BrandO's scale Jeep trail rig
 

I am still pretty new to all this. But when I saw some of the scale rigs on here I had to build one. Mine will be more of a trail rig not a twisted rock buggy. Here are a few of the specs.

TLT axles
Stampede trans.
Revo links
Proline body
2.2 Moabs on Pede wheels
Oh ya, tubing, square stock, sheet metal.

Here are some pics of what I have so far. Let me know what you think.

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c2...7/EPSN0002.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c2...7/EPSN0013.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c2...7/EPSN0012.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c2...7/EPSN0011.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c2...7/EPSN0010.jpg

That's looking good. Great idea on mounting the body and the spring perches.

Nice job i really like the chassie what was the price on the metal that you used i want to do the same thing as that

Thanks
Thomas :twisted:

looks pretty good, I think your tranny and sterring servo are a little high though.
put the steering servo on the underside of that bracket you made. just my .02$

Right now it sitting a little high. I have to tinker with the spring perches a bit. When mocked up it was about 1/2 inch lower.

I got the 1/4 square stock at the local hardware store. It was only a few dollars. It is pretty hard to work with. It took a little muscle and some bad words to get it formed. Oh ya maybe a beer or two.;-)

That thing looks great. I'm really getting a kick out of these scale trail rigs, they may not be comp worthy but they sure are fun to build. Now I just need to make some progress on mine.

diggin it! real nice work.

The frame rails look great! Looks very scale. Nice Job.

what shocks are you using and about how much do you think that this is gona end up costing?

u gonna use that motor in the final version.... he he a 19t chamelon in a tlt is insane.... its crazy fast :twisted: but parts break that way....

Im thinkin of buying another tlt and makin a scale rig like this.... i have always loved the way they look.

Great lookin truck... i think the droop on that thing is gonna be crazy... :lol: might think of limiters or using the stock tlt dampeners for a scale but a functional dampener and limiter.. just a thought

how did you attach the springs to the axle?

It looks like a thick spacer bolted down in one of the existing axle holes stabilizes the spring, but it doesn't look like the springs are held on by anything except the weight of the truck???

Sweet! I also love these scale rigs! WIsh i had some TLT axles:mrgreen: I do plan to eventually build one, but diesel is costing me plenty right now, so i better wait till i have a good job before i sink money into one.

Eric

Lookin damn good for a first-time build. Some people are just pretty natural at this stuff, and you seem to have the knack. The next time you do this, you'll do better, it always works that way. Good job. Let us know more about the spring-mounting situation, looks interesting.

wow that thing looks sweet! i like the scale look. keep it up !!!!

Really cool rig! Best part is the way the body fits on the frame. It looks more like a real 4X than some others which look like stupid street trucks with big body lifts. Really cool frame design too. Don't worry about the not comp worthy thing, you'll probably have more fun with this anyway. The post about the springs not held in does make a point though, doesn't look like anything holding them. Maybe some limit straps are in the plans? That'd be cool, even more scale looking stuff! Again, I think it's great. Click on the link below, there is a few pics of my "fun" truck.

hey i would drop that rubicon body and get a 1/10scale body.

The Rubicon body is a 1/10 scale body.

yeah, I saw that too, nice work badg'

Thanks for the replies guys. I appreciate the kind words.

The lower spring perches are made out of some left over Tamiya plastic. I believe they where part of some steering arms. The springs fit over snuggly and stay in place. I will take a better pick and post it. The springs are from a set of Venom mini giant GPM 70mm shocks. I planned on using the shocks on the truck. They look like a scale coil over. Problem is I don't think they will handle the weight of the truck. So I chose to use the springs and a larger shock. I have not decided on which to use. I have a set of the stock shocks or a set of blue GPM Tmaxx shocks. They do not look as scale but I plan to use the truck not park it on a shelf. I do plan on making a set of limit straps before it's done. I plan to use the 70mm shocks on my next project. I hope to built that one a lot lighter.

I am in the process of building the cage for the truck. It is taking a little time to get the bars to fit nicely inside the body. I have built full size race cars for years. So I have had a little practice at fabricating. Just not at this scale. I am having a really good time building it. I can tell you now it won't be my last.

just a thought, have you considered ditching the body's roll cage and incorporating your own into the build? sure looks like you've got the skills and it'd be a shame to hide 'em under the Lexan.

Yes, I plan to cut up the body some. I intend to cut the back out where the molded rollbar is. I do plan to keep the roof and doors. I have 75% of the cage done. I still have some tubes to add, some braces, and shock mounts. I hope to get some updated pics taken tomorrow. But for now it's time for a beer then off to bed.

Here is a pic of the lower perches. Sorry but the pic is a little blurry. With some limiter straps the springs shouldn't go anywhere.
http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c2...7/EPSN0016.jpg

A couple new pics after I added some tubage. I don't like the back down tubes so I stopped to regroup. I am going to cut them off. I am thinking of building a hoop to support the rear of the body. Sort of like the front. Then the down tubes will conect to it. I have been looking in the 4x4 mags to find what I am looking for. I am open to suggestions.


http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c2...7/EPSN0015.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c2...7/EPSN0014.jpg

How did you bend that steel BrandO?

Very Carefully..... right?

I used just a hand held brake line tubing bender. You can pick one up at most auto parts stores for around $10. I have also seen them pretty cheap on Ebay.

Whare did u get the steel and did u have to heat it up?

The round tubing is just standard 3/16 brake line. And the 1/4 square stock was picked up at the local hardware store. I didn't have to heat anything up to bend it. The square would have been easier if heated but I was able to do it cold.

looking good and can't wait to see it when u are done. keep up the good work

So you bent the square steel with the brake line hand benders? Was it hard? and also it is steel, right?

I bent the square stock in my bench vise with a hammer. A hammer and a little muscle is all you need. I have worked on stock cars for years. Forming and reforming metal with a hammer is an esential skill.

amen brotha! preach on! thats how i work on my stuff too.

Lol, Sam Adams is my crew chief.:lol:

I cut off the rear down tubes and rebuilt the back of the chassis. I like the way it came out the second time around. I also added some other tubes and braces. I have a couple more but am otherwise done with the chassis. I have to extend the front of the chassis and build bumpers. I also need to figure out where to put my batteries.

I built shock mounts and mounted my shocks. I made a mistake and figured my shock mounts before I lowered the truck to ride height. Dumb rookie mistake. So at ride height my shocks don't have enough travel. Instead of cutting off the mounts I plan to get some shorter shocks. I am thinking a front buggy shock from a B4 or XXX will work. Of course I took a few more pics to mark my progress.

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c2...7/EPSN0020.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c2...7/EPSN0019.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c2...7/EPSN0018.jpg

The only problem I see is the double servo saver plastic, with two of those like that, when you are on the rocks, you may twist the nuts right out of the plastic with the articulation and pull from the front tires on the rocks. You may want to lower the servo and put a metal servo horn on it.

I do plan to get an aluminum servo arm. The cheezed together servo saver was for mock up purposes. I can't move the servo lower because it will hit. If I where to do it over I think I would stand the servo up and move it forward. That way I could get it lower and it wouldn't hit the axle. I have not decided if I want to start cutting things up. Since it is my first scratch built rig I am learning as I go.

Why are you even mounting it on the chassis? Make a new upper link mount and mount the servo right on top of the axle where everyone else does.

For the simple reason that you used, "everyone else does". I like to be a little different. Plus I was going for more of a scale look. I don't like the looks of a big old servo hanging off the axle.

BINGO, THAT IS WHAT I WAS GETTING AT.