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Emp40cal1911

My attempt to build a CC-01 "crawler" in looks only :) and on a "budget"

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Hello all. I have been visiting this site as a guest for some time now. Yesterday I became a member and glad to be on board since the members here and their posts provide TONS of excellent RC information thank you all.... also Thank You moderators for the opportunity. 

For some background. My first RC was on or about age 12, it was a Tamiya QD...as I grew older....and way older..... I have been on and off with the RC hobby. I am also more of a collector and less of a driver of Rc cars so your input will be even more valuable. I have had various Tamiya kits through out the years that have come and gone but this is my first attempt of modifying a Tamiya kit beyond just building it and I will be using mainly already manufactured cheap parts , in other words my experience is very limited modifying rc cars and the parts used are available for any newb like me to purchase and are on "budget". My main goal is to turn this CC-01 chassis into a budget crawler with minimal modifications (lol). I will keep posting as I go along modifying the Landfreeder so please bear with me. Here i go.....

This is/was a Tamiya Black Landfreeder. I built it and added some lights up front mounted on a homemade bracket and added the wheels and tires from my F350.

 

 

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I originally was going to use an F350 body but I found a on budget Jeep Cherokee hard body which seems quite detailed and manufactured apparently for real/better suited chassis for crawling based on my research online. The Cherokee's wheelbase is 275mm 205 in the rear and 200 up front

$69.95 Cherokee body. 

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WELCOME!! 👊👍👍

You have truly found the BEST Forums for Tamiya! I'll be happy to advise whenever you need it. I built the CC-01 Landfreeder about 6 years ago.... 

I've been through the unadulterated HEADACHES of trying to turn it into a Crawler. Just know up front, this will NEVER be a hardcore Crawler. BUT it can be a quite capable Trail Truck, that can take a BEATING! 

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REALLY like the Austar Cherokee Hardbody!! 😁👍👍

It's a LITTLE tough to get the CC-01 out to 275mm... But it's not difficult, and the extra Wheelbase will increase Stability - although will be a little easier to high center. 

First bit of advice... The GPM CC-01 Aluminium Steering Bellcrank and Rack Kit. Looks nice, Bearings throughout, IS a bit stronger than the original....

DON'T BUY IT!! 😲😖  They end up just as loose as the Tamiya components - except after Rough Road driving, Screws work out, parts fall off. And unless you're on a sidewalk, those bits are GONE forever!! EVEN if you use Loctite.

There will be some People who will tell you that they've had it for years, and it works brilliantly... but it's a product with poor engineering standards. You're more likely to get a DUD! ...... It's also sold under many other names, but in pictures they all look the same.

The main problem is the same as the Original. The Lever that goes on top, with the Turnbuckle to the Servo... Even if the Screw is tight - there's too much play between the Lever and the Rod, making up the lower Bellcrank. To make matters WORSE, it's the SAME thing on the Bottom!!! The Arms Screw onto BOTH ends of that Bellcrank Shaft running through the Chassis to the Bottom. DOUBLE SLOP!!! 😖😠😠

The Bottom half of that, the actual Steering Rack, is fairly good. The Bellcrank is a whole different story! There's a much better solution...

 

 

I've just spent the past hour scouring Evilbay. There I found the RIGHT way of going around the problem - it's just the Bellcrank itself, thicker and much beefier. The bad news is, they're all SOLD OUT!😞 Couldn't find a single one. If I do I'll let you know.

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Thanks Carmine. Steering column you say?....like this one? :mellow:.

I had purchased it along with other budget alloy parts. About 3 days ago i decided to look online about it’s installation  and i read many complaints about this part. The exact same complaint you mention. I did save the original part for when this one falls apart. If you come across that bell crank you speak of Yes! Let me know. Thanks.

 

You also said Trail Truck....Perfect! Let’s call this a Trail Truck project. You are 100% correct there as well. I don’t think this thing will be able to crawl much. 

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I extended the chassis by adding the chassis extension by 4x4 shop. They recommend using glue but i used screws also drilling holes on the side. Fabricated some links using aluminum rods, threading cup pocket screws and Traxxas rod ends and added damper mounts to the rear diff. 

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The CC-01 and I are old friends!!! 😜😖  Many trials and tribulations.

Yes..... That's the offending Part. The actual Steering Rack and the Tie Rods are actually pretty good. Superior to Tamiya. It is the Bellcrank itself - that Tube that goes through the hole in the Chassis, with a Lever on either end. On the Tamiya, the lower Lever and the Shaft are molded in one piece.... The upper Lever is screwed into the top of the Shaft, going into a fairly deep slot. 

THAT'S where GPM and the dozens of other copycat brands, use only a 2-3mm deep slot in the Levers! That's why they're so weak, and wear themselves loose fairly quickly.  Sure.... It rides on Bearings, but SO WHAT? It's far weaker than the Original and 3X the price!!! 

