JonnyUK Posted November 22 Share Posted November 22 Bit of free time so might as well make a start on this Jeep. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonnyUK Posted November 24 Author Share Posted November 24 (edited) Not much done, but it's a start. Never had one by this brand before but it seems quite good quality and strong axle plastic. Trying to change to stainless screws as I go along but there's a couple of sizes I don't have, I'll swap them in the future. Also changing some bearings to rubber sealed in places which are exposed to dirt. Just started on the gearbox this evening, I wrongly thought that the kit came with the optional 30t gears for non overdrive. It doesn't, so for now it'll have to be slightly overdriven to the front axle. Should be ok as long as not running on tarmac. Edited November 24 by JonnyUK 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonnyUK Posted November 26 Author Share Posted November 26 2 speed gearbox done this evening. This setup makes it impossible to visually check the pinion and spur mesh. I think the mesh is correct, it's definitely not too tight. The only way to see it would be to cut a hole in the plastic and then seal it with a grommet or something. Little bit of motor plate flex due to the plate only being fixed in place by one screw and nut. If it becomes a problem I'll have to see if any metal motor fixings exist. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonnyUK Posted November 28 Author Share Posted November 28 Some more done on the build. Not rushing it because I'm enjoying it 😁 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonnyUK Posted November 28 Author Share Posted November 28 Really wasn't happy with not being able to visually check the gear mesh and also the movement of the motor plate was bugging me. So cut a round hole and can just see the pinion and adjust the mesh a little. Then filled the hole with a rubber grommet. I'll need to find a better grommet without a hole but it'll do for now and I've blocked up the hole with some plastic rod. Also did a lot of measuring and double checking internal clearance before drilling through the housing and into the motor plate to fit some extra screws. There is now zero play and no movement of the motor. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wombat Posted November 28 Share Posted November 28 Loving this thread, I keep getting the urge to build a kit, problem is deciding which one, 🤔 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stormbringer Posted November 28 Share Posted November 28 Enjoy the build mate it will be over fore you know it 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Partydaz Posted November 29 Share Posted November 29 11 hours ago, wombat said: Loving this thread, I keep getting the urge to build a kit, problem is deciding which one, 🤔 I keep popping on this to see it being built to scratch that building itch 🙂, these do look a nice bit of kit 👍 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonnyUK Posted November 29 Author Share Posted November 29 Gearbox and links fitted. Receiver box, although I may have to relocate this later. Front and rear (forgot to take photo of rear) axles fitted and connected up. Can't fit a servo horn yet as the aluminium ones I have might not have enough clearance. I will be removing the gearbox again next week, decided to run it without the front overdrive so I've ordered a couple of 30t gears. Should be a simple swap because they both fit just behind the spur gear housing. Spent a a little while today cutting down stainless screws due to not having the correct lengths. It's fine fitting them a couple of mm longer if it's a through hole but some aren't. Won't get anything done to it Saturday as out walking with the kids... probably in the rain. Then Sunday morning going to have a quick scoot round the local car boot in case any cheap RC's are there. Paid £35 for last one, after a clean up and check over, sold it for £160 💷😁 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonnyUK Posted November 29 Author Share Posted November 29 12 hours ago, Partydaz said: I keep popping on this to see it being built to scratch that building itch 🙂, these do look a nice bit of kit 👍 I was trying to decide which kit to buy, didn't want a RTR. Saw this one in red and really liked the look of it. An RC shop on eBay, Align Trex I think, had two for sale. Ebay was running their own discount on some shops so ended up getting it for less than £297 delivered. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lone-wolf Posted November 30 Share Posted November 30 nice build, coming on well 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Partydaz Posted November 30 Share Posted November 30 I've had a few things from Align Trex and saved some pennies they do get discount codes popping up and sales. Beginning of summer it was a toss up between a G made kit or Element kit I got the element kit because it popped up cheap. Watched some videos of the G made spider kit and it handles trailing and crawling well...I don't need another crawler but oh I'll crack as crawlers is what I like to use in winter 😀 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonnyUK Posted December 2 Author Share Posted December 2 Little update, very little 😆 Didn't order the two gear kit, instead ordered 2x 30t gears GM60070 because they looked the same (couldn't find an online photo of underside) and these were a couple of quid cheaper. One gear is different but if leave the spacer on the shaft then it still fits the pin and lines up exact etc. The outer gears in the left of photo. Then screwed gearbox back together and refit it to chassis. Also fit the front inner arches and front brace with fan mount. Pretty sure I have a fan that'll fit plus I'll see if I can make a motor heatsink fit under the brace. It probably won't need cooling though as there hasn't been an overheating problem on the same motor in the 6kg TRX4, double what this RC will end up weighing. