1BadJeepBruiser's Ax10 Xtrail Bronco RTR with Videos

[1BadJeepBruiser]

Figured I would post this in here, we have a lot of new comers on RCC due to the release of the AX10 and I will do my best to show you guys how to build up a nice simple functional scaler.

I picked up an axial a couple weeks back from The Crawler Store along with an Xtrail chassis. I really like the design of the chassis a lot mainly because it reminds me of a Bruiser chassis. Well lets get started....





Cracked open the box, I love how everything is individually packed.

I got started on the axles, I always used a heavy white lithium grease on my ring and pinion gears. I know there are a lot of people who dont use any grease or barely any at all but I always use it, it will no doubt prolong the life of the gears



Got the axles finished up


For now, they will be stock, down the road I will add some goodies to them.

I went with a Bronco body for this build, and painted in the Tamiya copper color. It was the closest color I could find to match the 73 EB I had. Body choice is important in a scaler and HPIs Bronco is nicely done and detailed with nice stickers and all. I couldnt leave the body just stock, so I hit up Terry/MOCRAWLER and had him make me a soft top for the Bronco, I really think this sets the body off and makes it look much better.


I then added a rare Kyosho Pathfinder tire carrier with a reduced and narrowed imex claw dawg on a fly wheels I had.



One detail that is often left out is the body lines, grab yourself a panel pen (can be ordered from Tower or LHS) and draw them in, they make the body pop a lot more



I will also be adding head lights and parking lights to the body, which I will show how to do. And if I can find them, I have some Scale Off Road photo etched Bronco emblems as well.

Next up is to start stripping the green anodizing.

Stay tuned for more pics and tech

-Mike

[CRF450R]

One of the best looking Bronco bodies I've seen

[Unimoger]

That paint color along with terrys soft top make that body look amazing.

[FightinURfear]

What amazing detail. Where did you get the tire carrier? That "soft" top looks great. The Bronco body has got to be the best body on the market. Nice job. Cheers!

[Harley]

Originally Posted by FightinURfear

Where did you get the tire carrier?

Already in the first post. People who know Mike know he has RARE things all over, if you want something like that you are really going to have to hunt/pay for it!

Originally Posted by 1BadJeepBruiser

I then added a rare Kyosho Pathfinder tire carrier with a reduced and narrowed imex claw dawg on a fly wheels I had.



-Mike

[balang_479]

Awesome thread... And love the colour, so perfect, Im taking notes...

[Wrecker]

That body looks amazing Mike, but I wouldn't expect anything less from you.
Can't wait to see it done.

[4u2nv]

The body came out great... You are right about the soft top, it really makes the whole look. Can't wait to see what you do next. This one going to have an interior?

[LST022752]

Great job on that body.

[roktoy]

Uh oh....here we go again. I predict this will be another drooler rig.....but heh...I could be wrong. :-)

Jay

[BASSPROKVD]

great work man

[marzzz23]

lookin sweet as usual mike.......hope i can see that thing in person at our first scale event with GSRCRC this spring.

[dieselfuel]

alright man lets see some more... ive kinda wanted to build another scaler for a while now, maybe it'll be a bronco...

[1BadJeepBruiser]

Originally Posted by CRF450R

One of the best looking Bronco bodies I've seen

Thank you sir

Originally Posted by Unimoger

That paint color along with terrys soft top make that body look amazing.

Thanks Ben

Originally Posted by balang_479

Awesome thread... And love the colour, so perfect, Im taking notes...

I hope some people get something out of it

Originally Posted by wrecker

That body looks amazing Mike, but I wouldn't expect anything less from you.
Can't wait to see it done.

Thanks Rich, I am really siked about this build, I love this Xtrail chassis so I am really motivated on this.

Originally Posted by 4u2nv

The body came out great... You are right about the soft top, it really makes the whole look. Can't wait to see what you do next. This one going to have an interior?

I have 2 brand new recaro racing seats and a RPP hobby dash kit I am going to keep it simple since I want to be able to wheel it hard but it will still be cool

Originally Posted by roktoy

Uh oh....here we go again. I predict this will be another drooler rig.....but heh...I could be wrong. :-)



Jay

I will make sure you are right

Originally Posted by marzzz23

lookin sweet as usual mike.......hope i can see that thing in person at our first scale event with GSRCRC this spring.

It'll be there a long with the clone

Originally Posted by dieselfuel

alright man lets see some more... ive kinda wanted to build another scaler for a while now, maybe it'll be a bronco...

as you wish

Worked on this some more earlier today after my mountain bike ride with a couple of a friends. I have never stripped anything that was anodized before so after using the SEARCH button here on RCC in the tools and procedures forum I found that Draino does the trick. So I picked up a bottle and got started.



NOW this is some serious stuff peoples, especially for the youngins that are building here. You need to use caution when using this stuff. I recommend you do it outside in the garage/shop area where its well ventilated. Put on some crappy clothes, and wear gloves! DONT get this stuff on you, you can get a BAD chemical burn. Be careful when pouring it and when mixing it around the parts.

so I grabbed my fresh green axial parts


and got one of those old chinese food containers from the cabinet and poured in some draino



Within a minute or 2 you can see it starting to work


as the anodizing starts to come off, stir it around or agitate the container so the parts move around some and the anodizing doesnt just sit over the parts



I noticed that when doing multiple parts at a time the anodizing takes its toll on the Draino and actually turns the Draino a yellowish greenish color and its effectiveness starts to diminish.


so I dumped it out , and looked at the parts


As you can see they need some more, so I added some fresh in, let them sit for a minute then moved them around till they came out nice and clean.

In the end, I took the parts inside, and washed them thoroughly with warm soapy water. The end result was very good, some still have a hint of it, but a lil metal polish and a dremel will take care of that


end result.

More to come guys, stay tuned.

-Mike

[RAM2500]

Looking good man! I'm always game for a good Bronco build. I recently switched my poor beat Bronco body to a K2 chassis after Nats and it's more fun than ever. I'll always have a Bronco in the stable as long as they keep making that body.

Top looks awesome!

P.S. Picked up a Hudy. Niiiiiice!

[xxizzer421xx]

Nice work keep it up, i always watch your build they are always the best!

[1BadJeepBruiser]

Originally Posted by RAM2500

Looking good man! I'm always game for a good Bronco build. I recently switched my poor beat Bronco body to a K2 chassis after Nats and it's more fun than ever. I'll always have a Bronco in the stable as long as they keep making that body.

Top looks awesome!

P.S. Picked up a Hudy. Niiiiiice!

ahhhhhhhhh Yes cant beat the Hudy, like I said, its the snap on of the RC industry Youll notice such a difference in your motors when you have a nice true comm and add good brushes and springs .

Not much more of an update right now, its almost 2:30 am at this point, so its web wheel RCC then bed time, however one thing I did notice is that when people strip the anodizing they never clean up the aluminum... then it looks, well kinda crappy IMO. Scale is all about attention to detail. Now Im not saying you need blinging 4 links cause I know "chrome dont get ya home" but hell "bling dont hurt a thing"

This took all of 5 minutes if that, you can see a difference and they look cleaner and finished.



More tomorrow.

-Mike

[Mnster]

That was the color my brother and I were planning on painting "The Real Bronco". Looks great though, I really like the soft top. I haven't seen them logo's yet but if Stefan makes them you know they are good.

[grapegoat]

Man, it must be nice to have random badass stuff sitting around like a very nice tire carrier.

[BGGruff]

Looks great! As always your attention to detail is second to none. Good choice of color, I did my Scout with the same color and painted the back top black which went really well together. Also, you gotta love MO's handy work, the top looks outstanding on the Bronco!