Monster Mopar

[OldSchoolRC]

Well, i took the truck out for all of three runs, found it woefully underpowered for a 540 and 19.2 volts. So i wasted no time tearing the whole thing apart, which is why i picked it up anyway. This thing is huge! thinking it's close to 1/6 scale, i have to measure it out and see where it falls.

not much done, just getting some ideas together at this point. I would love to do solid axles, but didn't have anything that big (TXT/jugg, mad force or X-Factors would be perfect here..but i'm fresh out) so i sacrificed my beloved T-maxx and will be using the suspension from that truck. I upgraded it to widwemaxx a while ago, but I'm thinking of reverting back to the standard maxx suspension to bring a more scale look.

There's a t-maxx tranny in the pic that i was originally going to convert to electric, but i just orderded an E-maxx tranny instead (Well, all the parts for one i think - printed the exploded diagram from Traxxas, then tracked down every gear, shim, bearing and screw on tower. They had every single piece in stock and well described- very impressed.). i liked the idea of an autoshifter and a big mechanical brake, but not the idea of not having reverse. And a shiftable 2 speed is nice too.

and that's it, hope to get some chassis work done this weekend.

[OldSchoolRC]

and realizing i need a bigger workbench, lol.

[OldSchoolRC]

took the T-Maxx bulkheads apart, cleaned everything, and put the aluminum pieces in, along with aluminum skids to match. i was not using them on the T-maxx to save weight, but this is going to be a tank anyway, so what's a few more grams. spent a little time on the dremel to polish them up first though.

I also swapped the wide-maxx arms for the standard T-maxx arms - the wheels sat a little far outside the body and i can always use offset wheels to push the width back out if needed, plus the deeper offset of the wheels in any case will look a little better imo.

I have CVD's for the standard width arms somewhere, i'll add them on if i can find them. haven't used them in about 5 years, but i never throw anything away - it usually goes in a box somewhere.

lots of work to do...

[dale_gribble]

I will definitely keep an eye on this project. Should be interesting! That is a LONG wheelbase there for a Maxx project.

Did you save money by piecing the Emaxx tranny together by parts? That seems like it would have been more expensive.

[OldSchoolRC]

the chassis only needs to be about 4 inches longer, it's the height that has me worried. to get that body up in the air and get the proper clearance for the tires, i have to jack it way up. i originally designed a chassis using the stock maxx plate, but flat isn't going to work - it's going to look terrible. look at the pic and you can see what i mean about the height. the body is pretty close in relation to the axles to where it needs to be.....so back to the drawing board.

well, i see e-maxx tranny's go for anywhere from 80-100 (plus a gazillion dollars for shipping) on Ebay, and i bought mine with an upgraded robinson spur/slipper set and the lightweight top gear for under 100 - barely - so it worked out pretty close. plus this way i know everything is new and unabused. And i like to build... :) had i gone with stock parts all around, probably looking at closer to $80.

[OldSchoolRC]

hmm...after sleeping on it, thinking savage suspension assemblies would work better. They are designed for a vertical chassis ilo flat like the maxxes and i certainly need a vertical chassis here. i don't want to tear apart my savage though, it is fully hopped up and an awesome ride. Still debating ....in the meantime, keeping an eye out for some odds and ends on Ebay.

[OldSchoolRC]

well, in the meantime, working with what i got. And what i got today was a box of bags for an E-maxx tranny! Tower's staff must be working some OT as i ordered this sat morning and had it by today, 2 days early. An easy build-up, and everything is coming together fairly well so far. Stock motors are in there for testing purposes.

[OldSchoolRC]

Got some chassis work done as well. i took 2 extended chassis braces and flipped them over, lined everything up with the bulkheads and they looked pretty good. I wanted the tranny to hang down a bit as i was concerned with driveshaft angle, and flipping them over worked pretty well.

The top of the shock tower is about even with the bottom of the body, so that's where the upper part of the chassis is going. i fashioned some extensions out of L brackets and decided to use the suspension towers as stressed members of the chassis. I might upgrade them to aluminum at some point for more rigidy, but the the stock plastic is thick and seems pretty solid.

just roughing it all out at this point.....

[master_of_desaster]

get done fast i want to see it done!! this looks awesome!

[OldSchoolRC]

THanks man - now that the chaos of the holidays are over, hoping to get some more work done. Next step - figure out some steering and the lower part of the chassis....

[OldSchoolRC]

well, i spent the better part of saturday mounting up a steering servo. it uses the stock bellcrank locations, a small piece of the stock chassis and has pretty much the same geometry as the stock maxx.

[master_of_desaster]

yeah...man thats gunna be tough to figure out. if you need any insight ill try to help you to the best of my abilities!

[OldSchoolRC]

well, i have decided to put this project on ice for a bit. i wasn't overly excited about the independent suspension in the first place, and after looking at the geometry of the whole thing, i decided to put it off until i could source some solid axles.

With the stock maxx shocks, the suspension pivot points would be pretty far under the the CG of the entire truck making it tough to get good handling - plus it would look rather silly. i was planning on using savage shocks, but due to the layout of the shock arms, i would have trouble getting them to fit in there. i could flip the arms top and bottom to mount the shocks on the top arm, but that's more work than i really want to do at this point.

...plus a big truck should have solid axles. :) it's a rule somewhere. Keeping my eyes on a few things on EBAY -X-factors especially would work here perfect! On hold, but certainly not dead.

but now i can put my t-maxx back together!

[OldSchoolRC]

yeah...man thats gunna be tough to figure out. if you need any insight ill try to help you to the best of my abilities!

suggestions are always welcome!

[master_of_desaster]

yeah i would go with x-factor or maybe txt axles. if you decide to go with
indi suspension, maybe the Cen Genesis arms or MGT 8.0. but i would go with solid axles. the suspension and just overall design will be much easier to adjust and adapt to whatever you thorw at it.

[OldSchoolRC]

yup, just wish i had come to that conclusion earlier, lol - would have saved a lot of work.

Project is not on ice much longer, just found a set of TXT axles on Ebay - CHA-CHING! Not sure exactly how i am going to fit them on, have to wait and see what they look like when they get here. Now going to need some different wheels/tires too.

[OldSchoolRC]

Cleaned off the decals in the meantime. A little tip - WD40 will take off any sticky stuff left over from the decal adhesive. Lighter fluid works too, but WD40 is a little easier (and safer) to work with.

What a goofy paint job, not sure what i am going to do here. What i started doing is take a side or 3/4 pic (like this one) and put it in photoshop. Then i strip out the background and most of the colors. I print out a few copies in BW and use colored pencils to draw out a few sketches...works pretty well!

[OldSchoolRC]

oops, forgot the picture

[SavageGoZoom]

that thing is gonna be huge!

[OldSchoolRC]

Hence "Monster" Mopar...... :) Couldn't resist.

[master_of_desaster]

sweet! i like the body it looks really really good! good job on the body oldschool. well it will be easy to 4-link the axles to the main chassis ( whatever that will be) its 1/6th scale correct? so i would go with imex jumbo swamp dogg tires! that would be awesome!

[snoowkid25]

My friend has the same body on his truck(entire thing from Walmart) He thought that it could beat my Micro DT. Haha! Still, nice build thus far.

[OldSchoolRC]

it was horribly slow stock, but then again i'm not building a speed demon either (a brushless maxx motor would be sweet though...) It will be about 1/6 scale roughly when done.

i am thinking imex's, have to see how it works out....thanks for the interest - stay tuned!

[snoowkid25]

it was horribly slow stock, but then again i'm not building a speed demon either (a brushless maxx motor would be sweet though...) It will be about 1/6 scale roughly when done.

i am thinking imex's, have to see how it works out....thanks for the interest - stay tuned!

Will do. Yes, the truck is incredibly slow stock, but my friend has no hobby-grade experience so he is happy with it.

[master_of_desaster]

jumbo swamp doggs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! lol this is possibly my favorite thread at the moment

[dale_gribble]

Looks good! Nice project. I am not sure about the jumbo kong IMEX tires, but definitely the jumbo maxx size tires.

[OldSchoolRC]

starting the new chassis tonight. hope to post some pics later.

not sure about tire size yet, stock clod size would work ok with axle extensions, but i think a maxx sized tire would fit the body better. going to depend on the $$ situation too.

[master_of_desaster]

ahh always the $ factor. if anything i think that losi lst tires would fit fine as well!

