Help with protection from asphalt

[55Chevy]

My son and I are having a few problems trying to protect our Slash's on asphalt now that I've got them running again.

1) When we bump into each other and the front end raises, the rear bottom of the RPM bumper mount and RPM bumper are both being shaved off by the asphalt, to include the screws. Not good. Especially since these are brand new bumper mounts and bumpers. How do I solve this? A wheelie bar? Traxxas wheelie bar or RPM wheelie bar? Will a wheelie bar prevent the bottom of the bumper mount from scraping or will it still scrape?

2) If a wheelie bar doesn't solve it, what other options are there? Do they make a steel rear bumper and rear skid plate to protect it?

3) How to best protect the lids? I've got the RC Maniacs body and my son has the ProLine Bash Armor. When we roll over after bumping into each other, the bodies are obviously sliding across the asphalt which is shaving off the plastic. Even the super thick PL Bash Armor body is now almost see through. Any ideas? I see PL has skid body protectors but I don't see those lasting very long. Anyone figure out how to mount a small steel plate on the top corners of the body? The problem is it would still shave off the screw so it'd probably have to be a small steel cube. Any ideas?

Thanks.

[Greatscott]

Asphalt is REALLY bad on RC parts no matter what.

Wheelie bars would help to protect your back bumpers. The Traxxas wheelie bars work well, they just need to be zip-tied in place.

Proline just came out with some skids for the roof of RC cars to protect them. You could likely do the same thing with some PVC or Delrin.

https://www.prolineracing.com/perfor...protectors.asp

A lot of us view RC bodies on fast RCs the same as wheels, they are a consumable item. They have a finite life span then you chuck them and paint up another. This goes double for lids that are abused by asphalt.

[55Chevy]

Asphalt is REALLY bad on RC parts no matter what.

Wheelie bars would help to protect your back bumpers. The Traxxas wheelie bars work well, they just need to be zip-tied in place.

Proline just came out with some skids for the roof of RC cars to protect them. You could likely do the same thing with some PVC or Delrin.

https://www.prolineracing.com/perfor...protectors.asp

A lot of us view RC bodies on fast RCs the same as wheels, they are a consumable item. They have a finite life span then you chuck them and paint up another. This goes double for lids that are abused by asphalt.

I have RPM rear bumpers and RPM rear bumper mounts. Do you know if the RPM wheelie bars protect the bottom of the bumper mount or just protect the bumper itself? Thanks.

[fortunespoonz]

I have RPM rear bumpers and RPM rear bumper mounts. Do you know if the RPM wheelie bars protect the bottom of the bumper mount or just protect the bumper itself? Thanks.

Using a stock bumper mount will help out quite a bit. I had the same problem with the RPM mount.

You can also try rigging up something like this...

[Squeegie]

Other then what had already been said, is your suspension set up for street? Check your shock mounting positions, spring preload, and you can always get stiffer springs to reduce rear sag.

Test test test...

Have fun!

[55Chevy]

I bought stiffer springs and 50 WT oil. This wheelie bar looks like it would solve the problem.

https://www.ebay.com/i/222555669953?...evt=1&mkcid=28

Now I just need to attach some strips of sheet metal to the outside of the bodies and we should be good.

[rag6]

Putting sheet metal thick enough to last on the roof will add lots of weight up high. Also I would be worried of any sharp edges that would develope as they scraped the ground. It could cut into the body, or worse yet cut one of you.

Greatscott's suggestion to use the pro line or homemade delrin roof skids is a great option. Many companies seems to be incorporating plastic roof rails on their new rtrs. Check it out, they will last longer than you think

Sent from my moto e5 cruise using Tapatalk

[55Chevy]

Putting sheet metal thick enough to last on the roof will add lots of weight up high. Also I would be worried of any sharp edges that would develope as they scraped the ground. It could cut into the body, or worse yet cut one of you.

Greatscott's suggestion to use the pro line or homemade delrin roof skids is a great option. Many companies seems to be incorporating plastic roof rails on their new rtrs. Check it out, they will last longer than you think

Sent from my moto e5 cruise using Tapatalk

I was also thinking of using skateboard rail sliders like these. Which do you think would last longer? PL roof skids or skateboard rail sliders?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...d-b31d6b1bfbee

[rag6]

I'm guessing the skateboard ones. They do have to support a human, not just a 5 lb RC....

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[dgechrgr469]

I'll put my two cents worth in this discussion. I would make something out of the type of plastic material like a cutting board is made of, a white nylon type material that has some "slickness" to it. Whatever you use will wear down eventually and will need replacing.

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[srider72]

I like the skateboard rail slider idea...

[Spechal]

I agree with the rails idea and now want to do that to add support to the chassis. I don't have the stock chassis anymore; it broke in half. The LGC chassis is one of the best changes I've made. It drastically changes cornering and I do not flip under high speed turns at all anymore. In fact, I can go wide open and kick it back to almost stop on a dime. It's rough on the spur gear and I've had to replace it once after a year of abuse (yersterday in fact), but I've hit enough things and replaced enough parts to be fine with replacing a $4 spur gear instead of suspension pins, castor blocks, axle carriers, etc...

[olds97_lss]

I run at a skate park near me quite a bit and it has really rough concrete on the face of most of the jumps. It will chew through a skidplate in a matter of a single bash session. So I've had to make my own steel plates on the front/rear of my trucks where they make contact. I replace them about once a year.

