Scratchbuild "on the cheap"

[NoBrand]

I'm recently retired after 30 years in the military (well, forced retired for med reasons) and am looking for a little pastime to keep me busy.

I'm a gear head first and foremost (have a mustang, Corvette, Mini Cooper, FJ1200, Venture 1300, and daily drivers) so making an RC truck seemed to fit the mold.

On the plus side, that's also why I have a full shop in the garage: MIG, TIG, Plasma, Lathe, etc. I also have a 3d printer, although its only a Creality CR-10 V2 FDM machine. So I've got the tools needed to make nearly whatever I need.

I've had gas and electric Heli's, but my car/truck experience is pretty limited. I'll probably have questions when it comes to the electronics, as my most recent RC experience was all FM transmitters. I've got some 2.4 ghz stuff, but it's all low end or maybe the better toy grade stuff. Things like a Litehawk Scout and a Blade CX2 heli. Plus a parrot drone I guess.

I'm not looking to "compete" or adhere to anything like class rules. I'm just building something to have some fun on our back lot (wooded and approx 2 acres). I've got lots of room to lay out trails or climbing obstacles as I want.

I also don't want to break the bank on this so it's free print files or eBay specials. So first up is a 3d printed chassis. I downloaded the stl files for this one:

Supposed to be based on an SCX10 chassis. Regardless, I like it so I'm into a couple days worth of printing. I'm still a little tossed up on what to put on it for a body, although I'm leaning towards a 60's Ford Econoline pickup body:

In the interest of keeping costs down, most of the "store bought" stuff will come from ebay. For good or bad, that's what I'm going to go with.

So I went in for some ebay "binge buying".

First axles:

Can't tell you much about them other than they're "offshore", metal axles and listed for an SCX10. Price was right too. They had portal axles and lockers, but either would have driven the purchase price to near double, so I went with standard axles. I've also read a few things here and there that postal axles are picky on rims and the portals need a bigger rim diameter to fit inside them.

Tires I already had on order for another RC car, so I'll repurpose them here:

2.2's

Transfer case:

Links:

I mostly wanted the links for the eye ends, If I need to make different length rods, it's a piece of cake for me. Not so much the ends.

Then, with pretty much no idea what I was buying (besides a 6ch 2.4 GHz unit), I grabbed this;

I figured I couldn't go too wrong buying a controller, seeing as matching the ESC and motor seems to be the critical part of the equation. 6 channels seems like waaaaay overkill for an RC crawler, but I like have options to add more components/features to the truck if I want in the future. I figure other than a little more $$ up front, extra channels that are used aren't a big deal. Worse comes to worse, I can use it on something else later down the road if it doesn't work out for a crawler.

Buttload of dials and setting on it that I confess I don't fully understand yet:

I'll figure it out as I go and if I wasted some bucks, I'll chalk it up to a learning experience and go again.



That's about where it sits right now. Plan is to combine what I've already got on the order with some 3d printed parts and figure out where I need to go/buy next....

 

[Goro Majima]

With budgeting in mind, Traxxas big bore shocks, Hobbywing 1080 ESC + whatever cheap brushed crawler motor you can find.

 

[NoBrand]

With budgeting in mind, Traxxas big bore shocks, Hobbywing 1080 ESC + whatever cheap brushed crawler motor you can find.

Actually, one place I may "break the bank" is for a sensored Brushless ESC and motor. Seems like a place that's worth spending the extra bucks, mostly for the improved low speed control I've been reading about....

 

[GTSLOW]

Actually, one place I may "break the bank" is for a sensored Brushless ESC and motor. Seems like a place that's worth spending the extra bucks, mostly for the improved low speed control I've been reading about....

I'd be careful. You've chosen axles and a transmission that have notoriously weak gears. I would highly recommend 2660 or 2659 Big Bores, Hobby Wing 1080 ESC, and a Holmes Hobbies Crawlmaster Sport 16T ESC.

