Project F350 - Tamiya Juggernaut

Build Pictures

Why this truck came about:

Scale RC is addictive! If offers many design challenges that I personally love to attack. I wanted to take what I learned working on Project Cruiser and Project F650 to a new level. I found a Fast Lane F350 RC on sale and grabbed it for the body. Its 1/6th scale size is HUGE. The fact it includes a fully detailed interior is awsome. I want to do this body justice and add fully functioning lights and sounds. While the origional cheap RC had lights and sounds they were pretty cheap. I will change that by adding leds to everywhere that needs them (controlled by the radio of course) And using tricks I learned in my model railroading days to make much better sound for the truck.

Chassis

The frame is going to be a mind bender. I am going to use 1/4 inch aluminum and it is going to follow the body contours. Trying to make it as realistic as possible.

Body

A Fast Lane 6th scale Ford F350 is to be used for this project. All efforts will be used to keep this as scale as possible. Full functioning lights, and sounds must be mandatory. The interior will be left intact, and will be enhanced upon. This will pose huge space limitations on the drivetrain.

Drivetrain

 I will be using Tamiya Juggernaut axles, and this is being designed as a leaf sprung truck. I have always admired them but the smaller scales have a disadvantage of getting them to work and still hold up the truck. In a larger scale you have more weight so it should be easier to make a functioning system. To power the truck it will use either a Emaxx 2 speed tranny, or a Stampede tranny. With wanting to keep the details in the truck there is little room and I am worried about the larger Emaxx tranny size. The gearbox will sit under the hood and run to a custom tranfercase, then out to the axles... I will stick to Emaxx drive shafts. Tires will be Wallmart Nylint Crawler tires on custom adaptors.

Radio / Motor / ESC / Batteries

To control the Cruiser I prefer to use Airtronics VG-600 radio. A Integy 55t lathe motor allows great runtimes and a good scale speed. A Novak Super Rooster resides under the hood, and a custom GP3300 pack that rests in the back of the chassis.

Final Shots and Thoughts

This truck is barely in the design phase and will take a while to complete.