(BACK to work 2024!) ENTERING the BIG Money Pit Club - Grand Hauler!!

[Carmine A]

NEXT.... 

Time to put my biggest modification into reality!!! 😲😁😳  Of COURSE there were a few issues. Just fought my way through!! 👍👍😉

NEXT PROBLEM - I underestimated the length of the Driveshafts. So I had to get creative!   I don't remember who I got that idea from, but it WORKED! 😊

 Sorry, I was too frustrated to remember to take pictures... But if any of you ever cut through SOLID Aluminum with Dremel Cutoff Wheels..... You know my pain!! 😖

But at least it WORKED!  It's getting there! 

[Carmine A]

WAITING for a few parts... So it's a good time to finish the Dashboard that I started before I started the actual Truck Build.

 .... My projects usually look sloppy whilst in process!! 😜

 I did end up cutting it shorter... It blocked the mounting hole! 😲

THEN, I decided that the Dashboard should be just a little more elaborate.

 So yeah, it's going to have a Cupholder!! 😉

 I'm messy, but methodical!! 😜

 ...... I ran out of my thin Tamiya Masking Tape, so I had to FREEHAND the Brown Trim. 😖

SO, that's DONE and ready to fit! I've got more planned for the Interior!! 😁  I'm going to cut one of the Windows "open", so there's a better chance of actually SEEING the Interior details! 

I still wish they had in Arizona, those COOL RC Semi Meets with very elaborate Layouts - like I always see in Videos from Europe and the UK.

[Carmine A]

GETTING THE POWER GOING!!! 😁 

A short Video of showing everyone just how WELL the SUPER thick 20 MILLION weight Diff GOO works!!! 😊😉 

 I'm very happy and proud of the results of My Diff Mod!! And PROOF that Locking Diffs causes undue stress and kills your Steering circle, and just isn't necessary!! 👍👍

And... a little snippet of one of my Band's covers, from about 1991. 😉

[Carmine A]

BACK TO WORK on the Interior details!! This might be the longest part of this Build.... Nobody may ever see it in person, but I'll know it's there. Who knows, there MIGHT be some sort of Truck Meet in the Southwest U.S.!! 😉

 ..... I also scuffed up the Seat bottom, to get ready to fix "Jerry" in place permanently.

NOW for some Inner Door Panels!! 😉 

 ... Incredibly, although 1/10th Scale, seem to be just the right size for this! 😁

 These will be fixed in place with 2mm Hex Screws.

The Colors MIGHT change, but for now it works for me. If you Guys have anything to say, I really love reading Comments!! 😊

[Beetlemankurt]

Lovely work mate. One of the great things about these rigs is the never ending ability to add more and more and more detail! I quite like looking at pics of how my Scania has evolved over time as you tend to forget just what you've added. The little details really do make a big difference.  You are doing a great job. Keep it up!

Cheers Kurt

[Carmine A]

Thank you so much Kurt!! I'm glad someone noticed. I'd say I've got more to do - but are we ever really DONE with these??  Someone once said to me "If you believe that you're honestly done with your Truck... It's time to take up Golf - because you really are DONE." 

I'll look for your Scania, as I'm building one of those as well. 😊 

It's funny... I CAN now afford to buy expensive Interior parts - even 3D Printed parts.... but years of having to Scratchbuild stuff because I was poor - I've come to enjoy it too much!! 

[Beetlemankurt]

Cool, look forward to seeing your Scania come along also. It's funny isn't it that we put so much detail into places on our models that most people won't see when it's built, but there is something uniquely satisfying about knowing you've done it....I totally get it . keep it up!

[Carmine A]

6 hours ago, Beetlemankurt said:

Cool, look forward to seeing your Scania come along also. It's funny isn't it that we put so much detail into places on our models that most people won't see when it's built, but there is something uniquely satisfying about knowing you've done it....I totally get it . keep it up!

Thanks! That's really the point, isn't it? WE know it's there... 😁

[ACCEL]

There should never be Cattywompas here.............. at all...........................

[Carmine A]

21 minutes ago, ACCEL said:

There should never be Cattywompas here.............. at all...........................

I had to do some digging..................................... to see what you were referencing............................ And then, A-HA!! 

