Go Back   RCCrawler Forums > Scale Rigs Brand Specific Tech > RC4WD Trail Finder 2
Loading

Notices

Thread: Scrunch and Dad (re-)build a TF2

Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 07-14-2018, 09:21 PM   #1
I wanna be Dave
 
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 2,254
Default Scrunch and Dad (re-)build a TF2

A couple of years ago, during one of my periodic visits to RC-Recycler, I spotted a TF2 truggy project sitting in a box that caught my fancy. I didn't pull the trigger at the time, but I told Rob he wasn't allowed to sell it without talking to me first. A year or so later, I pulled the trigger and brought the box home, and there it sat, until...

Name:  IMG_7626.jpg
Views: 1508
Size:  129.7 KB

It was only a matter of time before Scrunch expressed an interest in trying her hand at a build after watching her brother build a few (okay...maybe a little more than a few) trucks. Knowing that she wasn't likely to have Roo's level of patience, I figured this one would be a good first build. Parts of it (esp. the chassis) were already assembled, but lots of parts would get swapped out along the way, including shocks, axles, and tranny, among other things). Other parts, like the cage and cab, would serve as excellent starting points.

So off she went with plenty of guidance and encouragement from Dad:

Name:  DSC08824.jpg
Views: 1508
Size:  159.7 KB

You may have noticed some colorful parts in that picture. Ever the artistic one, Scrunch decided on purple BowHouse RC NCYotas (the only ones in existence as best we know), and she was quite pleased with them:

Name:  DSC08831.jpg
Views: 1484
Size:  128.9 KB

Name:  DSC08832.jpg
Views: 1484
Size:  67.6 KB

The original builder had already done the work of cutting open the hood, so we naturally wanted a scale driveline to allow for a proper engine bay. Fortunately, between the time I originally brought this project home and when we finally got to serious work on it, our good friends at GCM released their TF2 Scale Trans Conversion Kit utilizing GCM's familiar LRT2 transmission and transfer case combo along with TF2-specific mounts. My persistent please north of the border apparently paid off.

If you already have an LRT2 lying around (as I did), you can buy just the mounts:

Name:  DSC00727.jpg
Views: 1514
Size:  99.9 KB

Included are a pair of motor plate mounts, a cross-member to mount the t-case, and a new servo mount.

Scrunch got to work on the tranny:

Name:  DSC00732.jpg
Views: 1459
Size:  47.6 KB

Name:  DSC00735.jpg
Views: 1448
Size:  51.8 KB

Name:  DSC00747.jpg
Views: 1489
Size:  50.5 KB

And then the servo mount:

Name:  DSC02895.jpg
Views: 1449
Size:  69.8 KB

Here's a before and after showing the stock servo mount vs. GCM mount:

Name:  DSC02894.jpg
Views: 1467
Size:  63.4 KB

Name:  DSC02897.jpg
Views: 1437
Size:  63.7 KB

In case you were wondering, that is a Holmes Hobbies Puller Pro Stubby 2200 kv that we'll run on 3S. It's one of my all-time favorite motors. For steering duties, I decided to try something new:

Name:  DSC02901.jpg
Views: 1432
Size:  56.6 KB

After the tranny and t-case were in, it was time for some suspension work. RC4WD 90mm Old Man Emus with springs removed and 3k diff fluid makes for one of my favorite leaf-sprung setups, so we went with it:

Name:  DSC03059.jpg
Views: 1424
Size:  68.2 KB

Things were starting to look pretty good...

Name:  DSC03101.jpg
Views: 1448
Size:  79.8 KB
new2rocks is offline   Reply With Quote
Sponsored Links
Old 07-14-2018, 11:13 PM   #2
I wanna be Dave
 
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: san diego
Posts: 2,723
Default Re: Scrunch and Dad (re-)build a TF2

Love this!!!
Is it just me or is tf2 hitting a sort of popularity spike? Maybe its just because I have been more interested lately.

That gcm trans kit is fantastic! I didnt know about that since I figured cmax was cmax and tf2 was tf2. Never thought gcm would be so genirus lol see what I did there...

Those axles are so COOL!!! Another reason 3d printing is such a huge part of this hobby.
Scrunch looks like she is having fun and getting a super nice rig in the process!

Great thread!
Shinchu is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-15-2018, 05:25 AM   #3
I wanna be Dave
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Douglassville, PA
Posts: 4,218
Default Re: Scrunch and Dad (re-)build a TF2

Always great getting the kids involved!

