Some obligatory shots of the baseline stance - as I said in the video, I reverted it all to kind of a stock stance to see where I am, because of the swap to straight axles. From here, I'll tweak it (tire offset, shock ride height, etc.) as it sits too high for my tastes and the tires are too tucked in. Still, looking amazing, but we're making it overland-bordeeline-street legal!
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Reezo's Axial Gladiator Overland HAM Build [Picture Heavy]
Today's update, I finally rebuilt the rear anti-sway bar, checked on final shock positions and other things. Body still needs a lot of details but I want to do them last.
What matters in this update is that I wanted to check the stock wheel offset and stance, with current shocks and tires. I kinda like where it stands, I mean I like it A LOT, as I am seeing the badass MOFO I wanted to build, now it's making me want to do things. Nice.
The tires were an experiment, I have much 'better' ones but to be honest, these are a nice baseline. I am starting to like thinner tires, am I getting old or JEEPy? Or bald? Definitely at least bald, for sure
Next, I want to:
- Try out some negative offset on the wheel
- Lower the stance a bit more, I think I am going to go for a spring pen mod. I always do it on my 'trail trucks' when I don't have fancy shocks like the Big Bores, Dravtech and the alike which are more for comp crawlers. Same for my Desert Lizards, I tune them with a lot of droop, especially in the front, but those are different things. But yeah, I am going to pen mod the shocks, I like to suck this sucker in a bit more and have it stay there, but also give way when a tire has to drop down
- I might install the Knights Customs front fenders back, not sure, I like these as well, now. I did not before, now I do? Wah
- The front links are back to stock, but I have my custom links that are a bit longer (1/2 inch, even a tad less). And I am thinking those front tires could go a tiny bit more forward, almost aligning the left-side of the wheel rim to the end of the front fender. Makes sense? I have no tire rubbing as of now, and I modded the servo arm to get me crazy amounts of turning, need be. So it's good.
I am stoked that now I know for sure this Gladiator has the vibe I wanted from the get go. I loved it before, I love it now even more!
What matters in this update is that I wanted to check the stock wheel offset and stance, with current shocks and tires. I kinda like where it stands, I mean I like it A LOT, as I am seeing the badass MOFO I wanted to build, now it's making me want to do things. Nice.
The tires were an experiment, I have much 'better' ones but to be honest, these are a nice baseline. I am starting to like thinner tires, am I getting old or JEEPy? Or bald? Definitely at least bald, for sure
Next, I want to:
- Try out some negative offset on the wheel
- Lower the stance a bit more, I think I am going to go for a spring pen mod. I always do it on my 'trail trucks' when I don't have fancy shocks like the Big Bores, Dravtech and the alike which are more for comp crawlers. Same for my Desert Lizards, I tune them with a lot of droop, especially in the front, but those are different things. But yeah, I am going to pen mod the shocks, I like to suck this sucker in a bit more and have it stay there, but also give way when a tire has to drop down
- I might install the Knights Customs front fenders back, not sure, I like these as well, now. I did not before, now I do? Wah
- The front links are back to stock, but I have my custom links that are a bit longer (1/2 inch, even a tad less). And I am thinking those front tires could go a tiny bit more forward, almost aligning the left-side of the wheel rim to the end of the front fender. Makes sense? I have no tire rubbing as of now, and I modded the servo arm to get me crazy amounts of turning, need be. So it's good.
I am stoked that now I know for sure this Gladiator has the vibe I wanted from the get go. I loved it before, I love it now even more!
This is with 15 mm front hubs, the widest I have. I have some 12 (or 10, I forgot) mm and then I can try reversing the weight discs in it, to see how it works. I only changed the front wheel hubs from the previous pictures.
What do you think? Bear in mind this is a 1:10 build that - from motor to tires, stance etc. - is supposed to piss a 1:10 scale wife off.
I kinda think it's too much, but it's quite there
, longer front links are probably going to make it feel a tad different but 10/12 mm should be enough. I am curious as to what you think. I'd love for this rig to occupy half of the adjacent parking lots, when I stop by Trader Joe's.
What do you think? Bear in mind this is a 1:10 build that - from motor to tires, stance etc. - is supposed to piss a 1:10 scale wife off.