And I realized I need to do some catching up here. I'm STILL not done yet, but I'm quite a bit farther along. 😉

[ACCEL]

Big rigs take some Big Time to do.

Hi Carmine, just having fun lettn' ya know i'm here somewhere havn' fun.

keep up the good work funnest dude!

[Carmine A]

2 hours ago, ACCEL said:

Big rigs take some Big Time to do.

Hi Carmine, just having fun lettn' ya know i'm here somewhere havn' fun.

keep up the good work funnest dude!

Thanks Brother, I appreciate it a lot!  I'm here somewhere myself, and definitely having fun. 😊💯  Ever since the Inheritance came in, we've been all over the Country. Went back to my old home in NY, and recorded some Music and Video with my Band, who I haven't seen since 1996!! Live is GREAT!!! 

You're right - the Grand Hauler, especially the way I'm building it, has been a LONG, but FUN challenging process! 42 extra LEDs, 16 more in the Trailer, BUNCH of Aluminum parts, 4:1 Gear Reduction Unit, Beier Sound and Lights System, and a Full, mostly Scratchbuilt Interior.... 

And when I EVER get her done, I've got 3 more Trucks and 2 Trailers waiting. 😳  Then Blitzer Beetle, M07, MF-01X, Clodbuster and a couple of others to keep me busy for a while later. 😊 Basically I went NUTZ!!! And I couldn't be happier. Only took 11 years of HELLL. Made me much stronger. 

I hope you're doing better these days. I truly do my Friend!

[ACCEL]

10 hours ago, Carmine A said:

Basically I went NUTZ!!!

That's what happened to me when i got back into HO, it's the building and dreaming that keep me doing all these fun things.

Just trying to find the time through out my days.

How about building that Truck Train that RE-Bugged posted? scaled down size probably wrap around the house, could haul many snacks and beers HA!

[Carmine A]

22 hours ago, ACCEL said:

How about building that Truck Train that RE-Bugged posted? scaled down size probably wrap around the house, could haul many snacks and beers HA!

It would be a fun build if nothing else..... but 200% impractical. 😳

[MadInventor]

On 4/18/2021 at 3:07 AM, Carmine A said:

But this is precisely why Gear Reduction is the way to go!! I've got a Friend with the same setup I'm getting - 30T High Torque Crawler Motor, with a 4:1 Reduction... 

Gives him a top speed of 8mph (13kph) in 3rd Gear, and can easily pull TRIPLE Box Vans with ease and always a cool to the touch Motor and ESC. 

Makes Reversing at a Crawl easy as well - even uphill !! 

Yes, of course you get the Speed Reduction with a High Turn Motor... But with MUCH thinner Field Wires, you get shorter service life, and in fact, LESS Torque in the critical 0-2mph range, where it's actually more important in Rigs like this. 

But the Gear Reduction is the key. It makes the whole setup much more controllable at Crawling Speed. 

This is why, in the U.S. anyway, hardly anyone runs more than a 45T Motor in Crawler Competition anymore. We used to go straight for the 70-80T Motors back in the day. We also Burned out Armatures more often than we do now. 

But of course I'm not trying to sell anything to you. This is a Hobby! You do what makes you comfortable. I'm just explaining another way...

I found exactly this with putting a crawler motor in my scratch built scammel 6x6 truck 

It's a heavy truck (The trailer is all steel welded together and the truck body is aluminium. This uses a king hauler box with 90mm diameter tires. When I built it I was loading firewood onto the trailer and the truck bed to run it, so  a lot of weight. I started by using an 80turn motor in it to start with, and found that it didn't have the power to pull a load up anything more than a slight incline. I went back to a silver can without altering the gearing and performance was restored. I didn't need the slow speed you're looking for as I run it outside.

I agree it's a lot better to gear down and rev higher than try and struggle at low rpm. I think of crawler motors more like 380 motors than 'high torque' motors. 

Enjoy your build. I'm looking forward to see how it progresses (Especially the trailer).

