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No worries @SteelRat, it’s a rabbit hole in itself. I went with mega cheap due to budget and being unsure of wether I’d stick with it. The i3 being open source and running a marlin firmware was how I managed to get it to run properly. No worrying about modifying breaking a warranty or even if the company goes bust means it’s a lemon. I’m regularly looking at a genuine Prusa i3 for my next one but I want a 300mm bed. Most printers will print a range of materials at your budget level. The more fancy materials sometimes need some extra heat or the like to print but PETG is what you might want to likely work with as a benchmark. You can check out various materials other RC folk use and see if there’s anything that needs a special process that you may need to factor for but I think ABS, nylon and PETG just need a bit extra heat so check the specs on some filaments and then decide what the top end is. Most beds are heated and a part cooling fan should be helpful too.

Yeah, Blender will certainly do the job, I’ve designed tons of stuff in it(the latest being a mod clod chassis, suspension arms, axle link mounts, etc). Once you get the hang of it you can design fast. It’s not proper CAD but it’s a great 3d modelling software and does a million other 3d things, plus you can’t beat the price. I’ve been using it for over a decade but only know what I need to. Plenty of tutorials on YouTube as well so you won’t be stuck going “how do I do xyz?” I have a cheap(£130 4 years ago) Prusa i3 clone. It’s been a nightmare at times but still works well and I’ve learned loads from it so regret nothing but if I was buying another I’d definitely not go cheap. You certainly get what you pay for. I print in PLA which is fine for accessories and non structural stuff but a stronger material is needed to hold up for anything else. My machine and setup doesn’t lend itself to other materials at the moment so have never gotten further with that part. I believe PETG, ABS and nylon are the go to structural materials. They will all have their own unique properties for printing and when printed.

@simalarion Yup, Clod axles or spacers is about the height of it. JConcepts would’ve made them to fit the Clod as it was the gold standard for racing monster at the time they made those wheels. Yeah, it’s definitely an imperfect model. I think it was to be based on a Bigfoot(18?) but something happened between Tamiya and Ford or something and it never came to pass. I would like one but at 16 models and 4/5 are monsters I’m at full capacity. I think with the mods you have done it should be reliable now.

@simalarion Clod on top, Txt on bottom, hope that helps ya

The Clod outer axle will fit as they are the same knuckles on Clod, Jugg and both TXT. I have clod outdrives on a Jugg axle as they are virtually the same. They will fit, I’m certain and if I’m wrong someone will point it out. I’ll try to remember to pull a clod apart and compare as I have both sets.

Its worse than that, I've 2 vinyl cutters (I inherited free from my Mum's old business), nearly 2 3d printers, a 3040 Cnc Mill(waiting to be wired up safely first) and a 150 sq ft shed Suck it does not, your 100% right there. Just lost a bit of motivation for my stuff, now thats sorted thanks to everyone here I'll get back to into things again properly.

So I swapped out my RC4WD XVD tonight for Thunder Tech because there was severe binding between the steering knuckles. As I went I compared the two, the only difference I could find was the length of the main shaft. The Thunder Tech ones are a much better fit, no binding and the gearbox was even smoother. Here's a pic of what i found, is the difference enough to cause this? TTR top RC4WD XVD Bottom And another random question for those with lots of trucks, any ideas on a rack to hold them?

@simalarion Thats how i started i think, Replacement becomes Modification then onto Fabrication as you get braver and more practiced.

@87lc2 as a BMXer and skater in my younger years I fully get the ramp launch, it’s a great feeling. Love getting backflips from my clod too. It’s jus class watching it. I spend too much time watching racing on YouTube. Frankly not enough gets uploaded or I can’t find it. I have to admit that I danced around avoiding doing and more so posting up these things as I didn’t think my ability was good enough but feel a lot more capable and confident after everyone’s likes and comments. I’d say jus go for it and have a go and if it turns out half as good as you want then it’s worth it, the next will be better. That’s my 3rd go at that chassis for the clod and it’s really night and day. Not bad for a jigsaw and some Yato files. It’s slightly crooked from lack of skill and patience but the first was plain drunk The tire shaving was another ****htening thing, was I gonna end up with flat spots etc. Outcome was fine, not the best but not a total pigs ear either. What a difference in handling, no more flips from turning and does well on dirt and grass. If ya feel the slightest urge to have a go the do it, the feeling of “I made this” is cracking!

