Lone Ranger Aka Danger Ranger

[R A N D A L L]

So last year for my birthday, I decided I wanted to get into scale, and get something cheap to kinda see how I like it. Found a landfreeder CC01 on evil bay and thought "I can make that cool." Plus I've had quite a few 1:1 Rangers, and I love those little trucks. Lol. So anyways I got the kit, built it in about 4 hrs, threw some old traxxas gear and a spectrum radio and I was off! First thing I despised about my beloved mini ranger, was that it got caught on EVERYTHING. This things underside was about as smooth as a prickly pear. So after a whopping maybe 5-6 packs ran threw my new cc01, I tore it apart and started over. This thread will be me rebuilding it the way I think it shoulda been. Lol. I been lurking on here for a while, and I got some good ideas. It might not be the fastest build, but it'll get done.
Here's a list of what I have ordered so far
Rc4wd 65t motor
Rc4wd 1.55 Mud Thrashers
Rc4wd 1.55 Dick Cepek Torques
Rc4wd dual spring 80mm coil overs
Castle Creations Sv3
Full bearings
GPM universals
Punisher shaft for the rear

And here's some pictures to bring us up to date.


When I first finished her.

then I threw some leds on it, but I pulled the stock push bar way further in.


Then I found out traxxas nascar 1.9 rims make the stock tires look pretty rad. Too bad they don't grip for sh*t!! Lol.

and just a mock up of what she's gonna look like!!!

I'll post more updates soon, but pretty much my goal is to make this thing as capable as I possibly can. I'm already working on a normal highsteer setup for the front and plan to run one big skid over the whole bottom. Make it smooth as butter under this b*tch.

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[R A N D A L L]

Oh and I almost forgot in the list of goodies, the one piece I think is gonna set it off. The 4 link mount! I got the idea off aircooled's fj build. It's a seeeeepin piece though as it moves everything UP and out of the way. More clearance!


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[monkeyracing]

One thing you may be missing is the idea that a skid can actually reduce ground clearance. It takes up space, ergo reduced clearance. On the other hand, if you get the leading edge of the rear links tucked up into the frame rails, the biggest hook is out of the way. I'm just offering this as a suggestion. Between lopping off the brick, GPM steering and homemade rear links, my rig crawls as well as any 1.55 CC01 can, with very few hang ups. The last remaining, and strictly occasional hang-up is the "transfer case". Going from the front suspension to that with a skid could be a good choice.

[R A N D A L L]

I'm not trying to do anything groundbreaking lol. And it won't reduce my overall ground clearance hardly at all the way I'm thinking. I've seen another member on here do it, just slips my mind who, but I just want one smooth skid mounted flush to the frame from the front to mid. It's gonna take a lot of time to get all those bends right on one piece, but I'll get it. Lol. This is my first real venture into scale territory. But I've been doing the rc thing for some time now. The scale thing just made it way cooler to me cause I love to go wheelin' in the 1:1s. I figured if I'm handy with a wrench, I should be handy with a tiny one too. Haha

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[Elmo]

I have been thinking of doing a skid on my FJ too. How is yours coming randall? I have seen a few that are fairly thin and don't reduce ground clearance much, rather just make one smooth surface from the front to behind the driveshaft output on the transfer case. That is how I will be designing mine.

[OSRC]

Inspiration pic...

[lonleycreeper]

Really like this truck.
Here is one I did...
Next one will be 22ga instead of 26ga. Also close that hole by the drive shaft.

[R A N D A L L]

Originally Posted by OSRC

Inspiration pic...

I really like that driveshaft! I wanted to do something like that. What parts did you use if you don't mind me stealing that idear. lol.

Originally Posted by lonleycreeper

Really like this truck.
Here is one I did...
Next one will be 22ga instead of 26ga. Also close that hole by the drive shaft.

Thank you! I love Rangers, and I haven't seen hardly anyone do a scale build with these bodies. it's gonna live on here til I get an FJ body, then I'm going to do a mrc based chassis for ranger body. I really like how your skid flows from the front. How did you mount it up?

Originally Posted by Elmo

I have been thinking of doing a skid on my FJ too. How is yours coming randall? I have seen a few that are fairly thin and don't reduce ground clearance much, rather just make one smooth surface from the front to behind the driveshaft output on the transfer case. That is how I will be designing mine.

