Quest for the 9 lb Savage.

[TwistedToys]

started this truck years ago. It’s at 9.3 pounds... still needs an RX battery pack, steering servo, and linkage. It should end up less than 10.. can still get lighter wheels too.

 

[TwistedToys]

 

[Chriswncsavage]

Dude that's sick looking . By the way what's the weight of a stock savage?

 

[TwistedToys]

Thanks Chris... I think the stock savy is 11-12... my Basher with extended TVPs and cage is 14.5..

 

[J.LO's SAVAGE X]

has been awhile since ive been on, i did a major weight reduction on my savy. a few years ago, ive been around race cars and cars all my life and it was always about power and weight reduction, so also being a part of r & d , I started weight savings on savy. when I was done I had a pile of nylon on table, I wasn't worried about anything breaking, due to cheap replacement parts due to falure, and its part of r & d, well, been a few years now and still no broken part falures yet. some people where disgruntled a little at what I did, but its a cheap toy to have fun with, nothing more. haven't had another savy beat it yet. I bought it new 16 years ago. was a savage X first edition with f4.1, now picco boosted .28 turbo, with 3 speed, 29/9 gears, 50,000 wt diff oil , 2.500 hump pack and 1/8 truggy track tires/wheels

 

[TwistedToys]

J.Lo, sounds like an amazing rig. I’d love to see a pic.

You have a much bigger motor than mine.. and TALL gearing.

Any idea what you got weight down to?

 

[X]

It's too bad Platinum RC isn't still in business. Having their full array of carbon fiber products might have made making weight easier. Though it does look like you have carbon fiber TVPs and center skid plate? Platinum also made servo plates, engine plates, shock towers, etc.

With several components you have there, I assume heavy bashing isn't the intent for that rig? Going to race it? Do some on road speed runs?

 

[TwistedToys]

Conspiracy... yes the truck couldn’t handle any bashing.. it would only see an open parking lot or street course. Those frames are the only carbon fiber ones I ever made. I found a company that sold sheets online.. I have no faith in the quality. The shock towers are the last and only set I have left. Right now it’s mocked up with a blown transmission... I found a 3 speed on eBay and am waiting for it. Don’t expect it to be the fastest rig around... just more of a racing twist on the Savage.

 

[X]

Conspiracy... yes the truck couldn’t handle any bashing.. it would only see an open parking lot or street course. Those frames are the only carbon fiber ones I ever made. I found a company that sold sheets online.. I have no faith in the quality. The shock towers are the last and only set I have left. Right now it’s mocked up with a blown transmission... I found a 3 speed on eBay and am waiting for it. Don’t expect it to be the fastest rig around... just more of a racing twist on the Savage.

X , conspiracy of one is my self deprecating title. haha

Since crashing will not likely be in it's future, you could lose a few ounces by removing the front and rear bumper assemblies. Shouldn't be too hard to minimize weight by losing extra material/ components. Maybe the center skid plate too?

 

[TwistedToys]

Ah yes.. X haha

yeah that is true.. removing the bumpers, shave plastic, lighter wheels and tires.. definitely. The skid plate adds a lot of rigidity to the chassis, but I’m with you X.

 

[olds97_lss]

Conspiracy... yes the truck couldn’t handle any bashing.. it would only see an open parking lot or street course. Those frames are the only carbon fiber ones I ever made. I found a company that sold sheets online.. I have no faith in the quality. The shock towers are the last and only set I have left. Right now it’s mocked up with a blown transmission... I found a 3 speed on eBay and am waiting for it. Don’t expect it to be the fastest rig around... just more of a racing twist on the Savage.

I think I have a set of those towers somewhere. Can't recall who it was I bought them off of, but it was to allow the use of 1/8th buggy shocks.

A 21 chassis Savage I had back in 2006. I never got proper springs for it... with 8 Ofna 9.5 rear shocks (with their stock springs), it was waaaaaaay to stiff. I didn't run it much like that. It bounced around a lot on rough terrain. The only time it really shined was off a jump that put 10 feet of air under it. Then it landed nice.

I'm content now with 4 of the plastic big bores with white/yellow springs on my X and flux HP.

 

[TwistedToys]

Dam Olds... that’s amazing to see sommy old parts. You must have version 2, as all of version 1’s broke .

Sorry they didn’t work out for you.. I designed these towers for the guys wanting to race the savage.. so generally lighter rigs and only using 1 shock per corner.

also, I drilled new holes in the bottom A-arm.. for the bottom shock mount (moved them inboard) ... this made the truck handle much better.

I used pro-line big bore shocks (t-max shocks)

They weren’t perfect by any means.. I believe I only made a dozen.. maybe 2 at the most.

 

[olds97_lss]

Yeah, I didn't want to run just 2, didn't want to break them by putting all the force on just one side, but never really dug in to find softer springs for the buggy shocks. Really, I would have needed to lighten the oil as well, which I tried, then it was just bouncy. I sold the truck, but kept the towers and shocks, 8 of those shocks was a small fortune at the time and the towers... well, they were unique, so I kept them. I've since used the shocks on 2 or 3 other buggies/trucks and they are either gone or wore out. Think I still have 4 of them around somewhere.

