RC4WD Toyota body on SCX10.2... cutting the bed??

[riz]

I'm in the middle of my scx10.2 / rc4wd Toyota body build...... I got my Shrink RC mounts today and now I have to cut the bed for the rear shock towers..... any tips and tricks from those who have done this so I can cut it clean and accurate so it doesn't look like ass. I don't mind cutting to make room but want to do it so it looks well when done.

RIZ

[Phildirt]

The ones I've seen I like when the cutouts are uniform/rectangle versus trying to follow the exact contour of the shock/tower footprint. Something always gets lost in translation when that is done i think. I know that's not a 'how to' other than you can just measure from the cab wall or another reference point if that is all you are doing.

Sort of related but maybe not - whenever I have to cut a hole on a painted body for something underneath it I put a dab of grease on the 'something' in question, set the body down carefully, flip it, mark it where the grease spot is, drill it. I've never missed a body post or similar hole with that technique. Perhaps you could do something similar to at least locate the center of your desired opening.

[xtreme4x2]

Dumb question, with that combo do you have to unscrew the 4 (?) screws to change the battery? That's really the only reason I've stayed away from that setup. Seems like a pain, especially up here where its raining and/or cold while out.

[riz]

Yes... the 4 screws will need to be removed... I'm thinking if you put little studs on the mount itself then you can just spread the body out a bit until the studs slide out of the cab holes then when you put the cab back on, just spread the body again and align the studs with the cab holes..... the cab will never come off but can still be removed and installed within a few seconds.

RIZ

[xtreme4x2]

I think I saw someone post something similar in the RC4WD section. There's of course magnets too. perhaps one day I'll get one. I do like the look of the yota body over the AR44s

[kincer]

Just a thought but if you went with the cantilever setup you wouldn't have to cut the bed at all. I have that set up in my 10.2 Yota and it works great.

[kincer]

Originally Posted by riz

Yes... the 4 screws will need to be removed... I'm thinking if you put little studs on the mount itself then you can just spread the body out a bit until the studs slide out of the cab holes then when you put the cab back on, just spread the body again and align the studs with the cab holes..... the cab will never come off but can still be removed and installed within a few seconds.

RIZ

Yes putting grub screws in and just spreading the body for removal and installation works great, I use that on my Marlin crawler.

[durok]

There's another version of that method - use thin nuts on the bolts going through the rocker panel holes, locktite them up against the inside of the body - and then turn or file the exposed threads of the bolts that protrude past the nut until they just slide into the mounting posts - that way the plastic of your body doesn't eventually get worn away from repeatedly grinding against the grub screw threads.

Hard to explain, but supposedly works great!

BTW - RC4WD sells aluminum versions of the mounting posts that bolt to the chassis rails and go out to the rockers. Stiffens up that whole setup... they have a crossbar that connects them.