Mutant_Xj

[Mutant_Xj]

Got a Dingo kit a little while ago and have been modifying it pretty regularly since. This is my first all out scale build. I've built four scalers before but they were just a lexan body on top of a scale chassis with not much more scale detail. I've been wanting to build a kickass Cherokee for years. Before I owned an RC a guy on NAXJA.org (AWESOME 1:1 XJ forum check it out if you can) posted up a Youtube video of a Scale off road Xj. I couldn't believe how cool it was. With not having much time to work on my 1:1 Xj the last 4 years I got into RCs and now I'm to the point of building my RC Xj I've wanted for so long.

These pictures are where its at currently and by no means is this close to being a finished project.






Currently the way it sits
Mamba Max Pro with Losi 21.5T Crawler motor
HS-7954SH Servo
FlySky GT3B Rx/Tx with Losi Kids hack setup as 6 channel
Bigbore shocks (Spring on the back are comming off)
3Racing winch (not wired in yet)
CC BEC powering the Servo direct
VP Dig
Over and under drive gears
Axial high clearance knuckles and aluminum C hubs
Axial CVDs
Start of a homemade floor pan out of styrene
3S 2200mah 25c lipos from Cheapbatteypacks
Homemade 3 link truss with panhard mount and homemade CMS setup

That's all I can think of for now


I just ordered a couple goodies from RPP for it too
VP 8* knuckles and C hubs
RC4WD 110mm Ultimate Scale Shocks
New Xj body since this one is so beat
A second BEC to power the Rx
And a longer sensor wire to move the ESC up front.

[Mutant_Xj]

My plans for this are to build a full interior, go doorless, build an exo-cage, build bumpers and sliders and a hitch, lights, roofrack with light bar built in, suck down winch for both axles.

I'm planning to build a bench seat that will flip forward like a 1:1 and having my battery mounted under the seat.

I bought a wraith interior off of someone from here but the only way I could make it work without raising up the body is to move the whole tranny forward a good bit and I don't think it's worth the trouble. I am going to move the dig servo infront of the tranny though and make a new link for it.


Questions I have for you guys

Does anyone know where I can find square steel tube and/or rod to build sliders and a hitch?

Has anyone run a larger fan off of their MMP? I have one from radio shack that's rated 12VDC 0.13A 1.56W and would like to mount it in the front of the Xj and have it so it can blow over the ESC and other electronics. I'm hoping to get all the electronics mounted up front.

Can someone who has them give me an opinion on these wheels? Integy 1.9 Alloy 8H Wheel(4),Gun Metal: F350 I know they're Integy and I am so torn about buying them because I hate their products but I really like the looks of these wheels and have yet come across a set I think look nicer.

Are there any Tj flares I could use for on this? I put Tj flares on my 1:1 and thought it would be nice to have them on the SCX10.

Thanks for looking

[The-Blacksheep]

im not sure about your other questions, but around here they have steel at scale train stores, hardwares stores, your local home improvment stores "lowes" "home depot" and you might even be able to find someone that can order it for you if they are in the steel business ie. tin roof installers, gutter installers, fabrication shops, machine shops, hope this helps some sorry i couldnt help with he electronics Q's! By the way great looking start hope it turns out the way you want, def sounds like you know what you want! also here is a link to a build with the wheels your looking at mounted on a jeep " i think there the same wheels your talking about" Scx10 TJ 1.9

[Mutant_Xj]

I can get steel at a few places around here but I'm looking for something like 1/4" square tube to build sliders and a hitch out of. No one local has it and Google sucks trying to find it.

It looks like the link you posted does have those wheels in. I'll have to ask him his opinion on them.

[The-Blacksheep]

Speedy Metals - 1018 found this site real quick, you can order online and they carry all tipes of metal maybe you can find what your looking for here, and on the wheels, i have heard that integy's wheels are about the only thing they make worth having but dont have any personal experiance with them, they sure do look good you got that right tho!

[Mutant_Xj]

I think I will buy some of the square stock for sliders but I'm still looking for square tube for the receiver hitch. I want to build a scale version of GoJeeps trailer and also use the hitch as a recovery point.

GoJeeps trailer - Trailers
Check out the tent it's freakin awesome. I want to build a 1:1 version so badly. His whole site is great for someone looking for information on working on a 1:1 Xj.

[steele42]

I love the doorless idea. Some other guy here did that (he has a hard name to remember)

[ZJMike]

Looking good

[Mutant_Xj]

Thanks.

It's not drivable right now. I should be getting my parts from RPP on Friday. I'm going to tear down the XJ and build it back up with new parts and do some maintenance on it while its apart.

I also need to get to Radio Shack and get some LEDs and Resistors. I have a servo board waiting to be turned into a light switch and I'd like to get that done up this weekend.

Steele42 - I got the doorless idea from that guy. I can't remember his name but I have a pic of his Xj and Jk that was my desktop pic for a couple weeks. I'm probably going to get a second body before I commit to going doorless. I want one just for the shelf.

[qwkjimmy]

Ive been trying to find a write-up on tubing.. Anyone know of any? I want to do a rear bumper with a tow hitch..

Also nice work on the xj.. Makes me want to paint my next shell green

[Mutant_Xj]

I got thee shell already painted but I do like the general color. I don't know what the guy used but it started flaking of right away and now it's pretty bad. I had the shell on three or four different trucks so far so the hood has a bunch of extra holes.

Brazing Video
I learned to braze from searching the internet and this forum. Just google Brazing how to. For a torch you can pick up an Oxey/MAPP setup from Lowes/Home Depot/Tractor Supply for around $50 make sure to get plenty of extra bottles of oxygen. I think I'm around ten bottles of oxygen to one bottle of Mapp. The individual bottles run $7-$10 dollars a piece. Lowes had a thing last time I got oxygen where if you buy 4 or more it was ~$7 a piece. The only other thing you'd need then would be goggles and brazing rod.