I kinda think it's too much, but it's quite there
, longer front links are probably going to make it feel a tad different but 10/12 mm should be enough. I am curious as to what you think. I'd love for this rig to occupy half of the adjacent parking lots, when I stop by Trader Joe's.
15mm makes it too wide for my taste personally but if it's the look you're going for then so be it. Not much performance benefit from going that wide either... maybe a bit more side-hilling stability but at the cost of added stress on components as well as reduced access through tight places. Pros and cons I guess.
I am totally with you on this one. It's good to know that I *do* have 15 mm hubs in the garage, but it's too much for me, as well, because these wheels have some negative offset already, and given that, plus the 15... it's off. I can even stretch to think "it's not ridiculous" but it's off, for me.
This is with 12 mm hubs, and this is what I am going to keep with these wheels. It's still a lot, but it's within the "cinematic Jeep Gladiator Overland YouTube channel with tons of cuts that don't show when they get winched out by a Toyota". Or at least... till now it is
VoltSCX
Quarry Creeper
I will say that in my opinion I think the 10mm hubs would look a lot cleaner, although it still looks sweet with the 12s (I personally like narrower offsets, I run 8mm hubs on mine). The wheel/tire combo looks great btw, fits really well with the rest of the build. Lookin good!
89Industries
Quarry Creeper
Looks good and having spent the last 15 years living in California and Colorado the extra wide stance is totally normal. Though I'm not sure the jeeps with super exaggerated width truly see much dirt, just pavement and parking lots.
On my scx10iii I've lowered them by using shorter 90mm shocks but also relocating the bottom mount to the lower link mount using a longer screw and some spacers. But it does open a can of worms for other clearances issues, like spring/sitting perch to the axle side panhard mount, tire clearance, and on mine the bolt holding the drag link bolted to the servo horn contacted before shocks bottomed.
On my scx10iii I've lowered them by using shorter 90mm shocks but also relocating the bottom mount to the lower link mount using a longer screw and some spacers. But it does open a can of worms for other clearances issues, like spring/sitting perch to the axle side panhard mount, tire clearance, and on mine the bolt holding the drag link bolted to the servo horn contacted before shocks bottomed.
Glad you like it. I agree the 10 mm would be thing I'd like to try, or even 8 mm, but I don't think I have any around, at the moment. Tire offset is yet another (like many) feats that is so personal. I unglued these tires from the SCX10 II Honcho, since I have a couple of friends with the same exact tires. I am sure they are not the best performers in comparison to the other ones I have, but they have been basically never driven since I got the Honcho and replaced them right away, and they were new. They deserve some run time and they're the skinniest tire I have, I wanted to go skinny for starters, on this rig for this year
Thanks! Glad you like it. I couldn't agree more as I have lived in CA and been around in the last years, too (never visited Colorado, I wish I had!) and the stance is totally normal. Also EQUALLY normal is: those very rigs are the ones who never see the smallest of pebbles
they roughest they've climbed is some multi-level parking lot at a mall Thanks for elaborating on what you did on the shocks, as I have done almost exactly the same, verbatim: 90 mm shocks, gonna do a pen spring mod as well, mounted high on the highest of points, mounted low on the link mount, with longer screws and spacers. I've reworked things and so far I see no bindings, especially with skinny tires, but after the servo mod I am getting a lot more steering and with bigger tires I am sure I'd rub against the shocks. Or maybe not, we'll see. But you are right that it's not automatically done, it opens a can of worms with tolerances and bindings, but it's doable... it's a fun puzzle to solve. The rear is much easier, even with the anti-sway bar I built.
These mods are a must if you want the chin to be rubbing, and with straight axles, it's a bull!
I am still thinking the longer links I had made are going to be good because I don't think extending the actual ones will give me enough push. As I wrote, I want the front side of the rim 'circle' to be vertically aligned with the end of the fender, almost... not pushing the tire after the bumper
but a tiny bit of push. I had it that way with the previous build, and I did notice some better climbing, and the driveshaft was not at any weird angle. But mostly, it's a tad more aggressive.I'll see if turning the stock links through their center holes will give me that much that is enough... turning them with a screwdriver will only need... 40 minutes
VoltSCX
Quarry Creeper
If you're planning on adjusting the links I'd do around 3-4 turns and see how that performs (I wouldn't go more than 5). I did a bit of experimenting on my JLU and that was around where I got to. Good performance and still looks clean. However, if you ever happen to get a front skidplate the limit is about 3-3.5 turns before the steering link collides with the bottom of the plate.
