New Innovative-RC Low CG kit has arrived

[Gazzman]

Well my new Low centre of Gravity 6mm front & 1" rear extended kit arrived today from Robert@Innovative-RC today and looks pretty cool. So now the next build starts. Sold one of my Truckzillas over the weekend which took my Savage collection down to 9, now it will be going back up to 10. Happy Days.

What this space as they say.

 

[Gazzman]

Well 1st stages of the build have happened, rear bulkheads fitted, engine plate & gearbox in, radio box base fitted, front bulkheads together just waiting for a 1/2 ally servo saver to arrive before fitting it, the k5.9 mill in the background will be used until the replacement one arrives, this one is a bit down on compression but still runs fine.

 

[Fstndt]

Mine only looked that clean the first 3 hours i bought it

 

[Gazzman]

Mine only looked that clean the first 3 hours i bought it

Well this is as dirty as mine will get, LOL. Maybe a bit of dust from sitting on the shelf. This will be my replacement for the Truckzilla I sold at the weekend. Got an empty space at the moment and we can't have that.

 

[Gazzman]

Well been busy and the new build is starting to look like a truck now, still got a bit to do and some of the parts fitted will get changed but had to use what was to hand as they say.
The primer tank will be going, it's new but not keen on these tanks. The throttle linkage will need to be changed as forgot about it needing to be longer to allow for the 6mm front extension of the chassis, but this works for now. Need to mod the plastic roll bar to fit, Wheels will end up getting changed, not sure what to yet but looking at a set of Arrma MT 2.8". The exhaust is still in the post as bought a standard ally savage pipe but the club set me one from a Hyper buggie.
Still plenty of time to change my mind on the wheels but want to keep them small which will mean staying with the 14mm hexs.
Shocks have been shortened 10mm by adding limiter inside and removing the plastic clips from the tops. Think I will add a set of sway bars aswell.
Anyway here it is so far.

 

[Jam 1]

Well been busy and the new build is starting to look like a truck now, still got a bit to do and some of the parts fitted will get changed but had to use what was to hand as they say.
The primer tank will be going, it's new but not keen on these tanks. The throttle linkage will need to be changed as forgot about it needing to be longer to allow for the 6mm front extension of the chassis, but this works for now. Need to mod the plastic roll bar to fit, Wheels will end up getting changed, not sure what to yet but looking at a set of Arrma MT 2.8". The exhaust is still in the post as bought a standard ally savage pipe but the club set me one from a Hyper buggie.
Still plenty of time to change my mind on the wheels but want to keep them small which will mean staying with the 14mm hexs.
Shocks have been shortened 10mm by adding limiter inside and removing the plastic clips from the tops. Think I will add a set of sway bars aswell.
Anyway here it is so far.
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Shiney and Clean, Great Build Gazz

 

[Gazzman]

Shiney and Clean, Great Build Gazz

Thanks Jam, Yes it 's coming together now. Got the roll bar cut and fitted now, Still no sure which way to go with the wheels, want to keep it as low to the ground as possible which is why am thinking about the Arrma MT rims but also thinking about going up to 17mm hexs. Have got a pair of Hotbodies TT 5 spokes with Fame tyres which look good on it but need to track down another pair. Found a set of rims on your side of the pond but having trouble finding tyres as they are 3.2" and not 3.8".
Going to fit a HPI Gignate bodyshell as very limited amount of shells out there to fit the XL length savage which this now is.

Also Jam you can't post some detailed up close photos of the throttle mod you have done to your savage, as quite like the look and simplicity of it, you did post some before can't remember the post they were in. Mine is abit of a lash-up, works but not pretty.

 

[Paul Williams]

Gazz these tyres i use are low and belted so wont expand when you take it for a bash and also i use the 17mm hex`s as you may know and its the way to go dude. https://www.makeitbuildit.co.uk/swe...VYF9Nqw5gB361qBSx4HHsaSdcJNgh3xMaAmj2EALw_wcB

 

[Jam 1]

I used a bunch of OFNA parts I had laying around for my throttle/brake linkage, but I am a redneck and making things work is a thing I do......

