Chevy Silverado SS on X-trail

[jon8christine]

Well here goes my first build thread.

I started with an AX10 and an x-trail chassis. I took the green off (not quite done) with oven cleaner and then chucked the links in my drill and spun it while polishing with Maas (much quicker than a Dremel).



...made a custom 4-link for the rear, which I need to paint so it blends in more.



I was experimenting with eliminating torque twist, but ended up with both links mounted underneath.

The shocks are stock, droop with internal springs. I realize I need leaf springs for springless shocks to look right, but what the heck. I've been looking for some smaller shocks that will be better, but haven't come up with the right look, price etc.

I picked up some scrap delrin for almost free in the scrap bin at the plastic place and made a tranny mount/skid. I need to make a more scale looking skid to cover it, or paint it, but it is functional. I moved the tranny in so the drive lines were more centered.




I haven't decided if I want to make a drop bed yet or not, so for the mean time I cut some styrene and painted it the body color for an easy way to simulate a truck bed in the wheel wells and hide everything else.



kinda like this



guess I should put it over the shock mount!

did the same for the front, except black



I wanted easy access and didn't really like the idea of velcro, so I came up with a front pivoting body mount system that releases in the rear with body clips.

In front a rod is attached to the body that is then attached between the frame rails. It pivots on this rod.



In the rear two body posts are attached to the body and they go through two holes in the battery plate and are held in place with body clips.




Just pop out the two body clips and the body rotates up for access to the battery etc.



Besides the fact that I can't decide what to do with my wheels and tires...see this thread Wheel weights in 1.9 scaler? & RC4WD tires on HPI wheels? it's in running shape now, so I guess I have to go scratch it up.

Front end... made a fake steering stabalizer. I don't really like how the bumper turned out, so that may have to change to a more rock crawleresque one.

[SoCalMike]

Nice Work like your body mount system

[j_dub]

looks good bro. where do you get that body?

[pardonmyn00b]

Thats a nice clean looking truck. great job

[jon8christine]

Originally Posted by j_dub

looks good bro. where do you get that body?

Thanks, I bought the body online at Boscovs.com last year. It's the 1:12 Dale Earnhardt Silverado SS RC. The body has been shaved and filled a little.

[89crxsir]

Can you tell me what the wheelbase is on that truck body? I'm loving your truck man. Looks real nice.

[goodoldlevi]

Very nice clean and simple

[jon8christine]

Originally Posted by 89crxsir

Can you tell me what the wheelbase is on that truck body? I'm loving your truck man. Looks real nice.

Thanks. I need to get some stickers for it and I'm going to paint the toneau cover and rear 'wing' black next. Wheelbase is right at 12". Rear end is 6 7/8" wide, and 6 3/4" wide at the
front end.

[89crxsir]

Thanks for letting me know. Looks killer

[jon8christine]

Well I bought some used 100mm scale shocks and the suspension articulation is much more realistic, new rims and tires complete the new look. Check out some pics of the trip to Louis Lake.






Some extreme tire wrap.









I need to find a better picture editing software that doesn't blur the image so much when resizing it to fit within RCC size requirements. What do you guys use?

Also need to figure out how to edit some quicktime videos I shot on my camera and I'll post them up.

[CRAWLERCRAZY]

Sweet pics man. Truck looks good to.

[kalin96]

Might want to fix the four link, mount the left link in the pic on top like the right one or mount the right one under the plate like the left one

[C-MuRdaA]

Mounting the links like that helps lessen torque twist.

[kalin96]

Oh i see now, yeah it looks like it will help

[jon8christine]

Thanks. I love tuning and testing and am constantly changing link locations. I actually have both on the bottom right now (seems to crawl up steeper inclines that way), it does have some torque twist, but it's liveable.

[venomous98]

How do you like those RC4WD "all terrain" tires. I was thinking of getting a set but still unsure. Are they made of a really soft compound or hard, i have a set of the RC4WD "bfg mud terrains" and they are way too soft.

[Rokslayer]

That is a sweet ride How is the crawlin at louis lake? i live in RS and thought about checkin it out. Looks like fun.

[jon8christine]

Originally Posted by venomous98

How do you like those RC4WD "all terrain" tires. I was thinking of getting a set but still unsure. Are they made of a really soft compound or hard, i have a set of the RC4WD "bfg mud terrains" and they are way too soft.

The Dirt Grabbers are soft with the stock foams. They roll and squat on the rims a little more than I would like, but they're not too bad. I've been thinking about adding some foam to the sidewall. They hookup on the rocks reasonably well. I mostly bought them because I loved the scale look, though I wish RC4WD would make them in a 3.5" tall version instead.

I've just posted a video here, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4uuW3wm64pQ .

[jon8christine]

Originally Posted by Rokslayer

That is a sweet ride How is the crawlin at louis lake? i live in RS and thought about checkin it out. Looks like fun.

Not bad at all...check out the vid. Mostly rocks scattered around and not long continuous runs at the campground, but I didn't have time to venture far. I generally bring my crawler where ever I go camping if I have one together.

[2500hdon37s]

im glad to see another chevy on here!!!! looks real good!