Structo dumptruck conversion

[frizzen]

I wanted to build a light dumptruck, this is mostly based off of the tonka conversions of smallhaul and several others i've seen on here. (Steal oll the ideas!)

For the donor, I picked up a 1/16 Redcat rock crawler. 4wd, solid axles, locked diffs and trans, and axle hexes were about the width i needed.

Originally i wanted to convert my 1930s style nylint, but once i had axles it looked too narrow with the fenders, so I grabbed a 1960s Structo hydraulic dump truck tandem axle with the pow-r-r-r motor noise maker.



My plan was to just go quick and dirty on this, use the original stamped frame and try not to get too crazy in hopes of making the indy show.

Tires are just the modified stock hard rubber that's been under it since it left the factory.

I ordered a set of tamiya semi springs, but what i got is too long. it's like 3 inch eye-eye. I can't figure a way to get my front axle under the fender and not have to chop off the front bumper to get spring shackles through it.



Pics will be here as soon as photobucket starts playing nicely. Photobutt is awful and should feel bad.

http://www.tnttoytrucks.com/Structo602.html. it's pretty close to this truck.

[frizzen]

The 20 min edit rule isn't good.

[frizzen]

So i'm painfully aware now that tamiya # 9808091, 9808092, 9808094 was the wrong type of spring. 4.75" long spring was way too big, but it's what amazon had.

Anybody know what springs i was actually wanting to buy?

[C-MurDaA]

i think you want the ones for the tamiya highlift (f350 or tundra)

[PrimeRigg]

the springs for the hilift are longer than the semi set, you might want to modify the ones you have.

[frizzen]

I curled up the 'b' helper springs, and got the front end looking a little better. Once i got the front of the springs mounted, and played with shackle lengths on both ends.



And mangled a hole in the chassis, got the trans mounted up to some brackets.





And i still have some suspension travel when it's got a load of dirt on.



Cab mounts i went really easy / lazy: I stuck a bolt through the bumper rivet holes and cab, threw a nut on those, the bolts slide into the original chassis rivet holes, then the stock tabs slide into the original slots.

[frizzen]

Bottom view



Got the interior back in. Trans clearance wasn't as brutal as i expected it to end up.



I know by the stunned silence you've all been wondering who would run such a modern, immaculate, classy, and well preserved vehicle in their fleet?



I haven't come up with a great company name yet... We better hope i get creative before my dragline crane becomes part of that guys other division Mike Oxbig Erection and Mining.

[frizzen]

Much fun at the Indy 2016 show on friday!!!





shook a spring loose, hit the shop


hit the general store for lunch

[frizzen]

Here was the truck before i started modding, i had yanked one of the tandem axles off since it only had enough retainer clips for one rear. I was hoping for a stance more like this than my big lifted truck.

[frizzen]

I picked up a Helion (4300 rpm) 370 motor to replace the stock 260. So i moved up from an inline 6 to a flathead v8. It took making the motor mount holes ugly ovals, and a little file work on the skid mounts, and taking a ridge off the side of the trans.

Stock pinion is 14t, to 61t spur. not sure about 3 gears in trans. Axles are 14t pinion, 38t ring

I also picked up a delrin cutting board to use as spacers for a t-case drop.

[roadranger]

Nice work on getting the ol' girl running again!
The hood/fender contours link like a 65-66 Chevy/GMC, but that grill looks like an IH…

[frizzen]

Thanks roadranger, it's getting there. Most of the driveability issues were because i wanted to keep the stock wheels, or rushing to be able to drive at Indy.

I'd put out the help wanted signs a while ago, these 2 nicely dressed germans inquired about jobs while i was at RuralKing. They said they overspent on christmas and agreed to work for me at half price just to have a job.


They look awful clean cut for Mike Oxbig, but we know the interview isn't usually the real guy anyway. We'll see how they work out...

[RCP57]

Haha. Nice!

[Rvjimd]

Frizz,

Could you post a few pictures of the underside of your truck? I'm going to abandon the independent suspension and try something more like yours.

I need pictures and design ideas for the axel and suspension and drivetrain. Not sure if or how I am going to be able to use my dromida truck diff parts since they are NOT solid axels, but I'm gona see if I can figure out something...

Jim

[frizzen]

Post 6 has a pretty good top view, and post 7 has an ok bottom view. The t-case has been dropped, and spring shackles changed to aluminum since then.

Anything specific you'd like when i grab some better pics?

[Rvjimd]

I don't know how I didn't see those? I thin the post 7 is what I need. How did you attach the axel to the leaf spring, some sort of U bolt? Is that in one of the pictures in the thread?

Thanks!

[frizzen]

The leafsprings i used had 3 holes already drilled. Axle to leaf attachment was just a bolt through the leaf into existing hole in the top of the diff, post 6 kinda shows on front.

U-bolts would look better and be more scale, this was just trying to reuse existing hardware from the donor crawler so i didn't have to hit the hobby shop.

[frizzen]

Hopefully these help some

[Rvjimd]

Frizz, ya that helps a bit. You probably say in the thread, did you use taymia axels on this?

Today I bought a yeti Jr. 1/18 or maybe it says 1/16 but it turns out to be NOT the perfect donor for a dump truck. The rear axel is solid, but it has open diffs and the front end is independent suspension and not a solid axel.

Jim

[Rvjimd]

Well, what sucks is when you click on edit because you are under 20 min, but by the time you finished typing the new stuff it is past 20 min limit and it screws you...