Suavecitor: a Capra based truck

[utieh]

I received my Capra kit a couple of weeks ago and decided to build a scale truck out of it.

Started building the axles and transmission so I could draw a first chassis and have a prototype cut in aluminum (I'll go with G10 eventually if I'm happy with the result).

Here are a few photos, comments and questions. Would love your feedback.

Axles
Build went smoothly but they don't feel as smooth as expected. There's a very subtle clicking noise. I was expecting something Vaterra smooth. I might rebuild them later. They are completely stock for now.
Servo is an Ecopower WP120T.

Transmission
Nothing special here too, though it feels much smoother when I turn it by hand than the axles. On the chassis, the transmission is moved 5mm forward.

Suspensions
Wheelbase is 12.3 as I'm using a Jeep Comanche body from Pro-Line.
I ordered a custom aluminum set from IntheworksRC with bent rear.
I'm keeping the stock shocks, built with stock oil but front springs are Axial purples (0.72 Lb/in) and rear are Element white (0.98 Lb/in)

Chassis
This is a first rough design, and I used the cage silhouette as a template to make sure it had the same clearance if not more. It uses as many Axial SCX10.2 stock parts as possible:
- front and rear bumper mounts
- rear brace
- front battery tray / servo mount (for an eventual servo winch)
- body posts (body post mounds are from King Headz)
- side plates to mount the RX + ESC and in case I want to move the battery on the side.
I'm also thinking about moving the battery (3S 2300 mAh) in front of the front shock mounts, right behind the grill, hoping it fits)
Bumpers are from the VS4-10 Pro, I'm really impressed with their design and the quality of the plastic they use.

Wheels
Hyrax (Predator compound) mounted on Element Method black wheels (the easiest and quickest beadlock wheels I've ever mounted) with CI Foams (soft front and medium rear). Rear wheels rub the portal a bit, like a fraction of a mm, I don't want to use wider hubs so I might create very thin spacers between the Element hubs and the wheel.

Power
I hesitated a bit between going for a brushed setup (16T HH + Hobbywing 1080 ESC) and a Mamba Max Pro with a HH Puller Pro 3500KV.
I installed the BL system, which is too long for the Capra skid so I had to shave the upper link mount. This might be too much power for this rig but I'm curious to see how it does. I rewired and bought a new case/fan for the ESC, and ordered also a new BEC (fried an old one yesterday).

Body
I went for something simple, sturdy and cheap (almost) with the Comanche body, I will need to cut the rear bed to leave place for the rear shock mounts.

[OSRC]

Very nice, chassis design looks great!

[utieh]

Originally Posted by OSRC

Very nice, chassis design looks great!

Thanks!

[Lashlee]

I started with my Capra with a 3500kv/Mamba X combo with an 11 tooth pinion. Crazy fast!!! Like picks up the front wheels (even with 2.2's!!) on the concrete driveway at home. I've now swapped in a 2200kv shorty but I do miss the quickness that the 3500 offered.

[utieh]

That's what I'm a bit afraid of, since it's installed, I'll try it first, otherwise I'll go brushed with a HH 16T.

Originally Posted by Lashlee

I started with my Capra with a 3500kv/Mamba X combo with an 11 tooth pinion. Crazy fast!!! Like picks up the front wheels (even with 2.2's!!) on the concrete driveway at home. I've now swapped in a 2200kv shorty but I do miss the quickness that the 3500 offered.

[rbronco21]

Have you abandoned this build? I haven't been able to find out what a body would look like with wide Capra axles. I'd love a Capra Cherokee. Would be cool to see a Cherokee SCX10 III, but I'd guess they aren't going to go back to an older gen body for a new kit.

[utieh]

Here's where I'm at now.Unfortunately I didn't have much real test time, maybe one hour max. I'm pretty happy with how it crawls but added some brass knuckles and a HH 7T motor (the 55T didn't cut it).

Originally Posted by rbronco21

Have you abandoned this build? I haven't been able to find out what a body would look like with wide Capra axles. I'd love a Capra Cherokee. Would be cool to see a Cherokee SCX10 III, but I'd guess they aren't going to go back to an older gen body for a new kit.

[rbronco21]

I like it. For some reason Comanche and Cherokee didn't click, or maybe it did subconsciously and that's why I went on about the Cherokee. Those are 1.9s, right? It doesn't look too out of proportion considering some of the stuff I've seen on full-size rigs in Moab.

A long time ago, when 35s were considered big and 38s huge, I could tell the difference in full-size Jeep tires, but I've lost that ability now that 40+ isn't crazy.

[utieh]

Originally Posted by rbronco21

I like it. For some reason Comanche and Cherokee didn't click, or maybe it did subconsciously and that's why I went on about the Cherokee. Those are 1.9s, right? It doesn't look too out of proportion considering some of the stuff I've seen on full-size rigs in Moab.

A long time ago, when 35s were considered big and 38s huge, I could tell the difference in full-size Jeep tires, but I've lost that ability now that 40+ isn't crazy.

Those axles are pretty wide for that body so I went for some "bigger" 1.9 tires (Pro-Line Hyrax). Looks a bit extreme but I like it.