B-MOW's Element GK-Ecto-Knightrunner Build

[soze]

I printed mine out in PETG. It's holding up fine. I just released a running video this morning on YouTube.

Sent from my SM-G998U using Tapatalk

[B-MOW71]

Originally Posted by soze

I printed mine out in PETG. It's holding up fine. I just released a running video this morning on YouTube.

Sent from my SM-G998U using Tapatalk

Great vid showing off the IFS clearance! If PLA doesn't hold up, I may look into the PETG material.

[B-MOW71]

Took a few steps forward and some backwards on G-E-K! <(GK-Ecto-Knightrunner)

So I thought I was having some binding in the front driveshaft when I cycled the suspension. I noticed that something was stopping it from going to full compression. I immediately thought that alum center piece in the driveshaft was too long. So I cut about 5mm off of the length and reinstalled it. Come to find out, the driveshaft was hitting the bottom of the battery tray. Duhh! See second pic:






Took the battery tray off and Dremeled a spot on the tray to allow for the driveshaft to clear when suspension is at full compression.

While I had the tray off, I notched out an area so that when the front shocks are installed in the rear mounting hole the shocks clear the battery tray.






Installed the front shocks in the rear mounting hole. Clearance problem solved!



More on the way later. Temporary body getting cut and installed.

[Panther6834]

The front-center driveshaft problem will completely "go away" once the IFS Kit is installed, as that driveshaft will be in a 'fixed' position.


~ More peace, love, laughter, & kindness would make the world a MUCH better place

[Goro Majima]

Originally Posted by B-MOW71

Attachment 399477

All this is missing is a scale hacksaw!

[B-MOW71]

Originally Posted by Panther6834

The front-center driveshaft problem will completely "go away" once the IFS Kit is installed, as that driveshaft will be in a 'fixed' position.

~ More peace, love, laughter, & kindness would make the world a MUCH better place

Yeah it will. I was just shocked that the driveshaft was hitting the tray. I don't have that problem on my other Enduro's. Well, at least I don't think so.

Note: IFS kit is in the house! Later down the road I'll be posting the install.

Originally Posted by Goro Majima

All this is missing is a scale hacksaw!

I'll have to get me a tiny hacksaw to hang over my tiny workbench! I'm just glad I didn't have to cut it with a scale hacksaw!

[B-MOW71]

I decided to steal the Pro-Line Power Wagon body from another GSpeed build that I am currently working on until the clear Ecto body is back in stock. I got it cut out, trying to save a portion of the front fenders, but I'm not sure if I will be able to since I have the body sitting so low. I'm afraid once I install bigger 1.9 tires that they will rub the body. I guess I'll find out later.

I cut out the inside of the bed so that the Rock Pirate RC shock towers would clear and also cut out a section so that the rear sway bar would have room to cycle up into the bed area. Also did a bob on the bed to shorten it up a bit.

[Goro Majima]

Is that your method of holding the bobbed piece into place? Or do you paint both separately then glue them together? I always wondered what the cleanest method was for lexan bodies.

[B-MOW71]

Originally Posted by Goro Majima

Is that your method of holding the bobbed piece into place? Or do you paint both separately then glue them together? I always wondered what the cleanest method was for lexan bodies.

This is my first bob on a lexan body, so this is how I'm going to do it. It may not be the right way or best way, but this is what I plan to do.

I'm going to paint the pieces separately, then bolt them together with screws. The pieces don't exactly fit together perfectly, so bolting them should hold them together securely so that they don't come apart.

Pics of it painted coming up in a bit.

[Goro Majima]

Old Power Wagon, exposed screws or bolts on the body, period correct lol.

[B-MOW71]

I just about forgot to show the electronics I plan to use, so here is a look at what I plan to run at the moment. I had to rob from Paul to pay Peter or something like that! Since my Capra is now in pieces (axles got stolen to put in another GSpeed build), I'm going to use it's power plant to give life to the G-E-K.

It'll be a Holmes Hobbies Crawlmaster Sport 540 16T motor paired with a Hobbywing 1080 ESC. For the money, these two are hard to beat and they perform very well together. Not exactly sure on the pinion size, but I will be keeping the 48 pitch gearing in it. I love how quiet the 48P gearing is.

Also, as you'll see in the pics, I stole the wheels and tires from my TRX-4 Sport for now until I decide which wheel and tire package I want to go with. A set of Vanquish 1.9 Method Roost with 475 hubs mounted on a set of Canyon Trail tires cut and siped. For a stock tire, these perform very well!

