Review of the Maximum ST

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Jon's R/C World has not been updated for a long time becasue I am working on a new web site with some of my friends. To visit that site click here

Review of the Maximum ST

Part One:

Well first I broke in the engine and that was pretty easy after I found out that the fuel tank whole needed to be a little bigger. Then I ran 5 tanks of blue thunder break in fuel and the truck ran great so far of course at this point I still haven't run the truck at full throttle. The next tank of gas I was going full speed and it was running great. But then I started to have problems with keeping fuel going to the engine and when the truck stalled for some unknown reason I couldn't get it to start. I am not sure why but I couldn't get fuel to the engine no matter how many times I pumped the primer. So now I have a problem the truck stalls for no reason and fuel wont go into the engine. So I think to my self well mbar the fuel is evaporating because the engine is to hot. But the engine was not to hot because I tested the heat with a temperature gauge I had. So now I don't know what the problem is. So I had some different fuel some red alert 10% and that seemed to help a lot but it still stalls sometimes and has the same problem as before. Some how I can get it to run great and then it stalls and when I go to the truck and try to start it up it doesn't start. So I take it into my shop and let it get some air with a fan and boom it runs great again for a while. So now I am pretty angry with the truck. Don't get me wrong it is a great truck but it just doesn't always run good. So now I get tired of fooling with it and I take it outside to run and do some jumping. And then my muffler deflector falls out. Well it looked like it melted off. But the engine wasn't even warmed up then. And to top it all off my shock came off because the screw holding it on popped off for no reason and I had to find another screw. So is it my fault. I mean I am having some problems with this truck so far. If I can get it to run continuously and correctly it would be great. OK now it runs pretty good and I am almost out of my quart of fuel. Than I lose a cvd in the back and I couldn't find it any were. So I order a pair of them from towerhobbies. So I went with out my truck for a week. Then I got the cvd and it wouldn't start or run good. I got it to run but not good. So I got some gas and a glow plug and then I run my truck and the gears in the transmission striped out. So at this point I just sent it back to duratrax for I hope a new truck. I don't know if it is a bad truck though. I need to see how my next truck is. But the good things about the Max ST is the nice look and the durability. The speed was great when I could get it there. Like I said before I need more time with the truck and mabey the next truck will be way better. And I will also do a review on the next max ST I hope to get back from duratrax.

Part Two:

