Maverick FrankeScout

[Vagos2]

It's not long since I've joined RCC but after reading and sharing some thoughts with you all I think it's time to take a little journey on the build of my FrankenScout... being on a budget and living in Greece its been a long one actually


This is on its 1st day on the rocks. Bone stock but, oh my, what a JOY!


First try to thinned tires. It's very hard to find parts here in Greece so we have to makeshift or order through ebay etc..


It looked terrible on stock rims so: bring me your daught.. eeee (listening to Iron Maiden now..) the rims to the slaughter. Gave these to a friend, they still hold strong!


a dear friend ordered these DeepWoods, didn't like them on his SCX10 and gave them to me for free..hip hip hooray!


Wanted to remove to stock battery tray so I made a skid & electronics tray out of cutting board. (note to self: measure twice, cut once!). A piece of a fiberglass tent pole was put to service as a frame spacer..


My 4yo son decided that he wants my rig to look like his.. so he took his scissor and sniped the body's front off! I made one out of a tin can hehehehe


the hard stuff begins! I got as a gift this body, a 45t motor and a savox servo. I have also found on ebay for cheap a pair of AR60 housings and some other parts.. But with no knowledge (or screws..) took a month's hard course teaching my self on axle building.. I had to literally track down every screw, bearing and little bit. All parts had to be imported again and every wrong order cost money and time.


Found some scrap 10mm delrin and made a skid. Way sturdier than the cutting board one. Driveshafts are part axial/part stock since AR60 uses a through hole and Scout a d hole one..


..and some 40gr rear weights. They are filled with bird shot and sealed with white collored epoxy


..and a rear upper link riser


that I changed to Erik's Dlux sexy rear sporty truss photographed on a majestic sunrise at Naxos island!


and made this for upfront still using scrap 10mm delrin ground down to 6mm. It worked pretty damn good but it was time to up the game..


PAT13 servo & upper link mount 3d printed parts and diy steering & tie rod out 4mm titanium with Traxxas 5347 rod ends.


front upper links with some sweet bends in them. MapGas works wonders on bending Ti but threading is pain in the ass!


and the rear lower ones.

I would like to express a big THANX for all the info, tips and time to answer nerve breaking, silly questions to you all!

to be continued!

[Vagos2]

3D printed some 7 to 4mm cones to make the "transition" to the rod ends better. Actually they were 7 to 2mm, drilled them to specs and even though they are just PLA they hold strong so far.. Axles are UD rear/HD front geared now that helped a lot with climbing and more worn heheheh.

[JonW]

Gia'sou Vagos, nice to see a Maverick thread. I have one that is my project at the minute, I got a Brazin Scale hi/lo chassis for it and I am in the process of turning it into a scale truck.
There is a lot of custom parts on your crawler, good work putting all that effort in. I am going to make custom links for the truck and I will have to make a battery tray too, your truck has given me a few ideas so thank you for posting all your pictures.
I love my Scout, it is such a great platform to base your build on. I will post some pictures of mine when I make some progress.

[Vagos2]

Gia'sou (means hello in Greek) JonW! If you need further assistance or info I will be glad to help.

[Vagos2]

My old Savox MG0231 started giving me trouble so I replaced it with a Savox 1268sg Black fed with power directly from the 2s. I had also made a glitch buster cap and some aluminum protection for the downside of the servo (aluminum from kitchen top trimming and foam d-sided tape, it sits completely flush with the axle!). It was getting somewhat hot though so I made a heat sink by cutting in half a computer one. I filed it to final triangular shape, put heat conductive paste between it and the servo and secured it for now with a zip tie. It works!! I did place an order for a BEC through ebay but its been 2 months and still hasn't f@2k!n6 arrived (but it was a 1/3 of the price I could buy locally..)

[Vagos2]

This is my new chassis. Sides are 3mm aluminium, 60/40 weight bias and diy (of course..). Skid and frame spacers are 3d printed with Carbon-X, a nylon filament with 20% carbon. It's stiff, light and takes drilling, taping etc with ease.



I have also incorporated on the skid design some ribbing for added pleasu... eerrr stability on breakovers. You can see on the back the red delrin skid the 3d parts replaced..

