My Frankenstein alias the Clod

[jeffro]

In 1989 I picked up my first Clod Buster ( wish I still had it :o ) By "93" I took up RC flying, until "03" I was then grounded, so I got to looking and found the Super Clod buster, and this is where all this madness started anew.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2537/3688549578_519982c9fc.jpg

And then I picked this up after trying to decide between the Toyota Highlift of the F-350, the ford won..

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2571/3688548992_8286e8722a.jpg
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And then , I wanted to build the monster I couldn't afford in "89"

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3578/3688558294_323e9a1e95.jpg

and then, I thought the ford body looked better on the clod frame.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3551/3687758475_c1f5f75e7c.jpg

and now,

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3571/3688544008_a5672670c4.jpg

The list is too long of what I have in this, but its all the usual RC4WD, RPP, Tower Hobbies, Integy, etc...

[SMOKE-DOG]

That's a beast. Nice work. Action shots?

[Wyoming]

Wow thats insane, really a clean custom monster. Hard not to love the Clod in any form. Those Slinger tires are mean I think i know what I need to order :D

[Arcocustom]

Monster trucks are my favorite.:D So many upgrades and aftermarket parts are available for the Clod Buster, I do beleive it's the best selling R/C of all time.

The body, chassis, wheels and tires, all look great:thumb:, but what I'm interested in is, what kind of guts are powering ol' Frankenstein? Motors, batteries, ESC, etc. Is he fast? Is he slow? Please, won't you let us know.:)

[jeffro]

Thank you Gentlemen. Its often referred to as the Beast. :D

Smoke-Dog, I will see what I can do today about those action shots, the sun is supposed to shine finally. :)

And I agree Wyoming, those big mudslinger tires, they are just too cool. Think I might put them on my self propelled push mower. :D

Ok Arco, Lets see if I can answer your questions.

I will try to keep this short. I decided to keep the original clod chassis, just to stay original, (I couldn't afford the upgrade chassis, and didn't like most of them, anyway. ) Back in the middle 90's some guy that worked at RCCA did a build on a clod that was all aluminum, it was bad***..

I saw a clod that a guy in germany had built using the original chassis and using aluminum plates to perform the link setup. Mine is not as nice, but it works. Anyway my thinking was still early 90's based, so

I am running ESP modified motors, with (RC4WD) 4:1 gear reduction. ( I either need to change the timing on the motors or go silvercan, ) Its a slow mover, I still use the "switch" on the side to switch between series an parallel. So its slow and slower on the speed

Batteries, I went old school, I bought 6 "D" sanyo cells and built two 3 packs and wired them together to make my 6 cell (I was still in the 90's, Ive learned a lot from this site) It weighs a ton, ( I just weighed it, its 16 lbs..)



Esc is Novak Super Duty with a cooling fan. It handles the work smoothly

I will try to put some pics up later, but beware, its not pretty..I just can't believe how much money is in it, and I could still do so much more..

[jeffro]

Here's some body off shots, its not pretty, but it works. One of my first and continuing chop jobs,since returning to 4 wheels.

the front

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3649/3689684025_48faf27b85.jpg

The rear

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2662/3690491246_4d2246c6ca.jpg

front to back

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2587/3690500412_d8c9a4342c.jpg

front end, used an aluminum airplane servo arm. its long

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3579/3690487206_4d2dfcd3bc.jpg

the rear end

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2441/3690488584_2f17fbbf6e.jpg

It does what it is supposed to do, it holds down my bed.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2668/3690497438_4fea6904e0.jpg

[jeffro]

Here's a comparison shot between Frank ' n Clodstein :D and my CR-01 Wrangler.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3611/3687740463_a7e9676e78.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3596/3688543236_c122c42e23.jpg

And just so ya all know, this is the first clod buster that the 4-wheel steering works like it was meant to in the beginning. I made sure :)

The sun is out and Im charging batteries...:cool:

[jeffro]

That's a beast. Nice work. Action shots?

Here's the best I can do today, I got the battery charged up and took it out in the backyard, it kinda looks like this everywhere around here.. :) ffllaatt :D



http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3651/3691729998_037bc71491.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2435/3691741832_97ba4834c1.jpg
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http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3610/3691760352_f219f88a49.jpg

And thats my Beast... nowbody asked what I did with the undercarriage from the 3 speeder I stole the Ford 350 body from :) Thats another story..

[Arcocustom]

Here's the best I can do today, I got the battery charged up and took it out in the backyard, it kinda looks like this everywhere around here.. :) ffllaatt :D

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3651/3691729998_037bc71491.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3610/3691760352_f219f88a49.jpg

And thats my Beast... nowbody asked what I did with the undercarriage from the 3 speeder I stole the Ford 350 body from :) Thats another story..