Good call. Since the stock links are there, installed, I'll give the turns a try, using a caliper to keep things in check. Worst-case I'll go with my longer links. This is more a split-hair thing but I do want to move that front axle forward just a bit. It will instill more fear when I get to the grocery store
OK, while work was rendering, I had the perfect moment to wrench.
I've rebuilt the shocks with the pen mod, used the stiffer springs for the front and a stiff/soft combo spring for the rear, as I know this is the one rig where I have the rear softer than the front, so I played along.
Now it sits exactly where I want to, it's incredible - BRACE ... - how much an inch more or less changes things but hey, it would be 10 inches in real life... so, yeah.
While I was there I pushed my front links about 4 turns, nothing is touching and it's working OK. It might still be a bit short but it's really getting there. If I could go two turns more (probably I can) I'd roll with stock links. I am always worried to weaken the rod end when I am not fully screwed in... but again, hey.
12 mm wheel hubs on all tires, I like where it stands now, as we said, maybe 10 would work as well, possibly even 8 mm, but those parking lots at Whole Foods are not going to pi$$ themselves off without both tires touching the cars next to me.
I also took the chance to thread lock the servo screw and add a washer as the horn+servo combination likes a tiny weeny washer on the top of the servo arm, before the screw goes in the servo gear. So it's done.
I also secured the anti-sway bar to the frame and all is very solid now.
In terms of flex I get about my open palm under a front tire, before it starts lifting. That's about 90 cm or 3.5" and in all honesty I am good with that. I hate scale rigs that flex, my concept of "it's flexing too much" is sometimes ridiculous, as to "dude, do you want a skateboard?" But again, hey.
I think I am ready for cosmetics time, end of this week!
I've rebuilt the shocks with the pen mod, used the stiffer springs for the front and a stiff/soft combo spring for the rear, as I know this is the one rig where I have the rear softer than the front, so I played along.
Now it sits exactly where I want to, it's incredible - BRACE ... - how much an inch more or less changes things
but hey, it would be 10 inches in real life... so, yeah.While I was there I pushed my front links about 4 turns, nothing is touching and it's working OK. It might still be a bit short but it's really getting there. If I could go two turns more (probably I can) I'd roll with stock links. I am always worried to weaken the rod end when I am not fully screwed in... but again, hey.
12 mm wheel hubs on all tires, I like where it stands now, as we said, maybe 10 would work as well, possibly even 8 mm, but those parking lots at Whole Foods are not going to pi$$ themselves off without both tires touching the cars
next to me.I also took the chance to thread lock the servo screw and add a washer as the horn+servo combination likes a tiny weeny washer on the top of the servo arm, before the screw goes in the servo gear. So it's done.
I also secured the anti-sway bar to the frame and all is very solid now.
In terms of flex I get about my open palm under a front tire, before it starts lifting. That's about 90 cm or 3.5" and in all honesty I am good with that. I hate scale rigs that flex, my concept of "it's flexing too much" is sometimes ridiculous, as to "dude, do you want a skateboard?" But again, hey.
I think I am ready for cosmetics time, end of this week!
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OMG I am on a bumper dilemma, as I forgot I had ordered something in light aluminum that is basically 1:1 what I have here. I am a fan of plastic bumpers, I have to admit. I don't like lexan bodies with metal bumpers for... I have no idea what reason.
This one, I could make an exception for, I know the pictures are not showcasing it as much, but, for starters, take a look...
I am in 14-yo mode, I cannot proceed without external approval, I am not mature
This one, I could make an exception for, I know the pictures are not showcasing it as much, but, for starters, take a look...
