B-MOW's IFS Trailwalker

[B-MOW71]

Originally Posted by BrickBait

Okay

Im running a builders kit with the kit shocks. And i really dont like those plastic bushings. So i am looking into replacing them with Steel instead. Didnt know there was a size difference?
Are those bleeder caps made to fit another car?

I got a plan to convert the kit shocks caps into Bleeder caps.

If you plan to use the stock shocks, then the #42055 shock bushings will work in the stock plastic shock caps. I am running those bushings on my Enduro Sendero stock shocks. The bottom shock mount uses #42056 pivot ball set. These balls are the same as the link balls.

The bleeder caps that I used are from a Team Associated buggy. I'm not sure which buggy they are for, but they fit the stock Enduro shocks perfectly. To use these bleeder caps, the #1781 shock bushings are required since the mounting hole is smaller than the stock shock cap.

I'll be interested to hear if you can convert the stock caps into bleeder caps. I didn't think about modifying the stock caps. Let me know if it works out.

[BrickBait]

Originally Posted by B-MOW71

If you plan to use the stock shocks, then the #42055 shock bushings will work in the stock plastic shock caps. I am running those bushings on my Enduro Sendero stock shocks. The bottom shock mount uses #42056 pivot ball set. These balls are the same as the link balls.

The bleeder caps that I used are from a Team Associated buggy. I'm not sure which buggy they are for, but they fit the stock Enduro shocks perfectly. To use these bleeder caps, the #1781 shock bushings are required since the mounting hole is smaller than the stock shock cap.

I'll be interested to hear if you can convert the stock caps into bleeder caps. I didn't think about modifying the stock caps. Let me know if it works out.

The kit shocks uses alu caps instead of plastic, but they are the same size as the plastic caps on the RTR. So i am having second thoughts on Steel balls in the alu caps. That could end up in some increased wear?

I dont see any issues making a 2,5mm bleed hole with a M3 thread in these alu caps. But i will keep you posted

Difference between 42055 and 42055 is the length?

[B-MOW71]

Originally Posted by BrickBait

The kit shocks uses alu caps instead of plastic, but they are the same size as the plastic caps on the RTR. So i am having second thoughts on Steel balls in the alu caps. That could end up in some increased wear?

I dont see any issues making a 2,5mm bleed hole with a M3 thread in these alu caps. But i will keep you posted

Difference between 42055 and 42055 is the length?

Oh, yeah, you're right! You have the alum shock caps. I missed where you said you had the kit. My Sendero and Trailwalkers are RTR's and came with plastic. I actually thought about upgrading to alum caps, but I have had great luck so far with the stock plastics caps. I think you would be better off using the plastic bushings. On my race buggies, I have used nitro fuel tubing in the alum shock caps instead of plastic. I works well. You just have to make sure not to tighten down the locknut all the way so that the shock can swivel.

The #42055 is designed to be used in the top shock mount. I think they are a little bit longer and one side of the bushing has a flat to mount to shock tower.

Yeah, keep me posted! Sounds like drilling a hole should work!

[soze]

I'm actually thinking of drilling holes in the caps of my shocks too. It makes filling the shock oil so much easier when you can bleed out like that.

[B-MOW71]

Originally Posted by soze

I'm actually thinking of drilling holes in the caps of my shocks too. It makes filling the shock oil so much easier when you can bleed out like that.

I agree!

It was great to see the Axial Capra shocks had the bleeder hole in the cap. It made them shocks super easy to build. My TLR 22-4 and 22 5.0 buggies also have the bleeder cap in their shocks. The TLR shocks are also very easy to build!

I'm going to look at drilling holes in my Sendero shock caps the next time I have them off for maintenance.

[BrickBait]

Sounds interesting with the nitro fuel line.

I could make some new pivot balls out of delrin on my lathe.
But do they need that rounded of shape? Its not enough with a straight bushing that allow the shocks to swivel? I can imagen that the ball shape allow the shocks to swivel a bit from side to side also?

[B-MOW71]

It's been awhile since my last update. I finally got the base colors painted onto the Trailwalker body. I had put it off long enough and finally got motivated enough to finish the body or at least get closer to a finished body. Body painting has never been one of my favorite parts of this hobby, so I struggle sometimes with getting the job done!

A little back story of the paint scheme that I was trying to recreate. Way back in 1993 I purchased an old worn and rusted out 1976 Chevy Silverado 2WD shortbed pickup for $400 bucks. The body was really rough. The floor boards were completely rotted out and the cab corners and rocker panels were rusted out to the point that they didn't even exist anymore. But it had a good frame and a great V8 350 motor and I LOVED it! It ran and drove awesome. It just wasn't that pretty too look at!

