Lixander`s corner - HELP NEEDED FOR TEST-BUILDING A W.I.P.

[Lixander]

3 hours ago, Aurorasaurus said:

It looks good in the renders, and I like the removeable bodywork. 

Thanks!

3 hours ago, Aurorasaurus said:

How does the rear suspension work, are the light grey shock absorbers connected to an antiroll bar?

No, the small soft shocks are not connected between them by an antiroll bar. They need to support the rear axle from behind and keep the 2x bottom-rear suspension arms independent.

3 hours ago, Aurorasaurus said:

2 motors doesnt seem like enough to me, how is the performance?

That is what I am feeling too at around 1kg and 400g with the hubs (the model weights 1kg and about 200g without the hubs, so with 2x hubs, it should be around there), but more motors would be hard to install and the supplementary hub needed for putting 4x buggy motors definitely wouldn`t fit. So with only 2x buggy motors and 2x hubs (the motors were only on one hub and the servo on the other hub), the model had an average speed and some torque (I think); it was getting more speedy when running in straight for some time.

But after I got in touch with Zerobricks (he was in Romania for the annual Technic contest held by the Romanian LUG), he advised me to left 1x motor on a hub and on the other hub to put the other motor and the servo. The model seemed to be more powerful, but the batteries got low and I couldn`t continue testing it properly.

Tomorrow I will record the speed of the model (with the port setup recommended by Zerobricks) and I will also try to make a video.

Edited October 19, 2024 by Lixander

[Lixander]

Well, @Aurorasaurus, I eventually put another 2x buggy motors and an additional CaDa hub, but the gearing had to be modified so now the ratio is around 1.19:1 (28-16, 16-20, 14-22) with the differential.

But the gears are making some noise, I don`t know why, maybe because one of the gears is damaged or some gears are not aligned properly due to the structure...........in plus, I discovered from the 1st day since I received the CaDa JV1010 new (white) version hubs that the remotes are not very friendly at all when using 3x hubs (I put them as in my older MouldKing hub remotes - photo bellow, so they should be somewhat comfortable to control in theory, in practice not so much:/) and the hubs seem to be pretty ”lazy” when speaking about the buggy motors, even if the hubs are described as ”made for the buggy motors”. That applies for basically any buggy motor you put, no matter the number, be it 1x or 2x on one hub. The MouldKing hubs are a little cheaper (not only at price but at quality also I think) indeed, but for my experience so far with the CaDa ones, the MK ones have more punch, especially considering that on the MK ones I could stack 2x buggy motors on a port when for the CaDa ones, for 2x ports and 2x buggy motors the perfomance is somehow decent, but when stacking 2x motors on 1x port on CaDa hubs the 1st motor runs very slowly and the one on top simply doesn`t work. 

I will continue to fiddle with the gears anyway and I will also see how I will get around with the hubs. 

Edited October 21, 2024 by Lixander

[Lixander]

The planned drive-line for the 4x motors version of the Ruslan.

 

[Lixander]

The Tortoise buggy is on Rebrickable - https://rebrickable.com/mocs/MOC-200037/Lixander A./tortoise-buggy/#details

 

 

[Lixander]

Welp, if you remember the Retro style buggy from around the spring of this year..........I rebuild it, as now I have the clutch gears it needed and it turned out that in fact it was a building error not a design one :/

Anyway, I made a 3rd revision and also did a version with a PU L motor. 

Also, if you don`t remember the specs, here there are:

• a rear-wheel driveline through 2x buggy motors, 1x PF servo/ PU L motor for the steering
• an independent suspension on all arms, with 4x hard 6.5L shocks in front and other 4x hard 6.5L shocks at rear
• a detachable wing and bodywork

Moreover, here are the new things on the REViii of the Retro style buggy:

• longer chassis than the first variants that can hold the BuWizz hubs inside the center of the bodywork and that adds more stability
• 2x gear ratios available - 3:1 ratio (found in the Studio files) and a faster 2.34:1 ratio
• 2x versions: 1x BuWizz 2.0 with 1x PF servo or 1x BuWizz 3.0 with 1x PU L motor

