The Turtle...My experimental AX-10

[EvilTwin v2]

I took some pics of it today, so I figured I'd share them & give a bit of a rundown of my setup.

- AX-10
- Integy 45t
- Tazer ESC (it sucks & will soon be replaced)
- JR R1 tx w/ spectrum module & SR3000 rx.
- Traxxas drive shafts
- Hitech 645 servo
- Pro-Line Flat Irons on stock axial beadlocks. 6.5oz weight in each front & 2.5 oz in each rear tire.
- cut factory skid plate to allow inboarding the lower links. This will be replaced this coming week by a Stage3 skid that I have on order (should be delivered Monday)
- moved body mounts to the top of the chassis (they no longer catch on everything).

Front suspension
- stock axial shocks in 3/4 droop w/ cut mini-t springs internally...3/4 of spring below the piston & 1/4 of spring along w/ 1/2 of a bumpstop & a spare shock piston (as a spacer) above the piston.
- Homebuilt 4-link plate/servo mount
- Homebuilt shock mounts to move the shocks to a more upright position.

Rear Suspension
- (it's pointless now & will be switched to the front) running factory bottom straight links w/ 3/16" cut off as top links using a further forward mounting point.
- homebuilt 4 link plate.
- bent rear links
- stock shocks are setup in a 3/4 droop configuration with a hair less than 1/4" of travel. This was done using internally (in order from bottom to top) 3 bumpstops on the shaft below the piston, then the piston, and above the piston, 1/4 of a mini-t spring, followed by a spare piston & another bump stop.
- home built shock mounts.

For the body, I was using a betty up until today. I took an HPI TJ Rubicon body that I'd cut for a super scale tuber a couple years ago. Well, today, I bobbed & dovetailed the rear, and mounted it along with a spare tire (to fill the gap left where the roll cage is missing.

I currently have about 2 3/4" of belly clearance.

Ok. On to the pics:

http://webwheeling.com/gallery/d/50586-1/Picture+372.jpg (http://webwheeling.com/gallery/d/50584-1/Picture+372.jpg)

http://webwheeling.com/gallery/d/50589-1/Picture+373.jpg (http://webwheeling.com/gallery/d/50587-1/Picture+373.jpg)

http://webwheeling.com/gallery/d/50592-1/Picture+374.jpg (http://webwheeling.com/gallery/d/50590-1/Picture+374.jpg)

[EvilTwin v2]

More pics:

http://webwheeling.com/gallery/d/50595-1/Picture+375_001.jpg (http://webwheeling.com/gallery/d/50593-1/Picture+375_001.jpg)

http://webwheeling.com/gallery/d/50598-1/Picture+376_001.jpg (http://webwheeling.com/gallery/d/50596-1/Picture+376_001.jpg)

http://webwheeling.com/gallery/d/50601-1/Picture+377_001.jpg (http://webwheeling.com/gallery/d/50599-1/Picture+377_001.jpg)

http://webwheeling.com/gallery/d/50604-1/Picture+378_001.jpg (http://webwheeling.com/gallery/d/50602-1/Picture+378_001.jpg)

http://webwheeling.com/gallery/d/50607-1/Picture+379_001.jpg (http://webwheeling.com/gallery/d/50605-1/Picture+379_001.jpg)

http://webwheeling.com/gallery/d/50610-1/Picture+380_001.jpg (http://webwheeling.com/gallery/d/50608-1/Picture+380_001.jpg)

http://webwheeling.com/gallery/d/50613-1/Picture+381_001.jpg (http://webwheeling.com/gallery/d/50611-1/Picture+381_001.jpg)

[WV4WD]

WOW Carey looks awsome, hows the tires? I see the skid didnt show up yet huh that sucks. The new body looks sweet on there but we still need to get you a Turtle looking body to look the name LOL.

[Cajun]

That's sweet! You're really gettng the scaler look going.

[EvilTwin v2]

That's sweet! You're really gettng the scaler look going.

I really had no intentions of going the scaler look route, but that body just fit. After a little cutting & a few mods, it really doesn't affect the articulation, nor does it seem to hang out to where it's going to catch alot of rocks.

[Silas]

I am suprised it isn't painted green :) Looks good man!!

[EvilTwin v2]

I am suprised it isn't painted green :) Looks good man!!

