Redcat Ground Pounder

[dbrad]

I guess it's time to introduce my RedCat Ground Pounder. I don't imagine you all know what a GP is so here's a link to the site.

http://www.redcatracing.com/RC-Cars/.../GroundPounder

The attraction for me was the chaep price, the axles are (can't remember exactly) 11.5" hex-hex, 4WS, and it's bigger than my 2.2 rig.

My intent is to have it end up look and perform more scale than comp, hence I'm posting it here.


I started with making simple changes to the existing set up.

I moved both steering links above the steering knuckle to get better clearance.





I made an axle brace out of aluminum. The axles are a known weak point with this rig but with some help, their flexing can be fixed. If anyone's planning to get this because of the axles (like the way I was swayed) you might want to reconsider. They are going to take a bit of work to make them stand up to some rock abuse. There's a lot on the underneath of them that gets hung up. They'll take some work but and should be fine when I'm done.





Here's my axle brace all finished up (well the front one at least).






The servo sits at pretty much the same height as stock. This plastic bumper thingy has to go.



I've lowered the battery/electronics tray by 20mm to help lower the COG. I wanted to keep the motor at the front but I also wanted to move the battery up front too. So I extended the battery tray to go far enough forward without having the servo hit (upon full shock compression). The on/off switch still fits in the same spot. It goes through an existing hole in the battery tray.

I have plans on making a new chassis but at first, I wanted to take it easy and play with it before it became a long term work bench warmer.




I had some barely used chrome rims and crawler tires laying around. I'm not a big fan of chrome and I had learned that you can remove the chrome and then dye plastic rims. So I had to experiment.

I figured I'd dye them black because I like black wheels. At the store I noticed they had both black dye and navy blue. I made sure to get the black. (That would be funny if I had blue rims.) So after several hours of boiling my rims in black dye, they looked very blue.

I swear I grabbed the black dye. At least they fit the blue GP theme.

Anyways, here are my new navy blue wheels with some crawler tires.





And a comparison shot between stock and new.






I then decided it was time to do some more drastic changes. Making it bigger.





Longer links.





Here are some front vs. rear comparisons.

[






Drive shaft extension. This was the most free way of doing this. I think it'll hold (steel is pretty strong). I have some e-maxx shafts I may replace these with.




I got the rear end extension finished. No rear axle brace yet. but it's back together.






Without planning, the servo cords are just long enough.

With the longer wheel base, it is so much more stable going up or down any kind of incline or off a jump.

At this point, I have a Titan 550 motor in it (out of an e-maxx). It's way more powerful than the stock motor.

My next tasks will be making new shock/lower link mounts as I have already broken one and they are a source of hang ups. A scale-like chassis is also being worked over in my mind. I really think I can get the COG down. Maybe by clocking the tranny so the motor is lower. And get the battery down lower too.


Something I came across at a thrift store, a Dodge Rammunition!! The body is all I am really interested in but the truck had a 2000mah battery in it as a bonus.


It has working lights in the front and spot int the rear where lights could be added.




Interior!





This kind of throws the blue theme off. If I use this body, my blue rims will look a bit ridiculous. I can always paint the rims. One day, when my toy truck buget builds up again, maybe I'll get some new ones.

In the mean time, here's my first Youtube vid ever.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlLbB8m7jS8

[rc_pimp]

Looks like youre off to a good start . Keep it up and keep us posted .

[squatch71]

interesting build...will be watching this