Basic Toyota Land Cruiser FJ40: Beginner's Build

[eddievedder]

This "build thread" is designed to help me make a capable basic cralwer toy truck and to help you (if you decide you want to) build something similar to this toy turk Toyota as I will try to document it as best I can with part numbers, specs, measurements, etc...

I will use pictures, words and sometimes numbers to explain the "build process".

Most of the parts will be brand new. The build will be that of an iconic 4x4 vehicle in the form of a Toyota FJ40 Land Cruiser.


Axles are previously owned. They are RC4WD Ultimate Yota axles. They have the RC4WD 4 link mount and optional XVD axles. These can easily be sourced new and used.


The chassis is an aluminum Reign RC K2-3S chassis. The chassis is discontinued (can probably be found in the classified section here from time to time) but it is a basic design and one that can easily be fabricated if desired. It measures 12" in length, 2.5" tall and 3.5" wide. it weighs about 7oz. The wheelbase can be about 8"-12" depending on the links. This one comes with a pre-drilled delrin tranny skid plate, already drilled to fit a few different transmissions, like the Axial SCX10 tranny and the RC4WD R2 tranny.



Ive used these parts many times for links and they are tried and true so I stuck with what works for this type of build. I made the links by using HPI Hell Fire Turnbuckles pt#86535 (80mm in length) for the upper links, and with Traxxas Revo rod ends pt#5347 you get about 95mm with room for adjustment.
Lower links are HPI Savahe tie rods pt#86072 (70mm long) 85mm eye to eye with the above mentions rod ends.

[eddievedder]

With the beefy rod ends and links you have room for adjustment to help get your wheelbase spot on. The Tamiya Land cruiser body is 9.9" according to Tamiya's specs. I will probably set it right at that or maybe at 10" with the front axle a hair forward.

The links assemble pretty easily but they dont assemble themselves.




Chassis coming together with links.


Smooth bottom. Take note that nuts were used to keep the links inward.

[eddievedder]

I wont bore you with the assembly of the RC4WD R2 single speed transmission. I installed an Integy 35t motor.


The R2 has many mounting options but for this build it will be mounted from the bottom so the holes in the side of the tranny need to be covered so debris doesnt get inside when crawling rocks and gum up the gears.


I used small grub screws and some threadlock to fill in the holes.


Tranny and motor mounted from the bottom. Countersunk so the screw heads dont get you caught up on the rocks.

[1BadJeepBruiser]

Toy truck all the everything !

[eddievedder]

Originally Posted by 1BadJeepBruiser

Toy truck all the everything !

Much truck. Such toy. So toyota.

[eddievedder]

Shocks:

These have been my shocks of choice for a long time. Very rare vintage Tamiya aluminum dampers for the DF02 Tamiya number 53701. With tamiya damper oil and the "soft" setting piston, they are butter smooth and tough as steel. NEVER leak and very Tamiya reliable. The con to these are they are for the DF02 buggies which had longer rear shocks. A set comes with 2 front, 2 rear so to get 4 shocks of equal length, you need to buy two full sets. NOT CHEAP.







The rear axle shock mounts are on the lower side of the axle and on the front axle the mounts are on the top portion of the axle. I used two different length rod ends to accomodate and keep it close to the same height.



Rear axle mount ball.


Chassis mount ball nut with an axial grey aluminum spacer to keep the shock body just off of the chassis.


Rear all together.

[EeePee]

Nice, another Reign chassis truck. Cool!

You can use a Traxxas ball at the bottom links at the skid, but I can't remember if it's a Revo ball or a Stampede ball. One was wider than the other, but I don't remember which was the right one to use.

[eddievedder]

When you want to make your own bomb proof and smooth driveshafts.

Traxxas Long truck Half Shafts pt#1951 with Traxxas hardened steel yokes pt#4628x




They are pretty easy to assemble.


Rear shaft installed

[eddievedder]

The front is all together. Same steps as the rear so I wont repeat it.
NOTE: On the axle side I did NOT use the Revo rod ends but did use a "no name" brand rod end with ball to obtain a little extra length for a perfect 10" wheelbase.




