RBS` Tonka Build: Project Heavy Metal

[RBS]

So, I`ve been lurking the forums for awhile now, but my junkyard wraith never seemed interesting enough to do a thread on. But now I`ve got a pseudo-scratch build moving along at a glacial pace to post up

*DISCLAIMER: If anyone reading here is a collector/fan of vintage Tonka trucks, they should probably leave this thread immediately. This thread will feature cutting, grinding, welding, hammering, and hopefully offroading of said vintage Tonka truck.

This build starts with a truck that had an amateur restoration some time ago. From what I can find without any original decals on it, it was most likely made between `68 and `71. I believe it started life as a crane truck, but was converted to the excavator you see during it`s restoration. The JY Wraith is in the shots for size comparison.









More to come after dinner

[RBS]

I started out by stripping the Tonka of all the useless stuff, like the huge excavator on the back and the dummy axles. I used all the guts from my wraith, which my step-dad built from parts. The Tonka got a set of ax10 axles, a wraith skid plate, an scx10 tranny, an AE-1 speed controller, and very old and used Axial 55T motor. It got a set of wraith shocks up front, and scx10 shocks out back. The next few pictures are not terribly detailed, but sort of show the progression of work.

[RBS]

So, I had a roller. This is my first major RC project, and as such there was a learning curve. The driveshaft angle was basically impossible with using axial shafts and the wraith skidplate(which fits nicely between the trimmed up framerails of the Tonka) I made a couple quick and simple drop brackets and welded them to the frame. Now the angles were at least possible.



I don`t have many pictures for a while here, because while working out the bugs with the Tonka I would try and drive it around the garage. The first three or four times I broke something.... Fast forward a bit, and it now sports a high torque, metal gear servo(I think Hitec, but I would have to look). I also started on the rear cage section. Welding brake line is a pain!

[RBS]

Now comes a bunche of subtle changes to wheelbase, links, and shock geometry. Of course these don`t photograph well.... So instead here`s a bunch of poser type flex shots. I also found a mini-tonka based on the later dump trucks for $3 at an antique store. I`m not sure what I`m doing with it yet, but I had to bring it home

[RBS]

I have it working pretty decent now. I still need to finish the tube work up on the bed, make new front links, and tune the shocks in a little better(they are waaaaay too soft right now). It is running a 5000mAh 2s lipo, and all the electronics and battery are hidden under the cab. Life has gotten in the way of working on it for a while, but with warmer weather coming soon I hope to get back on it.

I took a break from working on a 1:1 truck to let the welds cool and Gary and I took the RC`s out in the snow. There was 3-4" of wet snow in places, and his truck(scx10 f100) was too light to go up any hills. I had no such problems The first picture is his scx the day he got it as a stock deadbolt and my wraith together.



And in later incarnations! (Yes, the f100 is stuck in that picture )

[RBS]

After the functional issues are sorted out, then I can work appearance and scaleness. I have a list of things in no particular order that I want to do:
-Paint the frame and tubing black to cover all the welding/grinding, leave the body rusty.
-Put lighting on the truck, two headlights and two taillights.
-Get new tires, thinking of the 2.2 mudslingers from rc4wd
-Redo the wheels in a yellow to match the body, and flip the lock rings so the silver side shows.
-Take the weight completely out of the front wheels, this thing doesn`t need any more weight up there!
-Re-purpose some of the original Tonka stuff, like adding an air tank, etc.
-Add some scale shackles and hooks and such, along with chains and tie downs.

I also have some way down the road type functional upgrades planned:
-New ESC with lipo cutoff and 3s capability.
-5000mAh 3s lipo, keep 55t brushed motor.
-Gear down even more after 3s.
-External BEC for servo.
-Possibly a transmitter with more channels for scale stuff and/or four wheel steering.

This truck is stupid heavy. I haven`t weighed it yet, but it is several times the weight of a mostly stock scx10. This is the result of the fairly thick metal cab and bed, plus the even thicker chassis. I have a feeling that I will be buying more aluminum parts as I break things once I actually start hitting the trails. I am happy with the track width, and think it looks good under the cab. I am probably going to reuse some more of the old parts to build a wrecker boom and trailer for it. I may as well since I have them







This is the current state of the Tonka. Everything new in these pictures is just mocked up. Yes the front tires are not centered in the wheelwells. When I had to drop the skid it screwed up my link geometry and I haven`t fixed it yet.