[Mutant_Xj]

My laptop just died and now I'm stuck using my iPhone to access the Internet.

I'm getting the electronics setup right now and have a question about a winch controller. I've read the stock 3 racing one isn't too good. I have a stock ESC from a duratrax vendetta, would that be a better option?

[Mutant_Xj]

I got the body painted, Dingo flairs installed, and mounted. I also got the VP 8* hubs and knucks installed as well as the RC4WD ultimate scale shocks. I have all the electronics mounted up front on a stock battery tray. I mounted a second stock battery tray to the rear and have a home made battery tray mounted to that right in front of the rear shock hoops. I'm planning to make a bench seat to hide it.

The VP knucks and hubs are nice. I was running the Axial high clearance knuckles before with Axial aluminum hubs. With the Axial I had to make a bent tie rod so that I could mount it under the knuckle arm for my CMS. With the VP setup I was able to go back to a straight tie rod. Also I was able to lengthen my upper link and get a better pinion angle and the steering was right where I had it before.
The things I had to do were install wider hexes and lengthen the tierod and draglink. I used Traxxas wide hexes but they are a tad too short and I still have some rubbing between the tires and rod ends. I'm thinking about trying to find some ball studs and caps and see if that would give me the extra room I need. I seen it used on the Hyper10SC forum on RCShortcourse to get extra steering.
For the tierod I used a short turnbuckle I had in my parts bin to lengthen it. I don't know how well it will hold up but I thought it was a cool little scale feature being able to adjust the alignment like a 1:1

I have mixed feelings about the RC4WD shocks. The looks of the shocks are awesome. They are probably the most scale looking shock out there right now. The performance of them is disappointing. There is a good amount of slop in the metal rod ends. The bottom rod ends don't have as much range of motion because the outside diameter of the threaded portion is so large and too close to the pivot ball. I run the shocks outboarded on the axle and couldn't do it with the RC4WD rodends on the shocks. I took of the bottom rod ends and replaced them with Traxxas.
The quality of the aluminum kinda seems iffy. I want to make clear I have no idea what good quality aluminum feels like compared to cheap aluminum. I'm comparing the RC4WD shocks to Traxxas big bores. The traxxas feel a lot harder and when you screw the caps on it you can feel the threads squeaking but they feel solid. Screwing on the caps of the RC4WD they felt soft.
The spring with the RC4WD shocks are too soft and stick in the shock body. I want to take the springs out and make sure I'm correct on this but the one front shock sits higher then the other because there's a spot where it sticks and it will keep the jeep slightly angled. If it's only the springs sticking I'm going to keep the shocks and build a new front axle truss with spring perches on see about getting some soft mini springs. Also with the springs being so soft I have a bit more torque twist then before.
One good thing I will say about the shocks is they don't leak. I have them filled with 30wt oil and they seem to be holding the oil in pretty good.

I still have to get on the FlySky GT3B thread and figure out how to program my radio for the front suckdown winch and the 3Racing winch. My next stop to the hobby shop I hope I remember to get a Y splitter for a servo and then I'll install the rear suck down servo.

Sorry I don't have any pictures for you guys. I dug out my old eMac and am using that to get online or my phone. Maybe the wife will let me use her laptop long enough to get some more pics posted.

Thanks for looking.

[Mutant_Xj]

The wife was kind enough to give me some money towards a new Lappy so now I got some pics to share.













And two quick videos at my testing spot across the street from my house
http://s210.photobucket.com/albums/b...t=XJvideo2.mp4
http://s210.photobucket.com/albums/b...t=XJvideo3.mp4

[ZJMike]

Originally Posted by Mutant_Xj

The wife was kind enough to give me some money towards a new Lappy so now I got some pics to share.













And two quick videos at my testing spot across the street from my house
XJvideo2.mp4 video by mutant_xj - Photobucket
XJvideo3.mp4 video by mutant_xj - Photobucket

That is one SWEET ride Hopefully mine turns out half as good as yours.

[Mutant_Xj]

Thank you!

[Mutant_Xj]

Here are some pics of my 1:1 from Rausch Creek a few years ago. I went out with a few guys from NAXJA. I spent the entire night before putting a 3" lift and the 33" thornbirds on and went straight out with no sleep. The whole time I was terrified something was going to break or fall off.

[Irmoxj]

ive been wanting to go to raush creek i heard there was some going wheeling up there

[ZJMike]

Originally Posted by Mutant_Xj

Here are some pics of my 1:1 from Rausch Creek a few years ago. I went out with a few guys from NAXJA. I spent the entire night before putting a 3" lift and the 33" thornbirds on and went straight out with no sleep. The whole time I was terrified something was going to break or fall off.

I love wheeling rausch. Last time I was out there yellowjacket claimed tires on 2 rigs:thumbup:

Sent from my M865 using Tapatalk

[Mutant_Xj]

That was the only time I was out there and I was almost too scared of my Jeep breaking to actually enjoy it, but I still had fun. My Jeep was also my daily driver at that time so I was even more nervous. I really want to get my Jeep back on the road and get back out there. Hopefully this spring I will have the time and energy to work on it.

Oh and that hill I'm on top of in the one picture scared the crap out of me. Everyone else was struggling getting to the top so I got a running start and made it up easily. Once I got over the crest I couldn't see anything until the back end of the jeep made it up and over. The trail dropped down nice and steep then took a sharp turn to the left. There was a tree right at the turn too so if you didn't turn you'd go straight into it. I went up too fast and was coming down fast, that with the slick snow and mud I didn't have enough traction to brake and the ruts in the trail were the only thing keeping me from hitting the tree.