 

[Gazzman]

I used a bunch of OFNA parts I had laying around for my throttle/brake linkage, but I am a redneck and making things work is a thing I do......

Cheers for the photo uploads Jam, Custom throttle\brake is something never bothered with on my Savages, all left them as standard but forgot that the radio box is 6mm further forward on this build so it's time to sort it out. Never really liked the std savage servo horn setup anyway but it has always been easier to just fit the std part.
Picked up a set of 2mm rods from my local model shop today which I have bent one end and got a couple of sets of Fastrax Racing Throttle Linkage kits in the post.

 

[Gazzman]

Gazz these tyres i use are low and belted so wont expand when you take it for a bash and also i use the 17mm hex`s as you may know and its the way to go dude. https://www.makeitbuildit.co.uk/swe...VYF9Nqw5gB361qBSx4HHsaSdcJNgh3xMaAmj2EALw_wcB

Hey Paul, yer your defo right about 17mm being the way to go but those wheels aren't really my cup of tea. I like my wheels to have a deep dish, I know they aren't as strong but I don't bash my trucks so not really after strength more looks and would really like to keep the overall diameter down to around 130mm.
All my trucks sit quite high as savages do but this one I'm hoping will have more of a sleeper look, low, long & wide. Want to keep the centre of gravity as low as possible, hence the Low CG TVPs which drops the engine and gearbox 12mm lower than a savage X which is already 7mm lower than the standard TVPs from a savage 25. That with the 10mm reduction in the height of the shocks by using limiters and removing the spring assisters has reduced the overall mass weight height by almost 30mm. The standard tyres are 150mm so if I can find a set at around 130mm then I will have reduced the centre of gravity by around 2"(50mm) and will keep the overall appearance of the truck still looking like a savage just slammed.
Going to change the axles & hubs later tonight for the set off my savage SS which are 17mm hexs, wide axles and deep dished metallic red ZD racing wheels and see what it looks likes, but these are still 150mm diameter.
What this space as will upload some pictures later and you can tell me what you think.

 

[guinnessdublin]

Yes do love those new shiny TVPs coming on nicely mate!
Interesting with your new skid plate having small gaps each end, I had the same issue I think when I replaced my old bumper skid plates to newer x version. Although do also remember RC Innovative sending me two different centre skid plates & one of them sent corrected this issue!
I also remember sending the other skid plate back to RC Innovative & funnily enough not getting email confirming return of it!

 

[guinnessdublin]

Do you need the XL roll bar with these TVPs & is there much modding for it to fit Gazzman ?

 

[Gazzman]

Yer the gap either end is strange, not sure why it is there, not even sure if I like the skid plate on it yet, may remove it yet.
As for the roll bar just had to cut abit off the inside of both sides as the holes for the 2 top gearbox mountings are a bit lower than standard the TVPs, nothing major just got a scalpel and sliced a couple of mil off the back so it sat down lower so the holes lined up.
There is no XL rollbar, they are all the same, the ally rollover bar would fit right on but the plastic type is moulded to sit on top of the TVPs so couldn't move it down to match the holes in the TVPs, it's only about 1.5mm out so not alot to cut off the rollbar. When fitted looks the same.
Have now put the ZD Racing 17mm hex wheels on it off the SS to see what it looks like, This meant I had to use the wide axles as well but think it look super cool with this combo, got the lower wishbones sitting dead horizontal with this setup and looks mega wide too. Think this is the finished look now but then I have had a few to many Vodkas so anything looks good at the moment, LOL.
Got about 45mm of ground clearance between the skid plates and the ground, a width across the wheels of 495mm with the highest part of the truck being 220mm which is the top of the rollbar. Top of the motor which is a K5.9 which has a pretty large cooling head is 200mm from ground. Almost zero chance of this truck rolling over when cornering. Well that's what I am hoping. Going to get another Gigante bodyshell for it like the yellow one on the Truckzilla I just sold to boostjunkeee. Decided going to paint it translucent orange with starburst sliver basecoat to give it that heavy metal flake look. Do you recognise the orange spring mate, they are the ones you sent me. Managed to get 9 good shocks out of that pile of junk you sent me so pretty please about that, the ally shocks bodies were that bad and worn they when straight in the bin. LOL.
Anyway this is what it looks like with the ZD Racing wheels & wide axles.

