Gfresh's mini juice build.
 

Ok, my build started with the strip down of my GC-3 mini crawler:

http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/x...inijuice00.jpg

http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/x...inijuice18.jpg

Lots of parts started arriving at once so the mini juice chassis was unpackaged. Then I spent a good hour trying to figure out the best or correct way of putting it together (I know looks simple but the cab section can be spaced in different ways - I had to find which one seemed right - lots of screwing and unscrewing involved:

http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/x...inijuice01.jpg

http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/x...nijuice01b.jpg

Assembled mini juice chassis:

http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/x...inijuice03.jpg



Next I built the rear axle with losi solid axles and metal lockers. New axle casings (I am trying to use new parts where possible/where I have them)

http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/x...inijuice04.jpg

http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/x...inijuice05.jpg

Started building front axle. This was a right pain as I am running an overdrive front pinion (traxxas part). The new axle had the ring and pinion gears running rough. Eventually traced it to the CVD shafts pressing slightly on the diff forcing the ring gear into the pinion - dremel on the end of the drive shaft solved it (hope it is not weakened too much!)

http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/x...inijuice09.jpg

C's and knuckles gave me another headache. I have some alloy ones drilled for 3mm hardware but them were binding on the CVDs, so used these I just got from Juicypips. They are drilled to 3mm on the ends, at Zero ackerman.

http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/x...inijuice11.jpg

I spent some quality time in my freezing shed this week. Making these links was fun with my new drill press (pillar drill thing). Also flipped the transmission 180deg, so I needed to drill new holes in the new shiny skid.

http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/x...inijuice12.jpg

Links going in.

http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/x...inijuice14.jpg

I remade the front uppers, as I redrilled the front axle plate, to move the links further back so I can run an "Over The Axle" steering link.

http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/x...inijuice24.jpg

I decided the alloy gear box housing I have been running for the past 18 months was to go, I am convinced the stock plastic one is a shade lighter. Metal locker fitted of course.

Holmes Hobbies Mini Torquemaster Mini 33turn motor installed (I have a 22T motor I can't wait to try in the warmer weather), 12T pinion (stock 60T spur gear).
Sexy (if you like) red motor plate installed.

http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/x...inijuice17.jpg

Getting there, the hexes are: Rear: Losi wide alloy hexes (8mm), front: alloy wideners (filed down to clear the bearing on the hub. Front track width is just shy of 8" (within comp rules). rear track is about 7". I have never tried this difference in track width, but I hear it can help with turning circle, clearing gates and still have decent stability from the wider front.

http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/x...inijuice23.jpg

I threw some tyres on (thanks to Juicypips, I will use these wheels rather than my Proline Titus). Starting to look like a crawler now. ATA steering link in place (3mm threaded bar for now).
Shocks are from my GC-3 again, Losi Alloy threaded, with mini T springs (super soft pinks up front, Medium red on rear right, and firm orange on rear left to reduce torque twist. I like a soft setup, hopefully this rig will be supple, seems it so far - no binds really. My GC-3 bound up bad at near full articulation, needed some modding to free up. the mini juice seems spot on so far. Using Revo rod ends on the inner , and ball and socket ends on the axle plate ends of the links.

http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/x...inijuice25.jpg


Batteries are my trusty 850mah 2S 25C Lipos. They are to fit on a battery tray that is mounted on the front axle plate , extending backwards just above the front upper links: keeping weight of battery as low as poss, without hindering the links movement. Also being mounted via a plate to the front axle, hopefully the weight is transferred down to the front wheels rather than into the chassis.

I am waiting on delivery of a FX-R esc. Should be small enough to tuck in somewhere.
(I got the hotwire link as well, time for some fiddling with settings once installed !)

RX is stock, but removed from case and wrapped in heat shrink, gets rid of weight (hmm, maybe a gram or three) but more importantly reduces the size of the RX to about a third of its height.

*edit, RX , I bought a SR3500 due to tiny footprint. Its really small, smaller than FX-R casing!, The FX-R and the SR3500 sit side by side in the rear of the cab.*

Servo is my trusty Savox 1251 low profile (full size) servo.

More to come soon-ish!

Any feedback appreciated (good/bad)


cheers

Gavin

that is a sweet build...hope to have one of my own soon

Looks great. Can't wait to see the finished product and thoughts after first test. What radio are you going to use?

