X-trail YJ Build

[Mav-1981]

Aight, originally the Xtrail 1.9 rig I have was going to stay what it was, F-350 Truggy. However, as abusive as I am, the aluminum welded bed and front bumper were getting destroyed, actually managing to break welds regularly after bending the crap out things.

SO.......................... After I got my CC01 YJ done I realized how nice That Tamiya Body looks for a scale Wrangler, and this (I cant find action shots at the moment from last season):

Is turning into :

My first SERIOUS scale build. Using the X-trail frame with AX10 driveline and since they did great on the Ford last year I was really happy with them, still going ot use TCS Delrin Leaf Springs, new boots on the RC4WD shocks (which by the way great once modded until they get water in them) going to try to build my first interior and so on. Trying to go with the "Home Trail Project" type jeep, not something EXTREME like coil over 4 link, but something that I might do to a 1:1, loose the fender flares, big a** tires, a few offroad accessories and be good to go, but still be able to drive it to and from the trail without too many tickets.

Heres some shots from where I am so far, remembering I started Friday night with what was in the first pic:

First I started playing with the wheel base without drilling or making anything yet

Then the wheel base moved, 4 new shock mounts (obviously not finished lol, I stopped after that part cause when drilling the hole for one of the shock mounts in the rear I tried to drill through my finger, DANG THAT HURTS LIKE H***!!!)

Rear Frame already trimmed so body would fit, gotta kill the old rear shock towers though.

Ran it this weekend at the outdoor course here just for the heck of it to see if I liked it, so far so good, but still not sure about the flat irons, dont do very well on even slightly slick rock so far.

Next up is chop the top and start the interior and the roll bars, thankfully someone has a build thread going already on the interior to this body so I have an idea where to start cause that is a first for me.

Finally, here is ideas for what I am going to do:

1 is leave the hard top on, toss a roof rack and maybe some offroad lights, front bumper with winch and call it good

2 is cut the top off, go with bikini top, couple lower search/offroad lights and bumpers and winch

3 (this is the one I want to do but cant find pics to even get an idea on how to do it) is 2 but with an exocage and small roof rack. The mechanics of building the cage, NO PROBLEM, see some of my other projects with brazing metal and so on, got that covered, but I dont want it to look stupid or be out of proportion.

 

[Syd]

How Much Flex Do You Have With The Leafs? I've Got A 3 Link On My Truck,An I'm Getting Tired Of The Links, I Was Always Wondering About Leafs,But I Was Never Sure.. I've Got Stock RTR Shocks Like What Came With It,Stock RTR Oil, An TCS Xtrail Hardware Springs. The Whole Link Thing Is Irratating Me, Plus I'm Trying To Figure Out How To Move The Servo To The Frame An Get It Off the Axle,Maybe A BTA Kit.

Back To The Point;
How Much Flex Do You Have With The Leafs?
I'll Post Pics Of What I Got When I Get Home;
Cause I'm At School While I Was Typing This;-)

 

[scalerfreak]

looks like a great start, are you gonna do any tube work? what are the plans for the body?

if you need any work done with photoshop to see your ideas before you do them, let me know and ill gladly whip somthing up for you "thumbsup"

 

[Mav-1981]

Thnx guys.

Actually looking at option 3, the exocage. COuple guys found some pics that I wasnt having any luck finding, so now I know how one looks on a jeep so probably going to put an exocage. But running into one huge issue in theis crappy town, NO ALUMINUM STOCK ANYWHERE!!! Closest lowes is 45mins away, aluminum if the only metal I am willing to deal with cause steel takes way to much work and time to mess with. I get to teach myself how to braze aluminum now though,lol.

 

[scalerfreak]

if you post up some pics of the exo, i can render what it would look like on your jeep, also tell me what color, or colors you want the jeep itself

 

[Mav-1981]

Aight made some progress on this thing, exocage assembly is mostly done. NOw I need to get it sanded down and ready for paint, then start on the bumpers which I know are going to be a task. I have to say the fit is not bad at all, looks really nice resting on the body thus far for being my first attempt at something this in depth.

 

[Mav-1981]

Aight got it mounted on the body and the rig to see how it looks so far and.....................................