I kinda like the purple axles - definitely something different. My 6 year old - who is sitting here next to me destroying a pop tart - has just opined that they would have "looked better with rainbow colors"
OSRC is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-15-2018, 06:30 AM   #4
I wanna be Dave
 
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 2,254
Default Re: Scrunch and Dad (re-)build a TF2

Quote:
Originally Posted by Shinchu View Post
Love this!!!
Is it just me or is tf2 hitting a sort of popularity spike? Maybe its just because I have been more interested lately.

That gcm trans kit is fantastic! I didnt know about that since I figured cmax was cmax and tf2 was tf2. Never thought gcm would be so genirus lol see what I did there...

Those axles are so COOL!!! Another reason 3d printing is such a huge part of this hobby. Scrunch looks like she is having fun and getting a super nice rig in the process!

Great thread!
Thanks! Yes...the GCM trans kit is fantastic. I have lots of experience with it in my various CMAXs, so it's great to have a bolt-on option for the TF2. I'll be doing more updates on that once we get it out for some testing.

Re the TF2, I don't have numbers to back it up, but certainly the subjective impression is that they've grown in popularity over the past 3-4 years. The introduction of the LWB, LC70 and Marlin versions has definitely helped keep things fresh. It's such a great platform with so much flexibility.

Quote:
Originally Posted by OSRC View Post
Always great getting the kids involved!

I kinda like the purple axles - definitely something different. My 6 year old - who is sitting here next to me destroying a pop tart - has just opined that they would have "looked better with rainbow colors"
Amen to getting the kiddos involved. And lol re the colors...I'm quite sure Scrunch would have chosen the rainbow option if Shapeways offered it. Wait until you see her idea for the body (if we can pull it off...).

Last edited by new2rocks; 07-15-2018 at 07:04 AM.
new2rocks is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-16-2018, 08:31 AM   #5
I wanna be Dave
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Raleigh-ish vicinity
Posts: 3,846
Default Re: Scrunch and Dad (re-)build a TF2

Your brazen and boundless use of child labor for personal gain is admirable. I have much to learn to get such productivity out of my workforce.

There has got to be some purple knuckles to go with the purple axles, right? You must know a guy that can make that happen.
svt923 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-16-2018, 09:30 AM   #6
Rock Crawler
 
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: US
Posts: 639
Default Re: Scrunch and Dad (re-)build a TF2

Looks like a great project. Kids helping out and showing interest is always great, so thumbs up there. That's great gcm has a mounting kit out now.

What transmission are you using from gcm new2rocks? Always heard great things about gcm.
Levi is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-16-2018, 10:28 AM   #7
I wanna be Dave
 
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 2,254
Default Re: Scrunch and Dad (re-)build a TF2

Quote:
Originally Posted by svt923 View Post
Your brazen and boundless use of child labor for personal gain is admirable. I have much to learn to get such productivity out of my workforce.
It's either that or they don't eat. They choose to help. Smart kids.

Quote:
Originally Posted by svt923 View Post
There has got to be some purple knuckles to go with the purple axles, right? You must know a guy that can make that happen.
The thought has crossed my mind...

Quote:
Originally Posted by Levi View Post
Looks like a great project. Kids helping out and showing interest is always great, so thumbs up there. That's great gcm has a mounting kit out now.

What transmission are you using from gcm new2rocks? Always heard great things about gcm.
Thanks! The GCM kit for the TF2 comes with the LRT2 transmission and transfer case, which is the same tranny/t-case combo on the CMAX. It's a great (great) setup.
new2rocks is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-30-2018, 10:07 PM   #8
I wanna be Dave
 
Natedog's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Corruptifornia
Posts: 12,107
Default Re: Scrunch and Dad (re-)build a TF2

Great keeping Scrunch and Roo involved building and driving RCs! What’s next and where the purple knuckles? The ProModeler servo looks very enticing!
Natedog is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-30-2018, 10:39 PM   #9
I wanna be Dave
 
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 2,254
Default Re: Scrunch and Dad (re-)build a TF2

Quote:
Originally Posted by Natedog View Post
Great keeping Scrunch and Roo involved building and driving RCs! What’s next and where the purple knuckles? The ProModeler servo looks very enticing!
Thanks! They definitely help keep things interesting. I'll give some updates on the servo once we get this running. As for purple knuckles...

But there are other updates in the meantime. In the interest of creating dramatic tension, I'll save the best for last.

First up was fixing this common problem:
Name:  DSC03164.jpg
Views: 1271
Size:  58.1 KB

With a pair of these guys:
Name:  TF2 Rear Leaf Shackle Mount 1 with logo.jpg
Views: 1315
Size:  105.4 KB

Installed:
Name:  DSC03169.jpg
Views: 1304
Size:  112.8 KB

Much better! How about some sliders for sliding?
Name:  DSC03174.jpg
Views: 1235
Size:  123.8 KB

Those of you who were at ECSC 2015 might have remembered seeing my green TF2 tumble 30 or so feet off a cliff on course 1, only to be rescued by Metal Masher (who is suspiciously fleet of foot). Well...these are the now repaired sliders that cracked upon impact with the tree at the base of the cliff that fateful morning. I still owe you, Blake!

