Trying something new - JRX2

[markbt73]

So for somebody with 20 years of experience with Associated cars, it feels a little like trading in my X-wing for a TIE fighter, but... having recently sold a never-run RC10CE because I already have 2 others, I wanted to try something new.

So I bid on this, and nobody else did, so now it's headed my way:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Team-Losi-jrx2-or-junior-2-roller-and-lots-of-spares-associated-rc10-vintage-/171116892572

The only previous experience I have with Losi is that I bought and built a Junior 2 back in about 1995 or 96, when the local hobby shop was clearing them out. (I don't think I even ran it. Just built it and sold it to a friend.) But recently you guys with your orange wheels and your universal-joint axles and your weird rear suspensions have got me intrigued.

So, Losi fans, I ask you this:
1. What have I gotten myself into? Did I do OK on price/condition/completeness? Or am I going to spend a fortune getting it in shape?
2. How hard is it to convert the rear end back to the 5-link? Not concerned with period-correct originality or anything (it will be a runner), but I just always thought the 5-link setup was cool, and part of the car's identity.
3. "Metal-gear transmission"? Does he mean the retrofit XX?
4. No, really; what have I gotten myself into?

[Coelacanth]

I don't know much about Losi, but that looks like a great deal. The roller alone without all the spares would've been a decent buy at the price you paid. I'm surprised nobody else bid on it!

[clm]

I saw that on ebay when browsing for nice junior chassis, that junior chassis to the right is seriously butchered lol!

Chris

[biff85ta]

So for somebody with 20 years of experience with Associated cars, it feels a little like trading in my X-wing for a TIE fighter, but... having recently sold a never-run RC10CE because I already have 2 others, I wanted to try something new.

So I bid on this, and nobody else did, so now it's headed my way:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Team-Losi-jrx2-or-junior-2-roller-and-lots-of-spares-associated-rc10-vintage-/171116892572

The only previous experience I have with Losi is that I bought and built a Junior 2 back in about 1995 or 96, when the local hobby shop was clearing them out. (I don't think I even ran it. Just built it and sold it to a friend.) But recently you guys with your orange wheels and your universal-joint axles and your weird rear suspensions have got me intrigued.

So, Losi fans, I ask you this:
1. What have I gotten myself into? Did I do OK on price/condition/completeness? Or am I going to spend a fortune getting it in shape?
2. How hard is it to convert the rear end back to the 5-link? Not concerned with period-correct originality or anything (it will be a runner), but I just always thought the 5-link setup was cool, and part of the car's identity.
3. "Metal-gear transmission"? Does he mean the retrofit XX?
4. No, really; what have I gotten myself into?

1. Looks pretty complete to me.

2. Finding the lower shock mounts for a five link could be a real pain I know for sure not sure about anything else.

3. Metal gear sets for the LRM or five gear tranny did exist from Robinson Racing that is not the retrofit trans.

4. Needs some love but shouldn't be that bad.

[markbt73]

Well good - at least I didn't make a colossal mistake.

I'll have more photos (and questions, I'm sure) when it gets here.

[clm]

Easy way to do lower ball ends on a 5 link is find a rod end that doesn't swivel, something that just rotates side to side. That should keep the lower 5 link bar from rotating.

Chris

[JK Racing]

3. Metal gear sets for the LRM or five gear tranny did exist from Robinson Racing that is not the retrofit trans.

I think they were Thorpe gears

Looks like a great start.

[biff85ta]

3. Metal gear sets for the LRM or five gear tranny did exist from Robinson Racing that is not the retrofit trans.

I think they were Thorpe gears

Looks like a great start.

Oops I knew I had seen them flipping through an old car action but I did get the maker wrong. It was the overload of cool old ads that got me.

[DerbyDan]

I reckon you did OK there - especially if the gearbox does turn out to have a full compliment of metal thorp gears, these seem quite desirable & would make for a more reliable transmission if you intend to run a more mild to wild motor in it (the plastic gears were renowned for stripping even Bitd when motors & batteries were less powerfull!)

The car does seem to be a mish-mash of different parts & judging by the later style decals & through some of the more modern parts (XXX turnbuckles/shocks/ball ends etc) makes me wonder if this was used up to quite recently. Looking closely it would seem that it all looks pretty well used but i'm sure it would all be usable, & once cleaned & neatened up would make a nice runner for sure.

I agree that the JRX2's 5 link rear suspension is the RC10's arch rival's unique feature & would be nice to re-instate that configuration but it does require quite a few parts that you would need to source, including; 4x Horizontal arms, 4x trailing arm links, shock bottom/mounts, trailing arm mounts & hub carriers, along with the required hardware.... it might be easier hunting down a 5-link parts car that you can get all those parts from?

I've built a runner car out of used parts; http://www.rc10talk.com/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=24503&start=30 & I've been racing it on a fairly regular basis. So far its proved reliable even with an 8.5 brushless motor, having the original 5-link layout certainly gives it a unique driving experience (so much rear end traction!)

I would certainly recommend trying to find a slipper layshaft & install a double plate slipper from a later Losi buggy to try & tame the wheelies, also to find a way of fitting modern 2.2 wheels - which is not so easy with the 5-link setup since the normally direct-fit losi XX or XXX rear wheels (on a H-arm car) clash/rub on the lower shock mount that is fitted to the trailing arm... I was lucky to have found the deep-dish 2.2" Yokomo wheels & adaptors which space the wheel outwards.

[kaiser]

custom works .125" wheel spacers allow the use of b4 wheels. that's what i run on my jrx2 racer.

[markbt73]

Oh, I have zero plans for brushless in this. Just an old stocker and a Rooster. And if the 5 spoke wheels are in decent shape, I'll stick with them as well.

Got the shipping notification, the seller says he found another "rough but mostly complete" car that he threw in. Now I'm REALLY excited for it to get here...

[markbt73]

Well, here it all is... quite a bit more stuff than I was expecting, actually. From the looks of it, the guy was an oval racer.



Two mostly complete chassis (one graphite and one composite), one bare composite chassis (hacked all up, but still), one bare graphite chassis (cut down to sprint-car width), a sprint car cage and body (looks like maybe adapted from a Kyosho Sideways?), a bunch of tires, mostly in pairs, and two plastic boxes of parts. Oh, and a JRX2 and a Junior 2 manual.

More photos later, as I dig through it all. At first glance, it looks like I can build a buggy and a sprint car, at least...

[GoMachV]

I have a clear body for you off of a car that I got from a member here, it fits the buggy but I think it's a xx that was cut to fit. Blank canvas- and free

[markbt73]

Free? Why, that's my favorite price... thanks!

A few more quick glances have revealed: another complete transmission, and all the parts to build a 4th (minus bearings); a slipper top-shaft on one of the trannies (has a slipper, but could actually be a Hydra-Drive top shaft - it's REALLY long); a set of foam tires, trued right down to 1/4" of rubber; and enough suspension parts to actually build a 3rd chassis (minus shocks). Oh, and one motor plate has no engraved logo, which means very early production, right? (don't get too excited; it's also the one in the worst shape.)

First thing I'm gonna need - roll pins. I think they're ALL missing.

[clm]

Good job, looks like a great lot from the evil bay, should be fun going through it all. You might want to look up some of the early jrx2 features posts and see if you have more of the early features like the aluminum outdrive spacers and whatnot

Chris