HPI D-box

[Dre]

Hi all, well on Friday my shiney new D-box arrived so on the w/e I installed
it into my Pro 2. I then took the foams off the back and stuck some
slippery rubbers on. Charged up some batteries and hit my local patch of
bitumen. I got there and remembered how bloody grippy the bitumen is, damn
I hope this works.

Switched it on, took off, got to a nice speed then slammed on the brakes
(the car has a front one way diff), gave her full throttle and full lock,
weeeeeeeee, POWER SLIDE! I then spent the next 10 minutes pretty much
sideways :)

This thing is a small yaw controller, ie a stability control unit and its
bloody great! You can adjust how much gain it has so on really really
slippery surfaces you can turn it up and when you get better at drifting etc
you turn it down (or off completely).

Now that I've had a bit of fun on road, I'm going to put it into my Rally,
but more importantly, I'm going to stick it into my SAVAGE! Then I plan to
hit the gravel pit, see how big a donut I can do while being totally
sideways :)

So much fun!

Cheers Dre

[Richard]

"Dre" <ausjules1977@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:4518cfc8$1@patrick.nettas.net...
> Hi all, well on Friday my shiney new D-box arrived so on the w/e I
installed
> it into my Pro 2. I then took the foams off the back and stuck some
> slippery rubbers on. Charged up some batteries and hit my local patch of
> bitumen. I got there and remembered how bloody grippy the bitumen is,
damn
> I hope this works.
>
> Switched it on, took off, got to a nice speed then slammed on the brakes
> (the car has a front one way diff), gave her full throttle and full lock,
> weeeeeeeee, POWER SLIDE! I then spent the next 10 minutes pretty much
> sideways :)
>
> This thing is a small yaw controller, ie a stability control unit and its
> bloody great! You can adjust how much gain it has so on really really
> slippery surfaces you can turn it up and when you get better at drifting
etc
> you turn it down (or off completely).
>
> Now that I've had a bit of fun on road, I'm going to put it into my Rally,
> but more importantly, I'm going to stick it into my SAVAGE! Then I plan
to
> hit the gravel pit, see how big a donut I can do while being totally
> sideways :)
>
> So much fun!
>
> Cheers Dre
>

Come on!!! That takes all the fun out of it. I can see it being a great
product for destroying tyres on any and all vehicles. Its pretty cool
watching the videos and seeing the steering automatically counter.

Its basically just a gyro for cars, isn't it?


Cheers

[Dre]

"Richard" <DK@Hotmail.com.au> wrote in message
news:4518df91@quokka.wn.com.au...
>
> "Dre" <ausjules1977@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:4518cfc8$1@patrick.nettas.net...
>> Hi all, well on Friday my shiney new D-box arrived so on the w/e I
> installed
>> it into my Pro 2. I then took the foams off the back and stuck some
>> slippery rubbers on. Charged up some batteries and hit my local patch of
>> bitumen. I got there and remembered how bloody grippy the bitumen is,
> damn
>> I hope this works.
>>
>> Switched it on, took off, got to a nice speed then slammed on the brakes
>> (the car has a front one way diff), gave her full throttle and full lock,
>> weeeeeeeee, POWER SLIDE! I then spent the next 10 minutes pretty much
>> sideways :)
>>
>> This thing is a small yaw controller, ie a stability control unit and its
>> bloody great! You can adjust how much gain it has so on really really
>> slippery surfaces you can turn it up and when you get better at drifting
> etc
>> you turn it down (or off completely).
>>
>> Now that I've had a bit of fun on road, I'm going to put it into my
>> Rally,
>> but more importantly, I'm going to stick it into my SAVAGE! Then I plan
> to
>> hit the gravel pit, see how big a donut I can do while being totally
>> sideways :)
>>
>> So much fun!
>>
>> Cheers Dre
>>
>
> Come on!!! That takes all the fun out of it. I can see it being a great
> product for destroying tyres on any and all vehicles. Its pretty cool
> watching the videos and seeing the steering automatically counter.
>
> Its basically just a gyro for cars, isn't it?
>
>
> Cheers
>
Yep, its a gyro. I only got it for pure sideways fun. You can do the
biggest hugest powerslides with the car totally sideways and not spin, in
fact its pretty much impossible to spin when you have the gain turned up :)

I have an electric 1/10 scale rally and on gravel its incredibly hard to
"rally", but with this, you can do whatever you want and its awesome fun.

