The start of my willy...

[brandonwalsh420]

i brazed a bit in highschool... you need to get the coating on the joints burnt or sanded clean on the brake line before you braze the joint... flux is your best friend, it helps the brass "wick" into the joints which will improve the strenth of the joint as well. also looks like you need to heat the tubes a bit more, you want it "cherry red" not quite molten or the brazed joint will look bubbled and have tiny air pockets in it that will make the joint weak...

all that being said... for your first try they are lookin alright... keep practicing ... and props for doin it yourself and not just buying one

also try bending the tube around something round and that should help keeping the tube from colapsin flat on them 90 degree bends
hope this info helps and i cant wait to see more

[OllllO Fanatic]

Thank you for the tips, I definitely did not get it hot enough. As far as the bending I have a tube bender but it still collapsed the walls. Its ok it was my first try. I got a bit more done tonight, but had to stop to start packing Here are a few pics the first two are my tcase temp mounted with original screws.


Next two are my steering servo, not bolted in just in its home, hopefully itll work there.


And the last two are just mock up with the wheels under the body, no axles yet.


Itll be about a month before the next update, as im leaving toward the end of the week for about a month. Maybe during the evening I can get some thing done well see.

[Jeepin-Paul]

Originally Posted by OllllO Fanatic

Ok I got a little bit done today. My first two braze welds ever!!! Never done this before, managed to burn my self quite a bit, and almost melted the willy's a couple times, but I think I got it. Sloppy looking but its done... I started on the left side.








Oh yeah first time ive ever bent tubing too, im not very good at that either...

I suggest that you purchase a brake tubing bending tool, or make your own bending jig from Screen Door 1/4 Track Rollers. The tool will stop the tubing from collapsing in the bend.

[BigSki]

Originally Posted by OllllO Fanatic

Ok I got a little bit done today. My first two braze welds ever!!! Never done this before, managed to burn my self quite a bit, and almost melted the willy's a couple times, but I think I got it. Sloppy looking but its done... I started on the left side.

Oh yeah first time ive ever bent tubing too, im not very good at that either...

Don't worry, this is how you learn! I see a tube bender in the background so I'm not sure how the bends ended up w/ kinks. Just practice, it will get better. I'll never admit to how much material I've gone through while learning how to get a feel for working with tubing.

[OllllO Fanatic]

finally back from Guam, and what a surprise, I returned to only half the items I ordered :( Kinda disappointing, still waiting for my tamiya suspension stays, and unfortunately my esc is still back ordered. On the other hand ckrccrawlers.com hooked me up, I got my wraith axles, and locked transmission, and hopefully will get some time tonight to start looking at installing them... If I can stay awake just spent more than 24 hours awake, 4 of which was flying time. Hope to have some good updates soon.

[trentons_nylint]

Glad to hear your back! Loving the build so far.

[OllllO Fanatic]

Well things are really slow going. Ive been trying to figure out where the shocks go, and making them symmetrical and the length of the links and drive shefts. I got some great info from Big Mike but because I used wraith axles I cant use the same setup. And I didnt think of the off set pumpkin and the fact that it would get in the way a little bit if the suspension is fully compressed. Im using parts from an existing build, but I dont want to use them permanently so I will have to buy new ones once I get it all figured out. Hopefully I can make some progress and take some pictures. I need to re make the roll bar and see if I cant get it to look a little better with out crushing.

[trentons_nylint]

Hope you can get some time to work on it. Id love to see some progress! No rush though.

[OllllO Fanatic]

I got a little more done. I have a few pics to show you how I set things up. Some of it is a bit crooked. The rear axle is not even under the back end its slightly to the left, but oh well I suppose.


And can any one tell me what the point of these two tabs sticking off the back side of the steering knuckle is on the wraith axle? Its about to be cut off.