RC4WD universal aluminum servo mount is my top choice. It can be mounted in so many ways and adjusted easily. I will most likely mount it directly to the front delrin chassis crossmember


Im going to take a break from the thread and start assembling the wheels/tires. I will be using S.D.I 4x4 Extra Soft Trail Doctor tires with Losi 1.9 blue foams along with Gmade VR01 white plastic "steelies". These are a great fit for the FJ40 and they are beadlocks so no glueing of tires. n00b hubs will be detailed to complete the look of the 40

[eddievedder]

Originally Posted by EeePee

Nice, another Reign chassis truck. Cool!

You can use a Traxxas ball at the bottom links at the skid, but I can't remember if it's a Revo ball or a Stampede ball. One was wider than the other, but I don't remember which was the right one to use.

Reference having to use the nut to keep the links inward on the chassis? The Revo rod ends come with the balls that have the "lip" on both sides. I think they are the widest ones ive seen.

[EeePee]

Yep, that's what I referencing. They made the skid to accept a pair of them (balls), one in the rod end and one as a spacer, I just can't remember which one right now and my trucks are allll the way over there.

[eddievedder]

Originally Posted by EeePee

Yep, that's what I referencing. They made the skid to accept a pair of them (balls), one in the rod end and one as a spacer, I just can't remember which one right now and my trucks are allll the way over there.

Pair of balls. Got it.

I think I have extra balls so I may try that. If I feel like unbolting the links that is...

But that makes sense to use them as spacers. Good stuff. Thanks!

[eddievedder]

Chassis is all tidy, wheels and tires mounted.




The springs on the shocks are Tamiya's "medium" springs. Blue are hard and red are soft. The medium stiffness was a bit too stiff so I tried the red, soft springs. Even those were a hair stiff. Since this rig will have a lexan body, there wont be too much weight added between electronics and the body so I put stock Tamiya CC01 springs on and that did the trick. Nice and soft suspension. I also moved the front shocks back to the second hole to angle them a bit.





Now it's time to start carving out the body

[hibbs]

I'm not new to building toy turks but I really like the basic information approach. Nicely done.

[Stormin2u]

Its a very nice build Eddie. It brings back memories of a decade ago and is a nice reminder of how much the RC Crawling hobby has grown and changed.

[SMW]

Ok now you got my attention.......painting the body is one thing but making lexan look good after cutting and glueing is a step I have not been successful at. Always wanted to do a FJ 45 build so I 'm hoping to learn from this build.

[eddievedder]

Originally Posted by hibbs

I'm not new to building toy turks but I really like the basic information approach. Nicely done.

Thank you sir. #keepitbasic

Originally Posted by Stormin2u

Its a very nice build Eddie. It brings back memories of a decade ago and is a nice reminder of how much the RC Crawling hobby has grown and changed.

It really is crazy to think how the hobby has changed. 10 years ago if you got ahold of a Bruiser frame, turned down TLT shocks and maybe TLT axles you were a hero. Thank you. I am having fun buildiung these "throwback" type rigs.

Originally Posted by SMW

Ok now you got my attention.......painting the body is one thing but making lexan look good after cutting and glueing is a step I have not been successful at. Always wanted to do a FJ 45 build so I 'm hoping to learn from this build.

I was thinking of weathering it slightly but then I look at the frame and all the brand new parts and realized if I was going to weather it, I should have done that to the axles and chassis and stuff. Oh well, I think Im going to go for a full frame off restoration look with fresh pistachio green paint.

[eddievedder]

This chassis is designed for simple side body posts/mounting system. Since i'm am not going for super scale appearence with said lexan body, I will be using the Tamiya CC-01 Taureg body posts on the side up front and in the rear, i mounted them towards the rear of the body. They will be mostly hidden by the spare tire and the side mounts, I will try to hide them as well. I also mounted an electronics tray using an axial tray and the same for an old 7.2 batter across the front.



Simple stock-ish ride height




Rear body mounts


Servo mount installed


Hitech 645 MG servo


In place


A reliable Futaba ESC will run the rig.

[eddievedder]

Painted up some hub caps. Getting the body ready for paint.

[eddievedder]

I painted the inside Red Oxide Primer, Metallic Silver, Copper and Flat Black. I painted the outside Satin Pistachio. It will have a slightly weathered look to the body.