I got the body used off another RC forum. You can find them on ebay sometimes.

The front end is finally sitting on it's own! The springs are surprisingly close to the right rate too.

http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/x...d/IMG_0900.jpg

http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/x...d/IMG_0901.jpg

http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/x...d/IMG_0902.jpg

It has a bit more up travel than this

http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/x...d/IMG_0904.jpg

Lots of drop out!

http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/x...d/IMG_0905.jpg

And a naked shot

http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/x...d/IMG_0903.jpg

Everything went together good. Driver side spring on the shock grazes the beam mount on the frame rail. Not sure if I'll let that go or maybe smooth out the mount a bit. Didn't get a chance to do the cross bar for the mounts. I think I'll get the body mounted now that way I have a good working point for placing the rear axle. Then I'll tackle the steering.

That really sweet. I like the placement of the motor.

This is an awsome build. Makes me feel like I'm not crazy for thinking of building similar stuff.

Yeah, me too. Looking good Nick. Maybe in a few weeks I can get started on my axles...

Sweet, just love the motor under the hood- how much more scale do you want? :mdr:

...very cool...LOVE the motor like that...What is that motor mount? seems i missed that somewhere...

It's or a Hyper 7. I shaved off one side of it so that it would sit flush on a mount when it's on it's side. I had to open the slots up for the 4mm bolts too.

I want to see some progress:yes: You have a stellar build here, I have always adored scalers especially pre-runners (my all time fav) But I always talk my self out of building one, cause I wound never run it:no: After putting all that work into it, I would be afraid of breaking it:eyes:

I built a fully custom 4x4 stampede lat year, halve the parts I made my self the other halve were name brand.....The project originally started as a way to whoop up on the emaxx's....but now I have 3 maxxs. And my stampede sits as a shelf queen..and I hate shelf queens but I have no reason to run it cause of the maxxes, but I won't sell it because of all the effort I put into it, and if I did drive it I would be afraid of breaking it(even though I built it like a tank..go figure:neutral:) SO were does that leave me?

Like a spare prick at a wedding...

Yes I see your point, especially since you've had experience being the "spare" at those faggy marriages you attended.......:whistle:

Man, you just keep getting me confused with Harold... I bet his cheeks are burning, seeing that you are talking about him again...

let us not soil the good thread provided for us by NickRummy, let us take our potshots at each other elsewhere

Linc's infatuation with me is really getting creepy. I recently got a friends request from him sent through the "Gimps gone Wild" website.:rofl:

Hmm, I am having a hard time picturing the spring break edition of gimps gone wild. Wheelchairs and sandy beaches do not work very well. Although gimps and booze are quite funny, till someones foot gets run over.

Yes, I agree lets stay out of Nick's thread.

You guys are too much :lol:

Somehow I found time to wonder into the shop today :smile: I've been thinking about this steering setup for quite some time and I figured for the first attempt I'd just go ahead and try to replicate the more complicated multi link setup. Haven't made a ton of progress but this is where it's at. Sorry for the cell pics.

Brackets mounted to the frame and steering links made for the knuckles.

http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/x...t/IMG_0011.jpg

Here's the start of the drop brackets. Top will mount to the brackets on the frame and the bottom drops down below the frame rails. If all goes well, the steering links connect to these then there will be a link that connects each side together. Then there will be one main link that goes from the servo to one side of the steering assembly to turn it. This should allow for minimal bump steer throughout the whole range of travel.

http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/x...t/IMG_0010.jpg

Clear as mud ( the description of how it all fits together ) :lol:

Looks good though, keeping it scale & therefore real(istic) = win :)

Alright. Made some good progress today! Still have some bugs to work out but I think this might just work.

Both the drop brackets are done and in place. I'm either going to have to reconfigure how the links are mounted or move the chassis mounts.

http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/x...IMG_1015sm.jpg

Here's a shot of the steering full lock to one side. I'm going to have to get some thinner head hardware because the clearances are pretty slim. It's REALLY close to being perfect though. I didn't have time to fab a cross link to connect the sides together. I will probably wait until I get the brackets in the right place anyways. I'm pretty sure I can get some rod ands that are a little smaller too.

http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/x...IMG_1016sm.jpg

I had to rig this side a little to get the bracket in the right place. Ideally I want the drop bracket in the middle of the chassis bracket so I have to rework this side.

http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/x...IMG_1017sm.jpg

The connection point for the drop bracket and the steering link is just barely below and just barely outside of the beam mount so the steering links follow the beam's travel almost perfectly.

http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/x...IMG_1018sm.jpg

That's it for now! I'll get some better hardware so the fit is better and see where I can move the mounts to make it work smoother. Then I'll make the cross link and mount the servo and give it a test.