[OldSchoolRC]

got some work done on chassis number two. i remember saying i would never use algebra and geometry back in the day, but i used them rather heavily when planning this out!! (Though i still have yet to really use calculus :) )

the first pic is the plan i drew out to scale using 1.5" and 1" angle bracket aluminum for the chassis - probably overkill, but better overkill than underkill when going this size. couple pieces are cut out already. All hand tools and a t-square....it's not cut perfect - I'm certainly not a master craftsman, but i'm going for function over form for this one and i plan on painting all this pretty aluminum black later on so it will hide some of the rough cuts.

got both sides of the chassis plate cut out, hope to start filing some edges down and drilling and bolting it together later this week. Should be about the same width as a TXT when done which should help line up the links pretty well.

10 pieces of 6125 aluminum, with multiple cuts each to get all the angles right ... man, are my arms tired!

[master_of_desaster]

that looks really good... of you have the time and the tools, it would be awesome if you boxed the frame... but that would be something to do after your already done with the project and running it. this is hand s down my favorite thread!

[dale_gribble]

Looks great! How are you welding that aluminum together?

[OldSchoolRC]

well, the frame does not need to be boxed per-se as the thinkness and the angle plate should be plenty stiff. I did see c-channel and full box aluminum rails when i picked up these pieces - noted for future projects.. :)

It's going to be bolted together with about 32 small aluminum screws for the side plates alone. it's not a race truck, so weight is not really an issue. Giving my stunning craftsmanship skills, I have no interest in trying to braze metal as i'd probably burn the house down, and i don't think it works on aluminum anyway. My company does make an aluminum epoxy that I am debating using to fill in some of the gaps it will have. Starting to grind away tonight and hoping to at least get the side plates assembled...then the real fun begins!

[master_of_desaster]

haha yeah...future note! yeah i dont think brazing works in your case. but i hope you can get more pics for us. the fun will begine when your done with the chassis design!

[OldSchoolRC]

got three plates bolted together....trimming and drilling is taking some time.

i cannot get that boxed chassis out of my head...thinking i might rebuild my TLT that way - in due time of course. :) i have enough projects going on!

[OldSchoolRC]

Progress....

[master_of_desaster]

all i can say is that thing is gunna be huge!!! still my favorite thread!

[OldSchoolRC]

i actually got both of them done last night...just didn't get a pic of both. now time to start working on the cross bracing and getting ready for some axles which are on their way! had to stop last night and get some screws and what not - ran out.

it looks a little bulky, and it is - but most of it will be up in the body and not so noticable. i may drill some lightening holes too - i'm not overly concerned about weight, but it is pretty heavy. And i have some body filler and what not to go on it yet.

i did pick up the paint for the body and chassis today, if i don't have the axles by the weeekend, i'll start prepping the body in the meantime.

[master_of_desaster]

awesome!!! sounds good to me! what colors did you pick? man im on the edge of my seat to see what your gunna do next!!

[OldSchoolRC]

Patience!! :)

i picked up the paint, but not doing any painting yet...once i thought about it, it's probably the last thing i'll do. The body is upside-down on the workbench as we speak fitting in the chassis. Some pics of the progress so far.

Chassis is done for now. i was going to fill in the cracks and screw holes to make it look seamless, but you can barely see them with the body on even before it's painted, so not going to worry about it. Going to paint it black so it blends in underneath better and add some lexan to fill in the wheelwells. it lines up with the original screw holes in the body, just going to make some large plates and use velcro to attach it. Just waiting till i get everything sorted out before painting.

oh, and got the axles today - very nice!! Full bearings and looks like they are going to work perfect. also ordered a bunch more goodies - tires, wheels, links etc....hope it all fits! I was looking for a set of std. size swamp dogs, but scored a set of 4 new 3.2 mashers for $25 - cannot beat that!

once i mount the chassis to the body I'm pretty much on hold until the aluminum rods for the links comes in.

[tearemupanfixem]

WOW! Truck is looking great! I never really thought I would want to build a truck before but I gotta say this makes me want to give it a shot. It looks like you have alot of experience, more than I do I'm sure. We all know there is only one way to get experience. Thanks for sharing.

[OldSchoolRC]

Actually, i have never really tacked a project like this either. There's a first time for everything and there is always going to be a trial and error factor - the key is to realize there are going to be mistakes and not to get frustrated by them, rather to learn from them. i have about a dozen of "i should have done this instead of..." type things going on. But - now i'll know for next time! Glad you enjoying the build!

[master_of_desaster]

ok im getting some of my paitence back now that i have seen the body on the chassis with axles underneath! haha wow $25? thats a steal!! you know what would be awesome? 2 big'ol coilovers in the front and having the rear shocks mounted inside the frame rails...that is if your going scale.

http://www.explorerprocomp.com/PDFs/wn/XXX-NPA-5sm.pdf

[OldSchoolRC]

holy expensive!! 11 grand for that lift? Speaking of which, i got to drive an 89 F-350 with a 9" suspension lift and a 3" body lift - worked 351 and 44" boggers - most fun i have ever had!! I had it in mud up to the door sills and just kept my foot to the floor and it pulled through - that was one tough truck! Too bad it wasn't mine, lol.

gives me inspiration for my smaller rides.

[master_of_desaster]

ok but you understand about the shock position in the front and rear i was talking about? lol i got some big rides...

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u233/Panthers_21/fordbronco2.jpg

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u233/Panthers_21/fordbronco.jpg

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u233/Panthers_21/lifted350.jpg

[OldSchoolRC]

i do indeed. Looks great, but i don't have the chassis rails far enough apart to make it work.

Are any of those yours?? nice rides all three!

i got the links today, solid 1/4 inch aluminum rods. Also got the wheels i was planning on using, but i put them on and the offset is a little too much - with the integy adapters it pushed the wheels out further than i was expecting. Looks a little goofy. I'll figure something out though.

in any case, looking at where the the links are going to mount up, i have to modify the chassis a bit to give the lower links a good mounting position - they are almost at a 45 degree angle currently and it looks a little funky. i might have to lower the tranny too. i could get by with it where it is since the TXT axles have a high driveshaft input, but it's still really up there. May as well do it now before i go any further...lots of work. pics to come!

[master_of_desaster]

actually both are mine and i have two others that are in part ownership of my dad. i like big trucks! =) ok ill be ready for pics anyday now!! ok the shocks were just a suggestion. lol how narrow is the chassis?

[OldSchoolRC]

very cool! trucks are awesome!! I've always been a car guy per se, but i have been more and more interested in trucks over the past few years. I have a mildly lifted 89 F-150 4x4 that is going to the scrap heap.. :( Frame has rusted through. it only has 50k so i'd like to keep it, but it is truly falling apart around the motor. i just picked up a 2wd F150 though and am swapping parts over.

The chassis is 12cm wide at the edges. i didn't space it based on anything specific, just how it worked out with mounting the tranny. I did get my second E-maxx tranny today and it came with TXT mounts, so i'm thinking moving it on the chassis just got a lot easier. plan on getting down in the workshop tomorrow and at least getting the chassis re-done. Then i can move to the links!

[OldSchoolRC]

chassis redone! Lowered the tranny from where i was originally going to locate it, and added a section underneath for the links. speaking of which, the links have all been cut, just have to start drilling and tapping.

[T-maxx owner]

I have been looking at your progress and it looks awesome. Keep up the good work.

[master_of_desaster]

yeah my whole family drives a 4wd. my mom has a lifted fj cuiser, my dad drives a dodge 3500 cummins lifted a bit. (thats our trailer truck for when we go 4-wheeling) then i got my old fords. man having the tranny in the rails really shows how freakin huge this thing will be!

[OldSchoolRC]

I have been looking at your progress and it looks awesome. Keep up the good work.

Thanks -more to come! i have the links cut, but am looking for some 6mm rod ends to match the ball studs on the TXT axles....i kinda ran out. :)

[OldSchoolRC]

yeah my whole family drives a 4wd. my mom has a lifted fj cuiser, my dad drives a dodge 3500 cummins lifted a bit. (thats our trailer truck for when we go 4-wheeling) then i got my old fords. man having the tranny in the rails really shows how freakin huge this thing will be!


Sweet! 4-wheeling as in trucks or quads? Both are fun, no doubt about it.

[master_of_desaster]

well i have a yamaha yfz450 and my dad has a big ol' ktm motocross bike, my mom has a suzuki ltz-450 ( i think thats what it is) and my sis rides her lil yamaha yf80 bike. so yeah 4-wheeling as in atv/dirtbike

[master_of_desaster]

mostly me and my dad go wheeling in our trucks...sometimes my dad borrows the FJ though! lol

[Philderbeast]

Alright old school, get this dang thing finished already...I am like a kid in the candy store, I WANT MORE!!! Now, if I can just fashion a ball hitch/trailor tongue set up for my e-maxx/trailor combo, I will be doing good.:D

[OldSchoolRC]

Sorry, stopped to tear apart my workbench, ran out of room... :) But it's back in action as of today! gotta make a trip to the LHS tomorrow and see what i can do about some rod ends. I don't have enough to do the entire truck. After that, it's gravy.

