Beast II Custom Work Use Mods Thread

[CampfireCook]

Please post your "off-label" uses for the Beast II. Did you modify it to carry a heavy load? Add a crane? Can it now deliver a pizza? Well, lets find out!
Here is my attempt at making a 21st century version of the WWII Army Mule out of the Beast. In no way am I trying to make a scale model of anything.
This build is purely for function's sake. My Mule hopefully is going to be heavy on batteries, servos, worm drives, video, crane, high load shocks/springs etc.
At this point in the build I am still dealing with missing and broken parts. I won't bore you with any photos of the stock part of the build out.

[CampfireCook]

Army Mule V.2.0

Here is my attempt at making an Army Mule out of the Beast II. In no way am I trying to make a scale model of anything. This build is purely for function's sake.
My Mule hopefully is going to be heavy on batteries, servos, worm drives, video, crane, etc. At this point in the build I am still dealing with missing and broken parts.
I won't bore you with any photos of the stock build out. I am using a lot of hardware store and Erector Set parts for this build because of strength, versatility and cost.
The stock parts will be mainly the Beast II chassis and running gear.

The goal: A "go fetch" rig for when I'm working outside.

The starting point: The Beast II. Outdoor WIFI hotspots. Several Arduino ro

bot kits. A couple Erector crane kits. An assortment of Dremel tools.

IMG_3897.jpg

[CampfireCook]

Army Mule V.2.0

Phase 1:
Shocks and metal body.
No idea of the brand of the shocks, my hobbyist sold me some used ones for $20. They are oversized and have a stiffer spring rate. The metal parts are just standard Home Depot galvanized sheet metal and aluminum angle iron. I paint them and then throw them in the oven at 250* for about 10 minutes to cure the paint onto those slick metals.
Using over sized nuts, bolts, and screws. Stock ones are just way too weak and strip out easily. I'm drilling out many of the stock holes to accommodate the oversized parts.

Miter saw and Dremel are out best friends!
IMG_3896.jpg

IMG_3967.jpgIMG_3965.jpgIMG_3964.jpg

I'm looking for some kind of wheels or axles to make the Mule a dually all around keeping in mind that I don't have the clearance around the shocks or frame to go with bigger tires.

Starting point:
Beast II
Traxxas TQi 4ch xmitter, TQi 5ch receiver, batteries.
Axial ESC and brushless motor.
RC4WD Punisher metal drive shafts.
4 spare clutch packs and spur gears.
I already blew out one clutch pack and spur gear. So, I got an HD tranny and xfer case from RC4WD but they don't fit directly so I will give a second chance to the stock parts before moding the chassis.
Just installed the Castle Creations Castle Link adapters and software for the Axial.
Hopefully this will prevent the blowouts of the driveline.

With this motor and software I might be able to bypass the tranny all together and run a drive shaft directly to the xfer case. I will just need a high precision mounting plate for the motor. (I don't have the tools to make one but I'm sure my Hobbyist does). It is a brushless motor so I don't see a problem of backlash or damage to the motor not having a clutch.
IMG_3977.jpg The cooler is approximately 10# and you can see how the chassis holds the weight.

[CampfireCook]

Brass Tacks

The new spur gears won't be here for a month, so I decided to go ahead and try mounting the motor directly to the xfer case.
The only way I can do it is to use parts from an Erector Set and Home Depot.
I'm trying to do everything I can do to not destroy this motor.
When I get this put together I am only going to use the stock plastic drive shaft from RC4WD to help protect the driveline.
If that lasts for a few trial runs then I will put in the steel one.
Here are a few photos of my idea of mounting it. Please let me know if you have better ways to do this.
What I really need to do is isolate the mounting points as much as possible to not vibrate out or strip the screws in the motor.
When you look at these photos keep in mind that nothing is tightened down yet.

IMG_3982.jpgIMG_3984.jpgIMG_3985.jpgIMG_3986.jpg

[CampfireCook]

Chassis about done

I am dealing with a motor that is way more powerful and a payload that is far beyond what this Beast (Mule) was meant for.
The bracing around the motor is giving me all kinds of grief.
I have drilled and re-drilled so many times I am about to eat through the frame its self.
If you are wondering why there are so many blood red parts it is simply metal primer paint.
Although, it does work well with my cammo pattern for my part of the country.
I added a smidge of garlic to the blood red paint to ward off the little Vampyre Mice.
Upgraded the main camera from some cheap knock off to a GoPro.
I will probably add a second to give a vehicle view of the Mule.

IMG_4008.jpg IMG_4010.jpg IMG_4018.jpg IMG_4021.jpg

[CampfireCook]

Electrical is mostly in

The frame and chassis are all in now. Just the upgrades are waiting to be shipped to me.
I did bypass the tranny completely so it is a direct drive to the xfer case now.
The batteries, motor and electronics are in today.
The Crows Nest just needs to be dressed up now but most all the goodies are in there.
You will notice that there are two TQi 5 channel receivers.
One is for all the driving functions and the other can be switched over from the xmitter for accessories.
It can be upgraded to 30 of the little fellows so the options are endless!

