VBC Racing FireboltDM 2wd Buggy

[Funkymojo]

Hi there, I don't know if anyone posted on this buggy. It is VBC Racing soon to be released FireboltDM 2wd buggy. As some of you might know that VBC makes really high quality TC cars at a reasonable price. The 2wd buggy looks good, just thought that I'd share the info with you guys. Click at the link to check out the pre-production buggy pictures and specs :thumbsup: :

http://www.vbcracing.com/blogs/firebolt-dm

[Welshy40]

I was considering a B5M but now i want on of these. Cheers for the update mate.

[danmurphy]

Distributed by SMD in the UK

http://www.smddirect.co.uk/vbc-racing-d-05-vbc-ck05-firebolt-dm-1-10-2wd-offroad-buggy-kit-2411

[discothesnake]

Looks great.

[Funkymojo]

http://i993.photobucket.com/albums/af54/Funkymojo75/D-05-VBC-CK05A_grande_zps8488b60f.jpg

http://i993.photobucket.com/albums/af54/Funkymojo75/D-05-VBC-CK05D_grande_zps6547127f.jpg

http://i993.photobucket.com/albums/af54/Funkymojo75/D-05-VBC-CK05C_grande_zps41ec54e5.jpg

http://i993.photobucket.com/albums/af54/Funkymojo75/D-05-VBC-CK05B_grande_zps7bb919bf.jpg

http://i993.photobucket.com/albums/af54/Funkymojo75/D-05-VBC-CK05E_grande_zpsc39810c0.jpg

Features:

Chassis
2.5mm Lightweight 7075 aluminum chassis
Adjustable chassis flex system
Carbon fiber chassis brace
Narrow chassis design
Lightweight 7075 aluminum motor mount, arm mount and rear bulkhead


Suspension & Steering
Big bore 12mm oversize shocks
7075 aluminum shock caps with integrated bleed screws
Adjustable caster insert
3.7mm carbon fiber shock tower
Quick rear toe and anti squat adjustment
Adjustable front suspension mount kick up angle
Oversize rear hub bearing and camble link insert.
Captured hinge pin system
Horizontal Steering ball studs for fine Ackermann adjustments
Drive train
High torque slipper system
Ultra smooth ball differential
Hardened heavy duty CV drive shaft
Design & Quality
Intergraded motor fan mount
Carbon filled composite parts
Hardened heavy duty turnbuckle
Multiple battery positions for in-board, shorty, saddle and square packs
Available in July 2014

[Funkymojo]

I was considering a B5M but now i want on of these. Cheers for the update mate.

You should go for it mate. It looks like it's going to be my next 2wd buggy too... :D

[mes]

Looking forward to getting mine in the next few weeks! :)
Manual, default set-up and editable set-up are available on petitrc (http://www.petitrc.com/setup/vbcracing/SetupSheetsVBCRacingFireboltDM.html), the German manual is finished and should be available online soon. Maybe it is time for a VBC Racing section on oOple, the RM buggy, SCT and 4WD buggy are in the works. :thumbsup:

[leelar]

Soooo tempted

[Origineelreclamebord]

It looks very good, but it'd be good if VBC shared a bit more information, for example some info how and for what tracks it was developed and who was involved. After all they're new to the buggy scene and therefore I'm probably not the only one wondering how VBC ensures that their entry into the buggy scene is a successful one :)

[mes]

Last week I asked for some information on the Firebolt project and VBC Racing for an upcoming review on German rc-news.de. VBC's John Fung did not provide me with any names (we would probably not know most of them anyway), but informed me that the project started more than a year ago, involved several handmade prototypes and extensive testing in various parts of the world. After the design had been determined, they tested various materials in order to optimize weight and durability (e.g. five or more compounds for wishbones alone) until they were happy.

With the emergence of Astroturf in Asia, I'd guess the kit has been tested on all kinds of surfaces. Including a ball diff in the kit probably was a nod towards the biggest 2WD market, but an optional gear diff and additional front weight is already foreseen on the editable set-up sheet. With the whole set of possibilities of battery positions and the numerous rear end set-ip options I am sure this car will work well on any MM compatible surface, and with a little less power (=enough for average drivers lacking the skills and reflexes to win races, like me) also on dirt. A 10.5 with transverse shorty in the rear and 3.6 to 4.1 degrees toe-in should be a good starting point. :)

[bigbaza555]

Hi I see this buggy in the flesh at the oople round at RHR where Jamie booth had a pre production model all I can say is WOW :drool: very nice bit of
kit the anodising is nice and deep red and all parts are very nicely machined. in my opinion well worth the money and worth a try and you have a true RC legend to call upon should you have any problems.

[mes]

Jamie Booth? Cool! I used to run an Astute as a kid when he showed the rc world what this car was capable of. :D

[john333]

SMD are taking pre-orders now, the first batch is imminent along with spares. As mentioned previously VBC are a very professional team and the quality of the product is absolutely spot on.

[mes]

Hey guys! Did you shoot this video in the UK or was it recorded overseas?

Firebolt DM built (http://youtu.be/4km8EDlQ0SY)

[john333]

Video done in the UK by Joe from smd I believe. I've just built mine and its superb!

[mes]

So they should arrive in mainland Europe soon... :)

[brooksy]

Sat across from John whilst he built this car at the Invernational this weekend and it looks a very nice piece of kit indeed. It went together really well.
If it goes as well as it looks it should be a winner!.

[jk007]

I got my vbc racing firebolt kit this week from Alex @ moss models,
will be building it this weekend.
Looking forward to getting it on the track and see what it can do thumbsup::thumbsup:

www.vbcracing.com

www.mossrcmodels.co.uk

[rossiracer]

I watched two people strip the idler gear last night don't no if it's a faulty part or what but it doesn't fill me full of confidence when I get to run mine

[daz]

I got my vbc racing firebolt kit this week from Alex @ moss models,
will be building it this weekend.
Looking forward to getting it on the track and see how many times Daz can lap me with his £50 snotter. thumbsup::thumbsup:

www.vbcracing.com (http://www.vbcracing.com)

www.mossrcmodels.co.uk (http://www.mossrcmodels.co.uk)
Fixed that for you mate :thumbsup:

[mes]

I watched two people strip the idler gear last night don't no if it's a faulty part or what but it doesn't fill me full of confidence when I get to run mine

That's what I thought when people started reporting about stripped idlers on the B-Max2. I have yet to strip one, and I've been running the Yoke since day one. I've tried anything from stock to aluminum to TeamC POM idlers, and all of them are still looking good.

[john333]

The bearings in the idler gears are a very good fit, make sure they are pushed right into the idler and sitting flush with the side of the gear. If this is done the gearbox should be nice and free straight away.

I just watched jimmy maddison (vbc factory driver) actively try to strip these gears at broxtowe, and didn't manage it whilst I was there.

[jonathan may]

vbc = very Brittle components :lol:

[JLakin]

70621

[JLakin]

Love my new car

[mes]

70621

I really like the shape of the body shell! Still waiting for my kit to arrive in Germany... I think I'll check out in the meantime if there are any red blingy items I've missed out so far. ESC - check, servo - check... :p

[Muzzie]

Why is there not a VBC section on oople?

[Gordonm]

Plenty of red bling available!-Unfortunately Iain removed the wheels instantly...I liked them!-Car ran sweetlly at Broxtowe, Ready for W. Bridgford ( I think!!), cheers, Gord..

[john333]

vbc = very Brittle components :lol:

Really?????

[MaxBaker]

Really love the look of these ! Can't seem to find any footage of one though :/ it's this or the b5m for me. Helpppp haha

[mes]

Can't say anything about the VBC's quality yet, but from the B5M's I've seen so far I'd at least say that the DM is worth a try. ;)

[rcpower]

Those wheels don't do the car justice at all...it looks like a toy car.
The paint job looks top notch however!