Now for the fun stuff. The prior builder that abandoned this project fabbed up some hood hinges:
Name:  DSC03183.jpg
Views: 1684
Size:  127.0 KB

Name:  DSC03181.jpg
Views: 1229
Size:  61.8 KB

Not a bad effort, but there's one issue with trying to use this style of hinge on this body:
Name:  DSC03188.jpg
Views: 1211
Size:  89.6 KB

Hmm...
You might have seen that we just released a limited production run of our BowHouse RC Hood Hinge Mount Set for Mojave / Hilux bodies...perfect timing! Here's what the set looks like before installation:
Name:  DSC03151 v2 small.jpg
Views: 1234
Size:  142.7 KB

These are printed in ABS to make them strong, flexible, and easy to glue to the body. They use the RC4WD Blazer hood hinges so that everything clears nicely when you open the hood. Time to put Scrunch back to work:
Name:  DSC03193.jpg
Views: 1184
Size:  51.3 KB

Installation is pretty simple. It's best to start with the cowl piece:
Name:  DSC03225.jpg
Views: 1195
Size:  61.8 KB

Remember the outer windshield/dash mounting posts that are sacrificed when removing the hood? We don't like sacrifices, so our cowl pieces includes new posts to replace the lost ones.


After installing the cowl, next up are the inner fender brackets:
Name:  DSC03237.jpg
Views: 1185
Size:  64.5 KB

And then my favorite part...the structural rad support. Nick designed these clever nooks in the inner fender brackets with matching notches on the rad support to help line everything up without guess work and create a very strong mount:
Name:  DSC03238.jpg
Views: 1193
Size:  54.5 KB

Name:  DSC03240.jpg
Views: 1188
Size:  57.1 KB

Name:  DSC03214.jpg
Views: 1178
Size:  63.4 KB

Wondering about that little hole on the lower outside corner of the light bucket opening? That happens to line up with an unused hole in the back of the Mojave grill...perfect for using a hidden screw to secure the grill to the rad support. More on that later.

Here is how the rad support looks from the front after installation:
Name:  DSC03244.jpg
Views: 1205
Size:  61.1 KB

Now we're starting to get somewhere!
new2rocks is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-31-2018, 08:29 AM   #10
I wanna be Dave
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Raleigh-ish vicinity
Posts: 3,846
Default Re: Scrunch and Dad (re-)build a TF2

If this Nick guy keeps up the good work, maybe one day he will make partner.
svt923 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-01-2018, 09:36 AM   #11
I wanna be Dave
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Where the sheep run scared.
Posts: 3,008
Default Re: Scrunch and Dad (re-)build a TF2

Watch out Roooo..... Little Sis has came to town! I love getting the kids involved.... I also am digging the purple housings and will be ordering a few of the BH hood/ reinforcement/ hinge/ thingy..... Thanks Scrunch for all of your hard/fun work thus far
Bananaclip is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-01-2018, 02:35 PM   #12
RCC Addict
 
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: Ocala, Florida, USA
Posts: 1,213
Default Re: Scrunch and Dad (re-)build a TF2

This is a great build! Love that your daughter is in the garage with you! Can't wait till mine gets a little older. She doesn't have the patience for spending hours on one thing yet. Soon tho! She does love helping me tinker with my truck. Keep up the great work Scrunch! Totally digging it!
AnimalHippie is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-11-2018, 08:32 PM   #13
I wanna be Dave
 
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 2,254
Default Re: Scrunch and Dad (re-)build a TF2

Quote:
Originally Posted by svt923 View Post
If this Nick guy keeps up the good work, maybe one day he will make partner.
Quiet, you! Don't give him any ideas...he's already overpaid as it is.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bananaclip View Post
Watch out Roooo..... Little Sis has came to town! I love getting the kids involved.... I also am digging the purple housings and will be ordering a few of the BH hood/ reinforcement/ hinge/ thingy..... Thanks Scrunch for all of your hard/fun work thus far
Scrunch says thanks (even though she is most definitely not his LITTLE sister or even little, for that matter). You'll be hearing more from her soon enough.