The new electric is:
Two 7600 Traxxas batteries with several adapters.
The Axial motor and ESC runs serial not parallel to the batteries.
I'd hoped for longer run time, not more speed, but when I finish programming the ESC I think it will be a wash.
AE light bar.
GoPro camera (and a generic one for now).
All brands of servos are going into this so I can't give you name brands.

Here are the new photos of just the electric:

IMG_4033.jpg IMG_4048.jpg IMG_4029.jpg IMG_4047.jpg (Not dressed up yet)

[CampfireCook]

Electrical is mostly in

The new electric is:
Two 7600 7.4v Traxxas IQ batteries.
Traxxas TQi 4 channel Txer.
Two Traxxas TQi 5 channel Rxers.
Traxxas Telemetry Expander.
Axial Vanguard XL ESC and Motor.
Castle Creations USB programmer for the ESC.
Associated headlights.
One GoPro camera and one generic cam.
Various brands of servos.

Will be installed later:
Four RC4WD 540 65T motors for the outriggers.
Two generic worm drive motors.
Two generic 7600 7.4v lipo batteries for the accessories.

The batteries, motor and electronics are in today.
The Crows Nest just needs to be dressed up now but most all the goodies are in there.
You will notice that there are two Tqi 5 channel receivers.
One is for all the driving functions and the other can be switched over from the xmitter for accessories.
It can be upgraded to 30 of the little fellows so the options are endless!
The Axial motor and ESC runs serial not parallel to the batteries.
I'd hoped for longer run time, not more speed, but when I finish programming the ESC I think it will be a wash.
The frame and chassis are all in now. Just waiting on the upgrades to be shipped to me.
I did bypass the tranny completely so it is a direct drive from the motor to the xfer case now.

IMG_4029.jpg IMG_4042.jpg IMG_4047.jpg IMG_4048.jpg

[CampfireCook]

Various Camo Patterns

There are so many back-ordered parts it's starting to get to me. Suspension, running gear etc.

Here are some photos of my various camo patterns.
I am trying to show off the different patterns that major Armies and Navy used on vehicles from WWI until now.
Lets see here:
Britt Navy WWI angled camo.
Korean war swirly camo.
WWII to present, camo skirts woodland pattern.
Cold War Soviet woodland pattern.
Gulf Wars GWI and GWII desert.

IMG_4057.jpg IMG_4053.jpg IMG_4052.jpg IMG_4056.jpg IMG_4058.jpg IMG_4059.jpg

[CampfireCook]

Clarification...

I just want to be clear that my Mule is vastly made of RC4WD, Axial, Castle Creations parts.
For some reason I feel that you might think I am trying to plug other brands.
HEHE if you are keeping score.... a lot is from Home Depot and Ace Hardware!
Peace.

[CampfireCook]

Suspension Changes

Due to the larger RC4WD tires and to better align the drive shafts on the back 2 axles and with the (not installed yet) longer 100mm shocks,
I have to put in different length tie rods and/or tie rod ends. This is going to be on my "hit or miss" list.
Here are the stock parts:
4x 71.5mm with 8x 'long' plastic tie rod ends.
4x 52.0mm with 8x 'long' plastic tie rod ends.
Here is the clearance between stock and the RC4WD 1.9 XL Mud Slingers without changing the tie rods/ends.
This is uncompressed shock clearance.
You can see the misalignment of the axles.
These are the options I have found for ends so far. Also, I am fitting out a RC4WD 41mm tie rod for the upper rear.
With shorter tie rods up top and shorter tie rod ends on bottom I think I can line everything up and give me the clearance I need.

IMG_4074.jpg IMG_4073.jpg IMG_4075.jpg IMG_4078.jpg

[CampfireCook]

Rear Tandem Beta 01

Still waiting on my 100mm shocks, the wheel spacers, and the tie rods.
But, in the mean time, I am pre-roughing in a tandem axle setup.
There is so much top heavy load on the back two axles that it wants to roll over just sitting there.
What I came up with is going old school 18 wheeler tandem axle trailer.
This is a slow mover so I don't need much in the way of overall bouncy shocks like a race truck does.
It's all about articulation under load without compressing all the rear shocks.
I don't know really how to explain it other than just saying watch the video.

[CampfireCook]

Still waiting...

There are several critical parts that I am still waiting on before I can start mounting up the vitals.
So, in the mean time I am playing around with how to arrange the load most effectively.
If I remember the Load Master correctly and it's been some time I think the load is supposed to be 40/60 F/R.
Yes that is a real fire extinguisher (front) (1Lb), LiPo bag with 10 7600 Mah batteries (middle) (9Lb), and my cooler (rear).
I have my spare parts bin mounted to the front. The only very important thing I have to
fit in there is a real first aid kit.

I guess the whole point of this Mule is for it to carry everything that a real-world vehicle would
to support its fellow vehicles and personnel.

[CampfireCook]

Update to be edited...

Just want to throw this out there.
I will delete/edit this post as soon as I receive the critical parts to further this build.
Here are the major parts that I need to move forward:
100mm shocks.
Wheel spacers.

All of the plastic stock body parts are in a box to donate to my local Hobby Shop.

NEW vvvvvvv
Received the Axial front axle.
Problem: the Axial drive shaft rotates the wrong direction... time to rebuild one of the diffs.