Tamiya Trail Master Thread

[cheechthechi]

Heres the place to post anything about the Tamiya Trail Master. Its only a qd model, but its realistic 4 - link suspension is screaming "project truck". Anyone out there have one?

[cheechthechi]

Just got a Trail Master look alike... I'll put pictures up soon.

[JoãoBela]

I hope this tread is still alive...

I also got a trail Master look alike, I did it with the intention of modifing it.
Here are the pictures of before and after:

[JoãoBela]

Now it has 4 link suspension setup and 540 type motor (yokomo 15T single).
It has been good fun building it and I've had no problems so far, the gearbox was my main concern, with the 540 motor, but it can take the abuse :)

[JoãoBela]

another picture...

[cheechthechi]

Nice job.. I took mine apart witht the hopes of changing the chassis etc. In the end I never got around to it :(. Hopefully Ill be able to find all the parts and start anew

[JoãoBela]

The chassis is next, for the moment I will just have some fun the way it is. Well, as you can see your "project truck" is quite possible, just don't try to do everything at once, or you might lose interest before you see anything done. I'm counting on seeing your truck posted! :)
By the way this turned out to be really cheap, besides the truck it self I only had to buy some aluminium tube, threaded rod and ball links. All the electronics were leftovers form the time I used to race RC's, some 10 years ago!
Here's were I got the idea for making the suspension links: http://rccrawler.com/links2.htm. Are you also considering a 540 motor? It's easier than it may sound, that transmission looks like it was made for the 540 and adapted for a smaller one.

[cheechthechi]

Really? Wow, I have to check that out.. I'm considering making a new chassis out of plexiglass... (if i can find where I put all the parts). I used to have the exact truck as yours except red.

[JoãoBela]

New shocks, the chassis is next. :-) !

[fburmeister]

anyone out there know where I can get a spare receiver for the trailmaster. Tried setting up a series set of batteries and let out the magic smoke!

[s9026890b]

Hey joaobela, how did you take out the battery box?

[JoãoBela]

Sorry I didn’t reply sooner, but I hadn’t checked the forum in a long time.
The battery box is also the receiver box, and it's basically what keeps the two halves of the chassis together. So, in order to remove it, you have to unscrew all of the screws on its sides. By doing this you will also remove both the front and the back axles. After unscrewing you just have to push it down and slide the box trough the chassis. You may have to disassemble a few other things because of the wiring. After this I used plastic rod cut to length to join both halves of the chassis, in the same way the battery box did. In the picture of my truck, without the body, you can see the grey rods in the middle of the chassis and also the new battery box (made of folded cardboard!)
Remember that by doing this you will no longer have a proper place for the original receiver, for me this wasn't an issue as I replaced all the electronics anyway.

[JoãoBela]

the chassis...

[s9026890b]

Wasnt there rcca article on the trail master a few years ago?Did you see it?

[s9026890b]

Do you know what tires can fit?

[fburmeister]

JoaoBela,
How did you adapt a 540 motor to this gearbox. The 280 is a press-fit using the heat sink as a shim/spacer. Even a speed 400 is too big. I threw in a speed 300 that I had laying around and was really disappointed.

[JoãoBela]

Haven't checked this thread in a long time... In case you are still interested:

- Remove the heat sink, and the plastic that secures the motor in place. As shown in the first picture (it's not a trail Master gearbox but it's a similar one from a QD)
- Use a file to level the surface.
- Open the gearbox and make the holes to screw the motor the same way as in any motor mount. This way the motor is fasten from the inside of the gearbox.
- Tamiya uses metric gears, so be make sure you use a Tamiya metric pinion on the motor or you will ruin the gearbox!!

[s9026890b]

What tires can fit the truck? the stock tires are very heavy and hard.

[JoãoBela]

You are right about the tires, that’s one thing I dislike in the truck. I'm also considering changing them. I don't really know what tires will fit but I guess the tamiya's Midnight Pumpkin / Lunchbox would be about the right size, don't know about hex size, though. :confused:

[tmaxxking1]

if it doesnt have the 5 round peg looking rim hubs like the old blackfoot

the hex size should be 12mm then

i guess i brought the dead back