RC28 modding

[mk-Zero]

The RC28 is good cheap fun, but there is a LOT of room for improvement on this rebranded Exceed buggy. For starters, the lack of a real front suspension. The buggy has arms with "living hinges" that allow some movement, but its way stiffer than the rear, which has suspension similar to a Grasshopper.

I bought a bunch of spare parts so i could measure and test with them, rather than pull the car apart. First thing was to recreate the front bulkhead, minus the arms:

Then i added some arm mounts to the bulkhead and designed some arms. The arms still need shock mounting provisions.

For now, to keep things simple, the c hubs are fixed to the arms, like the original setup. I dont know if its worth the added complexity on this tiny car to have seperate c hubs and camber links, we'll see though.

I need to add provisions to the bulkhead for a shock tower, and then design the tower. Eventually I'll have Jeff cut me one out of some thin G20. For shocks, at least for now, i plan to use rear shocks off the RC28, i already bought a spare set. Eventually maybe I'll machine some out of aluminum. It would be cool to anodize them gold.

Eventually i may also try to make some type of mods to the rear of the car such as to put a G20 shock tower back there as well.

Even as-is, the car is really fun. My son and i have a good time with them running around the yard.

If there's any interest, whatever i come up with for this buggy I'm make available to you guys.

[mk-Zero]

In light of the overwhelming interest in this project, ive decided to post an update

I've got the front of the car to where im pretty happy with it, at least as far as i can tell without fully assembling and driving it. Only thing is, these cars are made so cheaply, i dont think they're made to come apart. There are these press-fit pins holding the front suspension together and the front wheels on. The next step is for me to get the wheels off the donor car and put them on the new front suspension, then swap that suspension to the donor car. We'll see how that goes.

I'm also toying with the idea of getting some gold colored filament and printing shock bodys, and maybe even more of a tub shaped and open chassis for it. I may also print the front arms in white. Ive got some ideas for the rear suspension too, to at least get it more looking the part.

Untill the next exciting update...

[Lonestar]

Brian, that's actually really cool! I am following it

Have you tried looking into micro-T oil shocks? I had them on mine a long time ago... the scale looks about right:
https://www.asiatees.com/display?Team-Losi-Micro-T-Parts-Hop-Ups-Upgrades&brand=Team%20Losi&model=Micro%20T&id=1600&pid=1

(pics on www.overrc.com, these are 3racing not GPM, but they look pretty close - I took the pics and wrote the article)

[mk-Zero]

Thanks Paul, It's good to know that I have one person interested, lol

I wonder if they still make those shocks, they show out of stock and I didn't see any on ebay. With the Micro-T's being discontinued it's hard to say if they will keep making aftermarket parts for them. None the less, I requested an email from them if/when they are back in stock.

For now though I'll just be using the stock pogosticks, lol. Or my own in gold for better cosmetics if I end up making them. I'm trying to make this conversion cheap and simple for people who want to do it, but still improve the handling of the little thing, at least a little. Luckily the bar is pretty low, having essentially no front suspension in stock form

[jwscab]

this is very cool to see! I don't have one but still interested. I think the micro-T parts are what were used when the guy made the NRC-32 rc10 buggies. he's making a yokomo mini, not sure what he is using for shocks on that model.

[mk-Zero]

this is very cool to see! I don't have one but still interested. I think the micro-T parts are what were used when the guy made the NRC-32 rc10 buggies. he's making a yokomo mini, not sure what he is using for shocks on that model.

Cool, if you happen to find out what shocks he's using let me know
Thanks

[mk-Zero]

I've continued to work on this here and there. I decided to go ahead and make a new proper looking chassis for it. This is just a "rough draft", i still need to add mounting holes, servo mounting, suspension mounts, etc. I plan to get gold ABS filament for the pan and the shocks.

Ive also designed proper looking shocks, complete with a hex shaped caps. These should look pretty cool in gold.

These things are tiny!

I still need to finish the chassis, and design a rear bulkhead and tower. I also plan to make some aluminum nose brace tubes for it. Little by little it will come together.

[NomadRacer]

Tripping The Light Fantastic!

[XLR8]

Looks great Brian.
I'm jealous of you guys and your 3d printers.
I'm guessing that once you have everything sorted out, you will make the kit available through Shapeways? Do they also have a gold-like filament option availalble??

[mk-Zero]

Thanks guys!
One way or another I'll make everything available. Shapeways doesnt have gold color material (other than actual gold ), closest they have is yellow. If it doesnt look good then I'll print them myself to sell. Of course the white and/or black parts from Shapeways will look good, so its really just the gold parts that are up in the air.
The gold ABS filament looks really good, looks like it would be a pretty close match to AE gold anno. A guy at work brought something in he had printed with it and it has a nice metallic look to it and is about the right shade.

[XLR8]

haha... I was about to say the lack of gold colored filament from Shapeways wasn't a deal breaker but since you've mentioned this:

"The gold ABS filament looks really good, looks like it would be a pretty close match to AE gold anno. A guy at work brought something in he had printed with it and it has a nice metallic look to it and is about the right shade."

... now, suddenly I guess it IS important.

[mk-Zero]

haha... I was about to say the lack of gold colored filament from Shapeways wasn't a deal breaker but since you've mentioned this:

"The gold ABS filament looks really good, looks like it would be a pretty close match to AE gold anno. A guy at work brought something in he had printed with it and it has a nice metallic look to it and is about the right shade."

... now, suddenly I guess it IS important.

Yeah, I *think* its going to look really good. To me, having proper looking gold parts (pan and shocks) is going to put this thing over the top. I'm going to order a spool in the next day or so. I'll keep you guys posted.

[mk-Zero]

The gold ABS filament came in today. I was in too much of a hurry to see how the shock bodies and pan looked to do any design changes, i just printed the same versions from above.

Shocks. I also plan to make white adjustable shock collars as well.

The gold filament is a pretty damn close match to the AE gold anodizing, I'm pretty happy with it.

I need to print the front arms in white, things will be looking pretty close then.
Now that I'm not planing on using the original chassis, ill also design a front bulkhead that looks more correct, and it will be white too. After that its on to the back of the car. This has been a really fun project so far.

[jwscab]

really nice work! Maybe if you are redoing the bulkhead, you can give the nose a little kickup. The tower stands pretty upright.

[mk-Zero]

really nice work! Maybe if you are redoing the bulkhead, you can give the nose a little kickup. The tower stands pretty upright.

Thanks man!
Yeah, the front kickup has been bothering me, it's only about 8 degrees. I need to pull the donor car apart and have a closer look at the steering and see what the effect of adding kickup would be. Even like 15-20 degrees would look a lot better. I'm pretty sure I'll be able to get it to work.