First Crawler build
 

So....I'm new here and thought I would start right out with a Rock Bouncer build for my 12 year old son, Tucker. Once we get his done we will be working on a Jeep for me. We have been running stadium trucks around the house for a couple years, but I have always wanted to get in to crawlers since I have a 1:1 Jeep YJ that is pretty extreme.

Our builds are starting with Redcat Everest 10's and we are building the chassis from the ground up using some 1/8" plate for the frame rails and skid plate and doing the tube work out of 3/16" brake line. I would like to make all the link and shock mounts double shear so I may be adding some 16 ga. steel for all the mounts. I don't have the patience that many of you have so we will see how "scale" it turns out.

First step, get the truck. Done. Second Step, break the truck. Done. Wait, that wasn't supposed to be the second step. Tuck already broke the rear drive shaft. Looks like it is already time to start upgrading.

Back to the build. We started welding together the cab portion of the chassis with the brake line and a MIG welder. I am amazed at how rigid this is already.

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...702_230606.jpg

We started adding some body panels and started the other side.

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...705_154218.jpg

I hope to get a fair amount of the chassis done this week, but things we will be a bit busy so you might have to wait patiently for more updates. We did get the frame rails cut for both builds yesterday at a buddy's shop so we just need to bend and weld, bend and weld, and bend and weld some more.

Re: First Crawler build
 

I just want to say, Welcome to the forum.
Sean

Re: First Crawler build
 

Got a fair amount of work done on the chassis last night.

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...707_230954.jpg

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...707_233706.jpg

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...707_233714.jpg

I will hopefully get the front tube work done tonight and maybe the rear. Then we will need to start on all of the crazy tube work stuff. Tucker wants the roof to be a spider web.


I am pretty pleased with how it is coming out so far. I switched to .030" wire in the mig and my welds are looking better. My Harbor Freight mask is getting old and doesn't darken very well anymore so I can't see to weld like I should be able to.

Re: First Crawler build
 

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...708_232306.jpg

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...708_232207.jpg

Front cage mostly done.

Re: First Crawler build
 

I didn't get nearly as much done over the weekends as I wanted to. I had two graduation parties to cook for. I did manage to get the rear of the cage put together. I have a lot of detail tube to add to the cage, but the overall structure and shape is done.

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...712_144759.jpg.

Before getting to far with the detail stuff I need to get link and shock mounts sorted out in case things need to move. I know shock clearance is going to be tight with the lower bar on the rear that runs with the frame rail. I am considering just losing the frame rail and leaving the rear all tube.

Re: First Crawler build
 

So the rear frame rails are no longer on the chassis. This really opens things up in the back.

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...715_222054.jpg

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...715_222124.jpg

Is is time to start getting some electronics and suspension on this thing before welding any more tube. There is lots to figure out. I need to finalize all of my link and shock mounts and determine how everything is going to fit. Should be some good progress this weekend...I hope.

Re: First Crawler build
 

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...718_194042.jpg

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...718_194018.jpg



I tore down the everest today and started mocking up the drive train. Motor and trans mounted and lower link mounts built. I didn't get any pics of the link mounts yet. I need some longer M3 bolts for the lower links before I can get anything else done. The lower link mounts will use one bolt for both sides. I am triangulating the lower mounts in case you haven't figured that out yet.

Re: First Crawler build
 

I like the design and flow of the lines!!!"thumbsup"

Re: First Crawler build
 

Thanks Codyboy, I am real happy with the overall look and more importantly my son loves it. Now the hard part, making it work.

Re: First Crawler build
 

It's a roller.

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...0_192116_1.jpg

Re: First Crawler build
 

She's pretty flexy too. I am really happy wit the suspension geometry. I triangulated the lower links and set up the links so they are close to level with the ground. I will probably cut a little off of the springs to lower it a little.

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...721_223010.jpg

URL=http://s15.photobucket.com/user/daddyjeep/media/RC%20Bouncer/20150721_222948.jpg.html]http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...721_222948.jpg[/URL]

Re: First Crawler build
 

In between welding in new body mounts in an old 1:1 Ford I managed to get a little done last night.

Front Shock mounts.

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...723_193030.jpg

Rear shock mount. Still have 1 to build.

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...723_225732.jpg

It is sitting just a little tall for me. I might just cut a coil out of the springs for now to get it down where I want. It also seems like the shocks are very stiff. Anyone have any suggestions to soften it up a bit...quite a bit? Is this just too stiff of a spring or do I need to play around with shock oil?

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...723_225753.jpg

Re: First Crawler build
 

Oh yea...for those that care, the shock mounts are made out of 16 gauge steel.

Re: First Crawler build
 

https://youtu.be/-9O1y9mCcb4

First run in 2wd.

Re: First Crawler build
 

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...728_222703.jpg

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...728_222729.jpg

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...728_222717.jpg

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...728_222644.jpg

I added a couple more feet of tube tonight. I rebuilt the rear bed section a little narrower so the rear tires don't get into the tube when flexing. I also added a bunch of tube to strengthen the front. I believe I am oficially done with tube. I am going to add a firewall to mount the electronics and a rear firewall to mount the battery.

Re: First Crawler build
 

For your first build wow ! That thing is awesome !

Re: First Crawler build
 

Thanks Javi. Appearance wise I think I am doing pretty good.the newbie part comes in with getting it to perform the way I want. I reworked all the suspension geometry for the chassis and it is greatly improved over the stock Everest. I built my own link suspension for my 1:1 Jeep so I have some prior knowledge of suspension design. I need to dial in/replace the shocks.

Re: First Crawler build
 

Kinda hard to see well in the pics, but I added the front and rear firewalls to the chassis. the front will give me a mounting point for the receiver and the rear will hold the battery.

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...729_212909.jpg

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...729_212921.jpg

That wraps up the fabrication. Time for blasting and paint. :)

Re: First Crawler build
 

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...730_202945.jpg

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...730_202907.jpg



Ok...I lied. I just can't stop fabricating stuff. I decided I would weld on some skid plates outside the frame rails and tie them into the firewall just to clean some things up. I added a winch mount in case we want to add a winch some day.

Re: First Crawler build
 

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...801_195712.jpg

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...801_200501.jpg

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...801_195520.jpg

I tried that tapatalk app and it posted my pics in a new thread. I since deleted the app. I will repost.