My baby blazer

[Natedog]

I thought you were being silly, but we're all having fun! Your grill looks dang good! Hood ornament just adds to it...reminds me of Rocky's Jimmie. Rockford Files dad for those who don't remember.

[Full Throttle Rob]

That looks exceptional, especially for your first styrene project!
We are all our own harshest critics, as I well learned on my ZJ-10 project. Lol

[pete959]

Nice job

LIFE IS GOOD

[Itali83]

Got out for a quick minute in the back yard with my new body. I friggin' love it even more out in the daylight! I had to trim the front fenders a bit for tire run but that was to be expected. I just did some very scale driving around on my dirt piles and in some of my tractor ruts which made for some very fun technical driving trying to straddle the ditch. Here's the pics of it in th daylight. I didn't roll it but did get some scratches on it and th paint didn't chip off so I think th automotive paint is just fine.
Ben

[northern hooligan]

did you use automotive spray paint, any specific brand? Im not really liking the tamyia paint that I just put on my truck. I may try the Krylon Fusion on the next job.

[Itali83]

Originally Posted by northern hooligan

did you use automotive spray paint, any specific brand? Im not really liking the tamyia paint that I just put on my truck. I may try the Krylon Fusion on the next job.

I just used stuff I had laying around the shop. I scuffed the bare lexan with green scotch brite pads, used a grey etching primer from NAPA. Think the brand is Martin Senior paint but not sure. Then Painted over that with the different colors I had laying around. I think the biggest thing is scuffing the lexan and using a good primer to bite into the lexan and hold on. Time will tell and I'm sure with abuse and rock rash it will chip, but I twisted the body as much as I dared to by hand and the paint didn't flake off.
Ben

[Androtaz]

that body looks much better now. Good work man!

[Itali83]

I had some time tonight and finally addressed the shock issue I've been having. Every time I go out, at somepoint I get little pebbles that stick to the threads on the body of the shock, then the sliding collar between the main spring and preload spring won't slide anymore and friggs up the preload and shock travel. I was so close to pulling the trigger and buying a set of the aluminum vaterra shocks but being a cheapskate, I had to try one more time to work with the stockers. I've already drilled the piston out, added I think 6mm of limiting spacers in there, they don't leak badly yet and seem to work fine other than the collar issue. So I got out my trusty dremel, and went to town on the threads I'll never use since I run the adjusters 8mm from being fully backs off. Now no more chance of interference, (I hope!) I topped them off with 40wt shock oil and will try them out again.

Now, what to do with the money I had set aside for the shocks!? I'm having a hard time deciding what else to buy for this truck. I don't NEED anything, and should probably put my money elsewhere, but I'm sick in the head and can't help myself. Better than buying drugs and hookers right!? I'd like the knuckles and rotors but can't justify going all in at $170ish for the C-hubs, knuckles, rotors front and rear, and rear bearing retainers. Even if I get a piece at a time. I may do lower links since my stockers are getting pretty flattened out from wear but they aren't bent at all yet. Pretty proud of that since I've seen many first hand taco'd beyond repair. If I get those they'll be the vaterra aluminum ones.

Hope this shock mod helps anyone else who's found the same problem. I'm surprised I have t heard anyone else complaining about this. Maybe they have th same problem but just go right to an upgraded set. Not sure.
Ben

[northern hooligan]

Ben,
Like you, having the same problem and on 2 of the shocks, after some bouncing/crawling around, the bottom spring lifts up off the lower shock end cap. As mine is apart ( re-painting / new ESC ) after reading your post I may copy what you did. I want to get the alum shocks but hopefully they do not require mods. Post up after you test it out.

[Itali83]

Originally Posted by northern hooligan

Ben,
Like you, having the same problem and on 2 of the shocks, after some bouncing/crawling around, the bottom spring lifts up off the lower shock end cap. As mine is apart ( re-painting / new ESC ) after reading your post I may copy what you did. I want to get the alum shocks but hopefully they do not require mods. Post up after you test it out.

Went out today and had no problems with the sliding collar hanging up. I'm happy. I think you may need to internally limit the extension travel like Nate and I have done. Sounds like you are running the preload adjusters backed off to get the low ride height, but when the shock extends fully, the spring is so loose that it'll come out of the seat like that. I think that's the only way to remedy that problem. OR your sliding collars are getting stuck fully compressed which will leave the bottom main spring so loose that it'll come out of the seat. One or the other that's for sure.
Ben

[northern hooligan]

Originally Posted by Itali83

Went out today and had no problems with the sliding collar hanging up. I'm happy. I think you may need to internally limit the extension travel like Nate and I have done. Sounds like you are running the preload adjusters backed off to get the low ride height, but when the shock extends fully, the spring is so loose that it'll come out of the seat like that. I think that's the only way to remedy that problem. OR your sliding collars are getting stuck fully compressed which will leave the bottom main spring so loose that it'll come out of the seat. One or the other that's for sure.
Ben

You nailed my settings, I was going for the ride height. I found my axial parts tree with the limiters someone else suggested to use ( sorry to who that was, I dont have my notes in front of me ). I already drilled it @ #55, 1.5mm / shock fluid etc so I will try this out. Thanks for posting up your results.

[Asuckaphish]

Nice! I've had a similar issue from time to time with my shocks when it get's muddy. Sand/pebbles get in there and hang up inbetween the threads and spring.