[master_of_desaster]

yeah well see about that gravy! but honestly i can only stay in front of a computer for so long man hurry up!!! =P j/k

[OldSchoolRC]

perfect timing, lol

progress....did i mention i hate making links!!?? just the intial test fit, i have a lot more work to do here. The wb is a tad too long, and the geometry still needs some tweaking. I thought 1/4 aluminum rod would be thick enough, but it looks rather puny. I'll be upgrading these eventually, i'm not sure if i like how these turned out.

[master_of_desaster]

they do look a lil small but hey what ever gets it done quickest! then you can go back a make improvements! it looks as if you got a butt load of link positioning options there man! youll get the wheelbase figured out no prob!

[OldSchoolRC]

i almost got it - i had to drill some new holes and it's really, really close. I'll end up probably having to trim the links up a bit. Getting closer!

i have to say though, if you ever lose motivation, give your workbench a makeover. i was so excited to try out the new set up and found tons of parts i lost or forgot i had, i spent all weekend down there pretty much. Fixed up the 'pede, Top Force, Dark Impact, and did some more work to the lamborgini (it's slowly getting there) as well as switched almost all my connectors over to TRX connectors. And got this project moving again...talk about a burst of energy!

[master_of_desaster]

thats awesome! im always ready for updates!

[OldSchoolRC]

started over with a new suspension... thought the links just looked too puny for this size. Plus, wanted to incorporate some swaybars also if possible.

Using some um....unorthodox products. If my basement is not too flooded tonight (we are getting some SERIOUS rain here) should have some pics up later.

[pedeboi364]

lol, you could always just waterproof the electronics...

[OldSchoolRC]

HA i might have to!!

[master_of_desaster]

yikes! hope everything goes smoothly! that rains a killer over there at PA

[pedeboi364]

^^^^^+1 here in MA

[OldSchoolRC]

basement is soaked, couldn't do a thing. I have to pull all my tools and RC stuff out of the basement soon and do some waterproofing. :( We did get a ton of rain and snow yesterday, there were floods everywhere so i guess some water down there was not unexpected. I did run my hilift around through the puddles though to clean off the tires...:) There's always a bright side!!

at least this gives me some time to rethink the suspension a bit. I'm now on design three....i have to run out today and get some more "material"

[master_of_desaster]

sorry about the basement man! hope everything dries up quick! so many designs!

[OldSchoolRC]

basement is dry and suspension version 3 in the works. Got version 2 on and it didn't work out so well....axle had no articulation at all - I got it sorted out though, i just have to start over....... Again. butchered the old arms too bad to reuse them. This is taking forever, the project that is getting nowhere, lol. Worth the wait though - this is by far the hardest part so far, the rest after this is cake. shocks, electronics, details and paint.

here's a pic of version 2.5...got the set up the way i want it and pretty close to the final version, just have to machine another set of arms F & R and re-tweak the set up. the upper links allow for camber adjustments, and the black ABS plate acts as the swaybar only allowing so much lateral motion. moving it up and down the arms or adding a second plate (and using different size links) gives me variable stiffness. All in all though, it gives me a lot of flexability for the overall set-up, and looks much more substantial than the 4 link. Just took a lot of trial and error till i figured it out.

The new set of arms will have a slightly different shape - these originally had top links which i no longer need.

and yes, they will be dyed or painted... :)

[snoowkid25]

Just all that work for nothing! I am gonna be watching this thread!:)

[Philderbeast]

When you get it done, can I drive it...Promise I won't break nothin'.....wink wink.

[master_of_desaster]

2.5 is badazz!!! i think that the rear looks somewhat of a trophy truck! im still on the edge of my seat even tho its "going nowhere"

[OldSchoolRC]

almost done with the suspension, version 3! i had to machine a ton of parts, new arms, new braces, aluminum braces for the axles where the ball joints mount, and standoffs where the upper links are mounted. went with a single upper link instead of 2. only thing left to do is clean up the front links and mount them on....should have it done tomorrow. Then on to the shocks and driveshafts. it's coming together well!

[master_of_desaster]

rock on!!! im so stoked to see the finished suspension!

[OldSchoolRC]

pic of the finished suspension...it looks a little goofy, but is much more substantial than the original 4 link, and gives me more center clearance. i had to beef up the ABS "swaybars" a bit, they swayed a little too much. As it is, it has some twist but not a lot, maybe a little more then a standard clod setup. pretty much what i was looking for and certainly within scale. i may have to do a little bit of clearance work for the driveshafts, but I'll get there when i get there.

next: shocks and steering...Shocks should be easy, I have some stock WK's to go on for the moment - always subject to change....:) but steering is going to require a little more thought. i don't want to mount the servo on the axle, i'd rather have it up high and dry so i can go bogging. Thinking a cantilever set up similiar to what the WK has.

then i have to take it all back apart to paint it... :(

[master_of_desaster]

for the servo. i would mount it as far forward in between the framerails as possible and basically make a draglink set-up and then make a tie rod linking the front tires. ill get a drawing up here for ya if ya need better reference

[OldSchoolRC]

i have 3 designs ready to go, just need to tinker a bit...and stare at it for a while with a "33" in hand....I'm sure the solution will come.

I'm having so much fun with this that i have another custom build already on the drawing table. I have a 1/7-ish HPI super nitro body still in the wrapper that i never used since i sold off my super10's and FW04 and it's just gathering dust. i'm thinking a custom electric 1/7 scale car would make a nice addition to this truck..maybe even on a trailer! I'd have to find a 1/10 donor car, make some custom suspension parts, a new chassis..... oh, and a true 1/6 scale lotus after that that could be wild..BUT one project at a time, i have committed to nothing else till i get this one done first.

[master_of_desaster]

geez slow down man! thats a lot of future projects!

[pedeboi364]

lol, well, those links look alright....

[master_of_desaster]

what is the material of the links?

[OldSchoolRC]

ha! i was waiting for someone to ask - they are made of polyurethane (i think...have to double check - but they are defintely poly something.)

I'm really hoping they take dye as i'd prefer to dye them instead of paint them. I'll find out soon i guess. it's a solid, easy to work with material that seems to be pretty durable and takes shaping and screws pretty well. Time will tell, but i plan to use more of it for some upcoming projects. It's actually translucent, so if it takes colored dye it could make for some pretty interesting set-ups with some LED's behind it.

and the best part is it's "anti-microbial" so it will not hold germs....:) at least, that's what the label says.

[master_of_desaster]

ahh well cool beans man!

[OldSchoolRC]

little more....getting there little by little. added shocks, and got the steering worked out. stock WK shocks for now, looking for heavier springs though. These are literally going to fold under pressure. (and black would be nice - not a fan of the orange) Might eventually move to E-savage shocks, i think the WK's are going to end up a little too short, and Savage shocks are a little too long. I'd like to keep them as vertical as possible.

Currently waiting for parts. got an aluminum cantilever coming for the steering, and driveshafts are on the way. Once the steering is fully in place, i can start cleaning up and painting!! Yahoo!

[master_of_desaster]

awesome any pics from the front and top?

[pedeboi364]

so what u gonna stick in there to replace those 550s? HV maxx, V-Twin? Feagio, hacker? lol, I MUST KNOW!!!

[OldSchoolRC]

awesome any pics from the front and top?

Sure, I'll take some from different angles next time i work on it. Not too much to see yet though.


so what u gonna stick in there to replace those 550s? HV maxx, V-Twin? Feagio, hacker? lol, I MUST KNOW!!!

Right now, they are stock Tamiya can Johnson 540's...just have them in there till i get things sorted out. Not sure what i want to do for power yet - it's big and heavy and it's going to need some power to get around, but not looking for a rocket ship here....have to wait till i get a few test drives in. :)

[master_of_desaster]

i would suggest hacker or fiego power!

[Philderbeast]

Maybe some of those Revolver 650 or 750's. I have 650's in my maxx and wow. Big difference.

[OldSchoolRC]

Are they the Kershaw designs motors? i've seen them on the bay, but do not too much about them....650's....hmmm...guessing a lot of torque?

[master_of_desaster]

oh yeah^^^^mos def!

[Philderbeast]

Yeah, the Kershaw Motors. I cannot wait for my new batteries to come in from tower, The ones I got now are junk and last litterally 1 minute on a full charge. But it pulls some hell of a wheelies with 1500 sport pack junk batteries that are 12 years old. I would suggest you look into them. I might go with the biggest motors they have, I do not remember the size but they are dewalt motors, cannot go wrong there huh. I am thinking they were like 8 or 900s. That thing would have torque out the wazzoo. I will try my best to get a decent video of my kershaws in my maxx. Just remember it will most likly be low geared so not much speed. I will post it here if I can figure out how to get footage while running the truck, and then if my pos computer will let me upload them.

