Wes's MZ U4 Build

[WesTX]

So I went from a Wraithzilla to a U4 Chassis. Well sorta, I dont have the chassis yet, but will be getting it soon from UPSRat. See his old build thread here:

my ultra4 Jeepzilla

Chris has stripped the U4 chassis of its parts for a new G6 build and now has a Mini-Beast chassis for his 1.9 U4 build.

Here is what I am planning for the build:

- Wraith Transmission - Bulletproofed with HD Gears, SuperShafty Top Shaft, RR 1 piece bottom gear
- Holmes Hobbies Revolver S Outrunner Motor - Going to try the outrunner out for a mix of rocks and high speed. Will be geared high (like 54/16 or so) to see if I can get the best of both worlds out of it.
- MMP ESC with Castle BEC
- Currie SCX Axles with Axial HD Gears front and rear (stock gearing) and Locked Up Spools front and rear, VP VVD's front, LockedUp OT Rear Shafts
- Proline Powerstroke Shocks front and rear
- RC4X4 Stainless Links - Set up for MZ U4 similar to Harley's link lengths
- VP 2.2 Method Wheels - Orange with Black Rings with 1.9 Trepadors mounted, will get the new Ottsix KLR's when they are available

Have a lot of plans for the suspension and such to get the best out of it. Plan on some custom chassis stuff like welding on tubes for sway bars, tabs for light bars, possibly custom shock mounts, we will see what all I can figure out. I love the lines of this chassis but have a Hobart 130 welder coming in this week so some custom touches will be done. Ordered some tabs and such from RPP so I can mount up lights all over the place. More details on that coming soon.

Will post more as parts roll in. Here are some pics of the 1.9 treps on the 2.2 Methods as a teaser.

Wes

[WesTX]

More detailed build list:

Electronics:
- MMP with Castle External BEC
- Holmes Hobbies Revolver S Stubby 540 Sensored Brushless Outrunner Motor
- Airtronics M11 FHSS-2 4 Channel Radio

Transmission:
- Stock Wraith Case
- Fast Eddy Bearings
- Robinson Racing 1 piece Bottom Gear
- Hot Racing Hardened Gears
- SuperShafty Top Shaft
- Robinson Racing 54T Slipper

Front Axle:
- Vanquish Currie Grey Front Axle
- VP 8 Degree C-Hubs - Grey
- VP 8 degree Knuckles - Grey
- VP Servo Armor - Grey
- VP VVD Axles
- LockedUp RC F1 Spool
- Axial HD 38/13 Gearset
- STRC Aluminum Servo Mounts
- Savox SA-1283SG Aluminum Case Servo
- Fast Eddy Bearings
- VP Titanium 8 degree Currie Steering Linkages

Rear Axle:
- Vanquish Currie Rear Axle
- LockedUp OT Axle Shafts
- LockedUp RC F1 Spool
- Axial HD 38/13 Gearset
- Fast Eddy Bearings

Suspension:
- Proline Powerstroke Slash Shocks - Have both 93mm and 103mm shocks, will set it up and decide on which length to run
- RC4X4 Stainless Link Set
- DLUX Sway Bars Front and Rear
- Duudddeeee 4 link risers

Accessories:
- RC4WD Warn Winch with Wireless Controller
- Gearhead KOH Rear Light Bar
- VP Rigid Light Bar - Currently have 6" bar on the shelf, will order different size if needed
- RC4WD 1.5" light bars - will be mounted in rockers as rock lights
- BlueMonkey 1" light bar in front grill area
- Spare Tire Carrier made by UPSRat

Body:
- Side panels made by UPSRat (existing on chassis)
- Hood made from HPI Early Bronco Body
- Scale radiator/Fuel Cell for Electronics Box made by UPSRat
- HPI Apache Interior

Wheels and Tires:
- VP 2.2 Method 101's - Orange with Black Standard Rings - Also have grey Phase 5 Rings I am going to try on this thing.
- Crawler Innovations Closed Cell Foams
- Axial Trepador 1.9 tires stretched over 2.2 Wheels



I think that is it, will add to it as I go.

Wes

[WesTX]

Parts are starting to roll in, lights came in yesterday from RPP, winch came in last week, Dlux Sway Bars are in.

Tomorrow is going to be a huge USPS delivery day, and Friday will be just about as good, get most of the VP goodies in. MZ U4 chassis will be in tomorrow as well. Will post more as I start getting parts. Plan is to take the axles and transmission with me on my business trip next week to build them up in the evenings in the hotel room. Then when I get back I can start getting it together.

[Ballistic17]

This is going to be a sick build. Can't wait to see it come along.

[WesTX]

Most important part is here, the MZ chassis. Got it, posed a picture with the tires and wheels and then quickly stripped it of almost all of the body panels (dont have my dikes with me to cut the zip ties on the wing panels). Ready to start mockup with the axles and such when I get back from my trip.

