2mtech's SCX10.3 JoLene

[2mtech]

I could turn this into a bitch/rant post. I really could. I choose not to. I will only say this build now ranks above only the TF2 in not thrilled. While the kit itself is far from a failure to be sure, the fact that the manual made it to print with sooo many less than stellar illustrations, part number errors and hardware count mistakes is inexcusable.

Apparently I was the single person in the community not to have caught that one end of the links was left hand thread. Shame on me, ok, but nowhere in the manual was this unusual deviation from typical technique noted. Minor irritation though, easily overcome once puzzled out.

The holes...well, they were there. I used them. It's whatever.

Some steps take longer to lay out than others. Of course, kind of a waste of time and a frustration adder when part #'s and hardware count in the side panel are wrong often as not...maybe I can get over doing this yet.

I applaud anyone who got every link going in the right direction the first time. Now be honest! I like how it went together though.

Of course even with a relatively small DS3218 servo I had to do the customary mount modification. Not much point even using the simulated engine now since the simulated oil filter fell victim to the Dremel, couldn't keep oil in it anyway.

I like the basic layout of the frame and how it was executed. I found the manual lacking here as well though and flipped ahead more than once to figure out where some things were meant to go.

To speak to one of Jato's pet peeves, I like that they put the frame pieces in individual bags so there were no rub marks or scratches to be found on the pristine finish. I also really appreciate that the rear bumper mount alignment pins were an interference fit into the frame holes or it probably would've gone flying once or twice while balancing both frame pieces and the skid/link assembly trying to get that first screw started.

Maybe I was just having an off day, it was the first time I've ever shut everything off and left the bench to re-collect my chi.

In any case, it went better after that and there's a chassis:

I'm glad this wasn't my first build...again. I'm sure it will go much better from here! "thumbsup"

 

[$uicide $hift]

Apparently I was the single person in the community not to have caught that one end of the links was left hand thread. Shame on me, ok, but nowhere in the manual was this unusual deviation from typical technique noted. Minor irritation though, easily overcome once puzzled out.

I noticed this but did not think it was wrong, I just thought I was a dumb ass... Well I am but that is a discussion for another time. I was wondering why I could not get some to thread until I just tried going the opposite direction. From there if it did not catch I would just try the other way. Yes that was a bit of a frustration as well as other areas you pointed out.

I applaud anyone who got every link going in the right direction the first time. Now be honest! I like how it went together though.

I think I just got really lucky. As I assembled the links I set them aside as sets, steering links, upper front, upper rear etc. I laid them on the manual and set the ends to the same orientation as the picture and installed them the first shot.

Maybe I was just having an off day, it was the first time I've ever shut everything off and left the bench to re-collect my chi.

I'm glad this wasn't my first build...again. I'm sure it will go much better from here! "thumbsup"

I had a few moments like that as well. This kit is well made but it certainly tested my patience. I did step away a few times to take a break. I agree that if this is a persons first build they may have a bit of a time getting it together.

I will say though, once you are done, and take it for a rip, all these frustrations will not be thought of at all. So far I have run a few packs through and I must say this truck is freaking awesome. Had I known they were releasing this back in November I would have never bought the TRX4. I like it and I know most will say they should perform similar but out of the box stock this Axial rig performs better than the TRX4.

My TRX4 is still completely stock as I was still driving my SCX10 12' wrangler more often. A lot of that had to do with the Bronco body really limiting the approach angle and I was just not all that excited to fit a new body and bumpers to it. So my thoughts are based on both trucks being completely stock and I will most likely sell my hardly used TRX4 as it will be sitting on a shelf collecting dust.

 

[JatoTheRipper]

Oh, trust me, I went through my manual and made all the pen & ink changes before I ever started. I've added a couple more for him since but still found a few more tonight.

Thanks! I couldn't quit that if I wanted to!

That's a great idea to mark the manual with Rich's addendum BEFORE attempting the build. I always forget and then sometimes struggle through things he explains in the addendum.

Wow. Your laying out of parts before each step is the cleanest and most organized I've seen! Watching me build would probably drive you nuts! :lmao:

Thanks! The build ls always my favorite part so I like to savor the experience rather than seeing how fast I can slap it together. Makes for a slow series build thread. Work seems really slow today tho, so.........

I wish I had the patience for taking my time. I don't. On the contrary, I have this desire to reach the goal of completion very quickly. It sucks because builds go too quickly...until I get to paint and then they just drag on.

I could turn this into a bitch/rant post. I really could. I choose not to. I will only say this build now ranks above only the TF2 in not thrilled. While the kit itself is far from a failure to be sure, the fact that the manual made it to print with sooo many less than stellar illustrations, part number errors and hardware count mistakes is inexcusable.

