Switch Eliminator

*** CLICK ON EACH PHOTO BELOW FOR FULL SIZE IMAGE ***

Special thanks to Danny Smith for sharing this idea!

There is a pre-wired kit available here:

https://klinikrc.com/shop-1/ols/products/klinik-rc-universal-18-switch-eliminator-set

I have chosen to solder up one myself using these XT60 connectors which offer a red rubber seal to improve the grip strength of the connection:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BB2PD9CQ

I will be mounting the XT60 into an HB D8 WS radio tray using a dremel to carefully increase the opening:

I made sure to use blue thread lock when securing the screws:

Then used a 6" servo extension and spliced the negative lead in the middle as seen here:

After I soldered the black wires on each terminal, I used CA glue to secure the wiring to the side of the connector and placed a generous amount of glue over the metal braid to make sure the wires won't shear over time:

Then I drilled a small hole through each solder tab and soldered wire between for the bridge connector:

Final step was to place heat shrink over the bridge and that's all there is to it!

How to glue tires and recycle wheels/inserts

• Although any brand of CA glue will work, I have had the best luck with LOCTITE 406 which is specially formulated to bond rubber with plastic:
• https://www.amazon.com/s?k=loctite+406

• I feel that 20ga glue tips work best for me with 406:
• https://www.amazon.com/Industrial-Dispensing-Needles-Length-Interface/dp/B0D5PT38Z1
• Some brands of tires require you to trim excess rubber along the beads from the mold process, if you don't trim the beads then you risk having the beads pop out of alignment during the gluing process!
• For 1/8 (EVO) style beads I make sure to scuff the beads of both the rubber tires as well as the plastic wheels with the cylinder shaped stone bit on my rotary tool, then I prep both surfaces with alcohol swabs wait for them to be completely dry before gluing.
• https://www.amazon.com/BD-Alcohol-Swabs-100-Each/dp/B000YMFUZO
• I prefer to use silicone bands which last longer than rubber:
• https://dialedhobbies.com/all-products/dialed-rc-1-8-buggy-tire-gluing-bands-4-detail

• Then I apply a bead of glue between 1"-2" at a time, press then pull away the rubber to let the glue spread farther across the bead of both surfaces which makes it act like contact cement which makes an even stronger bond being careful to push the bead into the wheel and getting proper alignment before the glue sets by doing this within a few seconds for each glue spot ensuring 100% glue coverage on the bead
• After I've gone the circumference of the wheel I drag the metal glue tip to build up a small even layer bead of glue as a second pass along the perimeter to act as a shield to lock the bead in place and prevent the rubber from tearing at the bead. 
• Also important to wipe excess glue from the applicator tip to prevent it from gumming up before gluing the next bead. 
• After every run, I will spot check the beads, it's not uncommon for the rubber to start to tear away and you may have to re-glue the tires where I use compressed air to remove any dirt/gunk and scrape away with a hobby knife then use an alcohol swab to de-grease the area before spot gluing any sections of bead that are separating.
• To extend the life of my foam inserts I make it a point to wash my tires (only once) at the end of the race day which allows plenty of time for the inserts to completely dry before next use. Wet inserts are more prone to getting cracks and will fail prematurely!
• If the track is ran wet(muddy) then I will lightly rinse my tires immediately after a run and try to save those tires for another race day being careful to have plenty of sets of tires on hand to minimize wear
• Generally a set of inserts will last roughly 2+ hours of total run time before the foam starts to break down and lose its effectiveness, however there are many times where I might only get between 30-60 minutes of run time on a set of tires for abrasive track conditions!
• I will often recycle my wheels/inserts which can save a small fortune, especially if your favorite brand sells rubber only:
• https://dialedhobbies.com/rc-tires-wheels/dialed-rc-1-8-tires?clearCart=0
• Be sure to inspect your wheels/inserts for damage to make sure they are suitable to be recycled, I often toss out the bad and keep the good condition parts to be mixed together later on. 
• I very carefully used curved scissors to cut the beads without damaging the foam insert and remove the foams, then soak the wheels in a tupperware container filled with acetone over night. Then the beads peel off effortlessly the next day

• After removing the wheels from the acetone bath, I run them through a cycle in the dishwasher on the top rack then hit the beads with my dremel to flatten any rough gouges to reshape the bead if necessary. The following picture are 2 sets of recycled wheels/inserts along with a closeup of what the glue bead should look like with a second drag pass with the glue tip

Which servo is best?

A while back I attended a race clinic hosted by Ryan Lutz and Joe Bornhorst... one of the topics of discussion was selecting a proper servo.

For starters they recommend selecting a brand that offers replacement gear sets as a bare minimum, and if budget allows, consider aluminum case servos or at least a brand that sells replacement cases should you tear a mounting tab in a nasty crash. Metal gears are a must, with titanium being a pinch more durable than steel in general. They also said everyone's reaction time is different and most folks should select a speed somewhere between 0.08 - 0.12 sec/60° and then use the "steering speed" feature on the radio to dial back the servo speed for your desired reaction time.

It's a good idea to first look at setup sheets to see what size servos folks are using for the class you plan to race... i.e. get a lighter low profile servo is less weight up front is desired (typically used in 1/10 stock classes) or select a heavier standard servo with full aluminum case to add more weight up front to get more steering response. There is no single right/wrong answer, just a bunch of variables to consider when making your selection.

For a budget minded driver, I'd consider the EcoPower WP120T just to start out with, replacement gear sets and servo cases are very reasonably priced for those who require buying from a US retailer with a reputable 1 year warranty.

If you are willing to restrict yourself to a 30 day warranty, then consider the OEM for the EcoPower 120T which are JX branded servos. The replacement gear sets are 100% compatible between both servos.

If you want the same servo enclosed in a solid aluminum case then consider the JX HV7232MG servo

If you want peace of mind then I highly recommend the ECO Power WP250T which is the most recent release having some upgraded internals with a different gear set.