Plenty of red bling available!-Unfortunately Iain removed the wheels instantly...I liked them!-Car ran sweetlly at Broxtowe, Ready for W. Bridgford ( I think!!), cheers, Gord..

[Gordonm]

Paint was by Si. Cox,(Bandiccoot Bodies) really impressed, especially as he did it in a few days..
-Ran at W Bridgford regionals on Sunday & fluked(!) a win, car was excellent all day with no problems, looking forward to this weekend at Broxtowe.
- I still like the wheels!
Cheers, Gord..

[mes]

Setup sheet, pleeeeeeeeeeeeease! :)

[Gordonm]

Yesterdays set up sheet..Almost kit except front kick up @ 30, 3mm under inner rear ball stud, cut off outside pins from front & rear tyres.Loads of 2nd boost on speedo (very long straight). Grass was flat & very grippy, couple of long jumps..
Hope you can read the sheet, can write it out again if forced!!
Cheers, Gord..

[jk007]

I have now built my vbc racing firebolt dm 2wd kit , looking forward to getting it on the track see what she can do.

[mes]

Yesterdays set up sheet..Almost kit except front kick up @ 30, 3mm under inner rear ball stud, cut off outside pins from front & rear tyres.Loads of 2nd boost on speedo (very long straight). Grass was flat & very grippy, couple of long jumps..
Hope you can read the sheet, can write it out again if forced!!
Cheers, Gord..

Are there any issues with the battery brace using saddles? I actually prefer a shorty with the saddle-sized weight plate in my Yokomo, but if saddles are the way to go in this car, they are still in my box. :)

[Gordonm]

Hi, no issues except having to dremel away some carbon round the front battery connection, wires could be squeezed underneath I think, but I didn't want any dramas with short ccts.
Forgot 'til I removed the pack that we also ran 30 g brass plate under the front saddle
Hope this helps, cheers, Gord..

[mes]

Thanks for the pic! I guess there will be optional braces for using saddles without dremelling, either from VBC or aftermarket manufacturers.

[jk007]

Hi vbc firebolt drivers
How is the vbc firebolt working on the track compared to b5m,kF,bmax2, etc
I have set mine up as per manual
Is there anything worth doing before my first run.
Would like to be at the sharpened first time out
Just not racing till September 6th
Cheers

[lakin]

remove the spaces on the rear hanger that makes it better

[MaxBaker]

can someone who owns a dm upload me some pictures of it to have a look at, is this buggy going to be competitive on astro ?? B5M is the choice at my club (telford) which would be the obvious choice for me to make but that's too easy haha im doing great with a rear motor losi 22 but want to see what all the mid motor fuss is about.

This kit is on offer too for 199 at dms which is a bargain for what ive read about the quality ! I am newish to the racing side of rc so is this kit going to be sympathetic to the likes of me, i dont crash much to be honest:D

[mes]

I am absolutely sure the DM will be competitve on astro in due time. As it has been released just a few weeks ago, set-ups have to be sorted out, and some parts deemed to be essential by many racers (gear diff, brass bulkhead) are yet to be released. As you can see on the blank set-up sheet, VBC has already thought of these items, so they should be available before long.

If you are not looking for the easy approach by taking the B5M, there is no reason why you should not give the Firebolt a try. Of course, I haven't seen one except for the pictures on the Internet and studying the manual, but I haven't seen any details that I thought would not work. Go for it! :thumbsup:

[mutoid]

The quality of the cars are super,backed up by even greater support(SMD) new upgraded idler gears dropped through my letterbox today free of charge.
Admittedley there isnt much set-up stuff out there but we are finding it better that way,as we are forced to keep trying things out more,sooner than pinch set-ups,plus we get to learn more about what works etc.

For those looking out for a new 2wd buggy,dont overlook these Firebolts.

P.S A VBC section is required please mods,ta.

[croller]

Received one of these through SMD Friday built and ran today on high grip Astro very very good, first car in ages I could push hard, Ian Mellishes set up off here but kit oils extremely planted and easily kept up with forward motor cars on a track suited to them, just my driving let me down in places. Good kit good car

Gavin

[mes]

Kit arrived yesterday, quality is second to none. When I came to the ball diff, I compared one of the outdrives to a Yokomo MR outdrive and I had difficulties to find any differences. I dare say the Yokomo gear diff is a direct fit while we have to wait for the VBC item. As my first run with th Firebolt will be on dirt, I let the gear diff in the Yokomo, however. It will be hard enough to adjust to my new left-handed radio this Sunday afternoon. :)

[mes]

Complete! Except for my shiny new HW ESC that is not working... :yawn:
Apart from that, I really enjoyed the built like hardly any other before, quality of this car is at least on par with all the others out there! As for kit contents, some servo spacers and an antenna tube would be nice, but of course I had enough stuff in my parts box to compensate for that. Avid front wheels do not work without modification, but your rotary tool of choice will fix that problem. ;)
I did a dirt bench set-up with some rear green springs, left out the shock travel limiters, raised the bull studs and lengthened the camber links in the rear, and it feels good so far. Can't wait to run it in two weeks! Tomorrow I'll put on the chassis armor, and on Sunday I'll give the shell to the painter. :)

Edit: No need for servo spacers: Servo position can be adjusted by switching servo mounts A and B! :woot:

[dicky14]

ive been running my firebolt for about 3 weeks now, awesome car and very fast at Broxstowe in the rain friday night. Did back to back comparisons last night with my TM2, Tm 2 quicker but not as consistent as the firebolt, overall an epic piece of kit ( 3 in the A final at mansfield last night) 1 and 2 in qualifying and same result for final.:thumbsup:

[mes]

Congrats! Feel free to share your set-up sheet. :thumbsup:

New @ vbcracing.com:
http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0162/5260/products/IMG_4268_1024x1024.jpg?v=1409916173
http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0162/5260/products/B-01-VBC-6099_1024x1024.jpg?v=1408170016

[mes]

FYI: Yokomo B2-500MGS metal gear diferential unit is a direct fit if you happen to have one in your box or don't want to wait for the (probably cheaper) VBC Racing diff. However, the Firebolt's idler gears are smaller than the Yokomo/TeamC items, so the TeamC POM idlers are not an option.

[bretts]

Is there anything worth doing before my first run.
Would like to be at the sharpened first time out
Just not racing till September 6th


That's today!! Jason

[jk007]

Just ran my firebolt for the first time tonight
I ran stock setting as per manual , the car was amazing
I won every round and the final with only 1 crash all night
Well it rolled straight back on its wheels cost me 1 second
If you look on yorcc website the heats and finals listings
will be there to see how consistent it was
I was car 5 in heat 4 and car 1 in the A final.
The balance of the car made it so easy to drive
I don't know how I would make it any better
Would recommend this car to anyone fancying a Change
Alex @ moss models has them Instock
give him a call ,I'm sure he Will do a good deal
www.mossrcmodels.co.uk

[mes]

Sounds great, can't wait to run mine next week on dirt! :thumbsup:
What battery layout did you use on astro?

[jk007]

It was first indoor meeting at Huntington school York
So 50/50 carpet and polished floor
Battery layout I used was shorty front to back
Other wise stock setting inc stock oils

[bretts]

the car was amazing
I won every round and the final

Would recommend this car to anyone fancying a Change
Alex @ moss models has them Instock
give him a call ,I'm sure he Will do a good deal
www.mossrcmodels.co.uk

Here you go Jason, just for you:lol::lol:

http://i1273.photobucket.com/albums/y407/brell2008/Image1_zpsb619e3ff.jpg

P.S. Your car looked very good, and you weren't even pushing it!

[john333]

The consistency of the car is just amazing, I found I was hitting the perfect line lap after lap, race after race, it almost seemed like the car was driving itself!