That's my problem...I don't hold back on the bitching and ranting. I definitely should do that more often when it comes to bad products, bad builds, or just weak points of a build. I think you'll retract that statement this this places above the TF2.

Apparently I was the single person in the community not to have caught that one end of the links was left hand thread. Shame on me, ok, but nowhere in the manual was this unusual deviation from typical technique noted. Minor irritation though, easily overcome once puzzled out.

That sucks! If you don't know they are turnbuckles than I can see how that would drive you nuts and/or piss you off to no end. Going forward, know that if the links have a line on one end that means they are turnbuckles.

To speak to one of Jato's pet peeves...

When people mention my name in a build thread I'm honored because it means they read my threads and I appreciate it. Thank you for reading my builds. "thumbsup"

Maybe I was just having an off day, it was the first time I've ever shut everything off and left the bench to re-collect my chi.

I had to walk away when I was trying to attach the passenger side frame rails. Getting all of those parts lined up was a royal PITA.

 

[2mtech]

I will say though, once you are done, and take it for a rip, all these frustrations will not be thought of at all. So far I have run a few packs through and I must say this truck is freaking awesome. Had I known they were releasing this back in November I would have never bought the TRX4. I like it and I know most will say they should perform similar but out of the box stock this Axial rig performs better than the TRX4.

My TRX4 is still completely stock as I was still driving my SCX10 12' wrangler more often. A lot of that had to do with the Bronco body really limiting the approach angle and I was just not all that excited to fit a new body and bumpers to it. So my thoughts are based on both trucks being completely stock and I will most likely sell my hardly used TRX4 as it will be sitting on a shelf collecting dust.

That's encouraging! Not only was the TRX-4 Sport my most enjoyable build yet it rapidly became my favorite rig to run. This truck will have to be pretty impressive to make me want to part with the Traxxas!

Wow. Your laying out of parts before each step is the cleanest and most organized I've seen! :lmao:

Thanks...it's a curse ;-)

I wish I had the patience for taking my time. I don't. On the contrary, I have this desire to reach the goal of completion very quickly. It sucks because builds go too quickly...until I get to paint and then they just drag on.

Normally I would agree wholeheartedly. This time I find myself looking forward to paint because it means I'll be done building! "thumbsup"

That's my problem...I don't hold back on the bitching and ranting. I definitely should do that more often when it comes to bad products, bad builds, or just weak points of a build. I think you'll retract that statement this this places above the TF2.

I've never held back at all regarding my dissatisfaction and disappointment with the TF2 kit. I finished the build and ran it once out of sheer spite but got rid of it just as quickly. Anything else I could ever build will have the automatic advantage of being better than that!

That sucks! If you don't know they are turnbuckles than I can see how that would drive you nuts and/or piss you off to no end. Going forward, know that if the links have a line on one end that means they are turnbuckles.

Huh. Didn't realize that meant something.

I had to walk away when I was trying to attach the passenger side frame rails. Getting all of those parts lined up was a royal PITA.

Agreed!!


Thanks both for reading all this rambling shit! "thumbsup"

 

[JatoTheRipper]

Huh. Didn't realize that meant something.

Now you know. "thumbsup" But if you never built a racing specific RC chassis or some bashers, you probably wouldn't know this. Turnbuckles are almost never used on crawlers or scalers.

 

[2mtech]

I found the trick to this build, finally...don't pay too much attention to the manual. For quite possibly the first time ever, I started dumping out bags of parts and hardware into a pile and, briefly referring to the manual, just started assembling, picking out what I needed as it came up. It worked out pretty well, lol. I never use shorty batteries and own none so I didn't bother adding the short battery tray.

I had to do quite a bit of Dremel work on the front of the motor cover to get it to fit with the belt & pulley assy, but it worked out just fine...I like it.

The receiver box was a great fit for the now tiny Spektrum SR515 rx. Small shame the shift servo wire was too short to reach into the box even from only a couple inches away; a bigger shame that the only extension I had on hand was a 6" (doh), but it worked out ok too. I really like the domed receiver box cover too, left plenty of tucked wire room without smashing everything like a flat top would have.

My fourth set of motor leads (I'll never pre wire again) worked out just fine routing them as mikemcE suggested. I can live with the wiring layout.

Looking forward to some wheel & tire work, and then on to shooting paint! Sure is nice not to have to cut out and drum sand a body. Pretty sure I can get used to this pre cut stuff too!

 

[AK KRAWLER]

That looks really nice man!!!

 

[2mtech]

That looks really nice man!!!

Thanks!