DEAD SEXY!!!!!"thumbsup"

 

[Mav-1981]

AIGHT, ITS DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Exocage is DONE!!!!!!

Unless anyone pipes up with something I am missing that it needs. Back bumper is going to be a seperate bolt on peice, probably make one from styrene thats just insanely reinforced cause I dotn want a steel bumper, to much rear end weight for my liking and I am getting to excited to try to figure out how to make one out of aluminum.

OPEN FOR OPINIONS ON ANYTHING I AM MISSING:

ps I forgot, not QUITE DONE, gotta drill holes for the winch on the front bumper,lol.

 

[greengiant]

looking sick, i cant wait to see more

 

[SquealingMonkey]

Where did you buy that!

Dude, where did you find that exo-cage at? There's no way you made that! That thing is sick, great job, it looks awesome! Hope your finger gets better from the attack of the "Killer Drill Bit!"

 

[slither302]

great work"thumbsup"

 

[Mav-1981]

Thanks guys, painting it today hopefully. Had a friend get me thinking about a roof rack so I may add one later but I wanna get this thing finished and drive it,lol.

And the finger is heeling up well, going to be a scar though,lol, BATTLES SCARS!!!!!"thumbsup"

 

[Mav-1981]

Aight, well pretty close to done now!!! Its Driveable!!!


Still got the paint on details to do, few more sponsor stickers, lights/offroad lights on the front (all will be working when done), and mirrors. Oh and almost forgot, inner fenders to help hide things a bit. Then later do something in the way of a roof rack and light rack. Did run accross some bad spots showin up in the exocage after paint, note to self: Get regular brakeline next time, not he crap with the olive coating on it,lol.

All in all, I am pretty happy with it, wishing the frame wasnt so low/ body so high compared to the frame, looks like massive body lift, a little more than I would have liked but oh well.

Heres the pic, will have action pics this weekend sometime:

 

[Mav-1981]

AIght hit the LHS today to play on our course, took my son and soon to be wife with me, my son likes it there cause he can play with his trucks or whatever since we really dont have a yard till we move into our house next month. Got both jeeps out on the rocks a bit, rather happy with the new jeep except still having issues with the tires. Not sure if my rig is just too light or just the tires are still too new. Anyways heres the pics:


He is trying SO HARD:

Putting the tail lights and offroad lights on tonight, I was outta paint thinner so couldnt paint the stuff last night, didnt realize it till everything was already closed.

 

[Crawl-N-Clod]

Looking good... Are those Axial axles your using??

 

[Mav-1981]

Yeap, full axial Xtrail set up though the frame has been cut quite a bit shorter now.

 

[Crawl-N-Clod]

Yeap, full axial Xtrail set up though the frame has been cut quite a bit shorter now.

I like it!!! how did you mount your body though???? any body off pics besides the ones posted since you got it finished??

 

[Mav-1981]

The way the body is mounted is more or less hidden as it is part of how the exocage is mounted. I drill and tap me mounts into the aluminum chassis cross members, the 2 screws in the front bumper actually mount the body/exocage up front and same in the back but with body off all you see is the cross members which are held by the same screws that hold mount the leaf springs. Body mounts very on every single rig because there are too many different way to do a rig and also depend on your capability to fabricate parts you need.

 

[rocresq]

Wow this thing turned out great, especially since this was your first serious scaler. Great work

 

[Mav-1981]

I gotta find a snorkle or figure out how to make them,lol. About 90% done now I think.

Aight, heres more pics. Got to run with my friends in STL this weekend, A LOT OF FUN!!! God I miss being able to run with those guys all the time and just makes having to drive back here that much worse, cant wait till I can move BACK to STL again.

Also, got the spare tire rack on, not done with it though, cutting it down partially to make more of a half rack out of it but I like where its headed for the looks so its staying.

Here's the crazy one, the Jeep fell down that waterfall a few times, thats how I ended up at the bottom to begin with, got TOO BRAVE on a ledge off to the right from the pic and rolled down to the bottom. Took a few tries to find the right line but made it all the way back up that, about 5ft from bottom to top

And a group shot with the RSRC Guys that made it SAt.