Stock setup, as in the book seems hard to beat generally, and I've found that using the shorty along the chassis best in high grip, and saddles settle it down on loose and/or low grip.

So far the car seems to have all the best aspects of the normal mid motor layout, but with excellent traction and corner speed of the front motor layout.

[leelar]

Thinking of getting one but what wheel fitments is it

[john333]

Thinking of getting one but what wheel fitments is it

Pretty much all the 12mm hexed will fit, Schumacher, kyosho, team c etc. Also x ray 14mm rear hex will fit straight on so you have a choice of them too. All will fit in the brca box (I've tried them all at the veterans champs last week)

[mes]

Avid Satellite front wheels have too deep hexes, you'll need to remove some material around the hex. I ordered some AKA Hexlites to be on the safe side.

[leelar]

I am going to order 1 at the weekend
What parts should i order and were is the best place to get one from

[jk007]

I am going to order 1 at the weekend
What parts should i order and were is the best place to get one from

Hi mate
I bought mine of Alex @ moss models he will do you a good deal
He is also running the vbc racing firebolt which helps as he will be
Keeping the spare in stock for himself (lol)
Give him a call, his number is on the website below
www.mossrcmodels.co.uk

[jk007]

I have ordered most of the option parts of Alex @ moss models
Steering arms,bulkhead, springs and metal gears
Not racing this weekend as I'm going to Barcelona gokart racing
So week after next for 2nd run with car hoping she will perform
As well as last week and it wasn't just new car syndrome ( lol )

[mes]

I am going to order 1 at the weekend
What parts should i order and were is the best place to get one from

I ordered the major plastic suspension parts and steering together with my kit, but after taking a look at the parts, I doubt I'll need any of them. Tomorrow I'll run the car for the first time, I wonder how it will perform on dirt. :)
Edit: Car was great on Dirt! Set-up sheet available on petitrc, German language review soon on www.rc-news.de (http://www.rc-news.de) (feel free to use the translate button at the bottom ;) )

[jk007]

Just had its 2nd run out at yorcc tonight
Again the car did not disappoint I'm still
running stock settings the car is awesome
Qualified 4th in the A final and finished 3rd
Check out yorcc website the results will be
Posted in the next day or so.

Alex has the kits and spares in stock
check Out the website for some cracking deals
www.mossrcmodels.co.uk

Cheers jason

[Tom3012]

Just ordered mine, anyone got a good starting setup for astro?

[leelar]

Just stared to build mine should be ready by the weekend and just waiting for the shell to come back

[focusmad]

Guys,has anyone run the firebolt on a medium grip track that is super fast?have trouble with steering in general running in kit form anyone got any ideas??ended up running spikes on the front but only got 3 runs out of them.
Chris

[mes]

I guess you will already have tried to lower ride height in the front. If you are running saddles you could switch to shorty batteries to remove some of the weight in the rear. Other options would be harder rear springs or more anti-squat, or put some weight in front or on top of the servo until the brass bulkhead is released.

[mutoid]

Chris,when you say trouble with steering,can you give us more info please.
Have you got too much or not enough?
Does the car have lots of steering initially then starts pushing mid corner or the opposite?
Please let us know,Steve.

[john333]

Ran mine at rhr this weekend, have to say it was very very good! Kit setup pistons and oil wise, but used option soft springs on the front, and option hard springs on the rear. Ran it with saddle pack, but with hindsight may have been even better with shorty. Smd have just posted me the option front weight which I think will be useful. Car was spot on using cut staggers, certainly didn't feel the need for spikes. I did run it with maximum caster which felt good, and all the fibre spacers removed from the rear.

[john333]

Just ordered mine, anyone got a good starting setup for astro?

As a starting point, just do the standard kit setup, its very good! But don't put the extra rear toe in spacers in, or the antisquat spacer, it feels better without them.

[focusmad]

Chris,when you say trouble with steering,can you give us more info please.
Have you got too much or not enough?
Does the car have lots of steering initially then starts pushing mid corner or the opposite?
Please let us know,Steve.

When I say no steering no entry steering having to jab the brakes to get the nose in then push on exit,I have had a brass weight kit made for tried it with shortly against speedo with brass under lipo,kit springs . hopefully you all can help

[Tom3012]

Cheers guys! Really looking foward to getting it, thinking about getting it re-anodised though, just not sure I can wait that long :lol:

[mes]

German review now online. (https://www.facebook.com/RCNewsde) :)

[bondy]

What wheels is everybody using ?

[mes]

So far I've used Avid Satellites, but the fronts require some dremelling around the hex. Recently I ordered some AKA Hexlites and they fit perfectly. My new go-to wheels! :thumbsup:

[mes]

Guys,has anyone run the firebolt on a medium grip track that is super fast?have trouble with steering in general running in kit form anyone got any ideas??ended up running spikes on the front but only got 3 runs out of them.
Chris

I just remembered that I used to have similar issues running PL Wedge tyres on my Yoke. Try to switch the spacers behind the front hub carrier to the front, it worked pretty well on my B-Max. :)

[jk007]

I run Schumacher wheels on my firebolt, they fit straight on with no problems.

[mes]

http://www.redrc.net/2014/09/vbc-firebolt-dm-brass-front-suspension-mount/

[bondy]

I run Schumacher wheels on my firebolt, they fit straight on with no problems.

Yay and they do they pre-glued aswel :drool:

[mes]

German review now online. (https://www.facebook.com/RCNewsde) :)

Now also available in English (http://www.petitrc.com/setup/vbcracing/setupfireboltdm/FireboltDM_MarkusSchmidt_Review/)! The machine translation has been edited meanwhile and should now be comprehensible even for those not fluent in googlish (or whatever programme had been used). ;)

[leelar]

I am just about to install the speedo and was thinking about the battery connector's should I leave them long so I can run the shortys across the back of the chassis if there is any point or do you just run them down the middle

[mes]

If you run on low grip occasionally, you will like to have the option of running the shorty across the back. If you always run in high-grip conditions, go for the shorter wires.

[jk007]

Does any know what the gearbox ratio of the firebolt is ??
Cheers jason

[mes]

Internal gear ratio is 2.6 - a classic! ;)

[jk007]

Internal gear ratio is 2.6 - a classic! ;)

Cheers mate
I ran the car at the weekend at the Worksop indoor masters
Round 1 , well happy with how the car went,very consistent
Still running stock setup.
Finished 4th in the C final :thumbsup:

[mes]

Congrats! :thumbsup:
I ran the Bolt on astroturf for the first time last Friday, and it was great to drive from the start. Handling improved a lot when I switched to the orange springs all around and used heavier oil. 600 front and 550 rear. I would have liked to try some 650 or even 700 oil for the front end, but was out of time and out of oil. For carpet I'll shorten all the camber links, as the car leaned too much into the corners and would traction roll when I pushed it even with worn dBoots Multibytes and LP Cut Staggers. We'll see how it goes with the shorter links and a set of fresh Cut Staggers/Minipins the weekend after next... :)

[bondy]

Well after a bit of fettling mine should be ready... Just waiting for the painter to finish the body.

