Venom Speed Meter

On-Road or Off Road / Gas or Electric
The Venom Speed Meter is easy to install and calibrate on all R/C Cars & Trucks. Use the Top Speed function to determine if your set-up change increases speed. Track your motor usage between rebuilds using the Lifetime Odometer. Know what distance you traveled during the 30min Main with the Trip Odometer and never be caught with a dead battery in your car with the built-in Digital Voltmeter.

About the install. It took me over an hour to find the right spot to put the sensor for the magnet. Finally I found the right spot where the bolt held on the radio tray. The sensor was going to touch the driveshaft where I planned to put the magnet, so I put a spacer on the bolt to give a little more height for the sensor.

For the magnet, I just used the thick CA glue then sprayed it with hardener. Then using one layer of electrical tape.

I found the Carbon Fiber radio tray wouldn't give the clearance for the magnet. So I dremeled a tiny bit off to clear it.

With the sensor installed, I just hooked up the VSM to the receiver and then used some Velcro to secure it to the top of the receiver box. Also, I wrapped the wire for the sensor in electrical tape and secured it to the receiver box.

Mounting the speedometer on the savage was fairly easy. I mounted the sensor to the tabs on the bottom of the tranny. The tabs are meant for the reverse linkage so you can't use this mounting spot if you are using the reverse module. To mount the sensor I found a 3x12mm course threaded screw but any length over 10mm will work. I had to space the pickup off the tabs using a stack of washers that is 5mm high. The magnet is just glued and heat shrinked on the front center driveline. The meter is mounted on the top of the radio cover using Velcro. I reamed a small hole in the top of the cover for the power wire to go through. The calibration distance is 6.1 inches, but I am using EK-4 tires squished on RPM t-maxx rims. Top speed so far is 34 mph. One other note, I have water proofed all my electronics except the VSM. I just take off the meter and strap the sensor wire on my roll bar when I plan on running in snow or water.

I have installed the Venom Speed Meter on my Associated Monster GT and it works awesome. The only glitch I had was the instructions recommend mounting the sensor 2 to 3mm from the magnet and I was having problems with accurate readings. I lowered the sensor to 1mm and have had no problems since. The truck now has 48 miles on it and I find it hard to comprehend driving the truck that far. Until now we had no idea how many miles we put on our toy's (LOL). I have checked the accuracy against my Radar gun and find it to be with in .2mph consistently. Cant get much better than that for the price.

I have attached some photos of my installation and will describe how I installed it.

I started by installing the magnet in the rear transmission CVD knuckle. The Aluminum knuckle is very thick and I only drilled deep enough to sink the magnet (black side out) so it would be flush. I then chamfered the hole slightly and glued the magnet in using thick CA as I dropped the magnet in. I then applied a very thin coating of thin CA over the top and around the chamfer.

My next step was to reinstall the transmission so I could place the sensor directly over it. As luck would have it the supplied studs place the sensor exactly 1mm over the magnet so I installed the studs on the sensor placing them in the middle of the slots so I would have some adjustment if needed. I then marked and drilled the holes in the chassis. The inboard hole falls directly next to the chassis so I ground a flat spot on the head of a 3mm x 8mm socket head bolt, pushed it through the hole and screwed the stud to it using Loktite (arrow in photo #4). The outboard hole falls directly between the chassis vertical and horizontal planes. My cure for this was to carefully drill down through the chassis and then tap it for 3mm threads. I cut the head off a 3mm bolt making a stud out of it and then screwed it in to the supplied stud using Loktite. I then screwed the assembly in to the tapped hole in the chassis using Loktite (arrow photo #5).

My next step was to mount the Speed Sensor control box on top of the MGT battery box using Velcro. I left enough slack in the power wires and sensor wire so the lid to the battery box could still be opened for battery access and charging access without having to remove anything. I then placed black electrical tape over the sensor wire to conceal and protect it.

Installation complete, sanitary and easy access. The Speed Meter is a blast to play with and find it quite alarming at just how many miles our little toy's actually travel on a tank of fuel and just how many miles you can put on you're truck in one afternoon of bashing. If I had to complain about something it would be the power lead going to the receiver from the control box. If it was 2" longer I could open my lid for battery access fully. I will probably solder in a new lead next time I have the truck apart so this can be accomplished.