I picked up another Deadbolt on sale for $89 . At the same time I purchased a front axle . My thoughts were to put a spare AX24 rear steering ESC receiver to good use .
Upon installing the front axle on the rear I realized that the servo mount was longer than the original upper link mount tilting the servo and steering linkage towards the ground .
Out came the spare plastic links leftover from all the other builds .
The bad rear axle angle was corrected with lower rear links from the JLU used as upper links . A leftover factory servo finished it the rear steering swap.
Now onto the front stretch . The Deadbolt rear upper links were used as the front lower links and JLU front lower links used as front upper links .
All lower links were heated and bent over a pencil for high clearance.
The slop in the stock steering linkage was corrected with the popular O ring mod .
Modified the factory shocks for longer length with O rings and AX24 shock caps .
Bronco springs were used in the rear . Stock deadbolt springs in the front.
Spring preload was adjusted using the metal factory upper spring seats in different combinations.
A JLU ESC tray was used to mount the battery lower in front . The front body mounts were trimmed to get the body as low as possible. A JLU front body mount used with Velcro attaches the rear of the body. I cut off the goofy lights and some of the roll bar .
The AX24 ESC is tie wrapped between rear frame rails.
AX24 tires are used with Hot Racing stock size brass hexes .
Spare plastic servo horns are modified and used in the rear as flex blades but are currently tightened down not to flex because it killed up hill climbing ability.
The motor and skid plate was flipped to the forward position for weight distribution.
2 - 7 gram wheel weights are stuck under the front battery tray and one on each servo.
A longer servo horn in the front gives the stock servo a little more throw .
In the end I ended up with quite a performer , this little light weight rig can tackle the same obstacles and inclines as my heavily modified AX24 to the point where I went back to the AX and took off a bunch of weight to increase climbing ability.
Upon installing the front axle on the rear I realized that the servo mount was longer than the original upper link mount tilting the servo and steering linkage towards the ground .
Out came the spare plastic links leftover from all the other builds .
The bad rear axle angle was corrected with lower rear links from the JLU used as upper links . A leftover factory servo finished it the rear steering swap.
Now onto the front stretch . The Deadbolt rear upper links were used as the front lower links and JLU front lower links used as front upper links .
All lower links were heated and bent over a pencil for high clearance.
The slop in the stock steering linkage was corrected with the popular O ring mod .
Modified the factory shocks for longer length with O rings and AX24 shock caps .
Bronco springs were used in the rear . Stock deadbolt springs in the front.
Spring preload was adjusted using the metal factory upper spring seats in different combinations.
A JLU ESC tray was used to mount the battery lower in front . The front body mounts were trimmed to get the body as low as possible. A JLU front body mount used with Velcro attaches the rear of the body. I cut off the goofy lights and some of the roll bar .
The AX24 ESC is tie wrapped between rear frame rails.
AX24 tires are used with Hot Racing stock size brass hexes .
Spare plastic servo horns are modified and used in the rear as flex blades but are currently tightened down not to flex because it killed up hill climbing ability.
The motor and skid plate was flipped to the forward position for weight distribution.
2 - 7 gram wheel weights are stuck under the front battery tray and one on each servo.
A longer servo horn in the front gives the stock servo a little more throw .
In the end I ended up with quite a performer , this little light weight rig can tackle the same obstacles and inclines as my heavily modified AX24 to the point where I went back to the AX and took off a bunch of weight to increase climbing ability.
