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North Macedonia
For a long time, North Macedonia has been considered a relative success story in the region: no major conflicts, a fairly successful state-building process, and no territory issues. After years of showing dedication to the Ohrid Agreement – the 2001 peace deal between the North Macedonian government and ethnic Albanians – and implementing reforms, the country received EU candidate status in December 2005. The promises of EU and NATO membership (by 2008 the criteria for entering NATO were fulfilled) are important tools in uniting Macedonians with Albanian minorities. However, despite UN mediation, the long-standing name dispute with Greece has been stagnating the EU integration process and NATO membership as Greece has been vetoing the opening of the accession negotiations. It is during the accession negotiations that the EU has the most leverage and influence on structural and sustainable reforms – for example on the rule of law and fundamental rights – in a candidate state.
In addition, the ruling conservative VMRO-DPMNE party of Nikola Gruevski, in power between 2006 and 2016, misused the lack of progress on the European road to establish an authoritarian regime and to engage in a nationalist identity-building project. Defending their activities under the slogan 'at least we built something' the government invested hundreds of millions of euros in building marble Greek-style statues, fountains, and buildings, turning the capital in something close to a theme park.
In the context of nationalism, ethnic conflicts are influencing the political landscape. Due to the demand for the Albanian language to be the second official language used by the Government, and opposition leader Zoran Zaev's attempts to form a coalition with Albanian ethnic parties, the situation in North Macedonia has been far from stable. For example, after the 2014 elections, a deep political conflict arose from a governmental wiretap-scandal. The Special Prosecution Office (SJO) led the investigation into the wiretaps and pressed charges against high-ranking government officials, including the prime minister and the interior minister. Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski resigned on 15 January 2016 because of the political tensions. New parliamentary elections were held on 11 December 2016.
The EU-mediated Pržino Agreement between ruling parties and the opposition determined furthermore that SDSM would take part in the transition government that was to prepare free and fair elections. The implementation of the Pržino Agreement proved to be very challenging and the early elections were postponed to December 2016. Gruevski's party remained the largest with 39% of the votes, which translates into 51 (-10) seats in parliament. The SDSM improved its result by winning 38% of the votes or 49 seats (+15). The Albanian parties Democratic Union for Integration (DUI) with 10 seats (-9) and newcomer Besa with 5 seats hold the key in the formation of the new government that needs 61 seats for a majority. Surprisingly the Albanian parties, under pressure from Albanian prime minister Edi Rama (Socialist Party of Albania, SPA), managed to put their sharp differences aside and develop a joint agenda of Albanian interests in Macedonia, such as adopting Albanian as an official language. Acceptance of this common platform has been set as a condition to both VMRO-DPMNE and SDSM for any coalition with an Albanian party. President Ivanov gave the mandate to Gruevski who tried but failed to form a government. After the next party in line to form a government, the SDSM, provided signatures of a majority of MPs supporting their option, Ivanov refused to hand over the mandate to SDSM leader Zaev. Ivanov argued that the coalition around Zaev would endanger the stability and sovereignty of Macedonia. This has further deepened the political crisis. In the end, the EU and US strongly pressured Ivanov to respect the majority of the parliament and let the SDSM form a government. Finally, six months after the elections SDSM formed a government with Albanian parties. Hopes are high with appointment of Zaev as Prime Minister. At the same time resources are limited. With the struggling economy, it will be challenging to implement left-wing socio-economic policies. Short term, progress can be made with regards to EU integration (blocked for years by Greece due to the name issue), human rights and press freedom. International actors should show strong support in achieving these goals.
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Short facts
- Population:
- 2,078,453 million (World Bank 2015 est.)
- Governmental Type:
- Parliamentary democracy
- Ruling Coalition:
- Last Elections:
- 2019 (presidential elections)
- Next Elections:
- 2020 (parliamentary elections)
- Sister Parties:
- Social Democratic Union of Macedonia (SDSM)
Political Situation
North Macedonia is a parliamentary republic with the prime minister as the head of government. The political organisation of the country was determined in the 1991 Constitution.
The Assembly, or the Sobrania, is the only chamber of parliament and comprises 123 members. The assembly members are elected by proportional representation for a four-year term in office. In general elections, North Macedonia is divided into six constituencies electing 120 MPs each. Three seats are elected by representatives of the Macedonian citizens living abroad: one from Europe, one from North America and one from Asia and Australia.
The combination of a lack of European perspective and nationalism has proved to be a serious threat to democracy and stability in North Macedonia: manipulation and fraud at the elections, control over the judiciary and weakening of the rule of law and media freedom, a non-functioning parliament and growing dissatisfaction among the Albanian minority.
The "Extortion Scandal"
The current progressive government led by Zoran Zaev (Social Democratic Union, SDSM) made promising steps in the fight against corruption and restoring the rule of law. However, the alleged wrongdoing of the Special Prosecutor for organized crime cases herself has been a setback. It started when a well-known businessman, Bojan Jovanovski, was arrested on suspicion of extortion. Shortly after that La Verita, an Italian right-wing newspaper released videos and audio recordings which allegedly showed that the Special Prosecutor for Organized Crime Katica Janeva was offering leniency to Jovanovski and another businessman in exchange for cash. She was arrested on August 21 on suspicion of offering leniency to a businessman.
Furthermore, in one of the audiotapes, Jovanovski mentioned he met Zaev and that he wouldn't "make any problems". Zaev stressed he has nothing to do with the scandal, but it has already caused a lot of commotion. The VMRO-PPMNE is pressing for Zaev's resignation, stating that the government is not doing enough against corruption and one of the tops of that is involved in criminal activities. Even its European allies are concerned about the scandal in North Macedonia. European Enlargement Commissioner Johannes Hahn commented that the latest revelations showed it is important to establish legal accountability for all crimes. The EU has asked North Macedonia to establish judicial reforms before it wants to start accession talks.
Name Change in 2018
After an almost three-decade-long dispute, North Macedonia and Greece finally settled on a historic name change agreement. On June 17th 2018 Prime Minister Zaev and his Greek counterpart Tsipras signed a landmark agreement at the Lake Prespa. According to this agreement, Macedonia's name was officially changed to "Republic of North Macedonia." In exchange for this, North Macedonia expects accelerated NATO membership and EU-accession talks, and Athens promised not to block their initiatives anymore.
The language of the country will still be "Macedonian," and the citizens will be referred to as "Macedonians" or "Citizens of the Republic of North Macedonia." This was an important part of the agreement for the Macedonians who want to protect their identity. The agreement was answered with international and local praise, but also with protests from nationalist factions in both countries.
After the Prespa Agreement was ratified by both parliaments – which was a major challenge – the had to be supported by a majority of Macedonia's citizens. On September 30th 2018 a non-binding referendum was held, inquiring the public opinion on the name-change deal. The turn-out was below the 50% threshold, as only 36.8% of the Macedonians participated in the referendum. However, among those participants, 91% voted in favour of a name change, hopeful that it would remove a significant impediment to EU and NATO membership. Despite the low turn-out, the government saw the outcome as a green light to implement the name change.
On October 8th, the government adopted a motion to undertake the constitutional changes, and on January 11th the parliament agreed upon the change. On January 25th, the Greek parliament also approved by 153 votes to 146 on the name change, ending the diplomatic dispute between the countries. North Macedonia is the first country in modern times (except for Austria after World War I) that forcefully had to change its name.
Parliamentary elections of 2016
Following the resignation of PM Nikola Gruevski new elections took place on 11 December 2016. Gruevski had been in power since 2006 up to 18 January 2016, in a coalition with the Albanian party; Democratic Union for Integration (DUI).
Pressure on 2016 elections
In recent years, the opposition boycotted the parliament multiple times. They did this because the previous elections often lacked transparency and were rigged. Eventually, the opposition did not want to participate in the parliamentary process. The incumbent party repeatedly dismissed these claims, adding that the opposition is simply afraid to go to the ballot box. Following this, the State Electoral Commission decided to investigate if registered voters were deceased, lacked citizenship or did not have the right age. Eventually, the opposition also received the support of the EU and the US to their critique of democracy in Macedonia. On 21 February 2016, the EU and the US sent a joint letter pressuring the government to postpone the date of the elections. Initially, elections were set for 24 April 2016, but they were postponed to 5 June 2016. The letter further declared that not all conditions needed to organise credible elections had been met, such as the clean-up of the electoral roll, the creation of a level playing field for all political players, media reforms ensuring objective and unbiased election coverage and measures to separate state and party political activities. As such, the external interference arranged prerequisites for the elections. As the above mentioned main conditions were not met on time it was decided to postpone the elections again, this time to December 2016.