I'm BAFFLED as to WHY they're still selling them, and that so many People keep buying them!! 😖😲😲

The Hopup piece I mentioned, looks just like the Tamiya plastic Bellcrank, but it's all Aluminium, and is VERY strong!! I will keep trying to find those.

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That's fascinating!!! 👌 I'll have to check out the 4X4 Shop... That's a clever solution, and an easy way to get out to 275mm! 

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I added the rear upper shock mounts from Hot Racing and 82mm shocks. Unfortunately for me the HR shock mounts were made left & right and the engineers at Tamiya made the mount the same on both sides. :angry:. Hot Racing failed on this for sure. One side of the diff now sticks out almost 3/16 of an inch....not good!. I will have to order another set just to use one side on the other side. 

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............ You might want to double check the Lengths of your Rear Links. Shocks themselves can never shift an Axle left or right. 

I can see it's not centered under there! Either your Right Upper Link is too short, or your Left Upper Link is too long. The Upper Links control side to side, the Lower Links control back and forth....

It's worth looking at anyway, before spending more money for Parts you may not need. You mentioned that you made your Links custom. Being off by a millimeter or two has happened to nearly everyone. Happened to me a few times... It's Frustrating!! 😖😡

I really hope you get it figured out. 😊

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14 minutes ago, Carmine A said:

............ You might want to double check the Lengths of your Rear Links. Shocks themselves can never shift an Axle left or right. 

I can see it's not centered under there! Either your Right Upper Link is too short, or your Left Upper Link is too long. The Upper Links control side to side, the Lower Links control back and forth....

It's worth looking at anyway, before spending more money for Parts you may not need. You mentioned that you made your Links custom. Being off by a millimeter or two has happened to nearly everyone. Happened to me a few times... It's Frustrating!! 😖😡

I really hope you get it figured out. 😊

Hmmm....I shall remeasure again Carmine. Thanks

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2 hours ago, Emp40cal1911 said:

Hmmm....I shall remeasure again Carmine. Thanks

I'm so glad you weren't insulted by that. I gave it a lot of thought after posting. I'm just trying to be helpful. I've got 37 years in the Hobby, and MANY mistakes I can share with others!! 😜

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2 hours ago, Carmine A said:

I'm so glad you weren't insulted by that. I gave it a lot of thought after posting. I'm just trying to be helpful. I've got 37 years in the Hobby, and MANY mistakes I can share with others!! 😜

No...no...no...i am here trying to learn more. In fact the more feedback the better and i really appreciate the input plus my skin is thicker than a crocs so feeling insulted would take months of daily constant very personal insults :lol:

I doubled checked my links. One short link was off by about 1/32. Fixed that. I re-measured everything. I think it’s on point so far....the off center 3/16 of an inch for now i will blame on the gremlins or the beer i was guzzling down at the time. I did re-order another set of HR upper shock mounts though. I made some progress so if you see any issues do not hold back and let me know. Thanks again Carmine.

 


 

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I re-measured everything....i think i am good or at least hope. I even used a level. I added some 15mm hub spacers too! According to my measurements it should make this wide body on this chassis look aesthetically pleasing to the naked eye. So far my WB stands at 10-3/4 or 273mm i guess close enough :lol:

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51 minutes ago, Emp40cal1911 said:

No...no...no...i am here trying to learn more. In fact the more feedback the better and i really appreciate the input plus my skin is thicker than a crocs so feeling insulted would take months of daily constant very personal insults :lol:

I doubled checked my links. One short link was off by about 1/32. Fixed that. I re-measured everything. I think it’s on point so far....the off center 3/16 of an inch for now i will blame on the gremlins or the beer i was guzzling down at the time. I did re-order another set of HR upper shock mounts though. I made some progress so if you see any issues do not hold back and let me know. Thanks again Carmine.

I am so glad for that! Harassment is for REAL Camaro or Nissan Forums!!! 😜😂  Not tolerated here. I am truly here to help! 

Believe it or not, a mere 1/32" is enough to screw up the Track of an Axle. 😲  I'm glad you found that, and it looks so much better now!!👌  Now that it's Centered, the misalignment of the Shocks is a LOT more obvious. Sux you have to buy another set to fix that...

BUT - if you got a SECOND CC-01, (and that DOES happen!!!) you're already set!

The Landfreeder Body now looks very out of place on the stretched Chassis!

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I completed the front end using budget alloy parts. Added the necessary extended drive shaft and installed front and rear skid plates. The front came as a set with a center plate but the design was just awful and needed modification so i decided not to use it and ordered a different center plate. The plate set was cheap and on budget at the time. Some of these budget parts apparently are not made to Tamiya specs or sometimes even their own specs (their own screws) so it has taken some improvisation. We will see how the body fits once i am done with the chassis. It’s my first time doing this. 

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Hey.... A lot of this Budget stuff is pretty good. UNLESS you get GPM or Junfac. The CC-01 should grow on you, like a Woman. 

You may HATE it in spurts, but you can never let her go!!! 😜😄😂  You got a lot of the most important upgrades already I see... It looks good!! 