Totally cheating though :)

Cheers Dre

[Richard]

"Dre" <ausjules1977@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:4519b7a8$1@patrick.nettas.net...
> "Richard" <DK@Hotmail.com.au> wrote in message
> news:4518df91@quokka.wn.com.au...
> >
> > "Dre" <ausjules1977@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> > news:4518cfc8$1@patrick.nettas.net...
> >> Hi all, well on Friday my shiney new D-box arrived so on the w/e I
> > installed
> >> it into my Pro 2. I then took the foams off the back and stuck some
> >> slippery rubbers on. Charged up some batteries and hit my local patch
of
> >> bitumen. I got there and remembered how bloody grippy the bitumen is,
> > damn
> >> I hope this works.
> >>
> >> Switched it on, took off, got to a nice speed then slammed on the
brakes
> >> (the car has a front one way diff), gave her full throttle and full
lock,
> >> weeeeeeeee, POWER SLIDE! I then spent the next 10 minutes pretty much
> >> sideways :)
> >>
> >> This thing is a small yaw controller, ie a stability control unit and
its
> >> bloody great! You can adjust how much gain it has so on really really
> >> slippery surfaces you can turn it up and when you get better at
drifting
> > etc
> >> you turn it down (or off completely).
> >>
> >> Now that I've had a bit of fun on road, I'm going to put it into my
> >> Rally,
> >> but more importantly, I'm going to stick it into my SAVAGE! Then I
plan
> > to
> >> hit the gravel pit, see how big a donut I can do while being totally
> >> sideways :)
> >>
> >> So much fun!
> >>
> >> Cheers Dre
> >>
> >
> > Come on!!! That takes all the fun out of it. I can see it being a
great
> > product for destroying tyres on any and all vehicles. Its pretty cool
> > watching the videos and seeing the steering automatically counter.
> >
> > Its basically just a gyro for cars, isn't it?
> >
> >
> > Cheers
> >
> Yep, its a gyro. I only got it for pure sideways fun. You can do the
> biggest hugest powerslides with the car totally sideways and not spin, in
> fact its pretty much impossible to spin when you have the gain turned up
:)
>
> I have an electric 1/10 scale rally and on gravel its incredibly hard to
> "rally", but with this, you can do whatever you want and its awesome fun.
>
> Totally cheating though :)
>
> Cheers Dre
>

Have you had a chance to try it out in any of your other vehicles yet?

I have been doing a little research trying to find more information about
the D-box as I have been thinking about buying one to try out, where and how
it mounts in the car.... Even finding a online manual on how to set it up
has been a major hassle. The HPI D-box is going to cost me a min of $140
(AUD) + postage from Towers but...

I did find a very helpful webpage with some very interesting info. The
D-box is just a copy of the Futaba G190 Micro Piezo Gyro and I can get the
Futaba version here in Aust for about $70.

http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXKTT2&P=7
http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&P=WR&I=LXMVE1


Cheers

[Dre]

