4wd Willy's Wheeler Build Thread.

[Chain Driven 0]

Maybe some help there as I went through this myself:

http://www.tamiyaclub.com/showroom_model.a...39&id=11170

I have detailed pics of the servo installation if needed.

Top force top plate is just great as the centre cutout is exactly the width of a servo.

Cheers

Jerome

[TAZ-NZ 3]

Maybe some help there as I went through this myself:

http://www.tamiyaclub.com/showroom_model.a...39&id=11170

I have detailed pics of the servo if needed.

Cheers

Jerome

Very cool dude.

Funny thing is I actually looked at doing a Stratos build myself before setting out on this build, I even looked at your car in the showroom when looking for info on available bodies, I took no notice of the chassis as I figured I would use a M03 chassis, lack of avilablity of the rally light accessory and a love of detailed hard bodies sent me looking for something different to build and I ended up doing this.

It shocking how similar my build has turned out to yours, Hondabiker's 4WD Mini and the Wild Willy 2 Conversion were the inspiration for my build, but you would swear looking at your Stratos that I was copying it's design, I even looked at mounting my steering servo upside down like you have yours at one point, but there wasn't enough room between the battery and the front diff assembly for the servo horn. Great minds think alike it seems

What's the wheel base on yours ? and what kit is the front bumper off ?

[irenL 0]

I'm little limited with what I can do with the top plate, I can't go any further to right with it because on the prop shaft, but I may be able to widen it to the left a little and move the servo over some, then I can mount the receiver beside the servo. I'll have to wiat for the steering parts to turn up to confirm what will work in regards to the steering servo's position.

Anyway here the lastet progress pic:

I added wings to the lower chassis plate and fitted the Top Force battery holders last night, I got all the transmission parts I was waiting on today, so the front diff & rear transmission are fully assembled, greased and ball raced. I fitted the adjustable upper suspension arms, which solved the issues I was having with the TL-01 upper rear items, it has all new axles, dog bones (39mm rear, 42mm front) and screws, etc all round. I tried to fit the rear anti-swap bar, but no joy the sway both the TL01 & TA02 swap bars are two short for this setup and there isn't enough clearance between the motor & the left rear suspension arm for the vertical link.

Wow, that looks good Taz.

I think mounting the receiver on top of the servo might be the other option.

Also, the rear stabilizer bar vertical links can be fitted to the uprights instead. They don't have to be mounted on the arms. This, however, will limit the amount of camber adjustment you have, without binding the links. I got 02 stabilizer bar installed in my 01, same issue, so I relocated the vertical links to the upright -I'm using the stock, non-adjustable camber links anyways..

[TAZ-NZ 3]

Wow, that looks good Taz.

I think mounting the receiver on top of the servo might be the other option.

Also, the rear stabilizer bar vertical links can be fitted to the uprights instead. They don't have to be mounted on the arms. This, however, will limit the amount of camber adjustment you have, without binding the links. I got 02 stabilizer bar installed in my 01, same issue, so I relocated the vertical links to the upright -I'm using the stock, non-adjustable camber links anyways..

Have you got a picture of how you have the stabilizer is mounted, I'd be very interested to see it if you do. I've got an idea how to do it myself, but it's always good to see how other people solve a problem.

[Chain Driven 0]

Hi Taz, yes isn't it funny how close our projects are?

The wheelbase is the same as a Mini.

About the bumper I think I got it from a stadium truck, the Chevy S-10 I think.

Good luck for the project !

Jerome

[TAZ-NZ 3]

No physical progress today, still waiting on some parts for the prop shaft and steering. And I still undecided about how best to mount the body.

What I have been doing is meassuring everything on the lower plate and putting those diamenstion into a CAD file to get this:

Still needs some tweaking before I make it from aluminum.

[irenL 0]

Have you got a picture of how you have the stabilizer is mounted, I'd be very interested to see it if you do. I've got an idea how to do it myself, but it's always good to see how other people solve a problem.

I don't, and I've just slapped my forehead.. because I just remembered I got the stabilizer mounted that way when I was using the CEN GX1 rear setup, which I've since striped since I lost the toe adjustment blocks that supposed to fit on their uprights hinge-pin hole. I'm such a mess as of late..

[Skysaxon 1]

Thats how I did the stabi at mine TA-02.

Hop it would help you.

[TAZ-NZ 3]

Thats how I did the stabi at mine TA-02.

Hop it would help you.

Thanks for the pics, my problem is that I'm not using TA-02 rear suspension arms which are swept back, I'm using TL01 lower arms on the rear which mean my setup is closer to TA01 items where the rear arms are slighty swept forwards, so I have almost no clearance between the motor and the swing arm to fit the vertical link.

I don't, and I've just slapped my forehead.. because I just remembered I got the stabilizer mounted that way when I was using the CEN GX1 rear setup, which I've since striped since I lost the toe adjustment blocks that supposed to fit on their uprights hinge-pin hole. I'm such a mess as of late..