 

[guinnessdublin]

He definitely does a longer skid plate as I had same issue maybe worth dropping him an email telling him about issue, ha ha!
Savage looking very mean loving the orange springs, sorry to hear about ally ones though, think they were the ones I used racing so had a rough life!
With that low stance & width can’t believe your thinking of fitting sway bar set?
This is the XL roll bar version isn’t it mate?

https://wheelspinmodels.co.uk/i/68382/

 

[Gazzman]

He definitely does a longer skid plate as I had same issue maybe worth dropping him an email telling him about issue, ha ha!
Savage looking very mean loving the orange springs, sorry to hear about ally ones though, think they were the ones I used racing so had a rough life!
With that low stance & width can’t believe your thinking of fitting sway bar set?
This is the XL roll bar version isn’t it mate?

https://wheelspinmodels.co.uk/i/68382/

Haha, your so funny mate, email him yer right.!!
Yer ally shocks were F***ed to say the least, wouldn't even work with a rebuild and fresh oil, which was a shame as was hoping to use with the orange springs but hey ho that the way the cookie crumbles, just pleased got 9 good ones out of the package. 4 on on this truck, which was the whole purpose of buying them off you, so jobs a gooden. .
The XL roll cage/bar wont fit these TVPs as the XL is longer at the back, remember the difference in the length of the rear drive shafts, these use a 113mm shaft and the XL uses 142mm shaft, so the XL roll cage is about an inch to long to fit to the rear shock tower and the std X cage is about 30mm to short.
As for sway bar well going to fit them just because I can. won't need them but will look cool anyway. It's only money after all.
It's abit of a piss take on HPIs part as when you buy a kit as you know you get 2 sets of bars but only one set of fittings and when you buy just the fitting kit you don't get the ball ends that go on the ends of the bars and these cost almost as much to buy separately as the complete kit. Got 2 sets of bars but no ball ends already.

 

[Jam 1]

It's abit of a piss take on HPIs part as when you buy a kit as you know you get 2 sets of bars but only one set of fitting kit and when you but just the fittings you don't get the ball ends that go on the ends of the bars and these cost almost as much to buy separately as the complete kit. Got 2 sets of bars but no ball ends already.

Look into parts for a buggy or truggy, most of those sway bars can be fit to other models

 

[Gazzman]

Look into parts for a buggy or truggy, most of those sway bars can be fit to other models

Yo Jam, yes to true, have done that and your right on that bud. But still a piss take that HPI don't do this part as part of the fitting kit for the sway bars as without these you can't fit the bars. They sell the whole kit with bars & the fitting kit , but these parts don't come with the fitting kit on it's own. great thinking by them. what's the point of selling half a fitting kit, there is no point. They sell the whole thing as a kit or 2 parts of the kit individually which are as much good as a chocolate teapot as without the ball ends there is no point in selling these parts.

 

[guinnessdublin]

Ah yes forgot about XL being just extended at rear silly boy!
So you can make roll bar handle fit but what about engine protector hoop can that be modded to fit Gazzman?

 

[Gazzman]

Ah yes forgot about XL being just extended at rear silly boy!
So you can make roll bar handle fit but what about engine protector hoop can that be modded to fit Gazzman?

Yer you can take a roll cage from a savage X and add a piece of metal or thick plastic to the back of it to extend it, like an extension plate to fit the rear upright.

 

[Gazzman]

Yer you can take a roll cage from a savage X and add a piece of metal or thick plastic to the back of it to extend it, like an extension plate to fit the rear upright.

