Badcrumble

It has taken me a while to get the axles on to the chassis. I wasn’t that happy with the level of articulation from the top links on the axles, the rear in particular. The GCM instructions suggest building the axles as per the previous post and then attaching them to the frame. There was no way the links wanted to meet the frame this way. I was so concerned, I switched out a GCM link for an SSD one to see if different rod ends made any difference - no joy. After a bit of head scratching and a ‘this doesn’t normally happen, loads of people have successfully built this truck’ email from GCM (don’t get me wrong - it was polite!) I took the links off and attached them to the frame first. The stars then aligned and it came together, even if didn’t appear as flexible on the YouTube videos I have watched. Since the photo I have attached the lower end of the dampers. Now it behaves properly and I’m a lot happier! Having put it all together, I realised that the Panhard mount is on the wrong side of the chassis for this axle. @toyolien, did you threadlock this in or use an imperial hex screw? It does not want to come off!!!

On to making the links and attachment to the axles. GCM provide instruction videos on YouTube rather than a manual but the link bag specified the lengths required for each link.

Before I got into this JK, my plan had been a scratch build (don’t ask, long story). With that in mind I had purchased some axles from @Oh How Original It turned out that they weren’t quite what I wanted for the scratch build but those lovely people in Canada who put this kit together had updated the kit for the the SCX10ii...

So, what is that chassis? I’m sure you have seen it here before but for completeness... GCM Skeleton chassis with all metal transmission inside a Vanquish case with a Lockeduprc ‘Slipper Eliminator’ installed. A punisher shaft connecting the transmission to the GCM transfer case. 90mm King shocks front and 70mm rear. The front has a GCM dual servo mount and an electrics tray (which has been narrowed) and the rear has GCM shock mounts. That’s all good but it needs something to sit on top.

After lurking here a little while, I thought it about time I posted something and got building. I have a few RCs, mainly Tamiya but suffer from a lack of spare time and a seeming inability to finish a project. I seem to get stuck when it comes to body prepping and painting. So after browsing on here and other fora, I stumbled across the ‘China JK’ Jeep shell. That looks neat, I thought. I could start from the opposite end of the process... Then I browsed on a certain auction site and came across this... And these Little did I know that these were actually being sold by @toyolien of this parish! So the accumulation of bits and bobs began...

Axles received and built this afternoon with thanks to @Oh How Original! Unfortunately, the Xtra Speed portals which are listed for the SCX10ii certainly won' fit the stock axles. That's an expensive mistake I won't make twice. Next steps - buy some tyres for my scratch build and mock up the chassis / body and decide whether to keep the SCX10ii axles for it or use the el cheapo ones I already have.

Thank you @Oh How Original and @Pistonhead for your help with this. I’m now on the road to an Axial-based solution and I can see some SSD products in my future, they could be a good fit for my scratch build (though I already have some portals which ought to fit the stock Axial Scx10ii axles). Once I have the axles and buy some tyres for the scratch build, I can mock it all up and decide on how to proceed.

Hi all, I am brand new to this scaler / crawler thing and had a crazy idea to test the water by buying cheap stuff and cobbling things together. If you want to be vaguely amused by my mishaps, please carry on. Alternatively, my query is at the end... Long story I saw an unusual logging tractor at a vintage rally I fancied trying to replicate. I sorted out a transmission, transfer case, driveshafts, axles and leaf springs on the cheap from eBay. So far, so good. All seemed fine except that my scratch build is meant to be agricultural and when I looked into it, the 1:1 had portals. So I bought some ‘Scx10ii compatiable’ xtra speed portals. Turns out that my cheap axles aren’t Scx10ii copies after all so the portals won’t fit. In the meantime, I had a moment of madness and bought a second hand GCM Skeleton chassis. Which doesn’t have any axles. Query: Is the AR44 locked axle kit from Axial a cost-effective way to get Scx10ii axles on a kit? £120 for two axles? If I go down this route then I could a) buy links and link mounts for the Skeleton and get it running or b) portalise (is that even a word) the tractor build, once I have converted the axles for leafs (sic) or c) do (a) and repeat purchase for (b) Or should I be looking elsewhere for axles?

I can't comment on the value of a used shell but currently a brand new shell is £38 inc postage on eBay, if that helps set your expectations.

I say crawler but I might mean scaler. I have a lot to learn!! First off, I am throwing together some cheap Axial knock-offs for a scratch build project. It isn't going to win any beauty pageants or competitions but is just so I get a feel for things without too much outlay. I am notorious for having lots of nearly finished builds - I never seem to get the time to paint a shell. We'll see how I get on with this one.

Hi MSUK, I've lurked around here for quite some time but have been active on Tamiyaclub since I got into the hobby a few years ago. I'm starting to branch out from Tamiya into crawlery type things so thought this could be a good place to hang out. Have a good weekend all, BC