 

[2mtech]

Maybe it's just me, but there's something almost spiritually rewarding about getting through a chassis build, tweaking links and setting shock pre load, calibrating and programming the ESC, setting up end points for steering, sub trim and travel for a shifter servo...and then doing that first test run through the house and everything works! No noise, no wheel wobble, 2 speed shifts smoothly and positively. It's a better moment for me than the first run in the wild.

I have some hemistorm-esque paint techniques I've been wanting to try...but not this time. I think we'll keep it simple on this one.

 

[2mtech]

So I've decided to become an artist. I call this first one "A**hole Cowboy in Bad Sweater"

It could've gone worse......

 

[smog]

:ror: he’s an asshole?

I am laughing even though I sense I am missing some inside information.

Do cowboys even wear sweaters?

 

[JatoTheRipper]

The truck looks good and so does the interior. How is the driver an asshole? He doesn't even have one! :lmao:

 

[2mtech]

:ror: he’s an asshole?

I am laughing even though I sense I am missing some inside information.

Do cowboys even wear sweaters?

The truck looks good and so does the interior. How is the driver an asshole? He doesn't even have one! :lmao:

Hey, smog! Welcome to the thread of torture!

He is, in fact, an asshole. Only an asshole wannabe cowboy would wear a sweater! Not even one from up country Ontario . If he had feet, and was wearing boots, the inside ONLY of his jeans legs would be tucked into the boot tops. Therefore, an asshole for sure.

And truth be told, we don't really know whether he possesses an anal orifice or not...I know I didn't look! :lmao:

So onward...I'm shamelessly reposting this here because it needs publicity:

It's not easy getting the masks centered and/or square to the window. What I do is cut the mask off of the sheet leaving around a 1/8" border of the backer around the entire mask. Then I decide which side I want to stick first, typically I do short sides because it's easier, but choosing long sides makes it easier to align, and then I peel back about 1/2" of the backing paper. I stick that "free" side on the window and then slowly peel the backer away as I depress the mask onto the window.

I've never posted window mask pics before I don't think, because who cares, but applying them this way made it so damn easy to get them all perfectly placed it was ridiculous. I've always fought them in the past and never been happy with the result, so I was not looking forward to an 8-window nightmare body. Easy peasy though, this way. The fact that the maskes were perfectly fitted didn't hurt.

I did feel like a five year-old watching Captain Kangaroo and cutting out construction paper while I cut the masks out (go ahead and Google Captain Kangaroo, I'll wait).

Now for a brief bitch point, ok two, again referring to pics...what kind of a sadistic assclown would choose to:

1. Print the alphanumeric location designators rightside up on one side and upside down on the other??
2. Add a directional reference arrow to one mask on each side, but not include which direction they're intended to indicate??

Fortunately, since I only had 1/4 of the mask peeled from the backing and stuck on when I realized this little anomaly on the first opposite side window it was a simple thing to unstick it and flip it. Maybe there's a perfectly good reason for it an engineer would get...we engineering techs don't. And I know, once again I'm the only one who found either of these two points irritating...I'll take it.

Now if the wind decides to die down 15 or 20 miles an hour tomorrow I can shoot some body paint!

 

[2mtech]

Have to say I'm extremely happy how this one came out! Spent more time than usual laying down the paint lightly and allowing lots of time between coats. I liked the blue so much I decided to stay with the color coded top option.

Having now used Pactra, Tamiya, Duratrax and Spaz Stix, I have to say the Tamiya continues to be the most dependably consistent polycarbonate rattle can paint out there. Flows smoothly, doesn't blotch and covers well.

All in all this was an extraordinary kit, little minor first-run glitzy things considered.

Can't wait to throw a battery in and find out how it runs, although I'm restricted to my flat yard. Now that I got the body on properly I kinda hate to take it off again tho. :lmao:

 

[JatoTheRipper]

That looks great! What colors did you use?

 

[2mtech]

That looks great! What colors did you use?

Thanks, man!

Tamiya throughout...PS-59 dark metallic blue backed with PS-12 silver and finished with PS-1 white. The metallic really pops in the sun! "thumbsup"

 

[JatoTheRipper]

Thanks, man!

Tamiya throughout...PS-59 dark metallic blue backed with PS-12 silver and finished with PS-1 white. The metallic really pops in the sun! "thumbsup"

Nice! I also used PS-59 on my VS4-10 Ultra, but backed it with gold and then black.

 

[2mtech]

It looked good, too!

 

[JatoTheRipper]

It looked good, too!

Thank you! "thumbsup"

 

[RCTom]

Wow--that color really pops! I think I might've found the color for my 10.3 lol...:ror:

Seriously, nice job on your build. Can't wait to get mine started.