Scaleart - assembling an Arocs 8x8 roll on roll off kipper

[Rakthi]

Spend time sorting out the settings. Lucky the RC is pre-programmed by ScaleART for their models. Saves a lot of time. Just pick the variation you want and you got the basic settings.



Of course they still need a bit of fine tuning.



Had a bit of a problem with the ESC ... took me a while to figure out how to do it. First spend time looking for the jumper before I realised it was already on the ESC although on the wrong pins. Then couldn't get the jumper off the pins so I could move them to the program pins to "marry" the ESC to the Sender. Had to cut the heat shrink off. Also having the instructions in technical German was a tad confusing ..



Well got it all sorted

Just one little problem ... mixed up the plug position from the trailer coupling servos with that of the gearbox servo and succeeded in burning out the one from the gearshift ... Lucky the one from the trailer coupling in the back is the same. So guess I will have a manual trailer coupling until the new servo I ordered arrives.

Meanwhile the truck has moved under its own power. Now just sort out some little niggles in the servo settings. Like why the front diff lock servo locks the diff when I turn on the power etc.

[Rakthi]

I was lucky that to replace the fried servo I did not need to take the whole contraption out of the frame. Was a bit tight, but succeeded in doing it without major surgery. Before I replaced the burned on with the one from the trailer coupling, I followed Propshafts method of cutting off a bit of the rubber around the wires. Made it much easier to get the screw in, and as an added bonus I can now get the wire away from the servo horn of the centre diff. (So thank you Propshaft!)



Just look at the difference.





So that's one very burned servo ...





All because firstly, I was so stupid not to label the plugs correctly, and secondly I didn't check the numbers on the slots small as they might be ... Lesson learned.



Guess the servo burned out because the trailer coupling was set for the full 100% sweep, thus keeping the servo trying to reach its endpoint.

All that is sorted now. Made easy peasy with the Commander Sender. Here adjusting the rear diff lock servo. Only needs about 50% of it's travel to be locked.



And the problem with the servos of the centre and front was just reversing the directions of operation.



So all servos now have their limit of travel set, so no more buzzing or juddering anymore.

Then check the tension on the pull cables and trim them to size. Adding a bit of crazy glue at the ends so they don't fray.



The liquid electrical tape I ordered arrived yesterday. Going to use that to on the LED board of the rear lights instead of the home made piece of rubber.

[Prop Shaft]

Looking great. Glad my little trick could help.

[Rakthi]

Yup Propshaft, one of those things I would never have thought about.

Started on the driver's cabine.

Part 1 of this group.

Before screwing things together "dry fitted" some parts and noticed that the white from the cabin shows through the "teeth" at the front.



So decided to do something about that and paint that bit black (I could have used tape like Christian - aka Newcomer_2 but not to be found here on this island).

Here I had another senior moments and first time around I painted the bottom part which doesn't need it. Good thing one can's see that bit once everything that needs bolting on is bolted on.



Here the first step of this group. (getting that blue plastic film of the plastic was about the most difficult and tedious thing of this part of the build) I got a bit of black speckles from the spray paint on the back. No biggie as the back of this part will not be visible.



The plastic and the little black cover are put in place. The headlight will bend the plastic in place. A bit tricky to do. The little hole in the plastic is in case one wants to install the headlight protection grid. The bolt for that needs to go in that place.





Next up the LED boards which are held in place by the steps. (in photo supposed to be 3 self tapping screws instead of 2)









Tread "rubber" glued in place. Manual says to use 2 component stuff, but used crazy glue.



Now the lower step and the metal bits that are part of the upgrade for the AROCS Cab. Needed because otherwise too easy to bend/loose the lower step if one goes off-road with the truck.



Here one can attach the on/off switch. the 2 openings are to line up with the bigger holes and is where this assembly bolts to the chassis.

[Rakthi]

Part 2

Finishing off the front of the bumper.

The square nuts are where the bolts go that attach this part to the chassis. There is an indent in which they fit very tightly.







Bottom part of the bumper. Same as above. The square nuts from the bolts holding this assembly to the chassis fit in an indent.



The thin bar gets glued with four drops of glue in the small openings provided.











Next part should be the doors if I follow the manual.

[Rakthi]

Did not get around to the doors. Decided to install the fender parts first. Seemed like a simple job. Remove wheel and bolt on.







Didn't like the inside to be so white, so painted it black.



So I needed to use black bolts instead of the stainless screws. I only have those in M2x10, so cut 6 of them down to size and filed the cut mark





Easier to write about than to do it. Mighty tight in there and the axle is in the way for access to the bottom 2 nuts on this left side.

Well, if the left side was mildly enervating, the right side was close to frustrating. Barely room to fit the nut. So only picture of the thing installed.



If I ever get around to building another one of these, I will install these two bits before I even touch the axles.

Then "just" attach the bumper to the frame.



Tight ... but it fitted. One just has to fiddle to line all the parts up. There's not a mm to spare - especially on the bottom. One has to admire ScaleART for the tightness of their designs and the close tolerances of the parts.





A channel to run the wires is foreseen in the bumper.