My Take on the SSD Trail King

[neilus]

I'm quite excited to finally get this kit. I've been backwards and forwards for a while now between this and the Element Enduro. The main reasons for not going with the Enduro were the flexy plastic and the transmission. I know there are hard options, and had these have been included in the builders kit, I may have gone with it. Although it's great that the transmission has overdrive, I was just a little disappointed that it hadn't got a forward mounted motor. But, for a Version 1, it does look a great truck.

So, that brings me to the Trail King. When SSD first announced their kit I must admit I was a little disappointed. I (wrongly) thought it was just an SCX10II. However looking into the kit further I realised there was a lot more to it than that. The re-designed off set Pro44 axles, the all new scale transmission, which has a super low forward mounted motor, Aluminium C Hubs, Knuckles and Panhard Mount, Titanium links with Metal Balls, All alloy shocks, and more. The fact that it's also compatible with a lot of SCX10ii stuff is also a bonus.

So, here it is. The box is a little understated, and doesn't really do the contents justice.



All the contents are really well packaged, and labelled.



Everything that is designed to go together do so very 'snuggly'. So far I've only assembled the axles and transmission, and there isn't any movement anywhere. No slop in the axles or transmission...



One thing I did notice in the manual is during assembly of the rear axle it says to use m3x6 bolts to hold the bearing caps on. This is incorrect as there are no m3x6 in the bag. And, if you use one it touches the axle. So, you use the m3x5's that are included.



Here are the assembled axles. I also added some scale hardware I had spare. I had heard that there were some complaints regarding the nylon axle tubes not having much material for the bolts, or that it was easy to strip them. But, I can confirm that the quality of the plastic is superb. If you've assembled plastic kits before then you should be fine. If you are ham-fisted then you may have issues, as you would with any other plastic parts.



And lastly for tonight, the completed scale transmission. All I can say about this is that it is a work of art! I've had a few GCM transmissions that are amazing to put together and this is no exception. The final result is a 'super' smooth transmission with a much lower motor than with the RC4WD or GCM transmission. I'm really impressed!





Thanks for looking, and more coming soon.

[willygee]

Nice prereview..Is a 2 speed available?

[altd896]

Originally Posted by willygee

Is a 2 speed available?

There's no 2 speed option for that trans that I've seen mentioned anywhere

[SSD]

Your knuckles are on the wrong sides.

No 2 speed option planned as it makes the transmission much larger. This new transmission is very small and scale looking in the chassis.

[neilus]

Originally Posted by SSD

Your knuckles are on the wrong sides.

No 2 speed option planned as it makes the transmission much larger. This new transmission is very small and scale looking in the chassis.

Thanks. I clocked that when building and swapped them over. But didn't take another pic. No one else noticed

[neilus]

Here's a quick comparison between the GCM and the SSD scale transmissions. The SSD houses the motor much lower:

[SSD]

That GCM transmission is actually half an SSD scale transmission.

The motor sits 16mm lower in the new transmission.
The new transmission is shorter as has one less layer of gears so it's lighter. Obvioulsy injection molded case is lighter than aluminum also.

[neilus]

Originally Posted by SSD

That GCM transmission is actually half an SSD scale transmission.

The motor sits 16mm lower in the new transmission.
The new transmission is shorter as has one less layer of gears so it's lighter. Obvioulsy injection molded case is lighter than aluminum also.

I bet it took some head scratching to create

[JatoTheRipper]

You'll do this kit justice. Can't wait to see it completed.

[neilus]

Originally Posted by JatoTheRipper

You'll do this kit justice. Can't wait to see it completed.

Thank you Sir For my kind of building it's a really great, well though out truck. I absolutely love the little details like the extra add on piece at the rear of the chassis rails. For my kind of caged rear build this is excellent. Saves me having to chop of the chassis rails. And i love how the front axle is offset and that the front shaft and upper link run on the same side, yet miss each other through all the travel. Things like that make me smile...

[neilus]

Little more progress this afternoon. Although the shock came assembled I like to take them apart, add some Associated Slime and put them back together. These are the nicest shocks I've ever built. Super smooth, and the tolerances are superb. They are the only shocks I've built where the lower spring retainer (which is alloy) is a tight fit over the rod end. Another thing that has been well thought about.



And as a roller.







I'm still not 100% sure on a body, but it will more than likely be a cab with a cage back. I really like the look of these, and I do like a bit of steel work here and there...

