Project Disco Bruiser Based LR3

[Prop Shaft]

Adding this thread over here simply for the ease of using Tapa Talk to post. The other sites I post on don't support it.
Full build thread can be found here.
Project Disco OG Bruiser Based LR3 - Scale 4x4 R/C Forums

[Prop Shaft]

Well I havent touched this truck in quite awhile. Decided to take it out and finally get some videos of it in action. I managed to record 1 whole video before I burnt up yet another Novak BEC. Needless to say I am done with this company. Everything I have bought in the last few years has suffered from about a 30% failure rate. Not the Novak I was so fond of back in the day. I was driving it when it just stopped, and I notoced it puked a chip onto the ground. BEC got so hot the solder melted and the chip fell off.


The short video I managed to record.
http://youtu.be/HXtE7MJZ_28

[Prop Shaft]

So I decided the rear suspension on this rig is horrible, and set out to do something about it. I started by taking this.

And turning it into these

Then I had to drill some holes in the bruiser cross member.

And tap them m3 style.

Mounted everything up.

I wasn't quite happy with the articulation though. The shocks were limiting the travel somewhat. So I made swiss cheese out of the cross member, and relocated the upper shock mounts.


Much better!

Next on the list is some rock sliders. Should let me be able to run the "show" body with out destroying the rockers.

[Prop Shaft]

The first springs I tried using for this were way too soft. So I switched to the hard yellow ones I had. They were way too hard. Ive ordered a set of red springs that are somewhere in the middle and hopefully will be just right. Im currently looking into a way to link the front as well. Heres a few pics showing some articulation and some paint.

[Prop Shaft]

Chipping away at this. Work on front link mounts.

Bending up some links.

A bit of mock up.

[Prop Shaft]

Worked some more on the front suspension. Cut down the og bruiser shackles a bit. Kinda needed to keep these as they are acting like spacers for the front cross member and I didn't want to throw off the body mounting holes in the front. Plus they make nice mounting points for bumper mods if I decide anything in the future.

Then I needed to figure out a pan hard mount to the chassis. Went with brass.



While messing with the axle, figuring out link mounts etc, I noticed there was an issue with the dog bones. I could see where the pins were scraping on the hub housings. After inspecting I realized I could pull the pins free from the shafts by hand. Stellar job RC4WD! Further enforcing my "love hate" relationship with China made goods. Anyways... I came up with a solution that I hope works. I wrapped the female end of the dog bones with heat shrink. I'm hoping this will keep the pins from digging into the housings. Time will tell.


Made some spring mounts for the frame.

Final mock up, just need to paint everything and install the proper springs when they arrive.





Compressed.


And the flex shots.....

[Prop Shaft]

Got some rock sliders made. I didnt want the tube look for this and wanted to keep it simple. Just needed something to deter the high centered rock attacks on the rocker panels. Some internet research turned up this. Perfect!


I decided to mount these directly to the body. After watching this truck take some direct shots to the rockers, I think it will be plenty strong for some scale crawling. The body is very solid when its all bolted to the frame. Plan was to mimic the stock bolt on rocker.


Using 1/4" x 1" aluminum bar. Started by marking out some brackets.

Some drilling, tapping, and shaping later, I had some rock sliders.

And mounted to the body. I think they are going to blend in nicely after some paint.

[Prop Shaft]

Bit of an update. Made some simple door latches.



Then got the driver secured with the help of a seat belt and a screw into his back....



Used a spring to mount the seat belt inside the seat to allow for some give.

Some random shots.









This one is pretty much done now. Still contemplating an exhaust, but other then that I want to get it out for some action pics/video.

[4X4 Freak]

Bad a.. Rig bud

[Prop Shaft]

Originally Posted by 4X4 Freak

Bad a.. Rig bud

Thanks man.

[Prop Shaft]

Added some details.

Dexters "tool" kit.

Picked up some Land rover metal decals for the G2 way back when. Always planned to use one for this build and finally got around to applying it. The issue is they are printed in a flat line, and don't translate well to curved areas such as hoods or windshields. So I used a technique I first figured out while applying a Subaru windshield decal on my sti. Maybe showing this method will help someone out. Heres how I did it. First I stuck a piece of masking tape over the area where the decal was to go.

Then mark out the borders by cutting the bottom flush with the hood, and marking the rest with a sharpie. Then peel off the masking tape and tape it down to the bench sticky side up.

This is the decal that needs to be curved.

The next step is to cut the decal into its individual letters. Just cut them right in the middle of the spacing between the letters. You also need to put the spacing between the letters as well. Then carefully stick them face side down, being careful to center them from top to bottom and keeping them touching left to right.

Then trim the edges flush with the lettering. This allows for more accurate centering of the decal when placed.

Peel the backing off the letters.

Now stick the tape down on the hood being careful to center it and keep the bottom edge flush with the bottom of the hood.

Peel off the masking tape and your done. The letters I had to paint over on this are back in all their glory.