If you really like it, you'll begin to read other articles, Threads and Videos. You'll see at least 12 different ways to mount the Servo in a non stock location. Some work well.... some DON'T!! 😖 You may like it the way it IS. You've got time. 😉😊

You did a great job of stretching the Wheelbase!!  ONE thing of note.... You might want to reinstall one part. Those Upper Control Arms.... The Aluminium upgrade restricts downward movement. 

You will LOSE ground clearance with them. Always, your choice. You're starting to inspire me to dig up my Landfreeder, and try to get a little life back in!

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That certainly doesn't look like a budget build to me. 

Nice project! The CC-01 is a fun kit but tricky to improve. But once you get the hang of it, it's a fun drive. I spent so much time in building and improving mine (from an old stuck up 90s kit). Lots of modifications and parts trial. As mentioned, stay away from the GPM steering set. It's total crap as well as the Xtraspeed. Only two options. Hot RAcing (HR or Yeah Racing (YR). But HR is the best IMHO.

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18 hours ago, Carmine A said:

Hey.... A lot of this Budget stuff is pretty good. UNLESS you get GPM or Junfac. The CC-01 should grow on you, like a Woman. 

You may HATE it in spurts, but you can never let her go!!! 😜😄😂  You got a lot of the most important upgrades already I see... It looks good!! 

If you really like it, you'll begin to read other articles, Threads and Videos. You'll see at least 12 different ways to mount the Servo in a non stock location. Some work well.... some DON'T!! 😖 You may like it the way it IS. You've got time. 😉😊

You did a great job of stretching the Wheelbase!!  ONE thing of note.... You might want to reinstall one part. Those Upper Control Arms.... The Aluminium upgrade restricts downward movement. 

You will LOSE ground clearance with them. Always, your choice. You're starting to inspire me to dig up my Landfreeder, and try to get a little life back in!

Ha! 
You know carmine i did notice that but i blew it off as just me. What do you suggest for the upper control arm? Reinstall the original? Is there one made out aluminum you would recommend? 

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18 hours ago, Nicadraus said:

That certainly doesn't look like a budget build to me. 

Nice project! The CC-01 is a fun kit but tricky to improve. But once you get the hang of it, it's a fun drive. I spent so much time in building and improving mine (from an old stuck up 90s kit). Lots of modifications and parts trial. As mentioned, stay away from the GPM steering set. It's total crap as well as the Xtraspeed. Only two options. Hot RAcing (HR or Yeah Racing (YR). But HR is the best IMHO.

Unfortunately i found after i purchased it. I installed one similar to the GPM but unbranded alloy. So you recommend the HR kit? 
At some point i will post my total out of pocket cost. 

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The chassis is complete for now. Even though some parts will be changed in the very near future. The body appears to fit just as i expected. Tires are close flush on the sides, protruding out about 1/16-1/8 of an inch as per the picture. I began working on attaching the body to the chassis. My plan is to use earth magnets. I manufactured an aluminum brace that will be held by the original cc-01 attachment points. It will hold the magnet cup while the magnet itself will be glued to the hood. Will be working on the rear after. I won’t be able to progress any further until the weekend due to work as today is my last vacation day. Once i complete attaching the body off to finishing the body. The body comes with fender flares but i will not be using those as they are too big but i will deal with that later. 

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6 hours ago, Emp40cal1911 said:

Unfortunately i found after i purchased it. I installed one similar to the GPM but unbranded alloy. So you recommend the HR kit? 
At some point i will post my total out of pocket cost. 

Yes the HR kit is the best for it. Just use longer screws (8mm) for both shaft ends.

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12 hours ago, Emp40cal1911 said:

Ha! 
You know carmine i did notice that but i blew it off as just me. What do you suggest for the upper control arm? Reinstall the original? Is there one made out aluminum you would recommend? 

I just fitted the Originals. There's a minimum of slop, and I've regained my ground clearance!!  IF you're feeling cheeky - since you've already got the parts, and the plastic as a backup.... 

Try grinding off some of the Metal, on the Bottom inside of the Upper Control Arms. Just to see if you can get them to drop a little farther.  If I can dig up my Aluminium Upper Arms, I'll try it myself! 😉

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BTW, I just went back up and looked at the Body shots (sounds scandalous, doesn't it!!??).  That looks GREAT!! 👌👏👏👏👏👏 

I may be inclined to try that at some point on my CC-01 Landfreeder!! 242mm Wheelbase isn't exactly ideal for Off Roading. My LEAST worked over Axial SCX10 One can run circles around it. 

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12 hours ago, Carmine A said:

BTW, I just went back up and looked at the Body shots (sounds scandalous, doesn't it!!??).  That looks GREAT!! 👌👏👏👏👏👏 

I may be inclined to try that at some point on my CC-01 Landfreeder!! 242mm Wheelbase isn't exactly ideal for Off Roading. My LEAST worked over Axial SCX10 One can run circles around it. 

Thanks. Let me know how modifying the upper arms work out. I will take a look at it over the weekend. Thanks again Man! 

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