Sweet man... I like that you're welding everything yourself. :yes:

Steering issues are starting to make my brain hurt so moving on to something else.

Specs are as follows:

- shock length extended 6.36" (47.75" to scale)
- shock length compressed 4.09" (30.7" to scale)
- Lower link length 8" eye to eye (60" to scale)

Here's sitting at ride height.

http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/x...ide_height.jpg

Here's the bump which is about 1.13" (8.5" to scale) of up travel. I don't think I'll get much more than this because the axle will hit the frame.

http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/x.../rear_bump.jpg

Here's the down travel. Drops out about 3.33" (25" to scale). So overall it has around 4.46" (33.5" to scale) of travel.

http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/x...r_drop_out.jpg

I got the stock rear fenders cut out. Ready to start building them up into a mold for some flared fenders. Also put together a mock up set of trailing arms.

http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/x...s/IMG_0018.jpg

Sweet. Flared fenders you say? I thought the stockers were already pretty flared... :mdr:

hey neil hows devon just got back from ilfracoomb ,

Sunny, but cold. This is the coldest winter for 30 years apparently- if I win the lotto any time soon Im moving somewhere warm... :eyes:

Nope, the stockers are a stepside. I plan on smoothing those out to a regular fender then adding in the extra flare that the prerunner fenders have. It's usually about 6" of added wheel coverage. To scale that would be like adding a 3/4" flare to these fenders Which is about what I'll need to get the rear tires to tuck.

Ok. A decent update. Link brackets are brazed on the chassis so the rear axle is somewhat placed. Still need to make upper links. I attached the shocks just to get an idea of how it'll look. They are to far forward toward the cab. Also I couldn't mount the lower link out toward the tire like I wanted because the mounting holes for the brackets on the axles stripped out.... Not sure how I'll solve that one.

Here's a shot of the body mounts.

http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/x...e/IMG_1052.jpg

Cab on. Obviously the shocks won't be fully extended at ride height.

http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/x...e/IMG_1053.jpg

Some drop out action

http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/x...e/IMG_1054.jpg

Probably pretty close to where it'll stop at full bump.

http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/x...e/IMG_1055.jpg

Took a little longer to get things done tonight. Gunther decided the floor mat my father in law got me is now his new bed when there is shop time. :icon_scra

http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/x...e/IMG_1047.jpg

:lol:

That second ( new ) photo looks so scale its quite scary actually- top work that man :yes:

I need a scale garage :lol:

Aside from the 5' long pliers, you mean... :rofl:

looks pretty sweet to me! that ford i beam front end drove me nuts. i never understood why ford allways had to be different.

now, if you can build a chevy 4x4 with torsion bars i will be impressed.

great build looking forward to more update

Well I was hoping to have the main part of the bed cage done but that hasn't happened. Instead I've tried drawing it up to get a look I like. Here's where I'm at so far. I think this is what I'm going to stick with. Still needs some cross bars between the tube work and then it'll get more tube work to hold the fenders on.

http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/x.../Cage_Iso1.jpg

http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/x.../Cage_Iso2.jpg

http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/x.../Cage_side.jpg

Very nice!

Looks great! Are those spare tires in the rear?

Yup! Can't be caught in the middle of no where without a spare or two :lol:

Ha, I will say that from personal experience the forged i beams on 2/5ton fords can handle alot more beating than a Gov't Motors truck of the same vintage.

Nick, this truck is looker better every time you post pics! Keep up the good work!

absolutely beautiful nick! the truck is amzing in how scale it is, wish the big name companies would start doing more like these so us non mechanically inclined could have one!--josh

Beautiful truck. Really wonderful. I am looking forward to seeing more of your build.

May I ask a question though? Why is that TTB suspension used.. ever? It seems that although it gives great travel it would be horrible for handling. The toe, camber and track width must all change a fair amount throughout the range of motion. What's wrong with double wishbone? Please note this is not a question about YOUR build, I understand you are using this for imitation and scale reasons. It's more a question about why would a 1:1 prerunner have it. Thanks.

No offense taken!

The toe actually stays consistent as long as the steering is setup correctly.

The camber does change quite a bit but the only time its at an angle that wouldn't be good would be while the truck is in air. I think this suspension is used most because it is fairly simple, strong and you can get a LOT of suspension travel.

BTW... Any updates?

Yes, +1