I spent the spring of 1994 welding in new floor pans, cab corners and rocker panels. That summer I scraped up enough money to buy new fenders, doors and mirrors. I had a local body shop throw on a coat of silver paint on them and got them installed. A couple years passed and in 1996 I sent it to another local body shop to get a brand new bed and a fresh coat of black paint. When it rolled out of the body shop it looked like a brand new truck. It looked great! Then in 1999 I lost my mind and sold it! Biggest mistake I've ever made and I still regret it to this day.

So here is are a few pics of how it looked when I first got it and how it looked after I had put the new doors and fenders on it. Sadly I cannot find the pics of it after I had it painted black. I have them somewhere, just can't find them at the moment. Once I find them I'll add the pics later on.








I did a Google search just to see if I could find any other pics of this paint style and ran across this pic. It is the exact same color and looks bada$$. It is the only pic I could find of this color, so I'm wondering if this paint scheme they used back in 76' was rare.




So now onto the body painting. Here is the first layer I put down on top of the primer coat. It Rust-Oleum 2X Satin Claret Wine. It is the closest color that I could find to match the burgundy/maroon color.




Taped off the Claret Wine color and sprayed Satin Granite. It is a close match to the faded gray color.




Next up was taping off the whole body to paint the black around the windows and inside the bed. After that had dried, I spent hours taping off to add the chrome/silver accent stripes in between the Claret Wine and the Granite and around the fender well openings and the tailgate to match how the 1:1 looked. I used Metallic Silver on this step. The cap on the spray can looked chrome, but when I sprayed it on it came out like this. I guess it will do.







That's all for now. I'm not sure if I want to try and "weather" it or just let it get "weathered" on it's own when it gets rock rashed out on the trail. I still need to add some black panel lines for the doors and hood. The lines in the lexan are not very deep, so it may be difficult to get a good straight line with a fine tip Sharpie. Also would like to add a thin black line in the chrome moldings like the 1:1 has, but that may be very difficult to do also.

I'm hoping to get the rear taillight stickers on and get all the scale accessories back on the body soon. I'm still undecided if I should keep these wheels or find something else. I thought about painting them chrome and adding some black accents to them. I'll figure that out later on!

[boldfin]

That's a pretty sweet paint job you got there, sir.

Question for you... When you swapped in the IFS, did you notice whether the front tire appeared to line up a little more towards the front of the wheel well with the IFS setup? Reason I ask is I just picked up a Trailrunner body, and threw it on my otherwise stock Trailwalker chassis, and the front wheels seemed just a little too far back in the front wheel wells. The Trailrunner body I purchased is a RTR takeoff body, so it had the body post holes already reamed out in the OEM position. They lined right up with the posts on my Trailwalker chassis, but the front wheels just seem to be sitting a scootch too far back in the front wells. I can fix that with some link adjustments, but I was just wondering if the IFS setup changes the wheelbase just a tad over the straight axle setup.



Sorry for the poor picture quality, but I think this shows what I mean.

[Robotboy]

Wow that looks great!

[soze]

Great job on the body Brian! I've got a clear one waiting as well, but you know what... I'm a sucker for blue or gray, and I really really like the stock Trailwalker body color! Painting that bed black did wonders, and I'm about to paint the gray hard plastic parts black as well.

It's one of those bodies that just grow on you after a while when you see what you can do with it.

[B-MOW71]

Originally Posted by boldfin

That's a pretty sweet paint job you got there, sir.

Question for you... When you swapped in the IFS, did you notice whether the front tire appeared to line up a little more towards the front of the wheel well with the IFS setup? Reason I ask is I just picked up a Trailrunner body, and threw it on my otherwise stock Trailwalker chassis, and the front wheels seemed just a little too far back in the front wheel wells. The Trailrunner body I purchased is a RTR takeoff body, so it had the body post holes already reamed out in the OEM position. They lined right up with the posts on my Trailwalker chassis, but the front wheels just seem to be sitting a scootch too far back in the front wells. I can fix that with some link adjustments, but I was just wondering if the IFS setup changes the wheelbase just a tad over the straight axle setup.



Sorry for the poor picture quality, but I think this shows what I mean.

Hey, thanks!

I see what you mean about the front tires being off. Not sure what is going on there. I did not see any change in wheelbase length when I installed the IFS. The tires in both front and rear lined up perfectly on the Trailwalker body. I even put on my Sendero body and gave it quick run on the rocks and that body lined up perfectly also. As far as I know, the Sendero, Trailwalker & Trailrunner all have the same wheelbase. Now I'm not sure if the body post holes are the same with the Trailwalker and the Trailrunner bodies. That is odd! I haven't picked up the Trailrunner body yet, but when I do I'll have check to see how mine lines up.

Originally Posted by Robotboy

Wow that looks great!

Thanks RB!