Hopefully I can get some new links as the mis match colors are from other rigs that I have started ripping apart

[srt6]

it's the same knuckle for the xr10, you don't need the tabs on the wraith axles.........cut em

build is coming along pretty good

[OllllO Fanatic]

Well I have all the suspension, links, and axles mounted. Unfortunately they both came out crooked, both of them stick out more on the drivers side but I think it will be ok, if not ill do some tweaking. Ill post some pics here in a few it was late when I finished last night. Next I will work on mounting the transmission, then Ill be able to get some measurements for my axles. I have a couple drive shafts on the JK build I have been stealing parts from that should work, but they are a combo of axial and traxxas plastic so I may want some new ones, if the wife will ok it. LOL. Drive shafts, an esc, bec, and some small miscellaneous parts like aluminum to mount the front bumper, and a better steering horn for a hitec, should be the last things I need to buy... hopefully.

[OllllO Fanatic]

Ok here is my willy a it sits... slightly crooked.






And here is my steering servo mounted and where id like the tranny




This is the 4 links front and rear, but I will have to change the front as the driveshaft will make contact with the link even just sitting.




Here is my work space/ work room/ office



And these are all my jeep projects, except my 1:1 RHD Cherokee.




Whats left of my JK project that was my most creative build until the willy.
R.I.P.

[BigSki]

Sorry for the delay in getting back to you about using a BEC for a power supply for the steering servo.

I used a Castle Creations programmable BEC and set it to 6V. There are many opinions about how to wire these up, this is the way I've done it and it seems to work fine for the past 2 years that I've used it. You have 3 wires coming out of the servo, a "hot" wire, a "negative" wire and a "signal" wire. If you look at the end of the RX plug, you can see that the 3 electrical pins simply snap into the plastic plug, you can use a small pick tool to lift up on the locking flap and gently pull the pins out of the housing.

I ran the hot and negative wires from the BEC to the corresponding wires for the servo and ran the signal wire from the servo into the RX. There are some threads on here that have pics showing exactly what I have told you, I know sometimes it makes more sense when you can "see" what is being explained, at least it is for me!

[OllllO Fanatic]

Well I haven't gotten to work on my willy's in a week or so, I had an exercise so I worked 12 hour shifts. I can not finish any thing else until I get my 3 drive shafts, an ESC, and a BEC. Hopefully hey wont take too long to arrive.

[OllllO Fanatic]

Well I knew it was coming, my wife told me before I could start another project after the Willys, I would have to sell some of the old stuff that is sitting around. Once the Willy's is done I would like to give some people who are interested a chance to buy some of the items I have. Is there a for sale forum on rccrawler.com or do I need to become a star member?

[OllllO Fanatic]

Oh and thank you BigSki that is very helpful. I am waiting to here back from a couple places about some drive shafts for my willy's and then I will hopefully buy the bec and esc with the drive shafts. I had placed an order but they were back ordered so the search continues. Unfortunately the length of my drive shafts seem to be un common. I have a few options going so we will see.

[BigSki]

Do you have a auto-hobby shop on base or is there a machine shop that the flight mechanics use? If you can get someone to operate a lathe for you the drive shafts will be easy. I personally used Traxxas 'Pede shafts to go from the t-case to the axles, they are pushing 2 years old without a single issue. I had to modify (shorten) a MIP shaft to connect the trans to the t-case.

[OllllO Fanatic]

The best thing i have is some used slash drive shafts, and old axial drive shafts. I would have to modify what ever I was using especially for the t case to the tranny. Are the pede axles the normal traxxas plastic axles? If so I will just use what I've got. I have 2 drive shafts that I customized for the JK rig I built I can probably use them, I didn't think the plastic would hold up.

[BigSki]

Yes the 'Pede shafts are plastic but they are bigger in diameter than the Slash shafts. I'll get a pic for you so you can see.

[OllllO Fanatic]

Well unfortunately my willys project has been put on hold mostly permanently. I am back in the states on emergency leave and have to spend my funds for the willy. I still needed drive shafts, esc, a new roll bar/ cage and some paint. Hopefully I will be able to continue when I get home.