the newbie honcho build :o

[HaveBlue83]

Hello all,

I just picked up a honcho and its already modded

So far:
-flipped the battery 90deg so a scale interior will fit better and to see how it balances there. Can put it in front or behind the front body tower
-routed antenna with the short black cover to the frame rail
-cut off the ugly part of the rear cage. Will clean up over the weekend.
-removed the hood and side decals

I am jumping straight into a scale crawler with zero experience. My only other RC is a traxxas bandit on brushless that is like a squirrel lol. I always wanted to go slow and crawl and look real. I have built over 65 models back when i was a teen so this is just a working one!

Going for fun and scale with this one.










Took it out this morning to get some dirt on the tires. Lipo cutoff was on so it was a lil laggy when crawling with a load since i threw in a regular ni-mh 3000mah. Found my balancer block for my trx lipo stuff so the 5100 3s will go in after its charged and just live in there.


Wonderful little machine. Totally what i wanted. So neat! Kept stopping to admire the look of it propped up on rocks. Im totally addicted. This might get good in here ;)

[colbynobo]

I know what you mean about the constantly having to stop and look at a SCX10 when it's propped on the rocks.

I like what you've done with the cage.

[TacoCrawler]

Originally Posted by HaveBlue83

Took it out this morning...

Wonderful little machine. Totally what i wanted. So neat! Kept stopping to admire the look of it propped up on rocks. Im totally addicted.

As good, if not better... then most other addictions

Though I can't say I'm a fan of your battery placement.

IMO, the battery needs to mount lower
then chassis center of gravity (COG) will be improved...
and you will remain more easily upright when at severe angle/side hill.

The majority position a single battery just forward of the transmission,
similar to yours, but lower, nearer the frame surface.

In my case... my LiPo batteries are mounted atop my sliders.
I run dual 3s 2100mah wired parallel and combined = 4200mah.

They barely fit under my Dinky interior.
but they do and it works really well IMO.
Yes I run the Honcho body too.

Was easy to do...
as I had some scrap 1/8" lexan sheet laying around.
A little heat gun action with a vise...
Countersink the bolt hole(s)... done.

atop my original plastic sliders...

[HaveBlue83]

Yes it is really cool and scale. Edit: i would like a lower batt....might actually do the way you did it since this one is top heavy. I know what you mean. It clears everything for now so it works "OK" as i learn the setup.

Did some more work today:

-cleaned up the rollbar rear cutoff sections
-cut off the sides of the bed to expose the tire
-stickered up the fuel tank
-put in the 5100mah 3s li-po (WHOA power and runtime!)
-final mounting of the antenna along the framerail, clean.
-cut up, smoothed and flipped the side steps and remounted
-30min crawl run with lots of admiring and smiling at this sucker

This will be a pic heavy thread

[TacoCrawler]

pictures are cool...

makes most any thread... better

[winnerone23]

Great start! Welcome to the addiction...

Where in town, are those pics from?

[HaveBlue83]

Winnerone23, i was down south at my brothers place. 3 hours south.

I just got back to Wport tonight. I went over to loyalsock and hit the big rocks for a bit. The big batt definitely needs to go lower/need twin low li-po's as suggested.

I did a bunch of work today. PS i am a dremel king LOL. Been using one for weapons work professionally since about 2009.

I picked up a winch/controller setup, just need a battery for it. I cut up my stock bumper for a mount to see if it will work instead of buying one. I had to shave the stock light mount points for the winch, so i moved them to a different spot. They are now firmly mounted but adjustable for elevation. I used stock screws and parts of the old rear cage to mount. This was totally fun.

I have to get a solder gun setup to do the wires properly....that or just use some auto crimps and wire.

[winnerone23]

Originally Posted by HaveBlue83

Winnerone23, i was down south at my brothers place. 3 hours south.

I did a bunch of work today. PS i am a dremel king LOL. Been using one for weapons work professionally since about 2009.

Got ya.. I might need to find out about these, big rocks, in loyalsock!?

Dremel King, huh? Lol.. I have a little dremeling complex of my own.. Everything I own, gets the Dremel! Lol..

I might have to get the rear bumper on my XJ welded up and get out for some packs, with ya.

eparccrawlers has some comps coming up.. I think the first one is at Rausch Creek 4x4 ORP.. (It's the closest one to us).. We crawl there whenever they have the 1:1 comps.