So, as usual a Hilux cab is on stand by.



Thanks for looking.

[SSD]

Originally Posted by neilus

Thank you Sir For my kind of building it's a really great, well though out truck. I absolutely love the little details like the extra add on piece at the rear of the chassis rails. For my kind of caged rear build this is excellent. Saves me having to chop of the chassis rails. And i love how the front axle is offset and that the front shaft and upper link run on the same side, yet miss each other through all the travel. Things like that make me smile...

The front driveshaft and upper link being on the same side is not easy to achieve. This was a must have for me as it is cleaner looking and more scale I think. I dont think any other truck has this. Thanks for noticing, I dont think many have mentioned it

[indybama]

Originally Posted by SSD

The front driveshaft and upper link being on the same side is not easy to achieve. This was a must have for me as it is cleaner looking and more scale I think. I dont think any other truck has this. Thanks for noticing, I dont think many have mentioned it

My scx10 ii has the upper link n front driveshaft runnin on the same side. Granted, its not an offset axle, but they both go to the passenger side

Sent from my SM-J327VPP using Tapatalk

[SSD]

Originally Posted by indybama

My scx10 ii has the upper link n front driveshaft runnin on the same side. Granted, its not an offset axle, but they both go to the passenger side

Sent from my SM-J327VPP using Tapatalk

Obviously I meant with an offset axle and/or scale transmission. Previous scale transmisisons cant do this.

Using the usual standard transmission and centred axle it's not difficult at all. It also does not look particularly scale with a centered front axle.

[JatoTheRipper]

That's an awesome looking truck already!

SSD does engineering as good as any other brand out there which is why I appreciate the brand so much.

[Topher Builds]

Great build so far and those wheels are slick.

Thank you for the side by side of the gcm and the ssd transmission. Really highlights the improvement of this new ssd transmission.

Sweet garage too!

[neilus]

Originally Posted by JatoTheRipper

That's an awesome looking truck already!

SSD does engineering as good as any other brand out there which is why I appreciate the brand so much.

Thanks.

Originally Posted by Natedog

Axles look great, but it would be nice if both diff covers were like the front with the extra wear/ramp material on lower half...gotta back up sometimes. Are diff covers metal? Edit, they look like plastic. :/


Love those beadlocks, what are they? Yota hardbody cab is nice but I prefer smaller tires (1.7 or 1.9).

SSD included both diff covers for front and rear axles. I like the 'ramped' one on the front for obvious reasons, but opted for the standard one on the rear as i think it looks better. (and who needs reverses? )

I'm on the fence about the tire size. The other option i have is some 1.55's with RC4WD Baja Claws which are 114mm tall i think.

And, the wheels are Gearhead Tombstones

Originally Posted by Topher Builds

Great build so far and those wheels are slick.

Thank you for the side by side of the gcm and the ssd transmission. Really highlights the improvement of this new ssd transmission.

Sweet garage too!

Thanks, you're welcome. One of the jobs that's been on my list for a while is weathering the garage a little. I'll get round to it over this winter i'd imagine

[new2rocks]

Nice start. Looking forward to seeing where you take this...

[Siggy]

Thanks for sharing Pics of your Build. Yet another that is Truly Inspirational. Highlights improvements and innovation done to each work of Art.

Seem to be Performance Driven, with Attention to True Scale Details.

For a decade Handcrafted True Scale Tubulars was the way to go. Today, in the ERA of Design Softwares, 3D Scanners &, Printers and CNC, Build Kits now reign.

The SSD's New Trail King ProKit tops my Bucket List of, "Absolutely I Must Build".

Thanks, Cheers, and Kudos to your Work!

[neilus]

Originally Posted by new2rocks

Nice start. Looking forward to seeing where you take this...

Thanks. I've got a few ideas running round my head

Originally Posted by Siggy

Thanks for sharing Pics of your Build. Yet another that is Truly Inspirational. Highlights improvements and innovation done to each work of Art.

Seem to be Performance Driven, with Attention to True Scale Details.

For a decade Handcrafted True Scale Tubulars was the way to go. Today, in the ERA of Design Softwares, 3D Scanners &, Printers and CNC, Build Kits now reign.

The SSD's New Trail King ProKit tops my Bucket List of, "Absolutely I Must Build".

Thanks, Cheers, and Kudos to your Work!

Thanks very much