Son of HELMET!
 

I love Unimogs! ��

Always have, always will. They’re just tough as nails, utilitarian, sexiness IMO.

Back in the day I teamed up with Dinky RC to build a Mog.

It was pretty badass if I do say so myself.

Unfortunately some (*) talked me into selling it and it went to live in Hawaii.

If you haven been on RCC for a decade(or more) like some of us “OGs” (old goats) here is a link to my original Mog build I called Helmet.

http://www.rccrawler.com/forum/1-9-s...ed-pg-8-a.html

Specs:

Traxxas TRX4 (Used Long Wheelbase Slider)
Sylvain1975-RC 4 Door U1000L Unimog Body
Brass Knuckles Weights
RC4WD 1.9 Wrangler MTR Tires
Duratrax 1.9 Woodlands Tires
1.9 Chanquish Beadlock Wheels
G-Made 1.9 Beadlock Wheels
Hobbywing 1080 ESC
Hobbywing GT3BC Tx/Rx
Holmes Hobbies Trailmaster 21T Motor
DS3225 25KG Digital Servo
Ovanic 3S 50c 3300mAh Lipo

Nothing to fancy, extravagant, expensive(except the body), no custom tube work or anything game changing.

Just a cool ass Unimog trail rig for my winter build in preparation for the coming Spring crawling season.

More to come...:flipoff:

Re: Son of HELMET!
 

Can't walt to see this one end up on the east coast...
Dibs !!!!

Re: Son of HELMET!
 

SILENCE! I keel you! :flipoff:

You never know with my rigs.🤣

Re: Son of HELMET!
 

So my intention this winter was to buy and build a Trail King and make myself a cool old farm truck.

But I traded into this TRX4 slider and plans changed.

The portal axles got me to thinking about Mogs. That made me think about my old Mog(Helmet) build and inspired me to build another Mog.

Let me start with saying, I’m not a huge Traxxas fan.

I got started in RC back in early 80s. Back then you had to build everything! That’s the way I learned, that’s the way I liked it, and screw you if you disagree! :flipoff:

Then Traxxas came along with their RTR nonsense and ruined everything!:ror:

Now I’ve owned a few Traxxas vehicles. I had a TRX1(not a typo, do some research), I owned a couple of Slashs(lot of fun), and now I own a TRX4.

I traded into this one.

Looking at it, let’s just say it’s been well used.🤣

When I received it, it was covered in dirt, oil(literally covered), grit and grime.

It had some rust, several places on the chassIs had the paint wore through to bare metal, and the rash on the axles was very evident.

I started disassembly and forgot to get pics before I started disassembly and cleaning.

I threw the chassis on the bench and snapped a couple pics. Hope the grime comes through in the pics. This is after it was hosed off.:shock:

<a href="https://ibb.co/yg8yY9t"><img src="https://i.ibb.co/wpKWwkV/89-E0-C8-BF-CB4-E-41-B4-B5-A3-6-FF4-EB706059.jpg" alt="89-E0-C8-BF-CB4-E-41-B4-B5-A3-6-FF4-EB706059" border="0"></a>

Little bit closer shot.

<a href="https://ibb.co/cgq2QZv"><img src="https://i.ibb.co/ZL9cxFJ/371-D5-F5-B-FC5-A-4-AC8-9-FC1-778-AA62-FF4-B4.jpg" alt="371-D5-F5-B-FC5-A-4-AC8-9-FC1-778-AA62-FF4-B4" border="0"></a>

Started at the rear of the chassis.

Removed the rear shocks, axle, braces, and battery tray.

Tore into the rear axle only to find the upper portal gear was looking a bit odd.

<a href="https://ibb.co/JzQd809"><img src="https://i.ibb.co/FBVWcNF/C739783-F-85-E0-44-EC-807-C-BE189-F54-AFA1.jpg" alt="C739783-F-85-E0-44-EC-807-C-BE189-F54-AFA1" border="0"></a>

After all the sh!t I heard from the TRX4 phanboiz about the GEN8 upper portal gears, this didn’t inspire much confidence. Replacements ordered.

Here is the rear axle cleaned, re-greased and partially reassembled. Just waiting on the replacement upper portal gear.

<a href="https://ibb.co/MP5qKPX"><img src="https://i.ibb.co/ygBLKg3/A4-A4799-F-ADFC-428-B-B225-5-F9-D2-B90-BC74.jpg" alt="A4-A4799-F-ADFC-428-B-B225-5-F9-D2-B90-BC74" border="0"></a>

Have to say, as filthy as this thing is/was, with lots of evidence of frequent mud/water usage, the bearings and remaining gears where all in good shape and I like that Traxxas uses large, beefy, rubber sealed bearings.👍🏼

Next up, tear down and rebuild of the rear shocks...

Re: Son of HELMET!
 

I agree. I've thought Unimogs were cool since I saw one at a VW car show a bunch of years ago.

I kinda remember your old build. That was very cool. I'm sure you can one up that one with this build. I'm glad to see you are starting with a TRX-4. Perfect choice for a Unimog!

Re: Son of HELMET!
 

I wasn't on here when you first built Helmet, so I went back and checked out the build thread. Good looking Unimog Dez! It took me awhile to find the pics though!:ror: (Sorry, had to say it!:))

Looking forward to seeing how it's "Son" turns out!

Subscribed!

Re: Son of HELMET!
 

Thank, just something lovable about the big ugly beast.🤣

Thanks B!