Lead up to Gruevski's resignation: the wiretapping scandal
In 2015 opposition leader Zaev from the Social Democratic Union of Macedonia (SDSM) accused Gruevski and the secret police of wiretapping over 20.000 people including ministers, opposition politicians, journalists, judges, foreign ambassadors and activists. The Special Prosecution Office (SJO) led the investigation into the wiretaps and pressed charges against high ranked government officials, including the prime minister and minister of interior. Nonetheless, President Ivanov pardoned all politicians facing criminal investigations in the wiretapping corruption scandal, leading to a peak in political instability in 2016. The mass street protests that followed this, united Macedonians and Albanians in their call for better living standards, the fight against corruption and end of the Gruevski rule. Pressured by the EU and US, Gruevski agreed to step down and call early elections. The EU mediated Przino Agreement between position and opposition determined that SDSM would take part in the transition government that would prepare free and fair elections. The main conditions were to establish an independent public broadcaster and to clean up the voting register.
The Ministry of Interior knows who are present to vote and can falsify the documents of those who are not present to give their identities to loyalists. The implementation of the Przino Agreement turned out being challenging, pushing the elections even further to 11 December 2016.
Political crisis of 2014-2015
The 2014 parliamentary elections led to a deep political crisis in North Macedonia. In disagreement with the election result, the SDSM party decided to block the parliament. This deadlock-situation exaggerated when the party started releasing wiretapped materials. The opposition accused government officials of electoral fraud, abuse of the legal system and the illegal surveillance of citizens. PM Gruevski and other government officials stated repeatedly that the tapes were "created by foreign secret services" and were attempts of the opposition to destabilize the country. Moreover, Gruevski publicly accused Zaev of "espionage" and "violence towards high-level officials". Right after this public statement, the public prosecutor charged Zaev with espionage and with making violent threats aimed at the government to undermine the goals of the constitutional order.
The situation escalated in May when audiotapes were published in which Nikola Gruevski, Interior Affairs Minister, Gordana Jankuloska, the Chief of Intelligence, and other officials can be heard discussing how to "cover-up" the killing of a man during protests in 2011 in order to prevent government responsibility. During protests that followed the 2011 general elections, a 22-year old man, Martin Neskovski, was beaten to death by a police officer. According to eyewitnesses, he was killed due to excessive police violence, which stirred huge demonstrations among Macedonians during the following days. Initially, governmental sources denied that the police officer in question was on duty that day, and issued a statement that the government could thus not be held responsible for the murder. Though, according to the wiretapped conversations, the Prime Minister's Chief of Security, Dejan Mitrevski Urko, contacted the police officer that night, which according to the opposition showed that the government could be held responsible.
These publications were followed by massive demonstrations on the streets of Skopje in May. As a reaction to the anti-government rally, government supporters also started their own pro-government rally. In June, the position and opposition reached an EU-brokered agreement to hold early elections in April 2016.
Political crisis December 2012 – March 2013
The political crisis started with a disagreement over the draft budget for 2013. On Christmas Eve 2012, during a session of the parliament, the budget was on the agenda, but the main opposition party SDSM stated that instead of following the principles and rules commonly used during such a session, several violations took place. Draft versions were kept away from opposition MPs including the SDSM, which were not able to get voting cards, while media representatives could not work freely in the room. After opposing the constitutional and legal breaches, scuffles broke out between members of the ruling centre-right VMRO-DPMNE party and the SDSM MPs in which opposition members were forcibly evicted from the plenary room. Before this outburst of violence, all journalists had already been removed from the room, either on their own feet or dragged by policemen.
Following this event, the SDSM decided to boycott the parliament sessions, which ultimately lasted for more than two months and threatened to derail local elections that were supposed to be held on 24 March 2013. The SDSM stated that it would renounce the boycott only when the local elections were held together with early parliamentary elections.
These events have triggered a succession of demonstrations in North Macedonia. On 19 February a former leader of the now-disbanded ethnic Albanian separatist armed group was chosen to become the new Minister of Defence. In a reaction to this appointment, clashes took place in Skopje against ethnic Albanians of Macedonians, which was followed days later by a violent demonstration of ethnic Albanians.
The political crisis was resolved at the beginning of March, after a mediation effort by EU Enlargement Commissioner at that time, Štefan Füle, and European Parliament Rapporteur for North Macedonia, Richard Howitt (S&D Group in the EP). The SDSM agreed on 1 March to return to parliament and to run in the local elections. These elections were held on 25 March and 7 April. The victory was declared by North Macedonia's ruling VMRO-DPMNE, under the lead of Nikola Gruevski.
Ethnic rivalries
The country, which had been relatively spared from inter-ethnic violence after the break-up of Yugoslavia, underwent great tensions from 2001 onwards when the Albanian minority started demanding more rights. The 1998-1999 war in Kosovo forced thousands of Albanians to flee to North Macedonia. Since then, the Ohrid Agreement, signed with the support of the European Union and NATO, had guaranteed a unitary Macedonian state, reinforced by its EU candidate status since 2005. Nonetheless, violence keeps on sparking regularly. In March 2013, riots started from the Macedonian side after Talat Xhaferi, a former Albanian guerrilla commander, was appointed as defence minister. In April that same year, Johan Tarculovski, the only Macedonian convicted of war crimes against Albanians by the International Criminal Court in The Hague, was granted a hero's welcome as he came back to Skopje, raising disagreement from the Albanian community. Winter 2013 saw the opposition of the two ethnic groups over the building of a new Orthodox Christian Church in a Muslim-dominated village.
Women and minority representation
The first real changes in women representation in parliament were reached after the 2002 elections. The percentage of female deputies rose from 7.5 per cent (1998) to 17.5 per cent. After the 2008 parliamentary elections, this share went further up to 32.5 per cent. The rise in women participation was facilitated by the successful lobbying campaign of different women rights NGO's to secure a constitutional amendment obligating parties to include at least 30 per cent women candidates in their election lists.
After the reforms necessitated by the Ohrid Agreement, minority representation has increased. From 2006 until the 2008 parliamentary elections, the DPA was the main vehicle for Albanian representation in government, despite being the smaller of the two ethnic Albanian parties. This led to resentment with the DUI and considerable tensions between supporters of the two parties. After the 2008 elections, Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski announced that the ruling 'For a better Macedonia' coalition would from now on govern in a coalition with the biggest ethnic Albanian party, which is the DUI with 18 seats. Several minority lists of smaller minorities were also part of the 'For a better Macedonia' coalition, including lists of North Macedonian Serbs and Turks.
Despite their increasing representation, Albanians still claim unequal involvement in government ministries and public enterprises. The US Department of State's 2013 Country Report on Human Rights Practices underlined that out of the 123 seats in parliament, only 23 were obtained by Albanians, while other ethnic minorities accounted for 13 seats. These figures contradict the Ohrid Agreement principles, which stated that "the multi-ethnic character of Macedonia's society must be preserved and reflected in public life", notably in the public administration. Rural inhabitants, for their part, nourish resentment towards the State, blamed for hiding issues of corruption and absence of integration policies through destabilising the country.
During the elections of 2016, 41 per cent of the candidates were women, although only 4 topped the 58 lists. This high percentage is also due to the enhanced quota on women's participation. Eventually, 33 per cent of parliament is female.
Parliamentary elections
Parliamentary elections of December 2016
The election results were surprising because both VMRO DPMNE and the Social Democratic Union of Macedonia (SDSM) claimed victory due to an extremely close finish. It turned out that VMRO DPMNE had 38 per cent of the votes, while SDSM had 36.7 per cent, leading to 51 and 49 seats respectively. The result of this election was surprising because many people expected VMRO DPMNE to come out with a clear victory. A lot of people in North Macedonia are dependent on governmental and municipal jobs, leading to a large dependency on the previous ruling party, the VMRO DPMNE. It appears that the actions of the transition government have been successful and the independent public broadcaster and cleaning up of the voting register helped to make the elections fairer. DUI, an Albanian party which was previously in coalition with VMRO DPMNE, lost the most seats; going from 19 to 10 seats. Other Albanian parties have a total of 10 seats; Besa with 5 seats, DPA-led Movement of Reforms has 3 seats and DPA 2. In order to have a majority, parties need 61 seats.