I am in 14-yo mode, I cannot proceed without external approval, I am not mature
Not that you need some random internet guy's opinion but I prefer a lot of the metal tubed bumpers, rails, etc because they look a bit more current scale... a bit smaller diameter than a lot of the plastic OEM tubing. Larger tubing diameter reminds me of the late 80's/ 90's/ early 2000's era stuff (ADA Omix, Rugged Ridge, Rough Country, etc) that had huge round diameters and was pretty thin-walled and subsequently dented or bent more easily than the newer stuff that became smaller OD dia but was thicker and stronger and more sleek.
Why did you have to come here and write the very same thing I was thinking but did not want to reveal, we're doomed now. Also, bonus points to mention now that the cat is out of the bag:
1) what you wrote, 100%
2) it's the only bumper that is 1:1 the one I had in plastic, which is the design I like for the Gladiator. I've bought many and returned them all, they somehow miss the point or are too big, bulky etc
3) it's extremely light and 'weak' in a good way, I am thinking it's aluminum but this - to me - is a massive bonus point. I find the bumpers that are 3x stronger than the whole car a bit funny to look at. It weights nothing, it's not cold to the touch, it's almost plastic, it doesn't look like 'the strongest piece of welded metal a 1:10 toy car has ever seen in its life"
4) it comes with a rear bumper that is 1:1 what I am running right now (which - in my opinion - does not get caught everywhere after having tucked it in) and it took me a good year to find both bumpers looking 1:1 in size (I mean it) what I had in plastic. And it holds a spare tire, albeit... and that's maybe a bad thing: CENTERED. I was up for an offset-y spare tire in case I run one
5) it is very easy to run winches on, and it has a vertical offset that would allow me to raise it, which I find VERY important as most of these things sit lower than I'd want them
6) it's got a beefy approach angle that I love
But hey.
If - and I say if - I manage to mount the side lights that you see on the bumper, inside the hoop on the new bumper, it's gonna stay. I mean it.The small LEDs are not too cool to look at anyway and I am gonna relocate them over the front mud guard, for ambient lighting sexyness (I hate when 1:1 rigs have that
but this is to piss people off, so it fits).It's this guy right here:
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Only concern I've had with some of the Injora stuff and similar/ rebranded Amazon stuff is at the weld points where it's obvious that the actual tube stops short and relies solely on the spot-weld to connect the tubes. I've returned some front bumpers just due to this. I wish I knew how to braze and could make my own stuff but for now that's not happening. There are some companies that do better than others ( Scaler Fab comes to mind) but something to maybe consider. Regardless at this point, all looks good and I think it would be hard to mess up that sweet-looking rig.
Fwiw Sometimes I hate when someone makes a comment because I'm immediately like "Ugh... It's not just me that thinks like this or has concerns." Sometimes it's best to not listen to others and just proceed with our own vision lol.
Fwiw Sometimes I hate when someone makes a comment because I'm immediately like "Ugh... It's not just me that thinks like this or has concerns." Sometimes it's best to not listen to others and just proceed with our own vision lol.
I agree with you on this one, as well. We'll see how it goes, since the other bumpers I have are all plastic, I have not put these metal ones to the test. Welding over them and reinforcing the joints would be good, for sure
we'll see how it goes...The 'branded' stuff I see around is rare and only available at hobby stores, and very expensive. Now I'm all for helping a local business grow, but where I am, there's none. Online is the way to do it and, with all due respect, the level of customer support and "it broke, here's your money back" from the evil alien invaders (sarcasm) is the best I have ever had. And prices are fair. I have had so far hit-and-miss luck with various parts but if you can take your time to order a bunch and return what you don't like, you can find gems. I did, in shocks, winches, bumpers (now) and other parts. The only thing I keep always-stubborn-premium are the tires, and I am totally OK with some RTR models from Axial and Traxxas (wish I had not sold some of them, to be fair, but the Trail Grapplers would NOT climb on ANYTHING, it's insane how that tire underperformed here. Location is everything to decide on tire/compounds, we know that and often ignore it
).I see what you mean but everyone here, and that includes you as a prime example, have been so kind and supportive to me that please, for no reason, should you abstain from telling me what you think... if I disagree I'll tell you why and we'll discuss it like we had a couple beers and a BBQ flaming away. More like geeking on it and brainwrenching it. That's how I learn and I improve: thank you for taking the time to do it,