Quote:
Originally Posted by AnimalHippie View Post
This is a great build! Love that your daughter is in the garage with you! Can't wait till mine gets a little older. She doesn't have the patience for spending hours on one thing yet. Soon tho! She does love helping me tinker with my truck. Keep up the great work Scrunch! Totally digging it!
Thanks! This is the most interest she's shown in a truck, and it's been fun getting her involved. The hardest part is keeping Roo's little hands off it, lol.

Let's get back to the build. With the rad support in, the next step was getting the hood brace installed. The easiest way to do this is to install the hinges on the cab and hood brace, then mask the hood and brace in place to get the alignment of the brace to the hood. Like this:

Name:  DSC03249.jpg
Views: 1110
Size:  73.9 KB

Make sure everything lines up:

Name:  DSC03251.jpg
Views: 1106
Size:  74.4 KB

Then glue it all into place:
Name:  DSC03254.jpg
Views: 1101
Size:  72.7 KB

Another fit test:
Name:  DSC03269.jpg
Views: 1129
Size:  86.0 KB

That works. A little prep work:
Name:  DSC03289.jpg
Views: 1093
Size:  58.3 KB

Scrunch loves to sand:
Name:  DSC03292.jpg
Views: 1077
Size:  51.0 KB

Name:  DSC03294.jpg
Views: 1091
Size:  76.9 KB

Next up were some accessories to help keep everything in place out on the trails. I decided on 3mm x 1mm neo magnets for the back corners of the hood (2 deep on the cab side and 1 deep in the hood):
Name:  DSC03361.jpg
Views: 1078
Size:  57.1 KB

Name:  DSC03333.jpg
Views: 1077
Size:  78.9 KB

Name:  DSC03363.jpg
Views: 1076
Size:  58.6 KB

At the front corners, 1/4" (approx. 6mm) neo magnets in the rad support:
Name:  DSC03364.jpg
Views: 1078
Size:  50.4 KB

Under the front corners of the hood, I chose to use M3 nuts (not the nylock variety) for reasons you'll see in a bit:
Name:  DSC03367.jpg
Views: 1106
Size:  114.7 KB

Added a bracket for the hood prop:
Name:  DSC03369.jpg
Views: 1067
Size:  58.7 KB

Name:  DSC03370.jpg
Views: 1071
Size:  72.6 KB

One last 3mm x 1mm magnet to keep the prop in place:
Name:  DSC03374.jpg
Views: 1089
Size:  65.4 KB

That completes the installation of the hood hinge kit. From here on out, it will be pretty much all painting and detailing. And I'll need my helper for that...
new2rocks is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-15-2018, 08:55 AM   #14
I wanna be Dave
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Where the sheep run scared.
Posts: 3,008
Default Re: Scrunch and Dad (re-)build a TF2

Aces! we need more Scrunch!
Bananaclip is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-15-2018, 11:32 AM   #15
I wanna be Dave
 
Natedog's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Corruptifornia
Posts: 12,107
Default Re: Scrunch and Dad (re-)build a TF2

My kitties help, but they don’t do sanding. What adhesive did you glue the hood to the under hood bracing with? Prop rod is great detail!

Last edited by Natedog; 08-16-2018 at 10:22 AM.
Natedog is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-27-2018, 09:32 PM   #16
I wanna be Dave
 
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 2,254
Default Re: Scrunch and Dad (re-)build a TF2

Quote:
Originally Posted by Natedog View Post
My kitties help, but they don’t do sanding. What adhesive did you glue the hood to the under hood bracing with? Prop rod is great detail!
Don't feel bad...our Berner isn't much help, either. For glue, I used Sci Grip 4, which works great on ABS and styrene.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bananaclip View Post
Aces! we need more Scrunch!:mrgreen
Ask and ye shall receive...

Let's get back to the build. I tried a little experiment with this one, laying a couple of metallic coats:
Name:  DSC03385.jpg
Views: 990
Size:  66.7 KB

Name:  DSC03386.jpg
Views: 989
Size:  74.0 KB

Followed by a faded orange:
Name:  DSC03416.jpg
Views: 1002
Size:  68.8 KB

And then the finish coat:
Name:  DSC03417.jpg
Views: 1048
Size:  65.9 KB

Scrunch likes wet sanding, and she's quite good at it:
Name:  DSC03379.jpg
Views: 965
Size:  48.6 KB

Name:  DSC03426.jpg
Views: 989
Size:  98.9 KB

The results started to look pretty interesting:
Name:  DSC03430.jpg
Views: 969
Size:  71.7 KB

So she continued to scratch and sand away:
Name:  DSC03434.jpg
Views: 966
Size:  75.3 KB

Name:  DSC03437.jpg
Views: 975
Size:  65.5 KB

Next up was the grille. I took care of removing the fake mesh:
Name:  DSC03421.jpg
Views: 973
Size:  57.4 KB