[OldSchoolRC]

thanks for the tip! i haven't heard much about them, but i have seen them around. i am most defintely looking for more torque than speed. with a relatively short wheelbase, semi scale width and all that metal, it's going to rather tippy and i don't think high speed is going to work out too well.

[Philderbeast]

The 650's and 750 offer more speed also, however, if you get their dewalt engines, I think they may not have the rpm, but will offer tremindous torque.

[focus07]

Looks awesome and very beefy!!, tough as nails!, cant wait to see the finished project. Makes me wanna build something!

[master_of_desaster]

The 650's and 750 offer more speed also, however, if you get their dewalt engines, I think they may not have the rpm, but will offer tremindous torque.

oh sh** that would be a torquey SOB:D :D

[Philderbeast]

Your pubic awaits some news on this project......GET TO IT!!! Sorry that was my terretts coming out to play....:p

[OldSchoolRC]

Ha - way to hold me accountable! I am awaiting parts, and according to UPS they are sitting on my front porch as we speak! yahoo!!! Needed some driveshaft pieces and some odds and ends... work shall continue this week!

[master_of_desaster]

yahoooo!!! lol

[OldSchoolRC]

Yahoo!!! indeed! got the parts i needed except i bought the wrong output shafts for the transmission...oops. i'll hunt them down...

in any case, i bent a few links, finished the steering layout last night, and proceeded to strip the entire thing back down and start laying paint. i scuffed the chassis and did some grinding and clean up and will get the first layer or so of paint on tonight. I also am going to see if i can dye those poly arms as well (i hope they do not melt!! i have some old test arms i can try out first) if not i'll shoot them at the same time. Should have some pics up soon!

[master_of_desaster]

sweet!! i finally got the chassis flip mod done to my king and i am custom cutting the stock tires as of now

[OldSchoolRC]

Nice! get some pics up when done! i am waiting for the conversion kit from HPI, looks like a pretty good set-up.

Chassis was primed and painted last night, i have 1 more coat to go tonight then i can start putting it back together on Friday. i used a "hammered" finishe paint on the chassis so it looks like metal - it came out pretty good but the paint is hard to spray. it comes out almost in a stream for some odd reason.

the arms did take the dye, but they did not turn out as dark as i'd like (at least they didn't melt) but not bad overall. i dyed 2 sets of wheels, all my revo rockers, a bunch of bumpers and the mopar arms black last night...figured i'd get it all done in 1 shot. The revo rockers came out awesome! just 1 more project on the table, lol.

[master_of_desaster]

haha thats great to hear on the links! ill post you some pics of the king here shortly.

[master_of_desaster]

here are the pics.

[OldSchoolRC]

cool! what happened to the tire? is it chunking or is that dremel work?

second coat of paint went on....didn't work out too well, the paint bubbled in a few spots. letting it dry over night to see if it smooths out. it's goofy paint, it looks neat, but was very difficult to spray. won't be using it again, that's for sure.

[master_of_desaster]

haha "custom cut" thank you! lol need pics! im salivating too much!

[OldSchoolRC]

more progress!!!!

paint is done save for a few touch-ups, and chassis is coming together!

i mounted the steering servo, it's tucked up underneath the front chassis rails. I'll make a lexan cover for it to hopefully keep out as much of the elements as possible. I made a drag link out of an old TLT cantilever, and custom bent an aluminum link to clear the suspension and it connects to another cantilver (raided from my WK parts bin) mounted on the axle. i think the axle cant is a weak point, and I'll probably end up making a custom one at some point, but we'll see how it works out first.

i have the driveline mounted as well, and got the driveshafts in after some dremel work on the suspension. i knew it was going to be a tight fit, but managed to squeeze it all in there. i dropped in a pair of traxxas 12T 550's for power which will be the starting spot. not sure how i am going to control them at this point, i have a couple of options to consider. possible dual batteries and ESC's or a super rooster and a single battery. or something else, i not sure...

working on setting up the links on the axles and mounting the shift servo as well, then time to finish off the electronics and move to the body!!

[pedeboi364]

for the electronics go with dual VXL brushless systems or dual HV 4.5's and dual 3S li-po for the VXLs or dual 7 cells for the HV's

[Philderbeast]

I still think you should go with those Kershaw Design DeWalt motors. They should fit the bill very well considering speed is not what your after. And they would not look so tiny in that chassis. 1 would do if you were to re-engineer that motor plate to accept a single engine while keeping the mass to the center for driveability.

[pedeboi364]

get a pair of those soda-can sized motors from hacker!!!! :D lol, that would be sickeningly awesome

[OldSchoolRC]

i would love to go brushless, but they are waaaayyy expensive....i think i'll eventually be looking at those revolvers. Cannot beat the price!! I'm curious to see how these 2 12t's work out, but i will eventually need them for other projects so they are in there just for now.

got the drag links done on both front and rear axles before the race this afternoon. Some assorted Traxxas links bolted on there like they were made for it, i didn't have to custom cut anything. SWEET! And since they are turnbuckles, it gives me easy adjustability. I did make a custom standoff for the rear links to lock them in, but that was it.

a shot with the wheels attatched, not sure if these are going to be what i use or not, but they sure look sweet!

only thing is as i took these pics, i realized i bolted the tranny in backwards...OOPS! i thought there was more room there than i remember!

[pedeboi364]

does this have 4ws???? i btw, those 12ts will blow up in a few minutes so watch out

[OldSchoolRC]

no, just 2ws. We'll see how those motors hold up, they'll probably be wired in series to start, so the load shouldn't be too bad.

[master_of_desaster]

i would love to go brushless, but they are waaaayyy expensive....i think i'll eventually be looking at those revolvers. Cannot beat the price!! I'm curious to see how these 2 12t's work out, but i will eventually need them for other projects so they are in there just for now.

got the drag links done on both front and rear axles before the race this afternoon. Some assorted Traxxas links bolted on there like they were made for it, i didn't have to custom cut anything. SWEET! And since they are turnbuckles, it gives me easy adjustability. I did make a custom standoff for the rear links to lock them in, but that was it.

a shot with the wheels attatched, not sure if these are going to be what i use or not, but they sure look sweet!

only thing is as i took these pics, i realized i bolted the tranny in backwards...OOPS! i thought there was more room there than i remember!



that 1st pic is badazz! im liking the progress!!

[pedeboi364]

lol, u should just get a huge motor (brushless prefferably) and get a new emaxx tranny and shave off the side mount

[Philderbeast]

here is a photo of the revolver 650's installed on my e-maxx.

[OldSchoolRC]

wow - those are big!! hmm.......

[pedeboi364]

wow i need an emaxx...anyone got one for under $200????

[master_of_desaster]

haha HUGE!!!!! i love those motors. i bought a kershaw for my e-revo and i will say wheelies on demand and i can get about 42-42mph out of it! oh yea!

[OldSchoolRC]

sorry, nothing to update...been working on my big truck! dropped in a bigger throttle body which a lot of people say is a waste of money without upgrading the engine internals, but i just fired it up last night and it just flat sounds MEAN and throttle response seems 150% better. hoping to get it back out of that garage soon - warm weather is coming and i need my mobile workbench! i just found a home construction site near my house that looks like it was shut down or put on hold - lots and lots of site work, but no roads or anything yet - just a couple acres of raw dirt. my trucks are calling....give me good incentive to finish up both the hemi and my real truck.

BTW, I think the 970 possibly makes more power than my old F-150's V8 but i'm working on it... :)

for the Hemi, should be getting the shift servo and electronics in this weekend. i forgot all about the shift servo when i painted the chassis, oops. have to drill two new holes.. :(

[Benz]

ok, i just got to know, have you gotten it to run and if so how does it run???:D :D :D :D :D :cool: :cool: :cool: :cool: :cool:

[pedeboi364]

or you could convert it too a single speed...NAH!!!! lol, if it's bigger than an E-maxx, it needs at least 2 speeds IMO...can't wait to see this thing in action!!!!!

[master_of_desaster]

most definately not! lol 2 speeds of fun is a must for this build!

[pedeboi364]

hmmmm, he should try to make the savage 3 speed tranny work and make it a manual shift...now that would be cool!!

[master_of_desaster]

yeah. i think what he's doing now is good. at least get one trest run under the belt and then go from there. ITS ALL ABOUT THE MAIDEN VOYAGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[OldSchoolRC]

ok, i just got to know, have you gotten it to run and if so how does it run???:D :D :D :D :D :cool: :cool: :cool: :cool: :cool:

nah, it's still in the garage, i have the bed loose also doing some repositioning. it was way off.....but it sure sounds good! hope to have it out next week.

