topher builds a TRX10.2

[B-MOW71]

Originally Posted by Topher Builds

Hey thanks B! You should consider a trip out here sometime, this time of year (and the next few months really) are prime time for crawling weather. If ya do give it a few days because there are a lot of equally amazing spots a drive away, such as where Proline by the fire is, and of course valley of fire, and then Utah.

Man I would love too! I haven't been to Vegas since '93. I would definitely like to check out your area. Proline By The Fire and CDM are on my bucket list also! I would also like to check out the Reno area. A crawler buddy of mine lives in Reno and he goes to a few beautiful spots there.

Yeah, I need to take a week or two and drive out and hit some of the awesome rocks that the west has to offer! The problem is finding the time and money for such a journey!

[Topher Builds]

This Sunday I ran in a competition out here, first one of the season and I’m hoping to make it to all of them. These courses were great, very challenging. Same spot as the blind gambler run we did a couple weeks back but more technical lines this time around. 3 of the first few trucks to run the second class 2 course all ended up with breaks.

I don’t know how the truck placed overall as scores are in the works, I did manage to get through the courses without the winch/recovery strap, but also hit some gates and had some reverses so we’ll see. The second course was particularly challenging and I rolled down the rocks a couple times there.

Overall the trx10.2 hung in and proved to be capable again so I feel like it’s a good platform to keep working with. May do the next comp with the tiny tired jeep though, I ran it on the courses after we were done and it hit some lines and cleared a gate that most of us struggled with.

Looking forward to getting some more comps in and tweaking the trx10.2.

I didn’t get many pics, most of the photos below are from the homie mad ape crawlers (thanks Carlos!)

Originally Posted by B-MOW71

Man I would love too! I haven't been to Vegas since '93. I would definitely like to check out your area. Proline By The Fire and CDM are on my bucket list also! I would also like to check out the Reno area. A crawler buddy of mine lives in Reno and he goes to a few beautiful spots there.

Yeah, I need to take a week or two and drive out and hit some of the awesome rocks that the west has to offer! The problem is finding the time and money for such a journey!

Reno does look pretty killer, there’s a group up there that posts some cool clips on Instagram regularly. It’s about 8 hours from Vegas town but I want to get out there sometime, maybe hit up Tahoe as well.

[Topher Builds]

Since the offset axles are available I went ahead and picked up a set for the TRX10.2 so I can get this project going again.

Made some progress but need to get a new offset universal to finish it up.

Took a page out of OSRC’s book and used stainless hardware on the diff covers to give them a little pop. May switch to the other style diff cover since I think these bottom screws will take some impacts but want to run it like this for a while.

Hoping to have it all together and ready to run again by the end of next week.

[Topher Builds]

Made some more progress today, got the axles, shocks, and electronics all mounted up.

Spent some more time tweaking the links and everything clears well with the front axle now and I’m happy with the driveline angles. No issues in the rear but I did put shorter upper links on to fix the pinion angle.

Up front, I had to shorten the upper link and mount it on the outside of the link mount, I put a plastic ball end in the space where the link was designed to mount to in hopes of firming things up. Since the upper link is more for pinion angle I’m not super worried about having it on the outside but we’ll see how it holds up. Without shortening it the pinion angle was up and the driveshaft would hit the motor (even this small v2 housing) at compression. Since this is a trail king axle and the trail king has the upper link coming on the other side of the chassis, there was interference trying to get the upper link to mount all the way from the opposite end it was designed for.

With everything mocked up, the wheelbase is just shy of 12” which I’m happy about. Now I need to decide what body to go for and I’m really not sure. I should be able to make either an 11.8” or a 12” body work well with the wheelbase, but I may need to cut the rear of the rails down.

So far considering these... open to any other ideas including hard bodies
https://www.rpphobby.com/product_p/pro331360.htm


https://www.rpphobby.com/product_p/pro332200.htm


https://www.rpphobby.com/product_p/pro332100.htm

[Topher Builds]

I think I’ve settled on a PL Baja bug for the body, just need the weather to warm up so I can get it painted (and pick out a paint scheme)

Also getting the wheels and tires ready again. I was running voodoo KLR X4 before and want to keep running them but with a different foam. The CI foams I had before weren’t a good fit for this skinny tire and it’s thick sidewalls. Hoping for a better fit from these. They’re a tad wide but got the first one mounted and it feels good in hand.

Anyone use these foams before? I had seen them around but didn’t want to order overseas, they’re available at Amain now so I grabbed a set.

[JatoTheRipper]

Originally Posted by Topher Builds

I think I’ve settled on a PL Baja bug for the body, just need the weather to warm up so I can get it painted (and pick out a paint scheme)

Also getting the wheels and tires ready again. I was running voodoo KLR X4 before and want to keep running them but with a different foam. The CI foams I had before weren’t a good fit for this skinny tire and it’s thick sidewalls. Hoping for a better fit from these. They’re a tad wide but got the first one mounted and it feels good in hand.

