3rd time's a charm

[OSRC]

After seeing 860Crawler's sweet FJ CR01 climb around our local rock course, I decided to make some changes.

I liked this set-up and it ran well (Build Thread), but wanted to go back to something scale-ish.


I've run a Jeep body on this chassis before, and while it was a good overall fit, the shorter CR01 chassis makes it tough for bumpers, sliders, etc. Just wasn't long enough to accommodate the body.

So I made a new one! Standard 2mm 6061...Lengthened overall by 80mm, little in front and a lot in the back, and moved the trans mount up about 1/2"


Lots of holes..


Played around with the suspension a bit - needed a stiffer set-up since there will be more weight up top. Ended up with hard/medium short barrel springs F/R, and went to 60wt oil in the shocks.


Wheels on..not sure of they are staying or not. Got 85mm of clearance in the center at full dropout, about 75 or so at ride height. Will sag a bit more when everything's installed. Very good clearance for a CR chassis.



Mandatory flex shot. Has plenty - maybe too much.


Next - body!

[jeekelemental]

Nice, are you going to lower the body?

[OSRC]

Yup, just plopped on there for now

[OSRC]

Got in the zone last night and got a bunch done. Wanted to take this camping this weekend - not sure if I'm going to be done or not, but it's going to be close!

Rebuilt the front with some new links - stock CR01's are like spaghetti noodles. Mine were bent and straightened so many times I've lost count. Much better set-up. Should rename this truck the Bling King. Shiny enough down there.


Electronics layout. Looks awfully clean...Holmes outrunner on stock gearing. Stock Axial sliders bolted on as well.


Got the body mounted and threw down some paint too. Nice and simple, and my signature blue. Needs a bit of trimming around the wheel wells, but I have new wheels and tires on the way, so we'll see how much I really need to trim.



Love watching this suspension flex...Basically built the truck around the suspension set-up.


To do yet - rear bumpers, slider and body trimming, new wheels/tire, and lights. Got 2 nights to get it done

[GraciousOne]

MAN OH MAN, that looks like a well-built truck, and looks like a million bucks too. Nice job!

[OSRC]

Thank you sir, more to come. Few more details, lights, and new wheels and tires en-route.

[jeekelemental]

Very nice! One of the best looking (and best finished) CR, in my opinion :-)

[OSRC]

Not done, but took it out wheeling this weekend to give it a trial by fire. Ran great! Had to do some field trimming of the fenders, but quite a fun rig to bomb around with. New wheels didn't fit any of the tires I had planned to use, so the old Rock Lizards had to do. They are cut slightly and stuffed with PL memory foams, so they are not actually too bad, but definitely needs more traction.

Side by side pics with its mutant brother. Though they are based off the same chassis, they are set up quite different, and wheel very differently as well.



Couple of action pics




And some of the Blitzer Crawler too



Had a good day, no issues at all until I tried a massive hill climb at the end of the run and after a 20ft cartwheel back down the hill the Blitzer snapped a plastic rod end. Otherwise they both ran flawless.

Still to do - lights, a rear bumper, and some suspension tweaks.

[860Crawler]

Looks sick!

I've thought about mounting Axial rock sliders for a while, but I want to see them to figure out where I can fit them to my stock side plates. Hopefully when we catch up again you will have this rig out!

[OSRC]

It's all your fault!

I'll make a point of it -they really do help. I believe I have mine mounted in the upper link holes, all depends on your body height as to where they fit best.

[OSRC]

Great run at the Reading Pagoda this past weekend. Haven't changed a thing yet. I did order new wheels and tires, but they are not playing well together so the old RL's stayed on for now. Really needed to work on the rear torque twist - I moved some links around while we were wheeling, and just made it worse. Still got around pretty good though. Definitely room for improvement.

The gang's all here.


Showing an Axial how it's done


Blazing through some late summer overgrowth.

[HDMM]

That came out really nice! I miss my old CR01, may have to pick up another one!

[OSRC]

Thanks! Nice to have something out on the trail other than Axial. Not that Axials are bad, but....well, as they say ..variety is the spice of life.

I've got to find a way to lower the CG. Tallest truck in the group, and with the steel rack and lights up top it's very tippy - even with the wide stance. Bought another set of barrel springs for a second set of hard springs (running Hard/Medium f/r currently) - should help. Swapping over to 60wt oil too in the shocks as it flexes way too easy.

[860Crawler]

I haven't been to Reading Pagoda or St. Peter's Village yet, both look cool in the pics

[OSRC]

I LOVE this jeep! Been wheeling all summer and though the winter so far with no problems at all, and very few changes.

I did limit the suspension a bit by about 10mm in both up and downtravel. While I lost some flex, the entire truck as for more predictable and it still has plenty of suspension travel. Also, i swapped to modded Flat Irons, and they are very underrated tires. Adding a few cuts with the dremel really brought them to life.



I did get a little funky this weekend though. I've done this with my SCX10, and I had a spare transmission, so I decided why not here? Modded a wraith unit so it no longer digs, and made this Jeep selectable 2/4WD.

Comparison of the 2 transmissions...



Had to mod the motor mount a little to get the torque tuned motor in there. Wanted a little more wheelspeed than the outrunner that was in here provided.


Stuffed in the chassis..shift servo is mounted to the frame rail. Used a Traxxas mini servo as it's the only mini one I had lying around.


Works like a charm! Went out and tooled around the backyard a bit. Was fun doing doughnuts and what not in the snow, and then shifting into 4WD whenever I got stuck. Really surprised at where it goes in 2WD only...with the rear diff locked, if you have enough momentum, you can get around pretty good.

[860Crawler]

haha that is sweet!

[OSRC]

Just showing off some new shoes....Losi Rock Carvers, which I've never heard of before. Have no idea how they'll work, but LOVE the look and size! Perfect for this truck. Back on stock rims with some HR rings.

[JatoTheRipper]

The wheels and tires look good. I love that Jeep.

[OSRC]

Can't wait to try out these tires. Sick looking, and feel awful grippy. Probably open up some of those lugs with a few sipes, but want to see how it does first.

[OSRC]

So I've been wheeling along for months now, no real changes. Truck has been running great! It's not the best performer in the garage, but love the unique looks and way it drives. Well, I did.... Change is good!

Pic from last weekend's trail run:


Pits were working out great, and on a whim I removed the steel rack and lights off the top. Made a TON of difference - had no idea that little change would affect the truck so greatly. Immediately was more stable and planted on whatever I was wheeling over.

So I decided to go to the next level of performance... Got home and removed the divorced coil setup, fabbed up some mini shock mounts and put some some tried and true G-Transitions. Swapped the portals from the Crawler Bug and stole the wheels off my wraith. I wanted better performance, and a more aggressive look. Came out pretty nice I think... more clearance than KMart at Christmastime, and still sits kinda low and lean. I do have 80mm shocks on the way as the 90mm's are just too long at full extension, but all in all very happy. I'll eventually put everything back how it was, but for now, it's go time!!

Chassis shot


About 3.25" clearance in the center, and close to 3" under the axles.