So, What Have You Done Today?

[Busdriver]

Maybe fix a strengthener behind the front valance to give the shell more rigidity. Lexan bodies are pretty tough and I don’t suppose your going to be jumping it off ramps!!

[Robert5000]

1 hour ago, moffman said:

I like it "as patient as a nuclear bomb"   trust me mate I've had some total disasters granted it was because I was rushing them but anyone can do it it's just all about taking your time if you feel that its going wrong stop and walk away! I love looking on this forum at all the different creations that people do that's why I'm a bit concerned on all these pre-painted bodies tamiya are doing and the fact as it stands at the moment you can't go and get an extra body to Express your individuality on a newly built kit! But hopefully this will change when the world is back to some sort of normal life? 

To be honest I have actually managed to just walk away once, did that on the Masami XLS in 2017 as it was time to solder the ball-thingies, still haven't found the peace of mind to return to it  
Yeah, ze Germans say that clear shells for the VQS is coming in a few weeks, hopefully that goes for the Evo etc as well. Seeing non box art buggies are a favourite past time of mine. 

[Finnsllc]

@Busdriver hear ya. Just some of the stretch on the mold are really really thin

[BJoe76]

3 hours ago, Finnsllc said:

top is actually silver. @BJoe76

Oh, then silver instead!

[moffman]

3 hours ago, Robert5000 said:

To be honest I have actually managed to just walk away once, did that on the Masami XLS in 2017 as it was time to solder the ball-thingies, still haven't found the peace of mind to return to it  
Yeah, ze Germans say that clear shells for the VQS is coming in a few weeks, hopefully that goes for the Evo etc as well. Seeing non box art buggies are a favourite past time of mine. 

Just a bit of a tip (if you haven't yet soldered) my soldering skills are rubbish so I used the ball connectors from the hotshot.......much better 

[Badcrumble]

Went out to measure the chassis on the JK to see if it will take stock SCX10ii rear damper mounts.

Found that this evening's high winds had blown a fence panel out  

Good news - the JK chassis will accept the stock damper mounts!

Bad news - I realised that they are set up to take a 90mm damper. Mine are 75mm.

I then realised that I have a set of the aftermarket 'keys' that can be used to raise / lower an SCX10ii. So I could buy the shock hoops and then fit the keys. Hmmm.

Or I could persevere with my homebrew mounts for the moment.

Or spend £45 on a second set of 95mm King dampers to match the fronts.  I think not!

I have taken Monday off work to have as a 'garage day' I might just stick with my mounts and try and get the truck up and running. 'Upgraded' mounts can come later.

[lsear2905]

Last night...

 

[Robert5000]

8 hours ago, moffman said:

Just a bit of a tip (if you haven't yet soldered) my soldering skills are rubbish so I used the ball connectors from the hotshot.......much better 

@moffman you absolute beauty of a man! Your advice couldn't have come at a better time as I for reasons unbeknownst to man bought the pro transmission and some carbon bits last week. Hotshot ball connectors promptly ordered. Cheers!

[Busdriver]

9 hours ago, Badcrumble said:

I have taken Monday off work to have as a 'garage day' I might just stick with my mounts and try and get the truck up and running. 'Upgraded' mounts can come later.

I gather that Bigfoot has been sighted in Berkshire. The only thing rarer is @Badcrumble’s JK trail rig😂🤣

[berman]

Bought another M-chassis...

@Jonathon Gillham ...shush you! 😄

[Badcrumble]

32 minutes ago, Busdriver said:

I gather that Bigfoot has been sighted in Berkshire. The only thing rarer is @Badcrumble’s JK trail rig😂🤣

Don't you start! I used to get this kind of ribbing off @Jason1145! Aw, good times...

What's worse, @JennyMo has bought one of these shells and is will probably have an amazingly customised creation up and running before I have the mounts on the JK sorted.

This has not been a straightforward kit build...but I didn't buy a straghtforward kit.

 

[Badcrumble]

3 minutes ago, berman said:

Bought another M-chassis...

@Jonathon Gillham ...shush you! 😄

That's karma for inspiring me to buy an early M chassis...

[moffman]

2 hours ago, Robert5000 said:

@moffman you absolute beauty of a man! Your advice couldn't have come at a better time as I for reasons unbeknownst to man bought the pro transmission and some carbon bits last week. Hotshot ball connectors promptly ordered. Cheers!

No problem that's what this forum is for! But don't forget you will have to use the tamiya plastic connectors and you might need the grub screws (same size as the one you get with a pinion gear....but you probably already know that?)

[Robert5000]

33 minutes ago, moffman said:

No problem that's what this forum is for! But don't forget you will have to use the tamiya plastic connectors and you might need the grub screws (same size as the one you get with a pinion gear....but you probably already know that?)

I probably didn't know that at all, but now I do  I probably/hopefully have some plastic connectors and grub screws somewhere. Quality information! 

[Busdriver]

3 hours ago, Badcrumble said:

Don't you start! I used to get this kind of ribbing off @Jason1145! Aw, good times..

Happy to pick up the mantle 

[Robert5000]

After a few evenings of trying to figure out how to best get the clod body to fit on the TXT2 with infinitesimal adjustments in the hundreds I lost patience and drilled new holes. Being too small it's not a good fit, but I'm not sure fettling with it for another couple of evenings would've improved on it. Will probably still paint and sticker it because I'm not sure I have the patience to find a body with the correct measurements, and then wait for overseas shipping. 

[JennyMo]

7 hours ago, Badcrumble said:

Don't you start! I used to get this kind of ribbing off @Jason1145! Aw, good times...

