RCCrawler Forums

RexRacer19 · 03-22-2009, 09:20 PM

So, I have been looking for something fun to make into a basher. I have been temped to just get a Slash, but I have a soft spot for Monster Trucks. I bought a Wheely King and converted it as my fist crawler. I drove it stock for a couple of weeks and remembered how fun it was to bash around with. So, I got this notion to do another one and make a simple Grave Digger replica with it. I had an old Parma body laying around (actually it was on my Ripper Clod) and still had a stock WK frame, wheels, and tires to mock things up with. My biggest concern was that the WK tires would not look right with the 1/10 body. After studying some pics, I convinced myself that it should look pretty close. At least good enough for a basher.

I picked up a WK with no electronics at my LHS and got to work:

The mods to the chassis are pretty simple. The only things required were some spare drive shaft parts (that I had from the first truck) and some spacers for the upper links. That's it. By rotating the lower link/shock mounts and using the stock links, the wheelbase gets increased to about 10 7/8". I mounted the shocks in the upper holes on the 4-link brackets and the lower links were moved to the lower holes but inboard in so they would not interfere with the shock mounts. Pretty simple.

I painted the chassis sides bright green and the links silver to match the OG digger.

I figured out that I could make the tires look a little more realistic by shaving the outer parts of the lugs a little more rounded. You can see the look in the left front tire (closest) in the pic above. I plan on painting the wheels sliver and doing a black outer ring like the current truck has as well. They should be good enough for now.

With the body on, it makes for a pretty good look. Compared to pics of the real truck I think the proportions look about right. I would say that if anything was off, the tires could stand to be just a smidge wider. Maybe 1/4" or so. I need to get a new lid for it as this one is a little beat up. I drove it around a little today and it runs pretty good. It is a little more stable than the original Wheely King due to the longer wheelbase and handles the jumps pretty well. I need to put a better ESC in it that gives a little more punch and probably a hotter motor to get some better wheely action.

Once I get the wheels painted up, I will try and get some nicer outside shots of it. This thing reminds me of my clod...only it takes less space and runs longer on a battery.

PEDEcrawlerguy · 03-22-2009, 09:27 PM

Other than not having an upper cage... it looks good.

BJoe · 03-22-2009, 10:26 PM

Very cool, you planning on bumping up the power too?

canadianbacon · 03-23-2009, 10:35 AM

That is awesome, just like PEDE said, it just needs the upper cage in the back of the body then it'll be set.

RexRacer19 · 03-23-2009, 10:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BJoe

Very cool, you planning on bumping up the power too?

Thanks. Yeah...just a little though. I want to be able to put the nose in the air at will and have a little more speed.

Quote:

Originally Posted by canadianbacon12

That is awesome, just like PEDE said, it just needs the upper cage in the back of the body then it'll be set.

Thanks man. As cool as that would be, honestly, I just wanted a simple basher truck with minimal effort. At some point in the future, I have got in mind to do an entire tube frame based on this drivetrain. I have seen at least one really nice one done like that. It is not a basher though.

RXcrawler · 03-23-2009, 10:52 AM

That looks great! What paint did you use for the frame?

I have a tube frame that would be great for your future project

nascarkeith · 03-23-2009, 11:00 AM

That looks really good. Digger is my all time favorite monster truck. Thanks a lot now I wanna buy a WK.

STANG KILLA SS · 03-23-2009, 12:15 PM

holy crap that looks amazingly perfect!

Tupers · 03-23-2009, 01:03 PM

Damn that looks pretty awesome for a basher.

chip cross · 03-23-2009, 02:18 PM

You are reading my mind I was just about to start on the same thing. That thing is so badass I can't wait to build mine now !!!

RexRacer19 · 03-23-2009, 06:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RXcrawler

That looks great! What paint did you use for the frame?

I have a tube frame that would be great for your future project

It is Grabber Green engine enamel. I think it is pretty close to the real truck, but slightly darker than the flames on the parma body. It is an old body though... Pactra florescent green would probably be perfect.

