TLT Build - Shock Tower Chassis pics on pg2
 

I picked up a TLT when a friend asked me to research a fun yet economical backyard basher. A few weeks of doing some readin on this site, and here's where I'm at:

Dial Up warning - large images:

Bottom View:
http://images15.fotki.com/v265/photo...MG_3243-vi.jpg

Rear Links:
http://images15.fotki.com/v267/photo...MG_3245-vi.jpg

Driveshaft:
http://images16.fotki.com/v275/photo...MG_3244-vi.jpg

Front View:
http://images16.fotki.com/v275/photo...MG_3237-vi.jpg

Unpainted F150 Stepside Body mounted/trimmed:
http://images15.fotki.com/v268/photo...MG_3249-vi.jpg

Changes I've made so far:
- 28 pc Ball Bearing Kit from Ebay ($10)
- Traxxas Slipper Pegs in center Diff ($4)
- Homemade 4-link ($10)
- Tamiya Blitzer Drifeshafts ($7)
- Duratrax Overdrive ST Wheels ($15)
- Moab Tires ($30)
- 93T Machined Spur
- 21T Pinion

So far, the stretched 10th scale conversion has made a world of difference in backyard bashing. The Belt Drive tranny is holding up just fine under power from a P2K Stock Motor. Have a spare Stealth tranny that will go in when the belt dies.

This thing sure does have some major glitching problems! All that aluminum seems to amplify the noise caused by the comm in the motor. Especially under load from a standstill.

nice rig wanna sell it

pic's no worky

Thanks! Truth is, you could put together a rig like this for nothing these days because of the $79.95 TLT's at ultimatehobbies.

Weird how they work for some people and not others.
Here they are on another server:

Unpainted F150 Stepside Body mounted/trimmed:
http://www.plantedtank.net/imageh/im.../IMG_3249.jpeg

Bottom View:
http://www.plantedtank.net/imageh/im.../IMG_3243.jpeg

Rear Links:
http://www.plantedtank.net/imageh/im.../IMG_3245.jpeg

Driveshaft:
http://www.plantedtank.net/imageh/im.../IMG_3244.jpeg

Front View:
http://www.plantedtank.net/imageh/im.../IMG_3237.jpeg

Nice basher, although I think you should ditch the cantis and drop the body a bit.

I think you're right. I've got the body jacked up that high to make sure the tires clear at full articulation, but for bashing, and even moderate rock crawling, I'll never see nearly full articulation so it'd probably look a lot better lowered a half inch or so.

I've already got some Duratrax Shocks ready to put on there, but I'm having a hard time figuring our mounting points. The Cantilever suspension has a cool factor, though, so I might keep it for a little while, for showing off to some friends.

Yes!

I guess TLT's are inherently instable in factory condition because mine's been changing quickly. This rock crawling stuff is too much fun. So I gave up bashing and did the following:

• Locked all three diffs (just moved the third gear between the two other planetaries).
• Swapped in some Duratrax Evader shocks
• Stretched wheelbase (again) to 12" with custom 3/16" aluminum links and stretched axles via a 3/16" roll pin.
• Swapped out stock tranny for Stealth with 96t Spur and 13t pinion.
• Moved battery to front links.
• Added rear steer with proportional mixing on my 3PM (cond2 crab walk).
• Sleeved the 3/16" links with 1/4"OD x 3/16"ID PTFE Blue tubing. Man, this stuff is slippery on the rocks! It also protects the fragile aluminum, as they were beginning to gouge pretty badly. McMaster has the stuff in all sorts of colors for $1.25/ft (PN: 52315K182 for Blue).

Next up is a custom graphite chassis with some sheet I've got laying around. While I'm at it, I'll triangulate the upper links and mount them to custom graphite servo plates.


I'll take some more pics showing how I installed the Stealth tranny and the links, but that's really not that interesting compared to most of the rigs here. Here are some pics of a transformation of a Tamiya F150 body I bought from OIT_TLT.


Used some brake fluid to strip off the badly flaked paint...

http://images17.fotki.com/v308/photo...3120003-vi.jpg

Then repainted it...

http://images17.fotki.com/v311/photo...MG_4079-vi.jpg

Even though the body is bashed up a bit, a fresh paintjob always seems to do wonders.

http://images16.fotki.com/v287/photo...MG_4086-vi.jpg


http://images17.fotki.com/v309/photo...MG_4080-vi.jpg

I'm still running foams in the tires, but I wish I had at least cut them down before gluing them on. The Moabs still rock (pun intended), but I can't help but wonder how much more grip I'd have without the foams.

http://images17.fotki.com/v304/photo...MG_4075-vi.jpg

SCHWINGGG!!!!!! HAHA i love the body i was always fond of the whole rough riders paitn scheme. looks frickin sweet. good job!!!im jealous:flipoff:

Me too! Those original stadium trucks were truly scale. Not like the current racing trucks with tires that would be sticking out a scale 2 feet or more. What inspired me was the pictures at the bottom of the Tamiya TLT Rock Crawler conversion article...
http://www.tamiyausa.com/articles/fe...article-id=135

man , that is a sexxxy lookin truck , the body is just sweet, i have to make a run to the lhs today , and damnit now i have to ask about the stadium bodys

nice lookin build , where did ya get the liner tube for the links???

WOW :shock: that looks badass! Love the new body and paint scheme!!! :mrgreen: Brake fluid works pretty good on stripping lexan bodies ? I have used on hard bodies before but never on lexan...I still want to strip my 4runner of the horrible red :roll:


Mike

Thanks Man. The liner tubes are 1/4" Teflon (1/32" wall) from McMaster.com
Here are the Part Numbers:
52315K184 Red
52315K183 Yellow
52315K185 Green
52315K181 Black
52315K182 Blue

Stuff is awesome, and only $1.25 a foot! The teflon really helps it slide on the rocks.

I was skeptical, but it totally worked like a charm. Doesn't fog the lexan or anything, like brake cleaner (trichloroethane). It almost leaves it clearer and shinier than new. Just got to make sure and degrease it really well with dishwashing detergent or the paint won't stick.

I've got a few other bodies I'm thinking about repainting now!

holy crap, that thing looks awesome!!! i really like the detail in the bed alot! crawler doesnt look too bad either, you got a really nice rig there.

Sammyxp- I'm intrigued by your teflon tubing and would like to use it on my maxx links. Is the tubing rigid or flexible? Thanks.

It's actually semi-rigid. 50-65 Shore D hardness. It comes rolled up loosely, but will kink if you bend it too tight. The ID is a really tight fit over K&S 3/16" (0.049" wall) aluminum tubing, so I used a hair dryer to heat up the tube before sliding it over the links.

McMaster-Carr also carries it in a ton of other sizes
- 3/8"OD x 1/4"ID (for 1/4 inch links)
- 3/16"OD x 1/8"ID (to sleeve 4-40 rod?)
- all the way up to 3/4"ID, actually

I wish I had gotten the thicker 5/16"OD x 3/16"ID (PN: 55515K43) stuff instead! It's a little more expensive, but still a steal at $3.24/ft.

Where did you get that F-150 body the you just trimmed up and mounted?

re:
 

Quote:

Where did you get that F-150 body the you just trimmed up and mounted?

from an above post...

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Here are some pics of a transformation of a Tamiya F150 body I bought from OIT_TLT