Did have a small issue with the diff though. I don't think the diff spring is long enough and the plastic nut holder ( with the two tabs which sit in the grooves got bulled down a little when fully tightening the diff ) The guys in the states have been putting a 1mm spacer between the spring and nut holder and this seemed to do the trick. Also while tightening the diff the nut went around in the holder. So I had to dab a bit of super glue in to stop this from happening. ( Probably caused by the spring length issue )

But its now set and ready to go. :woot:


Still need a spring washer on the slipper to keep the spring straight :(

[mes]

Hmm, I did not have any issues with the diff. Built it as per manual, let it run in in an electric drill in both diretcions for a minute or so, and it was pretty good.
The slipper spring is just as it is on the Yokomo. Sure it does not look very pretty, but it works. I put a Kyosho spring washer on my Yoke that I had left after I converted my RT6 to an Avid slipper. Thank you for reminding me, I'll put it on the Firebolt! ;)

[bondy]

Strange

A few forums in the states have said that they had to put spacers in. But a few her have said they have not had any problems. Wonder if they had a batch of slightly to small diff springs mixed in :)

[jk007]

The diff on mine built perfect , but the slipper nut keeps coming loose
There was also 3 other guys running the firebolt at Worksop and 1 of
those cars,the Slipper came loose aswell.
I have now put a nylock nut on mine.
Cheers jason

[Tom3012]

Ran mine twice now, had a few issues the first time, diff coming loose, slipper backing off... Diff issue was solved by removing the rubber oring at the head end, the slipper issue was solved with a nylon nut as mentioned above...

Have to say I really like this car, and that's straight out of the box! 35 oil front and 27.5 rear were my only changes!

Future things, try a brass bulkhead and the alloy steering arms :thumbsup:

[mes]

My slipper has been perfect since day one, but I used thread lock on the nut right from the start as will all metal/metal connections. Of course, a nyloc nut is the obvious choice for any slipper clutch. ;)

[mes]

A testimony of VBC Racing's great customer service can be found on Ruddog's facebook channel:

Yesterday we received following statement from VBC Racing regarding the Firebolt DM Idler Gear issue:

Free upgrade for all Firebolt DM kit with aluminum hardened idler gear

Dear customer:

All components for the VBC racing Firebolt DM buggy was tested intensively around the world by our engineers and team drivers. But as some customers had commented that on under some particular track condition and/or setting the idler may fail. In order for serve our customers and protect all our reputation, we will send free aluminum idler gears to you. And if you have any inquiry from customers, please help us to send the aluminum gears to them. As of today all new Firebolt DM kits will include 2 x B-02-VBC-6100 idler gears for free inside the kits.



We will start sending replacement gears to our dealers starting next week.

Thank you for your support for VBC racing!



Best regards,



John Fung

Sales Manager

VBC Racing

www.vbcracing.com (http://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vbcracing.com%2F&h=FAQEjyEfX&enc=AZO3oiQz8-7ji4qa3CdJF2DuwBspdTBUdnMlVKsAZSutyD60tcCjNZ5rLXen sizgTHZkIBiABV8xE6lqPmPqopXreVJNFdo-Qw5h2e5KNl69fj51HvPS_OJ6QTpko-k3sUAK9RrrMO6Q5LnGB3AkhS0x&s=1)

[mutoid]

How about free front bulk-heads as well :)

[mes]

Nice try! :lol:

[rossiracer]

Does that mean we get the metal gears as well mutoid

[mes]

As it seems, every customer who bought a kit with the plastic idlers will get two alumimum idlers for free. Contact the hobby shop you bought your kit from, and you will either get the idlers from them as soon as they arrive or your case should be forwarded to your country's distributor.

[OneKiwi]

Think they will come out with a 4wd?

[mes]

Scheduled for some time next year. :thumbsup:

[bondy]

After a few issues ( electrical ) in the last round " Ducati Traction Control enabled :( " ( due to no cap on Spectrum receiver ) All the electrics have been sorted now " fingers crossed) .
http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk145/bigbadbond/20141022_191101_zpsh6xq2mfe.jpg (http://s279.photobucket.com/user/bigbadbond/media/20141022_191101_zpsh6xq2mfe.jpg.html)

New motor installed

And I have modded an old LRP 1/8th toe insert to act as a washer on the slipper clutch. Spring is now nice and straight :woot:

I will also be trying out the Yokomo geared diff which drops straight in
http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk145/bigbadbond/20141025_111103_zpsgp3jtits.jpg (http://s279.photobucket.com/user/bigbadbond/media/20141025_111103_zpsgp3jtits.jpg.html)


Roll on next round

[jk007]

I've have run my vbc firebolt at 4 indoors meetings and the front wheel bearings are starting to Seize up already.
Anyone else had this problem ?
Cheers Jason

[mes]

As the bearing are lubed with oil rather than grease, I would assume that they need to be relubed more often than greased bearings. I switched to a full set of Avid bearings after I got some thread lock into a bearing when I maintained the car after one meeting, so I cannot really comment on how well the stock bearings last. It is not that I felt the other bearings needed to be replaced, I just had wanted to try a set of the Avid stuff for years. ;)

[mes]

My replacement idlers arrived today. Again, a big thank you to VBC Racing and Ruddog Distribution! :thumbsup:

[X - Racer]

Could someone let me know what type of fitment the rear wheels on the Firebolt are? I currently have 14mm hex type on my Durango.

Thanks

[mes]

Rear wheels are the standard 12mm hex type, the rear hex is 6 mm wide.

[leelar]

Is that a bmax 2 gear diff?
How did it go?

[leelar]

Is that a bmax 2 gear diff?
How did it go?

[dicky14]

:thumbsup:I've run a b-max gear diff in mine from new, it transforms the car and means you dont have to worry about constant rebuilds, best 44 quid ive spent this year:woot:

I run 5k oil in mine on all surfaces.

Also tried last night turning the 5 degree hub inserts upside down to give less caster (20 degrees with the front plate running 25 degrees)) this mod makes the car turn in a lot better on high grip.

[leelar]

Cheers I think I will give 1 a try:thumbsup:

[mes]

Rear swaybar kit:
http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0162/5260/products/D-06-VBC-0182_1024x1024.jpg?v=1418439379
http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0162/5260/products/D-06-VBC-0182B_1024x1024.jpg?v=1418439379
http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0162/5260/products/DSC01620_1024x1024.jpg?v=1418439379
http://www.vbcracing.com/products/fireboltdm-rear-stabilizer-set-d-06-vbc-0182

[jk007]

Hi all
now the firebolt has had some track time
Has anyone got any Good setups.
indoor setup ??
outdoors astro setup ??

Many thanks jason

[Tobiasmart]

Hi all
now the firebolt has had some track time
Has anyone got any Good setups.
indoor setup ??
outdoors astro setup ??

Many thanks jason


I have been running it on carpet a couple of times. Never got to the point of a good setup, the damn bulkhead keeps on cracking. Have ordered a couple of new ones and will run it with the plastic arm mount for now. :mad:

[Sir Shawny500]

I have been running it on carpet a couple of times. Never got to the point of a good setup, the damn bulkhead keeps on cracking. Have ordered a couple of new ones and will run it with the plastic arm mount for now. :mad:

Is everyone breaking bulkheads? Also whats the best ride height for this buggy? Cheers

[mes]

Still on the first bulkhead, but not much tracktime yet with the metal arm mounts. I did crash into concrete elements on our outdoor track several times with the aluminium arm mount installed and it marked the plastic front plate due to one sharpish edge, but nothing broke. I'll have one of the prototype parts for testing in combination with the brass mount next week, we'll see how it goes. Ruddog will not get the next VBC Racing delivery before the end of the month, I guess the new parts will be available by then.

Ride height: On a smooth indoor track I'd go for 17 mm front, 18 mm rear.

[jk007]

Just been racing at yorcc tonight and finished 3rd in the A final.
I'm still running my firebolt setup as per the manual and it works well
But I'm not sure what to change to make the car quicker.
I have now bought 2 more firebolts to try different setups
rather than mess with the one on stock setup that work well
So I'm looking for a setup to try on my other vbc cars to run back
To back and see if It goes any quicker.
Send me some of your setups to try
Cheers Jason

[mes]

I'll try to figure out something in Langenfeld (medium traction carpet) next week and keep you up to speed.
If your track includes slippy sections, you may want to try the cf chassis plate, which I have yet to try in summer on some regional dirt tracks.

