OS's Junkyard C3

[OSRC]

While surfing the forums during morning coffee, I came across fr8cture's C3 build. Just looking at it, I can see there's no coin being spared on that one. Beautiful truck already and it's not even done.

I realized that we were basically building the same thing, but with 1 large exception - mine's a "whatever's laying around" type of build. A while ago I tore down 3 rigs that I was bored with, tired of, pissed at, or generally lost interest in and threw all the parts in a big bowl. Stirred in some creative juices and let it marinate overnight. I ended up deciding to build a Wroncho type rig since I've never done one before. Not really worried about scale so much as just wanting it to perform.

Havent been doing much with build threads since the whole photobucket debacle, but figured I'd give this one a go. Thought it'd be an interesting compare/contrast. Or good for a laugh - either/or!

So anyway, gotta start with a chassis. I had cut this a while ago for a CR01 build that I ran once in the yard and put on the shelf. The CR chassis has terrible steering with the normal wheelbase - stretching it a few inches didn't help. It has a lot of holes....they have purpose. Plus I like options! Trimmed it up a bit and got to mocking up. I wasn't going to bother to paint it, but it kinda looked like a rolling hardware store when I was mocking up so I flat blacked it and called it good. 19 inches long from bumper to rear.

Needed a t-case..Bent up some aluminum and mounted a converted Axial trans in typical standup fashion...but after a few mockups with various motor positions, I needed it to sit lower so I mounted it on the side. It's stuffed with steel gears of some variety. If this doesn't say "basement engineering" I don't know what does!

Said chassis assembled with various bits...chassis rails are only 2.2mm thick, but with standoffs and bracing, it's strong and light. Not G10 light mind you, but light enough.

Close up of the servo mount and panhard mount. (Or a butchered up Axial servo mount and some L bracket disguised as finely machined parts.) Didn't want to go CMS with a performance oriented rig, but with the motor placement and what not, ended up being the better choice.

Speaking of, here's my motor in kinda the final spot. Need to tweak a few things. Originally I had it wayyyy up over the front axle, but a whole bunch of Toyzuki guys can't be wrong, so I moved it back and as low as I could. It's stuffed in there around the axle, links, and servo and tilted a bit to ease the driveshaft angle to the t-case. The HPI unit and Axial T-case give me a trans ratio of 19.4 which should be fine for 2.2's. At least I hope so cause I can't change it!

More to come. Comments on my junk always welcome. "thumbsup"

 

[doubler]

Really looking forward to what comes next. More of this type of build is overdue.

 

[fr8cture]

That is some fine looking junk you got there. "thumbsup"

 

[OSRC]

Thank you good sirs, the heap continues to get larger!

Got the rear axle hanging off the chassis. Have the option of standup shocks or inline - started with an inline setup for no other reason that I thought it looked cooler. And I had a set of small shocks in my box that have been doing nothing but take up space since forever.

Swaybars are an HR Wraith setup modded slightly by turning down the swaybar in the center so it's not so stiff. I ran some steel tubing through the chassis for it to ride in - it'll wear out the aluminum pretty quick methinks.

The axle is nothing special. No Vanquish or SSD bling here, just the basics. Used and only slightly abused AR60 stuffed with beef tubes, UD gears and a steel locker of some sort. Should do the job. Had the HR diff cover in my parts bin, and even though it's a flimsy as a republican campaign promise, I figure it can't get too beat up out back.

 

[OSRC]

This little b**** took nearly an hour and a 1/2. I generally used Wild Boars on most of my builds since they are cheap and seem to work well for me, but they didn't fit here. I dug around in my driveshaft box and found this one, which I think is a leftover from one of my Sawbacks. It was a trim/fit, trim/fit, trim/fit process as I was paranoid of cutting it too short. Only had one, and if I messed it up I'd have to buy something and that would cut into my effective budget of zero.

First thing is I needed as much real estate as possible, so I ground down the output shaft and 5mm adapter until the driveshaft sat nearly flush. Bought myself about 5mm here.

Said milimeters were put to good use. Once I had the shaft length sorted out, I epoxied the ends together since they were so short - this little guy is not coming apart ever again. The angle has me a bit concerned, but I am a finesse driver - not a throttle jockey - and with 2S and a 35t motor it should be ok. Hard to tell in the pics but I finagled the tcase at a bit of an angle to help take it out of the driveshaft. All spins smooth, so keeping my fingrs crossed. (and a plan B in mind)

 

[JatoTheRipper]

Very cool! Interesting take on the rear suspension.

 

[OSRC]

Got the front axle on. Some standup shocks to match the rears. Might be a little tall, will have to wait until I get everything on and sort out the ride height.

Fully stuffed, the motor is as low and as forward as I can get it. It's got about 2mm clearance all around. (Precision basement engineering!) Then I remembered I have a different motor coming with an open endbell, so I probably could have tweaked it a bit more (Precision planning failure!) but I'm pretty happy with it right where it is.

Front axle has beef tubes, OD gears, and a matching mystery steel locker. The panhard and steering worked out pretty well, I'd like to say that I planned it this way, but I'd be lying....Axle mount is an STRC part that came on another heap I traded for a while ago. Note the ugly diff cover...may be ugly, but far stronger that that bent noodle HR part I slapped on the rear axle. Do plan on some upgrades here when the budget allows - Knuckles and a nifty SSD diff cover eventually.

Starting to look like somthing here!

 

[OSRC]

Sliders mounted. I had these RPM sliders forever. They are way too big for most of my SCX10's so they've been in a pile of stuff forever. They'll work here if nothing else than to protect the bottom of the body. Which is kinda the whole point I reckon. Had to make some new mounts as the RPM parts didn't fit. Added a small plate to mount electronics on the side.

Battery tray made from some alumiun stock. Stuck some grippy stuff on it, I'll use velcro straps to hold in the battery. Was debating moving the battery to the slider, but this will work for now.

Assembled chassis

Tires and wheels...some heavily cut 2.2 Falkens stuffed with dual stage foams.

Sits a little high imo, definitely some shock work in the future.

 

[fr8cture]

Looks good. Need green springs I imagine. Those shocks come with some stiff springs.

 

[OSRC]

Dug up some pics of this chassis in a previous life...only thread with Photobucket pics still working for whatever reason. Using the same body since the chassis was designed with it in mind, though I've hacked it up pretty good. The heap gets a jeep!

http://www.rccrawler.com/forum/tamiya-cr-01/549038-showtime-jk.html

Still waiting on the motor, I spent all of $9 on this build...splurged on a cheap motor. Sellers is in NJ, but it shipped from Arizona? On the slowest train possible apparently. May just wire up this one and have a go on a test run tomorrow.

 

[OSRC]

Got the body on. Same Jeep body I had on the chassis before. Resisting the urge to add lights, racks, or any other scale doo-dads. Just a light shell for performance purposes. Had to trim off the fenders but it all clears. Not sure on the rear bumper, I could just bolt on an Axial JK or I might fab up a tube style, not sure yet. Need something back there though.

Crooked in this pic, it's just sitting on the mounts at the moment..

I did a quick test in in the backyard and it went well. Thought the gearing would be close, it's a bit on the slow and torquey side. Might bump up to a 27t motor for some extra RPM's. Shock springs feel great, but needs some heavier oil for sure - the suspension felt a little loose. May limit the downtravel a few mm too as it sits a little higher than I'd like. Can't wait to get it out on the trail for some real world testing!