Any comments, suggestions, ect are welcome. Thanks for having me!
-Jake

[CM9000]

this is a cool build. hope you don't stop. I like it!

[RBS]

So, I've been super busy between buying a house, working on the property, working on a 1:1 Ramcharger, etc. I did manage to get something done though!

I've gotten the Tonka ready for this summer so it can see some action. The only real changes are a lower pinion gear and small tweaks to make it work a little better.

I'll post some pictures later today. My phone is refusing to function.

[CM9000]

are you going to ud the rear and od the front axle?

[Vin dog]

I just dug a large Tonka dump truck out of my moms basement. Looks like it's from the same years. My older brother played with it first then my middle brother then I got it. So it has to be from the early 70's. I plan on building it with 4 wheel steering and keep the dump body on it. Or front steering and trugy the back. It will all depend on funds. I though I would be original with this build but I had to search and bust my bubble on this form. Oh well at least I can learn a few trick without first making some mistakes.

[johnnyluv]

Originally Posted by Vin dog

I just dug a large Tonka dump truck out of my moms basement. Looks like it's from the same years. My older brother played with it first then my middle brother then I got it. So it has to be from the early 70's. I plan on building it with 4 wheel steering and keep the dump body on it. Or front steering and trugy the back. It will all depend on funds. I though I would be original with this build but I had to search and bust my bubble on this form. Oh well at least I can learn a few trick without first making some mistakes.

I found a Tonka Fire truck at a thrift shop, last summer, for about $6, and was similarly optimistic about the prospect of doing something original, until I found a thread, here on RCC, dating back to 2013, where someone else attempted the same thing. Haha!! I've learned that for nearly all existing, scale-worthy, toy hard bodies, someone has already attempted to convert them to RC. However, that shouldn't stop anyone from doing it again, because it's going to be fun for that person. I don't know if I'll ever do my Tonka Fire Truck, simply because of time demands, but it's in the attic, and I won't get rid of it, unless we move.

[RBS]

Wow, it's been forever since I have been on RCC. Life has been crazy this summer. I'm back tinkering with this project again. It's still functional, though a little unwieldy due to the top heaviness.

Originally Posted by Vin dog

I just dug a large Tonka dump truck out of my moms basement. Looks like it's from the same years. My older brother played with it first then my middle brother then I got it. So it has to be from the early 70's. I plan on building it with 4 wheel steering and keep the dump body on it. Or front steering and trugy the back. It will all depend on funds. I though I would be original with this build but I had to search and bust my bubble on this form. Oh well at least I can learn a few trick without first making some mistakes.

If you happen to see this Vin dog, post up a couple pictures here. I can help date it if you're interested. The main thing I can tell you is to build with the ridiculous weight in mind. I still need to weigh mine, but it's several times heavier than a stock scx10. A friend t boned mine going full speed, and the Tonka didn't even fall over. It will be hard on steering/servo/suspension links/drivetrain. I'm geaered way down with a 55t motor just to be able to climb.

I'm planning four wheel steering and 3s power on mine to make up for a little maneuverability and speed. If I was to do this over(which I might on the parts truck), I would build an aluminum chassis to save weight/lower COG. The original Tonka frame is way overkill for an RC, but it looks the part

-Jake

[Vin dog]

one day i might get my lazy but in gear and post pics. As for weight I'm only using the cab. Doing an SCX-10 chassis with Wraith skid plate and AR-60 axles. I figure the wide axles will help over come it from tipping on side hills. Or forward motor under cab with Transfer case on skid plate. One way or the other I'm not using anything other than the cab.

[RBS]

Vin dog:
If I was to do it again, that's exactly how I would start. Cab on a regular frame, with a forward motor to hide it. Wraith axles certainly won't hurt stability either.

letthebombsfall:
I have a good bit of weight in the back wheels. Even so, it wants to flip if I try to stop while going down hill...