Mirage's Scale Build (Pics)

[Mirage]

Well I finally broke down and bought a TLT. I am using the DS-1 chassis and am going to use leaf springs. I am going to build trays to hold the battery and electronics, but I have a ways to go before I worry about such things. Instead of boring everyone with tons of details, I can give more information later, here are some pics.



As for transmission, I haven't decided on an E-MAXX or Rustler/Stampede Transmission. Here are 2 trucks I have to mess with to find what I like.



Or I might just buy a new Rustler and take the Transmission and electronics from it... time will tell.

More Pics added below. (12/13/06)

[burrlytlt]

I like those wheels...Who makes them...

[mudrinner4ever]

u interested in selling the brushless? if so is it a hv maxx?

[TerribleOne]

Originally Posted by burrlytlt

I like those wheels...Who makes them...

RPM

[Mirage]

Originally Posted by burrlytlt

I like those wheels...Who makes them...

Yes, they are RPM's new 2.2 wheels. http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...&I=LXMSY9&P=ML

Yes, thats the HV-MAXX, and no I wont sell it. Im keeping those trucks, but may use the transmissions/electronics from them short term to help me decide which way to go with this truck.

[trickedoutTLT06]

cool! cant wait to get started on my crawler!!

[Mirage]

I had some time to work on my truck the last couple days. Sorry for the bad pictures, had to use my brothers digital camera since Im on vacation and went home for the week. I got the leaf springs done and now the axles are mounted to the chassis. The transmission is from my rustler, just in there for mock up of some plates for the battery/electronics, until my new rustler comes in to steal the tranny from. Got the body painted, bumpers mounted, and fender flares put on. Now Im trying to figure out the best way to build a roll bar for the bed to mount lights on. I build one but dont like it, so i need to try something other than plastic coat hangers. Any ideas? Any feedback is appreciated. Thanks for checking out my build.
Well, enough of that, on with the pics.....

[All Out Racing]

My response has to begin with a question. Can you weld or braze, or even solder? That will determine more than anything what you make the roll-bar from, obviously. Tube steel would be the toughest, brass would be light, and you could solder it, but styrene might be your best bet. Your LHS should have bins with all sizes of plastic tube, you can cut it, heat it to bend it, or just glue it together. If you mess up, you're only out a few bucks. Get some medium CA glue, and some CA debonder/releaser for your fingers, and start working.

[Mirage]

Originally Posted by All Out Racing

My response has to begin with a question. Can you weld or braze, or even solder? That will determine more than anything what you make the roll-bar from, obviously. Tube steel would be the toughest, brass would be light, and you could solder it, but styrene might be your best bet. Your LHS should have bins with all sizes of plastic tube, you can cut it, heat it to bend it, or just glue it together. If you mess up, you're only out a few bucks. Get some medium CA glue, and some CA debonder/releaser for your fingers, and start working.

I was thinking styrene.... but.... one roll over, and it would probably be toast... so I am using that as a last resort. I was thinking about some aluminum breakline, but I would probably just kink it trying to bend it.

The coat hangers I was worjing with, I drilled and tapped hols and had them screwed together, looks good, everthing is hidden, but Im just not liking the look of it, might not be any better even if I go with another material. The bed in the truck isnt deep at all, so I takes away from the bar. Either I can make one long and stretch out into the bed a ways, or I can make a short one that doesnt extend into the bed much, but either way, they only stick up about an inch and don't look scale at all. I think the body is taking away from the look of the bar, not my ability to actually build it.

I dont have the tools to weld, and im not sure my torches would get hot enough to braze, but soldering could work. I will have to look in to some brass tube.... but probably cost too much, and be to weak in the end....

I will have to think about it.

[All Out Racing]

Brass tube isn't much more expensive, maybe a buck or two for a three foot length. The brass is also pretty strong, try to bend a 1/4 inch piece at your LHS (when no one's looking!) If you fish-mouth the joints and don't sand all the solder back off when you clean it up you will have alot more contact between the two pieces, and therefore a stronger bond. I used to build clod chassis from brass tube, and one survived a jump off my roof, the axle tubes however did not!

[Mirage]

I will have too look around when I get back to work next week, I will swing by the hobby shop and see what they have and see if theres anything there that looks useful.

I will also have to find some LED's and get some lighting wired up on this truck. I have headlights, taillights, 2 large fog lights, and 4 small fog lights (roll bar lights) that all need some source for lighting.