Of course, the model is already on Rebrickable ;))

                                                                                 

Edited November 14, 2024 by Lixander
New render with the different gearing for the REViii+ BW 3.0 version

[Lixander]

I am working on a RC mod of this Dune buggy made by Offroadcreations: https://rebrickable.com/mocs/MOC-9871/offroadcreations/blueprint-dune-buggy/#details
I already built it but, as I expected, the model is a little too fragile due to the relatively complex shapes and simple connections.
So, I modified several areas in order to motorize it and to make it more sturdy, but I am still not sure that it is enough..........so this might be scrapped in the end :/

P.S.: This model was scrapped, but you can find the Studio file in here - https://bricksafe.com/pages/Lixander_A./lixander-mod-dune-buggy/wip

Edited November 19, 2024 by Lixander

[vergogneless]

Hey!

Another really cool project here.

I was wondering if you’d given up on brushless motorization?

I see you’re using a Buwizz and buggy motors 

[Lixander]

10 hours ago, vergogneless said:

Hey!

Another really cool project here.

Hey! Thanks a lot!

10 hours ago, vergogneless said:

I was wondering if you’d given up on brushless motorization?

I see you’re using a Buwizz and buggy motors 

Not at all.

But I still don`t have a BuWizz and I use CaDa (the new white JV1010) hubs now, which are pretty bad: long charging time, short play time and small current or something like that I think, because I can`t stack 2x motors on a port as one motor will barely work and the other just stalls.

But anyway, I am closer than ever to actually start the project RIOT, just have to gather some bucks :/ Also, i tried other 2x models with the brushless set-up since the Retro sprite buggy MOD, but both of them had problems with the drivetrain, due to the CV joints or to the slipping gears.

https://rebrickable.com/users/Lixander A./workbench/14713/

 

Edited November 13, 2024 by Lixander

[Lixander]

New W.I.P..........the 4x4 Beach buggy is in the works.

The 2nd 4x4 prototype uses 2x buggy motors, the new yellow differentials and the new CV joints paired with the Audi e-tron wheel-hubs at a weight of around 900g / 32oz with 2x BuWizz hubs.

The rear frame is completely new, while the front is heavily modified in order to install the taller wheel-hubs.

Moreover, the connection of the front with the main chassis is also overhauled and the 6.5L shocks and the small pneumatic cylinders were swapped with a total of 4x hard 9.5L shocks.

I should start test-building the Beach buggy 4x4 pretty soon ;)

                                                                                             

 

Edited November 21, 2024 by Lixander

[Lixander]

Just tested indoors a little the 4x4 Beach buggy and I can say that it runs decent enough. Maybe with a BuWizz set-up, it will have more performance.
Anyway, some rectifications were needed in some spots, especially on the suspension, as the 1st set-up was too rigid, but I should manage to finish it in 1-2 weeks.

   

   

Edited November 22, 2024 by Lixander

[Lixander]

Soo..........after some time away from home, I reinstalled Studio on my laptop and created 2x completely new W.I.P.s.

The first is the 6M buggy which has fully independent suspension on all arms that should use 4x of the new 9L shocks, pin holes for several light sets in the front and at rear, a PU L motor for steering and 6x buggy motors for the rear wheel-drive (3x motors for each wheel, with no differential; the gear ratio can be modified). Due to the lack of space for installing the hubs, the number of motors and the lack of a PU L motor, this model is just a test, but you can have a look at the Studio file in my General archive on Bricksafe: https://bricksafe.com/pages/Lixander_A./miscellaneous/general-w.i.p./archive

The second model is a medium-sized trophy-truck with detachable bodywork, detailed chassis, 4x pin holes in front for lights and 4x other at rear, independent suspension in front by 2x extra-hard 9.5L shocks and at rear a 3x link suspension by other 2x 9.5L extra-hard shocks (the rear axle is connected only by a 1x 6L steering arm in the middle, 2x 6L links at the edges of the buggy motors and  2x shock absorbers), 1x PU L motor for steering and 2x buggy motors for the rear wheel-drive. The default gear ratio is 1:1, but it can be modified pretty easily. The model is kind of finished, but I am still thinking about modifying the upper connection of the rear shocks, as the shocks most likely need to rotate not only sideways, but also to the front and back.