Thanks anyway, I had a look at a couple of Cen GX1 chassis image to see what you might be talking about, and think I can sse how you would have had it setup. I had a look around CEN's website and may have found a solution.

The anti-sway bar kit for one of CEN's other kits contains vetical links that look to be about 2/3 the lenght of the TA02 sway bar verticals. If I replace the standard ball connectors that the upper arms attach to the rear knuckles by, with long threaded ball connectors and then screw to them internally threaded ball connectors on to the other side of the rear kunckles, I should then be able to attach the anti-sway bar using the Cen anti-sway verticals, If that makes any sense.

So in this image the vertical link would connect the ball connector on the anti-sway bar to another ball connector fitted oto the upper link mounting point of the knuckle.

[bakaguyjean 7]

Just wondering if you have got any farther on this. Im looking foward to see it completed.

[TAZ-NZ 3]

Well after an unplanned hiatus this project is back on track.

I picked up a set Top Force FRP plates and modified the lower plate to suit my needs, I didn't need the stock upper plate as I was able to make the new short top plate from the off cut of the lower plate. The shock steering servo mounts are a little to centered for my needs with is a pity, but final postitioning of steering servo will have to wait until I have the rest of the steering sorted.

Anyway here are some pics of how it looks right now, still need to trim the front edges of the lower plate to clear the front wheels at full lock, and a couple of the countersink holes need a touch up as the screw heads don't sit flush.

The last parts I need for the steering should turn up with week, I've got a set of aftermarket HPI RS4 bell cranks from GPM coming, they should drop straight onto the Top Force steering posts.

(Yes they are that horrible HPI pink/purple colour, but that will change when I get them.)

I starting to think about electronics I want to run when It's finished:

- I plan to use a Hitec DCX receiver like I have in my other cars, it nice and small so if I mount it on it's side it should fit nicely between the two chassic plates in the area forward of the battery.

- For the steering servo I'll run a standard Hitec HS325HB, they are cheap as chips and haven't had an issue with one yet and I don't think the chassis calls for anything more.

- Battery wise I'd like to save a bit of weight, so I was thinking getting a Team Orion Carbon Edtion 3200mah LiPo, at just under 200g it's the lightest standard size battery I've seen.

- For the motor and ESC I like the look of the new Team Orion Experience Blushless Combo, I like the light weight and a full sealed can. Be nice if they included the fan for the ESC though.

Has anyone have any experiance with one of these combo's yet? I did be interest to know what other think on this one, It will be my first brushless setup and it seam like a nice setup to start out with.

More updated will hopeful follow in the coming days.

[Origineelreclamebord 45]

I hadn't seen this topic until now... It looks really nice so far! It may be a little hectic because of it's short wheelbase, but that's the fun of SWB cars isn't it?

[TAZ-NZ 3]

I hadn't seen this topic until now... It looks really nice so far! It may be a little hectic because of it's short wheelbase, but that's the fun of SWB cars isn't it?

Wheelbase is only ~178mm so at low speed I expect it will turn on a dime, not sure what to expect in the handling department at higher speeds. Should be fairly statible though it has a very wide stance and the battery is basic smack in the middle of the chassis now, plus most of the weight is low down even when allow for the very tall and heavy body. It should be a total blast to drive and that's what I'm hoping for, when finished I want to take it along to an open to all race day just to see what looks I get

[B.M.T. 127]

That's come out awesome. Good work, matie.

For your center drive shaft, you might get away with using TLT diff joint cups and a Tamiya buggy length dogbone.

Just a thought.

[TAZ-NZ 3]

That's come out awesome. Good work, matie.

For your center drive shaft, you might get away with using TLT diff joint cups and a Tamiya buggy length dogbone.

Just a thought.

Yeah that's probably a would have been a good way to go, but I've already order the TA02 dog bone prop shaft hop-up, I'll still need to get a different lenght dog bone to make it work, I was thinking the Manta Ray rear dog bones looked about right but I need to check sizing.

I had planned on using a shortened XC prop shaft, but the universally are larger than I expected and don't clear the transmission housings. I do still have two XC rear propreller joints that are a purfect substitute for the for the slotted TA02 propreller joints, and have the flats needed for mounting TLT diff joint cups. The TLT cups will probably wear better than the TA02 aluminum dog bone cups, I may look into that one in the future.

[bfst24 2]

Yeah that's probably a would have been a good way to go, but I've already order the TA02 dog bone prop shaft hop-up, I'll still need to get a different lenght dog bone to make it work, I was thinking the Manta Ray rear dog bones looked about right but I need to check sizing.

I had planned on using a shortened XC prop shaft, but the universally are larger than I expected and don't clear the transmission housings. I do still have two XC rear propreller joints that are a purfect substitute for the for the slotted TA02 propreller joints, and have the flats needed for mounting TLT diff joint cups. The TLT cups will probably wear better than the TA02 aluminum dog bone cups, I may look into that one in the future.

any updates?