I think Kamtec have a 1/10 Mk2 Escort body as well if that’s any help.

@87lc2 thanks! I’ll never get to race that truck, I’m on the Orkney isles and am several hundred miles at least from any race action if I’m very lucky. However I did clone some Trigger King ramps at the end of my furlow period last year. My truck wasnt finished till after that though so haven’t tested it yet. On the street it’s a really nice drive tho and once I get it rebuilt I’ll give it a good bashing The chassis itself is nothing groundbreaking, designs have been homaged throughout the thing. Team Juice Cube and ACRC chassis were the main inspiration. The body was my most nerve racking part as designing a livery that works is hard(worse when it’s your first and I don’t have a lot of faith in my own work!) The Jugg stretch came about through winning job lots on eBay. Too many parts so might as well build another and when I found that body it was a no brainer. It was meant to be a leafer but it wouldn’t vibe right so I just went with shocks I generally 3d print my designs to check fit and then I’ll transfer to delrin/aluminium once my skills evolve. Most of this is done crudely at the moment until I get the mill wired and sussed out.

@KEV THE REV It took some fiddling to get the stance right on my Bedlam truck, with a big 3s in it the whole this sinks a wee bit but drives just right. It’s getting some thunder tech axles this weekend as there is something seriously wrong with the RC4WD ones in it right now(creaking knuckles) and got some of UKMonsters lower arms for it too until I get my mill working right and do my own. I’m totally stalled with the Interceptor jus now as I’m struggling with the rear clip for the body so gonna get on with a chassis and come back round to the body. And I love that war rig @MadInventor did, it is TRULY EPIC!

@MadInventor Thank you! The chassis was cut to fit the body and try to give the most support possible to the body given the size of it. Its due to go back out to my mate to get a few welds and some grinding done, he's a hobbyist blacksmith so he has a better steelwork setup than i do. The split clod is intended for a stretch cab and a small bed stretch and drop and chassis is going to get some steel rails based off the original chassis. That ones a long way off as i need another truck done first to be on duty as the runner. The Wild Willy body and driver are on a 3d printing site for free download so i dutifully nabbed that and tidied/split it up bin Blender. I then printed the body as panels, checked the fit and cut them from plasticard and used PlastiWeld. The original 3D model is a scan from the looks of things and i don't know how accurate it is as i have never seen a real wild willy Here's the concept at the moment My builds take years though as i have so many big ones on the go and a young family and my attention randomly wanders between builds. Here's a 1/8 Mad Max Interceptor destined for a custom chassis with Mad Force axle on the rear. This is on my ECX Torment to check if I'm headed to right way. I did the front clip in blender again using pics of the real car that had been stretched to suite the Proline Desert Eagle body. And another, my Wild One thats getting some FAV treatment Anyway, I digress as this is about the monsters.

So here's a look at my trucks. Nothing groundbreaking but someone might find them interesting. First up, my Clodbuster 2, at the moment it is back to a one piece body but this is where its going and might get a body/chassis stretch yet. Next my mod clod i have been building for nearly 2 yrs and its still way off finished but will run now. Custom everything. Very little bought off the shelf. 3d printed parts designed in Blender 3D. Body masks done in Inkscape and cut on my CraftRobo cc-120. First time with masks and went ok, just my impatience that screwed it up a bit when i did the paint. First time with that and it'll do fine. Third up is my Jugg stretched to 16" for a Nikko F-150 Supercrew body. Pics tell it all. Fourth is my slow go piecemeal Jugg 2. Slowly getting there when i find parts but its not a quick build. And this is something i started messing with in lockdown but its completely stalled. I do wanna finish it sometime but can see it taking years. Its probably gonna get a TXT under it now, my mates fabbing some chassis rails for me at the moment.

Pm’d