Edit: No testing this weekend...

[fivepointnine]

I unfortunately had to sell my Firebolt, I kept breaking the plastic front suspension holder, and when I ran the metal holder, I broke the bulkheads! I went through 3 suspension holders in 1 race weekend. The car performed amazingly besides that. If they get the front end redesigned I might take another look at it.

[Tom3012]

You could try not crashing? :p

Joking aside, have you let VBC know about the issues you have had?

[mes]

VBC are currently addressing this issue, in the US replacements are already delivered to the customers:

Attention Firebolt DM owners. VBC Racing USA is providing a replacement front lower and upper bulkhead to all Firebolt DM owners. The new bulkhead is made of a new tougher plastic. Follow the link: vbcracingusa.com/…/fireboltdm/vbcracing-replacement-bulkhead (http://vbcracingusa.com/store/parts/fireboltdm/vbcracing-replacement-bulkhead) add it to cart, click view cart and enter coupon FIREBOLT for free USPS shipping on your entire order. US and Canada only 1 Per customer.

[john333]

These new stronger bulkheads are available via smd in the UK too, the firebolt is an awesome car that works well on all surfaces, even on high grip carpet I've equalled or bettered my results from my previous team c TM2.

The car is a brand new design from the ground up and teething problems happen from time to time, vbc have worked quickly to get the issue sorted, something for which I think they should be applauded :thumbsup:

[jk007]

i ran my vbc firebolt today and yet again I can not fault the stock default setup
I was lucky enought to have another spare firebolt to run in the 4wd class
Which I have fitted a carbon chassis and tried a different setup , by the end of the day to get the car going well I was back to the stock default setup with both cars apart from the carbon chassis on the spare car.
I had the fasted qualifying time and won the A final but .4 off the fastest lap
I believe the car can go faster over 1 lap but until I find that setup,
consistency will have to do to win.
i have now run my vbc for about 6 months now and have not broken any part at all on the car

[mes]

Did you prefer the cf or the aluminum chassis?

[jk007]

The track had some very high grip part and some very low grip parts to the track
So was very hard to tell which was the best , I was quicker with the alloy chassis car but I have been running this car for 6 months and it was the first run with the cf chassis car and I was messing with setup all day
Where the alloy chassis car I didn't change as it was going mint (stock setup)
I will be testing the cf chassis car again this weekend with some crazy set up just to see what it does.

[Cliveyp]

Any advice on a carpet setup guys?

I've had mine on a kit setup for a while, and it has been running OK on yellow low-profile cut staggers on the front with yellow mini spikes on the back. After being assured that mini pins on the rear would actually be better, I changed them but then struggled for front end grip.

The surface was indoor, multi type carpet with some wood. Generally flat with some low jumps/ramps/rollers. Changes from kit setup now I'm running the pins are;
- longest front links
- 40wt oil in front shocks
- top outer damper mounts
- middle lower damper mounts

Found it turned in slightly better with the dampers back in the middle hole on the tower, but I ran out of heats to meddle. It was much more stable on the wooden parts with the outer top mounts.

Initial bite doesn't seem too bad, but then with either a tiny bit of throttle or whilst coasting, the mid to exit of the corner just washes wide. Any suggestions?

[mes]

How much caster do you run? I read somewhere that running 20° can help a lot on smooth tracks, but could not try it myself yet.

[Cliveyp]

Can't remember which way the manual tells you to build it now....will check!

Haven't checked on the gauges, but from the manual it looks like it'd be 25deg caster

[jk007]

Hi mate
personally I would run mini pins all round and run stock setup
This would be the best setup to start from.
Cheers Jason

[Cliveyp]

I did have a pair of front pins ready to try but just ran out of time to do it......is that the secret combination that differs to other 2WD cars then??:confused:

[jk007]

I did have a pair of front pins ready to try but just ran out of time to do it......is that the secret combination that differs to other 2WD cars then??:confused:

Theres no secrets ,At yorcc mini pins all round works the best on all cars
some people like to run different options it's all about preference.
I would try them and see what happens.
Let me know
Cheers Jason

[Cliveyp]

Ok, I'll give them a go. It won't be for a while anyway as I have a number of family things coming up that will keep me away. On the whole, I would say 95% of the 2WD on this track are using cut staggers and rear pins, and the majority have significantly noticeable more front end grip, especially the KFs and XB4's.....a shame that I can't make this do the same!

[mes]

Using a stiffer rear shock set-up might help to reduce weight transfer to the rear, e.g. go down to 1.6 pistons and use harder springs. Reducing front droop or rear toe-in may also help. Increasing anti-squat also springs to mind... Oh, and you could try to move your front caster blocks into the rearmost position.

[Cliveyp]

Thanks mate, i'll have a look into that too.

I've only got one carpet meet left now before heading back to astro for the summer, so will do a couple of small tweaks then work on getting it right for the summer.

[K-Brewer]

Does anyone have any advice on what people have done to stop the weepy rear shock caps?

[SC truck guys]

Just used some different 'o' rings (slightly thicker) someone else at club has used Schumacher 'o' rings

[K-Brewer]

I think ive managed to sort the shocks caps from weeping, will keep an eye on the bottom shock caps as they seem ok at the moment

[Cliveyp]

Does anyone have any advice on what people have done to stop the weepy rear shock caps?

I thought i'd just nipped an oring when I assembled them, so its interesting to read i'm not the only one!

I had been meaning to buy some new seals to see if that solved it, but hadn't got around to it. After a few removals and refits to top the shocks up, this (seems) to have been cured without doing anything......i'll wait to see if this is the case when I pull it back out of the cupboard later! If not, i'll try the Schumacher seals.

[K-Brewer]

I thought i'd just nipped an oring when I assembled them, so its interesting to read i'm not the only one!

I had been meaning to buy some new seals to see if that solved it, but hadn't got around to it. After a few removals and refits to top the shocks up, this (seems) to have been cured without doing anything......i'll wait to see if this is the case when I pull it back out of the cupboard later! If not, i'll try the Schumacher seals.

I had some black bottom shock cap o rings spare from AE so ive just doubled up an put them on top of the standard shock o rings an seemed to of solved the problem :thumbsup:

[OneKiwi]

http://www.redrc.net/2015/02/beamcat-firebolt-dm-aluminium-front-bulkhead/

http://www.redrc.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/BeamcatFireboltFrontBulkhead-1.jpg

[Cliveyp]

Now just to try and locate one in the UK..... :thumbsup:

[K-Brewer]

Ran the firebolt last nite and very impressed, car wasnt pushing on power unlike my b5m an felt vert stable
Just need to change the pistons now from AE big bore ones back to kit an shes gonna fly :thumbsup:

[K-Brewer]

I'm just gonna say WOW :thumbsup:

[mes]

Beamcat aluminium front kick-up in stock with Ruddog Distribution. (http://www.sven-rudig.com/shop2/index.php?page=product&info=4449)

[Bigdawgracer]

Hi All,

I've just bought a second hand Firebolt from on here.

As far as I can tell it is totally standard, which isn't a problem, but are there any options I should consider?
Alloy bulk-head and idler perhaps?

Also I have some good tyres on Schumacher pin-drive wheels.
Can I run these on the front of the Firebolt if I remove the hex?

Thanks

[john333]

It should really already have either white nylon idlers or ally ones fitted, these were sent out with the cars or afterwards as an upgrade.

Bulkheads are a strange one, some people break them, others don't. Smd have some made of a different material which vbc issued.

Cant help you with the wheels though.

I run mine pretty standard, with almost default kit set up, really good everywhere :thumbsup:

[K-Brewer]

Has anybody changed the bottom shock o rings from standard an if so what did u use

[Chris Elworthy]

Hi lads,

I'm tempted to give the firebolt a try but have a few questions?