[OldSchoolRC]

oh, i defintely want a shifter.....originally started out with a t-maxx tranny, that would have been the way to go but no reverse (i took that out a long time ago) and a savage tranny would work also, but i wanted the ability to shift it manually for given conditions.

Thinking my next project SHOULD have a highlift 3-speed in it somewhere. i'd love to do a high lift 3 speed and an RC4wd 2 speed R2 tranny as a transfer case.....that's getting expensive though. But very doable. :):)

[pedeboi364]

^^^^^^^^ OMG y didn't i think of that?? lol, well i got u onn the subject of 3 speed trannies so i get at least some credit...right?

[OldSchoolRC]

sure, we'll give you the credit. :)

just bought an MRC dual battery charger...li-po ready!! couldn't afford a li-po batt at this time though, but i'm ready to start making the switch! plus, i plan on running this truck on 7.2 volts to start, but having a dual charger and now the ability to switch over to li-po opens up some more options... i might keep the motors the same, but the ESC should be able to take 11.1 volts on the dual motors in series. hmmm......

it is all about the test run indeed! need to see where i stand before going out and dropping some more coin. defintely am going to need some stronger shock springs. i have some stiffer springs on the way as well, but i don't think a single shock on each end is going to be enough - this thing is heavy!!

Stared at the truck for 30 minutes last night...thinking of different ways to mount the body. might hinge is so it tilts up for access, not sure yet.

oh, where are you UPS guy??

[Benz]

nah, it's still in the garage, i have the bed loose also doing some repositioning. it was way off.....but it sure sounds good! hope to have it out next week.

okay cool can't wait to here how it runs.:eek: :eek: :cool: :cool:

[Philderbeast]

Hinge the body on, starting to become more of a show truck than a go truck...J/K. I like that idea. Now if you are not going for speed, but you want raw torque, why stay with the motors you have in it, and why are you thinking of upgrading to li-po's. I can see the li-po option if you have high torque motors with few rpms. Li-po's would defantly create more torque, be like adding 400 shot of nos to a 500 horse motor.

[OldSchoolRC]

shift servo is mounted and electronics are in!! using a JRXi FM radio and programmed the third channel to shift the tranny. Works like a charm!

So far the only thing that i think is going to be an issue is the steering link on the axle - it just has too much play in it. I'll be cutting a new one out here soon.

Regardless, i was hoping to have a vid of the first test drive, but seems the super rooster has given up the ghost. :( lights are on, but no volts going to the motors. i seem to remember having this issue before, but i cannot remember what i did to solve it. I'll work with it tomorrow.

[master_of_desaster]

wow looks soo gooood! im really excited to see this rig roll!

[pedeboi364]

looks good, but ur gonna want to upgrade ur "go parts" if u catch my drift lol

[master_of_desaster]

hmm...good idea!!!^^^^^

[pedeboi364]

lol, is that a Nicad i see??

[OldSchoolRC]

thanks, i am excited to get it running!! still no luck with the ESC though :(

"Go parts" are what they are. I'm out of $$ for the time being. And yes, that is a nicad. :)

[pedeboi364]

lol, go radio shack!!!! haha, ur gonna want to put in a kershaw designs conversion and get some 970 sized motors to run that bad boy..

[jonelzoe]

that would be a good upgrade

[pedeboi364]

true... or maybe you could put a hamster wheel and an agitated hamster in it for ur powerplant!!! LOL!!!

[OldSchoolRC]

IT'S ALIVE!!!!

Maiden run was yesterday....found a few things that need some addressing - but no big suprises.

first off, the truck is way overgeared - first gear is suprisingly lively for the weight, about as quick as a stock clod but in second the motors just don't have the oomph to keep it going. it's goes, but it's really struggling. i started with the stock gearing on the e-maxx tranny as a starting point and i want the gearing to be lower as i'm looking for more scale speed so a set of smaller pinions should make a world of difference.

the steering does indeed need some work, it's a bit weak but it got around ok. i already broke the rear standoff and had some inadvertant rear steer.. :)

finally, the suspension is way too soft - i knew that was going to be an issue though, and i have heavier springs on the way and will be upping the shocks to 60wt. i may eventually be going to a dual shock set-up, not sure yet.

i have some pics, but no vids yet. it was almost dark and they did not come out at all. nice to finally drive it though, and thankfully nothing major fell apart or came loose!

[Philderbeast]

Man, ya shoulda captured the maiden voyage on film. I wanted to see that. Try dropping to a 12 or 14 tooth pinion, and go with a 84 to 86 tooth spur. It scales it down a bit. Good work on the truck, I hope you enjoy it as much as we enjoyed the build.

[master_of_desaster]

:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: NO VIDEOS??!! well now you have to get the second run on film other wise you'll have a very upset master of desaster...and we cant have that can we?? lol get a vid and pics soon please!

[OldSchoolRC]

pics...nothing fancy, just the bare chassis out on the rocks. Using savage tires on....well, i forget what kind of wheels which actually work out pretty good. They have a nice proportion with the body overall. i am jonesing to get that body mounted up, but have to sort out the chassis first.

[OldSchoolRC]

ask and you shall receive. Only parts of the vid i could make viewable, the rest were too dark. this is in first gear only, it would need a 60% downhill grade and a stiff tailwind to wind out in second.....overgeared? Absolutely!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6W0o-JOcQxQ

[master_of_desaster]

it scoots along pretty good...1st comment!! wooowhooooo!!!

[Scorpion3443]

nice i have a question tho was it hard to make?

[OldSchoolRC]

i just dropped the pinion and spur from a 16/66 to 15/74 (I guess I did not start with stock gears...) by digging around my parts bins. i found the old 74t gear from another robinson set i had for the T-maxx, bolted it right on and all now i have all steel gears too. nice!! have the feeling that steel gear is going to make mince meat out of those aluminum pinions though. Works for now - I'll probably go taller, but it's what i have till i dig up some more $$. Seems to have made a pretty good difference, but have to fix the rear links before i take it back out again.

i'm no electronics expert, but I'm guessing that by wiring the motors in series, they are only getting about 3.6 volts each which makes the speed that much more impressive to me. The super rooster takes up to 10 cells, and i have a bunch of older NiCads laying around.....hmmmmm....

[OldSchoolRC]

nice i have a question tho was it hard to make?

not hard, but time consuming and it was certainly a learning process. i know now what not to do for next time, that's for sure. I'd like to pick up another one of these large bodies and try this again knowing what i know now...or run this into the ground and start over....AHHHHH!!!

[pedeboi364]

get an EVX or similar speed control and 7-cell or higher packs... i was really impressed with those speeds!!!! add the above upgrades and wow, that would be soooo much fun!!

[Philderbeast]

Looks to be handling O.K. Once you get the springs figured out, it should handle a little more speed pretty well. I would really like to see you drop in the 650's like we talked about. You will be impressed. 2nd gear will be alot better...even over geared. Now, get that dang ol' body fitted and mounted...PLEASE

[OldSchoolRC]

EVX would be just too much. looking for more of a scale speed, i have my other cars for a speed fix. :)

body will be coming!

[dale_gribble]

Looks great... I can't wait to see what body you slap on that. The pictures don't do the size of that monster justice.

[master_of_desaster]

yeah slap that body on and i'll be happy!

[pedeboi364]

do u have any pics of the body all painted up??? i need to see...

[OldSchoolRC]

the body is not painted yet, i just stripped all the decals off a while ago and worked on the chassis. it's wierd, it's not a true ABS plasic so it's somewhat flexible. i'm afraid a standard spray will crack when it flexes so not sure if i am going to repaint the entire thing or just enough to make it presentable and keep the possibility of cracking to a minimum. painting has never been my strong suit either :(

[master_of_desaster]

well use some kind of body stiffener(sp?) i suck at painting! lol so you know...well whatever you end up doing will be great... just make sure the body does your craftmanship some justice!

[OldSchoolRC]

hmm...got off today for good friday - good day to get things done!!

On a side note, I also just melted my credit card and put a Pajero metaltop and the new CC01 crawler on backorder. ouch!! i actually hope they ship a month apart so the shock to the system isn't so high... but now i'd like to finish this up before the new projects get here!

[master_of_desaster]

haha sweet deal on the cr-01...mines on backorder as well...

[OldSchoolRC]

new tires on order! well, relatively new...waiting till they get here before doing any more work on the chassis. i want to see how they clear the axles and links first.

