Another Rubicon Build...

[GTI_SCX]

Hey all,

I've been lurking here for a while, picking up ideas and researching options for my latest build. This is my first crawler, everything previous having been on-road or monster truck setups. I was basically looking for something a little more low-key, with fewer headaches and carnage compared to my nitro vehicles.

I settled on a Rubicon kit and built it up fairly standard, from a component perspective. I wanted to do something at least semi-scale, so I ran with the exterior details a little bit. Here's the list:

Holmes BRXL
Holmes 35T Expert
87/14 spur / pinion
Futaba 3PM
Castle 10A external BEC
Castle Link Quick Connect
Savox 0231MG servo
Jevne Ultra battery mount
Sealed project boxes front and rear

RC4WD Stamped Steel 5-lug wheels w/ weights
RC4WD Warn Winch
Axial Simple LED light kit / buckets
Krawler Konceptz handles / latches
DS Pro snorkel
Reign CB antenna
Vanquish JK light bar mounts
Gearhead Desert Torch waterproof light bar
HeyOK remote light controller

DIY door / hood hinges
DIY expedition rack / ladder

Lights are modular on separate connections so I can swap bodies in the future and vary my lighting. The light bar has a manual override switch on the front box - it's controlled from the transmitter with the other lights, but I can elect to shut it off if I don't need so much light.

The rack is constructed from silver soldered brass tubing. It mounts via the original roll cage hard points for the roof (drilled out for heavier hardware).

At any rate, it's nothing too unique, but I thought I'd share. I'm working on a second body at the moment - a Proline Rubicon Unlimited this time. The plan, at the moment anyways, is a monochromatic (top and flares) scheme in gun metal. Probably no rack or light bar.

[Mongo]

Nice! Subtle, clean build. The way I like them.

Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk

[pastimesteve]

That is an AMAZING rig! I love it. Just everything works so well. I've not been a huge fan of that body (especially when the top is off), but you've made it look like a million bucks. Congrats on a super build.

Steve

[chubscout]

Very nice looking rig ! Love the white. Where in wny are u at? I'm near rochester.

[Hirschowl]

Love your roof rack with the ladder off the back. Great job Did you custom make it yourself?

[krank22]

Wow! That is extremely clean. Love the door handles and hinges,etc. Very cool!

[Tora]

Wicked clean, love the little touches you did to pull it all together.

Gives me ideas on my build, getting near the body stages now. (really should of photo and posted but oh well maybe ill retro post one when done.)

[nitrojunk]

do you just paint the door handles and latches with what type of paint ?

[GTI_SCX]

Thanks all for the comments. I'm pretty happy with how it turned out. It's not as scale as some of the setups I've seen on here, but I just wanted it to be a bit more complete than stock.

Originally Posted by chubscout

Very nice looking rig ! Love the white. Where in wny are u at? I'm near rochester.

I'm near Rochester as well. Dan's Crafts and Things in Irondequoit is my LHS of choice.

Originally Posted by Hirschowl

Love your roof rack with the ladder off the back. Great job Did you custom make it yourself?

Thanks - I did build it myself. I drew it up in SolidWorks for some quick plans to work over - I loosely patterned it off a Garvin Expedition rack. It's primarily 1/8 OD brass tubing, sleeved over 3/32 where needed. The mounting standoffs are 5/32 to accommodate an M3 machine screw. Bends were done after annealing with a little Dubro tubing bender. Joints were silver soldered with liquid flux and a propane torch.

Afraid I only have a single photo from the construction process. This is pre-grinding and sanding (and pre-ladder). Finish is Rustoleum self-etching primer topped with gloss black.

Originally Posted by nitrojunk

do you just paint the door handles and latches with what type of paint ?

The handles and latches appear to be an SLA material - they're from Krawler Konceptz. The hinges are .040 styrene sheet and .060 rod. All of them are finished with Rustoleum primer and satin black.

[06ToasterBox]

Great build... Some r2j sliders would look great on that.
Here's what they look like.

The body slides into the groves.

[nitrojunk]

Your rims ... did you paint them ? I cant find them in Black ...

[nitrojunk]

nevermind .. I was looking for them in a 2.2 size

[ShrinerTony]

Nice Build. Love the look of the white on the Rubicon.

[skengines]

What light bar are you using?

[acerpower]

Great job!
Love that roof rack.

[GTI_SCX]

Thanks again guys!

Originally Posted by skengines

What light bar are you using?

It's a Gearhead Desert Torch bar.

Gear Head 1/10 Scale Desert Torch LED Light Bar - Waterproof

[1santaever]

Love the jeep I will be getting one it's soon as it gets here I like the white but mine is going to be green and black

[CrawlSD]

Awesome Rubicon!

I use the same wheels on my Rubicon.

How did you get the black paint to look flat? Flat Paint? Brand of paint please.

How did you get the rear windows tinted? Very nice.

Thanks

[GTI_SCX]

Originally Posted by CrawlSD

Awesome Rubicon!

I use the same wheels on my Rubicon.

How did you get the black paint to look flat? Flat Paint? Brand of paint please.

How did you get the rear windows tinted? Very nice.

Thanks

Both the black and white are Tamiya polycarbonate paint, sprayed on the outside. I wanted a matte finish to the whole body. It's backed on the inside with the same colors in the respective areas to reduce the visual impact of scratches. Everything is then backed with black to keep it looking uniform underneath.

The window decals that Axial ships with the hardtop are tinted in the rear. However I've had great luck with Tamiya's translucent smoke for window tinting though. It's what I'm planning on using on the Proline body I'm doing now.

[CrawlSD]

Thank you.