Election results
|39.39 %
|Social Democratic Union Macedonia (SDSM)
|37.87 %
|Democratic Union for Integration (DUI)
|7.52 %
|Besa Movement
|5.01 %
|Democratic Party of Albanians (DPA)
|2.68 %
|DPA-led Movement for Reforms
|3.04 %
The results show that if VMRO-DPMNE would have formed a coalition with DUI, they would have had enough seats to claim the victory. However, this coalition was very unlikely due to DUI's former coalition with VMRO-DPMNE. DUI lost a lot of popularity, as they implemented policies that Albanians were not happy with. Particularly with the local elections coming up in May 2017, DUI cannot afford to lose more popularity. Moreover, all potential coalition partners agreed that they did not want any people in the government who are being investigated by the special prosecution, meaning that the VMRO-DPMNE would not be able to create any coalition except if they would get a different party leader.
Eventually, VMRO DMPNE missed its deadline to form a government, stating that it wants new elections. After VMRO-DPMNE was accused of obstructing the government formations that followed, in order to circumvent prosecution for corruption, the opposition party SDSM came in sight.
As the SDSM was the leading opposition party, President Gjorge Ivanov initially wanted to prevent Zaev from forming a government with parties representing North Macedonia's ethnic Albanians. He argued that such a coalition would undermine North Macedonia's territorial integrity. He also assumed that this would give the minority expanded rights and power, even though Zaev promised to "guarantee the protection of the unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the independent and multi-ethnic Macedonia".
To ease the dispute, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama asked all North Macedonian Albanian parties to meet with him. Surprisingly, they all agreed, and DUI was brought together with the BESA and the DPA. They signed a joint declaration with seven conditions mainly regarding the position of Albanians, which will serve as a platform for their future participation in any government.
The EU and NATO then urged the president to allow government formations with the involvement of the opposition. As there was no constitutional rule on the happenings, the president decided that he wants proof of a parliamentary majority before handing anyone a mandate to form a government. Eventually, a coalition was formed six months after the elections in May 2017, between the Social Democratic Union of Macedonia (SDSM), the Democratic Union for Integration (DUI), and the Democratic Party of Albanians (DPA). The BESA promised to support the coalition on important subjects, especially regarding the Albanian minority. Examples are the acknowledgement of Albanian as a second official language and a voice in negotiations with Greece.
The new government decided on fighting corruption as one of their top priorities. Politics have to become more transparent and inclusive. Furthermore, it wants to strengthen the independence of the judicial system by abolishing any possibilities for politicians to put judges under political pressure. In the following years, it aims to solve the name dispute with Greece and normalize relations with its neighbour Bulgaria. The latter has been implemented by a friendship treaty between the countries in August 2017 with Bulgaria officially supporting North Macedonia's wish to join EU and NATO.
Disturbances in the government's work have been showing up from different sides. The VMRO DPMNE does not approve of its goals. Due to many members of the party filling in high positions in the economy, justice and the media, it has been difficult to enforce the government's reforms. Meanwhile, VMRO DPMNE has faced internal challenges after losing power. Former PM Gruevski has stepped down but only after a successful campaign that put his trustee Hristijan Mickoski as head of the party. Mickovski is having a hard time to unite the party. Other troubling actors are for instance Russia, who is trying to slow down North Macedonia's approach to the EU.
Name dispute
There has been a dispute going on over the country's use of the Republic of Macedonia as its official name. A region in Northern Greece shares the same name and is also closely connected to Alexander the Great and Philip of Macedon. Greece holds the opinion that by using 'Macedonia', the country implies claims on Greek territories. As a result, it has been using the label Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) since joining the United Nations in 1993. Originally planned as a temporary solution, it remains in use until now. Because of the dispute, the accessions to the EU and NATO have been blocked by Greece.
To solve the issue, North Macedonia agreed to change its flag by removing the Vergina Sun and proceeded to add a passage to its constitution, which is supposed to make clear that the country does not claim any Greek territories. Furthermore, the main airport and a highway to Greece were renamed begin 2018 to disconnect it from Alexander the Great. The historical figure has been declared exclusively Greek concerning the country's Hellenic heritage. The Greek side accepted the use of 'FYROM' as an official name and agreed on a possibility of continuing EU accession talks. In January 2018, the two Prime Ministers Zohav Zaev and Alexis Tsipras met and announced faster negotiations to resolve the years-long dispute. This is a clear break with the former conservative government that used the name dispute to raise nationalism, for example by engaging in nation-building projects such as the "Skopje 2014" project.
Presidential elections
Presidential elections of 2014
As mentioned above, general elections were held in 2014 to elect a new president as well as a new parliament. The first round of the presidential elections was held on 13 April, in which incumbent president Gjorge Ivanov took the lead with 51.69 per cent of the votes. However, a second round was held on 27 April as Ivanov did not receive the support of 50 per cent of all the registered voters. Ivanov gained 55.27 per cent of the votes in this second round and therefore won the elections.
Presidential elections of 2019
First Round of elections
On April 21st, the voting polls for the first round of presidential elections opened in North Macedonia. Stevo Pendarovski, supported by the ruling Social Democratic coalition (SDSM), won this round with a small margin of a few thousand votes ahead of his rival Gordana Siljanovska, who is backed by the right-wing opposition party VMRO-DPMNE. It was a close call: as Pendarovski seized 42.8% of the votes and Siljanovska 42.2%. The third presidential candidate, Blerim Reka, obtained 10.6% of the votes. He's supported by two ethnic Albanian parties.
The voting turn-out was the lowest since the country's independence. Only 41% of the people cast their vote, just slightly above the required 40% threshold for a legitimate result.
Run-off elections
Although it was feared that the turn-out would be below 40% in the second round on May 5th, in the end, 46% of the eligible voters cast their vote. Pendarovski won the presidency with 51.7 per cent of the votes, surpassing Siljanovska who received 44.7%. The remaining 3.61% were void.
The elections were dominated by a deep division over the name-change agreement with Greece and reflected a split between the pro-Western and the nationalist camp. Pro-European voters supported Pendarovski and the adaption of "Republic of North Macedonia" as the new name of the state. Pendarovski is in favour of the name-change deal with Greece, as it removes the biggest impediment to EU and NATO integration. Nationalists, on the other side, oppose the agreement and support Siljansovska, who promised to never use the new name. Despite being pro-European, she is opposed to the name-change, arguing that North Macedonia makes too many concessions and that the country will lose parts of its identity. In the run-off elections, both candidates aimed at appealing to the Albanian ethnic minority that voted for Reka in the first round, hoping that it would give them the decisive advantage.
The victory of Steveo Pendarovski is expected to fortify the Social Democrats' agenda and raises hopes to enter EU accession talks end 2019, and to become the 30th NATO member state by 2020.
Political parties
Social Democratic Parties
Social Democratic Union of Macedonia (SDSM)
Party Leader: Zoran Zaev
Number of seats: 49
Other Parties
Democratic Party for Macedonian national unity - Internal Macedonian revolutionary organisation (VMRO-DPMNE)
Party Leader: Nikola Gruevski
Number of seats: 51
Democratic Union for Integration (DUI)
Party Leader: Ali Ahmeti
Number of seats: 10
Democratic Party of Albanians (DPA)
Party Leader: Menduh Thaci
Number of seats: 2
Party Leader: Bilall Kasami
Number of seats: 5
DPA-led Movement for Reforms
Party Leader: Zijadin Sela
Number of seats: 3
Gjorge Ivanov
Former PresidentRead biography
NGO – Research Organisations
- British Helsinki Human Rights Group
- Freedom House
- Foundation Robert Schuman
- Hans Boeckler Stiftung
- Heinrich Boell Stiftung
- International Crisis Group (IGC)
- International IDEA
- New York University Law School: East European Constitutional Review
- OneWorld.net
- Transparency International
Economic Research
- Economist Intelligence Unit
News Agencies
- BBC.co.uk
- Balkanalysis.com
- CNN.com International
- Euractiv.com (Inc. article from the Centre for European Policy Studies)
- Institute for War Peace Reporting
- MIA news agency
- Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty
- Transitions Online
- SETimes
Public Sources
- CIA World Factbook
- Republic of Macedonia Agency of Information
- Macedonian State Election Commission
- UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office Country Profiles
- greco.coe.int
European Union
- European Commission: The EU's relations with South East Europe
- Election Reports
- Crook, Nick and Michael Dauderstädt, André Gerrits: "Social Democracy in Central and Eastern Europe" (Amsterdam:2002)
- Development Strategies, Italy, and Institutional Development Consultancy, France
- "Evaluation of the EC's Country Strategy in FYR Macedonia for the years 1996-2001"
- Lampe, John, R., Yugoslavia as History: Twice there was a Country, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2000
- Institute for Sociological, Political and Juridical Research "Political Parties Development in the Republic of Macedonia" –, Skopje (issue 6, September 2002)


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subset: commoncrawl


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Tag: song
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Eco-Jewellery pickle is a great alternative to using harsh chemicals in your studio!
