Wheels binding

[Ziggler]

Please help. I have built my first nitro buggy. X-ray xb808. Installed clutch to engine and clutch bell spins freely. Installed into buggy, and wheels are locked up. I have tx on and rx and while at WOT wheels turn but at idle they are locked. Is this normal or are the breaks too tight? I was thinking maybe brand new engine has too much compression? Am I lost? I set it all up as per manual. Brake definitely comes on more when applied, but feels like is always on! How do I fix this? Or will it feel different when I start engine? I have not started it yet.

[Schmitty]

I don't have any experience with that buggy per say but it appears your linkage settings are off. Back off all the collars and reset positions according to the manual re. idle, full throttle, full brakes. Make sure the actions look like the manual's pictures. Also make sure there's no binding in the brakes and they are installed correctly. Brakes should barely be on, if at all, at idle. Basically you should be able to roll the car back and forth smoothly without any brake action. Oh, I forgot, double check your radio settings and reset all trims, subtrims and epa's prior to resetting the collars. Those may be off too.

BTW engine compression has nothing to do with your wheels not turning. The wheels are propelled by the drivetrain only.

Hope this helps!

[Allison.]

With the stock parts and settings the 808 doesn't have quite enough linkage travel to let the brakes off at low throttle inputs. If you turn the linkage out far enough to relax the brakes at idle there's barely any thread left in the plastic. Instead, back the brake pad mounts out 1/2-3/4 turn each and it should fix your issue. You're looking for two button head screws on each end of the diff case (2.0 driver).

Had a similar problem with an XT8, the brakes were always on and it wouldn't go. The problem there was the bottom of the brake disks were stuck outside the alignment slot on the center diff mounts and were cocked at an angle. Also an easy fix.

enjoy your 808 - those are amazingly durable buggies!

[venice w]

Thanks for the help. Brakes were a little tight but problem was in my clutch. I did not have it set up correctly so was grabbing. This was causing bell to grab sometimes instead of being free.
Thanks