 

[Original Jardasius]

Congratulations I also have recently joined the big rig club with my grand hauler as well.... I have a tons of parts and upgrades including the MFC01 kit for mine and doing another of my custom oneoff paint jobs on it..... I have pics of some of my custom paints jobs already posted on the forum already... I personally am really liking this place.... Lots of like minded folk and plenty of cool cars to drool over

[Carmine A]

On 9/8/2021 at 2:42 PM, Original Jardasius said:

Congratulations I also have recently joined the big rig club with my grand hauler as well.... I have a tons of parts and upgrades including the MFC01 kit for mine and doing another of my custom oneoff paint jobs on it..... I have pics of some of my custom paints jobs already posted on the forum already... I personally am really liking this place.... Lots of like minded folk and plenty of cool cars to drool over

@MadInventor I wish more people would see that! They're conditioned to just reach for an 80 turn Motor..... 

I recently tested the bare Chassis, by pulling my 75lb Grandson in a Steel Radio Flyer Wagon!!! Motor and ESC didn't even get warm!!!! This setup will handle anything I can throw at it!! 😎👍👍

@Jardasius WELCOME to the Money PIT!!💰😵🙄😁  Remember, what your mate doesn't know - won't hurt YOU!! 

Seriously, these Rigs are the most fun you can have, going slow!  Stick with the MFC-01. It SEEMS difficult, but you won't know REALLY Difficult, until you try something very customisable like the Beier System!! 🤯🤬🤬🤬🤬 

Sure I will have control of ANY Light and Sound configuration I want.... but the plug and play nature of the Tamiya MFC-01, looks very attractive right now! 😵

[Carmine A]

Don't worry Mates..... I'll be back to work SOON! My Daughter had moved back in a few months ago, and took over my work area! 🙃 🤬🤬🤬😭😭😭 

We've set her up in her own Apartment, and I'll be building again! 

Merry Christmas 🎅 🎄☃️❄ to you and your Families!!

[Carmine A]

WORK should finally be progressing SOON!!! 😁

Way too many delays. I think I've FINALLY got the Beier sorted - I was sold the WRONG ONE!! 😡🤬🤬 The USM-RC-3 was recently released - because the USM-RC-2 I was sold..... is OBSOLETE!!! 🤬 

Plus, when I get this done.... I get to start on THIS!! 👌😁😁😁😳

[SupraChrgd82]

Weeeeeeellllll, look who’s back!

[Carmine A]

17 minutes ago, SupraChrgd82 said:

Weeeeeeellllll, look who’s back!

.... I've been checking in, commenting and catching up. 😉

But the past few months have been a Rollercoaster of aggravation!! Mostly because of the defunct early Beier, that I SHOULDN'T have been sold in the first place. 🤬  I also had to move my Workstation. All is nearly sorted, and it's finally time to get back to work!

[jonboy1]

great to have you back - looking forward to seeing you get this finished!

 

[Carmine A]

55 minutes ago, jonboy1 said:

great to have you back - looking forward to seeing you get this finished!

 

SO AM I my Friend!! 😁

[IXLR8]

Hi Carmine.  We've been discussing the Grand Hauler (my first big rig) over on my SS build thread and you're thread here offers some great advice. 

My GH is due to arrive tomorrow but, well, I'm in a quandary.  It seems I've jumped before looking.  Having spent some time looking into this further, I believe I've bought the wrong truck - I was unaware of the differences.  Out of the box, the GH appears to be a highly customized show truck (which looks awesome btw) but maybe I prefer the King Hauler version mostly because it can easily be made to look like an actual Kenworth - as Teri WIlde has done with her Movin On movie truck replica.  I guess scale accuracy is more appealing to me than the custom show truck look.

So, my options are ask Bob if I can return the truck in exchange for a KH (not a great option because this isn't his fault, shipping costs, time, etc), buy the parts to convert the GH to a KH (mostly bumpers, grille, visor and stacks and a few odd parts - I like the quad headlights), sell the truck (don't like selling stuff), or just build it for the shelf and get a KH later.  I'm leaning toward the last option but was wondering if you might have some suggestions.  

[Carmine A]

Quite the conundrum! I dulled down some of my shiny bits, but can't help thinking that I should have gone with the King Hauler myself. Would have been more movie accurate and shorter. Grand Hauler does come with the Driver, very short supply these days! 

My solution for backdating my Rig is easier.... I've also got a Globe Liner that I can take the Tanks and Stacks off of. The GL is going to be a custom job, so the GH parts will go there. The Liner is also getting King Hauler Frame Rails, for a small stretch. 

THIS Build will be hopefully resuming soon! Welcome aboard 😀