[HaveBlue83]

If you go to montoursville under the RR bridge there are some bug ones. Pretty big for my Honcho but cool. This week i will be scputing loyalsock creek for more spots....mainly that one where the bridge is on rt87. Always a ton or rocks down there on the bank. I have to try the stream by 15 where you said as well.

Im going to do the dual battery thing for lowest CG, and get a smaller batt for the winch as well.

Ps lights are connected now. I used solder like i shpuld for this guy

[HaveBlue83]

-Winch works nicely. Acts a lil weird after a few pulls. I think its the battery getting sucked down and the esc acting weird. After a charge it acts fine.

-Just removed the chrome on all 5 wheels. Much better.

-My body is hella scrached from rocks lol. I might have to paint it from the outside and blast the inside and do black...maybe. I want the removed paint to look scratched underneith. I will have fun with it. Maybe OD green or tan.

-Oh, twin 2100mah 3s lipos on the way. I will sell the 5100 to offset the cost. Its about 4hours in and still working like a full charge. Too bad its so top heavy with it.

-Windows cut. Closed windows bothered me. I need an interior too. Removed all those annoying stickers on the side windows. Left the trim, cut out the center.

-mounted the winch controller to my radio. Can hit the buttons with my thumb

[HaveBlue83]

New body paint. Black inside, brown primer and then dark green ultra flat camo on top. Pretty strong stuff. Realistic scratches. I also removed rear tint and decals. Added my own on the sides. Looks better.

-batteries mounted low, as suggested. CG was noticeably lowered. 3 hours use today and batteries are still kicking.

Dinky interior comes tomorrow (scheduled)

Totally loving this thing

EDIT: something is wrong with the winch reciever and controller. Only works correctly the first use then goes auto retract or auto extend and it doesnt stop. Have to pull the battery to stop it. Seems like a POS controller. Winch itself is built well. Guess im calling rc4wd for warranty work

[HaveBlue83]

Battery finally died after about 3hrs? Use. I am very happy eith this.

Interior is in. Need some more scale parts for it but it looks and fits great!

Rc4wd is sending me a new winch and controller after i sent them pics of the issues and receipt

Pic of the in progress interior (fits great!)

[HaveBlue83]

Chopped off the rear tire cage, wathered the body a bit, and about to do a light bar, wheels and tires.

[Spunkybob]

Like the weathering!

When you painted the outside did you have any scratches on it? If so how did you smooth them out (or didn't?)

Last question. Did you use lexan paint or just normal paint for the outside?

Sent from my SM-N910G using Tapatalk

[snapon boy]

Look into some beef tubes that will help you get more weight down low and Improve crawling traction. If you decide to get tires look in to pit bull rock beast or voodoo klr tires.

[winnerone23]

You and this bad boy, ready for a little scale comp next weekend? ;)
I might have a thing or 2, that could be helpful..

[Bananaclip]

Your doing some good work with your little Yota! I agree with SOB's Beeftube suggestion. The tubes add non roatating weight down low, strength to the housing, and you will be screwing your chub's into metal! I would get brass

[Gameover]

Great looking rig! I like the removed cage in the rear!

[jeff22]

That looks great with the roll cage removed. I have been wanting to cut the cage off mine for a while and cut it off this morning.

What interior is that?

[HaveBlue83]

Buncha replys in here! Lol.

-i took the paint layer idea offline. Its the original silver body with some camo rattle can paint over top. The brown is rattle can primer and the green is rustoleum dk green. I took laquer thinner to remove some paint for weathered look, but all the little areas of scrathes and dings where from actual use. The rear of the cab is all scratched down to the silver. Also the underside and inside of the cab is flat blacked.

All the axial stickers and window tint was removed. Front is next to go. I cut out the tint and left the black window trim.

Chopping the frame was fun easy and needed. The short back helped a TON for 45deg inclines and ditches.

I just went to acial beadlocks and proline swamper TSL's yesterday. Super sticky tires! Today i will take em out for a full rock run and get pics. The RC4WD mud slingers and wagon wheel combo is a PAIN. Working on it.

Extinguisher is mounted on the back cage bar.

Its a dinky interior. It ROCKS!

Rc4wd light bar is on as well now. Super great for night runs. I need a rear pod next. I run it and the winch off a 2s 7.4v 1200mah lipo with a buzzer low volt meter.



Love mah truuuuuck! Lol