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Grandma & Grandpa Hill traveled down to San Diego with Aunt Kristina the other weekend for a visit. It was nice to all get together, since we weren't going to see them for Thanksgiving this year. The weather and nap schedules kept us inside for most of their visit, but we all had a lot of fun. The last time Grandma and Grandpa saw him, Evan was barely walking on his own and only between people, but now he is all over the place!
Evan had fun showing off all his toys, stacking his blocks, walking around and around the dining room table, pulling people around and doing the Elmo slide with everyone! That is his favorite video right now. He got everyone flapping their arms and sliding around the condo. :)
Grandma & Grandpa treated us all to Roy's. yummy! It wasn't Evan's best behaved dinner out, he just wanted to walk around, even when they brought him his very own plate of food, but we all traded off walking him and we enjoyed it very much.
Mommy and Daddy somehow didn't take any pictures, but Grandma took a few that we are including here. We took some video here. Just wish we had some footage of everyone doing the Elmo slide!


text:
The NSW Government will follow the lead of the Tasmanian and South Australian State Governments by creating a reparations package for members of the Stolen Generations worth $73 million.
According to Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Leslie Williams, the package will see payments of up to $75,000 go to around 730 survivors without the need for lengthy legal processes.
Williams also said,
"With this response, the NSW Government officially acknowledges the real and heartbreaking trauma caused by historic government policies and practices of removing Aboriginal children from their kin and country."
Support groups for people from the Stolen Generations will also see ongoing funding to continue their work and operations. A $5 million healing fund will also be created to help support the people surrounded by those dealing with trauma, from whole communities to direct descendants of the Stolen Generations.
The package comes in response to the 12-month Parliamentary Committee Inquiry into Reparations for the Stolen Generations by the State Government, prompted by findings which were first published in the Bringing Them Home Report in 1997. This report was the first to comprehensively publish findings about the forced removal of Indigenous children from their families, the treatment of these children and the ongoing effects it had on individuals.
Although this package is a great leap forward in acknowledging the wrongs of the past, and supports those who were traumatically affected by the actions of the Australian Government and institutions, Stolen Generations survivors are making it clear that although appreciated and helpful, a pay out will not give them back their childhood and culture.
Richard Campbell was removed from his family and sent to the Kinchela Boys School, where he was stripped of his name and identity and instead referred to as a number. Number 28.
"Are they going to give me back my culture?…Are they going to give me back my language?" Campbell said while speaking to ABC radio.
The package will also see the establishment of a Stolen Generations Advisory Committee and funding toward bettering the administrative process of proving one's Aboriginality.


text:
O.K., so I got my stock Rustler XL5 back in October of last year so I can have something to run with my son's Slash that he got for his birthday last September. I chose a Rustler because I'm an old Losi truck racer (raced JrxT's, LXT's & XXT's back in the day) and I just prefer a stadium truck platform. I was impressed with the trucks capabilites, ease of modifications, availability of parts/hop-ups and support that's out there for the Traxxas products. After getting familiar with the truck, it wasn't long before I found myself looking to make improvements & modifications. Searches online quickly brought me to this community, where I've spent the last 8 months researching and learing about both trucks strengths and weaknesses, as well as some of the best directions to go with our trucks for what we wanted to do with them.
With that said, my son wanted to mainly bash with his friends, while I just couldn't resist the lure of getting back to an off-road track. Fortunately, we have 2 really nice tracks within minutes of where we live in southern California. One being Hot Rod Hobbies, a large outdoor track that is home to the Reedy Off Road Challenge series & as well as several other national events, and the other being SCVRC (Santa Clarita Valley Radio Control), an indoor clay track that is a little less known, but a great place to run, nonetheless.
As I read through the many helpful posts here, I made my upgrades carefully and a little at a time as my budget would allow. And speaking of budget, I just want to clarify what my goal was with this build. That being, to build a truly track worthy Rustler with as minimal changes to the original basic design as possible, and of course, as minimal money spent. It's not just about the investment or trying to spend as little as possible either. It really amazes me that I read over and over again on the internet how the Rustler is an "outdated" design, with "poor" suspension geometry, or that getting it to be competitive will cost a fortune, and that just about everything will need to be replaced and/or upgraded. Having run this truck on professional tracks that national races are held on, at first bone stock, then with each change made, I can say that I firmly disagree with those statements.
I have replaced/upgraded parts very carefully with the mindset of strength, reliability, speed, and handling. All, of course, while trying to maintain as much of the original design as possible - at least in configuration, if not actual parts. In doing so I have replaced quite a bit (for minimal cost), but looking at the truck it appears relatively unchanged.
Being an "old school" racer, I've never been real hip on the idea of aluminum (sorry aluminum guys!), so I only have a few aluminum parts on the truck - the front bulkhead (STRC), only because I've had several plastic one's (the stock one & a proline one) strip a screw, Traxxas aluminum shock caps & Proline's Pro-2 steering rack, otherwise everything else is still plastic. This is mainly in the interrest of weight. And while I'm speaking of weight, I also hear alot about how heavy the truck is compared to more race bred platforms. This may be so, but in looking at the specs of the Rustler compared to my old Losi trucks and the newer (22t's, etc.) ones, it's surprising how close they realy are. Not just in terms of weight, but wheelbase, length, and front & rear track. I'm more concerned with weight distribution from front to rear than with the total number, as the Rustler is very rear end heavy.
So, enough of the background stuff... on to the truck itself. Here is the list of changes/upgrades that have been done so far;
Motor - Velineon Brushless 4 pole
Esc - VXL3 (with fan!)
Front Suspension/Steering;
Ultra shocks with aluminum caps, 40wt Losi oil
Losi Red 2.5" springs
Traxxas steel turnbuckles for steering & camber links
RPM long arms
RPM castor blocks
RPM hubs/bearing carriers (with bearings replacing stock bushings)
RPM Front Shock Tower
Traxxas (#1972) Lite Wheels
Proline PRO-2 Steering Rack
STRC Gunmetal Gray Aluminum Front Bulkhead
Traxxas 2075 Servo with Savox Metal Gear conversion
Lunsford Racing titanium hinge pins & king pins
Rear Suspension;
Ultra shocks with aluminum caps, 40wt (or 50wt depending on track setup) Losi oil
Losi Orange 2.5" springs (or Losi Green 2.5" springs, depnding on track setup)
Traxxas steel turnbuckles for camber links
RPM rear arms
RPM rear hubs/bearing carries (with bearings replacing stock bushings)
RPM rear shock tower
Traxxas (#1972) Lite Wheels
Lunsford Racing titanium hinge pins
RPM Transmission case with matching gear cover
Hot Racing sealed diff with 30K wt diff fluid
Traxxas HD steel output shafts
Traxxas rear bumper/wheelie bar mount (to protect the relatively exposed motor)
Traxxas 83T (or 86T, depending on track setup) Spur gear
Robinson Racing Pinions 16T - 21T (depending on track setup)
Proline 2.2" Edge M2
Proline 2.2" Holeshots M3
Proline 2.2" Suburbs X2
Proline 2.2" Scrubs MX
Proline 2.2" Electrons MC
Jconcepts 2.2" Dirtwebs Gold
Body - Jconcepts Silverado (old body)
Traxxas Rustler (current body - again)
Battery - Traxxas 5000Mah NiMh 7 cell (8.4v)
Venom Racing 5000Mah 6 cel (7.2v)
As you can see the one area that I've spent the most has been on tires. These being the most important to a great handling truck (along with suspension settings), so I don't mind that too much. Also, I started out with RPM black 2.2" wheels, but when I did the long arm conversion I switched to the Traxxas Lite wheels so now I can rotate tires. And besides, to look like a real race truck you gotta have dish wheels!
Next on the agenda is to move the speed control to the left side to try and help weight distribution a bit. Then it's on to 2S LiPo's... (a first for this old time racer!)
