Trail Finder Jeep YJ
 

I started this build a while ago and there is a build thread posted on www.rcjeeps.com but I wanted to share here as well.

The kit itself is good quality as usual for RC4WD but the wheelbase is way off for the Tamiya YJ body.

I built it stock right out of the box. It is the leaf spring edition and you can see after I slapped one of my YJ bodies on it that the wheel base stock is off.
http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/r...J/IMG_0046.jpg

Here is a pic on RC4WD website and if you look closely you can tell that the wheel base doesnt match up perfectly but the YJ is angled enough to fool you.
http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/r...J/DSC_8846.jpg

Anyway I did some mods to get the WB where I wanted.
First I dug into my spare parts and found some OG Bruiser leafs which are flatter and longer than the RC4WD leafs.
http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/r...J/IMG_0047.jpg

I drilled out the center and mounted the leaf to the inner most mounting point on the axle to extend the WB outward.
http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/r...J/IMG_0122.jpg

Since the new WB is longer the driveshafts that come with the kit no longer fit so I had a spare longer shaft that I put in.
http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/r...J/IMG_0120.jpg
http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/r...J/IMG_0115.jpg

The chassis is wider than the tranny so I had to put in spacers (not included)
http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/r...J/IMG_0116.jpg

I put in some OG Bruiser shocks too and made a rear mount out of aluminum.
http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/r...J/IMG_0117.jpg

http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/r...J/IMG_0118.jpg

http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/r...J/IMG_0119.jpg

http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/r...J/IMG_0121.jpg

Wheel base is dead on now.
http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/r...J/IMG_0124.jpg

http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/r...J/IMG_0126.jpg

http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/r...J/IMG_0127.jpg

http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/r...J/IMG_0128.jpg

After a month of talking with RC4WD about the issues of the out of the box kit, I received these in the mail as "The Fixer" for all the problems. Basically offset leaf springs. A $400 kit and this is "The Fixer"??? Not very impressed with RC4WD on this one and I have spent lots of money over the years at that store and have been pleased but I am far from pleased with this kit.
http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/r...J/IMG_0231.jpg



Has anyone else built one and had issues? Please share.

Dont get me wrong, I am happy with the kit after the mods I did but I shouldnt have to use expensive vintage parts to make an "out of the box kit" work.

Will be painting up a body soon and probably an interior to go with it.

Gonna be a slow build but if anyone has any input on the kit please advise...

Thanks

:shock: very nice, to bad about the wb issue.

WOW... Not really sure what to say right now Bob...I mean I guess its good that they recognized the problem but that to me seems like a "quick fix" and at 400$ I dont know if I would be totally satisfied with that either.

that is one sharp looking jeep, love those hinges nice work"thumbsup"
nice job on getting the wheel base to line up"thumbsup"

I don't have a TF kit, but I haven't been too impressed with the quality of some of the parts I've purchased from them. A recent incident has me to the point where I doubt that I'd even buy from them again.

I got some red springs in the mail, all 4 were bent into different shapes. I asked about it in the scale forum, where I was told to 'just bend them into shape'. After a few remarks back and forth, I just returned the whole order. Mike was good about giving a refund and quick comunication, I have to give them credit for that.

I didn't design this chassis or know anything about the "fix" they sent you, but after reading about your issues on RcJeeps I did send CAD for new scale YJ chassis rails for this kit which had the leaf mounts in the right place to give the correct wheelbase. Hopefully, they will use the CAD and release new rails for the Jeep kit soon. I'm sure you will get them when they do.

When I was communicating with RC4WD and they said that they had a team working on things and would send me replacement parts to fix the wheelbase, I assumed it was going to be new chassis rails and not some quick fix offset leafs. I am very disappointed. But thank you for your effort. I did read your post on rcjeeps. Thanks again for having my back. Maybe RC4WD will design new frame rails and send them my way. That would be them doing the right thing since I spent $400 on this kit.

Sadly I wouldnt hold your breath on that one EV.:?

I sent a mail to them

Running into the same problems:-(. Won't be very stock when I get finnished with it, lol. Had great communitcation with Mike though and really made up for it to try to help fix the issues I was working on. I would deffinately fix the wheelbase before releasing anymore though to customers or at least show a few more body on pics in the add. Problem fixed though would provide an excellent out of the box Jeep Chassis that should sell well, especially with 2 setup options (leafs/link). Adjust the wheelbase guys then you'll have another awsome chassis"thumbsup""thumbsup"

Thank you my friend!

What did they do to fix your issues?

i building mine now, i had the same WB issue, and i got RC4WD to send me new leaf springs that fit and correct the problem. a spacer for the frame IS included. its a black rectangle with two holes in it. and i also think the drive shafts are a bit short, so if you could tell me how long the one that corrected your issue is that would be great!

God dammit!

A YJ is in the mail coming my way and was wondering what I would do with it until I saw this:
http://www.rc4wdstore.com/2/product_...a81c262876cd48

And now I read that the wheel base is off on here.... Sucks because my joy just got crushed...

calm down, me and him bought ours a while ago, since they have fixed the desgin flaw, adn even have a 4 link TF one as well. so grab one now that all the R&D is done

thanks alot mate :)

Looks great, the bruiser shocks look better than the TF shocks that come with the kit. How much better do the bruiser leafs flex over the stock TF leafs?

Bruiser leafs flex great once broken in.


Ok well I started to mess with this one a bit. I am still waiting for some things to show up so body work wont start for a bit. But I did make some sweet Monroe shocks!!!

New shocks and body that will be used.

http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/r...J/IMG_0525.jpg
http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/r...J/IMG_0526.jpg
http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/r...J/IMG_0527.jpg
http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/r...J/IMG_0528.jpg
http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/r...J/IMG_0529.jpg

Monro shocks ..... should have went with atleast some Bilsteins :mrgreen:

Surprised by the ''Fix'' they think will help, do they flex at all or they like military stifness?


Do you notice the front shackles collapsing under the rigs own weight prematurely? Im running into that problem on my Tundra, they're angled like that and dont let the springs work.

Other then that looks clean, Im not a Jeep fan but your builds keep making me want to try a stab at one. Nice job adapting to the snags.

HaHa yeah I have a set of Bilsteins but I wanted to use the Monroe stickers that i had!!

I am using Bruiser leafs and they flex fine in the position they are in. I didnt even attempt to try to use the crap that I was sent as a "fix". Just tossed them in my spare stuff box. They are angled quite a but but not much weight on the rig yet. I hope no problems come from it.

Thanks for the compliments. I would love to see your take on a Jeep!!!

Shocks looks Perfect EV. "thumbsup"