Trial Truck 6x6

Trial Truck 6x6

May 2005: Just thinking about it.
Project is to build a 1:10 truck using 3 TLT axales, a 3 speed gearbox and a Bullhead body. I had a lot of troubles finding the correct wheels, because all I used had too much offset. The one I found that work good are these, but I had to cut uproghts arms because the hit against the wheels.

18 June 2005 : Project started.
I made chassis rails using aluminium 20x10mm. Chassis is 65cm long and 8cm wide. I had to surf the web to find 1:1 truck dimensions and match the scale.

Rear links geometry test. Made just to check lenghts and see how both axales will work together. I used a 3mm threated bar, cutted into correct lenghts.

Same here for front axale.

I used a box to see how it could be with a bed.

Here to simulate a lower bed.

But my project will be a flatbed.

I always thought to modify a Tamiya 1:14 gearbox to have outputs either front and rear. I made this shaft on my lathe. It is made of brass and was not hard to do. Anyway it took me 3 hours.

Gearbox location on a previous test chassis. At first I was insure if making a 4x4 or 6x6 truck, so you can see in pic this chassis was shorter when I made it, then made it longer by adding last axale.

Some twist test of rear axales.

Same here. A trial truck doesn't have lots of twist.

Time to make better axale links. I used 6mm aluminium rods that I used as tubes for the threated rods I already made.

This is the final look of both rear axales, here with Traxxas Stampede sliders already in place.

Front axale. I had no room here to connect upper links side to side because sliders pass just in place.

Time to lock rear axales. Since they are from a TLT they have steering. I didn't want to lock it by using a rod from uprights, I wanted something with a better look. After thinking for some days I cutted an aluminium tube...

...worked every piece on my mill...

...make the uprights fit into the tubes...

..and opla' my rear steering lockout. I think they give a fine look to both axales.

Rear view.

Another thing to do was to narrow tires. I used IMEX G-Hawg, they are excellent in off-road. I put sponge in them...

...used paper tape to sign part to be cutted...

...put them on my drilll...

...and while it was turning I made the cut with a cutter.

The cut was nice. Here you can see tire profile.

I used Bostik to glue them, but it failed on my first test run. So I had to re-glue all tires with cianoacryl after cleaning them from previous glue.

That's the look of the truck with 'new' tires on.

From rear.

2 July 2005: Some shots from my first test run. The truck has only 4 dampers, I didn't had 6. That's why you see last axale floating all around. I also installed a Graupner 2,8:1 reduction unit since it was too fast even in 1st gear.
You can also watch a small video here.

I was impressed by the climb ability.

9 July 2005: Made a skidplate for gearbox. Got today all 6 new shocks. They are installed but I have to work on them because they are very close to tires.

Made a flatbed. I wanted to make a wood bed reinforced with aluminium U bars all around.
So I first cutted bars.

Here are 2 piece of 6mm wood.

At first I made it rectangular because I thought not to keep it near cabin.

When I had it on hands I decided it looked better close to cabin, so I cutted the hole for gearbox.
I will next build a box to cover that hole and I'm thinking of using it as a secure place for ESC.

The bed have to open this was because I will build a battery holder between frame rails behind gearbox.
This way center of gravity will be lower.

Some shots taken during one of early test runs

Ott 2005: I had to relocate dampers to make it softer. Axles weren't working very good.
Now damper are not perpendicular and they give more travel.

The battery holder just between chassis rails.

Nov 2005: Starting to build a body rollbar. I'm using 6mm brass rod, easy to join.

You can't see it here, but there's a fan behind the front grill, just where you see the hole in some prewious pics.

Some outside shots with added front lights.

Dec 2005: Made most of rollbar.

