rough rider 4 wheel drive conversion with pics

[Shodog]

Well this weekend was a productive one. While at a hobby shop I located a rough rider 4 wheel drive conversion kit made by MIP. I bought the kit and the rear gear case. It shows to use a trailing arm kit for the rear which the shop didn't have. I am going to try and modify a stock rear gear case that will accept the drive shaft for the fron gear case. this way I can keep the car fairly stock. I plan to use this set up on my superchamp rather thhan tearing up my runner rough rider.

Here is a pic of the kit

http://groups.msn.com/_Secure/0MwBnHIkRwKq...bCHae5g/615.JPG

Jim

[TWINSET]

Jim

I got a set of front and rear susp. arms if you need either...

Andy

[SJoerD]

I need to know more about this, I never knew this was possible! []

I think it might be nice to use a SS with 4 rear wheels, that one looked cool as well! [8D] Just like in World War II I guess... []

It's probably easier to pop a SS body on a Hilux chassis... [)] LOL

Sjoerd [8D]

[DJTheo]

Speachless!![:0] Can you show us some diagram or manual how it is done? Or better build it! Lucky guy![8D]

[Shodog]

I have already played with it a bit already. The stock rear gear box on a racing buggy can be modified to accept the drive shaft. The front gear box should be no problem to install. The front drive shafts are too long for the stock width of the front suspension. The tubes of the front suspension would need to be longer. I have a lot of parts left over from my Rough Rider and Superchamp restorations so I will be able to experiment with some parts. Overall the quality of the kit is good. Instructions are poor but I think they figure anybody who woiuld do this conversion knows what needs to be done.

[DJTheo]

Propably you need also the front widener kits sold as hop ups at that time...

[Shodog]

I have been doing a little bit of building. I have posted pics in my showroom of the progress

http://www.tamiyaclub.com/showroom_model.asp?cid=3580&id=34

I made a chassis and new tubes between the uprights that are longer. I think you could use a stock chassis, you would just have to mount the front transmission further back on the chassis. the dog bones are really made for a wide chassis conversion. I modified a Super champ gear box to accept the output shaft. I think the shaft could be shortened a bit so that it sit inside the body better. This conversion would be trick on a Sand Scorcher or Ranger

[DJTheo]

Wow!!! And does this flexible shaft work? Doesnt it have high friction and rub to the gearbox?

[SJoerD]

Is that flexible tube actually a drive shaft?!? []

I bet it was done to fit in the tiny bags... [)]

Maybe you can replace it by a pully and belt system as a TA04... [8D] Seems easier to me than fitting a straight drive shaft in it... []

Sjoerd

[Shodog]

The tube is made of plastic. It is like the Pex tubing you can use for water lines in your house. The shaft inside it is a flex cable similar to ones your use for the drive shafts on R/C boats. Realize this kit was made ~1982 using items available at the time. There were very few 4wd cars if any at the time. I am sure you could retro fit a belt and pulley system but then you would be losing out on the vintage nature of the hop up.

Jim

[snollan]

If you drive it you might want to have a boat place make you a flex cable for it. BBY is in your neck of the woods I'm sure Randy would custom build you one.

[Shodog]

I don't think I would ever drive it. The system looks pretty stout but I would wantto risk messing it up. I was thinking of replacing the plastic tube with a brass one. that way I could bend it to contour a body nicely and then pack it full of grease.

Jim

[SJoerD]

quote:Originally posted by Shodog

I am sure you could retro fit a belt and pulley system but then you would be losing out on the vintage nature of the hop up.

Jim

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Yeah, it wouldn't be really vintage anymore. It would be nice to use such kit on a runner though, I wonder how it would handle! [8D]

How are you going to fit the body with that driveshaft? You might be ably to do it with a SS but an RR or SC has it's limited space. []

Sjoerd

[Shodog]

I am going to buy another flex shaft and a piece of brass tubing. I want to get it short and tight enough to fit within a Rough Rider or Super Champ body.

[DJTheo]

Does it now rotate smoothly, or work at all? Have a feeling that at high rpms the shaft would start bending oscillations till blockage...

[Shodog]

The front transmission rotates very freely. The flex shaft has some drag. I think this is due to the plastic tubing. If I was to grease it up it would spin more freely. I didn't want to do that. If I make it a shelf sitter, I didn't wan the tube dicolored. I am going to try the brass tubing idea first and see what happens