What's worse, @JennyMo has bought one of these shells and is will probably have an amazingly customised creation up and running before I have the mounts on the JK sorted.

This has not been a straightforward kit build...but I didn't buy a straghtforward kit.

 

Ha ha - my ears are burning and my wallet has melted... yes, my Injora 2-door JK body arrived yesterday, and I have to say it is excellent quality - I ordered the matt green version, and quite honestly it really needs nothing doing to it if all you want is a stock JK jeep - the paint finish is great, and the detailing really nice - lamps buckets, coloured tail-light lenses, even a high level brake light over the spare wheel! I am very impressed!

In fact it's almost a shame to start chopping it up, but as is my way... stay tuned ;o)

More importantly perhaps - @Badcrumble - firstly thank you for the recommendation, they certainly have another advocate in me now too - but with regard to your stagnant build, I really would invest in some matching 90mm shocks if off-road performance is your goal - even if they are just cheaper eBay copies of the King shocks (for info. I have some of those blue and silver anodised ones from China, and they are surprising good and supple - a set of 4 should only cost you around $20). 

Having re-jigged the suspension and axles on a number of my builds recently, there is a significant difference in articulation between an 80mm and 90mm length shock (the swept length of the shaft is typically 5mm longer), so if you've got 75mm shocks I can only imagine the difference will be even more marked... I'm sure I don't need to tell you, but for anyone reading unfamiliar, using a longer shock (and a corresponding higher mounting location on the chassis so as not to increase the ride-height) gives you more travel, which will allow the axle to cross-articulate over rough terrain better - increasing real-world all-terrain ability without jacking the vehicle sky high and increasing the centre of gravity.

Hope that helps!

Jenny x

[simalarion]

@Robert5000 - i believe TxT-1 Body would fit better, not sure.

[Robert5000]

I'm pretty sure you're dead right, @simalarion -my problem is that the TXT1 body is almost as hideous as the TXT2 body. It has to be an early 80's body to work for me. 

[Jonathon Gillham]

10 hours ago, berman said:

Bought another M-chassis...

@Jonathon Gillham ...shush you! 😄

How does it work in your house? Do you need some IIPA to warm up the credit card or just dive right in?

My birthday Sand Scorcher may be put on hold, about to spend a bit (you know what that means) on the race car. New seat, harness etc, conversion from superstrut to normal suspension (cheaper in the long run, a worn lower control arm is going to cost $550 for superstrut!) and looking into uprated oil pumps so we can sustain 8,000rpm for 24 hours. I plan to spend it now so its forgotten by my birthday.

[Badcrumble]

@JennyMo I know you're right, I'm just resistant having thrown quite a bit of money at this rig already, including two sent of GMade dampers I have subsequently ditched!

Looking through my previous purchases, I have some similar RC4WD dampers but they are 100mm and my chassis takes a maximum of 90mm up front.

So we now have identical bodyshells it will be fun to see how different they look when finished. I have ditched the spare wheel and high level brake light, rear seats and will be adding a lightweight cage but won't be painted in the short term given the recent standard finish.

Can't wait to see yours progress (even if it is so I can just steal your ideas!).

[moffman]

3 hours ago, Robert5000 said:

After a few evenings of trying to figure out how to best get the clod body to fit on the TXT2 with infinitesimal adjustments in the hundreds I lost patience and drilled new holes. Being too small it's not a good fit, but I'm not sure fettling with it for another couple of evenings would've improved on it. Will probably still paint and sticker it because I'm not sure I have the patience to find a body with the correct measurements, and then wait for overseas shipping. 

That's gonna look good can the front and rear bumpers come off? I'm not familiar with the TXT2 chassis!

[Robert5000]

4 minutes ago, moffman said:

That's gonna look good can the front and rear bumpers come off? I'm not familiar with the TXT2 chassis!

I'm not sure they can -I've been thinking the same thing, but I've got a hacksaw if all else fails. Though I'm not sure it's advisable seeing as I'm the one who's going to be driving it. Experience tells me they'd come in handy. But I agree the Clod body could do with shorter bumpers. 

[SupraChrgd82]

38 minutes ago, Badcrumble said:

@JennyMo I know you're right, I'm just resistant having thrown quite a bit of money at this rig already, including two sent of GMade dampers I have subsequently ditched!

Looking through my previous purchases, I have some similar RC4WD dampers but they are 100mm and my chassis takes a maximum of 90mm up front.

So we now have identical bodyshells it will be fun to see how different they look when finished. I have ditched the spare wheel and high level brake light, rear seats and will be adding a lightweight cage but won't be painted in the short term given the recent standard finish.

Can't wait to see yours progress (even if it is so I can just steal your ideas!).

Gmade makes some excellent dampers for scale rigs, particularly the XD Diaphragm and XD Piggyback in 85mm length and paired with their soft springs (GM0020031). Too much articulation will hinder more than help.  Axial has a great writeup: http://www.axialracing.com/blog_posts/3996

 

[Badcrumble]

Thanks @SupraChrgd82, I did like the XD diaphragm dampers I bought but there has been a lot of trial and error in this build (mainly error) and I had clearance issues with the fairly wide bodies of the XDs.

Whilst the King dampers have a leaky reputation, they are nice and narrow for this body and chassis combination. 

The existing front dampers are 90mm, carried over from the purchase of the second hand chassis. Moving to 90mm at the rear would mean I could move to stock damper mounts at the rear (rather than my attempts at making some out of Delrin - I don't really have metal working facilities or experience) and continue with my Rock Beast tyre choice.