1.9 tow rig brainstorm session.

[JohnRobHolmes]

I have a want for a 1.9 tow rig, and I have a ton of old parts. The only thing I need to build/ find is my chassis, but I can't decide on what parts to use together! My thoughts are to have a rig that can tow anything, but still crawl around and use as a daily driver type of crawler. I want it heavy and scale I also want it to look normal pulling my 2.2 comp crawler and 1.9 comp crawler. Help me gather my dang thoughts!

Bodies ready to use:
GI Joe Jeep (1/6 willys) - too big probably
1/10th newbright wrangler
f-350 body
f-350 4 door body

Axles I have:
TLTs
Highlift
ax-10
Narrowed twin force (down to 6.5" hex to hex if needed)

Trannies laying around:
f350
axial
pede
twin force (with 4.4:1 or 3.3:1)


So I am totally stumped as to what I should use. I want to have a leaf sprung rear to keep a low bed and handle heavy towing duty, I know that much. I also want beefy since it will be pulling loads. Maybe even build a trailer with power supply and charger built in.

I know there has to be some opinions out there. What would you guys build with my parts?

[sloppy]

with the parts you have listed I would go f350 crew cab.. the jeeps dont look right as tow vehicles you cant tow much with a real one.

I would pretty much use all the 350 parts there well suited for towing and light trail use..

[pantablo]

-crew cab f350 for sure makes most sense as tow vehicle
-hilift axles, narrowed so you can run some deep offset wheels and still tuck them (or look scale).
-f350 trans if you want 3 speed, otherwise I'd use a pede under the hood and the axial as a transfer case.

I dont know anything about twin force so can't say anything about the axles or trans.

[life_livin]

id go with a f-350 and a ax-10 tranny and tlt axles. Its all in personal opinion.

[2JSC]

You should build some kind of motorhome or buss or something.

[sloppy]

Originally Posted by 2JSC

You should build some kind of motorhome or buss or something.

parma skool bus painted black with homes hobbies painted on the side would be pretty sweet for a tow vehicle..

[JohnRobHolmes]

A bus would be cool, but isn't much of cralwer!

Everybody has their own ideas, that is what I want! Already got some ideas flowing now.

[Wicked_Jester]

here you go, iv been wanting to build a tow rig like this

[tanner]

f-350 body(two door)
axial tranny
tlt axles

[rcjeepbuilder]

Originally Posted by crazy_crawler

here you go, iv been wanting to build a tow rig like this

I 2nd that motion! I say go with the f350 reg cab build a bed like the one pictured and bob the rear and make a fifth wheel and a goose neck trailer!!! Ok now that I decided what your going to build lets see some progress!!!!!!!!!And use the tlts! But dont run the simi wheels(yuck)...

[hairba11]

f-350, probably crew cab for the longer wheelbase, so when the trialer gets hung up on something it is less likely to wheely trying to pull it.

jeeps don't tow, sorry.

axles will depend a a couple of things. what is your projected load, and tire size.

My winnebago pitbox clocks in at 18lbs with everything in it, not counting pulling another 15lbs on a trailer. I am running super narrowed WK axles under it because of your suggestion thet the WK's would be stronger than the hi-lift.

if you are talking about a power source (lawn tractor battery) and charger on board, along with a rig, and tools you could have a trailer in the 25-30lb range.

figure a scale truck coming in at 6-8lbs, depending on how much weight you put on the front end to keep it down.

You will need 35lbs of tractive effort to move the thing when loaded

I know you Co.MO guys have a sled, do tlt's and highlifts survive 35 or 40 lbs on the sled?

looking at the twin force axles, how tall in the pumpkin? on the winnebago, I have the tamiya rock cruisers because they are harder and don't flatten out as much under load. It also gives me a whopping 5/8" of clearance under the pumpkin.

to get that load moving it will be nice to have a low range, and knowing your volt up gear down motto, I would run the 3-speed into the axial as a divorced T-case
tha axial axles would most likely take the laod, but will be too wide. I don't knoiw how easy it would be to narrow them, but i know you can use WK pinion and shaft to allow use of maxx driveshafts.
if TLT's with upgraded internals will hold it, maybe try that route
highlifts are what? slightly stronger than stock tlt's? and 6.5" wide roughly.

personally I would put the 3 speed on it's side under the hood, run it to the axial trans as a Tcase with TF axles, mostly because I haven't played with a set of those before. ground clearance may be a concern, but with as much weight as is involved something like a 1.9 rock crusher or stomper could give you the extra diff height without being obscenely out of scale for a tow rig.

my $0.02.
H

[Just Zach]

The new Tamiya Unimog body could work out well. I'm working on one myself. Big 1.9's fit best, 9.5" WB is a little short for a tow rig. TLT axles will be best too.

The F350 would work great and will look scale towing a 1.9 crawler but the 2.2 might look off.

[venom813]

F-350 4 door
TLT axles
F350 tranny and axial as a transfer case. This would give you a geared down for pulling torque and the F350 to shift up for wheels speed when needed.

[JohnRobHolmes]

I figure that the TLT and hilift axles just won't hang with the pulling. I don't have aftermarket shafts for them.

The WK or AX10 axles would be the strongest of the smaller ones, but the WK cases are easier to mod by looking at them.

This certainly help out guys, thanks. Gets me thinking outside my little bubble.

I am figuring this so far:

crew cab f350
flat bed
steel frame
Narrowed WK axles


I can look past towing a 2.2 rig with a 1.9 rig, and pretend my 1.9 rig is a kid size buggy or something This will leave me the Twin Force axles to build a high power rock racer or something similar, although I still have an inkling of want to have them under my tow rig.

[karlos]

I think the three speed tranny on its side is a good idea. May work even better using the wheely king tranny on its side as well as the transfer case (should give a lower profile). Definately F350 with a gooseneck/western hauler bed.

[JohnRobHolmes]

Yeah, the 3 spd on the side was my initial idea actually. I may just use the f350 tranny as-is, since I have a ton of room to mount it and move it around under the crew cab. If it will fit on the side under the body, I will put it into a T case.


Oh yes, I also have an Emaxx tranny to use if needed.

[hitman46mod]

You should use the f-350 4 door body, AX-10 axles and Mad Force trans.

[The1nonlyJ]

Dunno if its any help, but you should run a third rear damper plus spring to the centre of the rear axle to give extra weight support for towing, but will also allow the axle to articulate a bit better when just crawlin unloaded.

Same setup as a Landy 110's rear axle on the pickups.

[hairba11]

ok, so the three speed, on it's side under the hood, feeding the emaxx trans, running to the TF axles with max shafts or the heck with that, revo shafts.
need 1/2" square tubing for the chassis rails, just use 2 of them, don't worry about splitting one to make C's, the extra weight and strength will be worth it.
3s on a 7t puller need a bec for two shift servos and steering, might as well have a winch too.
or even better, a winch on the trailer that plugs into the back of the truck. splice into the servo power to put running lights and tails on the trailer.

1.9 true scale beadlocks with stompers. or trail doc xl's,

leafs and short coilovers in the rear, 4 link the front so there is some articulation.

the first 5 speed tow rig with working trailer winch. heck yeah!

[JohnRobHolmes]

Not too much geardown running through the emaxx tranny too? I need to do some numbers. It would technically have 6 speeds. 3 speed tranny with hi/low transfer.


I like that idea there hairball. I was gonna use 1/4" square since I have it laying around, but I may still have some 1/2" square tube still too.