Struhall's almost a build thread

[struhall]

Figured I have done enough to make it worth it to post up what I have done to my truck so far. Not going to be a spectacular or fast or expensive build, imagine a broke college kid and then take some of that money away...

Right now it is a 2.2 rig but I may be going back down to 1.9 or at least stretching some 1.9 Class 2 sized tires onto the 2.2 wheels. We don't do our runs by class other than by wheel size so class 2 or 3 doesn't matter to me as of right now.

Bought the truck from a friend and it was a mess. I started with a TCS X-Trail chassis, old AX-10 trans mount and axles, Tamiya 27t motor and Traxxas XL-5 ESC. MIP drive shaft (just one, had to buy the other), Hot Racing aluminum knuckles, STRC high clearance links, RC4WD scale shocks, 1.9 wagon wheels and Mud Thrasher tires and a Proline 1980 Chevy truck body that was cut too much.

Once I got her I got everything assembled and working but not great. Weight was too far backwards, shocks were (still are) too stiff. I just wanted to get her driving so I got everything mounted and going so I could learn what else to do. Right off the bat I mirrored the trans and put in an Axial 20t motor.

How she looked as I got her together the first time. Several runs in and the paint was flaking everywhere but she was the same for a while.


After a couple runs I learned that the tires were too small. They looked great as scale tires but were too small and our group always does G6 style events sorted by 1.9 and 2.2 classes so I bought a set of used 1.9 Rok Lox on plastic wheels. Ran them for one weekend and loved everything but the wheels. Spend a few hours (over a couple nights) weathering my steel wheels and then mounted the Rok Lox onto the steel wheels with new Crawler Innovation foams. First run out with the Rok Lox I broke my stock out drives and replaced it with a Robinson solid gear.

Rok Lox and plastic wheels.

Side by side difference.

Shot of the rusted wheels and Rok Lox. They continued rusting after this and looked better after the first run and letting the mud and funk sit on them a few days.


Stripped and painted the body again, did a crap job because I didn't have masking tape that would stick on the windows so they got blue tinted. Did some trading the next week and got myself into some new wheels, tires and a body. Traded my steel wheels, Mud Thrashers and Rok Lox (kept the C.I. foams) for one set of 2.2 Axial 8 hole wheels and another set of 2.2 wheels, which were weighted in the front, and Axial Rock Lizard tires, Proline Hammer tires and Losi Claws. Got the Axial wheels and Hammer tires mounted up (no foams for now but will probably try my 1.9 C.I. foams for this weekends event). Got the Claws tires on the other set of wheels.

Axial wheels and Hammers on the truck with the old body.


Other wheels and tires.


Also during the trade I got rid of a Traxxas 2.4 controller and busted receiver (told the guy they are cheap and would expect $20 on a good day on Ebay) and he offered up a Proline Bronco CGR body with some scale accessories already in it. I almost couldn't hide my excitement and made the trade.




Tested with the 2.2 tires and the motor got HOT. Got some new pinion gears and put them in. Couldn't stop my self from starting with the new body and I got to work. Reused my rear mount for the rear, just had to angle it. Used the old front mount right in front of the motor for the electronics and moved the battery between the shocks attached at the front of the chassis. To do this I had to remount my shocks outside the frame rails to make room. They were inside before because of how stiff they are but I am going to make due and learn to drive this way. With the new mounting my balance point front to rear is right in front of the trans mount AND it got my electronics all mounted together in a small spot.

New layout, looks like crap in this pic because this is mock up and not finalized at all.


Rear body mount.


Got some inner fenders built from a lunch meat container and painted them flat black, really stands out with the white shocks in front of them. The ridge gives it some contour and almost looks real.



Front on shot.


Somewhere along the way I made a DIY chassis mounted servo. I did not use a panhard bar and only have minor bump steer because of the way the suspension is set up. Since I did not need the mounts anymore I also shaved down the axle housing to look more scale.