 

[Brake Weight]

Scratchbuild "on the cheap"

Like where this is going.

Any details on the Mini? I’ve got a hard on to get an r53 S and build it. Found a tuner to do a big turbo swap ECU wise just not the car yet in my price range.

 

[NoBrand]

Re: Scratchbuild "on the cheap"

Like where this is going.

Any details on the Mini? I’ve got a hard on to get an r53 S and build it. Found a tuner to do a big turbo swap ECU wise just not the car yet in my price range.

It's actually the wife's. 2009 Mini Cooper Clubman, r55, n12, 6 speed.



Around 120 hp which, combined with the 6 speed, makes an entertaining little "go kart" for zipping around.

 

[NoBrand]

I'd be careful. You've chosen axles and a transmission that have notoriously weak gears. I would highly recommend 2660 or 2659 Big Bores, Hobby Wing 1080 ESC, and a Holmes Hobbies Crawlmaster Sport 16T ESC.

No worries. This is as much a learning project as much as the end product. If I break something, then lesson learned and build it again...which I guess kind of blows the budget aspect right out of the water....

 

[Goro Majima]

Actually, one place I may "break the bank" is for a sensored Brushless ESC and motor. Seems like a place that's worth spending the extra bucks, mostly for the improved low speed control I've been reading about....

In that case, I'd do a Mamba X or Copperhead mated with a Holmes Hobbies Puller Pro or other HH.

 

[Brake Weight]

Scratchbuild "on the cheap"

It's actually the wife's. 2009 Mini Cooper Clubman, r55, n12, 6 speed.



Around 120 hp which, combined with the 6 speed, makes an entertaining little "go kart" for zipping around.

One reason I have become enthralled with them. Older r53 cranks and standard trannies have been known to hold upwards of 300hp reliably.


Go for the basic brushed motor and HobbyWing 1080 if your first. Won’t hurt to try out something traditional before jumping into big brushless.

 

[TITANIUM94010]

No worries. This is as much a learning project as much as the end product. If I break something, then lesson learned and build it again...which I guess kind of blows the budget aspect right out of the water....

The axle casings should be fine, its mainly the gears that you'll have to worry about. They're around 20 dollars a diff, but once you upgrade them they shouldn't break.

The transmission though, I'm not so sure.

 

[ferp420]

i have about a dozen of those transmissions and havent killed one yet the 2 speed ones though i always snap the output shafts
the rod ends on those links are garbadge you might get a few runs on them before they fall apart on you and turn to slop

stay away from metal rod ends i buy rc3wd ones in bulk and they outlast any metal rod end ive ever used

ive never used those excsact axles i dont know if there scx10-1 or scx10-2 axles it makes a differance if there scx10-1 axles i would look in to the narrow xrmod the scx10-1 always had issues with axle shafts if there scx10-2 axles you most likly can upgrade with scx10-2 parts

those tires are garbage fine for say a small monster.truck or something but they will let you down on a.crawler

that ford econoline body is flippin sweet my neigbor had one like that it was.a cool rig i had a 63 econoline van i rebuilt and lived in for a while and my uncle had one when i was a kid growing up so im votin for the ecconoline body but your gona want some tiny tires for it in the 4 to 4.25 range to make it look right unless its 1/6 scale it would be so much cooler if it waz 1/6 scale
if you want a buggie make one out of steel tube dont 3d print one pick up a scx10 skid attach your axles at your desired wheel base and.work around that you would be much happier with the results

if your going buggie and 2.2 wheels your gona want the ar60 or wraith/bomber axles in my opinion anyway

 

[NoBrand]

Well, test printed the frame rails in PLA. Turned out pretty good, except I somehow got a little lifting/curling.

So I tweaked a few settings, installed a .6 nozzle, changed the layer height, changed from a brim to a raft and it's laying down an ABS version as we speak. In about 4 hours we'll see what we get.

