SOULJA's SMART midtank for UNDER $30!!! SSOOOO Simple you NEVER thought about it!!!

[soulja]

guy.....I HAVE FIGURED IT OUT!!everyone wants a GOOD midtank for as CHEAP as they can do it......and i was bored in the house today while my son was sleep and just started staring at my two savages. i knew i want to do a midtank on the race savage.....so i was trying to figure out how i wanted it done. i transferred GLOBS of parts for the new X SS kit to the old SS kit. among the parts i put on the "basher" savage was the new X style bellcranks (the old ss just uses two regular posts....you have to use a servo saver on the servo instead of the right side post being a servo saver...the new bellcranks are MUCH better!) and the new style savage X EZ radio box. the new radio box also very quick access to the radio equipment with just one turn of a knob. the old style uses 3 mini body clips that hold the top old....and anyone with previous savage experience from old skool savages will tell you once you get them in.....they aren't coming out without a fight! while staring at the two and doing some measuring....i found the stock tank can fit right between the old school savage 25 battery box and those pins would be PERFECT to hold the top down and keep i still somewhat weather tight. so.....with my trusty sidekick Dremel.....we began on this journey!


here's the Savage 21/25/SS (old Skool) box
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff107/soulja55/Picture993.jpg
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff107/soulja55/Picture995.jpg




with a little measuring and cutting....she will sit in there perfect and low!
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff107/soulja55/Picture994.jpg




first thing i did was measure the bottom of the lowest part f the tank and began cutting out that spot. after i finished...i sanded all the high spot smooth
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff107/soulja55/Picture998.jpg
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff107/soulja55/Picture999.jpg
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff107/soulja55/Picture997.jpg




next i sat the tank in the box and began to mark where the top will be
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff107/soulja55/Picture996.jpg




i cut that out and sat here in there....and PERFECT! keep in mind the bellcrank screws can still be accessed with the tank in....the steering servo is in its stock position......the box are still in the box to screw it in from the side........and the top is still held on by the push pins! i will be permanently mounting this is with some plastic kneading epoxy, some double sided tape (for the stock of the tank k=hitting the sides), some screws and orings (to not let the tank be mounted to the screws...but to give it shock/jolt protection).
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff107/soulja55/Picture1004.jpg
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff107/soulja55/Picture1003.jpg
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff107/soulja55/Picture1002.jpg
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff107/soulja55/Picture1000.jpg





all you really need for this conversion is:
Ofna Linkage Kit
flat piece of small scrap metal
FLM servo mounts
plastic epoxy
Savage 25 battery box.




more to come......i gotta eat! man this was simple and less than an hour!!!

[BIG DADDY 808]

nice job bro,i likee

[soulja]

too simple...! another veiw VVVVV
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff107/soulja55/Picture1005.jpg

[BIG DADDY 808]

is that a 3 speed?

[Mickey]

nice matt good idea

[Shaun]

that has to be the simplest mid tank i've ever seen ,great job.....

[adb140275]

Thank you!!!

[Scott]

Nice work matt!! :rock1:

[Hypnotiq]

Awesome Mid-tank matt!

[]-[0pa]0ng]

Looks like a hand and glove fit. Too simple.

[Jeremy]

Great Thread !!!

[soulja]

guys....it just hit me like a bolt of lightning! can't do it with the stock EZ access box.......just too flimsy and wont' hold the top secure. the old batt box is the way to go! abd....yes that's a 3 speed.

[soulja]

im gonna clean up all the plastic flash and mount the throttle servo so you can see it with out the engine. the ERCM Picco & pipe is on the way.....

a full thread is coming up soon...when the engine gets here.

[savageman46]

Nice work Matt!

I have a question. What is the all the obsession with a "mid tank"? I have never understood it.

[MikeK1981]

Nice work man! What about HTL though? I thought that was one of the main reasons to do a mid tank, unless your building a racer or something where balance is more critical.

[soulja]

is that a 3 speed?

Nice work Matt!

I have a question. What is the all the obsession with a "mid tank"? I have never understood it.

joey......for a modified motor...it is a MUST. the half-tank lean that savages are known for is completely eliminated. the truck holds a tune so much better.....an the temps stay regulated. plus....is gives a brand new attitude with the way the truck drives because it evens out out the weight. i won't have a race truck without a mid tank after the first one i did. even one i do gets better and better....i almost have it refined perfectly!

[soulja]

joey......for a modified motor...it is a MUST. the half-tank lean that savages are known for is completely eliminated. the truck holds a tune so much better.....an the temps stay regulated. plus....is gives a brand new attitude with the way the truck drives because it evens out out the weight. i won't have a race truck without a mid tank after the first one i did. even one i do gets better and better....i almost have it refined perfectly!

the three speed has a slightly lower first sb.....i think i may be one of the only guys that has never messed up a trans with and Extreme modded motor!!

[MikeK1981]

If your using the stepped tank how does this eliminate HTL? Is it because it is sitting higher or something?

[texasavage]

Cool! I used the stock radio box on my 25's budget midtank too and thought I was being lazy and cheep LoL
Thanks for lifting my spirits :)

Here is the link-->>25's budget midtank (http://www.hpisavageforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=11521)

On mine I changed the tank to a Hot Bodies buggy tank though because I thought the shelf in the tank was one of the problems on the "half tank lean" on top of the height of the tank vs carb.

I was going to cut the cover but instead made a plate to go around it because I needed a place to put the receiver

Total cost of this one was $3 for a new on-off switch.

vv--Here are a few pics of mine--vv
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk185/texasavage/DSCN1453small.jpg

http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk185/texasavage/DSCN1448small.jpg

Thanks for the pics Matt!