I just got my Max ST back from repairs and it seems to be running great now. They replaced a lot of parts and I was very happy of this noting I was hoping to get a whole new truck. I have only got through a couple of tanks so far but I will be sure to tell you more as I run it more. It seems not to stall very much now but I'm still trying to figure out the temps. I just got a new Raytek temperature gun so I will give you the news on that soon. Well I have been running my Max ST lately and boy is that thing running great. It's like a whole new truck. It hasn't stalled yet. Also we are taking the Raytek temp gun back and waiting for the new MIP temperature gauge to come out. I just ordered a associated tuned pipe and an air filter so I will be sure to tell you about how they do or do not improve performance when I get them. I ran my truck today the first time in the grass since I got the truck back and it seemed to run great. Then later I ran it on the road and went in some grass to stop for the mail man to go bye. Then he stopped and said that it looked neat so I gave it gas and the truck wouldn't move. So I check to see why and guess what I think the gears stripped again. Now what should I do. Someone should make some metal gears for the Max ST's transmission. I decided not to send it back so I took it apart and found that the counter gear was stripped. But only half the gear was stripped. Weird. Anyway I sent for a new counter gear and also a 13 tooth clutch bell and a 4 shoe clutch. I think my number 1 tip for this truck is too keep the slipper clutch very loose to keep the gears from stripping. I just got some great news from duratrax that they just upgraded all the maximum ST gears so the next time you strip a gear order a new one or send your truck back and they should be the upgraded gears. Duratrax also told me that the gear I just ordered from towerhobbies should be the upgraded gear so when I get the parts I will be sure to tell you if the upgraded gears are any better. Also for any of you Maximum ST owners the top shaft in the transmission is steel or metal so that shouldn't strip ever. I got the parts and I have to say the 4 shoe clutch was very hard to get on. The 13 tooth clutch bell doesn't even fit and there is no place for the bearings. The associated tuned pipe needs a weird size pressure fitting and the associated manifold also needs different screws. 4x40 size to be exact. You also need to get a coupler separate from the associated pipe. So you can see what a pain it is to upgrade this truck. It just doesn't have the things some trucks do like the nxt. Not the right size screws, no way to hold the tuned pipe and other things to. You really need to be creative with this truck. I got to run my truck with 3 tanks of gas and there was a very weird noise coming from somewhere. I knew it wasn't the pipe because that was another noise { by the way the pipe make's a horrible sound and it's all off tone} But this other sound was making the truck sound like my electric trucks. Like a whine in the transmission. So does this mean the gears stripped again. Not yet at least. The pipe does effect the off the line acceleration a lot. I has low end grunt and a lot of power. So much it's hard to control. I didn't however notice much top end gain if any. I need more time to tell. But I think it's also running cooler to now. I ran it today with the body{ I never ran with the body much } and the engine got hot. Really hot and so did the tuned pipe. It got like 235+. I had it pretty rich for running a tuned pipe but I guess since it's 93+ degrees that's normal. But I richened it more anyway and boy does the performance decreases. But if that what it takes for me to keep the engine in good condition that's what I'll do. I also hit some jumps and they landed great but the pressure line keep popping off because I never found the right pressure fitting and someone told me just to stick the pressure line in the hole and it should hold it self in. This does work on-road but when you hit the rough stuff this doesn't work. This might be a reason I didn't find much top-end increase{ because I didn't have a tight pressure fitting like if I would have used a pressure fitting. So I hope to find the right pressure fitting for my associated pipe. I ran 3 more tanks and I dont think the tuned pipe is doing a lot for me. I don't seem to get high speeds and I do feel that the truck is not as stable anymore with the tuned pipe. So maybe I should just put the old muffler on and just buy hop-ups for the looks and like shocks, springs, oil, gas, tires and other stuff like that. If you guys have any comments or suggestions please E-mail me but I feel the tuned pipe is just taking up space and making lots of noise. I ran another 3 tanks today and I think it seems to be a little faster. I still fell it's very hard too rive but that's what power does. It seems to be a lot better in the grass than with out the tuned pipe but then again I did add the 4 shoe clutch so that makes it hard to tell. I hit some things and have noticed that something falls out almost every time I hit something even at the slowest speeds. It's mostly the screws popping out and allowing the parts to move or fall out of place. This seems to be a big weakness for the Maximum ST. It is my first nitro and maybe this happens to all nitro driver's but I cant stand it so I think maybe I will look for some special adhesive to hold in the screws. Mabey I will find some special loctite made for metal and plastics. I have ran my max ST again and this time took notes after each run. I found the engine and tuned pipe temps were pretty low for the 93 degrees temps here. I also adjusted the idle stop screw or throttle stop screw so that now it idles good. Just turn the screw about 1/4 turn to the right {clockwise} and that did it. I also found that the air filter is very good and much better than the last one. It offers easy access to the idle stop screw and it seems to give the engine much more air so it can breath properly. Not again!!!!!!! The gears stripped again. I don't know why and there is no reasonable explanation. It just happened again. I am not sure what gears stripped this time but I see some wear on the spur gear but it's not slipping the gears in the transmission are. What should I do this time. Maybe I'll tell duratrax again and demand some gears to be shipped to me. Or maybe I should change the counter gear {if that is the problem} since I have another counter gear because I was afraid of this very thing and put it back together and if it happens again I will send it back and demand that I get my money back. Just when I though it was doing great it gets all messed up again. If you have any suggestions on what I should do please E-mail me at [email protected] I think I will also start a petition on my duratrax forum on my message board. So please go there and sign your name to make some stronger better gears that don't strip so easily. Click here: message board I will be sure to open the transmission and see what gears stripped or just send it back for my money back. But please sign your name on my message board under duratrax. I ran it to more times and it stripped the gears again. I had the slipper clutch loose and all. I think I should just run it on the road until we find some better gears but that isn't much fun.

Here is some modifications you can do:

1. If you want more speed and power get a MIP stinger pipe that goes out the back for better jumping. If you want a side exhaust get an associated pull start manifold. To hold the pipe on you can drill a whole in the chassis and use some strong wire to hold the pipe to the chassis. Or a wise choice is to rap the heavy wire around the screw right by the receiver switch. That's what I did with my associated tuned pipe.

2. The stock air filter is not that great so pick up a different one. Associated, motor saver, and O.S are good brands to buy.