As to some of the parts I've chosen being weak or "garbage": they may very well be either (or both) of those things.

I take anything that comes from china as a "kit". meaning: you have to tear it down and do your own QA. I find very few things from china are actually "RTR", unless you're buying frm a larger company that has their manufacturing in China but stipulates materials, fit, quality, etc.

If stuff breaks, I'll either fix or replace it and learn something from it.

I do tend to have to learn things "the hard way".....lol!

 

[ferp420]

well it sounds like you have the skills and learning is part of the fun

more power to ya
build on build on

 

[Doom!]

That econoline body will look great, looking forward to seeing this come together.

 

[NoBrand]

Bought the motor and esc. Went for a Hobby Wing Fusion 1800kv.

I liked the all in one format, even though it may mean if the motor or the esc goes bad, you might be chucking both.

But for the features it offers, it was worth me popping the extra bucks over what one of the generic combo kits.

I also picked up a 2 speed transmission. Was a decent price, thought I'd give it a try...

 

[Voodoobrew]

I dont know what gears are in this particular Injora axle, but usually they can be replaced with stock Axial gears which are stronger. I would just make sure the axles use the AR44 differentials and not the older gears scx10 1 gears. you get smaller pumpkins and more ground clearance.

I dont really think metal axles are better in a crawler. yea they are heavier so they add more weight down low, but they also grab onto rocks and don't slide at all.
I would be using ebay to buy second hand takeoff ar44 axles.
The stock parts are pretty good except for the electronics IMO, but people "NEED" to upgrade them so they sell pretty cheap.

not that it matters since you already bought these. but if the gears blow they are easy to replace usually. Check that they have some decent grease in there and dont have too much play, even good gears will blow if there is too much play, and cheap axles are notorious for having too much play and killing gears fast.

 

[NoBrand]

I dont know what gears are in this particular Injora axle, but usually they can be replaced with stock Axial gears which are stronger. I would just make sure the axles use the AR44 differentials and not the older gears scx10 1 gears. you get smaller pumpkins and more ground clearance.

I dont really think metal axles are better in a crawler. yea they are heavier so they add more weight down low, but they also grab onto rocks and don't slide at all.
I would be using ebay to buy second hand takeoff ar44 axles.
The stock parts are pretty good except for the electronics IMO, but people "NEED" to upgrade them so they sell pretty cheap.

not that it matters since you already bought these. but if the gears blow they are easy to replace usually. Check that they have some decent grease in there and dont have too much play, even good gears will blow if there is too much play, and cheap axles are notorious for having too much play and killing gears fast.

I'm not sure which axles they are, scx comparison wise. This is the auction info:

Material: Metal
Weight of Front Axle: 270g
Weight of Rear Axle: 215g
Total Length: 21cm
Pin to Pin Length: 18cm
Suit for: 1/10 Axial SCX10 RC Crawler

No worries on checking them out when they get here. I am used to setting up Dana 44's, 14 bolt's, 8.8's and 9
inch rear axles. These little toys should be fairly simple to set backlash and engagement.

I may have to go out and buy a second lathe though. These parts are pretty small to be turning them out on my 10" atlas.....

 

[NoBrand]

Realized I needed a better lipo charger. I've got a couple small ones, but they're old and really meant for small lipo's like in my blade heli. Ran across a Hobbymate D6 Charger pretty cheaply, so I grabbed it.

Getting pretty close to having everything I need, at least enough to do an initial setup.

3d printer is working away. I've got most of the chassis pieces printed now and tomorrow I'll likely print off the truggy body panels. The truggy pieces will do for now and I can look at a different body further on.

 

[OSRC]

Those axles use AX10/SCX10 v1 internals. Not the worst thing in the world..., I still run V1 axles on a couple of rigs and they get the job done. OD/UD options available when you decide to upgrade.

 

[NoBrand]

3d printed out pretty good.

Couple small spots to clean up on the body panels, but otherwise a decent ABS print.