Spliff's scale-ish Wheely King

[spliffnwesson]

These are some pics of my fairly heavily modded/upgraded scale-ish Wheely King 4x4. It was one of my first RC's I bought when I got into the hobby about a year ago (the other was a Rustler VXL). It wasn't long before I found some forums and got ideas to upgrade and modify it. I kinda went off the deep end buying this and that, one kit, two kit and within a few months it went from wheely-ing monster truck to kind of a crawler and ended up a scale-ish waterproof mud/trail truck.

Mods/Upgrades include:

Great Planes S-600 19t Motor
Traxxas Waterproof XL5
Traxxas Waterproof Servo (better of the two they offer
Traxxas T-Maxx/Long Half Shafts
Stock Receiver (in balloon), uses Traxxas TQ2 Radio
Robinson Racing 24t Pinion, Stock Spur
CKRC Aluminum Trans Gears
CKRC Axle Steering Kit
Kimbrough Servo Saver
RC4WD Straight Axle Adapter
RC4WD Aluminum C-Hubs
RC4WD Extended Wheelbase Kit
STRC Diff Locker (rear)
STRC Knuckles
HPI Crawler Kit (lower link mounts, body post adapters)
Imex 2.2 Swamp Dawgs
CR-01 Stock Beadlocks
Stiffer springs for rear from unknown vehicle
Homemade mod to lower top shock mount location (raises chassis)

It's got tons of torque but it's top end is lacking a bit. It's not really meant to go fast but a little more speed would be nice.


Pics from my last trip to the beach...
(pardon the decals for other forums, they're where I got a lot of help to build this)

It was raining a lot a couple weeks ago, after the weather took a break I got my WK out to play in the puddles, ditches and get it dirty. I didn't get any action shots or video cuz I can't really record and drive with a TQ radio. There wasn't anyone around to make them video, plus I just wanted to enjoy myself. I use a TRX radio cuz I have a waterproof TRX servo and the HPI radio wouldn't make it turn the wheels as far.

The people who bought the empty house across the street from me are putting up a big garage so now there's this nice patch of dirt. Well, since I live in FL and it's just cheap filler "dirt", it's mostly sand and seashells. They put a new little culvert pipe and driveway over the ditch using the filler dirt so I had fun driving up the sides of it (which is where all the dirt came from). I drove in, out and through the flooded ditches. The truck flipped over a few times and I had to sorta climb in and flip back over. I slipped once cuz the side of it was a little steep, the dirt was wet and fell away under my boot but I managed to not fall into the water too bad. Good thing I was wearing Dr Martens or my feet would've been soaked. There were a couple deep spots but it was mostly just deep enough to submerge the 2.2 Swamp Dawgs (which I love btw). The tires worked pretty well for what I put it through today, I don't think many tires would have done any better on this truck. Plus the Swamp Dawgs are an awesome looking scale tire and look really good with the F-650 body.

I did get some after pics, but I drove through some puddles walking back to my house so some of it came off and the wheels/tires got cleaned.
After I took pics I hosed it down, squeezed the water out of the tires as best I could. The foams looked a little junky last time I took 'em out so I'm not really worried them. Plus there's a lot of little screws to take out and the screws aren't the right ones for the wheel (or even the same length). They're kinda stressing the spots where they screw into the wheel (can see little white spots in first pic on the front drivers-side wheel). They're fine for now but I'll probably need a new set down the road, maybe try to find some with a metal ring (and definitely get the proper screws).

Anyway... on to the pics:

 

[chongdigga]

Fun on the beach

Nice build. Isnt the WK awesome in the sand. Thats what I do with mine.
http://www.rccrawler.com/forum/showthread.php?t=162437

 

[spliffnwesson]

So you're the one who built the sand king...

This dude from Scotland I made friends with through another forum sent me a bunch of links to your vids. I'm pretty sure he's posted comments on your vids (hardcoretam). He helped me a bunch when I put my WK together. He's a lot better with electronics n stuff than I am. Like when it comes to voltages, matching motors with speed controllers using certain batteries. He also understands gearing better than I do. He's not an exactly and expert but he knows enough to help me out. I can usually contact him and get answers quicker than I can on some forums.

My WK is my scale-ish muddin/trail truck, when I wanna rip up the beach I bring my Rustler VXL. I have a few other trucks that will tear things up.. BL E-Maxx, Slash VXL on 2.2's and a Jato 3.3 (that I'm trying to sell).

 

[chongdigga]

sand kings

That is crazy I met Snoopmaxx from Denmark on u-tube and then on RCC. He has helped me out more than you can imagine. Like building me a one of a kind tranny/slipper for my WK. I know of hardcoretam too.
I like the scale look of your truck. It looks huge.
Well keep up the good work. Do you happen to have any vids.I just got a new motor esc because I broke the shaft on my sidewinder, but I took it to my LHS and they gave me a brand new one, and esc too. I love lifetime warranties.more vids to come. I'm making one this weekend for stellerrc's vid contest on U-tube. My lil electric truck is going to show some nitro trucks what's up.