3. Get stiffer springs and heavier shock oil to avoid bottoming out.

4. To keep that antenna wire out of the way and to make it go through the body easier put a piece of heat shrink tubing over it and leave a little on the top. This way you can shrink the top so you can easily put it through the body and pull it through. You should also heat the rest of the heat shrink to keep it a tight fit. I would also not cover the whole wire because you don't want to mess up those very important radio waves. You cant tell I used heat shrink on the pictures below but I did at the top were you can see.

Transmission gear Problem:

I really have no clue why this problem exists. I think it's just because the gears aren't tough enough. I know many have had this problem and I don't know what we can do. All I can say is keep writing E-mail's to duratrax with this problem. I think it's mainly the counter gear that has the problem because that's all that strips on mine, except some other gears that I think were stripped because of the counter gear. I think the metal top shaft may be eating at the counter gear. I don't really know but I'm just stating the facts and what I have found out. I got some pictures of the transmission apart when I replaced the counter gear. Remember I had this happen 3 times now and all three times I think it was the counter gear. Once { the first time} I sent it to duratrax but it still happened again. Well here's the pictures.

Note that the spur gear looks a little chipped {stripped} And look how the counter gear is stripped.

Here's a great shot of how that counter gear is stripped. How could that thing get stripped like that???

A shot of the 13 tooth clutch bell, Look how the teeth are to flat and square to use on the Spur gear.

Another picture of the stripped counter gear and the clutch bell, again look how the teeth are flat not angled like the spur.

I just called duratrax and they gave me some great news that they are making a metal counter gear. It should be available sometime late August or early September. I hope this counter gear holds up and I hope it doesn't make the diff. gear strip. I was also told that one of my problems might be that the drive gear is bent.

Look at these weak points here.

I really suggest that you use a nut and bolt like I did below.

This on the left below, is just my problem, not a Maximum ST problem.

Look I think I found a problem. That screw there rubbed against the spur gear and messed it all up.

Put a spacer there like I did and that fixes that.

Cut some more of this muffler hole out. Because the port on the engine is way bigger. Can you say performance????!!!!!!!

Go to THE R/C ZONE to see the new Maximum Chassis I made with a friend. It is way awsome!!!!


