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

[Louisbaby]

Simply a masterpiece...

[Rakthi]

Started assembling the wheels. The front ones just bolt on, the rear ones need to be bolted together.

The front gets a wide tire. The rear 2 thinner ones each side.



Didn't get around to putting them on the axles. So only the rear ones.



The little rubber bit is to hold the black cap on.



Here too we add the little decorative bolts. No need to drill the holes out, most of the little bolts just slide in. So some Loctite applied to the holes. 3 of them "escaped" not to be found when doing the 4 caps. Good thing they provide some extras.



Only 3 of the 40 installed needed a tap with the hammer



First install the rubber ring on the centre piece. Would be a pain afterwards.



Then simply slide the 3 parts together and fasten them









Instead of bolting them to the axles, decided to do the diff lock servos. This turned out a real pain.

First prepping the servo horn and add the bowden cable holder. (Holder needs to be installed so it can still move a bit)



Servos and other bits ready to be installed. (each servo is for 2 axles)



These were a pain should have installed them earlier.



Luckily access from underside. however none of my wrenches fitted through. Ended up holding the nut in place with a pair off strong tweezers and screwing a long M3 bolt where the grub screw goes. Then tightened up by using the M3 bolt.



Front axles servo installed - horn in the diff closed position.



The one for the rear axles should have been installed before the axles. Almost no access to the screws. The 2 bowden holders were a struggle too. This one too in the diff locked position. Unlocked will be 90° turn towards the leaf springs.



Almost had to remove the axle to get to the screw that holds the servo.



Have to remember to install the support bracket for plate that will hold the electronics before I get in a tight mess there too.

Worn out ... Cheers!

Stephan

[Rakthi]

Since I reminded myself, I installed the supports for the electronic platform

This need be done now. Once the drive train is in, no more access to that area.





A bit tight to install because of the steering rod. Another area that will need some touch up later on.



Other side was easy



Next up the cover of the diff lock servo of the front axles.





A nice detail, there is a slot just slightly bigger than the plug of a servo so you can stick the wire through.



Next front wheels





The protection ring just sticks on. This one clamped in place by itself, but the 3 other ones will need a bit of hot glue or some other sticky stuff if I don't want to loose them first time around.



Rear wheels. The washer and nut are the only thing I used from the package of fasteners that came with the rear axles













Next up is supposed to be the motor, gearbox, transfer box and prop shafts.



But, waiting for exhaust pipe that needs to go on before all the above goes in.
Want to wait with the bowden cables to, to see how they work with the motor etc.

Guess I'll just read through the book and see what I can do in the mean while.

[Prop Shaft]

Cant wait to see the engina and trans on this thing!

[Rakthi]

I'll post some pics of it tomorrow. Once it's in the truck it is barely visible. Not as impressive as the one on your Jeep though. Ready assembled and greased too, just like the axles.

Think I take a break for a couple of days, back hurting from hovering over the model trying to get a handle on those nuts and bolts. And actually should finish varnishing the front door ... for some reason I haven't have found the time for that

Stephan

[Rakthi]

Hi Prop, here the promised pictures. It's a 3 gear box and a transfer case. In normal operation, the power of the motor will go only to the rear wheels, when you lock the transfer case you are in 8x8.

Nicely detailed and beautifully fitted. Once installed you can only see it when you turn the truck on it's back.

The electrical motor is a brushed one. It's a Faulhaber 2657, 46Watt one. Screws into the gearbox and immobilised with a grub screw.

The transfer case threw me a bit, it gets placed in the middle, so the input and output size go towards the front. The position of the locking bit was confusing until I realised you are supposed to run the cable through the provided hole (you can see it on the left in the 2nd picture) and then with a 180° turn towards the front of the frame. (I guess this is also why this is the only one where the bowden cable has a teflon insert.















Propshafts.

Top one is from motor to transfer case

2nd one is between 2 front axles

3rd and 4th one is either between the rear axles or from rear axle to transfer. (can only see once transfer case is installed)

Last one is from transfer case to the front axles.

[Rakthi]

Got around to assemble the rear part of the roll on roll off mechanism.

Here all the bits and pieces in the approximate place of assembly.



First the main frame assembled



Then the sliding and fixed hook that hold the container in place.



Ran into a problem with the right one. The frame is milled to create a channel in which the mechanism can slide back and forth. I guess the bit used in the milling was a bit worn or damaged and the machined surface was rough. Tried to flatten it with a small flat file. It worked up to a point.



Then I realised that it was the screwheads that were getting caught in the rough area. So too the file to them and problem solved. At one point I used the dremel and accidentally filed a bit of the actual piece too. No biggie as it is not visible.



Have to pay attention here too. The bar attached to the sliding hook with those 2 screws connects to the other parts of the mechanism with a countersunk screw. So have to make sure it is installed the right side up. I succeeded in having both sides wrong.



Next the rods of the mechanism. They are 64 mm long as per the manual. They are attached to the above rod through a bushing that goes into a sleeve through the frame.



Here is one rod inserted. The second one is at this moment in the oven for 5 - 10 minutes at 180°C. One of the 4 balljoints of this package had a 3M thread. Didn't fit on the 2M thread rod. Easiest solution, some 2K End Fest glue and better than ever.



While the pushrod was cooling off, installed the axle and the wheels on which the containers will ride. Axle immobilised with cir clips ... smallest I've ever seen. Absolute nightmare to get on because I didn't have the right tool and had to use 2 needle nose pliers to open them up.



I was too fast installing the rollers ... they had to come off so I could attach the cover plate and the guide for the hydraulic line.



Finished view from top



and bottom



Cheers

Stephan