Digger frame?

Quote:

Originally Posted by STANG KILLA SS

holy crap that looks amazingly perfect!

Thanks, dude. I think this chassis and tire combo could make some really scale looking monsters using some of the 1/10 scale truck bodies. Many of the shorter WB HPI/Proline/Parma bodies would look real good on there. The look of this one came out better than I expected. I can't wait to get the wheels done and the rest of the tires shaped.

Quote:

Originally Posted by chip cross

You are reading my mind I was just about to start on the same thing. That thing is so badass I can't wait to build mine now !!!

I am surprised that I have not seen one already. Maybe I missed it. But yeah, great little monster truck project.

Get busy!

XSRCdesign · 03-23-2009, 09:13 PM

This is the first time Ive wanted a Wheelie King...

Nice job :nice:

william g · 03-24-2009, 07:50 AM

amazing how good a "simple" build can look so good

ecoli · 03-24-2009, 01:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by exesivefire

This is the first time Ive wanted a Wheelie King...

Nice job :nice:

X2! Simple but very effective. My son just loves the looks of this!

trailduster79 · 03-24-2009, 10:24 PM

looks good. Can't wait to see more pictures of it.

RexRacer19 · 04-05-2009, 07:58 PM

I got a little time to monkey with this thing over the weekend. I changed the motor out to an old ROAR legal stock 27 turn motor that I had laying around (Trinity Copper) and left the gearing stock. I also added a more capable ESC in hopes of getting better wheely action. With the stretched wheelbase, it is not as easy as with the stock truck.

This did the trick and added a good bit of speed as well. With a fresh battery, just punch it from a standstill to get it up on the skid. It just takes a little throttle management at first to ride long ass wheelys. Overall, it is a little soft in the turns and on the power, I may come up with a simple sway bar setup for it at some point.

I also got a chance to shoot some video today. This thing is fun!

WK Digger Vid

jeepcj578 · 04-05-2009, 08:04 PM

man that vid is great

dezslash · 04-05-2009, 08:33 PM

Mna sweet vid making me want to get the clod out and build some sort of chassis and make a monster truck!

BJoe · 04-05-2009, 08:43 PM

Great video!

miniguy · 04-06-2009, 12:16 AM

looks good i like it

03-22-2009, 09:20 PM	#1
RexRacer19 Let me 3D Print that... Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Concord Posts: 315	Quck and Easy WK Grave Digger Basher (Now with Video) So, I have been looking for something fun to make into a basher. I have been temped to just get a Slash, but I have a soft spot for Monster Trucks. I bought a Wheely King and converted it as my fist crawler. I drove it stock for a couple of weeks and remembered how fun it was to bash around with. So, I got this notion to do another one and make a simple Grave Digger replica with it. I had an old Parma body laying around (actually it was on my Ripper Clod) and still had a stock WK frame, wheels, and tires to mock things up with. My biggest concern was that the WK tires would not look right with the 1/10 body. After studying some pics, I convinced myself that it should look pretty close. At least good enough for a basher. I picked up a WK with no electronics at my LHS and got to work: The mods to the chassis are pretty simple. The only things required were some spare drive shaft parts (that I had from the first truck) and some spacers for the upper links. That's it. By rotating the lower link/shock mounts and using the stock links, the wheelbase gets increased to about 10 7/8". I mounted the shocks in the upper holes on the 4-link brackets and the lower links were moved to the lower holes but inboard in so they would not interfere with the shock mounts. Pretty simple. I painted the chassis sides bright green and the links silver to match the OG digger. I figured out that I could make the tires look a little more realistic by shaving the outer parts of the lugs a little more rounded. You can see the look in the left front tire (closest) in the pic above. I plan on painting the wheels sliver and doing a black outer ring like the current truck has as well. They should be good enough for now. With the body on, it makes for a pretty good look. Compared to pics of the real truck I think the proportions look about right. I would say that if anything was off, the tires could stand to be just a smidge wider. Maybe 1/4" or so. I need to get a new lid for it as this one is a little beat up. I drove it around a little today and it runs pretty good. It is a little more stable than the original Wheely King due to the longer wheelbase and handles the jumps pretty well. I need to put a better ESC in it that gives a little more punch and probably a hotter motor to get some better wheely action. Once I get the wheels painted up, I will try and get some nicer outside shots of it. This thing reminds me of my clod...only it takes less space and runs longer on a battery. Last edited by RexRacer19; 04-05-2009 at 08:00 PM.