	\| home About Me \| Pictures \| My R/C Trucks \| My Links \| Write Me \| Review of the Maximum ST \| Tips and performance upgrades \| My review of the MT10M \| My review of the xxt"cr" \| Reader's Rides \| My Review of the RC10 and My Electronics \| Nitro VS Electric \| Anything R/C or Not \| My Guestbook, polls and Message Board \| Product Review's \| Review of stampede \| pictures page 2 Jon's R/C World has not been updated for a long time becasue I am working on a new web site with some of my friends. To visit that site click here Review of the Maximum ST Part One: Well first I broke in the engine and that was pretty easy after I found out that the fuel tank whole needed to be a little bigger. Then I ran 5 tanks of blue thunder break in fuel and the truck ran great so far of course at this point I still haven't run the truck at full throttle. The next tank of gas I was going full speed and it was running great. But then I started to have problems with keeping fuel going to the engine and when the truck stalled for some unknown reason I couldn't get it to start. I am not sure why but I couldn't get fuel to the engine no matter how many times I pumped the primer. So now I have a problem the truck stalls for no reason and fuel wont go into the engine. So I think to my self well mbar the fuel is evaporating because the engine is to hot. But the engine was not to hot because I tested the heat with a temperature gauge I had. So now I don't know what the problem is. So I had some different fuel some red alert 10% and that seemed to help a lot but it still stalls sometimes and has the same problem as before. Some how I can get it to run great and then it stalls and when I go to the truck and try to start it up it doesn't start. So I take it into my shop and let it get some air with a fan and boom it runs great again for a while. So now I am pretty angry with the truck. Don't get me wrong it is a great truck but it just doesn't always run good. So now I get tired of fooling with it and I take it outside to run and do some jumping. And then my muffler deflector falls out. Well it looked like it melted off. But the engine wasn't even warmed up then. And to top it all off my shock came off because the screw holding it on popped off for no reason and I had to find another screw. So is it my fault. I mean I am having some problems with this truck so far. If I can get it to run continuously and correctly it would be great. OK now it runs pretty good and I am almost out of my quart of fuel. Than I lose a cvd in the back and I couldn't find it any were. So I order a pair of them from towerhobbies. So I went with out my truck for a week. Then I got the cvd and it wouldn't start or run good. I got it to run but not good. So I got some gas and a glow plug and then I run my truck and the gears in the transmission striped out. So at this point I just sent it back to duratrax for I hope a new truck. I don't know if it is a bad truck though. I need to see how my next truck is. But the good things about the Max ST is the nice look and the durability. The speed was great when I could get it there. Like I said before I need more time with the truck and mabey the next truck will be way better. And I will also do a review on the next max ST I hope to get back from duratrax. Part Two: I just got my Max ST back from repairs and it seems to be running great now. They replaced a lot of parts and I was very happy of this noting I was hoping to get a whole new truck. I have only got through a couple of tanks so far but I will be sure to tell you more as I run it more. It seems not to stall very much now but I'm still trying to figure out the temps. I just got a new Raytek temperature gun so I will give you the news on that soon. Well I have been running my Max ST lately and boy is that thing running great. It's like a whole new truck. It hasn't stalled yet. Also we are taking the Raytek temp gun back and waiting for the new MIP temperature gauge to come out. I just ordered a associated tuned pipe and an air filter so I will be sure to tell you about how they do or do not improve performance when I get them. I ran my truck today the first time in the grass since I got the truck back and it seemed to run great. Then later I ran it on the road and went in some grass to stop for the mail man to go bye. Then he stopped and said that it looked neat so I gave it gas and the truck wouldn't move. So I check to see why and guess what I think the gears stripped again. Now what should I do. Someone should make some metal gears for the Max ST's transmission. I decided not to send it back so I took it apart and found that the counter gear was stripped. But only half the gear was stripped. Weird. Anyway I sent for a new counter gear and also a 13 tooth clutch bell and a 4 shoe clutch. I think my number 1 tip for this truck is too keep the slipper clutch very loose to keep the gears from stripping. I just got some great news from duratrax that they just upgraded all the maximum ST gears so the next time you strip a gear order a new one or send your truck back and they should be the upgraded gears. Duratrax also told me that the gear I just ordered from towerhobbies should be the upgraded gear so when I get the parts I will be sure to tell you if the upgraded gears are any better. Also for any of you Maximum ST owners the top shaft in the transmission is steel or metal so that shouldn't strip ever. I got the parts and I have to say the 4 shoe clutch was very hard to get on. The 13 tooth clutch bell doesn't even fit and there is no place for the bearings. The associated tuned pipe needs a weird size pressure fitting and the associated manifold also needs different screws. 4x40 size to be exact. You also need to get a coupler separate from the associated pipe. So you can see what a pain it is to upgrade this truck. It just doesn't have the things some trucks do like the nxt. Not the right size screws, no way to hold the tuned pipe and other things to. You really need to be creative with this truck. I got to run my truck with 3 tanks of gas and there was a very weird noise coming from somewhere. I knew it wasn't the pipe because that was another noise { by the way the pipe make's a horrible sound and it's all off tone} But this other sound was making the truck sound like my electric trucks. Like a whine in the transmission. So does this mean the gears stripped again. Not yet at least. The pipe does effect the off the line acceleration a lot. I has low end grunt and a lot of power. So much it's hard to control. I didn't however notice much top end gain if any. I need more time to tell. But I think it's also running cooler to now. I ran it today with the body{ I never ran with the body much } and the engine got hot. Really hot and so did the tuned pipe. It got like 235+. I had it pretty rich for running a tuned pipe but I guess since it's 93+ degrees that's normal. But I richened it more anyway and boy does the performance decreases. But if that