Trent Fab Ultra 4 / KOH buggy

[ngward79]

So I've been wanting to build a Ultra 4 rig for about a year now and finally got to selling a few things to get the build rolling. After a lot of research for the right chassis to go with I wanted something nobody else has built yet and something that looked very cool and capable of class 3 / TTC punishment I decided to go with the Trent Fabrications Top Shelf Chassis. I will probably start with my chassis with the same paint scheme as the factory team buggy since I already have the rims to match and then switch it over to BJ Baldwin's Monster Energy sponsored rig.







Funny thing is I don't even like Monster Energy Drinks , but this buggy just looks so sweet ! Just need to save some pennies up for the Vanquish Green Method Rims !

[ngward79]

Current progress !

[Bulldog]

Bring it!

[The Doc]

Do the Trent one, forget the Monster. Trent's is far nicer

This thing will be bad ass!!

[KRAWLR4life]

I agree with the Doc, I like Trent's rig better myself?!

[ngward79]

Thanks guys , I appreciate your opinions and may just stick with the factory rig . Anyway got a little more done today since I had time.

[crawl-o-matic]

Tell us about your materials, methods, and snags (if any).

[ngward79]

Originally Posted by crawl-o-matic

Tell us about your materials, methods, and snags (if any).

I was holding off for a minute before listing exact details due to not making up my mind on a few things, but here is a list of things I already have and plan to use.

The chassis I'm build my self is made from mostly 1/4'' and some 3/16''steel brake line brazing the tubing using Harris Safty Silv 45 with a map gas torch. Bending the tubing I use a Klein Tools tube bender and some by hand.

Current list of parts I already have and plan to use.
-Vanquish aluminum Wraith axles, diff cover, c-hubs and knuckles front / rear
-Vanquish lockers front / rear
-Axial hardened under drive helical diff gears front / rear
-Mayhem Monster 2.2 rims
-Pitbull scale 2.2 Rock Beast tires
-Harley Designs stainless steel screw set
-RC4WD scale hex bolts
-RC4WD 110 mm dual rate shocks
-Robinson Racing hardened steel tranny gears
-Fast Eddy Wraith replacement bearing kit
-Pro Line scale accessories - battery, fuel cell etc...

List of things I want to get still

-Teken Pro4 motor or Holmes Hobbies Puller motor. Haven't decided yet , I just want good wheel speed.
-Teken, Castle Creations or Holmes Hobbies ESC
-Vanquish 2'' Ridged light bar
-RC4WD 110mm scale shocks to run with the dual rates I already have
-Hitec high torque steering servo , need to choose one still.

Any and all suggestions are welcome. Thanks for looking !

[captainp243]

Gonna be epic! I agree with the others, Trents is the way to go. And you won't go wrong with an MMP/ Pro4 setup, just make sure the other parts can handle the POWA. ROC412 3100 is awesome too.

[ngward79]

Originally Posted by captainp243

Gonna be epic! I agree with the others, Trents is the way to go. And you won't go wrong with an MMP/ Pro4 setup, just make sure the other parts can handle the POWA. ROC412 3100 is awesome too.

Thank you ! I have definitely been leaning towards brushless but have also been looking at Holmes brushless motors, just wish he made a ESC to go with it. Also kinda wonder what the difference between the ROC412 and the Pro4 are? I know the Pro4 is all around pretty bad a$$ !

[ngward79]

So I think its at least sitting close to where I want it to be , maybe a touch too high though. The wheel base as I have it mocked up sits at about 15'' the chassis length is 19.5 '' long 5.75'' high and 6.75 wide. I know the 1:1 has Goodyear tires on it and thought about getting the RC4WD Two Face tires which are 5.63'' tall x 1.76 wide , they would also look more scale I'm sure as well but the Pitbull's sitting at 5.75''x 2.16'' along with the awesome grip are hard to pass up.



I have more photos of the mock up to post but photobucket is down. I'll post more later.

[captainp243]

The pro4 is a 5mm shaft and the roc412 is a 3mm shaft, that's really about the only difference, aside from the kv levels. It seems to me that the ROC 412 is aimed at this style of driving specifically, whereas the pro4 was aimed at short course racers. The performance is quality is basically mirrored. Also, I noticed on the Trents Racing buggy front axle there is a skid for the steering rams. Check this out... You can pick it up from Carter Fab. (ignore the writing on the picture)

[Bulldog]

You'll want this to sit pretty low to be scale. Belly height should be just above the axle center line. You may be able to cheat it up a little to get ground clearance. It all depends on how much travel and droop you're running in your shocks...all the crappy trial and error that makes these builds hard. Looking good though!

[ngward79]

Originally Posted by Bulldog

You'll want this to sit pretty low to be scale. Belly height should be just above the axle center line. You may be able to cheat it up a little to get ground clearance. It all depends on how much travel and droop you're running in your shocks...all the crappy trial and error that makes these builds hard. Looking good though!

I'll definitely have it set a bit lower but not a lot, I could only get it to set that low if it sat almost full droop otherwise the axle could only up travel about half an inch before hitting the chassis. It's hard to get the balance of scale looks and still be able to be competitive in a comp. Anyway here are a few more pics of the progress on the chassis / mock up of wheel base and ride height.











Once I decide where I want it to sit I'll put in the mounts for the links, shocks, skid plate and tabs for the fuel cell etc...

[ngward79]

Well the chassis is about 99% complete , just need to cut mounting plate for steering servo and add a pan hard bar mount to the chassis. I did get all the brackets put in for my winch, shocks, spare tire carrier and scale accessories. Hope to sand blast the chassis soon to get rid of the residue from brazing flux that I seem to get carried away with and get this thing painted up.

[racin707]

Such sick sexiness! I'm glad I'm not the only one with flux issues lol that's a God looking rig

[ngward79]

Originally Posted by racin707

Such sick sexiness! I'm glad I'm not the only one with flux issues lol that's a God looking rig

Thanks, I definitely need to start using less flux cause it ends up getting hard on the chassis and starts to corrode too.

[Rodamis]

Sweet nice chassis .I started building the monster one a few days ago not knowing someone on here was building the same chassis . I scaled mine out though so mine is more 1/8 scale so the rok loks look like a normal tire on it . Are you going to run the dual shocks In the back on this rig ?

[ngward79]

Originally Posted by Rodamis

Sweet nice chassis .I started building the monster one a few days ago not knowing someone on here was building the same chassis . I scaled mine out though so mine is more 1/8 scale so the rok loks look like a normal tire on it . Are you going to run the dual shocks In the back on this rig ?

I tried to scale mine out well for 2.2 tires to look close to the 1:1 as well, it's not dead nuts on but close. I do plan to run dual shocks front and rear as well. I also plan to stick with the Trent Fab sponsored rig with mine so don't worry about a copy anyway, not that it would bother me if they were the same anyway. Everyone always has a different out come on a build so they never truly are the same anyway. Good luck with your build and I expect to see a build thread on it too.

[buckeyewraith]

I'm not sure if you've bought your motor yet but I have a pro 4 from my sc truck if you want to try before you buy. I'm just down the road from ya.