[OldSchoolRC]

heaven help me, i am debating starting work on a third chassis...since i got all the geometry worked out, i wouldn't have to start from scratch per se...just copy all the bolt holes and what not over. looking to address the weight issue, it's an absolute tank as is without the body and its killing acceleration and handling. i looked at ways to lighten it up....but so far not much there.

i just don't want to start over....again. but if i want to do it right..... decisions, decisions.

[master_of_desaster]

tube it!! lol yeah i bet that things a heavy hauler.

[roadrunnr43]

think of it this way, if you dont get it EXACTLY right, its gonna bug you
forever, so go ahead and do what you think is the awesome-est

[OldSchoolRC]

exactly!! i already drew it out, might start cutting tonight.

[bugz2002]

sweet cant wait to see this when your done if your ever going be done...lol you sound like me you get it half done then you think of something else that would work better and you have to start all over.

[pedeboi364]

Omfg, that happens to me way too much lol!!! ^^^^^

[OldSchoolRC]

that's the story of all my projects, lol. this is the neverending build, but i have a target date in mind now. Going camping in a few weeks and want to have the truck done before then so i can go mess with it in the woods.

i drew it out and picked up the new chassis material today. We'll see how it goes, trying something a little ....well...different. But if all goes well the chassis will be 51% lighter and have a lower CG than before. Win/Win!

[Philderbeast]

Ok, that comment was a little....DRAWING. I need to see what you've came up with now.

[cherokee95]

nice build, I am working on a 1/6 ram as well. Get that body mounted up we want some video:p

[OldSchoolRC]

pics to come whence the chassis is constructed...again :) cutting tonight. Hopefully it goes better than last nights paint fiasco.

[OldSchoolRC]

nice build, I am working on a 1/6 ram as well. Get that body mounted up we want some video:p

sweet! The monster has a brother - get some pics up when you have some time.

[master_of_desaster]

....i need some pics man! haha the never ending project...

[OldSchoolRC]

coming soon - new chassis is cut, drilled, and painted. Making standoffs tonight and should be ready to start moving stuff over this week....

[pedeboi364]

....i need some pics man! haha the never ending project...

LOL, tell me about it... hence my question: is there a way to make my stampede essentially bullet-proof (all rpm, stock, aluminum here and there, but on the CHEAP) and of course there are the parts to do that, but parts will always be re-invented and improved, and therefore you will need to keep updating. same thing with custom-built things, ideas get better and before u know it u have a new chassis, but then the drive line didn't work out the way you though and... here we go again)

lol, sry for the long post, just felt like explaining the ordeal of the never ending project rather than doing homework :D

[master_of_desaster]

....redneck inginuity is all you need for bullet proof!

[OldSchoolRC]

you are right, i already am debating more changes....though not to the chassis, if i don't screw it up i think i have a winner here. i like how the suspension turned out, BUT there are ways to improve.....test drive revealed a few things i didn't like. Depends how much time i have before the trip.

[master_of_desaster]

you got tuns of time!!!!!!!!!!!!!
^^^^
uh oh!! lol tons**

[pedeboi364]

....redneck inginuity is all you need for bullet proof!

but sadly im Russian :( :cool: :p

[master_of_desaster]

yeah....your screwed then...lol j/k man! :p

[Philderbeast]

....redneck inginuity is all you need for bullet proof!

Don't give away my secrets, and I, a man of sa-fist-a-cation, no longer use duct tape. I grad-e-ated to GORILLA TAPE. Bailing wire, yeah right, try quad wire barbed wire, it holds better.

[OldSchoolRC]

how do you think i keep my big truck running... :)

[master_of_desaster]

haha i got-er-dun and bilt now i gunna run her to the grownd

[OldSchoolRC]

this truck is not dead....just making progress a little at a time. i was burning out so took a break on some other projects.

since i was redoing the chassis, i re-did the suspension too. oh, heck, i started completely over. But the entire new chassis and suspension are cut out, bolted together and life is good. just some details and paintwork to do yet. only thing still outstanding is i was never really happy with the steering set up and am looking for a way to mount the steering servo directly to the axle. If anyone has a TXT with the servo on the axle, feel free to put some links up!

i set out to do three things:

improve weight - chassis and tranny with motors weighed 9 lbs, new chassis is a hair under 5. And with the motors sitting 1 inch lower and a lower battery placement, CG is dropped also. it's still not going to be a lightweight, but it's a lot better!!

improve the suspension - it worked pretty good for a homebrew set-up, but too much twist gave me a ton of axle steer - nearly an inch and a half on each wheel. i switched to a 3 link set-up like the WK and Axial have and the axle now moves with much better motion - no more axle steer!!

and improve steering ...well, still working on that.

updated pics to come!

[master_of_desaster]

i'll look up the steering stuff for ya man!

[OldSchoolRC]

I saw one on the bay last night that had an axle mounted servo (and an upside-down tranny - too cool!) though it took up the space where my shocks go....nothing is ever easy. :)

[master_of_desaster]

"nothing is ever easy"

^^^so true

[OldSchoolRC]

thinking outside the box, i do have room for dual mini servos on the axle, and found a pair that would give me a combined 120oz or torque...might be a way to go as they'd be easy to mount. i might have to check it out.... :)

[master_of_desaster]

yeah jus make a bracket and then go from there. maybe like a full size on one side then like a "hydrolic assist" style set-up with a mini servo to back it up. maybe a 1/10th servo rather than a 1/8th... its all up to you!

[roadrunnr43]

that would be a VERY interesting setup.
(DUH, why didnt I think of that)

[OldSchoolRC]

disaster!!! Last week, my kitten knocked the chassis off my workbench and it's broken beyond salvage :( So in a rage, i started over on chassis 3 - actually started over on Friday night, worked all weekend and took it for a test run yesterday.

I did this one a bit different, the tranny has been placed in the front of the chassis putting the motors right under the truck hood where they should be, and putting most of the weight on the front end. I fabbed up a few odds and ends to make a transfer case, and made a modular chassis ilo 1 piece so that if parts break or i want to try something new, i can replace a portion of the chassis ilo the entire thing. Also made much more room to mount everything where i wanted it. Works like a charm, the transfer case chopped the gearing to the point where this thing has loads of torque, but no speed at all - it will need a motor upgrade badly but with the torque and ground clearance it climbs over just about anything.

my internet is down at home, but as soon as it's up, i'll get some pics of the final setup!! finally, there's light at the end of the tunnel. Getting some painting done this week.

[master_of_desaster]

you rang?! lol that suck about the kittien accident! well its good that you got a back up plan! keep us posted with these great up dates!

[OldSchoolRC]

ok, probably going to get canned, but uploading some pics from work...i'll let them do most of the talking, but each time i do one of these, i am getting a little better. practice, practice, practice!!

i used acrylic plate and nylon to put this together, and the final product will be painted/dyed black again, but it looks kinda cool clear. All the acrylic has been scuffed for paint, otherwise it is crystal clear.

i used a wheely king tranny for the transfer case, and the rest of the pics speak for them selves. note the pic of the suspension at full compression - only a mm to spare! Proof that a good plan from the get go makes for a good build.

[OldSchoolRC]

a few more pics....

[OldSchoolRC]

5 more................

[OldSchoolRC]

on the last pic, everything is kinda slapped on there for a test drive...i built in a battery holder that should be able to accomodate 1-2 nimh's if i decide to upgrade, and i left the door open to replace the servo's with Traxxas waterproof ones and add a waterproof radio box so i can get muddy later. Also, the links are designed to be used with either WK or TXT axles - i tested both and they work with little modification. The whole thing is in the process of being disassembled for painting now that i test drove it and it all works. only thing i have to make yet is a few braces for the stress points (suspension arms and shock mounts) - the acrylic plate is strong, but i'd feel safer with some metal in there bracing it. Otherwise, it's pretty solid. Oh, and body mounts...rear is a piece of cake as the bed of the truck sits flush with the chassis, but I have to figure out the front yet.

[pedeboi364]

hmmm, stick a BL and Lipo in there and go for a ride!!! WOOOHOOO!!!

[master_of_desaster]

that looks sooo much better man! i really think is the design. i still think you can do a lil better with the steering set-up though you know? just one thing at a time. this is so cool. im dying to see that big bad mopar body on this chassis! looks great!

[Been 2780]

that looks pretty kool with a clear chassis like that

[OldSchoolRC]

1 step ahead, i already ditched the steering! i used the same set-up since i had the WK style steering arm already on the center tranny, and it all came together pretty easy. It works but not that great. i knew it was going to be a weak spot so i did some research and figured out a way to mount the servo right to the axle. it might interfere with the suspension a bit, we'll how it all shakes out. putting it all back together today and seeing how it looks.

it did look cool clear! but it's all black now, i dyed it all last night. i started just with the nylon and tossed in a piece of leftover acrylic just to see what happens - the black dye turned it a smoke color, i think it looks great. it'll be dark enough under the chassis to look good, but it's still see through by itself. i wish i didn't scuff it, i think it would have looked better, but oh well. notes for next time!

