Boogie
Quarry Creeper
I've gotten bored lately so I decided to sell off some old stuff and trade around, and one of the new Axial SCX10 Deadbolt's have made an appearance in my shop. There are some killer deals on these little rigs right now. Most LHS will have them for well under $300 RTR, all you need is a good battery and charger.
Yes, it was an RTR, but of course I had to change a few things. We all love tinkering, so here's a few pictures of the current setup. I'll be updating over the next few weeks to keep track of progress. Here in Kentucky, crawling definitely isn't what it was a few years ago, but there are still plenty of people out there with scalers that they'd like to show off and possibly even get together soon for a trail ride.
Current Mods:
-Replace stock radio with DX4C, need those extra channels for a future winch controller and lights (done)
-Create rigid steering links out of 8-32 all thread and revo rod ends (done)
-Flip the skid plate and tranny around to counter torque twist (done)
-Mount the battery tray across the frame up front (done)
-Modify sliders to bring them in closer to the body and chassis (done)
-Cut off tamiya battery plug and solder on xt60 (done)
-Get rid of that big honkin light bar and replace with a Rigid Industries bar (done)
-Castle BEC (done)
-Racer's Edge 25T (Futaba, Savox, Tactic) Aluminum Servo Horn (done)
-Scale Hilift and Fire Extinguisher (done)
Future Mods:
-Take some styrene and fab up a new front grille, purchase Axial light bucket set for headlights and taillights.
-SSD-RC Steel D-Hole Wheels
-3Racing Winch (on order)
-Savox SA-1230SG Servo
-Wire up 8 Leds for light bar, 2 headlights, 2 bumper/driving lights, 2 taillights=14 Leds total, hooked to Turnigy LED controller ran off the receiver
Obligatory pose pics...
UPDATE #1
Got to rummaging around my toolbox and found some aluminum links from an old AX10 kit. The front links were the perfect length, the bent rears will need to have about 1/4" chopped off and possibly drilled out and tapped a bit more. Either way, it saves me some money and will give a much more precise feel to driving than the old flimsy links. My experiences with past rigs were sometimes pretty hilarious/frustrating when the stock plastic links would bow up and cause the whole rig to look like it was trying to hump the rocks.
As the topside sits right now. I'm thinking about fabbing up some plates to mount to the rock slider standoffs so I can bring the ESC and receiver further forward and lower down on the chassis.
Front steering links made of 8-32 all thread and traxxas revo rod ends.
UPDATE #2
I finally got a chance to really run my new DB today. I have to admit, it's a climbing machine in (vaguely) stock form. I had briefly considered putting some weights in the wheels or going with knuckle weights, but with the suggested setup of the electronics moved up next to the tranny and the motor combined with the battery sitting low across the frame in front of the tranny and motor, it climbs really well. So much so, that after adding the slightly exta weight of steel wheels (SSD-RC D-Hole Steel Beadlocks coming soon), I think any more weight would inhibit its climbing ability. I'm really happy with this little rig and even managed to hit a line I was never able to quite make with my old 2.2 comp rig. I attribute most of it to the shorter wheelbase and lighter weight, sometimes less is more.
UPDATE #3
Fabbed up some plates to mount the esc and receiver on the slider standoffs, which will bring the electronics forward and lower in the chassis. I know there are some aftermarket aluminum plates that are either currently being sold or are in the works, but I like doing my own mods as much as possible, plus it was CHEAP to do it this way using parts I had laying around. This should make a pretty significant difference in both the front to rear weight balance as well as lower the overall center of gravity. The truck is pretty stable to begin with, so this should make it handle exceptionally well. I'm thinking once I get some steel beadlock wheels, it will be damn near perfect as far as handling goes, at least for what I'm going for anyways.
I've also got a Castle BEC on the way, the steering servo needs one BAD. Once the BEC comes in, I'll post up a handy diy article for making a Y-harness for plugging it into the servo, esc, and receiver. This will eliminate hacking into the servo wire itself.
Also picking up the new lightbar and mounting it up today, which should drastically improve the looks. I'll eventually get around to purchasing the Jeep body, but the stock Deadbolt/Bronco body looks ok for now, I'll just run it till it's trashed.
Doing little things like this remind me of how much I love this hobby. The fellowship was good as well, so hopefully some people will get to reading this and we can get a few Kentucky people together for some trail runs or something.
UPDATE #4
Got the new Axial Rigid Industries Light Bar mounted up. I'll eventually get around to putting some led's in it once I find the right set or make my own. I'm wanting to ultimately install 8 led's in the lightbar, two for the headlights (need the axial light bucket kit), two for the bumper, and two red tail lights. The entire light system will be remotely turned on and off via my DX4C and a Turnigy aux light switch. Next up, I'll be either purchasing the Axial light bucket set so I can go ahead and finish up the light system, or some scale accessories like the Hobby Parts set that includes the hilift, rifle, and fire extinguisher.