Here's a few pictures of the current truck as it sits today. Sorry I don't have any pictures with the body off yet, but I'll try to get some up soon.
Last edited by FlyingTigerDad; 06-11-2016 at 01:49 PM.
What ever happened to the other Rustler racers - Oaks, MooseSlash & NitroViper? Are these guys still around anymore? I hardly see anybody talk about racing their Rustlers lately.
Alright so I've spot checked your essay lol and wasn't sure if you were asking any questions and I didn't see any but Nice truck. I don't know who those usernames are but normally people don't use traxxas vehicles for racing. Just the occasional basher and speed runner.
Thank for the compliment,Dadelvi. And yea, it is a little long winded, lol.(Can't say I didn't warn ya!) You are correct that I didn't really ask any questions. I just wanted to share my setup in detail with others here who might want some info on a track capable truck. I was actually hoping to be able to answer some questions. Of the posters I mentioned, the first two had some great older threads on their racing setups that help me quite a bit with mine as I was getting familiar with the truck, and the last had a more recent thread on a really nice race prepped truck as well. I suppose I just wanted them to see what they've inspired!
oh ok well it looks good and the best of luck on the racing part. Mine is a little speed runner nothing big but just trying to squeeze out all the power I can out of my motor.
Very nice truck and interesting read!
I've done many of these mods to my Stampede basher, and it improved handling a lot.
Here are some advices that could help you making your Rustler even better:
-Sensored motor - I used Speed Passion 9.5R on Velineon ESC and it was great, similar speed/power but better reaction and more control over the brakes
-Castor blocks - aluminium ones are better for rigidity and getting rid of the sloppines
-Rear hub carriers - I got aluminium ones (I believe STRC), but the major advantage was 1,5 degree toe in that standard Rustler and Stampede lack (not sure if you got the toe with Proline transmission)
-Rear driveshafts - you cold save a few grams going back to Stampede 4x4 plastic ones
-Try putting a few weights up front on the bumper - it helped me a lot getting a bit better weight distribution. Steering responsiveness and front grip improved a lot.
-Lipo battery will help you with both weight and performance
Hope this helps. Good luck! :-)
Thanks RobertCRO, glad you enjoyed the (long) read. I appreciate the suggestions - didn't know about the Stampede 4x4 shafts, I'll definitely check those out! Gotta love the Stampede guys - you guys are true innovators & have some amazing builds. My trans case does have 3 degrees of toe in already, which was the best single thing I've done for handling so far. And I was thinking about a different (sensored) motor once I get a few LiPo's to play with - I'll check out the Speed Passion as well. Once I get the speed control moved to the left side and get the LiPo's I'll see where I'm at weight wise, I was thinking about playing with added weight up front to even things out some more. Thanks again!
Last edited by FlyingTigerDad; 06-14-2016 at 09:16 AM.
Having championed the cause myself, I always love a good racing Rustler thread. Here's link to one I started a few year's back that you might find interesting.
Reading through your post, IMO I think you'd benefit most from fitting a faster steering servo and a stiffer front shock tower. I used to use an RPM front tower (before I fitted an SRT fibreglass one) and, while it's appreciable better than stock, it still has way too flexibility in it for a race truck. The RPM rear tower's OK though.
Pretty please, with sugar on top, clean the RC car
Thanks Mr. Wolf. Good to see you're still here. That post was actually one of my favorites that I dug up in my online searches becuase of the story with your son. Even though my son doesn't want to race his Slash, we still enjoy time on the track together.
I've actually had an eye on the 2518 front shock tower for awhile (even found some 2518X's still for sale on the Bay that I would love to have!), but I got the RPM some time ago (before I knew about SRT interchangeability of some parts) when I stripped the old shoulder screws out. I've long since fixed that problem, but still am going to get one of those in the not too distant future (hopefully graphite!). I agree the front RPM mount is way too flexible, but the rear seems pretty solid. The 2075 servo with the metal gear conversion will have to do for now, given the expense of a quality race-worthy servo. Any part over $20 gets hard to get past the wife lol.
I see you FlyingTigerDad
Dude, thank you for making my week. I keep an eye on the traxxas forums from time to time hoping to see threads like yours. The paint job looks sick and you've got all of the best tires on the market. Please update this thread from time to time and if I could offer you any form of support, I'll start by saying that if I started a project like this again, it'd end up a lot like how yours sits today. Once you get some more track time under your belt, I'll be here to help answer any questions you may have.
Great post!
As an old guy myself, who started in this hobby back in 1987, I share the same exact views as you do. The Rustler is a fun truck, old school feel, and has such a massive array of parts and hop ups, it's very difficult to not have fun with it.
It is always nice to see people appreciate the timeless design. I am always amazed looking at new pictures, new builds and the awesome things that Rustler owners come up with.
Thanks WhiteBuffalo. Keep your eyes peeled, as I will have updates to this project as I move along...
Oaks!!! I'm so glad to see you're still around on the forum! I can't begin to tell you how much I've enjoyed reading your posts and following your racing adventures. Your truck(s) were awesome and I was sad to see you call it quits after such an amazing run, but I know how it goes sometimes. All your efforts and hard work have not been in vain, though, as portions of your builds live on in those like me that you have inspired!
I appreciate the compliments, coming from someone with your Rustler experience it means alot. I will definitely be in touch here seeking your expertise as I continue to refine my build.
Here are some new pictures of the chassis. Since my original post I got my hands on some silver rear Losi springs (Orange were too soft for the big jumps, and greens were to stiff), and I replaced the Upper chassis with a factory black one - only $4, and really don't care too much for they grey (it just doesn't look racey enough for me, I guess). I do plan to replace the lower chassis with black as well a little later.
Last edited by FlyingTigerDad; 06-15-2016 at 10:09 AM.
Looks good! It's great to see someone who still realized the potential in the rustler.
I raced mine last year and I will add that the titanium coated shock shafts are great investments. You won't bend any more shafts during races. Also adding some weight up front helps with the steering. I believe I had an ounce up there.
The stampede 4x4 driveshafts hold up really well and they are light weight.
This will TOTALLY work, saw a guy on YouTube do it
Thanks Jimdog. It seems this thread is brining out all the Rustler racers - I love it! I really like the idea of the titanium shafts - I know Traxxas makes a nice set. I checked out the Stampede 4x4 driveshafts from post #6 (RobertCRO) and that looks like a must have for me too - these things are right up my alley, bolt-on, lightweight, strong and not too pricey, can't beat that!
Keep an eye out for more as I continue with the build I'll post more pics. And maybe if can recruit decent camera person, I'll get a video up from the track too.
Looking good!
But I see on these pictures that you already have plastic driveshafts and not HD steel traxxas ones?
The ones on the pictures will do just fine.
Oh yes, please remember that you will need to readjust your springs and preload settings after switching to 2S Lipo, since the difference in weight is noticeable compared to 7 cell Nimh.
P.S. Regarding the Stampede, I wasn't at peace until it was like I imagined. Few more mods but it handles just fine: :-)
Yea, I think I used the wrong description in the list of upgrades in the beginning of the post - should have read - steel differential yokes. I just didn't know if the Stampede 4x4 shafts were different when you mentioned them. Alot of guys say to use the Slash 4x4 plastic sliders because they are beefier than the stock Rustler ones, I thought that's what yours had.
Definitely will need to make preload/spring adjustments when the Lipo's arrive - I weight the 7 cell NiMh and it's almost double the weight of a standard 2s LiPo!
Cool video too - man that thing is fast and stable!
I hope everyone has a great Father's Day. I'll be heading to the track this weekend with the familiy myself. I even talked the wife into coming (hey, somebody's gotta turn marshall! lol) - she's such a trooper. Below is a picture of the track, or at least a portion of it, with the tiny Rustler in the middle in it's original XL5 form. It's from it's first time at the track right after I got it.
As you can see it's quite large, and a great place to run. I'll post an update after the weekend (hopefully with more pictures) and let you know how the truck did.
Well, I tried to make it to the track yesterday, but the current heatwave here in SoCal kinda killed it. When I left my house early in the morning it was already 95 degrees, with the noon time temp supposed to be 107. When I went to the track a little later it was 112 degrees! So, with very little shade to hide in and blistering temps, I didn't want to fry my electonics - I called it a day. I did stop by the hobby shop and picked up a Kimborough #124 servo saver to tighten up the steering a bit. But , for now, no track performance update. I did also get the speed control moved to the left side, weight distibution seems alot better, but of course I haven't been able to test it out yet.