I'm aware how good the car is on medium to low grip tracks but how does it compare in pace to the designated forward motor design's such as tm2/KF? I'm confident the car would be great indoors but I don't want to be left behind in the regionals.

Secondly, Am i right to assume the Yokomo geared diff is a direct fit into the firebolt? I far prefer the feel of a geared diff in high grip.

And finally, do Associated BB springs fit the firebolt?

Thanks,


Chris

[Sir Shawny500]

I can't answer the first question!! But the other 2 are a definite yes buddy

[jk007]

Can anyone running a vbc firebolt with a savox servo
Tell me which alloy servo horn will fit with out catching
Cheers Jason

[daz]

Can anyone running a vbc firebolt with a savox servo
Tell me which alloy servo horn will fit with out catching
Cheers Jason

The one out of a mardave meteour will work just fine, hth...

[dicky14]

Can anyone running a vbc firebolt with a savox servo
Tell me which alloy servo horn will fit with out catching
Cheers Jason

Hi Jason. Have you tried turning the servo posts round to push the servo back? They are stamped a and b. Worth a try.

[K-Brewer]

Anybody managed to get hold of the ali front bulkhead in the UK?

[jk007]

I have ordered 4x alloy bulkheads from Hong kong I will post you one asap
Cheers Jason

[daz]

I have ordered 4x alloy bulkheads from Hong kong I will post you one asap
Cheers Jason

Will this stop the front end falling off when it's hits a blade of grass??:lol:

[jk007]

Will this stop the front end falling off when it's hits a blade of grass??:lol:

It might😀😀😀😀😀

[jk007]

I have now been running my vbc firebolt for over 6months
I'm still running stock settings,indoors @ yorcc .
The Car is awesome. Last night at yorcc I did 19 laps
fastest been 16.03 and average been 16.47
Well happy
I would recommend this car to anyone thinking of changing
Cheers Jason

[K-Brewer]

Found an nice fitting alloy servo horn if anyone is interested, ebay number 361214694683

[jk007]

Found an nice fitting alloy servo horn if anyone is interested, ebay number 361214694683

Hi Kevin
What's the alloy bulkhead like on the car not had chance to go mine yet ??

[K-Brewer]

Tried it on sunday and works great, probably a 4mm gap now between the steering arms an servo horn now as well

[Stickygeko]

I run an old 210 v1 and looking for a new car. my son runs a b5m which he loves and is doing well with. My 1st sighting of this car was at t he northwest regionals at southport on Sunday. One really fast guy caught my eye and didn't have a clue what it was untill after the race i asked someone. This guy was rapid and Was consistently fast I had a look online and they're only 150 at mbmodels right now... we r acc e in door carpet at ribble valley and outdoors, Southport, bury on astro... now... do I buy one? someone mentioned that parts might be hard to get hold of... any opinions? thanks

[Tom3012]

I was running one at southport on Sunday, although I wasn't very consistent, I had a few issues with my electrics unfortunately :(

However, if you want to try mine your more than welcome to, I'll be at southport most weekends...

P.S mine was white and pink, the only other one I saw was kind of green with a shark or something painted on it? I think the guy who was running it is called Gavin?

[Lee1972]

I run an old 210 v1 and looking for a new car. my son runs a b5m which he loves and is doing well with. My 1st sighting of this car was at t he northwest regionals at southport on Sunday. One really fast guy caught my eye and didn't have a clue what it was untill after the race i asked someone. This guy was rapid and Was consistently fast I had a look online and they're only 150 at mbmodels right now... we r acc e in door carpet at ribble valley and outdoors, Southport, bury on astro... now... do I buy one? someone mentioned that parts might be hard to get hold of... any opinions? thanks

Paul,
Why don't you get a B5M like Hayden so you can share parts. Like the look of the Firebolt myself :thumbsup:

[Stickygeko]

Paul,
Why don't you get a B5M like Hayden so you can share parts. Like the look of the Firebolt myself :thumbsup:

tempted lee, but this is cheaper and has more upgraded parts as standard... how come you weren't there sunday? I had a right mare with my radio

i saw that one, green with a mouth. . sort of akin to a ww2 fighter jet, saw a white one to

[Tom3012]

like I said, if you're ever at Southport let me know, you're more than welcome to try mine :thumbsup:

[croller]

The green one is me, car is standard out of the box with the kit set up never changed anywhere I run it at bury and southport, think it's a brilliant car but hasn't got the drivers to push it, as quick on bury as any forward motor cars

[Chris Elworthy]

I'm weighing up running VBC myself Gav I've been well impressed with your's.

Just gotta work some things out first.



Chris

[croller]

Only thing I would like to try on high grip is a gear diff honestly it's tough and easy to drive, like the old Losi's

[leelar]

i love this car but just can not get the shocks to stop leaking at first it was the bottom which a rebuild shorted but now the top rears have started even with new seals has anyone else had this :(

[K-Brewer]

Had this issue with mine, packed the o rings with green slim for the bottom an extra black o ring on the top from the bottom shock cap of a set of big bore associated shocks (doesnt have to be associated thats all i had in my box) if you double the top then with the original o ring and then put the smaller o ring on after to double them up it will seal nicely. Saying that though i now use yokomo big bore shock on mine

[leelar]

tanks that is how i sorted out the bottom ones which just made the top leak i will have to have a look what i have in my pit box:thumbsup:

[Tom3012]

I got a new body shell recently... I've noticed there is now 'cut lines' for the motor on both sides? Are we expecting some kind of update soon?

:woot:

[K-Brewer]

I got a new body shell recently... I've noticed there is now 'cut lines' for the motor on both sides? Are we expecting some kind of update soon?

:woot:

Possibly, prices were dropped recently

[leelar]

does anybody know if any other brand slipper pads fit

[K-Brewer]

does anybody know if any other brand slipper pads fit

I'm pretty sure associated ones do but i think im also using an associated spur though, cant remember :confused:

[COFFIN DODGER]

Yes, I'm using an Associated spur in mine, with VBC pads so I assume that the Associated pads will fit.

[leelar]

Thanks are the associated spurs a direct fit or do you need to do any mods

[K-Brewer]

Direct fit

[leelar]

Thanks :thumbsup:thumbsup::

[Tom3012]

I take it you mean the B5 spur? Do we think the vts slipper will fit?

[K-Brewer]

I take it you mean the B5 spur? Do we think the vts slipper will fit?

I'LL see when i get home as have a B5M as well

[Chris Elworthy]

Is anyone in the know regarding the future availability of the Firebolt in the UK? I'm very tempted to give one a try through the winter but it's hard to ignore that most stockists show the most commonly broken parts as "out of stock" and have done for a while now.

Would be a shame to see this brand disappear in the UK as from what I've seen they perform very well especially in lower grip.



Chris

[bondy]

Last time I went into see Jamie at SMD he had a lot of VBC Spares in Stock.

Upgrade wise. I would suggest is ordering the beamcat aluminium front bulkhead.
exotekracing 9mm extensions
And the Front steel axles

And that's it :woot: and then enjoy..

[croller]

Chris just use it out of the box with standard set up and tweak from there you can order direct off Jamie anyway VBC's not going anywhere so I can't see the parts drying out

[Chris Elworthy]

Thanks Lads,

The firebolt is the car I want but just want to be sure I'm getting the right thing.

I've read of the front bulkhead being a bit of a weak spot on the car and can become weaker when you use some of the aluminium upgrades in touching distance from it? Is this something you have encountered?

What spares would you suggest to get straight away? And which wheels are people using? If people know of comparable wheels that come in packs of multiple pairs it would be better to keep cost down to begin with.

I've been well impressed with the performance of this car when I've seen it (yours in particular Gav) it's only the spares availability that worries me.