Yes, it was an RTR, but of course I had to change a few things. We all love tinkering, so here's a few pictures of the current setup. I'll be updating over the next few weeks to keep track of progress. Here in Kentucky, crawling definitely isn't what it was a few years ago, but there are still plenty of people out there with scalers that they'd like to show off and possibly even get together soon for a trail ride.
Current Mods:
-Replace stock radio with DX4C, need those extra channels for a future winch controller and lights (done)
-Create rigid steering links out of 8-32 all thread and revo rod ends (done)
-Flip the skid plate and tranny around to counter torque twist (done)
-Mount the battery tray across the frame up front (done)
-Modify sliders to bring them in closer to the body and chassis (done)
-Cut off tamiya battery plug and solder on xt60 (done)
-Get rid of that big honkin light bar and replace with a Rigid Industries bar (done)
-Castle BEC (done)
-Racer's Edge 25T (Futaba, Savox, Tactic) Aluminum Servo Horn (done)
-Scale Hilift and Fire Extinguisher (done)
Future Mods:
-Take some styrene and fab up a new front grille, purchase Axial light bucket set for headlights and taillights.
-SSD-RC Steel D-Hole Wheels
-3Racing Winch (on order)
-Savox SA-1230SG Servo
-Wire up 8 Leds for light bar, 2 headlights, 2 bumper/driving lights, 2 taillights=14 Leds total, hooked to Turnigy LED controller ran off the receiver
Obligatory pose pics...
UPDATE #1
Got to rummaging around my toolbox and found some aluminum links from an old AX10 kit. The front links were the perfect length, the bent rears will need to have about 1/4" chopped off and possibly drilled out and tapped a bit more. Either way, it saves me some money and will give a much more precise feel to driving than the old flimsy links. My experiences with past rigs were sometimes pretty hilarious/frustrating when the stock plastic links would bow up and cause the whole rig to look like it was trying to hump the rocks.
As the topside sits right now. I'm thinking about fabbing up some plates to mount to the rock slider standoffs so I can bring the ESC and receiver further forward and lower down on the chassis.
Front steering links made of 8-32 all thread and traxxas revo rod ends.
UPDATE #2
I finally got a chance to really run my new DB today. I have to admit, it's a climbing machine in (vaguely) stock form. I had briefly considered putting some weights in the wheels or going with knuckle weights, but with the suggested setup of the electronics moved up next to the tranny and the motor combined with the battery sitting low across the frame in front of the tranny and motor, it climbs really well. So much so, that after adding the slightly exta weight of steel wheels (SSD-RC D-Hole Steel Beadlocks coming soon), I think any more weight would inhibit its climbing ability. I'm really happy with this little rig and even managed to hit a line I was never able to quite make with my old 2.2 comp rig. I attribute most of it to the shorter wheelbase and lighter weight, sometimes less is more.
UPDATE #3
Fabbed up some plates to mount the esc and receiver on the slider standoffs, which will bring the electronics forward and lower in the chassis. I know there are some aftermarket aluminum plates that are either currently being sold or are in the works, but I like doing my own mods as much as possible, plus it was CHEAP to do it this way using parts I had laying around. This should make a pretty significant difference in both the front to rear weight balance as well as lower the overall center of gravity. The truck is pretty stable to begin with, so this should make it handle exceptionally well. I'm thinking once I get some steel beadlock wheels, it will be damn near perfect as far as handling goes, at least for what I'm going for anyways.
I've also got a Castle BEC on the way, the steering servo needs one BAD. Once the BEC comes in, I'll post up a handy diy article for making a Y-harness for plugging it into the servo, esc, and receiver. This will eliminate hacking into the servo wire itself.
Also picking up the new lightbar and mounting it up today, which should drastically improve the looks. I'll eventually get around to purchasing the Jeep body, but the stock Deadbolt/Bronco body looks ok for now, I'll just run it till it's trashed.
Doing little things like this remind me of how much I love this hobby. The fellowship was good as well, so hopefully some people will get to reading this and we can get a few Kentucky people together for some trail runs or something.
UPDATE #4
Got the new Axial Rigid Industries Light Bar mounted up. I'll eventually get around to putting some led's in it once I find the right set or make my own. I'm wanting to ultimately install 8 led's in the lightbar, two for the headlights (need the axial light bucket kit), two for the bumper, and two red tail lights. The entire light system will be remotely turned on and off via my DX4C and a Turnigy aux light switch. Next up, I'll be either purchasing the Axial light bucket set so I can go ahead and finish up the light system, or some scale accessories like the Hobby Parts set that includes the hilift, rifle, and fire extinguisher.
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