Mud Lovin'

Mud Lovin' Project Current parts list... Parma 50's Chevy body Custom bed and toolbox Custom headlight buckets Deans antenna MX-3 radio Diaz Dtrail12 chassis Tamiya Juggy leafs Tamiya TLT axles Narrowed Traxxas Stampede wheels Imex 2.2 Swamp Dawg tires Traxxas E-Maxx transmission Komodo 19 turn motor Robinson Racing pinion M-Sonic Sport RV Max waterproof ESC Cheap Battery Packs 8 cell battery pack Traxxas Jato drive shafts Rogue Element custom aluminum license plate JR 125MG steering servo HiTec HS81MG shifting servo RPM receiver box
I found a body at my LHS today I just fell in love with. Seeing as how I have been wanting a scaler muddin' truck, let's get it going! I started off with a Pede trans case and some 10 minute frame rails. At this point, the project is about an hour old, counting trimming and masking the body. I set it on top of my TLT tuber to get a feel for body height and tire size. I think it'll be lower with a better mud tires.

Got a little more done on the chassis, mainly front and rear cross braces and finished mounting the trans. I can't really do too much until I get another set of TLT axles...
Got the body all painted up and pretty, turned out great. I left the headlights clear so I can add some real ones.
Deans antenna fit right in and is functional.
Front and rear bumpers, hood ornament and roof are all black. I had planned to paint the roof white and the other parts silver, but the blue came out a lot brighter than I expected, so I figured doing all the rest in black would darken up the truck. It worked.
The white antenna was bugging me, so I sheathed it in black shrink wrap and topped it with an Airsoft round and a smiley face.
Here are the headlight buckets I found. Two flashlights for $5 at Walgreens.
They look great installed, I just need to grab some LED's and run some power.
TLT axles are in, just need to build a suspension system.
I am determined to run a leaf spring setup in this truck. This was made from a recoil spring from a lawn mower with small pieces of steel tube brazed onto the ends and ground smooth. Just need to figure out the right length and make a complete set and make some shackles.
Well, the leafs didn't fit one end of the chassis I made, and it was starting to look like a hack job, so I ditched it for something better. This isn't mine, but I just ordered the chassis rails in this pic. As soon as it arrives I'll make some new leafs and shackles, and I'll be rolling again.
I started on a roof rack today. It's coming along perfectly, but I'm not sure it looks right on the truck. I may end up selling it if it doesn't work out on the truck...
Still undecided, I think I need to see it on the chassis with tires and everything, but it's growing on me. Here are some shots to give you an idea...


Seeing as how I had nothing really to do today and some major parts of this truck are still on their way, I decided it needed a real bed.
I went to the local craft store and picked up some craft plywood, very thin but much stronger than balsa and pretty much just as light. A couple rips through the good 'ol band saw and I had a bed!
It hangs a little bit, but I don't think it's going to be in the way of anything. Worst case, I can shave some off the top and raise it if it doesn't clear the chassis.
A scale RC for a scale RC...
While at the craft store, I wandered through the scrap booking section looking at the stickers, found a whole set of Harley Davidson stickers. I think it fits the truck great.
As soon as the glue cures, the bed will be coated in black Plasti-Dip all the way around, After all, it's wood and it'll definitely be getting wet! I'll do the bedrails to match at the same time to tie it all in/
When you do something like this, mask off EVERYTHING, including the wheel wells from the inside. You never know, the paint can get up inside the bed and find it's way up underneath to the exterior of the body.
All done, and it looks goooood. But now I need to remount the antenna. I guess now I have the opportunity to make it look like a CB antenna with a mount and all.
I made a tool box today. It'll be covered in diamond plate styrene and painted silver. The top is secured with two screws going through the lid and into two stand-offs that are mounted to the bed. There is room inside for an ESC and receiver or maybe a battery pack. The top only goes down as far as a real tool box goes, but I installed a guard on the bed floor to keep junk from the bed from getting into the compartment. I painted it black so with the box installed, you can't see it.

My new Diaz Dtrail12 chassis side rails arrived today, along with the leaf spring spacers. If I ever get some time, I might be able to start putting this thing together.
May as well show the new WARCRC stickers that came today too.
New speed control came today. 100% waterproof, just what I need for where I plan to take this truck.
In a flurry of work, the truck is mostly completed. E-Maxx trans mounted to chassis Diaz chassis assembled Juggy leafs Diaz leaf mounts Narrowed Pede wheels Muddin' tires! Modified Jato shafts Rear body mount done It's just details now...
Picked up a new Komodo 19 turn, supposed to be good a torque motor - we'll see about that! Also had to buy all new slipper parts, as my trans didn't come with any of those parts.
A nice little detail part from Rogue Element. Chris makes some out-of-this-world parts, this being one of them. For those who don't know, WARCRC is Washington Remote Control Rock Crawlers.
Installed the battery mounts over the front axles
Completed the modification and installation of the Jato Shafts.
Made a ESC mount in the cavity where the second motor would have gone.
Here is the ESC wired up and installed on the mount.
I love these things, RPM receiver boxes. They are a great way to protect the receiver from water.
Nearly done, here's a naked shot...
...and the underside. Just need to finish the steering linkage and set up the shifting servo. I pick it up, turned it on and yanked the trigger. The tires ballooned up immediately. This thing is gonna move some serious mud.
I made a bracket for the shifting servo, works flawlessly. Linkage and bracket is kind of ghetto for my standards, but I'll live with it, it's a beater after all!
Steering went pretty much how I expected it, works well. Other than the ESC acting like it's being overpowered by the motor, I am calling it done.
Here is the finished truck, just ho I wanted it to turn out.
Look at this mad flex!
Finally installed shocks, leaf springs only are very bouncy!
I got tired of looking at the black marking pen attempt to hide the wheel narrowing, so I installed the rock rings from my comp truck. I didn't like the color on the comp truck, they no longer matched the body. Now it reminds me of Superman every time I look at it.
I added a spot for an additional stick pack between the rails. I want to find out what kind of power a Rooster can handle. I had intended to change the battery location completely, but now I wonder if I could run all 14 cells at once... I see carnage in the future.