The pictures look good there jeffro.:thumb:
I was a wonderin' where it went, just not out loud.:D So tell us the story of the wayward HIGH-LIFT chassis. Where it be at now?:confused:

[jeffro]

The pictures look good there jeffro.:thumb:
I was a wonderin' where it went, just not out loud.:D So tell us the story of the wayward HIGH-LIFT chassis. Where it be at now?:confused:

Im glad you asked Arco :D

Part Two teaser pic

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3590/3691649227_7fee880b11_m.jpg

[Arcocustom]

I'm glad I asked too!:) I spied it lurking in the background of your family picture.;)
It sure is one nice Hilux High-Lift.:thumb:

[jeffro]

I have today an tomorrow off, so I charged some batteries, and loaded a few trucks. I finally took Frank out to the rocks. I made video's but I was byself, so there not the best, if I ever figure out what Im doing, I think I can get a video up of some different trucks running.

Anyway, here ya go

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2710/4098949323_7c0f153e01.jpg
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[jeffro]

I was tired of the F-350 body on the clod, so I changed it out to do something else with the ford body another day.

Just took it out the side door at home and bashed around. I had to tighten everything up from the last time I ran it back in the fall, and wanted to make sure its ready to go back to the creek..

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2703/4352399746_750394a00d_o.jpg

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[Waterboy]

i love clod yota!:) when is the jeepzilla coming out?:D

[jeffro]

i love clod yota!:) when is the jeepzilla coming out?:D

Thank you Andrew, actually I went the other way, so I guess it will have to be ClodYota's little brother :D

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4015/4354699890_174c5c0fae_o.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4023/4353954325_17bc27c2b5_o.jpg

[Flowmastered87gl]

ha ha the track width on yotazilla is longer than the overall length of his little brother :pwned:

[Waterboy]

ha ha the track width on yotazilla is longer than the overall length of his little brother :pwned:

hahhahahahahahahha:D:D:D:D:D::D:D:jaw:

[jeffro]

They all want to be bigger :D

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2686/4355675837_5b5e80c7ec_o.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4005/4356421958_b3bbf09c52_o.jpg

[teebeehex]

Well, they say "Bigger is better!" :D

[ScottD961]

Your trucks look superb

[jeffro]

Well, they say "Bigger is better!" :D

I've heard that somewhere before :)


Your trucks look superb

Thank you for commenting, glad you like them :)

[That guy]

I know this is a little late, but, I just picked up a "fixer upper" clod! Do you have any advice or " fix right of the bat " items I should pay extra attention too?:mod: And, don't think I forgot....:thumb: GREAT LOOKIN TRUCKS!!!!:yourock::rockon:

[jeffro]

I know this is a little late, but, I just picked up a "fixer upper" clod! Do you have any advice or " fix right of the bat " items I should pay extra attention too?:mod: And, don't think I forgot....:thumb: GREAT LOOKIN TRUCKS!!!!:yourock::rockon:

Thank you Thatguy. I guess it depends on what your plans are for the clod. Check all of the areas on the chassis where the shocks, links, etc... attach to it, for stress fractures, they will come with time and use because of its weight,

I have discovered a broken "C" on the front driverside axle, it seems those wheels and tires are too much weight for the plastic "C's" so if you are going to add more weight to the truck you may want aluminum axle tubes or just stay with the lighter plastic wheels to keep the weight down.

I still love the truck, and its kinda real in the fact that if you take a 1:1 truck out and abuse it on the trails, something will break eventually and it will need repaired.

Sorry, I'm not much help. I may have some extra parts leftover, I'll try to look tonite, I've got all my clod stuff seperated from the other truck parts

[That guy]

That is where I will start the inspection. This, unfortunately is not the highest on the list right now [ I have to get one up and running for my 13 yo boy] and I have picked up an A*ial frame aswell as a Bruiser frame :confused: I just can't decide wich way to go???:deadhorse::bangin:!?!?!? But anyway,:focus::yourock: I think maybe you should look at "burbanclodzilla" again:first: I LIKE!!LOL:D

[jeffro]

That is where I will start the inspection. This, unfortunately is not the highest on the list right now [ I have to get one up and running for my 13 yo boy] and I have picked up an A*ial frame aswell as a Bruiser frame :confused: I just can't decide wich way to go???:deadhorse::bangin:!?!?!? But anyway,:focus::yourock: I think maybe you should look at "burbanclodzilla" again:first: I LIKE!!LOL:D

Sounds like you have plenty to do also, good luck. Burbanzilla, interesting :cool:

[jeffro]

I'm taking a break from scratch building bodies. So I thought the old clod needed some fixing up, and put on a diet.

After going through many different bodies on this thing, I think I have finally settled on one.

I tore this apart for the parts..

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5136/5544442369_9e99434b10_z.jpg

and test fit it on the clod chassis.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7016/6408531329_a7f29d350e_b.jpg

So, with some creative engineering and bracing to the old chassis

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7027/6452302475_f749e781fc_z.jpg

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7021/6452302693_f68f0cf6bb_z.jpg

Its not done yet, but I have the body fixed up a little bit.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7171/6452302865_0f4f3fed5f_b.jpg

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7028/6452303027_25a99f2cf2_b.jpg

I'm ditching the old saddle packs and have switched back to the stock rims and tires.. So its a little lighter.


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