I have savage's again, but the newer X style ones where the bumper mount is part of the tower, so never tried putting them on and just went with 4 of the plastic HPI big bores with their towers that are more rigid to run with a 4 shock setup.

That engine you had on there in the photo's is an old one, OS 21RG. I used to run those. Really weak compared to todays standards. Held a tune through a hurricane though and lasted a long time. I have a baggie full of parts for those. Think I still have one that runs somewhere, but the OWB was on it's last leg. I ran it in my big block revo quite a few years back as a winter engine as I had it repinched around 8-9 gallons after having it in the savage. I think I ran 15/54 in the savage with that and it would pull a wheelie pretty good, but it was not fast. Solid engine though. Not nearly as flaky as other's I've had. Really sipped the fuel too and ran a long time even on the 125cc OFNA tanks I ran in my savages.

 

[TwistedToys]

Wow great eye on the motor. You know your poop.

this motor is small.. and compact. If I really want all out speed, I will put my rossi motor in.

 

[J.LO's SAVAGE X]

will; get some up when I am able, a couple other things that were done to save weight was , I went to single factory big bore shocks to save weight, which was a plus, because it allowed me to put the savage X L header off 5.9 which is a half round header instead of 2 bend header which allows a little better performance, the 1/8 truggy track tires deffinetly saved weight over stock.

 

[J.LO's SAVAGE X]

Well, I did a little looking up on weight of stock savage x. they are right at 13 pounds new. I finally got around to weighing mine and it is at 10.8 lbs. So if anybody wants to do a weigh in on their savage x, feel free, would like to hear weight differences in peoples savages! I used a 10.00 electronic fish scale to weigh. As far as winter projects go, I ordered stock shock shafts off of hpi hellfire that will lower savage 20mm and will increase handling emensly from what I researched. and cheaper. also installed 13t clutchbell with 52 spur for excelleration. I have only been running on bmx and 1/8 scale tracks and speeds over 40 don't do any good there I also just purchased a new navarossi .28 7 port rotostart for 200 new, waiting for new upgraded engine bearings to come in before breaking it in.

 

[olds97_lss]

Wow! That's some low gearing! Sounds too low for the engine your putting in it, like it will just spin the tires and top out in 20 feet. Won't give it much for legs in long stretches.

 

[J.LO's SAVAGE X]

should hold it down to around 30 mph maybe a little more, It has been radared at 38 mph with a 15 t. . Truck has newer 9/29 diffs instead of 13/43 and has a 3 speed tranny. It will run away from friends stock savy emediately. When on the 1/8 track. It almost never hits 3rd gear. will get better accel out of corners for sure.

 

[J.LO's SAVAGE X]

it has a picco .28 turbo boost in it now

 

[J.LO's SAVAGE X]

Hey olds 97, have quest about bearings, I have mostly original bearings in savy, still good, I read a lot about how ceramic bearings don't always hold up well with offroad abuse, I see where fast eddy has a complete set of rubber seal bearing kit with grease instead of oil. and sealed on both sides. I'm not worried about cost, its not horrible. reviews seem to be good, do you run any ceramics? What are your thoughts.

 

[X]

I have ceramic bearings, they aren't worth the cost in this application. Rubber sealed bearings with proper care/ maintenance will do great!

 

[J.LO's SAVAGE X]

Greatly appreciate info, I was wondering if it was not worth extra. Thanks X

 

[olds97_lss]

I just run fast eddies normal rubber sealed mostly. Otherwise I just get what I need off amazon to get me through the weekend. Usually from uxcel or TRB RC. When I restock my bearing box, I usually go with fast eddy.

Just a basher here. I rarely run in dirt/sand, usually grass, snow or skate parks. When a bearing starts feeling gritty or blows up, I throw it away and get a new one.

Although, I do tend to keep the old ones just to use as spacers or something. Having the ID ring from 5-6mm comes in handy for shims/spacers. A quick hit with a dremel splits the outer race, then I just twist/break it, clean the inner race and have a 4mm wide spacer that fits nice. I use those a lot when installing other bells on longer shafts or most often on my revo's with alloy rockers that aren't milled properly and bind bearings. Much nice than stacking up 50 shims.

 

[J.LO's SAVAGE X]

Good to know, thanks, winter is here, and I'm very bored and just have to waste money trying to make savage faster and lighter. just about no matter the cost, generally not too bad, but have till spring to see if anything was accomplished. Bought a revo, first traxxas i owned and emediately went to modding and lightening it up. ditched reverse and hardware, installed tougher gears, losi 3.4 carb , which stock was 5.5 mm to 7mm, then ths pipe, aluminum pads, hpi 13t with hpi 3 shoe clutch shoes, truggy track tires, and lowered it all the way and installed the stiffer springs. honestly was going to put the os .21 in it, but after everything done to it , it is wicked fast and flips over everytime!