[JonW]

Wow, so much custom work! I was impressed with myself for changing to 48dp with the Traxxas spur gear!
Love the updates, keep up the great work.

[Vagos2]

Since I do a lot of my crawling on breakwater spots I decided to shave the sidewalls on the DeepWoods. I have been reading threads that this should be helpful to reduce the tendency of the side lugs making the tire "pull in" instead of "pull up".

PS. (I do have to be polite in FB..) Your Majesty White-Trash your advice is always appreciated and most helpful but I should have read it before I shaved 3 tires man... now it's all or nothing

[Vagos2]

Up next on upgrading the poor FrankenScout is the instalation of a Bec. I know its a cheap one, many of you have done it many times, but the most important thing for me here is that I felt confident to do it! I didn't hesitate to start cutting wires, make a harness and solder it to place. I got it right first time!

[Vagos2]

Finally we are getting somewhere.. Finished the front lower links too, wheelbase is spot on and everything fits as it should. Still waiting the new shocks though, I wii make rear upper links out of my beloven 4mm titanium rod after I get them so as to clock the rear axle correctly.

[Vagos2]

Riseeeeeeeee I command you!!

Tired of waiting for the customs to clear the parcel with my new 100mm shocks I 've decided to shorten the stock crappy ones. Now at least I managed to make the rear upper links and start tiding the electronics. I have an urge to decase the esc but hesitate for now..we 'll see!


P.S. I could polish the Ti links but I love that "rough" look. I guess the dragster days with that trusty honda crx still haunt me...

[JonW]

First thing I did with mine was shorten the shocks. I have had no problems with them and they haven’t leaked a drop of oil.
I love the rough look too, got a steel front steering link bent to clear the pumpkin, function over form wins every time.

[Vagos2]

Originally Posted by JonW

First thing I did with mine was shorten the shocks. I have had no problems with them and they haven’t leaked a drop of oil.
I love the rough look too, got a steel front steering link bent to clear the pumpkin, function over form wins every time.

I had them shorter by 1cm when I was using the stock frame but with this one I must have 95-100mm shocks.

There is a simple solution if they leek... Flip em upside down!!!

[Vagos2]

I finally decided not to decase the esc since it was potted in resin for waterproofness. I did saw and file roughly 2/3 of the heat sink, flush to the case, to shorten it. Lost some weight and 1cm in height.

Trying to further reduce sprung weigh made this aluminium bracket. It is held between Pat13's upper link mount and the servo, weighs next to nothing and the esc & receiver are attached with d-sided foam tape.



Had to shorten a bit some cables but everything fits good and there is no scrubbing at all.



P.S. 1. I am still waiting for those damn shocks
P.S. 2. Ryan if you are watching this... I have one more of this pink thin-velcro battery tie, its yours!

[Vagos2]

Finally the shocks arrived (~4 months, thank you Greek Post Office ) and the rig is wayyyy better. 32.5wt oil worked best, also tried 25 & 40wt.

[Vagos2]

Plus I installed a Hobbywing 1080esc, this little ruby gem ESC, that although its not hi end, made such a good difference and the rig is much smoother now!

[Vagos2]

Another GREAT part from Pat13 arrived yesterday. It is a knuckle/weight holder combo 3d printed with room for 5 slugs per side for AR60 axles.. OD on these is 40mm to fit most 2.2 rims and I can't wait to install it on my rig. Shafty level +1 for me !!!!

[Vagos2]

Steering arms came to join us! 2 long G10 for the steering and 2 short ones to be used as steering stops.. I have to make new Ti steering & tie rod but that was expected and not that hard to make.. (some pink color was a strict requirement..)

[Vagos2]

New Ti steering & tie rods are done, steering stops added for piece of mind and as (guess I'm a bit hungry..) the BBQ Pit Boys say: looks GOOD!

[jcburn]

I was in crawling when it first started out, brake line and threaded rod links, scavenged stampede transmissions etc. This thread is what it is all about, making what you have work by working with what you have on hand and using your imagination and the help of friends to accomplish something.

Not being afraid to try things out, or change the way something works is great.

I salute you!

Keep it up.