03-23-2009, 10:52 AM	#6
RXcrawler Moderator Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: In my head Posts: 2,744	That looks great! What paint did you use for the frame? I have a tube frame that would be great for your future project Last edited by RXcrawler; 03-23-2009 at 10:55 AM.

03-22-2009, 09:27 PM	#2
PEDEcrawlerguy Rock Crawler Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: clearfield Posts: 678	Other than not having an upper cage... it looks good.

03-22-2009, 10:26 PM	#3
BJoe I wanna be Dave Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: We-Go, Chi-Town, Ill Posts: 2,552	Very cool, you planning on bumping up the power too?

03-23-2009, 10:35 AM	#4
canadianbacon RCC Addict Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Moncton, NB, Canada Posts: 1,962	That is awesome, just like PEDE said, it just needs the upper cage in the back of the body then it'll be set.

03-23-2009, 11:00 AM	#7
nascarkeith Rock Crawler Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Tuscaloosa Posts: 855	That looks really good. Digger is my all time favorite monster truck. Thanks a lot now I wanna buy a WK.

03-23-2009, 12:15 PM	#8
STANG KILLA SS ~THE SCALE SHOP~ Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: KILLEEN TX Posts: 10,056	holy crap that looks amazingly perfect!

03-23-2009, 01:03 PM	#9
Tupers Rock Crawler Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Great Britain Posts: 935	Damn that looks pretty awesome for a basher.

03-23-2009, 02:18 PM	#10
chip cross ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: In tha Bush of Louisiana Posts: 4,343	You are reading my mind I was just about to start on the same thing. That thing is so badass I can't wait to build mine now !!!

03-23-2009, 09:13 PM	#12
XSRCdesign I wanna be Dave Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: NE Ohio Posts: 8,817	This is the first time Ive wanted a Wheelie King... Nice job :nice:

03-24-2009, 07:50 AM	#13
william g Quarry Creeper Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: newport Posts: 408	amazing how good a "simple" build can look so good

03-24-2009, 10:24 PM	#15
trailduster79 Rock Crawler Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Windsor, VA Posts: 573	looks good. Can't wait to see more pictures of it.

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04-05-2009, 07:58 PM	#16
RexRacer19 Let me 3D Print that... Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Concord Posts: 315	I got a little time to monkey with this thing over the weekend. I changed the motor out to an old ROAR legal stock 27 turn motor that I had laying around (Trinity Copper) and left the gearing stock. I also added a more capable ESC in hopes of getting better wheely action. With the stretched wheelbase, it is not as easy as with the stock truck. This did the trick and added a good bit of speed as well. With a fresh battery, just punch it from a standstill to get it up on the skid. It just takes a little throttle management at first to ride long ass wheelys. Overall, it is a little soft in the turns and on the power, I may come up with a simple sway bar setup for it at some point. I also got a chance to shoot some video today. This thing is fun! WK Digger Vid

04-05-2009, 08:04 PM	#17
jeepcj578 RCC Addict Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: southaven Posts: 1,934	man that vid is great

04-05-2009, 08:33 PM	#18
dezslash Pebble Pounder Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: albuquerque Posts: 165	Mna sweet vid making me want to get the clod out and build some sort of chassis and make a monster truck!

04-05-2009, 08:43 PM	#19
BJoe I wanna be Dave Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: We-Go, Chi-Town, Ill Posts: 2,552	Great video!

04-06-2009, 12:16 AM	#20
miniguy Rock Stacker Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: sumner Posts: 54	looks good i like it