I'm back with a build! Tamiya TLT-1 Grave Digger!

[Zac_F]

After about a week of thinking, I want another RC. I was going back and forth on a RTR Redcat Ground Pounder from CPE and swap out the body/wheels/tires for other stuff, NOPE. Then pricing a new Barbarian build (not happening til mid winter). Then seen Team Associated has the RC18B2 buggy on clearance, NOPE. I liked the idea of a smaller RC Monster truck, but didn't like what I was finding for RTR 1/18/ 1/16 crawler RC's to convert to a MT, and seeing a nice 1/24th scale RC MT and that is just to small for me, then seen a guy over on the Old School RC page or the Shafty page on Facebook selling a NIB Tamiya TLT-1 1/18 monster truck.. BOOM! That's what I want! and hit eBay! The TLT really has the best of both worlds, small size, and can use standard 1/10 electronics! So if the pics don't tell the story here it is..

Going to totally rebuild the stock TLT-1 chassis, do away with the cantilever suspension, extend the wheelbase a bit (10mm-12mm maybe little longer if the links will do it), and paint the metal parts lime green.. AND 4WS! Going to wait to order a battery til the TLT chassis gets here as there is not much room left with the 1/10 electronics..

This was all ordered today! I can't wait til parts start showing up!!!

Venom Creeper crawler chassis used with TLT-1 axles and MANY good parts $110 shipped - using for parts

Team Blue Groove 1/16th scale 50 panel van body $25 shipped

New TLT-1 wheels/tire/Traxxas links/48p 78t spur/ 48p 20t RRP pinion/red headlight led's/ servo Y harnesses from Power Hobby eBay $85 shipped

Complete TLT-1 chassis minus axles (has blue Tamiya motor plate, titanium links), Redcat servo's (yes 2!), Redcat 1/10 2S ESC, and a Exceed 2.4 radio from RC Recycler $122 shipped

Axial SCX10 take off 90mm shocks (have)

Vintage Trinity Speed Gems chrome 14t-15t motor (have - may go to a Putnam/ Trinity Cobalt 27t stock mod motor)

Decals from Joseph​/ Nathaneal​ (MCI Racing)

Not sure on battery yet - will be 2S as I don't think this will need much power to be crazy fast.. HAHA

The Venom chassis has old SCX10 driveshafts I will probably cut down to fit..

http://www.tamiyausa.com/product/item.php?product-id=47201

 

[Zac_F]

Got the order from RC Recycler yesterday! A day early, so I wasted no time tearing it apart!

The gear box looked brand new as did most of the chassis. I picked a motor, a Putnam epic 27t mod that was freshly rebuilt before I bought it. I couldn't wait so I reassembled the main chassis and laid some paint!

I got the Power hobby order today, and will get most everything reassembled today! The Venom Creeper is set to show up tomorrow (now Monday )! so should be all set except for driveshafts (if I don't cut the one's on the Venom down), and a 2S battery!

Gotta go find a silver for the wheels and get them in paint, so I can spot glue the tires! As well as start reassembling the chassis!

Before I cleared it! - Grey primer, color is Tamiya polycarb light green, and Rustoleum x2 clear


More pics to come today!

 

[Zac_F]

I am stuck on driveshafts sadly.. I extended the wheelbase about 1/2" and don't have dog bones or cups for the axles. Bought 2 2S 1600mah lipo batteries for a Losi mini RC.. got a lot done last night!

Sadly the Venom crawler isn't going to be here til Monday, so there won't be any updates til then..

Mounted the motor / made motor wires
Mounted the trans in the chassis
Mounted the electronics/battery trays
Mounted the shocks - switched tops to non reservoir style so they look a little more scale and put 10wt AE oil in them
Mounted the ESC/RX
Had to reuse the titanium turnbuckles that came with the chassis, and put Traxxas rod ends on them
Made rear body post extensions using a plastic tube, and left over TT-01 body posts (will trim them when I get the body hopefully next week)
Had to use the stock spur and hard anodized pinion that came with the chassis as the 48p stuff I bought wasn't big enough
Painted the wheels with Smoke Grey - no clear
Got the LED's switched from a 3R/Tamiya connector to a 2 pin JST to plug into the RX
Got the servo y harness installed
Got most everything converted to allen head hardware (all but the 4 long main chassis screws)

 

[Zac_F]

Just about done! Body was mounted, trimmed, and painted. I ordered Tamiya Drive cups, Tamiya 1/24 Dump Truck wheels, Tamiya Mad Bull tires, and HPI Blitz SCT front shocks to lower it.. the wheels/ tires are 12mm hex mount 2" diameter, and the tires are the same as 1/12 Lunchbox/Midnight Pumpkin - ordered to see if bigger wheels/tires will look better..

 

[Zac_F]

I found Tamiya makes a 1/24 RC dump truck/monster truck that uses 1/12 wheels/tire. I bought a set of the wheels, and Lunchbox tires, and wouldn't you know it they fit better than the TLT wheels/tires haha. I got it all up and running, lets just say it need WAY LESS HP LOL! I had to turn the dual rate on the throttle down to 50% just so it's semi easy to drive!

So it runs/drives okish, but I need to find longer dog bones for driveshafts or figure something else out as they pop out under hard acceleration. I also somehow burnt out the red LED's so I'll probably buy new one's locally here next week.

Anyway got the wheels painted up last night and shot some pics!

 

[SWMS]

That little thing looks killer. Makes me kinda want to try one.

 

[T_Tank]

Fun little tlt-1 build man! I've got one with a penguin rc chassis an a custom trans mount for a 1/16 mini erevo 540 trans that its just a bundle of bounces an fun! Also have a mrc mini monster truck thats been a crazy good time!

I totally think folks need to try out making compact monster rigs you can just goof off with them in so many more places!

 

[Zac_F]

I agree I love this thing! I was honestly going to build and sell it to try to make a little money, but it's so fun! I need new gears in the axles though.. the difs were locked for crawling and the gears looked eh at best, and the test drive outside a little bit ago was their last hurrah.. It's a ton of fun though!

Edit - I forgot to add that I had left over CPE Pettibone hub covers, and they fit perfectly in the wheels!

 

[im2tall]

This came out nice,I didn'tknow it was gonna be this nice,when you 1st showed the chassis on FB.Came out sweet

 

[Zac_F]

Thanks man! I love it! Just waiting on Joseph Coberly to get back to me about decals for it and it's pretty much done. Might have to spot glue the tires, but I will likely try to find some foam for them.

Found out 1. It needs new gears in the axles, and 2. It needs to be converted to 48p gearing as it is the stock spur gear/pinion making a horrible sound 3. I think it needs a belt tensioner

 

[T_Tank]

ya know you could try switching out the belt trans for a 1/16 traxxas trans like I did mine lowers the motor down though you may want to use a 380 can a 540 takes some space and needs a different upper 4 link in the rear this does also let you run the battery more mid ship also!

http://shpws.me/GPFQ