[master_of_desaster]

got pics by chance?

[OldSchoolRC]

they are a'comin....

surfing this forum on my ps3....pretty cool! nothing like rc pics on a 54 in widescreen

[OldSchoolRC]

CHASSIS IS DONE!!! Finally, jeez... :)

i got the servo mounted on the axle, what a difference. steering is 100% improved, no slop and can turn the wheels at a standstill. AND it didn't affect the suspension, i managed to tuck it all in there. i just made a plate to support it on the bottom, drilled a few holes in the axle case to hold it down, bolted the servo to it so it was tight to the top of the axle and made a braket to hold the top in place - it's solid as a rock, not going anywhere. took a pic, sorry it's a bit blurry.

i started putting the chassis back together tonight, and got it together for a test drive. i swapped out the 2 12T motors wired in series and used two stock 27t's in paralell - what a difference! the gear reduction in the WK tranny allows the lower torque motors to rev up and it's about 2x as fast as before with the same amount of torque. Run time was pretty good, and the ESC handles down to 17t in parallel, so there this plenty to room for more speed.

suspension is pretty well sorted out for now, no more axle steer, the heavier springs and lighter chassis are working well, and more then enough twist (i may end up limiting it - we'll see with the body on) but overall, I am very, very happy with the entire set-up.

Bolted on the old clod tires to see how they looked...ehhh...can do better i think.

Thanks cat for knocking over the chassis, this version is sooooo much better!! Finally time to finally start working on the body. About time!!

[master_of_desaster]

hey man this looks soo awesome! i really like the suspenison arms. looks great!hey i like the steering setup as well, sorta what i said right? you should get some rc4wd Mud Slinger 40's on some black maximizer beadlocks that would look awesome!

[OldSchoolRC]

it turned out well, i am sooooo glad all the hard parts are done. Learned a lot along the way, I'll be doing another custom something after this. Probably moving on to my TLT, it's been sitting in pieces for months.

Only real issue left is addressing the spring loaded drive gear in the WK tranny, it clicks a bit when getting going....guess it was never meant to handle dual motors and large tires. won't break anything, but it's highly annoying. Everything else works perfect.

i do like the clod size wheels, the savage tires looked more scale, but the clod tires fit the "monster" bill a bit better. I was looking at the clod sized mud slingers as i just ordered wheel spacers too...very interesting, but pricy. not sure what i want to do yet, have to get the body on and see how it all looks.

[bugz2002]

you going post any videos of this beast runing around or just pictures?

[focus07]

Looking good, The Clod tires do make it look more "MONSTER" But I would like to see some 40 series on it. Whats the plan for the body?

[OldSchoolRC]

no vids yet, waiting till i get the body done.

As far as the body, I'm not sure yet. i have the colors and paint scheme picked, but debating on how far to detail it. i was looking at the custom interiors, engine bays, etc and what not over on scale4x4 and there are some SWEET trucks over there....gives me some ideas, but i don't think i want to go that far with it, and i have a lot of other projects to get to. although should i want to in the future, the chassis is ready for an interior since i mounted the motors up front and have room in the center of the chassis for a full one in there i really just want to get it painted, mounted and ready for camping trip #1 in 2 weeks.

[master_of_desaster]

fit a scale parma Hemi in there!!

[Scorpion3443]

nice,




your cat looks like mine

[Steve.M]

Very nice truck !!!

Is that a E-Sav or E-Maxx tranny?

[OldSchoolRC]

nice, your cat looks like mine

you want two of them? lol

[OldSchoolRC]

Very nice truck !!!

Is that a E-Sav or E-Maxx tranny?

E-maxx, i wanted the 2sp. capability.

[master_of_desaster]

yeah a lil more scale speed capablilities

[OldSchoolRC]

commencing bodywork....first pic is where i started, and second is progress so far. The body had molded in valences along the front, rear and sides like a lowered truck would have - they don't belong on a monster! Out came the dremel and off they went!! Stripped all the lights and windows off and started sanding down the mold lines. No intentions of making this a concours quality body at this point, but hate those mold lines with a passion. also ground off the front "new bright" plate mount.....and sanding out some of the dings from when it took a header down the stairs. :) lots to do....

on the chassis side, i think i'll stick with the clod tires for now - they look a little out of scale, but they are starting to grow on me. i added a set of RC4WD axle extenders to push the wheels out a little further and the stance looks much better. I have chrome rims on order too.

i stopped by the lhs tonight on the way home and picked up a pile of styrene and various glues.... not sure what i want to do with it yet, but i might start experimenting a bit just to get the hang of working with it.

[master_of_desaster]

that looks really good man! good idea getting rid of the valences btw. gte a shot of the truck with the body on even tho its not finished i want to see it mounted with the wheel extenders

[OldSchoolRC]

i will get some soon, the only part i have to fab up is the front body mount, i'll want to do that before i do any painting. I'll take a pic shortly

[master_of_desaster]

Saweetness!!

[roadrunnr43]

you should think about velcro body mounts. there more scale looking

[focus07]

X2 on the velcro mounts. Also another site to check for scale vehicles would be rccrawlers.com and check out the large scale section. Get some recaro seats(cell phone holders) available at amazon.com. Maybe check out the doll section at walmart for a dash and steering wheel and some wrestling action figures for a driver. Cant wait to see it finished!

[OldSchoolRC]

already on the velcro! i kept the back of the chassis flat for that exact purpose. just have to come up with something for the front. wider would be better to help support the body, it hangs way out there.

interior wise...hmm..not sure yet. not going to do one right away, though i would like to at some point.

[master_of_desaster]

well whatever happens im dying to see this beast crawl!

[OldSchoolRC]

if my grass didn't need to be cut every other day, i'd be making a lot more progress :) I picked up some foam, sandpaper, and a few files too....might try my hand at making some additions to the body.

[master_of_desaster]

ill come up and cut your lawn if i get to drive it and take it home for a week!! =D

[master_of_desaster]

the chassis only needs to be about 4 inches longer, it's the height that has me worried. to get that body up in the air and get the proper clearance for the tires, i have to jack it way up. i originally designed a chassis using the stock maxx plate, but flat isn't going to work - it's going to look terrible. look at the pic and you can see what i mean about the height. the body is pretty close in relation to the axles to where it needs to be.....so back to the drawing board.

well, i see e-maxx tranny's go for anywhere from 80-100 (plus a gazillion dollars for shipping) on Ebay, and i bought mine with an upgraded robinson spur/slipper set and the lightweight top gear for under 100 - barely - so it worked out pretty close. plus this way i know everything is new and unabused. And i like to build... :) had i gone with stock parts all around, probably looking at closer to $80.




and to think you were gunna try to go with independent suspension!!!!!!!!!!!:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :D :rolleyes:

[pedeboi364]

the build is looking sweet!! especially cuz im on my ps3 and huge screen!! anyways, are you planning on putting steel gears in that tranny or do you think you'll stick with a slower powerplant?? remember we all wana see this thing go brushless and lipo!! lol

[OldSchoolRC]

the build is looking sweet!! especially cuz im on my ps3 and huge screen!! anyways, are you planning on putting steel gears in that tranny or do you think you'll stick with a slower powerplant?? remember we all wana see this thing go brushless and lipo!! lol

i might bump up to 19t motors once i get the body mounted to help with the extra weight, but i think that's as high as it goes. i may not even do that - i'm pretty happy with it as is. No plans to change the tranny gears though, but i will have to figure something out for the WK tranny. the "clicker slipper" is not handling the weight and dual motors that well. Next project will be more for speed, that's where the brushless comes in... :)


and to think you were gunna try to go with independent suspension

live and learn! ...and 3 chassis designs later too. not to mention I saved my T-maxx in the process. (which is still in pieces - i have a spare E-maxx tranny...may rebuild as an e-maxx, not sure - too many projects!)

[master_of_desaster]

not to give you any pressure but PLEASE HURRY UP!!!!!!!!!! lol im seriously dying to see this truck finished so i can drive it!!!

[OldSchoolRC]

going....lol. patience young skywalker. (guess what i watched all last weekend) - kinda glad i am taking my time, i am getting a ton of ideas in the meantime for the body...kinda adding things in my head as i go.

i am in the middle of a fire-sale, selling off about 6-8 cars and trucks - mostly nitro to fund my new found electric habits.....or buy a 5Bss...or support my soon to be unemployed rear end, not sure yet. Takes some some to get them cleaned up and out on the bay. once i get them out there, back to the build!