One thing I would consider spending the money you saved on is a set of good metal sliders. I put a set of the R2J Kustoms sliders on and it was such a huge improvement over the wonky stock plastic ones.

[Natedog]

Originally Posted by Itali83

Now, what to do with the money I had set aside for the shocks!? I'm having a hard time deciding what else to buy for this truck. I don't NEED anything, and should probably put my money elsewhere, but I'm sick in the head and can't help myself. Better than buying drugs and hookers right!? I'd like the knuckles and rotors but can't justify going all in at $170ish for the C-hubs, knuckles, rotors front and rear, and rear bearing retainers. Even if I get a piece at a time. I may do lower links since my stockers are getting pretty flattened out from wear but they aren't bent at all yet. Pretty proud of that since I've seen many first hand taco'd beyond repair. If I get those they'll be the vaterra aluminum ones.

Good job on the shock mods.

I was going to suggest Vaterra aluminum lockouts, c-hubs, knuckles and brake rotor weights...omg I love them now that I painted the rotors and got it all installed on mine. The HD machined lower links are sweet too.

Good set of steel sliders is high on the list too! Sliders and lower links are cheaper than the first stuff I mentioned.

[Itali83]

I may make a set of sliders someday but since I put the brace in mine they are very solid and don't hang me up at all. I don't like the tough armor sliders at all, the ssd ones look nice but I've also made mounts on mine that hold the body so I don't even need the clips in the stock locations to hold the body on. So I'm kinda invested in my sliders until something just really WOW's me. My father in law has a lathe and I may hit him up and make a set of brass or lead rotors to save the money on the vaterra ones someday.

I'm also on the fence on an esc since the stock one isnt smooth on 3s but don't even know where to start with those. I know I want to stay brushed for simplicity and reliability. But the think that opens up a worm hole for some serious money lol. I think I just need to get out more and use it instead of just look at it on the bench!
Ben

[Natedog]

Yes your stock slider reinforcement pieces are very nice, but I didn't like how the body is always getting caught outside the sliders. My steel sliders work great and no more body tucked outside the sliders.

Lathe??? Dooo eet, just need to make some calipers to go on them. Could cut and file them out of brass or styrene, then screw mount to the rotors.

Brushed ESC, love all my Tekin FXRs...super smooth, tiny footprint (not waterproof, but it can be boxed or conformal coated), can program in the field with the two buttons and built-in LEDs.
Tekin - FX Series 1/10 Brushed ESC
http://www.rpphobby.com/product_p/tektt1091.htm

Mine are all the regular FXR, not the Pro. I've cut off and internally soldered the on/off wires together, just unplug my battery when not in use.

[Itali83]

I haven't had floppity body syndrome for months since I added some long bolts through the sliders and holes in the body to match. I marked and drilled holes through the sliders and body, took drywall mesh lined th inside of the body, put a metal washer around the hole,and another layer of mesh all covered in e6000 for strength. I counter sunk the sliders and used tapered head bolts so the heads are flush and can't catch on anything. I use the stock body mounts only to support the body side to side but don't even need the clips anymore. The body can't flop outside the slider anymore. That was my biggest beef with them from day one. Once I buy a new body and do it up really nice I won't even drill holes in the roof but use magnets to keep the top of get body from shifting around but that's down the road.

Thanks for the esc suggestion. I will look into it. I really like the idea of adjustability without the need of a link. Castle really turns me off because of that.

[Itali83]

Just a little update thread about my paint job and how it's holding up. I very happy with it. So glad I didn't spend the money on lexan paint to paint it. I've had a few wheeling sessions with it now, and was kind of rough on it with the rocks today and no paint is even thinking of chipping or peeling off. It is obviously getting scratched off but it is holding strong to the lexan. I wouldn't think twice about using automotive paint again even on a really nice detailed paint job.

Just make sure you scuff the lexan with some fine scotch brite pads, and use an etching primer to really bit into the scuffed plastic. Then move onto whatever color you choose. Just go to your local automotive parts store and they should have a good selection of primers and paint.

Here's a few pictures of how the body looks now. I do mostly all rock crawling so there is some good rock rash now.

[Natedog]

Nice tip on your slider body retainer/mounts and paint! Those GCM slot mags are still looking sweet! Whose locking front hubs are those and how do you like them?

[Itali83]

Originally Posted by Natedog

Nice tip on your slider body retainer/mounts and paint! Those GCM slot mags are still looking sweet! Whose locking front hubs are those and how do you like them?

Thanks man ! The front hubs are lockeduprc hub covers. They aren't the nut, so you use the stock wheel nut with a regular 7mm socket, then thread these on the few threads that stick through the nut. So no special tools needed and they've stayed on through my abuse. I want their rears but they've discontinued them, I'm probably going to buy another front set, fill in the locker part and paint the 4x4 on them like the real Jimmies had.

My slider mounts are holding up great. I still long for better sliders and think I'll end up making my own. Ill probably mig weld some up since I don't have a solder/brazing set up in my garage. The bumpers are leaving me with desire too but too lazy to make some since I don't like any that I see pre fabbed other than The ssd stock style bumpers but at $50 a piece, too rich for my blood.
Ben

[Natedog]

You're welcome and thanks for the hub info, nice that they are not the main wheel nut as that type never seems to stay tight. Good idea on the rear hubs, little JB Weld and some paint!

Cool, yes I really like my steel sliders that Codyboy made!