I have decided to turn the bruiser I got from Unimoger on RCC into a scale "Top Truck Challenge" vehicle. For those of you that dont know what Top Truck challenge is, its done anually by four wheeler magazine and is where some of the badest built trucks compete in an insane amount of obstacles. They do a high speed test, Brake test, approach angle measurments, test for street legal ability, rock crawling course, mug bog course, log course etc. I have decided that my truck base is going to be a Toyota Trekker. The Trekker was Toyotas attempt to enter the SUV world in 1981 (pre 4runner era). It was contract deal between Toyota and Winnebago to create an SUV style truck.  My "Trekker" will feature the following: -Fully powdercoated frame -Single speed scale hobbies trans, which is kind of like an engle but doesnt hang down as low -Bruiser axles with rear hubs all around -stock bruiser wheels with bead lock rings -moab tires -Bobbed bed with full rear cage work which will tie into a in cab cage -outer exo cage with front stinger, not sure how elaborate itll be, but something probably similiar to my 4runner -Front mounted steering servo -Winch -Juggernaut front leafs with all leafs removed except for main leaf -Juggernaut rear leafs with all leafs removed ecept for main leaf -Buggy leaf rear suspension, untill revolvers are available -Detailed out interior -Juggsterr front dual shock mount -Juggsterr lower rear shock mounts with shocks mounted to cross member Well thats the basis for now, some may change but thats the primary goal. here are a few pics  My step fathers friend owns a powdercoating shop. My step father worked there before he got into law enforcement so I got everything powdercoated for FREE    I am hoping to do a cage similiar to this 4runner   I made some progress tonight. The front end is completey mounted up. This is actually a BRAND NEW front axle casing and knuckles and internals, I bought these a few years back on ebay for 35.00 I figure if I am going to build this I am going to build it right, I need to put bearings in still. I pulled out my 4 link mounts from rc4wd.com and was thinking of U-bolt flip with them which turned out great, I then had a junk pile of spare tlt parts and noticed this  can we say axle truss! BAM worked mint, its one of the cross bars for the stock tlt kit. best part is its top mounted so I dont have to worry about ground clearance.  I have also installed a set of JUGGSTERR shock mounts, Kevins work is top notch and I have been buying these things from him for years as well as other parts. TLT shocks are a nice scale shock even though they kinda suck, they will the serve the purpose. I also installed a set of RC4WD front servo mounts, and flipped the knuckles and did a behind the rear steer set up. For now a JR 590z will streer it.    Here is when I bob'd the bed The Bed went under the knife         can barely tell the bed was bobbed, I could have filled and sanded a few more time but this i going to be hitting the rocks so I didnt want to spend alot of time on something thats going to get scrapped up.  Some more work Finished up the rear bed cage work yesterday, its off the powdercoater tommorow. I am hoping to get my step dad out in the garage to help me for a few hours with the Exo itself. Its going to be close trying to get it finished for the RCMT.net Monster Jam trials/crawling event. Id rather take my time and do it right and have it ready for the next one then rush it...at least the bed cage work is done and I think it looks really cool. I added two more support bars up top and added some down bars on the side...it looked empty without them.         Not bad flex for a truck with leaf springs    Final spec right now is pretty close to my original goal.... Powdercoated chassis and spring mounts Modded jugg springs, modded bruiser buggy leaf ball bearings in the axles with shimmed pinions for propper mesh bob'd Bed winch roll cage in bed with light bar interior roll cage custom interior tlt shocks with custom mounts Moabs Front wheel spacers for even axle track width MSD high lift fire extinguisher "rhino lined" bed u bolt flip kit with axle truss front servo mount custom Juggesterr trans with integy lathe and 8tooth pinion 1200nimh battery pack novak SR tq3     I ran the Trekker and it seemed good but it had a few issues and got a DNF ( grub screw let go on a trans gear, should always check those :x :x ) The winch worked awesome, I have a short video clip to upload soon, only really issue was the trans hanging down low but my Trans builder is in the process of drawing up a skid plate O and I made a fuel cell and got the back seats mounted as well    Well thats pretty much the history on this truck so far. Id like to thanks everyone who has made this truck a fan favorite. I would also like to thank Kevin Good AKA Juggsterr for fabricating many of the parts. I would also like thank the MSD shop and the crawler store for supplying custom parts. Props to my friend chandler for making me the beadlock rings. I would also once again like to thank RCMT, if it wasnt for when I signed up to rcmt many years ago under the name "iwantabruiser" I probably wouldnt have trucks like this today. thanks Mike |