Originally Posted by soze

Great job on the body Brian! I've got a clear one waiting as well, but you know what... I'm a sucker for blue or gray, and I really really like the stock Trailwalker body color! Painting that bed black did wonders, and I'm about to paint the gray hard plastic parts black as well.

It's one of those bodies that just grow on you after a while when you see what you can do with it.

Thanks Jim!

Yeah, I agree. I love blue too and I did like the stock blue on the Trailwalker body. I just wanted something different since most all of the Trailwalkers I see are blue. I kinda wish Element would have offered it in different colors so that there weren't so many blue ones! Painting the bed black does make it look better and adds the extra detail that it needs.

Yeah, I really like how this body looks! It's one of the few generic looking bodies that actually look good IMO (with a little body trimming)! Though I do like the Sendero body too. When it first came out I wasn't a big fan of it, but after I saw how good they looked with different paint schemes I really liked how it looked. The Sendero body has become another one of my favorites!

[Topher Builds]

Wow. Loving the new look and can’t wait to see it done.

That is coming out unbelievably clean! Especially the trim. Excellent work.

[B-MOW71]

Originally Posted by Topher Builds

Wow. Loving the new look and can’t wait to see it done.

That is coming out unbelievably clean! Especially the trim. Excellent work.

Thanks TB!

Yeah, the trim was difficult and very time consuming! It took a lot of tape, patience & beer!

I can't wait to see it done too! It has taken too long and I'm ready to get some run time on it!

[JSterrett]

Originally Posted by B-MOW71

Then in 1999 I lost my mind and sold it! Biggest mistake I've ever made and I still regret it to this day.



Attachment 390957

I've had a bunch of short wide Chevys (and GMCs) over the years, including a few square bodies, and usually feel the same way after I sell them, lol.



Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk

[smog]

Nice Finish B, you nailed the paint job. You can’t rush the artist

Enjoyed the thread overall. Your 3D prints were a nice touch. There is no doubt being able to remove your esc and switch with a screw is a simple but satisfying convenience( Not a fan of cleaning up tape residue). Also, thanks for sharing the story of your old pickup. I drove a rusty 1980 Ford through the early nineties that I bought for 800 bucks. I can appreciAte where you were at. I friend of mine had an early eighties K10 in a rusty chocolate brown back then. Good times.

[B-MOW71]

Originally Posted by JSterrett

I've had a bunch of short wide Chevys (and GMCs) over the years, including a few square bodies, and usually feel the same way after I sell them, lol.

Yeah, I've always loved these older Chevy's!

Sweet looking silver Silverado! That would have been a tough one to let go! That would have been a keeper!

Your black Chevy was similar to what mine looked like after I got it painted. It just didn't have that massive motor like yours had! I need to find the pics of mine and get them posted up!

Originally Posted by smog

Nice Finish B, you nailed the paint job. You can’t rush the artist

Enjoyed the thread overall. Your 3D prints were a nice touch. There is no doubt being able to remove your esc and switch with a screw is a simple but satisfying convenience( Not a fan of cleaning up tape residue). Also, thanks for sharing the story of your old pickup. I drove a rusty 1980 Ford through the early nineties that I bought for 800 bucks. I can appreciAte where you were at. I friend of mine had an early eighties K10 in a rusty chocolate brown back then. Good times.

Thanks smog!

And thanks for taking a look! I like the fact that the ESC is firmly mounted and easily removable.

Yeah, the early 90's for me were good times! Being in my very early 20's back then it was fun to drive and wrench on them old trucks. Sure do miss them days!

[B-MOW71]

Amain order came in today. Thought I'd throw on some SSD Brass Knuckles on the IFS.

After seeing @soze install these on his IFS Trailwalker and seeing how easy of a swap they were, I thought I should give them a try. I have these on my Enduro Sendero, but wasn't sure if these would work on the IFS. Well they do!

Very easy to install. Fit and finish on these is terrific!

I had to swap out the (4) M3x10 button head screws for some M3x8's on the steering arm that goes on top of the knuckle. Everything else fit perfect. Did not have to use the supplied brass inserts that are supposed to go in the knuckle. The front ball studs slide perfectly into the holes.










Just fit inside the stock 1.55 wheels. No rub and spin free!

[Phyro]

I did this upgrade on my IFS Colorado build. I love how much it helped. It feels a lot more planted. How does it feel to you?


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[Robotboy]

Looks great! Can't wait to get these knucks on mine, should be here any day now.

[B-MOW71]

Originally Posted by Phyro

I did this upgrade on my IFS Colorado build. I love how much it helped. It feels a lot more planted. How does it feel to you?

I haven’t had a chance to run it yet, but they were a great upgrade on my Sendero. Hoping to get the body done soon so I can get it out and see how it does.

Originally Posted by Robotboy

Looks great! Can't wait to get these knucks on mine, should be here any day now.

Thanks RB!👍

They are nice and well worth the money!