[master_of_desaster]

what trucks you selling? sucks about the possibility of unemployment man hope that works out for you. lemme guess the movie....uhhhh....Space Balls? no no no....Star Trek!!!...no no no, its gotta be Battle Star Galactica!!!

I LOVE STAR WARS!!!

i got a couple of cool paint jobs i'll send you via Private Message. sound good?!

[OldSchoolRC]

getting rid of my savage, jato, kyosho burns, tamiya F103, Celica FF02, Vanquish (heartbreaker!) HPI MTSS, and Associated NTC3, and Elec TC3. Clearing house, lol - i have too much crap laying around. it's about 1/3 of my collection.

Sure, send some pics!

[master_of_desaster]

any chance of a ball park for the savage?

[OldSchoolRC]

it's on the bay with a yellow bronco body ....

back on the hemi, the chrome clod rims came in today! And I started cutting some "first attempt" fender flares for the body out of foam....i am waiting for some foam safe CA and microballoons for the epoxy before going any further. See how it goes, i am not really committed to it, just trying to learn some stuff.

i did order a ton of parts for my next project too. i have no self-control.

[master_of_desaster]

theres a time in our lives where no self control is a good thing...buying rc related items is one of those times

[OldSchoolRC]

spent the morning wet sanding, i think my fingers are going to fall off. Sanded smooth the areas where the original paint met the plastic, any mold lines i could find, and tried to get out a few dings that i found here and there. Alsa, i filled in the front side marker areas with styrene and filler, and am in the process of closing in the front fog lamps in the bumper. Not sure how it's going to come out, but sanded down some foam and epoxy'd it in there. I was just going to use a styrene sheet, but there wasn't much to glue it to. From there, will either fill it in with more body filler or put strene over top and fill it in from there. Depends on how well that foam holds up.

When it all dries, i'll get some pics.

[master_of_desaster]

cool deal!

[OldSchoolRC]

well, the body filler ate the foam filler in the foglights....i thought it might, i should have checked on a scrap piece first. So have to do some more filler tonight or at least i have something to glue the styrene to. I was hoping to get some primer on, but have to wait another day (it's really rainy today anyway) I was going to experiment with fender flares, but since my CR01 shipped, think i'll just get it all sanded and painted and call it good for now.

Pretty cool never did this much bodywork before, and the guys on Powerblock were doing all kinds of bodywork all morning. Learned a few things along the way. :) Cool stuff, looking at my old faithful clod body and getting some ideas....

[pedeboi364]

^^^^^lol, i was watching muscle car too and thought about this thread!!! nice to know im not the only one who watches powerblock too :D

[focus07]

I watch Powerblock as well, I like Extreme 4x4 and Trucks. I remember way back when Trucks first started and they had a a couple of Tamiya TL01's Ford Lightning on it. Wish Extreme4x4 would do a segment on r/c rock crawling if they havent and if they did I missed it.

[OldSchoolRC]

i love the powerblock, i usually watch it every weekend. of course, i think i'm in love with Jessi on Extreme 4x4.... it's amazng how much full size technology applies to smaller scale vehicles.

[master_of_desaster]

I watch Powerblock as well, I like Extreme 4x4 and Trucks. I remember way back when Trucks first started and they had a a couple of Tamiya TL01's Ford Lightning on it. Wish Extreme4x4 would do a segment on r/c rock crawling if they havent and if they did I missed it.

im with you on that! those are my 2 favorite shows along with horsepower. i think Jesse is a complete babe but im also digging the Host!!!:eek:

[OldSchoolRC]

oh Courtney Hanson can come over and help with with my rides any day of the week. I was a big fan of Overhaulin' back in the day and she was host over there too...

totally getting off topic... :)

back to Mo - some sanding and more filler last night to fill in where it ate away the foam in the foglights. Lesson learned, lol - Epoxy the foam first! i think i'll have one more filler coat to go yet. if the weather holds, i'll try and get a shot of primer down to help see what else needs to be sanded.

[TMAXX JUNKIES]

JEEZ I FINALLY TOOK THE TIME TO READ MY WAY THREW THAT THREAD AND I MUST SAY I AM IMPRESSED . HOW MUCH TIME DO YOU HAVE INTO THIS PROJECT? IF ONLY I COULD COME UP WITH IDEA'S LIKE THAT. I AM GOING TO SCHOOL FOR CNC BECAUSE OF ALL THE POSSIBILITIES OF MAKING MY OWN PARTS AND IT PAYS GOOD.THAT THING IS KILLER!!! I WILL KEEP UP WITH IT NOW. ALSO WHAT SCALE IS IT?
oh Courtney Hanson can come over and help with with my rides any day of the week. I was a big fan of Overhaulin' back in the day and she was host over there too...

totally getting off topic... :)

back to Mo - some sanding and more filler last night to fill in where it ate away the foam in the foglights. Lesson learned, lol - Epoxy the foam first! i think i'll have one more filler coat to go yet. if the weather holds, i'll try and get a shot of primer down to help see what else needs to be sanded.

[OldSchoolRC]

Welcome aboard!

well, about 4 months..lol - that's including a few poor attempts at a chassis and some not so subtle learning curves.

CNC would be great, i would love to re-do this thing in aluminum. i used plastic as it's much easier to shape and machine. future project....

Somewhere between 1/7 and 1/6 roughly, i never really figured it out. it's big, no doubt.

[pedeboi364]

lol, sry to be going back to the powerblock thing... anyways, when the guys on trucks got their new workshop i remembered them opening the scene with a nitro monster truck (maxx is my guess) and i really think they should put an rc segment in the block too... as for Jessie and Courtney, man it's be cool to find a hot chick my age interested in these things (im 13, LOL)

[TMAXX JUNKIES]

What A Great Project. Man That's Big !! How Do Make Your Chassis's Now Ban Saw /drill Press If So Thats Some Precision Work There .can't Wait To See A Finished Project. And Is That Body A Wally World Deluxe?

[TMAXX JUNKIES]

I REALLY GOT LUCKY IN THAT DEPARTMENT MY GIRLFRIEND WANTED ME T BUILD HER A NITRO RC I WILL START A THREAD AS TO NOT IMPOSE ON OLD SCHOOLS TERF.LOOK UNDER NITRO BUGGY SOON
lol, sry to be going back to the powerblock thing... anyways, when the guys on trucks got their new workshop i remembered them opening the scene with a nitro monster truck (maxx is my guess) and i really think they should put an rc segment in the block too... as for Jessie and Courtney, man it's be cool to find a hot chick my age interested in these things (im 13, LOL)

[OldSchoolRC]

it'd be cool to find one at my age interested too, and i'm 32! lol.

TMAXX, to answer your question i use a jig saw, belt/disc sander, drill press and lots of Dremel work. and lots and lots of trial and error... :) it's a new bright truck, wal-mart was selling them for a while. Chassis was garbage, but when i saw that body, bought one on the spot.

ok, on to Mo' - took a body on chassis shot. it's not much, but it's coming together. Got the chrome rims on there and the axle wideners and i am pretty happy with the stance overall. Looks a little goofy in the pic, but it's pretty much spot on.

Took a pic of the main spots where the body work is going on, this takes forever!! I got everything mostly even and filled up, i was hoping to primer tonight, but i still have a few low spots so i sanded, filled again and i think that should do it. I did pick up a pair of 19t motors to give it a kick in the power department. Wired in parallel, they should be plenty of juice. (Orion Method motors are by far the best bang for the buck - $32 for both!!)

Last shot - getting harder and harder to keep focused!!! :):)

[master_of_desaster]

hey ill be getting my cr-01 by the 2nd of May! sweet lookin ride. i really think you should look into RC4WD's 40 series mud slingers. idk why, but the tires look a lil too small. i would stay with them till you get the body done then see how you like it.

CONGRATS ON THE RIDE OF THE WEEK!!!

[OldSchoolRC]

I am very excited about the CR01, but i do plan on selling off the body - it looks fantastic, but I'm not a big FJ fan. Be putting something else on there, but not sure yet. Yet another project for another post, lol.

The tires are a little small....i do not have them glued yet so i can swap them out later and still use the rims - using a rubber band in the beads to keep them from slipping. works great!

What is the ride of the week?

[roadrunnr43]

somebody picks a car, and post it on the RCD web site. not much you dont know, its just a link to here.
i kinda like the chevrons, they look kind of 'old school':D (pardon the horrible pun)
it also makes it look more scale

[OldSchoolRC]

that's awesome! THANK YOU MODS FOR PUTTING MO' OUT FRONT! :)

I didn't even notice, i have the forums saved as a favorite and just jump right in here.

i have primer!!! dosn't look like it took the cheapo plastic too well though... will need a wet sand and another coat looks like. but thank Primus - no more orange!!! Will get some pics up shortly.