Traxxas 1508 - Manual (Page 5)

5
• Always be ready to reduce the throttle if the Villain IV appears
to be unstable or “chine walking” (rocking violently from side-to-
side). Always reduce the throttle when turning, especially in
rough water. Jumping the Villain IV or towing anything with
it should not be attempted.
• Return the Villain IV to shore at the first sign of weak bat-
teries. The Villain IV will begin to slow and the controls will
become sluggish.
• CAVITATION: If the Villain IV is running at full throttle but is
only barely moving forward then the propeller is cavitating. Try
advancing the throttle slowly to get the Villain IV on plane.
If you are having trouble with cavitation, check the propellers for
nicks or tangled debris. The Villain IV’s propellers are specially
designed for their application and are very sensitive to any changes
or modifications. If a prop is damaged it should be replaced.
ADJUSTMENTS
• ADJUSTING THE TRIM ANGLE
The outdrive strut on the Villain IV will allow you to adjust the
trim angle of the propeller. The trim angle changes how high the
bow of the boat rides out of the water. Setting the trim angle cor-
rectly will provide the maximum speed and efficiency from the
Villain IV. As the outdrive is trimmed up, the bow (front) of the
boat will ride higher. The Villain IV will run slightly faster however,
it will be more unstable in the wind. Do not trim the outdrive up
on windy days or when running in choppy water. If the trim is set
to high, then the bow will bounce up and down (“porpoise”), and
the prop may begin to cavitate.
As the outdrive is trimmed down, the bow of the boat is low-
ered thus increasing the wetted surface of the boat. This will slow
the Villain IV slightly but, stability and control will be improved.
Experiment with this adjustment to find out what works best for
your particular conditions. Make sure the trim angle on both out-
drives is set the same.
• ADJUSTING THE OUTDRIVE SHAFT END PLAY
There should be a slight amount of shaft endplay in each out-
drive housing. To adjust the endplay loosen the grubscrew on the
U-joint yoke (see drawing). Pull the propeller shaft until there is
no more than 1mm of distance at arrow 2 in the drawing.
Retighten the grub screw.
BOAT RETRIEVAL
If the Villain IV accidentaly flips over and fills with water, it is
equipped with foam flotation to help prevent it from sinking.
Traxxas does not recommend ever trying to swim or wade to
retrieve a boat. If you have chosen your launch sight carefully
(downwind), the Villain IV will probably drift back to you on its own.
If there is no wind, you will need a tennis ball and a length of
string. Tie the tennis ball securely to one end of the string and
then throw the ball over the drifting boat. Pull the ball in and try to
entangle the boat in the string. Pull the boat back slowly to shore.
If only the bow of the boat remains visible, try using a fishing lure
with many hooks and a fishing pole. Try to snag the lip of the
upper deck or drive mechanism with the hooks.
MAINTENANCE
• Keep the Villain IV clean of accumulated dirt and oil.
• Re-oil the motor bushings before each day of running. Use an
oil made for electric motors such as 3-in-1 Oil TM .
• Periodically re-oil the bushings in the outdrive housings and the
driveshaft tubes. There are metal oiling nipples in each drive
unit to accomodate oiling the driveshaft tube bushings.
• Keep all of the screws in the drive system tight.
STORAGE
Drain all water out of the Villain IV and thoroughly dry it before
you store it. Store the Villain IV with the hatch cover removed so
that any remaining moisture will evaporate.
DETAILING THE HULL
If you wish to paint your hull some other color than the factory
white, then choose your paint with caution. Only use paint made
for plastic models (available from your hobby dealer). Test the
paint on an inconspicuous and non-critical area before painting
the entire boat. The paint on the bottom must be smooth to pre-
vent a loss of performance.
The decals are printed on self-adhesive clear mylar. Carefully
cut the decals out as close to the printed edges as you can. Test
fit and trim each decal before removing the backing. Use the pho-
tos on the box as a guide for decal placement. To apply the long
decals, Place one end down, hold the other end up, and gradual-
ly smooth the decal down with your finger as you go. This will
prevent air bubbles. Placing both ends of the decal down and
then trying to smooth it out will result in large air pockets. If you
do have air pockets, slice the center of the pocket with a hobby
knife and then smooth out the air.
To install the chrome rails, first sand the chrome off of the
attachment points (feet) of each rail. The ABS glue will not stick
to the chrome. Use the photos on the box as a guide for rail
placement. Place a SMALL dab of glue on each rail foot and and
then place the rail on the boat. Hold it in place for about 60-seconds.
On the long bow rails, only place glue on 3 of the rail feet at a
time. Allow the glue to dry overnight before running the boat.
LIMITED WARRANTY INFORMATION
Every effort has been made in component design and material
selection to make your model as durable as possible. Because
the model is intended to be a hobby-class model and operate at
a much higher level of performance than a “toy,” no warranties
can be expressed or implied relating to the longevity of the parts.
Parts will wear out and require replacement. If any part of the
model appears to be defective, or incorrectly assembled when it
is new (before it is used), it will be repaired or replaced at
Traxxas’ discretion. This warranty will not cover damage from
wear, abuse, neglect, crashes, or water.
Arrow 2
Loosen
TRIM UP
TRIM DOWN
Loosen nut to
adjust trim.