[texasavage]

EDIT:

Matt, looks like the battery will still fit in the same spot, but what are your plans for the receiver? I didn't see a box for it on our parts list?

[soulja]

to be honest tex i think i have enough room to put the RX and battery in front of the tank. i will check today and post tonight when i get home from work.......

[orcusomega]

i would think based on the pics that the RX would fit (tightly) in the front of that box... Be sure to put it in a balloon or something - since the box is now open, you are sure to have dirt/dust/water/debris going into that box and onto the RX...

Bob

[MikeK1981]

Still haven't heard a reason for why this would help HTL, when you are still using the stock tank. ???

[soulja]

i think it was more of the position of the tank than the tank itself......i've done a mid tank with the stock tank before and moved the position and never had any problems with the half tank lean.

[soulja]

i think it was nore so of the position of the tank than the tank itself......i'll done a midtank with the stock tank before and moved the postion and never had any problems with the half tank lean.

sorry about the typos.....at home on lunch and read it when i got back to work!!!

[MikeK1981]

OK, I wonder if you could raise the height of the tank in the the stock location to get a similar effect. I guess it wouldn't be as sturdy and possibly be more vulnerable in a crash as well.

[Bankrupter]

lol Matt we did this years ago. I had two of them I gave away to Jeremy back in the day. I don't think he ever installed them.

Good thread this is the cheapest way ... I do like you cut the top lid too. Mine just got thrown out. But I did them with X boxes too. not the .25 stuff ...

[Shaun]

sorry about the typos.....at home on lunch and read it when i got back to work!!!

all fixed for ya lol

[soulja]

thanks sadsack. tonight i will be trying to get the linkages ready 2nite

[Bankrupter]

I dont want to hear try ...... do it foo

[adb140275]

what would the flat piece of scrap metal be for?

[texasavage]

He's probably going to use that to bolt on the TVP's for the FLM servo mounts. I'm pretty sure it's for some HPI carbon fiber TVP's instead of a set of PRC Tvp's that already have the servo mount holes.

How did the receiver work out?
Looks really tight to me with the angle of the cover in the front. If I was you I would put the batt in a rush box with Larsen's (prc180) Rush box plate in front of the shock towers and keep the receiver in the radio box in a balloon like Bob said.
Just an idea.
Let us know how it works out!

[soulja]

pics coming tomorrow.........late night and i'm tired....

[Bankrupter]

I know it has no mill but get a shot of the full truck. want to see the full view when yea get a chance ...

[soulja]

aaahhhhhhhhhh.................that's coming in another thread my good friend......can't let the cat out the bag too earley......

[soulja]

here is the plate that i made to mount the servo. it is a piece of aluminum and bolts to where the old tank mount would have gone. i will probably polish this out later. it is just a piece of thick sheet aluminum i got from the hobby shop.

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff107/soulja55/Picture1017.jpg (http://s239.photobucket.com/albums/ff107/soulja55/?action=view&current=Picture1017.jpg)
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff107/soulja55/Picture1016.jpg (http://s239.photobucket.com/albums/ff107/soulja55/?action=view&current=Picture1016.jpg)

[wildchild27]

what kind of engine plate is that matt?

[soulja]

the new HPI HD Heatsink Engine plate part #102699. there is a thread on a review i did of it ....just got my engine today so testing will be very soon.......

[soulja]

i thried the battery in the box today....man....couldn't have asked for a more perfect fit!! the small Spektrum receiver i have will work right on the top of it....so i will take a few ballons to wrap it in and a little silicone to seal it in to. this truck is gonna have Telemetry...so i have to make sure there is enough room for all those wires. i am gonna decide where i want to put the switch & charging jack tonight......

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff107/soulja55/Picture1018.jpg (http://s239.photobucket.com/albums/ff107/soulja55/?action=view&current=Picture1018.jpg)
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff107/soulja55/Picture1019.jpg (http://s239.photobucket.com/albums/ff107/soulja55/?action=view&current=Picture1019.jpg)
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff107/soulja55/Picture1020.jpg (http://s239.photobucket.com/albums/ff107/soulja55/?action=view&current=Picture1020.jpg)









here's a better pic of the servo plate
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff107/soulja55/Picture1022.jpg (http://s239.photobucket.com/albums/ff107/soulja55/?action=view&current=Picture1022.jpg)

[Pope]

Looking good Matt :)

[texasavage]

Looking good bud! :)

[adb140275]

steering servo goes in the stock place?

[soulja]

no.....its beside the engine now. that's what that flat piece of metal is there for. you will need the FLM servo mounts to mount to that plate to mount the servo.

[adb140275]

well the throttle servo would bolt to the tvp but how can the steering servo be beside the engine?

[Bankrupter]

coming nice 4 sure Matt ...

[MikeK1981]

well the throttle servo would bolt to the tvp but how can the steering servo be beside the engine?

I think he misunderstood you LOL. Usually the steering servo goes in the stock location but there are a couple ways of doing that. Either mount it to the TVP's, or some people figure out a way to leave it in the radio box depending on your tank choice. I'm not sure how chose to do it on this build.

[MikeK1981]

Looking back at at the pics and the way he did this, I think he may have left the steering servo in the stock location in the radio box, under the 'step' in the stock tank.

[Mickey]

ebee it is in the first post on this mod steering servo is in the stock spot

[soulja]

thanks guys...i misread his question.

[MikeK1981]

Thanks Mickey, guess I could have read into it a little more instead of just looking at the pics LOL!

[ChaseMe]

Can we get these pics re-hosted? I'd love to see what was done here.