Thanks!

I actually painted this body before I ever got the Jeep. I painted it orange because when I was a kid, my dad had an orange '79 CJ5. I originally wanted to paint my 1:1 orange, but my daughter picked out the green color. I'm a sucker when she puts on the charm, so it turned green.

[EvilTwin v2]

Here's some body-off pics:

http://webwheeling.com/gallery/d/50625-1/Picture+382.jpg (http://webwheeling.com/gallery/d/50623-1/Picture+382.jpg)

http://webwheeling.com/gallery/d/50628-1/Picture+383_001.jpg (http://webwheeling.com/gallery/d/50626-1/Picture+383_001.jpg)

http://webwheeling.com/gallery/d/50616-1/Picture+384.jpg (http://webwheeling.com/gallery/d/50614-1/Picture+384.jpg)

This shot will soon change when my Stage3 skid arrives:
http://webwheeling.com/gallery/d/50619-1/Picture+385.jpg (http://webwheeling.com/gallery/d/50617-1/Picture+385.jpg)

Max articulation:
http://webwheeling.com/gallery/d/50622-1/Picture+386.jpg (http://webwheeling.com/gallery/d/50620-1/Picture+386.jpg)

[Shocker]

Yeah, you got it lookin' real nice :thumb:

[EvilTwin v2]

I'll get some new pics of it up tomorrow. Tonight I installed:

- Proline narrow beadlock wheels
- Traxxas metal yokes
- custom built, angled servo & battery mounts
- Venom 11.1v, 3cell, 2100mah LIPO battery (yes, it's big!)
- Stage 3 triangulation skid plate
- WV4wd's Rooster Crawler ESC... he's had some glitching problems with it, so I'm testing it to see if it's the ESC or his motor.

Now, I'm waiting for my Sidewinder ESC & a HH Crawlmaster 3014 BL motor. I'm thinking I might need to pick up a slipper clutch.

[792.5cj5]

Let me know how you like that lipo. I got one in the box waiting for install. I'm interested in seeing your servo mount also. I've been tring to think of a way to get it out of the way more. I'd love to get the tie rod behind the axle.

[Truggies]

Rig looks nice

[EvilTwin v2]

Here's a body on pic of my servo & battery mount:

I bent the ears down on either side of my homemade center servo mount, then made some aluminum plate that attatches to the axle & also to the center servo plate.

http://webwheeling.com/gallery/d/51889-1/Picture+385_001.jpg (http://webwheeling.com/gallery/d/51887-1/Picture+385_001.jpg)

My steering is pretty strong, but I'm considering flipping the servo (so that I can have the arm point downward) & shortening the drag link.

[EvilTwin v2]

Oh, and I installed the Stage3 skid and swapped out my shocks for a set of aluminum bodied XTM X-Factor shocks. I have the rears setup in a full droop setup with travel limited to about 1/2". The fronts I have in about a 85/15 droop using the mini-t springs & full travel.

Here's max articulation:
http://webwheeling.com/gallery/d/51886-1/Picture+384_001.jpg (http://webwheeling.com/gallery/d/51884-1/Picture+384_001.jpg)

Oh, and I really like the Pro-Line wheels. They'er a fair amount narrower, with just enough space between the beads for stick on weights.
http://webwheeling.com/gallery/d/51883-1/Picture+386_001.jpg (http://webwheeling.com/gallery/d/51881-1/Picture+386_001.jpg)

[WV4WD]

Lookin good Carey

[EvilTwin v2]

It's not working, though.

I liked the suspension when it was about 2.6". When I swapped to the Stage3 skid, it raised my belly height to 3". Now it became a bit top heavy. Well, I figured I'd switch to an aluminum bodied shock that I had laying around. I got it back down to 2.5", but now the either the springs are too stiff or shock oil is too thick. Now it's flopping over everywhere.

I'm not happy.

[792.5cj5]

Did you change your upper links? Make them a little longer and it will help. How do you like that battery?

[EvilTwin v2]

Did you change your upper links? Make them a little longer and it will help. How do you like that battery?

The rear uppers are considerably longer. The fronts are stock length, but are mounted to a 4-link plate instead of the stock 3 link. I'm going to try a softer shock spring & see if that helps.