JRX-T mid motor conversion

[aconsola]

I started with this rusty jrx-T via ebay

and one of these aluminum mid motor conversion shock towers

After cleaning ip the car I got this. Trans turned around and shock tower mounted up. Holes drilled with a #43 drill for the 4-40 screws to tap threads into the plastic trans case

I shaved off the diff access stub and drilled a hole on the other side to adjust the diff, also drilled through the solid bearing carrier side for top shaft to exit on the right

I used a second chassis plate turned around and screwed together as a template to drill the 2 extra mount holes for the rear bulkhead

All mounted up, however with the bulkhead in the back and the hinge pin carrier in the front it now has toe-out as the carrier mounting points are wider spaced than the bulkhead. Need to trim the motor plate as the motor will mount from the opposite side

The solution to the toe-out problem is to cut a rear bulkhead, in this case one that had the upper mount ear broken off already so I didn't mind cutting it up so much. this keeps the inner hinge pins parallel. Motor plate trimmed, I kept a small tab on the bottom and drilled through to use the bulkhead mounting hole as an extra attachment point

All mounted up with a 5-link rear. I used the .050 shorter toe in links to regain the toe I lost by using the bulkhead parts on both ends of the inner pins. I'm awaiting a shorty lipo I ordered, will figure out battery and electronics placement next.

[matt1ptkn]

That's awesome! I'll be interested to hear how it drives.

[Lavigna]

Very cool build. Can't wait to see the end product.

[Coelacanth]

I'm liking it. It's a bit of effort and design challenge to convert a RWD rear-motor to mid-motor, but when you're done, you have something cool & unique.

[Mr. ED]

When I did this bitd, I cut the lower section of the bulkhead and put that on the front. The original front part I moved under the bulkhead replacing the removed part. Toe- in and slight upward angle perfectly restored, and all it took was a bit of swaing and 2 longerscrews to keep the modified bulkhead to the chassis.

[knixdad]

It looks nicely done so far, but if you put a Cab Forward Body on it, then things may go south.

[GoMachV]

When I did this bitd, I cut the lower section of the bulkhead and put that on the front. The original front part I moved under the bulkhead replacing the removed part. Toe- in and slight upward angle perfectly restored, and all it took was a bit of swaing and 2 longerscrews to keep the modified bulkhead to the chassis.

That's pretty much what I did on the ultima I made mid motor as well. Worked great to keep toe and anti squat proper

[Mr. ED]

That's pretty much what I did on the ultima I made mid motor as well. Worked great to keep toe and anti squat proper

Really? I tried this on an ultima also
It didn't work for me though with the standard gearbox. The motor sat too close and too low to clear the plastic part. It worked with the stealth I tried later.

[GoMachV]

Mine had a track master direct drive

[RCveteran]

Where or who is that shock tower from?

[aconsola]

I don't actually know the original maker for the vintage part.
There is a facebook group, old school RC, where a member reproduced these.
He is on here too, but does not have a vendor section, durb69

in the second pic in first post, original has round holes, new version with squares