TOPIC:

Something must have got lost in translation

Unless something comes up on the test drive, I think I can call this one done ... with only my fake Ranger to finish, it's time to start thinking about a new build - something other than a CC-01 this time though ...

A HY on a m chassis?

MF01 based something 4WD

Excellent work again JR I would love to see a group shot of your creations

stingray-63 wrote:

A HY on a m chassis?

I appreciate the thought but the HY has no emotional appeal for me - I think I'd really need to love it to want to do all that corrugation. Besides which, I don't like the M-chassis & I've just finished one boxy van ...

waterbok wrote:

MF01 based something 4WD

It might have some use as a basis for a very small (or smaller scale) 4X4 - 1980s Lada Niva or Fiat Panda 4x4? But nothing's leaping out at me, and besides, the chassis is basically a 4WD M-chassis ...

OK how about the Goddess, a Citroen DS19 with adjustable suspension. Those curves should be a challenge.

Jonny why don't you make your own chassis. An old pand 4X4 could be fun. A DS 19 would just be amazing

And the Citroen mehari, or the renault rodeo? I absolutely dislike these cars but I know that the mehari was made in a 4X4 version.

I gave the Laplander a bit of a run today (without the caravan), first impression was that the transmission that I felt was tight on the bench, well. there must be something binding - the motor got pretty hot, not enough to fail the 3-second rule, but I really didn't want to touch it for more than 5 - so too hot for a 45T motor

Later, I took the motor out & everything seemed free, so I just refitted the motor using the other set of holes & although things seem a bit looser, only another run will prove it - or not.

Back on the test drive though, the steering alignment will also need some work as it took full transmitter trim to the right to get it to run in a semblance of a straight line.

Any RC/remote toy will go slowly on paved areas so the Laplander doesn't impress there, on recently cut grass it's capable enough, but a little slower than I expected, perhaps due to the tight transmission. The slow to act (and slow) speed of the Modelsport/Mtroniks ESC was exacerbated by the drag too - I really wondered if it was the right sort of speed control at all...

Body roll was not as pronounced as I'd expected given the weight on top - but again, I'd put that down to lack of speed due to the transmission drag, at "full" speed it'll probably be on the ragged edge of actually falling over. Performance on grass I'd rate overall as "dull" then - so I quickly headed to the trail - also known as flower beds & garden paths.

Over man-made obstacles - such as a rough paving slab path - it struggled a little, both in terms of ground clearance and grip, with several attempts needed, a lot of wheelspin, and quite a bit of banging of the lower parts of the bodywork (undersides of the bumper). To it's credit though, it did make it though without help. I did manage to put it on its side on one descent, but then other stock CC-01 setups (and similar) fail there too, with only bigger trucks (with bigger wheels) making it down in a scale manner. Some touching up with "rust" colour paint will be required...

Where the trail was more natural, the Laplander felt right at home, pushing over roots & small stumps, and pushing through light undergrowth, all at low speeds - I can see how people could get it to this "trailing" lark. I parked it on it's side again on a slightly more ambitious tree stump - I really should have seen it coming though, when your truck is precariously balanced and on the verge of tipping over, it's probably better to go backwards than push on forwards ... Another failing point was a crown of bulbs, hidden under a pile of leaves - the Laplander got beached there with all four wheels off the ground.

Overall, what I think it needs to improve performance on that sort of terrain is grippier, taller tyres - probably with some extra weight in them ... but AFAIK that's a standard mod for the CC-01.