"Richard" <DK@Hotmail.com.au> wrote in message
news:4523d9d1$1@quokka.wn.com.au...
>
> "Dre" <ausjules1977@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:4519b7a8$1@patrick.nettas.net...
>> "Richard" <DK@Hotmail.com.au> wrote in message
>> news:4518df91@quokka.wn.com.au...
>> >
>> > "Dre" <ausjules1977@hotmail.com> wrote in message
>> > news:4518cfc8$1@patrick.nettas.net...
>> >> Hi all, well on Friday my shiney new D-box arrived so on the w/e I
>> > installed
>> >> it into my Pro 2. I then took the foams off the back and stuck some
>> >> slippery rubbers on. Charged up some batteries and hit my local patch
> of
>> >> bitumen. I got there and remembered how bloody grippy the bitumen is,
>> > damn
>> >> I hope this works.
>> >>
>> >> Switched it on, took off, got to a nice speed then slammed on the
> brakes
>> >> (the car has a front one way diff), gave her full throttle and full
> lock,
>> >> weeeeeeeee, POWER SLIDE! I then spent the next 10 minutes pretty much
>> >> sideways :)
>> >>
>> >> This thing is a small yaw controller, ie a stability control unit and
> its
>> >> bloody great! You can adjust how much gain it has so on really really
>> >> slippery surfaces you can turn it up and when you get better at
> drifting
>> > etc
>> >> you turn it down (or off completely).
>> >>
>> >> Now that I've had a bit of fun on road, I'm going to put it into my
>> >> Rally,
>> >> but more importantly, I'm going to stick it into my SAVAGE! Then I
> plan
>> > to
>> >> hit the gravel pit, see how big a donut I can do while being totally
>> >> sideways :)
>> >>
>> >> So much fun!
>> >>
>> >> Cheers Dre
>> >>
>> >
>> > Come on!!! That takes all the fun out of it. I can see it being a
> great
>> > product for destroying tyres on any and all vehicles. Its pretty cool
>> > watching the videos and seeing the steering automatically counter.
>> >
>> > Its basically just a gyro for cars, isn't it?
>> >
>> >
>> > Cheers
>> >
>> Yep, its a gyro. I only got it for pure sideways fun. You can do the
>> biggest hugest powerslides with the car totally sideways and not spin, in
>> fact its pretty much impossible to spin when you have the gain turned up
> :)
>>
>> I have an electric 1/10 scale rally and on gravel its incredibly hard to
>> "rally", but with this, you can do whatever you want and its awesome fun.
>>
>> Totally cheating though :)
>>
>> Cheers Dre
>>
>
> Have you had a chance to try it out in any of your other vehicles yet?
>
> I have been doing a little research trying to find more information about
> the D-box as I have been thinking about buying one to try out, where and
> how
> it mounts in the car.... Even finding a online manual on how to set it up
> has been a major hassle. The HPI D-box is going to cost me a min of $140
> (AUD) + postage from Towers but...
>
> I did find a very helpful webpage with some very interesting info. The
> D-box is just a copy of the Futaba G190 Micro Piezo Gyro and I can get the
> Futaba version here in Aust for about $70.
>
> http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXKTT2&P=7
> http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&P=WR&I=LXMVE1
>
>
> Cheers
>
Nope not yet, I got mine off ebay delivered for $100...

You mount it longways/inline with the car and plug it inbetween the receiver
and steering servo, thats it.

I had a look at the futaba unit. It mentions that its degined for helis, so
dunno how it would work in a car.

Hehehe, thought these things took the fun out of it eh?? :) They are a
hell of a lot of fun!

Cheers Dre

[Richard]

"Dre" <ausjules1977@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:4524364a$1@patrick.nettas.net...
>
> Hehehe, thought these things took the fun out of it eh?? :) They are a
> hell of a lot of fun!
>
> Cheers Dre
>

They do take the fun out of it, but I cant hold a drift in my drift car for
nuts and I have nearly gone nuts trying. Until you mentioned the D-box I
was about to put it on ebay to get rid of it. So rather than losing a 100+
bucks on ebay selling it, I'll spend $70 and make it worth keeping.

Also have you ever tried to drive a 2wd Mini T with 3S Li-Po's and 8000kv BL
setup, IMPOSSIBLE ! ! ! Even with the 2S Li-Po its hard to drive. Having
nearly 90,000 rpm on tap with the 3S makes over steer a every corner
occurrence and the track I'll be racing on this summer currently have a
"Anything Goes" rule for the 1/18 class and with this little aid I SHOULD
(fingers crossed), be able to keep up with the 4wd 18's all the way around
the track.

Cheers

[Dre]

"Richard" <DK@Hotmail.com.au> wrote in message
news:45246ad4$1@quokka.wn.com.au...
>
> "Dre" <ausjules1977@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:4524364a$1@patrick.nettas.net...
>>
>> Hehehe, thought these things took the fun out of it eh?? :) They are a
>> hell of a lot of fun!
>>
>> Cheers Dre
>>
>
> They do take the fun out of it, but I cant hold a drift in my drift car
> for
> nuts and I have nearly gone nuts trying. Until you mentioned the D-box I
> was about to put it on ebay to get rid of it. So rather than losing a
> 100+
> bucks on ebay selling it, I'll spend $70 and make it worth keeping.
>
> Also have you ever tried to drive a 2wd Mini T with 3S Li-Po's and 8000kv
> BL
> setup, IMPOSSIBLE ! ! ! Even with the 2S Li-Po its hard to drive. Having
> nearly 90,000 rpm on tap with the 3S makes over steer a every corner
> occurrence and the track I'll be racing on this summer currently have a
> "Anything Goes" rule for the 1/18 class and with this little aid I SHOULD
> (fingers crossed), be able to keep up with the 4wd 18's all the way around
> the track.
>
> Cheers
>
Wait until you use it, I bet you have a blast! They certainly dont drive
the car for you, and you can turn the gain down if you like (and completely
off even) and drive the car normally.

