TOPIC:

My 50th birthday is not that far off, and I've been thinking I would quite like a big "statement piece" to mark it, RC of course, and probably Tamiya. The Mammoth Dump Truck, being the "grown up" version of the Tonka I had as a kid, was on my list.

NIB prices are more than I'd want to pay, but this one - dirty, damaged & with the bed raising/lowering not working - was well within reach. So much so that a modest something else from the list may be an option too   



A large box arrived yesterday, it looked to have had a bit of a kicking in transit, but the cardboard was at least 3rd hand & that's asking quite a lot of the material, so who knows. With one small exception, everything appears to have appeared intact though


First out of the box, a "spare" body. I could show more photos of how dirty, damaged and incomplete it was, basically I saved a few parts & fasteners off it, but it went straight in the bin.

Same with the spare load bed, I did think a bit harder about it, but the cracks were always going to be problematic & probably indicated a high degree of embrittlement in the plastic. Plus, I really didn't want to have to store it. 

I'm glad to have had them to make my own assessment though



Next up, the 3rd least desirable Acoms radio. It's the right sort of period for the truck though, and there would be a kind of interest to having a cheap, 2 channel radio operate the bed as well as the usual driving functions - assuming I can make it work.




 

 

Manual & assorted parts, including an incomplete K sprue, and an unused original decal sheet:






The load bed that was fitted to the truck was a lot cleaner & less broken than the "spare" one.

The left bed hinge (part K7) had broken in transit, but there is an untouched one in the spares

Front view, note missing guard rails & uprights, plus broken mount points. The spares bag has some of the parts, but not all.








Rear view:




Bed off, it all appears to be there (if dusty), including the "Plus One" unit. The bed won't raise & lower, but I think that's down to the servos not being centred adequately.

At present, even with the the left stick trim being all the way down, the motor is making a straining whistle indicating it's getting power when it shouldn't be. The right stick trim is all the way over one side too. As the Plus One unit relies on the truck being completely stationery, then the steering being moved all the way to one side for a set time to start the bed movement, setup is the first place to start.

That's more dismantling & fiddling than I want to at present.

If that doesn't fix it, a modern 2.4ghz tx with better neutral/end point options would be the next thing to try, and I could always use an extra channel to power a 2nd ESC if necessary. 

Well that is a cracker JR Happy Birthday and I'm sure you will get it running like factory as you do  

Happy birthday Jonny. This machine is a monster. Bigger thn a clod I think.

stingray-63 wrote:

Happy birthday Jonny. This machine is a monster. Bigger thn a clod I think.

Wider body, but narrower tyres, about the same I think. I'll have to get a side by side photo.

I hadn't seen a Clod in the flesh until I bought a Super Clod myself & realised now much bigger it was than other big wheelers, like twice as big as a Lunchbox.

The first time I saw a TXT-1 in person, it was maybe a little bigger than a Clod, but I was still impressed by the weight.

Having built things both bigger and heavier than both - both put together in the case of that combine harvester - I think I've got a bit blase about "big" RC

Some size comparison pics:

 

I only restored my old clod buster. And when I was a child, I loved run with clod and lunchy in the same Time with my dad. The only 1/10 bigger than my clod I have, is the USA 1 nitro crusher and maybe but unsure the strange crawler like Andy restored some years ago.  
a dream for me, it's to have another jonny's built. I love the mammoth but I'm sure that the mancave will implose if I buy one. And my wife will kill me in one shot😂😂😂

Jonny wrote:

Some size comparison pics:

 

woohaaa ! Awesome. I though it was bigger. Love it. Does the bed lift with a third way on the radio ?

Are they bull head rims on the clod?