I recently tried a piece of titanium, just cheap 1/8" stuff off amazon. It worked really well and is very light.

On the roof, I've made a skid plate for the roof of my ERBEv2. I have a probodyrc unbreakable body on it. It's a soft material, but doesn't crack/tear like lexan, but it does grind. So to avoid it grinding through, figured I'd make something for it. Used a hunk of a HDPE cutting board off amazon. Looks kind of silly, but should do the job.


Titanium skids on my stampede:


I still need to make roof skids for my outcast and stampede as I have the same kind of body on those.

This is the plastic I used:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B076G1797P

Can be cut pretty easily with a jig saw/reciprocating saw.

[55Chevy]

I run at a skate park near me quite a bit and it has really rough concrete on the face of most of the jumps. It will chew through a skidplate in a matter of a single bash session. So I've had to make my own steel plates on the front/rear of my trucks where they make contact. I replace them about once a year.

I recently tried a piece of titanium, just cheap 1/8" stuff off amazon. It worked really well and is very light.

On the roof, I've made a skid plate for the roof of my ERBEv2. I have a probodyrc unbreakable body on it. It's a soft material, but doesn't crack/tear like lexan, but it does grind. So to avoid it grinding through, figured I'd make something for it. Used a hunk of a HDPE cutting board off amazon. Looks kind of silly, but should do the job.


Titanium skids on my stampede:


I still need to make roof skids for my outcast and stampede as I have the same kind of body on those.

This is the plastic I used:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B076G1797P

Can be cut pretty easily with a jig saw/reciprocating saw.

Nice! Thanks for all the info. I'll post pics when I get everything done. I've cut the skateboard rails but haven't attached them yet. Thanks again.

[Squeegie]

I recently tried a piece of titanium, just cheap 1/8" stuff off amazon. It worked really well and is very light.

When running on asphalt, does it shoot sparks when it bottoms out at speed? Must look kinda cool at night... just be careful and don't start any wildfires! Sorry... Californian in me is tired of wild fires!

Have fun!

[olds97_lss]

Nice! Thanks for all the info. I'll post pics when I get everything done. I've cut the skateboard rails but haven't attached them yet. Thanks again.

Not sure what a skateboard rail is. Got a link?

When running on asphalt, does it shoot sparks when it bottoms out at speed? Must look kinda cool at night... just be careful and don't start any wildfires! Sorry... Californian in me is tired of wild fires!

Have fun!

Yeah, makes some white sparks as I launch from a jump, usually near the bottom of the jump. I don't see anything on the trucks that I used steel on, but I do see it with the titanium.

EDIT:
Never mind, figured out the rail thing:
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=skateboard+deck+rail

Cutting board is cheaper. lol!

[Squeegie]

I have a bag with skateboard rails in my garage.

They are not for my RCs... they are for one of my skateboard decks!

[fortunespoonz]

I run at a skate park near me quite a bit and it has really rough concrete on the face of most of the jumps. It will chew through a skidplate in a matter of a single bash session. So I've had to make my own steel plates on the front/rear of my trucks where they make contact. I replace them about once a year.

I recently tried a piece of titanium, just cheap 1/8" stuff off amazon.
Can be cut pretty easily with a jig saw/reciprocating saw.

I like those. I’ve been recently eyeing the bottom of my Slash 4x4 to make a set like my 2wd ones.
I kinda like yours style better for the 4x4. I have some 0.090 alum I’ve been saving...

Any idea of the weight of yours?

[olds97_lss]

I like those. I’ve been recently eyeing the bottom of my Slash 4x4 to make a set like my 2wd ones.
I kinda like yours style better for the 4x4. I have some 0.090 alum I’ve been saving...

Any idea of the weight of yours?

No. I didn't bother weighing them. I just know the steel ones I took off felt heavier in my hand than the titanium pieces that went back on.

I tried aluminum first because it's easier to work with, but it doesn't last long, which is why I went with steel originally. Then I tried titanium and it seems to hold up well. I use 1/8th inch for both.

Wish I could get more of the titanium I got previously. Guessing it wasn't high grade or anything, but using my automatic center punch, I put a few dents in it and in the steel I use. The dent it made was about half as deep as the dent in the steel. Yet, it wasn't too bad to cut/drill/countersink.

This is what I bought:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0838N7H4M

It was just under $20 shipped for that. But was enough to make skids/wear plates for a few of my trucks. On the stampede, I didn't make the steel one as long as the titanium one previously, but then the bulkhead place got a hole wore in it right under the spur and my spur got destroyed. So when I made the titanium one, I made it long enough to cover the entire thing. That took almost half of the 12" piece I bought.

With what I had left, I put a piece on the rear of my ERBEv2 and my eJato as both really drag their butts up the face of the ramps and grind things down.





When I make them like those, I make sure to bevel the front edge so it doesn't snag on rocks, curbs or anything. Was a pain grinding that down with a dremel... lol!

The outcast does it bad as well on both the front and rear, but I ran out of the stuff.

[55Chevy]

Finally got around to getting the skateboard rails mounted to the top. We were going full speed down the street and I tried to run him off the road. I missed and went about full speed straight into the curb. Broke the chassis and brace underneath. Looks like I'll be buying a new LCG.

[55Chevy]

So I broke the front skid plate (brace underneath that I mentioned before). Part 5837. Do I need that with the new LCG or is that part 5831?