[TAZ-NZ 3]

any updates?

Here you go.

After a number of dead end attempts to find compatible parts to sort out the steering and drive shaft, I finally got it all sorted this past week or so .

I also final finish modding the lower chassis plate, so it clears the front wheels at full lock.

The steering is made from CEN GX1 Steering Link horn set, Top Force steering rods, and modified HPI steering posts (I could have used CEN GX1 steering posts)

The drive shaft is a Associated RC10 T4 RTR rear axle dogbone, I had to open up the slots on drive cups a little to accept the associated dogbone.

I've been working on the body to over the past month or so, I delete the antenna hole and the hole for the stock bumper, and gave the whole body a few coats of white primer.

I the chassis is basically done now, I still need to give it a test run but. I also need to make a rear body mount clip and fab a rear body mount hoop, I also plan to make a rear wing.

I have no Idea how I want to paint the body at this point and my painting skills are on the limited side, but I kind of like the idea of doing something along the lines of the Tamiya 1/32 Honda City 4WD.

I want to make a front bumper like the stock Willy's Wheeler "city" item, I was thinking of make it out of a CRP plastic nerf wing for a Frog , but I can't find one on ebay at the moment. If anyone has one they want to part with I'm interested, I could also do with a scanned image of the stock Willy's Wheeler item next to a steel rule.

[TA-Mark 195]

Those chassis mods are ingenious. Well done! Can't wait to see this one in action.

[TAZ-NZ 3]

After almost 2 years of sitting on a shelf collecting dust this project is back on and near completion finally.

So since I last update this thread, the chassis, has gained:

GPM front & rear carbon fiber damper stays.

Team Orion 19t experience 2 Brushless Combo.

TA04 39mm universal shafts all round, with TB EVO IV 46mm swing shafts up front.

TA04 TRF Dampers.

Hitec Servo & Radio Gear.

Ford Escort RS Cosworth bumper

The carbon fiber damper stays beyond looking cool, gave me more mounting options for the dampers letting adjust the ride hight more & solved the problem of the front damper mount being cracked.

The TRF Dampers, solver my ride high issues, the chassis is now a half inch closer to the ground that it was, which also resulted in the universal shafts being perfectly horizontal at rest.

The drive train with the universals is now super smooth and quite.

Lowering the ride high had another side effect of allow me to fix my steering arm geometry, the steering arms now run parallel to the front lower arms, all but eliminating bump steer.

Anyway here so picture of it as at today: (sorry about the quality, setting sun doesn't make for the best lighting angle.)

I plan to mount the body with ABC Hobbies stealth body mounts, I'm just waiting on a set of Porsche Cayenne Body post to arrive to fit them too.

I plan to change the gearing ratio with TA02 Skyline gear set, but I still waiting the robinson racing pinions I ordered.

I can't wait to get it out for a full run, the turning circle is insanely small, should do some great doughnuts.

[WW-nut 0]

Had completely forgotten about this project. Glad you're now going to finish it, go and lock yourself in a shed and get it done!!!!

[TAZ-NZ 3]

The Robins Racing pinions I ordered came the other day, so I've changed the gearing from the stock Hummer ration of 11.27:1 to 7.31:1 with a 23T pinion & 69T Spur. The RR Steel pinions are great, but only Americians would use an Imperial sized grub screw on a Metric Pinion.

Took it out for it first run last night, it was fast but total uncontrollable, it would spinout as soon as you tried to turn at speed or dared to break. Did so many pirouette it threw the battery out of the chassis, we couldn't find the battery tie down or the body pins that we holding it in place. (Battery is currently zip tied in.)

I fitted a ball diff to the rear to try and control the wheel spin. (I've got another on order for the front) Took the negative camber out of the back wheels to try and plant the rear more. Also change the routing of the radio gear wiring, as I had a lot range and interference issue with it last night.

Ran it again today way more controllable, but still twitchy as badword, but the wheel base is so short there that's always going to be an issue. I think with some more pratice and a few more chassis tweaks, I'll be about to get it under control without make it boring to run.

Anyway my mate to a quick video me running it with his cellphone (thus the quality isn't that great), but you get the idea. (I think I was doing better that the learner driver in the back ground)

[bugone 42]

The RR Steel pinions are great, but only Americians would use an Imperial sized grub screw on a Metric Pinion.

I've just got an American 16t pinion. Took me ages to find an old hobby kit with a set of imperial allen keys in it. How bizarre.

Great build thread. Still needs more pics.

[WW-nut 0]

Looking forward to seeing a video with the body shell on.......

[IBIFTKH 1371]

Very nice, great work on the chassis. Looking forward to seeing what you do with the shell.

[StradyITA 0]

Very nice project!!

do you have any update?

I would like to realize something similar...

maybe can you giv eme your CAD dimension drawing of the wood chassis?

Can you help me finding the complete Willys Wheeler Honda City turbo Body parts? maybe you have the full list of code parts to order.

thanks!

bye!