Scratch Build of W900L - Simulated Air Ride Suspension - Scale 53' Trailer

I went to the aluminum place the other day and got some sheet and tubing. I am making the fram rails for the trailer and will be working on the drawings for the base and body of the truck. I like the way Wedico makes theirs out of aluminum. I don't think I will go with the MFU, I am going to go with something else that is programmable via USB.

I will be making the body out of aluminum and then making the top removable. I plan on making a very detailed interior as well. The battery will be accessed via the side panels. The ESC will be in a box on the passenger side known as a Rig Master. It has a heat sink and the box will be breathable. The sound unti will be in one of the step sides and the speakers will be two, maybe four small ones molded into the interior of the truck. I am planning on taking my time on this, I really want it to act and look like the real thing. Just ideas right now, but I can pull it off, give me enough time. Here is where I am getting my idea for the top. I want to be able to access everything inside. The lights will still be functional on top, when the top is removed, they will be unplugged.

Did some more work today. This shows the base of the cab and sleeper out of paper.



Got the engine today. You will also see that I am working on mounting the motor the other way. May not get to do as much detail to the interior, but it will be worth it to open the hood and see the big C15 in there. I moved the axle forward about 1/2", didn't take much and I think it looks much better.

Here is an update on what I have done. Looks so much better with the rails painted. Engine is in, tranny mounted, working on reversing the electric motor. I am thinking of putting the shifting servo in the passenger side step.



You can see I mounted the steering servo up front. I am going to detail more of the engine and put in a radiator that will cover the top of the servo.



You can see the base for the body is started, it is .100 aluminum, aircraft grade. Living in the air capital of the world has its benefits, cheap and plentiful aluminum. I am going to be putting angle aluminum around the outside of this base and the building the body from there. I mounted the base on the frame rails using grommets, this gives it some suspension and lifts the body off the frame, just like the real trucks have air suspension for the sleeper.



I know the body base is a bit wavy, but when I put on the angle aluminum, you won't even be able to tell.

I angled the frame rails and put in a piece of angle aluminum to connect the two sides, I don't like tamiyas angled plastic. They seem to like plastic for everything. I was going to get a King Hauler kit, but there are too many things about it that I would have changed. I have learned my lesson over the years, "If you want something done right, do it yourself." I am not knocking Tamiya by any means, its just I have owned many of their kits and I mod them to the point that it really didn't make sense to buy the kit.

I got some drawing done today. Here is what I came up with.



Then I am transferring it to the aluminum and then I will cut it out sometime this week.



I am also working on the AX10 diffs and I will post progress of them as I get them done. ( I got rif of those and went with regular semi axles)

I finally sold my ol' Mustang and now have a cleaned out garage. It is great to have all that space to work in. I am working on custom trailers for some customers and in between that and spending time with my family I work on my truck. Here is what the trailer looks like so far. I need to get the axles done on the truck so I can move onto the suspension, I want to get the truck setting on its own soon.



Here is what I am going for with the rig.

I have finished up the machining of the engine to accept the motor. I am still working on the mounting of the tranny. I think the pictures speak for themselves. I like the way it is turning out.

The black things on the cab subframe are what I am working on for simulated air bags. They will have a spring inside. I am always messing around with something.

I got the C-15 mounted today, the axles are done, and I am working on the rear suspension.







Here are the mounts for the control arms. I am working on the simulated air bags. This may take a while.



I can't wait until I can start working on the body.