Losi jrx2 pro thing build

[stevejc]

After restoring a losi xxcr kinwald and buying a new unbuilt xxxcr2 i wanted to complete the line up with a jrx of some sort. Originaly i bought a JRX2 off ebay, but it turned out to be a bit of a bitsa, and possibly the leftovers of someone elses build. With no shocks and a host of other parts needed i decided it would be better to get another one and use the 1st one as spares.

I put a bid on a jrx2 with a truck conversion, and 2 days later saw another jrx2 which was in much better condition and on a BIN. I bought it assuming that someone else would bid on the first one. They didnt, so i ended up with both, 3 in total. With 3 cars i figured i should at least be able to to build a decent one, and each car had different upgrades on them so it would be nice to put them all into one car.
I mislaid my camera when i started stripping them down so i didnt get any pics of the mud-covered messes when i first got them but once stripped they kinda looked like this


I had 2 lots of 5 link set ups and noticed they were different. One had 2 lower mounting holes for the shocks, whilst the other had 4, and also had extra holes in the rear arms, possibly for lightening. the car this set up came off also had 'jrx2' etched in the motor mount, so i can assume its an early one? Anyhow, i used the later set up as it was in much better condition, along with the early lower arms with 4 holes, and some shorter toe-in links that i found online at a place that can only be described as an aladdins cave, cheap too!



Heres the hoard i got from that wonderful place, ive got afew more bits since this lot but no photos as yet. My original idea was to restore the car, but now its just going to end up being what ever its going to be. I was going to use a jrx2 chassis as it was totaly unmarked, but unfortunatly the very rear hole for the motor mount had somehow been butchered, and i didnt like the way the servo was just stuck on. One of the jrx pro chassis was quite badly marked, but all screw holes were fine and it had the holes for the rear arm mounts, so im using that instead.

Heres what i have built up so far



The bulkhead, front arms and shocks are in mint condition, with the only fault being the top spring clamps had been over tightened and snapped. Luckily the clamps on the jrxt were perfect so on they went. There is a new JG front body mount on there as well as a JG servo saver lock bracket on the new ball bearing steering arms. Alloy ariel post came out of the parts box.

Next was to sort out some links. they were all manky and rusty on all 3 cars, and every car had at least 1 or 2 that were bent, so last night they all got cleaned


I should at least be able to make 1 good set. Ive also managed to sort out the best of the plastic ball cups, and the first car came with a steering beef up kit, so thats going on too. Thats pretty much as far as ive got at the moment. Im really enjoying this restoration, i used to restore 1:1 classics and it sort of feels just the same, very satisfying.

[matt1ptkn]

I'm always excited to see new Jrx builds! That's a nice pile-o-parts you've got there. I believe that the lower side links with the 2 holes are an earlier version than the links with 4 holes; also on the rear links, I believe that the earlier ones had no holes, while the later had the 4 holes. There is a thread in the Losi section about many of the early vs. late differences. Anyway, keep up with the photos and welcome to the board!

[LosiXXkid]

Any chance that you've had your hands immersed in hot soapy water with a toothbrush recently?

Nice little project you've got going there! Any plans to run it or will it end up on the shelf?

When I joined this forum, I had one complete Double-X and almost enough spares for a further two. Now.....! I've got four Double-X's. two Junior 2's and two Junior T's.......plus enough spares to open a small shop...

All I can say is that this place doesn't help with the addiction!

[stevejc]

thanks for pointing me in the direction of that thread, i found it most interesting. The 4 holed 5 link came off the same car with the etched motor mount, wheras the 2 holed 5 link had a non etched mount. whilst on this subject, each car i got had different steering arms, one had black, one had orange, and the 3rd had rpm, and even then i still had to buy the bearing loaded ones lol Ive got 4 different rear shock towers, jrx2 with holes, jrx2 without holes, and 2 slightly different jrx pro ones. Theres little point in fitting the pro tower with the 5 link as it doesnt look like youd be able to use any of the adjustment with out the shocks hitting the links.
Today i went out to get some new bearing balls i wanted for the diff, and also for something else im fitting. I thought that in the uk getting imperial sized bearing balls might be somewhat difficult, but the place i visited had been there for years, and had exactly what i needed.

