23 replies to this topic

[CoastalAngler1]

Santa got me some new toys - a Lucky Bob Chassis Jig and a set of 3/32 jig wheels.  Now I can setup a JK C11 chassis the correct way in preparation for some MySeries racing in Florida.  I spent the time and made sure all 3 pieces are completely flat, and uprights are square.  Taped the chassis dead on center.  The oilites move freely right now at the desired height but I want to solder braces around the motor compartment and to the uprights at same time before removing from jig...Can someone help me with ideas and/or images?

 

[Gator Bob]

Cool....Charlie !

 

You could copy the formed braces I put on your other car or buy the steel Slick7 brace for the up-rights.

[Steve Deiters]

I have run a axle tube between the rear bearings and soldered in place that is notched accordingly for motor clearance when installed.

[Pablo]

For the uprights, either a S7-453, or S7-532.  For the rear of the motor, the standard JK brace. For the front, either a Gator Bob brace, or a S7-389.

[gotboostedvr6]

Use .047 and brace the wings and the uprights. Also add a tongue brace.

Attached Images

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[Matt Sheldon]

I do my rear bracing just like David, except I run the rear motor brace a little lower. For most motors I do not brace the front of the motor, I simply solder to the chassis in various locations. And I agree a tongue brace is a must regardless of how fast you are. Lastly I swap out the bite bar with genuine piano wire as there is something just not right about material of the one supplied.

 

I see David braces his front wings with piano wire as well which is a great idea if the competition is a little rough or if you are paying your dues. 

[Michael Rigsby]

Charlie,

 

Please note that adding piano wire bracing to the front wings like shown in that picture above is not legal in My Series classes.  The rear upright bracing is legal, as is the guide tongue brace which I recommend. My thought on this is add the rear brace after you have done several timed laps on the hillclimb, then after adding the brace, compare your lap times. Sometimes adding that brace can actually cause the rear of the car to be too stiff, and that hurts lap times.

 

The only class I run the slick 7 upright brace on is GTP. I do not use it for NASCAR or LMP/GT1.  GTP, having a high downforce body, can compensate in the donut, and since those cars crash much faster, I like having it back there.

[DOCinCanton]

Charlie, you only need the rear brace. I make mine out of 047 piano wire. I sent you a pic of one of my cars. The other braces are not necessary and might be illegal as Mike said. Running a car at the lowest possible weight is very important. Solder in the rear brace before you solder in the rear bushings.

[DOCinCanton]

You could jig the axle height by using two 37 tooth gears. Then you could use 34, 35, 36, or 37 tooth gears and get the required clearance with 0.730 tire OD.  Remember, MySeries rules limit us to 64 pitch gears.

[CoastalAngler1]

My first brace and jig job.  made it w the first cut of .047, tried centering the solder joint.  Loctite is drying, tomorrow it will be a roller...Thanks for this help!  Hope it is OK to use .050 ss tube for bite bar?

 

[gotboostedvr6]

Hollow tube bitebar will never live through a race. Your chassis is light enough without it. Better off using .047 imo.

Also the way you braced is the stiffest way possible.

Guys that only solder in two places on the c11, x25, finish less races then the guys that solder in 3 places.
You lose bank speed if you don't solder the rear and increase the likely hood of bent center sections if you don't solder the front.

[CoastalAngler1]

Here's the motor soldered in - I tacked the brass tube first, then soldered the can end.  The EB side was asking for solder the way it sat so close to the chassis - will this work, or do I need a rear bracket?

 

 

[Cap Henry]

I personally don't like to solder the endbell as I don't like heating up that end of the motor more then necessary. BTW, your pinion is on backwards

[gotboostedvr6]

Skip soldering the rear, it overheats the brush assembly.

Use the supplied jk motor bracket to solder in the rear, remove the axle when doing this step.

Use high heat, acid and be fast.

Also your pinion is backwards

[Danny Zona]

You need a rear bracket. Another tip is not to solder near the end bell of a fk motor. I would also move the brass tube away from the end bell. I wouldn't on this motor because its already installed. But you want to keep heat away from the end bell side as much as possible.

[Danny Zona]

I personally like using the jk motor brace that comes with the car. I use them on both sides. .047 piano wire or brass tube will work also. I like the jk motor brace because they are light weight.

[Danny Zona]

[CoastalAngler1]

 Whoops!

 

Pinion backwards - classic rookie move    Soldering near EB - dumb a$$   

Danny - how did you know I was hoping for those images?

Good thing The Raceway is open tonight, After BillP and Terry get a good laugh, they'll straighten me out.   

[Michael Rigsby]

The small round piece of brass in front of the motor shown in frame #12, is actually a good idea, it just needs to be about a 1/4" long.  I put mine in using the supplied JK brace in the back.

 

I first tack the gear side of the motor after I set the mesh, put the rear brace in (with axle removed), then put the small piece of brass tubing at the front.  The tubing will actually work better than another JK brace since it will give a little in a really bad hit, whereas the solid jk brace in the front will break the solder joint. I have never lost a motor in a race, nor have I lost magnets by overheating the can.  And, as was pointed out, never ,ever solder on the brush end of the can on any motor.

[CoastalAngler1]

Well, we missed Terry last night...but the Florida GP12 champ Matt Boman got me straightened out.  Not sure if that retro hawk will survive, grabbed 2 more for the race program.  Nobody laughed about the chassis work but me...before I worked on the chassis I won the main in the 5.5 race and my son who hasn't held a controller in a year took 3rd in the B. 

[CoastalAngler1]

Got Braces? 

 

Still learning...thanks Terry, Matt, Doc, and Danny - this one combines a little from each of your kind assistance.  

Almost ready for Jan 10th!

 

.047 Bite Bar and Front Axle

Bulletproofing under bite bar and where the front of pans attach

Pinion job w 680 loctite

chassis bracing w .047

low and mean setup at .720 on Lucky's Jig

JK small hub naturals cut to .730 

#1 (my first) retro hawk race program motor (probably no good from the heat on eb side haha)

This one passes the new years 'lose weight' resolution...

77.5g without body - 83.0g with GT-1 body - it needs a NASCAR body!

 

 

[Pablo]

Keep pushing, man, you are going in the right direction. With FL guys like Tawney, Tony,  Bob I, DZ, Marty S. etc. helping you, you have no idea how lucky you are.

[crazyphysicsteacher]

Looks great, but way too much attaching points. I agree with not soldering on the endbell unless you have a young driver who enjoys getting the entire axle to touch the motor in the hairpin. ouch..  Too much heat here has resulted in melting the plastic inside the endbell.  I suggest just soldering the motor in on the gear side and the front. If you do the job right, only a hit from a rental car will knock it loose. One thing I was shown with these open box chassis is to lay the rear mount flat on the chassis and aligned to the motor, makes it easy to swap a dead motor as the back will sit against the bracket.

 

Keep up the work and let us know how it keeps working.  And remember, we all have ways that work for us, they may or may not work for you.

 

One trick I use with my alignment block, I added another nut in the track and use a screw with a nut and washer to lock down the chassis just before I solder in the bushings and braces.

 

Keep the silver side down and keep digging. 

[CoastalAngler1]

The motor survived and has great brakes...ran it briefly at the private track last night.  Started with around a dozen medium laps, then a few bursts, then a few fast laps.  That thang is #Fast!  Now I gotta figure how to get it to stick on the hillclimb.  Tuesday night test and tune - here comes Lucky!  Somehow, some way, I'm gonna beat at least one racer Jan 10th!