what it takes for me to keep the engine in good condition that's what I'll do. I also hit some jumps and they landed great but the pressure line keep popping off because I never found the right pressure fitting and someone told me just to stick the pressure line in the hole and it should hold it self in. This does work on-road but when you hit the rough stuff this doesn't work. This might be a reason I didn't find much top-end increase{ because I didn't have a tight pressure fitting like if I would have used a pressure fitting. So I hope to find the right pressure fitting for my associated pipe. I ran 3 more tanks and I dont think the tuned pipe is doing a lot for me. I don't seem to get high speeds and I do feel that the truck is not as stable anymore with the tuned pipe. So maybe I should just put the old muffler on and just buy hop-ups for the looks and like shocks, springs, oil, gas, tires and other stuff like that. If you guys have any comments or suggestions please E-mail me but I feel the tuned pipe is just taking up space and making lots of noise. I ran another 3 tanks today and I think it seems to be a little faster. I still fell it's very hard too rive but that's what power does. It seems to be a lot better in the grass than with out the tuned pipe but then again I did add the 4 shoe clutch so that makes it hard to tell. I hit some things and have noticed that something falls out almost every time I hit something even at the slowest speeds. It's mostly the screws popping out and allowing the parts to move or fall out of place. This seems to be a big weakness for the Maximum ST. It is my first nitro and maybe this happens to all nitro driver's but I cant stand it so I think maybe I will look for some special adhesive to hold in the screws. Mabey I will find some special loctite made for metal and plastics. I have ran my max ST again and this time took notes after each run. I found the engine and tuned pipe temps were pretty low for the 93 degrees temps here. I also adjusted the idle stop screw or throttle stop screw so that now it idles good. Just turn the screw about 1/4 turn to the right {clockwise} and that did it. I also found that the air filter is very good and much better than the last one. It offers easy access to the idle stop screw and it seems to give the engine much more air so it can breath properly. Not again!!!!!!! The gears stripped again. I don't know why and there is no reasonable explanation. It just happened again. I am not sure what gears stripped this time but I see some wear on the spur gear but it's not slipping the gears in the transmission are. What should I do this time. Maybe I'll tell duratrax again and demand some gears to be shipped to me. Or maybe I should change the counter gear {if that is the problem} since I have another counter gear because I was afraid of this very thing and put it back together and if it happens again I will send it back and demand that I get my money back. Just when I though it was doing great it gets all messed up again. If you have any suggestions on what I should do please E-mail me at [email protected] I think I will also start a petition on my duratrax forum on my message board. So please go there and sign your name to make some stronger better gears that don't strip so easily. Click here: message board I will be sure to open the transmission and see what gears stripped or just send it back for my money back. But please sign your name on my message board under duratrax. I ran it to more times and it stripped the gears again. I had the slipper clutch loose and all. I think I should just run it on the road until we find some better gears but that isn't much fun. Here is some modifications you can do: 1. If you want more speed and power get a MIP stinger pipe that goes out the back for better jumping. If you want a side exhaust get an associated pull start manifold. To hold the pipe on you can drill a whole in the chassis and use some strong wire to hold the pipe to the chassis. Or a wise choice is to rap the heavy wire around the screw right by the receiver switch. That's what I did with my associated tuned pipe. 2. The stock air filter is not that great so pick up a different one. Associated, motor saver, and O.S are good brands to buy. 3. Get stiffer springs and heavier shock oil to avoid bottoming out. 4. To keep that antenna wire out of the way and to make it go through the body easier put a piece of heat shrink tubing over it and leave a little on the top. This way you can shrink the top so you can easily put it through the body and pull it through. You should also heat the rest of the heat shrink to keep it a tight fit. I would also not cover the whole wire because you don't want to mess up those very important radio waves. You cant tell I used heat shrink on the pictures below but I did at the top were you can see. Transmission gear Problem: I really have no clue why this problem exists. I think it's just because the gears aren't tough enough. I know many have had this problem and I don't know what we can do. All I can say is keep writing E-mail's to duratrax with this problem. I think it's mainly the counter gear that has the problem because that's all that strips on mine, except some other gears that I think were stripped because of the counter gear. I think the metal top shaft may be eating at the counter gear. I don't really know but I'm just stating the facts and what I have found out. I got some pictures of the transmission apart when I replaced the counter gear. Remember I had this happen 3 times now and all three times I think it was the counter gear. Once { the first time} I sent it to duratrax but it still happened again. Well here's the pictures. Note that the spur gear looks a little chipped {stripped} And look how the counter gear is stripped. Here's a great shot of how that counter gear is stripped. How could that thing get stripped like that??? A shot of the 13 tooth clutch bell, Look how the teeth are to flat and square to use on the Spur gear. Another picture of the stripped counter gear and the clutch bell, again look how the teeth are flat not angled like the spur. I just called duratrax and they gave me some great news that they are making a metal counter gear. It should be available sometime late August or early September. I hope this counter gear holds up and I hope it doesn't make the diff. gear strip. I was also told that one of my problems might be that the drive gear is bent. Look at these weak points here. I really suggest that you use a nut and bolt like I did below. This on the left below, is just my problem, not a Maximum ST problem. Look I think I found a problem. That screw there rubbed against the spur gear and messed it all up. Put a spacer there like I did and that fixes that. Cut some more of this muffler hole out. Because the port on the engine is way bigger. Can you say performance????!!!!!!! Go to THE R/C ZONE to see the new Maximum Chassis I made with a friend. It is way awsome!!!!