ScaleART - Assembling a MAN TGX/XL 6x6 tractor & Trailer

[Rakthi]

The fuel tank (which will hold the servo for the front axle differential) is up next.



A spacer is provided to take care of the narrowing of the frame.





The other tank support will to here.



The instructions indicated to install M2x8 bolts with the heads on the outside of the frame. Bit of a fiddle and as there were 4 M2x5 philips screws included with the package I ended up using those to install the supports. Easier that way.



I installed the fuel tank without the side covers for now. I tried the side covers for size and they were such a tight fit it was quite a hassle to get them back of. Also, since I am still waiting for the right front axle, I can't install the servo as of yet either. Will have to cut some holes in the tank to accommodate the bowden cable and the wiring of the servo.



A look at the inside of the tank:



And with the holder for the servos in place



The tank straps are clipped in place (and I messed up and installed them wrong way up as I found out later)



These 2 little bits are needed to attach the straps to the supports.



A bit of bending involved.



Tank strapped in.



Had a bit of trouble getting the strap to clip into the provided space.



Only after seeing these pictures I noticed why I had a bit of trouble ... Well will redo it tomorrow or so.



A nice touch is that the provided gas cap in not it plastic as I expected but is machined out of aluminium!

[Rakthi]

Finally found some time to work on the truck.

Remembered just in time attach the supports for the electronic module to the frame.





Next comes the cross brace that will hold the motor/transfer/transmission.



At first I put it on the inside of the frame. And I used the wrong nuts too, so not enough thread for the nuts that will hold the gangplank in place. (should have checked the instructions)



These are the correct nuts. They are half the thickness of the model nuts.





Screwing the motor into the gear- transfer box. (different from the AROCS where they were 2 separate units) The motor is kept from unscrewing by a grub screw.



Ready to bolt to the support





Gangplank on top - might turn it around to go over the exhaust. Don't like the fact you can see the gearbox support peaking out from under it. Overhang on the other side is wider. Of course after installing it, I noticed I had forgotten the earth strap of the motor.



Fixed.



Meanwhile got notice from ScaleART that the new front axle is on its way here. Hopefully it does not get stuck in Customs over the holidays ...

[Rakthi]

Finally convinced myself to assemble the servo cluster that goes in front of the motor/gearbox. Not one of my favourite parts.

I am not doing a complete install on this because I will have to take it all apart again for painting later on.

The servos, frame and nuts/bolts are included in the motor/gearbox module.



First to go in is the steering servo.



Next the guide for the bowden cable of the transfer box/center differential lock



The holder for the bowden cable



Followed by the servo for the gearbox and centre differential.

The gearbox servo didn't seem to fit flush.



This is because the Hitec servos have these ridges ... The previously supplied Robbe servos did not have them.



No big deal, a couple of strokes with a file and they are gone.



The servo cluster ready to be installed in the frame



And held in place with 4 screws. The holes in the servo frame have thread in them



Contrary to the AROCS, I didn't have to bend the leads of the motor out of the way to fit the servo cluster in place.