Edited April 18 by Lixander

[Lixander]

And how I could forget about the Ultra 4 Bronco :))

So I modified the chassis of my baja-truck W.I.P. to fit the proportions and modelled a new bodywork. Here is the result..

Edited April 29 by Lixander

[Lixander]

Each time I see the bodywork of the old 4x4 crawler prototype (”Red Yeti”) I just want to, you know......

So, it was finally the time to remake it.

Although the main purpose was to make a new bodywork, I also thought that the chassis can be improved........and so, I remade from scratch the axles, and, this time, there is an option for an axle without steering for the rear, rather than just copying the front axle and installing also at rear, and an axle with a PU L motor for steering.

The model keeps the same overall characteristics, but it is lighter, more compact and hopefully, it is more aesthetic.

The driveline uses the same 4x buggy motors from the outermost, slower output, but they are geared down by using the fairly new planetary wheel-hubs, connected through the new CV joints and powered by 2x BuWizz 3.0 hubs. 

It also uses the same 4x soft 9.5L shocks, but with new connections that, most likely, give the suspension a more independent behavior. 

Edited May 28 by Lixander

[Lixander]

New W.I.P. buggy, based on the VW Beetle. 
The front chassis is a heavily modified version of a buggy on Rebrickable, but I lost the source :(
Also. the bodywork is heavily based on  the small Beetle made by HorcikDesigns around 2 years ago - https://www.instagram.com/p/CwsEyEpLvpd/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==, but it is upscaled.
The model uses 2x PF L motors geared 1:1 (24-24t) or 1:1.4 (28-20t) and a new yellow differential for the driveline, 1x PU L motor for steering and it is powered by 1x BuWizz 3.0.
Also, it has an independent suspension by 2x soft 6.5L shocks at front and a link type by 2x soft 9.5L shocks at rear.
Here is the W.I.P..

Edited May 29 by Lixander

[NV Lego technic]

Both look absolutely amazing!

[Lixander]

2 hours ago, NV Lego technic said:

Both look absolutely amazing!

Thanks a lot! ;)

I hope that I can say the same about their test-building phase

Edited May 30 by Lixander

[Lixander]

When I first saw this small Porsche 962C, I just had to make something similar.

Soo,  I got to it and........it looks like this.

Thanks a lot to @Brick Shark for letting me share this!

 

*in red - lifts; in blue - rotates

Edited May 30 by Lixander

[2GodBDGlory]

On 5/28/2025 at 5:08 PM, Lixander said:

Each time I see the bodywork of the old 4x4 crawler prototype (”Red Yeti”) I just want to, you know......

So, it was finally the time to remake it.

Although the main purpose was to make a new bodywork, I also thought that the chassis can be improved........and so, I remade from scratch the axles, and, this time, there is an option for an axle without steering for the rear, rather than just copying the front axle and installing also at rear, and an axle with a PU L motor for steering.

The model keeps the same overall characteristics, but it is lighter, more compact and hopefully, it is more aesthetic.

The driveline uses the same 4x buggy motors from the outermost, slower output, but they are geared down by using the fairly new planetary wheel-hubs, connected through the new CV joints and powered by 2x BuWizz 3.0 hubs. 

It also uses the same 4x soft 9.5L shocks, but with new connections that, most likely, give the suspension a more independent behavior. 

 

I like the look of that! Getting 1:8 supercar wheel covers to work for off-roaders always looks really cool to me

[Lixander]

19 minutes ago, 2GodBDGlory said:

I like the look of that! Getting 1:8 supercar wheel covers to work for off-roaders always looks really cool to me

Thanks!

I also like the wheel caps or aero discs, especially on buggies and vintage-themed vehicles :))

Edited May 30 by Lixander

[Lixander]

I have been fiddling with some concepts of small buggies for some weeks now, and I managed to finish a ”Small” and ”eXtra Small” buggy.

Both are about the same size and have the same specs as the PU L steered version of the Retro style REViii and share the same idea - interchangeable gear ratios.