Everything mounted up beside the servo. I'll eventually use Conformal Coating to waterproof the receiver so that I don't have to run a waterproof receiver box. Though I do try not to run in water when ever possible.

[B-MOW71]

Originally Posted by Goro Majima

Old Power Wagon, exposed screws or bolts on the body, period correct lol.

Yes sir!

[HumboldtEF]

Originally Posted by B-MOW71

Yeah it will. I was just shocked that the driveshaft was hitting the tray. I don't have that problem on my other Enduro's. Well, at least I don't think so.

Its very likely the shock towers, you've just lowered the thing a bit.

Oh and that reminds me I lowered my Gatekeeper and the rear of the frame was fouling on the (axle) link mounts. You might check there too. I chopped a corner out of the link mounts to clear, just gave up a bit of thread engagement.

[twade984]

Looking great Brian. I’m officially jealous of the grey roosts


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[B-MOW71]

Originally Posted by HumboldtEF

Its very likely the shock towers, you've just lowered the thing a bit.

Oh and that reminds me I lowered my Gatekeeper and the rear of the frame was fouling on the (axle) link mounts. You might check there too. I chopped a corner out of the link mounts to clear, just gave up a bit of thread engagement.

You may be on to something! It's odd. On my Sendero, with Samix alum shock towers, I can stuff the axle all the way up until the axle hits the servo and the driveshaft still has a tiny bit of space before it hits the battery tray. I'll have to take a closer look and do some measuring.

I do see what you mean on the rear axle. The link mounts on mine do bottom out on the chassis rails. I'll have to give mine a chop also. Thanks for the tip!

[B-MOW71]

Originally Posted by twade984

Looking great Brian. I’m officially jealous of the grey roosts


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Hey thanks!

Yeah, knowing what I know now, these Roost will be forever in my possession! I'm still bummed VP quit making them!

[HumboldtEF]

Originally Posted by B-MOW71

You may be on to something! It's odd. On my Sendero, with Samix alum shock towers, I can stuff the axle all the way up until the axle hits the servo and the driveshaft still has a tiny bit of space before it hits the battery tray. I'll have to take a closer look and do some measuring.

I do see what you mean on the rear axle. The link mounts on mine do bottom out on the chassis rails. I'll have to give mine a chop also. Thanks for the tip!

this is what I ended up with,



SSD brass link mounts


I actually made a 3D printable jig so you can cut it with a hacksaw In case you have metal link mounts.

Let me know and I can post it up on Thingiverse

You could just cut the whole top off if you're committed to sticking with trailing arms too.

[B-MOW71]

Originally Posted by HumboldtEF

this is what I ended up with,

I actually made a 3D printable jig so you can cut it with a hacksaw In case you have metal link mounts.

Let me know and I can post it up on Thingiverse

You could just cut the whole top off if you're committed to sticking with trailing arms too.

Thanks for the info! At the moment I still have the stock plastic link mounts on it. I'll just cut the top of them off.

I do want to get a set of metal link mounts in the future though. When I do make the switch, I'll probably just cut the top off of them too. I don't see any reason to switch back to links on this rig.

[B-MOW71]

So back to the Power Wagon body. I decided on this one I would paint it on the outside and let the rocks, sticks and nature weather it as I drive it.

I'll be using Tamiya PS-12 Silver for the color on the inside of the body. On the outside I'll be trying the new Traxxas ProGraphix paint. I like that these paints come in a bigger can than the Tamiya paints.





And here it is pre-decaled. I used the outside film to mask off the windows. I painted the bottom half black first and then taped it off and sprayed the Metallic Blue next.

I then cut the outside film to expose the silver that was sprayed on the inside around the windows. I then used a black Sharpie to add the body lines and window gutter. Then a couple coats of the Traxxas Matte Finish to seal everything up and give it a duller look.

As it gets scratched up, I'll add some streaks of rust to the scratches to give a worn and weathered look.















I still need to get the rear of the body mounted. I'm not too sure yet if the bed will work the way it is. Even with the wide 475 hubs, the tires want to rub on the bed when the suspension is flexed. I may have to narrow the bed up a bit to get the clearance that is needed. I'm not really wanting to do that just yet.

I may hold off on chopping this body up and just wait tor the clear Ecto body to come back in stock. This Power Wagon body was originally supposed to go on my GSpeed V3 rig with the stolen Capra axles. With the width of them axles, I would not have to do any chopping to the bed to give clearance for the tires. Decisions, decisions!!!

[smog]

Very nice B. I think you can forget about the Ecto body, this is looking sharp, sexy and mean.