Last edited by FlyingTigerDad; 06-20-2016 at 11:41 AM.
Well, I hope everyone had an enjoyable & safe 4th of July. The heatwave here finally relented and I was able to get to the track for a practice session and test some of the changes/improvements. Moving the speed control to the side (and forward as far as possible) helped the trucks weight distribution alot. It moved the center of gravity forward about an inch to an inch and a half. Now the truck jumps flat and can be easily adjusted in flight with minor throttle/brake input if needed. Switching to the silver Losi springs in the rear (with 50wt. oil) seems to be the perfect balance for the large jumps at this track. The Kimborough #124 servo saver has made steering tight and consistent. As a matter of fact, it almost has too much steering . I was able to either out turn, or at least turn with anything that was on the track that day.
The only issue I ran into all day was traction. The track was very dry, hard and dusty and no tire combination was working for anyone. The two 1/10th scale buggies that were running (B5M's) were just doing donuts around the track, and the two 1/8th scale electric 4WD buggies were struggling as well, so I know it wasn't anything with just my truck. I just set the clutch real loose and stayed out of the throttle as much as possible, and I was able to put down some decent laps.
I did have one more thing to test - my new SPC 2S 50C LiPo! Yes, I finally broke down and joined the LiPo battery crowd. I chose SPC because of the many excellent comments about them here from racers & bashers alike. I couldn't be happier about that choice. At $38.95 delivered to my door, it's hard to beat for the quality you get. The weight savings (half to two thirds a pound!) is HUGE. Now I'm within a few ounces of a fully laden T5 or 22T. And, of course, the battery's performance was outstanding. It was difficult to really measure their true performance capabilities, given the dry slippery condition of the track, but I could certainly tell the difference none the less.
One of latest updates to come is a 2518X Traxxas graphite front shock tower. I managed to score one (new in the package) online for $8, and should receive it today! I'm definitely excited about that - and anxious to see how that firms up the front suspension. I'll have more pics up when I get it installed...
Last edited by FlyingTigerDad; 07-05-2016 at 11:49 AM.
It's been a little while since my last update, so I wanted to give a quick post and bring everyone up speed on where the Rustler's at these days. I've had a little break in the build, as I took the family on our annual summer vacation last month. Then upon our return home we came back to everything being on fire! The Southern California Sand fire was only blocks away from my house! Thank God our home was spared, and my prayers go out to those who were less fortunate. Also, props to all the brave firefighters that worked tirelessly to save as many homes as they did. Many of which fought for 36-48 hours straight in 110-115 degree outside air temperature (plus the extreme heat of the fire) in full gear. Thank you and bless you all.
As far as the truck goes, since my last post, I did get my 2518X graphite front shock tower installed - and it's awesome. The front suspension is nice and solid now. Actually thinking about eventually getting the Anza setup for the rear too. While I've been on a little break with the truck, I've been doing a lot of research & thinking about suspension and setup. Recently I was tinkering with rear shock mounting positions and I noticed that, once again, my rear shock shafts were bent. This only confirms in my mind that the current setup is all (or at least mostly) wrong. It's far too stiff & heavily dampened to work properly. In my attempts to handle the larger jumps at the track, I went too far and overcompensated with my shock/spring/dampening changes.
I spent a bit of time checking out the setup sheets of factory drivers from Associated & Losi for various tracks that their national events were run on that are similar to my track, as well as educating myself further on the finer points of RC suspension from this site - http://profile.php?do=editpasswords.telenet.be/elvo/ that other have posted here before.
What I've taken away from all of this new found knowledge will now be applied to my truck in the form of a much softer & better balanced setup. These changes will include the following; 32.5wt Losi shock oil in the front with (a return to) pink Losi springs, 35wt Losi shock oil in the rear with Losi red springs - shock down travel limiters of 2mm in front, 1mm in the rear, with a small amount of rear up travel limit as well (planning on using some rubber pieces similar to what the Slash uses on the rear XXL Ultra shocks). I'll be playing with rear lower shock mounting position - probably moving out one hole.
And lastly (with the new front shock tower), once all of this is sorted out, I can try out some roll center changes to see what position works best.
First things first, though - I placed an order for some parts yesterday that include the aforementioned shock oil, but I also ordered the Traxxas titanium nitride shock shafts to (once and for all) take care of the bent shafts currently on the truck. These should arrive and get on the truck this week, so hopefully I'll get in a test session by next weekend. Once everything is installed I'll post some updated pictures & let everyone know how the changes work out.
Last edited by FlyingTigerDad; 08-06-2016 at 01:12 PM.
Yah good thread. I'm in the process of, well gonna be tuning my rustler more from basher to track set up, & this helps. Keep the updates coming
Please watch the *s in your posts.
Last edited by ksb51rl; 08-06-2016 at 09:39 PM.
Traxxas E-Revo,Traxxas Rustler VXL,Traxxas T-Maxx
Thanks, SandSlinger. I'm really glad that my post is able to help people here - that's one of the main reasons I wanted to document my build on this forum. When I first got my Rustler, I came here to learn about the truck and brand that I wasn't familiar with, and found so many helpful/informative people that I wanted to be able share all of the things I have learned and experiences I have had going through this build. Keep checking back here, as I will continue with updates and information as the truck progresses....
O.k., time for an overdue update. I've been able to get quite a bit done on the truck, and have been to the the track twice to test everything out, so I have much to tell! First up, the Traxxas 2518X graphite front shock tower - this increasingly rare but awesome part makes the front end rock solid. When bolted to the aluminum front bulkhead that I installed some time ago, it removes any flex whatsoever, allowing the suspension to do its job. [IMG][/IMG]
Next, while on the front end - I purchased a set of STRC aluminum caster blocks in gunmetal gray. While I'm still not real big on aluminum parts for racing, the stock design for the caster block is just so weak that if it's to be retained (without going to a Nitro Rustler setup, or something) then it's the only viable option to still run the same wheels front & rear. I will say that i was very surprised by how light these were, but more on weight in a bit.
I also installed a set of Traxxas titanium coated shock shafts at all four corners to eliminate continually bending the stock ones. While I was on the shocks, I did lighten the weight of oil being used to 32.5wt Losi oil in front and 35wt Losi oil in the rear, as I mentioned in an earlier post. Once the shock rebuild was completed, I played with a handful of different springs to finish things off. My original plan was was to just use some softer Losi springs that I was running before, but they just didn't seem to feel right, so I looked in my spare parts and found some springs that I really liked the feel of with the new softer dampening setup. That being (surprise, surprise) the original stock Rustler linear front springs, and a set of Traxxas E-Maxx red 2.5lb rate 2.75 inch long linear springs for the rear. The final mod on the shocks was 2mm of down travel limiters front & rear, and some custom made up travel limiters/bump stops for the rear. The next thing for the rear suspension was the installation of 0.5mm spacers under the rear inner hinge pin mounts to adjust anti-squat to 2 degrees.
Next up to complete the newly refined suspension setup, was something I just had to have and couldn't resist after getting my hands on the graphite front shock tower. That being, a matching rear graphite shock tower, of course. So, after seeing how well the front worked I knew I would have to do the rear as well. I used an Anza rear tower kit (part# 3638) which is absolutely amazing in fit, finish & functionality. Not only does it make the rear suspension as solid as the front now, it also adds the setup options for camber link locations and shock upper mounting positions.[IMG][/IMG]
Since I was making all of these improvements, I had to get rid of the battery retaining bar/clip setup as well. I really disliked dealing with those annoying clips, so I replaced that whole thing with a nice velcro strap I had in my spare parts bin. Future mod will be to add one to the rear as well, getting rid of the no longer used ESC mount altogether.[IMG][/IMG]
Here's a few more pics showing suspension droop for good measure....
Now, about that weight.... I've done a lot of research on the weight of competitors race trucks. Paying close attention to T4.2's, T5M's & 22T's in particular. All the while watching how the changes I've made to the Rustler have been affecting it's weight. Here's what I've found - an Associated T4.2 weighs 1756 grams without a battery, both the T5M & 22T weigh 1885 - 1890 grams fully loaded (with battery) and ready to go. And the Rustlers current weight?.....