Chris

[croller]

I've wiped out top and bottom bulkhead in one crash on the warm up lap of the regional, I have the alloy brace on the front apart from that it's standard, that is it in about a year, tbh the car has been getting quicker all year and should go well at southport this weekend. Just get all 4 corners and both shock towers, kyosho wheels, Schumacher, rears anyway, most seem to fit

[Chris Elworthy]

I'm going to give VBC a shot, will hopefully have my gear soon.

Will prob get the Beamcat bulkhead off the bat as it can be a problem from what I've heard and see how I go from there.

Would be nice to have a cab forward shell option for when the grip is up, I'm going to see if somebody can cast one for me.

Are people generally using this car with shortys? That's what I have at the minute. If so are you running the shorty from front to back down the middle of the chassis or running it pushed to the rear side to side? I'm sure the lipo furthest back would give the best rear traction but I don't want the car to be too pushy.


Chris

[jasonrcb]

After speaking with Jamie at S.M.D.yesterday i'm also going to give the car a try,i may put the beamcat bulkhead on but they seem to have sorted the problem with the new material.

As for the shell i really like the look of the kit version but once i get the car i will have a talk with Steve at penguin shells and get a forward cab version sorted out.

[Chris Elworthy]

Sounds good Jason! I for one will be interested in a shell.

I've been well impressed with the car especially in low grip from what I've seen



Chris

[COFFIN DODGER]

I always run the shorty, down the middle of the chassis. Gives great balance, and just the right amount of steering. I'd be up for a penguin shell too.

[KBRacing]

:confused: What Penguin Shell.....???

[jk007]

My vbc firebolt is awesome it was on fire in the final today
Qualified 10th in the A And finished 1st
I would recommend a vbc firebolt to anyone thinking of changing
it's really good on all types of tracks
Every time I race the firebolt it just gets better.

[PaulFarrand]

My vbc firebolt is awesome it was on fire in the final today
Qualified 10th in the A And finished 1st
I would recommend a vbc firebolt to anyone thinking of changing
it's really good on all types of tracks
Every time I race the firebolt it just gets better.

Think I've seen you just doing an interview on sky news....lol:woot:

[jk007]

Think I've seen you just doing an interview on sky news....lol:woot:

i will send you a signed photo if you want. Lol 😃

[jasonrcb]

Mine is finished now and pretty impressed with the kit,i gave the car a quick run today and it feels very smooth and easy to drive,i have gone with pretty much the kit setup with 35w oil in the front and 27.5 rear,i haven't fitted any of the rear shims as what others have said on here,looking forward to telford next weekend to see what it does.

[jk007]

Mine is finished now and pretty impressed with the kit,i gave the car a quick run today and it feels very smooth and easy to drive,i have gone with pretty much the kit setup with 35w oil in the front and 27.5 rear,i haven't fitted any of the rear shims as what others have said on here,looking forward to telford next weekend to see what it does.

What surface will you be running on ???

[jasonrcb]

Astro next weekend

[jk007]

Astro next weekend

I found running 40w all round on Astro with stock pistons works really well
If she's not performing give it ago
And run shorty lipo in the centre front to back

[jasonrcb]

I found running 40w all round on Astro with stock piston works really well
If she's not performing give it ago
And run shorty lipo in the centre front to back

Thanks,i will give it a try,i have set the car up to run shorty down the centre.

[jk007]

Thanks,i will give it a try,i have set the car up to run shorty down the centre.
Perfect 👍🏻

[jk007]

Check it out 10th to 1st

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=MUrzA88e8Z4

[jasonrcb]

Spares ordered,well i bought a 2nd kit so i have everything covered,that way i can make up a 2nd set of shocks to try different setups.

I will take my spare shell on sunday and hopefully steve from penguin will be there and i will get the wheels in motion for a forward cab version of the shell

[jk007]

I bought 3 firebolts
1 for indoors 1 for outdoors and the other as a spare my indoor car is setup as per stock setting and works mint indoors ,the outdoor car has 40w oil all round
With long link at the rear and 2mm washers under inner front ball stud the rest of the car is stock
Let me know how you get on
Cheers Jason

[jasonrcb]

Finally got round to trying the firebolt on sunday,very pleased with the it's first run out seeing as i went with totally kit std even down to the oils,the track was super high grip so most of the day i ran my cobra which was quick as you would expect,for the final i swapped to the firebolt just to do a compare,the car is very easy drive and the biggest suprise was how much front end and steering the car has,far better than my previous mid motor car,rear end grip and drive was plenty and it didn't kill tyres like the forward motor,overall the forward motor was quicker over a lap but over the 5 minutes there wasn't alot to choose between them mainly down to the ease of drive of the vbc and probably over trying with the forward motor.

I have now changed to 40wt oil in the front but everything else is kit std,first full meeting this weekend on grass so looking forward to that,i will let you know how things go after the weekend,i should also have sorted and progress on a forward cab bodyshell

[jk007]

Got my vbc firebolt rm conversion today will try and get it built for the weekend.
Couldn't wait !!!!

[bricol]

Having sanded the from arms, the front upper ball joints and the track rod ends, as well as machined the inside of the front wheels, I've finally got full movement without the wheels catching - but this is without the spacer under the balls stud on the steering arm.

Any recommendations as to front wheels that don't need quite this amount of work?

Bri

[mes]

AKA wheels fit directly, but I found that the hex was too large and they would not run true. I dremelled down some Avid Satellite to have proper wheels when I used to run the Fbolt. Maybe the Serpent stuff would be an option?

[john333]

Schumacher and team c all fit straight on. Not sure why you are having these problems? Only time I did was when I mistakenly tried to fit a 4wd front wheel.

[bricol]

Thanks, just place dan order for some Team C and Schumacher 2WD fronts. Been using wheels suitable for Rb5?

Slowly getting it to sort of work on slippery floor. If anyont has any suggestions, then feel free :thumbsup:

Bri

[bondy]

Got my vbc firebolt rm conversion today will try and get it built for the weekend.
Couldn't wait !!!!

Keep us informed I might try the conversion

[jk007]

Qualified 1st in the C final @ Worksop today And finished 1st in the C
Well happy with the car was running stock setup with front shocks in at
The top and carbon chassis otherwise stock setup which is a good place
Start.
I never got chance to run the rear motor car but should get it ready for next meeting at York.

[bondy]

Qualified 1st in the C final @ Worksop today And finished 1st in the C
Well happy with the car was running stock setup with front shocks in at
The top and carbon chassis otherwise stock setup which is a good place
Start.
I never got chance to run the rear motor car but should get it ready for next meeting at York.

Well done... do you think the carbon chassis gives a bit more flex.. hence better grip ?

[jk007]

Well done... do you think the carbon chassis gives a bit more flex.. hence better grip ?

Both cars had good grip but I found the car with the carbon chassis had less steering than the alloy chassis car.

[ja76]

What weight oil is everyone using in there geared diffs?

[bondy]

What surface are you running on.

Worksop I run 3K
Carpet 5 K ( change that... West bridgeford I ran 10K much better :) )

as a starter after that its how you feel with the car ?

[ja76]

Thanks Steve
Club meet its just carpet but was my first time with the car at worksop Sunday gone ( you came over)
I was running 5k then as was unsure so will give that a go at the next rd👍

[leelar]

Which yokomo gear diff is it that fit's
Z2 500 MGR OR B2 500 MGR

[ja76]

I'm running a yz2 gear diff in mine and works fine

[jk007]

Ran my vbc firebolt rm in practice tonight
And it was surprisingly good i think it's got
Potential to be quick but needs some weight
In the front and thicker oils in the shocks.
will see how she goes then.