So, both have 2x buggy motors but with 5x possible gear ratios this time and no differential, 1x PU L motor and 1x BuWizz 3.0, but unlike the REViii, the new buggies use the new CV joints instead of the (metal) U-joints.

Moreover, the buggies have detachable bodywork and independent suspension on all arms , by 2x hard 6.5L shock in front for both and by 2x hard 6.5L at rear for the XS one and 2x hard 9.5L for the S.

Then, the most important criteria...........the weight. The  S buggy, is as heavy as the Retro style buggy, having around 940g / about 33oz without the hub, although everything is made from scratch, while the XS is lighter, at around 735g / about 25oz without the hub, but the latter has a more fragile and complex build and the bodywork is fairly basic.

But anyway, here are the screenshots:

 

Also, these are the possible gear ratios. While only 2x of them are used in the Retro style buggy REViii, the rest of them can also be used  for it.

 

Edited June 5 by Lixander

[Lixander]

I remembered the buggy bodywork that I made for the failed Flat baja-truck MAXX concept, in order to try to save some weight and finish the W.I.P............but, the design eventually ended in the trash bin.

Inspired by that bodywork and wanting to make a more viable large-scale model than the 6M buggy, which was also a mess in my opinion, I started with a new chassis.

So here is another ambitious W.I.P. - the MAXX buggy.

As usually, the model has a detachable bodywork and wing, but it uses 4x of the new 9L shocks used in the large supercars and motorcycles for the fully independent suspension, 1x PU XL motor for steering, 8x buggy motors in total for the 4x4 driveline (4x for the front and 4x for the rear without any connection between them) coupled from the innermost output with the yellow differentials, the Audi RS Q e-tron wheel-hubs and the new CV joints and powered by 4x BuWizz 3.0 hubs (2x in the chassis and 2x on the bodywork).
Lastly, as I do not own enough electronics, I am kindly asking for some help to test-build this. If you think you can test-build it, please let me know.

Edited June 6 by Lixander

[NV Lego technic]

Poor parts

[Lixander]

1 minute ago, NV Lego technic said:

Poor parts

Don`t forget the wallet :/

Edited June 6 by Lixander

[Lixander]

Speaking of old models and W.I.P.s..........the RC-E buggy is pretty good as it is, but I really thought that I could make it`s rear suspension better and maybe even make a PU L steered variant.

Sooo, I started modifying it.......the rear suspension was easy to remake, but I think it will need more than 2x hard 6.5L shocks.

On the other hand, installing the PU L motor needed a bit more work, as it it sits lower than the PF servo and so, it was colliding with the front drive-axle. For solving that, the model was lengthened by about 5 studs, something that also allowed the BuWizz 3.0 hub to be put on the chassis and the front drive-axle to use the new CV joints.

Making the model longer also meant that the bodywork had to the modified, but I preferred to make a partially new retro one, lighter and simpler, that kept only the sides of the original. Also, the bodywork is wider by a total of 2x studs for eliminating the risk of damaging the wires of the buggy motors.

Other than that, the RC-E buggy Retro EVO has the same features as the original RC-E buggy.

Then, based on the new RC-E chassis I modeled a Dacia Sandrider bodywork:

 

In order to keep the proportions of the original ”car” (basically a buggy),  I had to further stretch the chassis.

 

This allowed me to install another extra buggy motor, so now there are 4x motors in total for the 4x4 driveline. With that, it was necessary to install also a 2nd BuWizz hub.

The main differences between the Dacia Sandride and the RC-E Retro EVO, are that the Sandrider has pin-holes for installing LEDs (for almost all the lights, front and  rear; only the front-mid headlight cannot be lit) and has to use bigger wheels (I initially used the same wheels as the RC-E Retro EVO, but they were too small; so, I put over them the 94.3 x 38 mm R tires, in order to mimic the 1.55” RC tires that I want to use in the model).

The Sandrider also needs some further modifications, as for example, the suspension stiffness, so it can hold the weight model (which is around 1kg 900g / about 4.19 lbs without the hubs) or the bodywork structural integrity.

Edited Wednesday at 01:00 PM by Lixander