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Mud truck build

justbrockinit

Rock Stacker
Joined
Nov 20, 2016
Messages
57
Location
the mountains
I've been starting to think about a mud/monster truck build...trying to do it on the cheap picking up used parts n such. wondering what ya'll recommend as a starting point, chassis? axles? drive train? powertrain?
 
Cheap and mud truck is nearly impossible to fit in the same sentence. It all depends on what you want. Wild or mild?

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probably pretty wild, I know its not gonna be cheap cheap, but I figure if I take my time and find deals on used stuff where I can, hopefully ill get lucky on some of the bigger things
 
Awesome vid, only problem I ever had with my Rc's when I lived in Florida was with my unsealed diffs, trans, motors etc. Its just that Florida Black Swamp Goo is real sandy.. and that sand killed everything on any moving parts over time..

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Awesome vid, only problem I ever had with my Rc's when I lived in Florida was with my unsealed diffs, trans, motors etc. Its just that Florida Black Swamp Goo is real sandy.. and that sand killed everything on any moving parts over time..

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Yeah no doubt. Maintenance is kinda a pain but it's one of those pay to play things haha.

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Mine is an scx10 frame and built trans with wraith axles. Axles only have lockers and hd ud gears f/r. The most important thing you need is waterproof electronics. I like my mud basher tractor tires, but would like to try narrowed Maxx tires.
 
Wheely/Crawler kings make great mud trucks. Servo, motor, electronics are all up nice and high. Change the tires and your 1/2 way there.
 
I'm currently building an scx10/ax10 scorpion chassis one with savage shocks and ar60 axles. Once bomber kits come back in stock I'm picking one up and build it into a monster truck, I saw one one eBay for sale and liked the idea


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Did you ever start this project? I have thought myself about starting with the izilla chassis and buying wraith parts.


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Did you ever start this project? I have thought myself about starting with the izilla chassis and buying wraith parts.


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An SMT10 chassis is another good base for a mud truck.
 
I want to do a mega mud truck build because I have these that have been laying around for the longest.
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Just not sure what platform to use because these are 40 series (3.8) but smaller than normal. Narrowing would be different with the Bogger style too.. not sure if its been done or if it even can be.
 
so so far this is what I'm thinking,
CNC Machined Aluminum Low CG "Izilla" Monster Truck Racing Chassis for Axial Wraith (BK-BK) for the chassis,
wraith ar60 axles with beef tubes and aluminums knuckles and c hubs.
a aluminum cased wraith transmission....
130mm cheep shocks

I clicked the link and checked out some of the photos they have of a set-up. Looks like they ARE using 3.8 tires and wheels. This option is written down on my idea list for "Matty's Mega Mud Truck Build"

This genre of the hobby is really taking off. I heard through the grapevine that J-concepts is in the works for some narrow wheel and tire combos, maybe some narrowed chevron style meats, in 2.6 or 3.8. Rc4wd already has their narrow tractor tire, but its a ridiculous 2.2! [emoji35] People in the MMT scene were upset with PL too on the latest release of the 2.6 "Devastator" monster truck tire. They wanted a narrow version and a narrow wheel, so they don't have to keep custom doing the narrowing labor, which I hear takes time.


Wheely/Crawler kings make great mud trucks. Servo, motor, electronics are all up nice and high. Change the tires and your 1/2 way there.

I'm noticing more people are in fact using the HPI Wheely King and Crawler King as a platform for their mega mud truck build. Of course that infamous trans and axles would be the first thing snatched out of it.

After looking at the SMT 10, it is a cool frame and cage setup that would make a great looking and I bet performing mud rig. Cost is what's kinda steering me away. Even after Axial dropped the price 70 bucks. Only way I'd go this route is to find one local on CL or Ebay close by where the owner lost interest and is letting it go for the low. I see a lot of times in my area, people move to the city/urban areas and there is no time for the person to drive out of their way to use it. (Its usually MT's and nitro rcs)

Now to search for a dusty old Wheely/Crawler King stuffed away in someones garage or attic, thats ready to let it go to a good home for a reasonable price.
I've decided to not use the nitro Revo or T-maxx I have on this build for the simple fact of independent front and rears and the way the chassis is "tray like".
 
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After looking at the SMT 10, it is a cool frame and cage setup that would make a great looking and I bet performing mud rig. Cost is what's kinda steering me away. Even after Axial dropped the price 70 bucks. Only way I'd go this route is to find one local on CL or Ebay close by where the owner lost interest and is letting it go for the low. I see a lot of times in my area, people move to the city/urban areas and there is no time for the person to drive out of their way to use it. (Its usually MT's and nitro rcs)
You can buy a new, take-off SMT10 chassis on eBay for around $100. Then you can get AR60 axles or whatever you plan on using. The stock Axial trans is junk so you can build one with an aluminum case and Axial or HR steel gears.

Axial did drop the price of the SMT10. It was released at $399 and they dropped the price to $329. It's still overpriced though because it's all plastic. They are absolutely no metal upgrades on it.
 
You can buy a new, take-off SMT10 chassis on eBay for around $100. Then you can get AR60 axles or whatever you plan on using. The stock Axial trans is junk so you can build one with an aluminum case and Axial or HR steel gears.

Axial did drop the price of the SMT10. It was released at $399 and they dropped the price to $329. It's still overpriced though because it's all plastic. They are absolutely no metal upgrades on it.
Found it for $73 bucks with the skid and reciever box that can be used! Thanks for the tip! I saw the links and the rest of the parts... your not lying about that thing being ALL plastic. Metal links are cheap and Vanquish V2s are $89 bucks. Definitley going to run metal housings with brushless power, can't have the plastic ones bending the bearings causing stripped ring and pinions.
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29ee1becdc5fbb99c2154adae56cb7ea.jpg
 
Found it for $73 bucks with the skid and reciever box that can be used! Thanks for the tip! I saw the links and the rest of the parts... your not lying about that thing being ALL plastic. Metal links are cheap and Vanquish V2s are $89 bucks. Definitley going to run metal housings with brushless power, can't have the plastic ones bending the bearings causing stripped ring and pinions.
Cool! That's a good deal. You're welcome. I'm glad to help.

I don't run metal housings - I run aluminum Beef Tubes. Aluminum axles will look awesome and perform well!
 
I picked up a complete chassis with links, the tranny, axles, reciever box, body, and the sway bar for $200 on ebay a couple weeks back. Your gonna get nickled and dimed on all the other stuff to put it together. Find a complete roller minus the tires/wheels. The guy was asking $260 but I offered $200 and he accepted.

Just to buy that frame and axles you are gonna be over $180.
 
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