Trail Finder 2 kit in my hands finally!

[rngrchad]

Pretty excited to get this, I will probably be asking some questions along the way.

Had folks coming over, so I wasn't allowed to clutter up our kitchen counter for this build :/ Right out of the gate, I noticed none of the hardware was labeled for size so I had to bust out the micrometer on all the screws to know which to use where. Should be a roller tommorow morning. I am kind of stressing about painting the body. I don't have access to Tamiya colors and was wanting to do a matt black, desert tan mashup. Can typical old Rust Oleum for plastic work for the Mojave body well?

[rngrchad]

I nearly have the body finished. Just need to hit it with some clear coat to lock the weathered/dirty look down. I think it turned out ok. I tried rusting it with some metal shavings below my bench grinder that I collected with a magnet. Sprayed some vinegar salt hydrogen peroxide mix on body, sprinkled shavings on, let rust, dried with shop heater, then wiped off the excess. I was hoping for a little more rust look but I'll take the end result as it gives it some age.



Before the faux dirty details:

And after:



OK well I hit it with a few layers of clear. Kinda gives it a wet look.


Here's my simple electronics setup. No servo for 2 speed yet. I did move the shocks behind the axle, the steering was bottoming out on them.

And here is my little helper with the truck before I had to go and get it dirty looking. A few more months and she'll be getting her very own swb tf2 wrangler ;)

[boxcar 1]

Nice truck and helper.
Mine should start showing up today.
What Radio gear did you decide on?

[rngrchad]

Originally Posted by boxcar 1

Nice truck and helper.
Mine should start showing up today.
What Radio gear did you decide on?

I got a 13$ el cheapo axial 35turn and a dynamite brushed 60amp ESC(the one that's about 40 bucks) aND a spektrum 4 Channel receiver as I use DX4C transmitters. For me, on a truck like this, running it around the yard, it feels just right. That low speed on the kit transmission is so much fun with such massive torque and low speed resolution.

I could end up being all wrong, but I absolutruly don't see the need for 300$ worth of HH goodness in this truck. I think tonight I'm gonna get to run it on a hiking trail for the first time, that is if my little girl will be patient enough to hang out on my back(got one of those child carriers) while I run it.

[rustneversleeps]

Originally Posted by rngrchad

I got a 13$ el cheapo axial 35turn and a dynamite brushed 60amp ESC(the one that's about 40 bucks) aND a spektrum 4 Channel receiver as I use DX4C transmitters. For me, on a truck like this, running it around the yard, it feels just right. That low speed on the kit transmission is so much fun with such massive torque and low speed resolution.

I could end up being all wrong, but I absolutruly don't see the need for 300$ worth of HH goodness in this truck. I think tonight I'm gonna get to run it on a hiking trail for the first time, that is if my little girl will be patient enough to hang out on my back(got one of those child carriers) while I run it.

I'm like you run my rigs around the house or nice gravel pit behind my house......I'm also run the cheap stuff and really no need for $$$ stuff.
this what i'll be running...
Hobbywing QuicRun 1080 Brushed 80A ESC Program Card #QUICRUN WP-CRAWLER-BRUSHED | eBay

and this motor...

Yeah Racing Hackmoto V2 27T 540 Brushed Motor RC Cars 4WD Buggy Touring #MT-0019 | eBay

and these for steering and the 2 speed..
Power HD Waterproof 4.8-6.6V Super Torque Digital Servo Crawler RC Cars #LW-20MG | eBay

all for 75.00 and WP enough for what i''l be doing. No comp for me..
And on a side note ,some thing I've been wanted to do to this type of body go wild on the paint and make it a rust bucket like your but with a twist.....great work BTY.........

[rngrchad]

Oh forgot to mention servo. I've got a Savox 1230SG without a BEC and it's great.

[rngrchad]

My wife broke the stock rear driveshaft trying trying to climb ontop of a pile of blankets. Yes blankets. It was in low gear, and snapped the ears off the plastic collar.

I dug around and came up with some used extra Axial Wraith WB8 shafts I had. Cut them down to size, went to place them on and realized the output shaft on the xfer case and pinion are both too long by about 1.5mm. The outputs bottom out on the inside of the driveshaft couplers. I filed them down and now I have some extremely tough shafts that I know take major punishment.

Filed about 1.5mm off outputs:


Wraith Driveshafts installed:


Also, went ahead and changed the leaf spring arrangement. I'm running the medium length leaf on the bottom with the short leaf above the main leaf. Seems to flex a bit better and I feel the having the short leaf ontop gives the main leaf a little more droop support.

While I was at it I removed all leaf bolts and reinstalled them from the bottom first so the button head is below the axle and the nut is ontop. Looks cleaner, and lessens chance of hangups I suspect.

One thing I did notice about the front leafs, is the front shackles are bottoming out on the plastic bumper mount brace. I'm sure I'll come up with some sort of fix for it, without doing a shackle flip, as I don't want to limit my front end attatchment point for a custom bumper if I make one.

I had planned on taking it on a quick hike tonight, but the sun set before I was able to get out the door. Maybe tommorow!

[boxcar 1]

Sounds like your having fun. As it should be.....

[rustneversleeps]

well i guess there not strong shafts..I wouldn't tell your buddies about the blanket thing and i think you know how that going to end.... .
another thing is that paint peeling off your diff or did you give it the rusty look....
so medium springs on the bottom and small on top got it...
Did you try the reverse shackle support for the front that most are doing...

[rngrchad]

Originally Posted by rustneversleeps

well i guess there not strong shafts..I wouldn't tell your buddies about the blanket thing and i think you know how that going to end.... .
another thing is that paint peeling off your diff or did you give it the rusty look....
so medium springs on the bottom and small on top got it...
Did you try the reverse shackle support for the front that most are doing...

I used some rust colored paint texture from a company called FolkArt. I got it from JoAnn Fabrics. I just dabbed it onto the axle after sanding it a bit, and it stuck rather good at least until the rocks get to it. I did not do the shackle reverse mod, I cut out the lower valance below the bumper. I still might do the flip at some point though.

I'm super PUMPED because I finally go to take it out on the trail for the first time tonight. Ran it for about 45 minutes without one single issue. I have been running my Wraith, Bomber, and SCX10ii alot and wasn't sure how I would feel about this little RC4wd scaler, but WOW. What an awesome driving experience. The two speed transmisson's 1st gear is so incredibly low that I imagine I've got an underdrive Marlin Crawler tucked in there. On sand it blew my mind how literally scale it reacted to it it. Just like real life four wheeling along a creek bed. That low gear is so neat. The leafs seem to be working well, and flexing appropriately enough to keep the mud thrashers digging.

Obligatory first trail run pics:

[SteveC6R]

Welcome to the TF2 club!

Nice build, digging the old worn out look for sure. Nice to also see it out getting dirty!

[rngrchad]

TRAIL CARNAGE! Blew my front axle shaft end apart, along with that tiny little bearing. Pulled the shaft, re installed the stub and ran her in 3wd the rest of the trail!
post img


Is that little bearing a 5x8x2.5mm ? I have a bad feeling I'm going to need to buy stock in those. This one didn't last 2 battery packs! I'm hoping when the axle went it simply took out that bearing, but I bet it was bad before hand.