 

[BJoe]

Good looking little truck and looks like it was a blast to drive too. If you get a chance, try some deep mud with it"thumbsup"

 

[spliffnwesson]

That is crazy I met Snoopmaxx from Denmark on u-tube and then on RCC. He has helped me out more than you can imagine. Like building me a one of a kind tranny/slipper for my WK. I know of hardcoretam too.
I like the scale look of your truck. It looks huge.
Well keep up the good work. Do you happen to have any vids.

My WK has a 13.5" wheelbase and a 1/8 F-650 body.
I also got a 1/8 Chevy Silverado and Dodge Megacab... the F-650 is the largest of them all.

I haven't painted the other two yet, not really sure what to do with them. I like 'em but I might put 'em up for sale cuz I could use some RC fundage. I could also use the paint practice so I'm kinda torn. The few bodies I've painted have come out pretty good for a noobie but I'm not entirely positive they'll rake in more money than if they're sold unpainted.

My youtube page is here: http://www.youtube.com/user/spliffnwesson

Good looking little truck and looks like it was a blast to drive too. If you get a chance, try some deep mud with it

I live in FL so there's plenty of swampy mud holes... I just don't currently have a license or friends that are into RC that I could get to drive places. I could make a mud pit in my yard but my dogs (especially the english bull terrier) will get into it. Also my mom would probably get pissed about it (yeah, I still live at home).

 

[T600]

that thing looks pretty bad ass

 

[BJoe]

Also my mom would probably get pissed about it (yeah, I still live at home).

I don't have my own for the same reason, so you won't catch crap from me"thumbsup"

 

[ontherocks88]

thats a sick body and the truck as a whole looks sweet"thumbsup"

 

[alex718]

towers the rustler!..nice

 

[spliffnwesson]

towers the rustler!..nice

Yeah, it went from a 1/12 monster truck to a 1/8 scale-ish mud/trail truck.
It's actually not much taller than stock suspension-wise but the 1/8 body makes it look pretty tall.

 

[wheelyking4x4x4]

hey, if you want to prolong the life of your motor, use a outerwears motor filter, they're really good, water resistant and keep sand and dirt out!

 

[fernando]

Nice Wheelie King

Cool looking Ford!"thumbsup" You have no idea how hard that was for me to say. I'm a bowtie guy. Chevy for life!

 

[Evandiego]

hey, if you want to prolong the life of your motor, use a outerwears motor filter, they're really good, water resistant and keep sand and dirt out!

Hey Great idea!

 

[simon170]

Whats the Great Planes motor like?

Nice truck

 

[KarlT]

Hey what battery are you using and hoe did you made it waterproof?

 

[yukonite420]

looks good

 

[spliffnwesson]

Sorry for the long delay fellas... I don't get on RCC that much.

Thanks for the compliments.

On to questions...

I only run 6cell nimh stick/flat packs in this truck. I have put my 8cell hump/stick pack on it but I had to strap it to the chassis since it won't fit the battery box. The motor is rated for 7.2v - 8.4v, tho at the time I ran the 8 cells (9.6v) I had a 24t pinion and only ran it for 5-10min before some water got splashed on the uncovered rx and it cut out. I've since tried a 28t and 31t pinion on 6cells and am quite happy with the improvement, it's got some pep now. The Great Planes S-600 19T motor has been great and very easy to abuse since it's only $15. The larger can gives it more torque and with the 24t pinion (smallest that will fit without modding the motor mount), the only time it got stuck was when tall grasses wrapped around the axles or got hung up on a stick. Even then the wheels were still pulling real hard. The 31t pinion was obviously the fastest and would still drive the truck straight up a wall. At first it didn't look like it was going to, then right as I was about to stop it went up. I've yet to give it some real testing as I've been busy with other RC's but I may have to settle on the 28t. The increase in speed may get the WK to jump properly again. Since it's stretched to 13.5" and didn't have much top end, by the time the rear tires left the jump the front end was already coming down.

What I did for waterproofing was to use waterproof electronics... Traxxas waterproof XL5 esc and Traxxas waterproof high-torque digital servo... then put the receiver in balloons and zip-tied the open end shut. Tho the balloons I used were small and since it was a tight fit and have been on there a while, where the rubber was stretched over corners has gotten dry rot and split. Since the WK's chassis is pretty tall and the stock receiver location is a high point in the chassis, it's not going to get submerged easily so most of the worry about getting it wet is from the tires. I'm thinking of using the waterproof receiver box from my Slash, tho if my Spektrum rx fits I'll put it back in to keep it from getting messed up and get another case off ebay.

I've been looking at the Outerwears motor pre-filters for a bit. I just spend a bunch of money on FLM alum trans case, diff, Ofna fluid for the diff and some other items. When I can afford it I'm gonna get one for my WK. I have a few motors I'd like to get pre-filters for but at $15 a piece it adds up quick.