Videos

http://www.tamiyaclub.com/moviecomment.asp?id=1049&uid=6	This is the very first test run. Last axle is floating around because I didn't had 6 shocks.
http://www.tamiyaclub.com/moviecomment.asp?id=1050&uid=6	Some off road action.
http://www.tamiyaclub.com/moviecomment.asp?id=1051&uid=6	Hill climb. Bottom was 5mt below.
http://www.tamiyaclub.com/moviecomment.asp?id=1161&uid=6	Some progress. New dampers location, better work of axles.
http://www.tamiyaclub.com/moviecomment.asp?id=1185&uid=6	Running good in trial
http://www.tamiyaclub.com/moviecomment.asp?id=1222&uid=6	With first snow

	May 2005: Just thinking about it. Project is to build a 1:10 truck using 3 TLT axales, a 3 speed gearbox and a Bullhead body. I had a lot of troubles finding the correct wheels, because all I used had too much offset. The one I found that work good are these, but I had to cut uproghts arms because the hit against the wheels.
	18 June 2005 : Project started. I made chassis rails using aluminium 20x10mm. Chassis is 65cm long and 8cm wide. I had to surf the web to find 1:1 truck dimensions and match the scale.
	Rear links geometry test. Made just to check lenghts and see how both axales will work together. I used a 3mm threated bar, cutted into correct lenghts.
	Same here for front axale.
	I used a box to see how it could be with a bed.
	Here to simulate a lower bed.
	But my project will be a flatbed.
	I always thought to modify a Tamiya 1:14 gearbox to have outputs either front and rear. I made this shaft on my lathe. It is made of brass and was not hard to do. Anyway it took me 3 hours.
	Gearbox location on a previous test chassis. At first I was insure if making a 4x4 or 6x6 truck, so you can see in pic this chassis was shorter when I made it, then made it longer by adding last axale.
	Some twist test of rear axales.
	Same here. A trial truck doesn't have lots of twist.
	Time to make better axale links. I used 6mm aluminium rods that I used as tubes for the threated rods I already made.
	This is the final look of both rear axales, here with Traxxas Stampede sliders already in place.
	Front axale. I had no room here to connect upper links side to side because sliders pass just in place.
	Time to lock rear axales. Since they are from a TLT they have steering. I didn't want to lock it by using a rod from uprights, I wanted something with a better look. After thinking for some days I cutted an aluminium tube...
	...worked every piece on my mill...
	...make the uprights fit into the tubes...
	..and opla' my rear steering lockout. I think they give a fine look to both axales.
	Rear view.
	Another thing to do was to narrow tires. I used IMEX G-Hawg, they are excellent in off-road. I put sponge in them...
	...used paper tape to sign part to be cutted...
	...put them on my drilll...
	...and while it was turning I made the cut with a cutter.
	The cut was nice. Here you can see tire profile.
	I used Bostik to glue them, but it failed on my first test run. So I had to re-glue all tires with cianoacryl after cleaning them from previous glue.
	That's the look of the truck with 'new' tires on.
	From rear.
	2 July 2005: Some shots from my first test run. The truck has only 4 dampers, I didn't had 6. That's why you see last axale floating all around. I also installed a Graupner 2,8:1 reduction unit since it was too fast even in 1st gear. You can also watch a small video here.
	I was impressed by the climb ability.

	9 July 2005: Made a skidplate for gearbox. Got today all 6 new shocks. They are installed but I have to work on them because they are very close to tires.
	Made a flatbed. I wanted to make a wood bed reinforced with aluminium U bars all around. So I first cutted bars.
	Here are 2 piece of 6mm wood.
	At first I made it rectangular because I thought not to keep it near cabin.
	When I had it on hands I decided it looked better close to cabin, so I cutted the hole for gearbox. I will next build a box to cover that hole and I'm thinking of using it as a secure place for ESC.
	The bed have to open this was because I will build a battery holder between frame rails behind gearbox. This way center of gravity will be lower.
	Some shots taken during one of early test runs

	Ott 2005: I had to relocate dampers to make it softer. Axles weren't working very good. Now damper are not perpendicular and they give more travel.
	The battery holder just between chassis rails.
	Nov 2005: Starting to build a body rollbar. I'm using 6mm brass rod, easy to join.


	You can't see it here, but there's a fan behind the front grill, just where you see the hole in some prewious pics.

	Some outside shots with added front lights.

	Dec 2005: Made most of rollbar.