Bronc(ish) W2D-VI V2 (TRX4 build) With Full Cab
Description
Hi guys, V1 is here: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4903157 V1 is shorter and probably fits an SCX10 (or clone) chassis a bit better than this one. Oops (Read this): If you downloaded this the first day, don't use Bronco_Rear_Quarter_Short_V2.stl because the file had multiple problems (apologies). Guide (has link to BOM): https://wrenchtodrive.blogspot.com/2022/03/w2d-vi-broncish-pick-me-up-truck-guide.html Check the guide for future updates. Bronco_Rear_Quarter_Short_V2.stl is a 5mm longer rear quarter to better fit the TRX-4 chassis because the TRX-4 frame is about 25mm longer than an SCX10 or clone (I missed it by those 5mm the first time). Note that my build is the original and the cutout in the tailgate was me farting around with this issue. The fit isn't total crap, the body just sits a hair too far back (cosmetically) and there isn't enough meat on the bone to adjust it. End Oops Important: My build sits on the TRX-4 G500 chassis super nicely, so much so that I'm not even sure I want to use body mounts. For that reason (and others, mostly that its a pain in the pooper trying to get the mounts to work for everybody) I haven't fully worked out the mounts yet. For the ones included, the idea is to mount the body to the bumper mount cross members. I like that solution because they are nice and inconspicuous but it means that my generic bumper mounts no longer work so I have been grappling with that problem. Bottom line, the TRX-4 bumper mount that I included fits by the numbers but you may need to do a bit of tweaking. The original version fits an SCX10 clone by the numbers but I think I may have missed the axle centers by a tiny bit (The body is 313mm bang on, but the mounts may shift the body slightly). Stay tuned for any tweaks that I may come up with. Intro vid: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUi60u7aqNE This is the final version of my W2D-VI Bronco(ish) 313mm wheelbase body. My main goal with this was working on assembly and fit to come up with something that turns out well enough and is durable enough to be worth the effort. I'm pretty happy with this and it wasn't super hard to accomplish. You can build a pure open top version like the original or a version with an enclosed cab. The topper is an add-on for either. The fender flares are optional and you can print quarters with the flares or weld the flares on afterward like I did. I built the body with an add-on roll bar and then added a version of the cab with an open back which is welded to the body and to the roll bar. The topper on mine is removable. I added a gasket made from electrical tape to the back of the roll bar to bridge the gap to the topper because the fit isn't quite as tight as it should be. The topper has no front because I was building it with an SUV type open layout in mind but I'm thinking I should add one. The windshield is curved but I'm pretty sure it won't be hard to make a clear plastic one - I'm trying to find some plastic to scavenge at the moment. I think a pop bottle might work ok. The 3D printable windshield is more for use as a template to make a clear one but you could obviously use it if you are inclined. Any places there should be "glass" you just need to find some clear plastic packaging (or whatever) and cut it to fit. You can use a $10 heat gun to warm up the plastic if you need to add or remove a curve (takes a bit of practice to avoid melting it). Notes: - I printed all the parts lying down with supports and the panels seem strong and turned out pretty well - I left the supports on the body panels to add strength and to provide a surface to mount inside panels like the old school vinyl on cardboard panels in 60s cars (haven't gotten to that yet) - I used pins and hot glue to tack together the panels - I "welded" the panels together using a 3D printing pen - This works really well but takes some practice - You weld just like metal welding - Any time you grind down a weld you will need to do some sanding to get a nice finish - Don't paint yourself into a corner where you can't get the pen to the spot that needs welding - I didn't grind V-grooves but in spots it would help make a super strong joint - The body seems really strong so I think its mostly overkill to go that far but do what you feel is best for your builds ***** Caution, the downside to glue smoothing is that you can peel off the layer of glue/paint **** The best way to see for yourself is to try it on a practice part ** Rough treatment is going to mess up the body no matter how you do it so I like the low effort of the glue smoothing method - I used white glue to smooth the body panels - Squirt it on and spread it vigorously with a brush (takes practice) - Orient the body so the surface you are smoothing is level(ish) - Full thickness fills most layer lines with 3-5 coats - Watered down slightly smooths even better but takes a lot of coats - I ran out of glue and talked myself into spraying it - It could have used another full coat and at least a couple of thin coats for sure - This sounds like a lot of work but its WAY easier than sanding IMO - The final finish isn't super tough but I think that's to be expected - Total immersion in water may be a problem Changes from the original: - front quarters are 10mm longer - windshield has a 10mm valence to accommodate the length increase - door cutouts - door panel is longer and rear quarter panel is shorter - V2 rear quarter is 5mm longer for near perfect TRX4 fit The TRX4 inner fenders in the pics are G500. The vintage TRX4 inners are wider so they would need to be cut back to fit this body. I shortened the G500 inner fenders in the process of fitting this but I think the final version will fit without trimming (I hope it's obvious that mine are no longer suitable for measuring). Yes, it was trickier than I thought. If you leave them like I did, the supports on the quarters need to have about a 1-2mm deep cut around the wheel opening to fit perfectly (meaning the inside body line, not the actual wheel opening, is just a hair narrow - if you remove the print supports you will have no problem). I used a sanding drum on a moto tool and it was really easy (no joke, not hard, took 15 minutes, just let the drum heat up the plastic and giver). The upside to leaving the supports is that the fit is nice and snug/firm. You'll need to mirror the body panels to get the opposite side. This definitely isn't a bashing body but it's pretty strong. The windshield and roll bar are the weakest link. I included the files for the topper, but it isn't that great and the front section of the roof doesn't fit very well (not shown in pics). The back section doesn't line up perfectly with the cosmetic roll bar I included (I made a fake rubber trim piece using electrical tape). I think the whole thing looks better with the full cage from my Jeep project. The cage fits OK but needs some slight tweaks to fit the TRX4 and I haven't gotten to that yet so go that route at your own risk. It's in the pics of the old version so obviously the fit isn't terrible. As always, use at your own risk. Wrench to drive or drive to wrench?
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