Traxxas J2 (2wd buggy)

[EDS]

After giving my last 2wd buggy project a real hard look I decided to abandon that design .

To make that buggy better I was looking at having to fix the suspension, drive train, and steering while also cutting down on weight and increasing durability. Fixing all the problems to make that car competitive would take a good deal of re-designing. Also, the features that I thought would be advantageous really weren't such as the laydown shocks and the pivot ball suspension.

So I'm taking a different approach to creating a unique 2wd buggy to compete with the factory buggies. I believe this approach will will have a much lighter,simpler design, and achieve all the goals I had set for my last project..including being unique....and being able to keep up with the B4.1's and the 22's!

This buggy will be a simple project with a unique outcome....a RACING Traxxas electric 2wd buggy. This project will be raced against the other factory buggies and my local track. I also have a B4 which I will be comparing this buggy with.


After closely looking at pictures of the Traxxas Jato I decided it was the perfect chassis to start off with for this project. Some of the features that attracted me to it was..

-It is made by traxxas
-Stand-up big-bore shocks
-Mid-motor
-Beefy/Durable hubs/a-arms
-LOTS of adjustability
-Race inspired-design

To start this project off I needed a Traxxas Jato roller. I finally found one and picked it up for $100. Here's what I will be starting with..



(The aluminum a-arms will obviously not be used)

I believe with a bit of hard work, some custom parts, and a bit of luck and money... I'll be able to turn this into a Traxxas 2wd buggy which I hope will be able to compete with the others.

Stay tuned for updates!
The first task is to tear it down, clean it, and sell the parts I won't be using.

[EDS]

Today I tore down the entire truck and cleaned it. After spending a couple hours cleaning it ... I can honestly say I most likely will never buy a nitro.. they are way too messy. I also separated the parts I won't be using from the parts I will be using. Here's what's left..



Yes, that is the stock chassis in the picture.. I believe I will be using the stock chassis. Then switch to the lightened aluminum one later on.
The jato has a wheelbase of 285mm. The B4 has a wheelbase of 273mm and the 22 has a wheelbase of 285.5mm. I have heard a lot of people feel like the 22 is too long. With my a-arm design for this project I hope to bring the wheelbase down to about 280mm by sweeping the rear hubs forward for traction. I believe this will be a happy medium between the B4 and 22.

Next I will be working shortening the stock Jato a-arms in order for the buggy to be the correct width and fall with-in roar standards.

[rcjunky]

Why not just make a mid motor 2wd truck instead of going through the effort of making shorter arms? Also check out the arms of the slash, I know people put jato stuff to make wider slashes, so I'm sure the opposite could be done. I almost had my hands on a jato that I was planning on making a mid motor truck out of, it never materialized, I was just going to put some angle steel or aluminum into the mill, make the slots for the motor and bolt the angle on and call it quits.

[EDS]

I would have done that.. but unfortunately, the 2wd truck class has died at my local class due to the Short Coarse craze. This is the same story for most of the racing scene. At my track after Short Coarse the most popular class is 2wd buggy. I feel a 2wd buggy will also be more original and unique. Shortening the a-arms will be the most difficult part of this build but, once I'm past that it should be smooth sailing.

I checked out Rustler/Slash front a-arms for the front of the buggy , but unfortunately they change the suspension and steering geometry more than I would like.

Yea it seems like a lot of people like to turn the jato into an electric truck.

[rcjunky]

if short course is big, why not just stretch it and make it a SC truck? I'd be concerned with durability with modded arms, but 2wd buggy is where its at

[teamorsum96]

hows it going eds? always looking forward to see your progress

[bjcaldwe]

You might use bandit front and rear arms. They may be shorter and should mount right up. If not then maybe try the duratrax 2wd buggy arms.

[Slyp Dawg]

try using 1/4" (~6mm) thick plate stock to cut out the shape of the A-arms, then either drill the edge of the plate for Traxxas rod-ends at each end of the A-arm, or make them a bit longer to accept hinge pins like the standard arms use. I'm planning a custom TC/VTA car that I plan to try this on for the front and rear A-arms, as well as the gearbox casing, making use of 1/4" Kydex, with a single 6000 series (or maybe 7000 series, not entirely sure yet) panel to serve as the motor mount. for your application, I'd probably go for some sort of aluminum alloy, to prevent big impacts from fracturing the A-arm where the holes are drilled into the edge, or to keep from pulling the hinge pins/threaded rod out of the abovementioned holes. alternately, stepping up to slightly thicker (say, 7m or 8mm) material and using Kydex or some other type of plastic to keep the weight down and add a bit of give into the suspension