3D printers.
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Re: Traxxas Bullet Refresh
Hi,
Damned bulkhead ..; i know a man (in France) who sell the front en rear drivetrain.
For me i'm looking for un full rollbar set (front + rear)
Jerome
Sorry for my rusty english, i'm a kind of French farmer lost in his montain ...
- morrisey0
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Re: Traxxas Bullet Refresh
Does anyone have a Bullet that they would be willing to take rollcage measurements for me? I could send a pic with dimensions to fill in, but it would basically be everything.
I build RCs like people would have done back in the '90s ..................................... if they had 3D printers.
- morrisey0
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Re: Traxxas Bullet Refresh
Found a pic of the original car. This is the one most of the parts came from. The other one had the trans / rear end swapped and they jacked up the pan to make it happen.
I build RCs like people would have done back in the '90s ..................................... if they had 3D printers.
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Re: Traxxas Bullet Refresh
I'm almost certain the cage has been modelled by someone already , try searching in the usual places for the file .
Just had a look and I can't find it so I'm probably wrong .
Just had a look and I can't find it so I'm probably wrong .
If a jobs not worth doing then its certainly not worth doing well.
A problem shared is a problem halved but an advantage shared is no advantage at all.
A problem shared is a problem halved but an advantage shared is no advantage at all.
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