I'd really like to put it into my RS4 micro cause its also a bit of a
handlefull on smooth wooden surfaces, drifts like mad though and with the
box, it'd be awesome. Problem is you have to mount the box on it side so it
sticks up a lot, hence wont fit under the body shell of the micro. Fits
easily in any 1/10 scale sedan though (and of cause Inferno's, savages,
e-zilla's :)

If you can fit it into the Mini T it'd be a great addition.

Mine lives in my Pro 2 which has enough power to power slide out of corners
(and spin) with foams on the back! with this, I just hammer it out of
corners and *try* to spin it, doesn't happen, just siiiiiiideways fun, LOL!

Cheers Dre

[Chris Corbett]

I'm just about to buy an HPI Micro RS4 drift but don't know whether to go for the kit or RTR. If I go for the kit I could get better electrics etc.
Heres the question though. Can I simply use a cheap heli gyro instead of D Box. I can get a GWS Pego3 Gyro for £25 when the D Box is £90!!!!
WIll it work??????

Thanks in advance

[Richard]

"Chris Corbett" <Chris.Corbett.2x7r4o@rcgroups.com> wrote in message
news:Chris.Corbett.2x7r4o@rcgroups.com...
>
> I'm just about to buy an HPI Micro RS4 drift but don't know whether to
> go for the kit or RTR. If I go for the kit I could get better electrics
> etc.
> Heres the question though. Can I simply use a cheap heli gyro instead
> of D Box. I can get a GWS Pego3 Gyro for £25 when the D Box is £90!!!!
> WIll it work??????
>
> Thanks in advance
>
>
> --
> Chris Corbett

The HPI D Box is a copy of the Futaba G190 Gyro so I don't see why you cant
use any gyro.

Cheers

[GTD]

Richard wrote:
> "Chris Corbett" <Chris.Corbett.2x7r4o@rcgroups.com> wrote in message
> news:Chris.Corbett.2x7r4o@rcgroups.com...
>> I'm just about to buy an HPI Micro RS4 drift but don't know whether to
>> go for the kit or RTR. If I go for the kit I could get better electrics
>> etc.
>> Heres the question though. Can I simply use a cheap heli gyro instead
>> of D Box. I can get a GWS Pego3 Gyro for £25 when the D Box is £90!!!!
>> WIll it work??????
>>
>> Thanks in advance
>>
>>
>> --
>> Chris Corbett
>
> The HPI D Box is a copy of the Futaba G190 Gyro so I don't see why you cant
> use any gyro.
>
> Cheers
>
>
Is that really all there isto it? I've been thinking of doing this, but
the near $100 price tag on the d-box has put me off. Since you posted
that, I've been looking at the GWS PG03, which is about $35 at Tower
(http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXHHS2&P=7). That'd be
cool if that was all I needed.

[grunter]

Are we saying that an upside down heli gyro will do the same job as the DBox?
If that's the case, then the cheapskates among us could try it. ;)
Ah yes!!. While typing this, I was also researching a bit, and have some other evidence that DBox may be a Futaba G190 gyro in disguise. If it is, and the function is like any gyro, can any gyro be used in a car? People must have experimented with this over the years. Do I remember Futaba releasing some kind of 'Active steering servo' many years ago, which was promptly banned by the BRCA! LOL!
I have to point out, that although I have RC cars, my spare time is so limited that I don't get much practice. So I drive like a permanent beginner. Well I think I do. :rolleyes: Also, my severe tinnitus doesn't help concentration, so any gizmos are welcome.
The DBox retails at around £80 in the shops in the UK, and just under £50 even on ebay. But is a ready installed component of the new HPI RS4 Micro Drift cars. 1/24 scale RTR would be tricky to drive fast for most beginners, but they're drifting like gooduns on youtube with em. :cool:
Yay Ebay! Fut G190 for about £19 plus shipping from HK!! But I think I'll try a £10 gryo, and post the results here.
And anyway, you could perhaps train yourself off the Dbox slowly, then sell it to the next beginner!

Pete.