I haven't really gotten to the skid part. lol. I'm wrapping up the front end right now. I'll post pictures later tonight. I'm BBQ'n. But I'm not happy with how my first set of links for the back came out, so I still have to redo those, and figure the two piece drive line. Oh and I stripped some of my hardware on my rc4wd rims. anyone know if the locked up rc acorn ones will fit? they would just set those rims off even more! But yeah its last on the list til I get it as a full roller. Haha. I promise progress pics tonight, cause who likes a thread with no pics haha. :cool:

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[R A N D A L L]

Alright sorry for lagging. I did a little playing around with the steering. I'm happy with my links I just need to get my servo mount remade. Anyways, here are some pics to get us up to speed.



So this is basically what I'm running for steering. Got my steering links all made up, just need fine tuning. As for the servo mount I need to move the servo down. The Traxxas is in there for mock up. I have a Savox for final assembly.



Not the best picture, but you get the idea. Reversed spindles, and coilovers move to the rear of the arm. For shock mounts I have aluminum cc01 mounts with longer hardware and a spacer.



Also got those universals in there. The difference in steering between this setup, even just in mock up stage, and the stock setup is crazy. I don't get why Tamiya made the it so dang complicated. Lol. My old man told me "Always follow the rule of K.I.S.S." or Keep It Simple Stupid.



Now this is the main area I want to address as far as skids go. Since all that junk steering is outta here, I cut some material away to open up the underside. I just want to make a nice transition from my main skid to under the front bulkhead that the arms attach to. I have 1/4 spacers under there so I was going to take the back spacer out and put a couple breaks in it so it sits flush.

I need to get more all thread so I can start on my links. But I want to buy a Lexan FJ body first so I can make the wheel base correctly. That's all for now. Stay tuned for more updates.

Sent from a place up high

[R A N D A L L]

Just a couple teasers.







Sent from a place up HIGH

[grimacium]

Nice looking armor.

[Derek Larsen]

I'm really confused as to how that steering setup will work. Drag links make sense on a solid axle because well, they're solid. AFAIK, having a drag link like that on an independent suspension will basically act like a super stiff sway bar. Especially since the rod ends are perpendicular to the steering axis. Same thing with the steering link. I hope you have a good servo saver.

[R A N D A L L]

Originally Posted by Derek Larsen

I'm really confused as to how that steering setup will work. Drag links make sense on a solid axle because well, they're solid. AFAIK, having a drag link like that on an independent suspension will basically act like a super stiff sway bar. Especially since the rod ends are perpendicular to the steering axis. Same thing with the steering link. I hope you have a good servo saver.

Same way it would on a solid axle bud. There is no binding as the links have ball joints. They provide more than enough movement throughout the suspension cycle. Also the servo will be lower once the new mount is made.

[nharkey85]

Toe will change as the suspension moves through its range

[R A N D A L L]

Originally Posted by Derek Larsen

I'm really confused as to how that steering setup will work. Drag links make sense on a solid axle because well, they're solid. AFAIK, having a drag link like that on an independent suspension will basically act like a super stiff sway bar. Especially since the rod ends are perpendicular to the steering axis. Same thing with the steering link. I hope you have a good servo saver.

Originally Posted by nharkey85

Toe will change as the suspension moves through its range

So this builds been on the back burner (life gets in the way.) But I sat down and took a look at the front end bearing in mind Y'alls input and yes the toe does change slightly throughout the suspension cycle. I've seen it done on other CC01's before. If I can't find anway around it, I may just have to live with it.

[OSRC]

As the owner of 5 of these little guys, I've learned to live with their steering quirks. Don't really notice much when out wheeling.

[chet]

your steering is pretty much exactly how mine is set up and it works fine.

[R A N D A L L]

Originally Posted by chet

your steering is pretty much exactly how mine is set up and it works fine.

Sweet, good to know! I didn't think it'd be that big of a deal. Lol. It just makes way more sense this way to me, and ANYTHING was better than the original IMHO.

[R A N D A L L]

Just a little snapshot. Had some time this weekend so I fooled around with it. Body was an old Rustler body that I chopped up last night for the hell of it. Got some other stuff done that I'll post up later when I grab some better shots.

[epic_username]

I like it, One thing I reccomend for the rear is the magic link mod. (I dont think you did it already but I may have missed it) Take an old shock shaft, drill a hole in the body tub, and mount the old shock shaft to the upper shock mount. I did it to mine and I love the travel from it. My CC01 is stock except for that and some 1.9 ripsaws I cut down