Im hoping all of the axle stuff will arrive prior to my trip. The VP stuff came today with exception of the most important part - the Currie Housings. Those are coming from RPP and they are MIA with our wonderful postal service. Also got the Locked Up spools and rear axle shafts. Axial HD Gearsets are coming in tomorrow from CKRC.

Also a pick of the HH Revolver S Stubby Outrunner, this thing is crazy small, but should be a nice little motor. Forgot I need a sensor wire for this, off to order one of those now to be delivered when I get back.

Wes

[WesTX]

Now UPS and USPS have dropped the ball. My HD gearsets I got from CKRC and requested 2nd day air were delivered somewhere random this morning. Killed my plans of assembling stuff while I was traveling......

EDIT: Found my Gearsets, now heres to hoping USPS will come through for me.

Wes

[WesTX]

Looks like all my parts are sitting in my office at work when I get back, I dont think Ive ever said to myself "Monday cant come soon enough".

Also working on a cool way to wire up my lights with HeyOK, more on that later.

Wes

[Ballistic17]

How's the progress on this?

[WesTX]

Got back from being out of the country, came into my office to a Christmas like motherload. Got all organized but havent had much time to work on anything yet. Here is a quick pic of the front axle just being mocked up for me to check out.

Wes

[WesTX]

Slow day at work so took an hour or so at lunch to do some assembly. Got the bulletproof guts in my transmission, greased it up and put it together. Missing a bearing and some washers for my old RR Slipper, so gotta get some of those. Also mocked up the HH Revolver S outrunner with a 15T pinion, with the 54 tooth spur will have a 3.6:1 ratio there, so much higher than stock, but with the super low end power of this motor I should be ok from what I have read.

Also got the front axle partially together, will finish up tomorrow morning most likely.

Got the links from RC4X4 performance stainless together as well.

Progress is good.

Wes

[photocycler]

Looks great. Wondering, why did you get rid of your Wraith U4 for this?

[WesTX]

Originally Posted by photocycler

Looks great. Wondering, why did you get rid of your Wraith U4 for this?

I was at a point of needing a ton of custom work done on the wraithzilla chassis and still wasnt 100% happy with it. Was going to have a custom chassis built, but then I got a deal on this MZ U4 chassis and couldnt pass it up. Also really liked the idea of a 1.9 instead of a 2.2 for more of a challenge in the rocks with a tire that is an inch shorter.

Got the rest of the front axle built this morning. Hopefully build the rear axle at lunch today. Also got a new set of wheels and tires started. 2.2 TSS RG Beadlocks with 1.9 PB Growlers. CI foam of course

Wes

[WesTX]

Rear axle now built (minus shafts and wheel bearings, short bearings) and ready to bolt the axles to the skid and into the chassis for flex testing and clearance checks. Also will be sorting out how to mount and run the links for the sway bars at that point. Need to do all of that so I can then tear it down and add some items to the chassis.

Wes

[WesTX]

And just like that the lower part is assembled. Should meet the MZ chassis tomorrow morning to start checking clearances and figuring out where the winch can go, sway bars can go, and lights can be mounted.

Wes

[Derek Larsen]

What's that foam donut on the spur shaft for?

[WesTX]

Its the slipper disc for the spur. I am missing the bearing and washers for the spur, those will be here later this week.

Its the 4th pic down on this page:

Robinson Racing Products - Products and Pricing - GEN3 SLIPPER UNIT REPLACEMENT PARTS

Wes

[Derek Larsen]

Originally Posted by WesTX

Its the slipper disc for the spur. I am missing the bearing and washers for the spur, those will be here later this week.

That thing is THICK. You must be expecting a lot of torque from that shorty motor.

[WesTX]

Just the standard Robinson racing setup. A lot stouter setup than stock, but needed to go to 32P gears for spur and pinion for durability.

Wes

[WesTX]

Got the chassis mocked up this morning, working to sort out the rear suspension to integrate a sway bar. Have some stuff coming to try different things with that. More on that later.

I really like this chassis, should end up as a killer build and be lots of fun.

Also, I know I have the links wrong, should be equal length for all 4 on each end, I have the short links on the uppers and long links on the lowers, will get that changed out after I figure out chassis layout stuff.

Wes

[WesTX]

Figured out the rear swaybar. Going to use a Servo mount plate from VP bolted on top of the axle and it will hold the bar itself, then the links will go up to the shock mount tabs already on the chassis. Ordered the parts yesterday, hopefully have them Monday or Tuesday.

Also got the HPI Mini Trophy interior, a perfect fit for this chassis. Just need to glue the 2 halves together and with little to no trimming it fits right in there.

Plans are coming together. I think I am going to have to scrap the winch, nowhere to put it, so into the classifieds it goes. Having a huge sale to get rid of un-needed stuff so I can fund the rest of the parts I need for this build. Ready to get this thing built.

Wes