Anyone use these foams before? I had seen them around but didn’t want to order overseas, they’re available at Amain now so I grabbed a set.

I have not used those foams. Star cut is way old school. Crawlers did that before CI and Proline offered two stage foams.

[Topher Builds]

Originally Posted by JatoTheRipper

I have not used those foams. Star cut is way old school. Crawlers did that before CI and Proline offered two stage foams.

Definitely a throwback approach. Hoping they allow a little more tire flex than the dual stages did since these sidewalls are thicker than a bowl of oatmeal.

[JatoTheRipper]

Originally Posted by Topher Builds

Definitely a throwback approach. Hoping they allow a little more tire flex than the dual stages did since these sidewalls are thicker than a bowl of oatmeal.

Yes, KLRs are stiff!

[OSRC]

Old school design doesn't automatically imply bad....been eyeing those foams up myself. Have 2 sets of tires where the dual stage foams just don't work out well.

Curious to hear how the work for you.

[B-MOW71]

I've seen pics of these foams before. I've wondered if they were any good.

Looking forward to hearing how they do.

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[svt923]

Originally Posted by Topher Builds

Definitely a throwback approach. Hoping they allow a little more tire flex than the dual stages did since these sidewalls are thicker than a bowl of oatmeal.

Unless your truck is like 15 lbs, I don't know how you get any flex out of those tire without resorting to cutting out the internal ribbing. My set has some SCX10 RTR foams (so essentially no foam) and they barely flex.

Also, glad you decided on a body that isn't the 2 door JK since it is not actually an 11.8 inch wheelbase despite what Proline says. I promised one to my son for his truck and made new rear links for a dead on 11.8 inch wheelbase only for it to be a good 1/2" too long for the body.

[Topher Builds]

I’ll definitely let y’all know what I experience with the foams. It will be another couple weeks before I drive this one since I still have paint work to do and get a servo for it, but I’m anxious to see how they do.

@svt that’s a bummer about the Jeep body, so it’s really 11.3” in your experience? This truck will maybe be 6lbs all loaded up so I’m hoping I still get some decent tread flex.

[svt923]

Originally Posted by Topher Builds

@svt that’s a bummer about the Jeep body, so it’s really 11.3” in your experience?

Close to that, probably 11.4 to match the SCX10 Dingo wheelbase since it is a pretty old body.

[MaX-D]

Topher, what battery are you running in the front tray? How long is the run time?

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[Topher Builds]

Originally Posted by MaX-D

Topher, what battery are you running in the front tray? How long is the run time?

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This is what I run in the trx4. I did a little dremeling as there is raised section that kept the battery from sitting as low as it could. With a mamba x and slate 2280kv motor the run time on this trx4 is hours, usually it will outlast me around 3.5 hours and still have a charge.

3S 3500 mAh 30c Lipo - Helios RC

[MaX-D]

Originally Posted by Topher Builds

This is what I run in the trx4. I did a little dremeling as there is raised section that kept the battery from sitting as low as it could. With a mamba x and slate 2280kv motor the run time on this trx4 is hours, usually it will outlast me around 3.5 hours and still have a charge.



3S 3500 mAh 30c Lipo - Helios RC

Thank you sir! Do you feel that it adds to a higher COG in the front tray, or not so much?

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[Topher Builds]

Originally Posted by MaX-D

Thank you sir! Do you feel that it adds to a higher COG in the front tray, or not so much?

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I think being so far forward it helps offset the higher CoG (for climbing anyway) but with battery placement in general it’s give and take, my preference is the forward tray.

[Topher Builds]

I took the truck with me and drove it for a quick shakedown yesterday. Overall it feels good, stable, good articulation without any binding anywhere. The updated revolver is great, noticeably quieter and still as smooth and strong as one would expect.

The tires and foams seemed to work pretty well together but I’m not sure I like how tall they are and may switch to a class 1 hyrax or km3. Maybe an og rock beast. I also may look at trying to stretch the wheelbase a little bit for more reach.

There are a few clips of it in this video here...

[Topher Builds]

Time for another update since I’ve been playing around with this rig lately.

I picked up a set of second hand LWB TRX4 links and used the rears to stretch out the wheelbase, now it sits right at 12.5”. I really like this wb, the little extra reach helps in some areas.

The truck also felt like it needed some more width to make it more stable so I added some .475 hubs and it felt better after. Still need to get a shorter tire on here and a new body for the next updates.

Here’s a video from this past Sunday with a lot of the trx10.2 in it.

[Topher Builds]

Another update for this rig... new body and tires

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A post shared by topherBuilds (@topherbuilds) on Mar 10, 2020 at 10:40am PDT