Yes, that scale reads 1788 grams without a battery - only 32 grams more than a T4.2. Now, along with ditching the ESC mount (and screws), the future will also bring a 540 can sized race motor & a more competitive racing ESC. After careful checking, my calculations show that this will shed another 120 grams - bringing the Rustlers weight to 1668 grams without a battery! I'm using the T4.2 as a benchmark since the other two trucks are not only mid-motor setups, but are also designed to use "shorty" LiPo packs. So how do batteries affect these equations? Well, the average "shorty" LiPo's run anywhere from 200 to 250 grams, depending on Mah rating & manufacturer. Since ROAR rules currently require a stadium truck to have a minimum weight of 3.5lbs. (1588 grams) without a battery, 4lbs (1815 grams) with a battery, I would presume the "pro's" are running packs that weigh about 240-250 grams. This would put their trucks at about 1635-1640 grams. And that means once the Rustler gets to it's final form it will be 88 grams lighter than a T4.2, and only 28-33 grams more than the latest, greatest mid-motors race bred trucks!! Not too shabby for an "outdated, heavy" truck. Amazing how perception can be quite deceiving.
So, wondering how all of this translated to track performance? One word - incredible! Driving the truck now is such a pleasure and so easy to go really fast around the track, lap after lap. Steering, both on and off power is great, side bite on the sweepers is amazing. The only real remaining fault is the weight of the Velineon systems' 550 motor & ESC, which will soon make its way to my son's XL5 Slash (something he's been chomping at the bit for). But that's a whole 'nother story...
So here we are at the end of this update, and I'd like to acknowledge the "budget" portion of the recent changes made. Once again, while I've done a great deal, I've spent relatively little. The single most expensive upgrade made was the rear shock tower kit - an item I believe has had one of the largest impacts on the trucks newfound handling manners. Here's the breakdown of the money...
Traxxas front shock tower - $8
Traxxas titanium shock shafts - $16 (2 pairs)
STRC aluminum caster blocks - $16
Losi 32.5 & 35wt oil - $6 (for both)
Traxxas Front & Rear springs - $0 (from spare parts on-hand)
Velcro battery strap - $0 (from spare parts on-hand)
Anza Rear shock tower kit - $38
Please let me know if you have any questions/comments about the build & thanks for reading!
Last edited by FlyingTigerDad; 09-06-2016 at 12:53 AM.
Hello fellow Rustler fans. Quite a bit has taken place since my last post 6-7 weeks ago. So, birthday time has come and gone, and with it, through the generosity and support of this hobby from my family, has come some significant items from the "wish list". Most notably, a new racing ESC & motor combo, some new (and desperately needed) tires, 2 new LiPo batteries, a new slipper clutch system, and some various hardware.
First up, the ESC & motor combo. As you all know, there are many choices for these items, and that choice tends to be a very personal one, based on preference, budget, track conditions & truck set up. As I sifted through the endless offerings by various manufacturers, I had a specific set of criteria that needed to be met. The ESC had to have all of the usual adjustable features - i.e., drag brake & brake strength, punch control & power frequency, timing adjustments, and the availability of having reverse. Also, I wanted something with a minimum constant output of 100A. For the motor it was a bit easier, I wanted a 7.5T with a 12.5mm rotor, adjustable timing, 540 sized, sensored & light weight. And, of course, it couldn't be too expensive. With all of that in mind I decided on the Reedy Blackbox 1000z ESC & Sonic Mach 3 7.5T combo. This set up met all of the specs I had laid out as well as being a matched combo - something I believe is a big benefit in optimizing integration & performance of components. Here's what it looks like in the truck...[IMG][/IMG]
Next up, the batteries. At first I just got one SPC 5200 mAh 70C 2S Lipo (which is awesome, by the way), but then I found out they were getting out of the battery business, so I tried to order another the day I heard this, but by this time they were already out of stock on all 2S LiPo's that would work for me. Heartbroken by that news I immediately looked to SMC for something good, only to find that all of their decent batteries we on "pre-order" only. So after a bit of looking around I decided to try a Trinity Titanium series battery. I went with a 4500 mAh 50C 2S that looked promising. I haven't tested that one yet, but I like the fact that being a slightly lower mAh rating, it's very light weight. Once again, looking to what the "pro's" run, I noticed that they seem to prefer batteries rated between 4300-4700 mAh's - presumably for weight savings. As a comparison, the 4500 mAh Trinity weights 245g, the 5000 mAh SPC weights 264g and the 5200 mAh SPC weights 266g.
Next, the tires. I've been running pretty much Pro-line & Jconcepts exclusively, but a number of guys at the track use and recommended trying some Panthers. So I got 2 different one's to try - some Micro Rib front tires in a medium-soft compound and a pair of Panther Switch 2.0's for the rear, also in a medium-soft compound. In addition to those, I did get one more pair of Pro-line Suburb's, this time in the MX blue-groove compound to round things off. You can see the Micro-Ribs fairly well in this picture - they kind of remind me of the old TRX SRT front tires.
As you can see, I did also finally get the stock black lower chassis - so now the truck has (at least to me) that "all business" race truck look. And while I was replacing the chassis I did wind up replacing all of the hardware that was phillips head screws left over from the trucks XL5 beginnings with black hex head hardware.
When I did the chassis I also got rid of the big (heavy) receiver box - no need for it on the track, since I don't run in any water. Besides, the racing electronics aren't waterproof, so why lug around that box? As you can see in these pics, the receiver is actually quite small & light - so is the ESC.
The last big item to go on the truck was an Associated slipper clutch set up. I used the STRC layshaft with a new Traxxas gear (so I could preserve the original factory set up complete) and installed the latest V2 version of the clutch. This system has the vented pressure plates, the large "heavy duty" pads and the large spring & retaining washer. Sorry, no pics of this on the truck yet - I just got this part done this past weekend. I can say that this system is extremely smooth and quiet running though, compared to the factory clutch as well as a little bit lighter.
So far the only problem I've encountered is being able to find the time to get to the track to test all of this good stuff. I've been super busy at work (annual physical inventory time), so I've only been able to make a few runs on the street. I can say this however - the truck was quick in its XL5 form, fast with the VXL system, but ballistic with the new set up. I'm starting at 84T/18T gearing to be conservative and will adjust that as needed once it hits the track and I can check performance & temps.
I do want to go off on a tangent about weight, but that will have to wait for a follow-up post shortly. So for now here's where the truck is in its current form, weight wise.
Without a battery
With the SPC 5200 mAh 70C battery.
And one parting "beauty" shot of my baby.
Last edited by FlyingTigerDad; 10-25-2016 at 01:18 PM.
It's hard to believe that I've had my Rustler for a year now. As I look back through the beginnings of this post and of my build, the transformation from the trucks humble XL5 start to where it is now is quite amazing. So, now it's time for my tangent on weight, but before I get started I need to make a correction to a bit of information I had in an earlier post with regards to ROAR rules on weight. Since one of my goals here is to provide good, accurate, usable information to help others with similar race truck builds, it's important that I make this correction. Earlier I stated that ROAR rules for minimum weight was 3.5lbs. for a truck without a battery & 4lbs. with a battery - this is not the case. I recently checked the 2016 rule book and it states for 1/10th scale stadium trucks (any class) a minimum race weight of 60oz. in ready to race form. That translates to 1701 grams, or 3.75lbs. Now that this is corrected, I can continue to put things into perspective with my findings on the weight of my truck and of our competitors trucks.
The last picture on the scale of my truck empty, shows a weight of 1615 grams. This was before I installed the Associated V2 slipper mod. After doing that, I weighed the truck again and it is now at 1606 grams without a battery. So, with the lightest battery I have installed, it weighs 1851 grams, and with the heaviest 1872 grams. There are still a few things I have yet to do on the truck that will lower those numbers a bit more. For instance, when I replaced the chassis with the factory black one, I was going to get rid of the old ESC mount and use a second velcro strap to retain the battery in the back, but my (cheap imitation) dremel took a dump and I don't want hack up the new chassis to modify it as needed until I can do a clean job. That mod will more than likely drop a few more grams, taking the truck to what I estimate to be around 1585-1595 grams empty. That's about as far as I'll be going with any any modifications that will have any significant impact on weight from this point forward.
Way back in the beginning of my build and in one of my first posts I said that I wasn't extremely concerned with overall weight, but more with weight distribution - particularly front to rear, as the Rustler (and most rear motored trucks) are very rear heavy. I know it sounds like I'm obsessed with total weight, given the concentration I've put on the numbers, but I'm really not. I'm just trying to make a very clear point and get rid of the really huge misconception that the Rustler is too heavy to be competitively raced without taking drastic measures to lighten it. If I really wanted to get extreme with weight savings, there are many things I could still do, like replace all of the hardened steel screws with aluminum, replace all of the heavy steel turnbuckles with aluminum or titanium ones, replace all of the steel lock nuts with nylon, etc. But I don't really want to go through the expense (still have a budget, after all), or sacrifice any strength to accomplish this - I just don't see the need for it given how light the truck is now.