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonnyUK Posted December 3 Author Share Posted December 3 Shocks fitted. Went with a set I've had for a while, got them from JK and same length as OEM. Very smooth cheap shocks. Just had to play about with different spacers top and bottom. Servo fitted for the 2 speed. The only steering servo horn which I had with the same height and clearances was a double sided one, so I cut one side off. The other dimensions are exactly the same as the kit plastic one so steering lock is the same. Temporarily fitted the waterproof receiver box lid. Put the adjustable battery carrier together. At full stretch it's slightly longer than the Traxxas 2s 7600mAh I'll be using. Battery mount is only screwed to the chassis in two places and the middle rear rests on the gearbox. Pretty much zero movement of the mount once screwed down. Need to glue some thin foam onto it to give the lipo a bit extra protection. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stormbringer Posted December 3 Share Posted December 3 its definately taking shape now mate 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonnyUK Posted Wednesday at 22:48 Author Share Posted Wednesday at 22:48 Planning to buy, or make, some lights for the light bars etc sometime in the future. They are available to buy but quite expensive. Flat LEDs so I should be able to buy some somewhere. And rear bumper. Side bars fitted. The kit rims have zero offset from centre. Here's how they sit. Got these Meus aluminium beadlocks secondhand and they also have a brass inner section, not too heavy but heavy enough. Been playing about with the different ways of building them and decided to have the deep rim look. They only stick out by 1.5mm extra each side so should look ok. Going to use these inserts from SC Models. Went for blue which is medium stiffness. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonnyUK Posted Wednesday at 22:59 Author Share Posted Wednesday at 22:59 12mm hex fitment. However the centre hole is quite large, I could just use metal washers as spacers but these Tamiya bushes fit perfect. So I might use them or 4 bearings of the same size, might confuse some people because it'll look like free spinning wheels on all four corners. The combination of different inserts, rims and tyres is making fitting the beadlocks very awkward. Inserts are holding the tyres away from dropping into place. The ribs on the insides of the tyres weren't helping, seemed to be snagging on the edge of the inserts. Didn't want to cut them so instead I turned the tyres inside out and cut the ribs off. Seems lots better, still very hard the get the tyres lip to drop into the beadlock. After rebuilding one a few times I think it has now worked, from what I can tell it looks like the beadlock is secure all the way round. I think wiping a bit of oil onto the rubber would help lots, but then I don't want to make it easier for the rubber to slip out in use. Maybe a mix of water and washing up liquid would work, it might dry sticky. Anyway going to persist tomorrow and try to get the other three wheels finished. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonnyUK Posted Thursday at 20:16 Author Share Posted Thursday at 20:16 (edited) Wheels finished. Bearing fitted as a spacer, snug fit. Wide flange on the nuts covers most of the spacer. Next stage would be getting the bodyshell ready for painting but I might put that off until after the weekend. So next I think I'll get on with fitting the receiver, ESC etc. May need to lengthen the motor cables depending on where things fit. Edited Thursday at 20:17 by JonnyUK 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stormbringer Posted Thursday at 20:37 Share Posted Thursday at 20:37 Wheels look really smart and i like the deep rim look 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Partydaz Posted Friday at 08:19 Share Posted Friday at 08:19 Aye them wheels look well lush 😍. I always struggle getting beadlocks right takes me a few times to get it sit ok, then I am double checking it's not going slip out the rim 😅 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonnyUK Posted Friday at 10:28 Author Share Posted Friday at 10:28 2 hours ago, Partydaz said: Aye them wheels look well lush 😍. I always struggle getting beadlocks right takes me a few times to get it sit ok, then I am double checking it's not going slip out the rim 😅 My experience of beadlocks is that even when they are sitting correct, if you pull them too hard to check then they will pull out. Don't come out when driving so must be normal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonnyUK Posted Friday at 20:58 Author Share Posted Friday at 20:58 Today realised that I couldn't fit the ESC until I'd worked out the space with the body fit, so I had to cut that out first. Pretty thick material but the score once and snap with pliers method worked. Still needs the edges finishing by sanding to get them straight and smooth. No place to fit the Traxxas ESC apart from where it is in this photo, this orientation should work best at getting the cables away from things and allow the body to sit down correctly. Will need to extend the two motor cables by about 12 inches to be able to run them under and around things, and at least one servo extension cable for the steering. I already have a spare battery cable with the flylead for lights which makes the battery cable long enough. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wolfie1 Posted Saturday at 09:52 Share Posted Saturday at 09:52 Have you decided on a colour? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonnyUK Posted Saturday at 11:01 Author Share Posted Saturday at 11:01 1 hour ago, wolfie1 said: Have you decided on a colour? Think I'll end up doing it red because seeing it red is what sold it to me. Might have a play with some stencils, not sure yet. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stormbringer Posted Saturday at 11:53 Share Posted Saturday at 11:53 I think red will suit it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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