I still check in on Helmet from time to time to see if he’s really to leave Hawaii and come live in the mountains in AZ. 🤣

Did some more disassembly and cleaning on the chassis today, I’m starting to think there is a crawler under that crud!😮

Got the rear shocks tore down, cleaned up, rebuilt, and filed with some 30wt oil.

https://i.ibb.co/tCGfWDf/F86-B6-B23-...-A806-DF71.jpg

Tires arrived today. Louise Champs ( Duratrax Dep Woods) $12.99 a set off of Evilbay! Super soft rubber compound and feel nice and sticky. I opted not to get the stock foams, I’ll try some 2 stage foams in them.

I like the look of these tires, they look industrial to me. They remind me a little of Super Swamper which is what I ran on Helmet.

https://i.ibb.co/KLmqq5M/E656-A2-A1-...67-E07-CAB.jpg

My Holmes Hobbies Crawl Master 12T 550 also showed up.

https://i.ibb.co/BghR9kg/E5-E31-D36-...C80-A14730.jpg

And I forgot to post a pick of the body In going to use.😊

https://i.ibb.co/5c87MdJ/7-B93894-F-...F6-E2-BE34.png

More to come...

Re: Son of HELMET!
 

I miss your mog. It was super badass!

Re: Son of HELMET!
 

Helmet was a great build. The TRX portal axles will offer more clearance and interest. Do you plan on keeping the lockable axle option or use a spool?

Re: Son of HELMET!
 

Same here. Sheldon(DisturbingThePeace) has it now.

If I were to ever take possession of it again, I would install portals on it and install the UMG interior in it.


I think I’m going to use the two speed and the lockable diffs. I might put a spool in the rear and just have the front be lockable? We’ll see how it plays out.

Few more items arrived today.

My replacement upper portal gears.

https://i.ibb.co/mz6PGPn/6-A55-FF9-C...6-E2-DE838.jpg

Used the new gear to complete the rear axle.

https://i.ibb.co/qmqRT9n/FFF156-C0-2...15-A51-FAA.jpg

My G-Made beadlock wheels also arrived.

https://i.ibb.co/4tRmF5C/F9-BDB57-D-...0-D192-C32.jpg

Got the rear axle reassembled and installed it and the rear shocks back onto the chassis.

I don’t care for the lettering on the sidewalls, so I took some acetone and removed it. I then used some single stage Pro Line foams(for now) and installed then into the Louise Champ tires, mounted them on the G-Made wheels and attached them to the rear axle.

https://i.ibb.co/23w7by8/136-AC12-D-...54-B44-D72.jpg

I like the look.👍🏼

Got the front of the rig all removed from the chassis and I’ll disassemble clean and rebuild the shocks and front axle and then the transmission.

More to come...

Re: Son of HELMET!
 

Well, still waiting on parts, so I continued the tear down and rebuild of the chassis.

Got the front shocks tore down, cleaned up, and rebuilt.

Same for the front axles, everything is cleaned, freshly lubed, reassembled and reinstalled.

All the tires have been mounted as well.

Helmet’s a roller.

https://i.ibb.co/GFzpCXr/32218521-C1...-BE672-AFF.jpg

Still waiting on a few items, more to come...

Re: Son of HELMET!
 

Nice progress. I really like those clean sidewalls. That’s a cool trick.

Re: Son of HELMET!
 

Thanks, hope to install the electronics tomorrow(minus the micro servos), if my steering servo shows up.

I learned that trick from the Duratrax tire thread. 👍🏼

Re: Son of HELMET!
 

More progress on Helnet.

Started installing the electronics, hit the Holmes Hobbies Trail Master motor as well as the steering servo installed.

https://i.ibb.co/hcPNCNZ/2-C6-F0-A40...EE5-CC9-BE.jpg

I’ll have to wait to install the 1080 and the receiver until I get the body installed and I see where I room to mount them since I had to remove the receiver box and electronics trays from the chassis to accommodate the body.

Body arrived, this sucker is BIG and has some weight to it.

https://i.ibb.co/vmb6M6P/C2283-ADB-3...A3-D75-DCA.jpg

This will definitely be a trail rig as I don’t see if fairing very well on the rocks. 😄

More to come...

Re: Son of HELMET!
 

Fun!

It will definitely look cool on the trail. With weighted-enough corners it will be a force. Tube work would make it braver no?

What is the canopy made of?

Re: Son of HELMET!
 

I may add some brass to it, but not a lot.

More weight is just that, more weight.

Canopy? Roof perhaps?

The entire body(minus the windows) is Styrene. 👍🏼

Re: Son of HELMET!
 

I see a canopy in your pic of the body. As I look again I assume I am seeing styrene that has been heat-shaped to look like a soft canopy? Looks soft to my old eyes anyway.

Yes more weight is more weight. That reasoning applies to many things. Add iweight up high and you better consider adding some down low no? That's the way my mind works anyhow.

Re: Son of HELMET!
 

Ahhh yes, there is a canopy. 😊

I thought you were referring to the last image of the body that I posted.

My bad. 🤣

I’m not sure what the material is. Some sort of Nylon perhaps?

Re: Son of HELMET!
 

Getting closer.

Need to find a convenient way to secure way to attach the body To the chassis, think I’m goin to use Neodymium magnets.

https://i.ibb.co/X7jGy41/60-F25-D1-A...CB5403-CAC.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/RHFSrLs/8-A98-C58-C...-F2-D2-FFA.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/5x036bT/F4-C825-B2-...41135-F807.jpg

Need to order these tanks from Cross RC to fill in the areas under the rear doors.

https://i.ibb.co/LQ5gdcg/E5-DED4-D0-...90-EA5-EE0.png

More to come.

Re: Son of HELMET!
 

Nice use of the Sendero front bumper there! ;)