Lookin good. I do like that chassis.

Nice build. Who or what is Juicypips and how do you get those tyres in the UK?
Also, who makes the red motor plate?

Great build, great pics great write up "thumbsup"

The motor plate is a Mini T one made by Dynamite (? huh). I got if from ebay. Try searching for mini T motor plates (they are same as MRC, there are a few colours that pop up. Mainly from USA or Hong Kong -not that bad on delivery time usually a couple of weeks).

Juicypips is another forum member!! I bought some stuff from him recently.

The X locks came from RC4WD. (Hong Kong I beleive. Delivery was about 2 to 3 weeks).
http://store.rc4wd.com/X-Lock-Crawli...res_p_709.html

I am usually major impatient when buying stuff, I want it yesterday. But parts are slim in the UK, so waiting is inevitable.

CML usually have some good crawler stuff in, and they are UK based I think. Delivery was pretty quick from them (I got some Flat irons and Proline Titus wheels, think took about a week for delivery).
http://www.cmldistribution.co.uk

I do like the X-locks, I have a couple of full sets I aim to use next year (i.e. when its not wet cold and slimy out). I have a set of Flat Irons (Which I like despite people being a bit down on them). Not sure I will use the flatirons again though, after the Xlocks. I tried HB Rovers, found them to be superb on grip, but a tad small (I was using some modded Flat Irons prior = massive clearance).


hope that helps.
8)

What wheels and rims are those you are running?

I have no idea who makes the wheels. I bought them second hand from a fellow crawler.
They are alloy with alloy beadlocks. The beadlocks on the inside have a wavy design (I think to help keep stuff out of the inner wheel (??).

Theres no markings or anything :oops:


*Tires/tyres are RC4WD X-Locks. Seem good so far. A touch taller than Rovers,but smaller than big ol' Flat Irons.

What wheel Wideners/hexes are you using in the front. Looks Great!!!

Sorry to be lacking in info, but the wheel wideners were a set I got from another forum member. They are pretty much the usual wideners, 12mm hex. I had to file the end to clear the hub bearings as they bound up when tightened.



I am waiting on electronics arriving now, FX-R esc and SPektrum SR3500 RX. Come on Mr Postman hurry it up!

Not much progress today
 

Fitted some fancy red nuts (ooh!)

http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/x...rawler/040.jpg

and made a servo guard (from some alu L section cut and hammered flat.)

http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/x...rawler/038.jpg
http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/x...rawler/039.jpg

Final progress.
 

Steering throw seems ok (CVDs "bounce" a bit at full lock, seems to be common with the Losi CVDs).

http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/x.../fin000013.jpg

http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/x.../fin000012.jpg

http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/x.../fin000011.jpg


Made up some body panels.

http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/x.../fin000016.jpg

http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/x.../fin000017.jpg

rear end:
http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/x.../fin000018.jpg

Electronics (cram cram cram them in)
 

Took a bit of careful wiring and squeezing to fit the in the back of the cab - I wanted them as "clean" as possible and hopefully out of the way of moving parts, any way this is how it turned out in the end!

Tekin FX-R ESC (tiny)
Spektrum SR3500 receiver (tiny tiny)
Turnigy uBEC
LiPo low voltage LED

http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/x.../fin000019.jpg

" . . . in .. . . you . . .go . . ."

http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/x...fin0000110.jpg

JUST enough room to unplug the FX-R lead to hook up the Hotwire (I am glad I got a Hotwire, as I needed to increase the neutral width for my radio - not hitting drag brake after releasing throttle due to neutral being zero)

http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/x...fin0000114.jpg

Done - testing required!
 

Finished and operational, just needs a good shakedown, some dry weather (covered in snow and ice at the moment) then some good time on the rocks to see how this mini beast crawls.

Some flex type shots etc:

http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/x...fin0000111.jpg

http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/x...fin0000113.jpg

http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/x...fin0000112.jpg

http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/x...fin0000115.jpg

Quick weigh in:
 

(panels not fitted - but I reckon they only weigh an oz at most)

(in KG)

http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/x.../fin000015.jpg


In lbs and oz
http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/x.../fin000014.jpg

woah, thats coming out incredibly great! i may get a MJB in the future!

how do ya like it?