Not been using a toothbrush anywhere here, just a soak in soapy water, and a liberal aplication of plastic and vinyl treatment which has bought the plastics up like new. All rusty steel is getting the rust treatment, and im going to try and recoat the chassis so it looks like new. No plans to run it as yet, it it just being done for the shelf. Having said that i might go crazy and put a brushless set up in it. Theres turned out to be so much missing bent or broken on all 3 cars that im unlikley to be able to build a complete second one. Ill keep a small selection of spares and sell the rest to fund shiney bits.

[stevejc]

Got it back onto 4 wheels last night. Once it was back together i was amazed how little movement there was anywhere, there is next to no slack in the steering or suspention, something im very happy with.



The 5 link rear is a mix of early and late parts, with added toe-in links. This pic shows the toe-in. Also notice top hub links are now completly unrusty.



Next shows the top side links being early type, and the lower links having strenthening ribs and 4 hole adjustment for the shocks. The upper bar actualy sits inside the coils of the spring, hence no shock socks on the rear.






The standard wheel nuts on these are nylon, and were pretty chewed up, so for extra shelfer points i used nice new steel nyloc nuts, with anodised red wing washers that cover the bearings just right, and ensure the thread is fully covered. All the Red nuts on this were won in a cheap lot. All my cars wear them.


next, onto the diff.

[DHC6]

Looking good so far, just wondering what your "rust treatment" is?

[stevejc]

The rust treatment I use is Hammerite rust treatment gel. I originaly bought it to get some rust off a mates bike he was restoring, and ive got to say its the best stuff ive used. Brush it on, leave it for 20 mins, brust it again and watch the rust basicly disolve, put more on if nessasary, and repeat until gone. As mentioned i used to drive classics so ive tried afew different products in my time, this is by far the most effective. Parts go from this, or worse



to this



then i gave them a couple of coats of wax so it should keep the worst of it returning. Where there was really heavy rust it leaves black marks, but the rust is gone.

[stevejc]

Thought id see if i had enough of the right size screws and anodized nuts to do this.



Turns out i had just enough



And polished the terribly scratched motor mount

[Coelacanth]

I like the red anodized nuts. It's a small detail but it really helps to personalize the build. No detail is too small!

[stevejc]

thanks for the comments, I do like a detail build, even the details that cant be seen still matter! Ive been sat indoors toady with the after effects of whiplash, so ive continued the nut and bold detailing. No pics yet, but I think ive overdone it.

[stevejc]

Once i had most of the car back together it chassis plate irritated me as it was the only thing letting it down. I had plans to paint it, but my mate bought some vinyl so it was only fair that i borrowed some. Dont know why i didnt think of it before


Dont care if its not real, it was only supposed to smarten it up. The rear tower has been changed for a later one with holes, but then holes are lighter than carbon fibre

Servo and steering linkage all sorted now



Another pic of the carbon..... i mean vinyl.







Need to sort out a body for it now. My choices seem to be jrx pro, jrx pro se, and an after market one, unless anyone else knows of something that fits well? Still need to make the best i can out of the diffs ive got, and find the bag of wheels and tyres that has mysteriously gone missing.

[fredswain]

The Pro-SE body won't fit. It's too narrow.

[stevejc]

ok cheers for that, that was almost my choice! Ill probably go for the jrx pro, keep it simple.

[Harvey Wood]

cool Losi project dude.

[stevejc]

Got a bit more done, trans includes all new bearings in aluminium gear set and slipper that came with one of the cars also with new bearings. In a box of bits i found half of a new white drive shaft set so i fitted that too. Body is now on order, cant wait till it arrives so i can finnish it off, its been long enough!


Also adjusted steering setup and fitted alloy servo posts that were fitted to my old mardave banger