And we tag-teamed the chrome highlights:
Name:  DSC03471.jpg
Views: 960
Size:  48.8 KB

Which got us to here:
Name:  DSC03474.jpg
Views: 971
Size:  78.4 KB

Open wide:
Name:  DSC03477.jpg
Views: 1102
Size:  82.0 KB

Looks like it's time to fill that engine bay...
new2rocks is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-28-2018, 01:52 PM   #17
Rock Crawler
 
Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: Land of burning couches
Posts: 932
Default Re: Scrunch and Dad (re-)build a TF2

love this!!!! Just recently got my daughters involved. They're not big on crawlers and like to rip and tear, so we build an e maxx together. I love the nicknames, mine also have them, mine go by Goose and Bug. We are a tattoo family and my oldest who is 12 has informed me that "Goose" will be her first tattoo because its what dad calls her
DukeMinnix is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-28-2018, 04:54 PM   #18
Rock Crawler
 
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: US
Posts: 639
Default Re: Scrunch and Dad (re-)build a TF2

The truck is looking good. A bit jeolous, lol. Makes me think different when i paint my next hard body.
Levi is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-12-2018, 08:07 PM   #19
I wanna be Dave
 
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 2,254
Default Re: Scrunch and Dad (re-)build a TF2

Quote:
Originally Posted by DukeMinnix View Post
love this!!!! Just recently got my daughters involved. They're not big on crawlers and like to rip and tear, so we build an e maxx together. I love the nicknames, mine also have them, mine go by Goose and Bug. We are a tattoo family and my oldest who is 12 has informed me that "Goose" will be her first tattoo because its what dad calls her
That's awesome...I love seeing parents who share this with their kids. I wouldn't do it if I couldn't get them involved.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Levi View Post
The truck is looking good. A bit jeolous, lol. Makes me think different when i paint my next hard body.
Lol...it's all about experimenting and going one step further each time.

Let's get back to that engine bay. Our good friends at GCM sent over one of their 22R motor kits. It came in a bag with very GCM'y compartments:
Name:  DSC03509.jpg
Views: 909
Size:  71.0 KB

To get parts out of the compartments, you need to get rid of the comments (compartments - comments = parts):
Name:  DSC03510.jpg
Views: 908
Size:  57.2 KB

I mock parts:
Name:  DSC03516.jpg
Views: 916
Size:  55.5 KB

I paint parts:
Name:  DSC03522.jpg
Views: 945
Size:  64.1 KB

Scrunch cuts parts:
Name:  DSC03525.jpg
Views: 930
Size:  92.9 KB

More mockery:
Name:  DSC03551.jpg
Views: 1315
Size:  85.7 KB

Name:  DSC03555.jpg
Views: 1045
Size:  81.7 KB

Apparently, some Canadians don't approve of brushless motors. But we like wheelies down here in the South, so I had to do my own mini episode of Chop, Cut, Rebuild:
Name:  DSC03556.jpg
Views: 898
Size:  55.8 KB

Name:  DSC03557.jpg
Views: 911
Size:  57.2 KB

Name:  DSC03564.jpg
Views: 910
Size:  57.3 KB

Name:  DSC03644.jpg
Views: 895
Size:  56.1 KB

Name:  DSC03647.jpg
Views: 891
Size:  70.5 KB

Name:  DSC03649.jpg
Views: 890
Size:  67.9 KB

Name:  DSC03650.jpg
Views: 896
Size:  69.9 KB

Much more betterer. And more Scrunch coming soon... :-)
new2rocks is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-13-2018, 04:15 PM   #20
I wanna be Dave
 
Natedog's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Corruptifornia
Posts: 12,107
Default Re: Scrunch and Dad (re-)build a TF2

Nice deep sump with windage tray setup! 22R looks good, but needs oil filter on left side of block and PS pump up by distributor.
Natedog is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply



Scrunch and Dad (re-)build a TF2 - Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Ny TF2 build so far. 68_f100 RC4WD Trail Finder 2 6 10-06-2014 09:55 PM
my tf2 build 1320king RC4WD Trail Finder 2 13 08-12-2014 12:30 PM
Fallin Apart 1st HaVoc build now passed onto my Dad fallin apart RC4WD Bully 50 08-11-2011 09:43 PM
Fallin Apart's Pro build for my Dad fallin apart Losi Mini-Rock Crawler 6 06-13-2011 03:47 PM
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On



All times are GMT -6. The time now is 07:16 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Content Relevant URLs by vBSEO ©2011, Crawlability, Inc.
Copyright 2004-2014 RCCrawler.com