O.K., so now to give all of this information some real world perspective concerning the competition. Remember that a stock T4.2 weighs 1756 grams empty (no battery) and that the "average" T5M & 22T weighs in at 1885-1890 grams with a battery. Comparing this to where my Rustler is at today, this means that an empty T4.2 is 150 grams heavier, and even with my heaviest battery installed, the T5M & 22T are 13-18 grams heavier! Keep in mind also that this is with the stock, unmodified (not hacked up) chassis and no drastic weight saving measures taken.
Now it seems that most everyone (in terms of manufacturers) is real reluctant to reveal any kind of numbers regarding weight of their trucks. I believe there are two primary reasons for this - first, the competitors trucks being "kits" are very dependent on the type of electronics installed (servo, ESC, motor, etc.) & battery's used, that have a great impact on total weight. Second, I think all of the major manufacturers want their trucks to be perceived as "light & nimble". But reality is a little different. When I was doing some searching to find accurate weight numbers on the competitors trucks, I spent some time "lurking" on their forums looking for information. What I found almost made me die laughing. It would seem that racers of the competitors trucks have the exact same issues, concerns and challenges with weight that we do. It appears that most of their trucks run anywhere from 1850-2100 grams in full race weight! And most struggle with various mods and/or parts to reduce those numbers. I also found what I think is the most valuable piece of information regarding the weight of their trucks, and what will put this topic to bed once and for all - that being the "actual" racing weight of the National Champion drivers trucks, as they were raced. Brent Thielke racing modified truck - 1977 grams, Ryan Cavalieri racing modified truck - 1922 grams, and Spencer Rivkin racing stock truck - 1789 grams. Some of you may not recognize these names & some may, but these are, and have been for many years, the top team drivers in the country.
So, there's my little rant & tutorial on Rustler weight 101. Future posts will now continue with further mods and progress on the build, and on racing results. Unless anything I do significantly changes the weight of my truck, I won't be covering this anymore (whew!). I do plan on putting up a post soon with a new, full list of everything that I've done to the truck with part numbers and prices, as well as current set up info. I'm also trying to get a set up sheet finalized for the Rustler, since no one makes one currently.
I hope some find this information helpful, if not at the very least interesting. Thanks for checking this out, and remember, the next time you're at the track, should any "brand name" snobs give you lip about running a Traxxas - just ask them what their truck weighs and watch them fume
Man, ive followed this thread from the beginning and i cant even explain how much it has helped me. I am currently building a rustler of my own and I hope it is okay with you but my truck will basically be a sister truck to yours. Because everything you have described in this thread is how I envisioned my truck being the only difference is I will be running in the 10.5 class. Thank you so much for posting all of this and I look forward to more updates!
Thanks "J" - it's good to hear from you. I'm certainly honored that you would want to build a sister truck to mine. I'm not sure what gives me the warm fuzzies more - knowing there is a duplicate to my truck out there somewhere, or that my thread is really helping people with their setups.
How is the truck coming along? I'd love to see some pictures of your truck as you go through your build.
I did finally manage to get to the track since my last round of upgrades/changes, so I will be posting another update fairly soon with a track report. I'm only waiting until I get my upgrade list & setup sheet finished.
I look forward to seeing it. So far my truck is in pieces so not much to show yet but i am hoping to pick up the rpm case soon but i dont know what gears i want to do. I will be running 2s so i may go metal just for added peace of mind. So far i have the rpm arms with the wide front and will be using blue traxxas camber links. I have my srt front tower but i need to figure out a good rear tower. And i need to pick up an updated slipper assembly. Lots to do still but i hope to be turning laps by spring!
I love how much weight savings you've achieved. I try an do the same thing. every extra piece of plastic and screw that goes with it, they add up. Great job. Minimalistic.
Definitely look forward to seeing that! As far as a rear tower goes, you can't do better than the Anza, if it's within budget. If not, the RPM is actually decently rigid for the rear (the front is just way too floppy, though), you just give up the nice adjustment options for the cost savings. Metal gears in the trans are the way to go if you're like me and don't want to continually tear down the trans for repairs - plastic just won't last with a good amount of brushless power. And if you want to go with a nice Associated slipper, check Ebay first - great deals on complete setups. I've seen them from $12-$15, then all you'll need is the STRC layshaft for about another $11.
Good luck on the build process, and let me know if I can help with anything specific that may not be in the thread.
Thanks, Ian. And you're absolutely right, all the little things add up quickly. Paying attention to detail pays off in the end, and less is definitely more!
I couldnt tell from the pics. What are you using for the actual body mount on the front tower?
The entire front body mount setup is all stock Rustler that came with the truck. It bolts to the SRT tower perfectly and lines up with the stock body holes.
Okay awesome! And on the subject of the shock Tower is it threadable? Or do I need to go to a nut and bolt style of mounting for the shocks?
The SRT tower only has holes that go straight through - it's not thick enough (only about 3mm) to thread, so you will want long screws with nuts on them. Just make sure to use a lock nut, so things don't loosen up while running.
Just re-read your question, I think I may have mis-understood you & thought you were talking about the front tower for some reason, not the rear. At any rate, on the rear, if you go with the Anza & get the "kit" it is similar to the SRT front in that it is thin with just holes that go through & will require screws with nuts that come in the kit - the kit includes all the hardware for shock mounting. The RPM is much thicker & can be threaded, but you'll still want long screws that go all the way through with lock nuts on them.
Last edited by FlyingTigerDad; 11-30-2016 at 04:21 PM.
Perfect. And i definitely want the anza it looks great! Do you happen to have a link to it?
Hey tiger! Did some work and have the truck down to all the parts im keeping. Im not sure how to post pics though lol
That's great news, J. I'm excited to see the details of the build & excited for you - it'll be awesome once it's all together. Spring is right around the corner!
Posting pictures is a little bit of process - here's the Traxxas Forum tutorial link, if you haven't already seen it - https://traxxas.com/forums/showthrea...sting-Tutorial. Most forums won't let you post pictures directly, you need a "host" like Photobucket or Picture Trail. Personally I like Picture Trail, pretty user friendly and you get a nice free trial period.


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Discussion Comments
Helichrysum is one of the natural oils I bought from the organics store. It smells kind of like honey, sweet but not very strong. I had read about some of the benefits at the store but never got a chance to try it until one of my dogs had an accident. Both of my dogs are troublemakers and they end up getting hurt a lot running up and down the house. The other day, one of my dogs was chasing the other and tripped and fell down the stairs. She got up but started to limp. My dog usually doesn't react much to injuries but she was crying this time and I knew that she got hurt badly.
I applied some ice on the leg first and then decided to try the helichrysum oil because I had read that it was good for injuries. If it's good for us, it must be good for animals too right? I applied it on her leg and made sure she didn't lick it until it absorbed. She slept for about half an hour and woke up and walked without a limp! I was going to take her to the vet if it didn't get better and it seemed to be pretty bad. But it was all better in just half an hour. I really think that helichrysum oil can heal injuries.
I'm really interested in essential oils because I prefer using natural remedies rather than taking medications and pain relievers. Most of the essential oils I read about have aromatherapy benefits and some benefits for skin, but helichrysum is the only oil I've read about which has benefits for so many ailments.
It's good for colds and flu, rheumatism, sprains, aches and migraines. It's said that it is good for circulation and has benefits for high blood pressure.
I personally use it for its detox and pain relieving benefits. I include it in my bath water once a week. Sometimes I mix it with other oils like peppermint or bath salts like sea salt and Epsom salt in a bucket of water and put my feet in it. I feel like it undoes the damage from wearing high heels all day. It also hydrates my skin and is a great way to rejuvenate after a tiring week. I'm sure that I'm benefiting from all of its other uses as well.
I bought helichrysum oil during my pregnancy because I heard that it prevents stretch marks. My skin is not very flexible at all, I have stretch marks from even before my pregnancy and despite that, I didn't develop any new marks thanks to this oil.
We still have some left and my husband and I use it when we have a bruise or after bug bites. It's great for tired feet too! It is a bit expensive but you only need a little bit, so it will last you for some time. I bought mine about a year ago.