Stampede Project Ultimate Tonka - Hustler Build

[stampedeproject]

OK so you all you guys both touting the good, bad and ugly of a Super Class Clod build, finally got to me., however I am extraordinarily impatient is a very bad OCD & ADD sort of way. That’s coupled with my tendancy to be a little headstong as well. Anyone who knows me on this forum can attest to Bender, DirkDigler, Brian RCP, Holmes and others all know once I lock on I am like a freaking pitbull and Hell or High water I was building a freaking kick ass Super.

Being the impatient freak I am I decided on picking up an RCP Hustler Roller kit that is more or less in ready to assemble state with about 95% of what you need in a couple bags.

Here is what I got to start my Hustler build. Brian called me and asked if it would be OK to include the Pro-Line Cheyenne wheels as he was all out of the Axial wheels – sure Pro-Line stuff is great. Here is what showed up. Brian noted I would still need the diff lockers, so I added that to the order.



Next up was figuring out what I still needed.

To complete the chassis, I still needed of course the RCP Clod diff lockers and RCGUY.com (Mico Engineering) servo mounts, motor adjustment plates, and their Clod specific pinions. One easy transaction later and we had everything we needed to finish the build and my ADD was not even kicking in yet.

Here is the build equipment rundown
Kit Inclusions: $459
* Hustler Tube Chassis & body panels
* Full Set Of Suspension Links
* Steering Kit
* Internal Shock Springs For Droop Set Up
* Lower Link Shock Mount
* Comp Ready Tamiya Clodbuster axle kit
* Bender Customs 12mm - 23mm wheel adapters
* Proline Moab XL 40 series tires & Cheyenne Beadlocks
* Traxxas Maxx shocks
* Trinity 110 WT shock oil

Extras:
RCP Clod Differential Lockers $25
RC-Guy.com Servo & Motor Mounts & Pinions $60
(2) Tekin FX-R ESCs & 55T Motors $125 each
Hitec CRX Spectra 3-Channel Synthesized RX/TX $270
Hitec 7955TG Servos $120 each
A123 3S 9.9V Battery Pack $60
Punk RC Programmable Computer $80
Total $1444


CHASSIS & DRIVETRAIN
The "tube-style" Hustler chassis is consistently one of the top chassis in competitions due to its rugged steel cage design and low center of gravity. Supplied are Lexan body panels that can be painted like any typical body – mine of course were hit with a Tonka logo and then plastered with stickers.

As is typical, our RCP Chassis features a 4-link suspension design that provides plenty of articulation, however instead of a sprung suspension; the entire chassis uses a "droop" style suspension that greatly improves crawling performance. Install the supplied springs under the Traxxas Maxx shock pistons filled with Associated 110Wt oil and the shock stays compressed unless articulation or "droop" /clearance is required.
The drivetrain is a slightly upgraded Tamiya Clodbuster drivetrain with locked differentials and bearing upgrade, however I did a standard clod axle steering increase modification and clipped the steering limiters.
WHEELS & TIRES
Narrow Cheyenne Beadlocks and enormous 7" Pro-Line XL Moab tires are included along with Bender Customs 12mm-23mm wheel adapters to make the hub to wheel connection. To up traction I added 12oz of weight to each wheel for added traction and lower CG.

ELECTRICS
No question there - a couple Tekin Crawler Combos with 55T motors will freaking rock. Loved them in my 2.2 rigs and should work just fine for the super. On Brian and Bender’s recommendations I used a single A123 9.9V pack and choose beefy Hitec 7955TG servos.

Yeah I know we have all been blinded by the Spektrum light (me included), but Hitec also has some cool stuff in the 75Mhz range. Their CRX transmitter has more options that I really need, but good to know it’s there and I can tune the Spectra unit to any 75Mhz frequency…handy. The PCX paired perfectly with the synthesized Syth DX receiver.

Typically, you guys use a 4-channel stick system to provide fully independent steering and motor control of each axle, however driving with a dual stick TX is an art form I can't comprehend or take the time to learn, so I stuck with my feature rich Hitec PCX 3-Channel pistol style synthesized RX/TX system.Being the RC nerd I am I couldn't do the easy thing and just use a servo reversing splitter. To imitate the function of a 4-channel system, I used a PRC-PC (Punk RC Programmable Computer). This little gadget allows you to use the third channel as a trigger to change operating functions on the fly – now with just a three channel TX/RX, I can initiate changes from two-wheel, to four-wheel, to crab walk steering modes, and still enjoy both front dig for some mind blowing maneuvers. Punk RC is adding new programs all the time and will even take custom requests. Ah, I love technology.

ASSEMBLY
I think most of use could probably put a Clod axle together blindfolded, this was my first and still relatively simple, with the exception of forgetting to add one bearing… disassemble and repeat correctly this time. The RCP kit includes a full bearing upgrade which is nice.

The chassis was a bit of a mystery. Had it all put together and it just didn’t work. I sent an email off the RCP and Brian responded with and it’s upside down stupid, we he was a little nicer. Something to the fact that “…it would be an interesting build, but it would probably work better if I used it as intended the right side up. I think if you flip it over it should work correctly” – i.e. Flip it over stupid. Man I felt stupid, but I thought I would share in case any other numb nuts does the same thing.

The other thing, I did as you will notice in all the poser pictures I did before testing was mount the servos incorrectly. The Servo should be rotated 180 degrees so the Servo horn can do it’s job - oh well I am not reshooting.

I am not going to walk through step by step, because …. Yeah you guessed it, I am not that patient. It's pretty easy to figure it out from the pics as the upper and lower links are all the same length. I guarantee, it’s simple, even I could do it.

THEME
Once I had the thing together, one thing hit me, this was THE Tonka truck I have always wanted. J

Gotta say, despite my short… correction, very short attention span, the build was very easy. RCP had 95% of the stuff all in a bag and the rest was easy to come by via only two other transactions; one to RC-Guy.com and the other to Tower Hobbies.

Let me know what you guys think.

[run2jeepn]

Like the Theme....

[cartronicshn]

Looks very nice, like the yellow, great selection of parts to

[rkrawler]

HAHAHA

I just purchased a hustler chassis and was a little miffed when I pulled it outta the box. It looked different than the pics I had seen and I was somewhat dissapointed. I was about to contact RCP about whether they had modified and or updated the Hustler, but then as I was looking at it and comparing it to some web shots, I noticed the shock mounts for the front were down on the bottom of the chassis instead of on top??!!

Then I flipped it over and viola, it looked like the Hustlers I have always wanted. Glad I didn't call them...

[stampedeproject]

Originally Posted by rkrawler

HAHAHA

I just purchased a hustler chassis and was a little miffed when I pulled it outta the box. It looked different than the pics I had seen and I was somewhat dissapointed. I was about to contact RCP about whether they had modified and or updated the Hustler, but then as I was looking at it and comparing it to some web shots, I noticed the shock mounts for the front were down on the bottom of the chassis instead of on top??!!

Then I flipped it over and viola, it looked like the Hustlers I have always wanted. Glad I didn't call them...

Thanks. Brian at RCP noted I wasn't the only special needs customer he has had that did the same thing... of course he put it a little differently.