Also the XL is longer than the 1" extended chassis at the back. Remember what I said about the rear drive shaft lengths, the XL has a 142mm shaft were as the 1" extend has a 113mm shaft. That's the difference in length between the two trucks.

 

[Gazzman]

Also the XL is longer than the 1" extended chassis at the back. Remember what I said about the rear drive shaft lengths, the XL has a 142mm shaft were as the 1" extend has a 113mm shaft. That's the difference in length between the two trucks.

The wheelbase on an XL is 395mm where as the 1" extended is 369mm and the 1" extended with the 6mm front extension is 375mm.

 

[guinnessdublin]

Okay thanks for info, are you going to mod/fit the engine protector as would love to see your mod for this, as really want this part also if I ever get my Black extended TVPs ?
Could you not get/use the XL version & just cut down the length of this part & perhaps use some 3mm push rods with drilling/heating them up to fit into both cut parts to re join them, if you follow me mate?

 

[guinnessdublin]

This is how my centre skid plate fits with extended TVPs Gazzman!

 

[Gazzman]

Okay thanks for info, are you going to mod/fit the engine protector as would love to see your mod for this, as really want this part also if I ever get my Black extended TVPs ?
Could you not get/use the XL version & just cut down the length of this part & perhaps use some 3mm push rods with drilling/heating them up to fit into both cut parts to re join them, if you follow me mate?

No mate can't use the XL cage as if you cut the back off you lose the 2 holes that fit over the body mount posts, has to be an X cage extended, did have one but binned it, came with one of the Truckzillas but looked crap. All you have to do is get a rectangular piece of metal or thick plastic about 50mm x 65mm and use the two holes in the end of the X cage to bolt it to the cage then drill 2 more holes in the other end to fit over the body post mount. Simples, it ani't rocket science bud.

 

[Gazzman]

I used a bunch of OFNA parts I had laying around for my throttle/brake linkage, but I am a redneck and making things work is a thing I do......

Thanks for the pictures Jamo, After a rummage in my parts bin & a few click top pens was able to come up with my version of the Ofna throttle mod. Works very well and looks nice and tidy too. So can say that I'm pretty pleased with the finished result. Have got a couple of ally throttle bell cranks in the post from good old China which should be here next week so will fit one of these when they arrive to finish it off.

 

[Gazzman]

This is how my centre skid plate fits with extended TVPs Gazzman!

Yer I see, the fixing holes in the chassis must be in the same place as the distance from the edge of the skid to the fixing holes is more on yours. Mine has a distance of 8mm yours must be 13-14mm, I could just get a piece of ally plate which is abit longer and drill 4 holes in it, would probably be quicker & easier than getting hold of Robert to send me one. Plus he's already done a few freebies for me like the extra LCG motor plate and the extended front drive shaft which doesn't come with the kit as meant to use your original rear one, but it's nice to have a matching pair that are nickel plated and not a black one up front.

 

[guinnessdublin]

Good tidy mod job of linkage Gazzman!
Fair comment about contacting Innovative, are your bumper skid plates X version as pretty sure when I updated mine from originals that’s when I noticed gap each end?

 

[Gazzman]

Thanks mate, must say impressed with how it turned out, just got a shortage of pens in the flat now, LOL. the skid plates for the savage 25 & X are the same size and dimensions bud. the only difference is the X on the front and the X version has a little recess notched out in the bottom so you can access the steering servo screw better. did you see the post I found from back in 2019 about problems contacting Innovative-RC. Obviously what's going on has been going on for quite a while.

 

[guinnessdublin]

Yes do remember drilling my own excess hole on my 21 originals & not having to do the same on X version!
Innovative surly has sent you wrong skid plate in kit which is annoying & does like mine do one which closes up gaps better each end!
What part have you used from biro pens the springs?
Yes see post about Innovative from 2019, but fingers crossed he’s turning a corner now as we both know his parts are top notch!