[Gula]

Whats up man i like your truck i have a ds-1 also. To Remove a headache install all 3 springs on each block or you wil have w out of them i'm using the main and the second larger one and it still does it. Or your could 2 link it and mount another link to the top and have it welded to the lower link. I'm saying this because the axle will try to rotate forward as you go and if you put any whatsoever strain on the truck it wil beginn to bend the springs. and the weight of the battery will also make the springs collapse Check out exessivefires pre unner build and make yourself a rear trail arm like he did, for your link situation and that will keep the axle from trying to rotate on itself. I'm in the process of doing that.

[Mirage]

I have all 3 springs installed right now, and its too stiff, the suspension doesnt have any give whatso ever, I will need to remove some springs. Im not quite undering standing what need for a trailing arm is..... it should work just fine the way I have it set up.

[Gula]

i have 2 springs in there right now and they constantly bent both of them the front from the weight of the battery and the rear when i climb up steep slopes. You can put a traxxas 108mm steering tierod as the link You would need to grind down the little nubs on the axle case and mount the piece that came with the tlt kit that has 2 holes is't amde out of metal on the axles facing down then attach the link to the lower part and the other end you would have to undo the tranny mount get longer screws and put the screws into the link and then back into the tranny mount. I dont have pix since i'm visiting my folks. I'll try to sow you some links for the parts. http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXGKG9&P=X you'll neeed the one with the two holes.

[Gula]

to put a 2 link in there you would have to use the long shackles and only run 1 screw in to the frame from the shackles

[Mirage]

Yeah, you really lost me now. Im going to wait until its finished before I worry about tweaking the suspension too much. Im fairly confident that the setup I have now will work fine, I just need to add some washers or spacers somewhere to keep the shackles from binding and preventing the leaf from moving. The leafs are a little wider than the chassis frame rails, so I think a few small washers where the shackles bolt to the chassis will fix this problem. Once thats done, I really cant see why I would be destroying the leafs unless I beat the total crap out of the truck by jumping and what not.

[Gula]

I have the same issue i just put a few washers inbetween the shackles too. No i didnt jump it at all or beat the crap out of it. I drove it for about 2 hours and i have very low gearing so jumping is impossible. in order for you to link the truch you would have to only install one screw that goes through the shackle through the frame and back to the shackle. Then attach a link from your frame to the axle and voila. Mr Diaz is working on a design for the leaf spring bending issue. it bends bacause it only has a little surface where the screw goes through the spring and block there is where it wil bend and at the ends of the block. Trust me if you only drive it on paved surfaces and no little bumps or upgrades it will last forever and never bend but a little bump here and you'll see. I'll send you some pictures later when i get back from vacation.

[Mirage]

Originally Posted by GulaVW69

I have the same issue i just put a few washers inbetween the shackles too. No i didnt jump it at all or beat the crap out of it. I drove it for about 2 hours and i have very low gearing so jumping is impossible. in order for you to link the truch you would have to only install one screw that goes through the shackle through the frame and back to the shackle. Then attach a link from your frame to the axle and voila. Mr Diaz is working on a design for the leaf spring bending issue. it bends bacause it only has a little surface where the screw goes through the spring and block there is where it wil bend and at the ends of the block. Trust me if you only drive it on paved surfaces and no little bumps or upgrades it will last forever and never bend but a little bump here and you'll see. I'll send you some pictures later when i get back from vacation.

Ive seen pics of bent leafs before. Thats a bummer, Guess I will see how they last once I get it running, the rest of my parts should be showing up any day now. I am assuming Diaz is working on a new leaf block from the way I read your post. If this is the case, I will most likely have to upgrade to them. Well I will see how it goes when I get it running. My goal for this week is to just get mock ups made of the battery/electronic trays, been wanting to get them made for awhile now, but haven't had a chance to work on this truck for about a week.

[Gula]

Maybe you could use these http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LX2778&P=7 I'm about to install them when i get home

[Mirage]

Originally Posted by GulaVW69

Maybe you could use these http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LX2778&P=7 I'm about to install them when i get home

Have some, but I need to build a tray for that to bolt too. I need to dig out my old erector set next time Im back at my parents house. I know theres some pieces in there that will make it easier on me, I just hope I can find it, or ill have to buy a new one. I also have a few different sheets of styrene of different thicknesses. I have a pretty good I dea on how i want to build the trays now, I just need to find a few things so I can make the mock up. I changed my mind from the original design I had planned, so its going to set me back some, but right now I have lots of time to wait anyway, the rest of the parts to finish it wont be here for a few days.

Im also not sure if I want to mount the steering servo on the chassis, or on the front axle, I will try the chassis first and see if I can get some linkages worked out. I then need to lock out the rear steering. Im going to have to tear the axles apart sometime too to lock them, I didnt lock or grease them for Im still not sure If I want to lock either or one or both of them.