Shape_Shifter Builds a Komodo

[Shape_Shifter]

Originally Posted by rc2000

I built the transition shocks three different ways before I got them to where I liked them. I put the big springs in the oil and the small one under the piston. I used the 4 hole piston on 15wt oil. It's butter smooth.

The way you built your shocks is called the "Sprung Setup" as shown in post #8 above.

I built my set like this too and they are indeed buttery. Unfortunately, the sprung setup makes the frame sit too tall and it shortens the wheelbase so the body fender wells don't fit right. This makes me understand why the Komodo instructions only mention the "Droop Setup" for this truck.

[rc2000]

Yeah the ride height is too high. I changed out the small springs to a smaller spring which lowers the ride height about 1/4 inch. That's the fun in a new rig.

[Shape_Shifter]

Just a progress shot with the body details. Almost ready to mount the body.

[AngelowDoom]

is it possible to get this body seperate with the scale items?

[apsilon]

The body and it's accessories are the only thing I haven't found available as a spare/option so for now at least it doesn't seem to be available.

[AngelowDoom]

I'll guess they are waiting to release it so people buy the truck, and not only the body. But it's a great looking body, would like to put one over a Ascender.

[apsilon]

Originally Posted by AngelowDoom

But it's a great looking body

Yeah I agree, that's why I was looking LOL. I haven't ruled out buying a kit but that'll be next year. If I could've got the body though I may have grabbed it to put on something else.

[Shape_Shifter]

Yeah it really is a nice body. They sell the Sawback Sport bodies with all the extra details so I'm sure they will eventually sell the Komodo bodies too.

The magnet mounts I am using are pretty good. They use neodymium rare-earth magnets that are very strong and hard to pull apart. In fact, I have more faith in the magnets on the trail than I do in the Shoe-Goo I used to glue the top magnets on.

[Shape_Shifter]

I have to admit that I am considering keeping the bumpers mounted on the body...... It would make the lighting wiring a lot simpler . There are 20 lights on this body!

[Shape_Shifter]

The instructions call for using double sided tape to attach the tail light buckets. I have had problems with this in the past. The tape can sometimes remove the paint and separate from the body and the bucket can just fall off leaving a big hole in the paint. So for the Komodo I attached the tail light buckets with screws. The screws are from a Losi Micro-T screw kit I have.

[Shape_Shifter]

The adjustable body posts have not shown up yet so I cut down the stock ones for the magnet mounts and got the height of the body fairly close to the stock position. It looks pretty nice with this size tire. I will eventually get some taller tires on there.

I also put Sawback sliders on. I think they look good too.

The suspension flex is is pretty good. In these pics, I have the 100mm shocks mounted.

[TrailDawg362]

Looking very clean and sharp, well done sir

[Shape_Shifter]

Originally Posted by TrailDawg362

Looking very clean and sharp, well done sir

Thank you sir!

It wont be clean for long.....

[Shape_Shifter]

I really like how the Gtransition shocks work in the Sprung Setup but it lifts the frame and shortens the wheelbase too much. So I installed some 4.75" Pitbull Growler tires and extended the rear control links to make up for the taller shocks.






The stock lower links are 78mm so I replaced them with 87.5mm ones. The stock upper links are 54mm so I put two 3.5mm spacers on each upper link. I found the spacers unused on the Axle Parts Tree.




I think extending the rear links roughly 10mm and adding bigger tires is what is needed to make the Sprung Setup Gtransition shocks fit right.

[TrailDawg362]

That's a dramatic change from box stock

[SteveC6R]

Looks good, I really like your color choice. I still think the body is sitting too high for my tastes.

[Shape_Shifter]

Originally Posted by SteveC6R

Looks good, I really like your color choice. I still think the body is sitting too high for my tastes.

Thanks. The body is actually sitting at the stock height off the frame. Its the Sprung Setup shocks that lift everything.

[Shape_Shifter]

I did some front yard rock crawling tests and quickly realized that the bumpers mounted to the body are NOT going to work if this truck is used as a scale crawler, especially with my magnet body mounts. So I mounted the bumpers to the frame. Its nice to be able to pick up a model from the bumpers...


The front bumper I used 1/4" aluminum rod and tapped 3mm holes in the ends. The holes in the front frame cross member are a perfect tight fit for 1/4" rod




The bumper mounts to the rods with 3mm button head screws.





For the rear bumper I cut some 3x3 aluminum angle and just made some extensions. I tapped the holes here too. Very strong.




The rear bumper is also attached with 3mm button head screws.

[Jeepiac]

Now that you've mounted the bumpers to the chassis, how's the magnetic body mounts working out? Do they hold in a rollover?

[Shape_Shifter]

Originally Posted by Jeepiac

Now that you've mounted the bumpers to the chassis, how's the magnetic body mounts working out? Do they hold in a rollover?

Depends on the rollover. If its just a tip over on to the door side, the body may shift but will snap back on to the magnets by itself. But in general, they will not hold in a rollover regardless if the bumpers are on the frame or not.

However, the bumpers on the frame protect the body when approaching a wall or departing a ledge, like a bumper should. I think Gmade should have made these bumpers frame mount and if I knew ahead of time that they mounted to the body in the kit, I would have re-considered buying this truck.