Still need to build the bumpers and I am going simple as possible on this. Going to be modeled after the RC4WD Trail Finder rear bumper for front and rear with a stinger on the front. Also saw a pic today from a friend of a 1:1 Jeep with a Texas flag painted on the diff cover and I will be trying that the next time I get free time.

[struhall]

Took her out for the first time this weekend at our local groups meet in Dallas. I was super impressed with how much better she worked than the last setup and surprised myself with what I found.

Only pic I took of the rig during the competition, we were backed up a bit and I took the time to snap a couple pics.


Just a couple pics of goofing off after we finished our first run. I was done for the day so I swapped my other wheels and tires on and wanted to test how they worked compared to the first set.




I was under the impression that the Losi Rock Claws would outperform the Proline Hammers but I was mistaken. I was able to side hill better and didn't seem to roll as much and made it over a few things easier and quicker with the Hammers.

[struhall]

Got asked about a build thread today and figured it's the best time to update.

Since the last post I have done a good bit of work. Got some Super Swamper TSL SX and Axial six spoke wheels with cheap foams.



Went out a couple weekends ago and got some run time with the new wheels and tires. I was running a borrowed Yeti motor and ESC all on 3S batteries. Not even driving hard I stripped out the idler gear in the trans but was lucky enough to be able to buy one the same day. Used this setup because I was thinking about buying it (passed because of money) and partly because my motor was giving up and cogging.




After the weekend I got a new (to me) Axial 27t motor and AE2 ESC. It is taking some getting used to with a drag brake now, it's turned down to 50% and I'm still learning it.

Made myself a new tow strap with paracord. It is super strong, held up my Bronco AND my short course truck tied together no problem. Used it to hold down my spare in the back.

[struhall]

Split into two posts because I'm on a phone and it sucks when the post gets long.

After the last weekend and switching back to the brushed setup and 2S batteries I am going back down in tire size to the Proline Hammers. Even with as tall as my truck was I was still rubbing the tires on the body and I don't want to trim any further.

Once I got the tires swapped on I went about getting the body and chassis lower to fix the center of gravity. I moved my shocks to the top mounting holes. I brought my body mounts lower to bring the body itself down, I pulled it a little at a time and flexed and turned and checked for rubbing. The only rub I now have is full flex and turning but the truck will barely do it on its own without me pushing on the suspension.

Before the last trip out (when I got the new tires) I also got a set of stock shocks to replace the RC4WD scale shocks. They were too stiff and I was making new lines with just the new shocks.

Last thing I got done is my favorite. I saw it on a 1:1 rig and had to do it. I build up around the rear diff housing on the passenger side. I can still get to the screws that hold the axle halves together. I cut off the servo mounts and filled the holes. Once this was done I painted the diff to look like a Texas flag.

[struhall]

I just realized it has been 9 months since I updated this. Not much of a problem because I haven't done much, but I want to keep everything in the same spot so I'm dragging it up from the dead.

I have since added headlights and one tail light, they aren't that bright but they work and looks good.



I switched down to 1.9 wheels and tires. Same tire, just smaller. Axial beadlocks with Proline TSL SX XL and CI foams. Awesome setup and I was able to bring the body down quite a bit.



A month or so ago I purchased a new slider to do some things with this build and so I could start on another one.

First thing I did was change the axles to a true 4 link up front and the rear and put the Hot Racing lockouts from the new axles onto the rear. I had older style AX10 axles with the rear steering pieces and a turnbuckle to keep them locked and I always hated the way it looked.



During.



I swapped my axles over to the new frame, with the 4 links. I am now using normal body mounts instead of velcro because every time it got dirty my body would fall off when I rolled sideways. Also pictured are the inner fenders, custom battery plate and plates on my sliders. The stock battery tray would not fit with the chassis mounted steering so I made my own, just larger than my battery and fits perfect. Not shown but now the electronics are mounted to the skids and the skids are black.



I have since sold these wheels and tires, I have RC4WD steel wheels and will have some Pit Bull Rock Beast tires and CI foams soon.