[bondy]

Looks like there's a new version coming out. The DM 2

From the one picture I can see is a new gearbox casing to mount what looks like and adjustable new alloy brace mounted onto a new battery strap. I bet the chassis has built in kickup just like the RM..

:thumbsup:

[adey]

Where's the picture of the new car Bondy ?

[danmurphy]

http://www.vbcracing.com/

Just one image on their front page

[bondy]

There are more images on the website now.

As suspected there's a built in kick up on the chassis and a new brace. New idler gears and transmission housing. But that looks to be it. Still has the fiddly rear toe in blocks so will be 3.5 degrees minimum which in my opinion is way to much for astro and carpet which is what it is aimed at ??

Looks nice though :thumbsup:

[leelar]

i hope the gear box is a direct fit or at least a conversion kit will be released



http://www.vbcracing.com/products/firebolt-dm2-1-10-2wd-offroad-buggy-kit-d-05-vbc-ck14

[leelar]

Has anyone tryed to fit the new gear box yet if so what parts are needed:thumbsup:

[Trousy]

Hi I have just bought a firebolt second hand from eBay. I have ordered Schumacher mini pins, wheels and inserts I'm planning to use a speed passion 13.5t motor and hobbywing xerun v2.1. What pinion should I put in and any other tips on setup would be great I will be running on carpet and sometimes grass.
Cheers Graham

[leelar]

Has the DM2 got a 3 gear box

[mutoid]

The gear box is the same as the version 1,comprising of layshaft/2 idler gears and the diff itself.

[david_atv]

New in this forum ;), next user of firebolt. ;), Any user that race with this car on Euro Champs this year?

[bricol]

Anybody able to suggest any alternative shells that fit reasonably well?

[leelar]

I think the x-ray xb2 is close

[leelar]

Has anyone got a setup sheet for a dm2 for carpet or high grip astro :thumbsup:

[Dom9]

Anyone still running a VBC Racing Firebolt?

I picked up a new/unused but built car from the classified here a couple of months back and am running it at SHRCCC.

Been away from racing for 20-25yrs (gulp) but it seems like a great bit of kit to me! I have nothing to compare it to but it seems very well made and has been very stable on the straights and over the jumps. Nicely balanced.

Had a couple of bolt heads shear off in accidents but my front bulkhead and other parts have been rock solid and show no signs of damage, despite my ham-fisted driving skills.

Running a sensorless 4000kv, 4-pole set up and 45 amp ESC (Dynamite Tazer combo), which would appear to be 'low spec' compared to most on here, but it seems very quick and smooth.

Running the standard ball diff and standard kit parts at the moment with Schumacher mini dart yellows all round and 40wt oil in the front dampers and 35wt in the rear.

Lacking a bit of front end bite but will try my new set up (lowered, less toe-in at the front) at practice on Tuesday, though I have moved the battery from the longitudinal position to the rear/horizontal to make more space for the ESC, which probably won't help the balance.

Interested to see/hear what others are doing with theirs!

[Trousy]

I have one I bought last year I'm planning to race it this summer on grass

[jasonrcb]

I'm in the process of putting another firebolt back together,the car is really nice to drive in low grip,i have the uprated alloy idler gears and i have also changed the shock seals as the early kit seals were prone to leaking.

We will also make a 1 piece chassis similar to the chassis on the newer version car and possibly get Steve at penguin custom bodyshells to make an updated shell

[Dom9]

Great to hear that some are still using them!

It certainly does seem to be a lower traction design compared to the latest carpet/astro buggies like the B6, RB6.6, YZ-2 etc.

I'd be interested in a new chassis. Was struggling with fitting the Rx and ESC in the chassis with the battery run lengthways. I was wondering whether I could design a new carbon or 7075 chassis with the battery moved all the way up to the servo, leaving room between the back of the LiPo and motor for the electronics.

I see the PR Racing PRSV1 has room for the ESC there when running MM. Perhaps you could move the battery up just say 5-10mm (if at all) and change the rear battery stays to make room for the ESC there. That would help get some more weight over the front.

I haven't done the upside down castor block trick (read about it - need to look at the car) to try and get more steering but I also haven't tried different springs/ damper oil/ toe yet.

Would be cool if VBC did a new car with a laydown transmission but you don't hear so much news about their buggies, sadly.

[jk007]

Hi
I got my firebolt back out of the cupboard 2 months ago to
Race again It's a great car on low grip.
I run the battery lengthways with no problem.


Cheers Jason

[Dom9]

Yeah, I was wondering whether to go with a low profile servo but mine is full size and I just bought it :(

There is room to put the Rx next to the battery but my ESC was on its side, which I didn't like, in front of the servo.

Was even wondering whether to go with one of those combined ESC/ motors but they only seem to be 3000Kv, which I was thinking wouldn't be competitive...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/252620491975?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

[daz]

Hi
I got my firebolt back out of the cupboard 2 months ago to
get beat by Daz again. It's a great car on low grip.
I run the battery lengthways with no problem but still cant keep up with him.


Cheers Jason

Fixed it for you...

[Dom9]

Anyone still running one?

Just picked up a brand new DM2 from MB for £120, which I thought was a bargain.

Man maths suggested it was cheaper than running one and buying spares :confused:

So, now I have a DM and DM2 and haven't even made it to the track this year!

Hopefully that will change soon!

[Bigdawgracer]

Hi, looking for a decent 2wd that doesn't break the bank.

Just looked and MB have sold out!

Are there any other VBC dealers in the UK who might have stock?

Does the DM2 have hex drives at the wheels and can it run saddle pack lipos?
Is the weak bulkhead still an issue?

[mes]

Iirc the bulkhead issues were resolved by using another type of plastic and the DM2 full metal chassis. I did not experience any problems after I had added the beamcat aluminium front plate. Yes further to the hex drives, not sure about the saddle pack, but I don't think so.

[Bigdawgracer]

Hi, thanks MES for the reply.

[Dom9]

Hi, looking for a decent 2wd that doesn't break the bank.

Just looked and MB have sold out!

Are there any other VBC dealers in the UK who might have stock?

Does the DM2 have hex drives at the wheels and can it run saddle pack lipos?
Is the weak bulkhead still an issue?

I got the last one from MB - sorry!

Not sure who else stocks them at a good price but Hobby King sometimes have them (I think DM, not DM2) on sale staring with a £1XX.

They do run 12mm hex drives (I buy Schumacher pre-glued wheels/ tyres) and my DM bulkhead (presumably later type) held up in some huge crashes (snapping other plastic).

However... The DM2 metal chassis should be an improvement again.

Not sure about saddles - Will try and look in the instruction manual for you but I actually think it might as one of the selling points was that you could do almost anything in terms of cells.

[mes]

Now I remember! You can fit saddle packs inside the DM, but you may have to remove some material from the battery brace in order not to short-circuit your battery. The DM2 brace has been changed accordingly IIRC.

[Bigdawgracer]

Thanks!

Assuming I can find a DM2 for sale, what is the spares situation like?

Had issues getting spares with other makes and it's no fun!

[Dom9]

No problem with spares from MB Models but I've had to wait a few days for the odd bit.

There also seems to be a fair number of parts on eBay at the moment but that may not always be the case.

I believe you can also order direct from VBC and I'd hope they're not going to disappear any time soon...

[Yorkiebar]

I seem to have just "accidentally" bought a 2nd hand DM. :woot:

I know I'm late to the party with it but it's a lovely looking thing, and for what I paid for it I don't care if it ends up and my lad's spare car, my 2WD class car or just something to chuck around on a practice day.

Anyone still using these on astro competitively?

[Yorkiebar]

Did a day's racing with it on Sunday and have to say I really like it - apart from the leaky rear shocks, but they will get a rebuild.

[Dom9]

Has anyone got a gear diff kicking about?

http://www.oople.com/forums/showthread.php?t=208602&highlight=firebolt