My RC4WD Desert Storm...Detailed Build/Review 56k beware!!

[jeeper_05]

Well guys, the time I have been waiting for forever finally has come, the RC4WD Desert Storm sand rail cage arrived this morning in the mail, it was tough to work all day knowing what was waiting for me…I wasted no time when I got home and got right to the build…Hope that this helps for those that are considering buying, and those that do buy…I am taking the approach of the fastest way to get from start to finish, I am taking the least amount apart possible…You probably saw in Derick’s post the basic info:

Weight: 4.52 lbs
Length: 32.36 inches
Width: 10.32 inches
Height: 9.13 inches

This Cage has a total of 10 mounting points (4 in the front, 4 in the middle uses stock main chassis bolts, and 2 in the rear)

Made from Solid Steel (at 5.4mm thick)

Derick is right, pictures do this thing no justice…


Here is what it looked like once I got all the great packaging off!! This thing was packaged EXTREMELY WELL!!

http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn268/jeeper2005/Desert%20Storm%20Baja/DSC04016.jpg

Light mounts

http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn268/jeeper2005/Desert%20Storm%20Baja/DSC04017.jpg

http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn268/jeeper2005/Desert%20Storm%20Baja/DSC04018.jpg

http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn268/jeeper2005/Desert%20Storm%20Baja/DSC04019.jpg

The chassis is very strong, I weigh in right at 185 pounds, and there was absolutely NO FLEX!!

http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn268/jeeper2005/Desert%20Storm%20Baja/DSC04045.jpg

What I started with before the tear down

http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn268/jeeper2005/Desert%20Storm%20Baja/DSC04020.jpg

First order of business, I removed the wing…

http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn268/jeeper2005/Desert%20Storm%20Baja/DSC04021.jpg

Next I removed the body clips from the front and rear points of the stock cage…

http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn268/jeeper2005/Desert%20Storm%20Baja/DSC04022.jpg

http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn268/jeeper2005/Desert%20Storm%20Baja/DSC04023.jpg

Then I removed the bolts that keep the middle portion of the cage secured to the chassis…

http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn268/jeeper2005/Desert%20Storm%20Baja/DSC04024.jpg

http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn268/jeeper2005/Desert%20Storm%20Baja/DSC04025.jpg

I then removed the motor supports and removed the stock body side mounts to get the cage off the truck…

http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn268/jeeper2005/Desert%20Storm%20Baja/DSC04026.jpg

http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn268/jeeper2005/Desert%20Storm%20Baja/DSC04027.jpg

http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn268/jeeper2005/Desert%20Storm%20Baja/DSC04028.jpg

http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn268/jeeper2005/Desert%20Storm%20Baja/DSC04029.jpg

Then I pulled the cage off…

http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn268/jeeper2005/Desert%20Storm%20Baja/DSC04030.jpg

And remounted the engine supports…

http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn268/jeeper2005/Desert%20Storm%20Baja/DSC04031.jpg

http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn268/jeeper2005/Desert%20Storm%20Baja/DSC04032.jpg

I then proceeded to remove the stock front skid plate bolts, normal Baja will be the front two, on mine I had to remove the rear two also from the DarkSoul Skid…

http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn268/jeeper2005/Desert%20Storm%20Baja/DSC04033.jpg

[jeeper_05]

I then removed the top screws that secure the skid to the truck and removed the front nose piece…For those without the Darksoul skid/bumper, you will now need to remove the back two screws…

http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn268/jeeper2005/Desert%20Storm%20Baja/DSC04037.jpg

Once all this was cleared I flipped the baja back over to remove the 4 screws that hold the top support plate on, and the 4 body clips holding the radio box were removed also…

http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn268/jeeper2005/Desert%20Storm%20Baja/DSC04039.jpg

Then I removed the front setup from the truck…

http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn268/jeeper2005/Desert%20Storm%20Baja/DSC04040.jpg

I then removed the front tires to allow me to jimmy the front end in…


http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn268/jeeper2005/Desert%20Storm%20Baja/DSC04046.jpg

It took some twisting and turning, but I was able to keep the whole front end together to swap…

http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn268/jeeper2005/Desert%20Storm%20Baja/DSC04047.jpg

Since the front end was somewhat in place I decided to slide the rest of the baja in from the rear of the cage…

http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn268/jeeper2005/Desert%20Storm%20Baja/DSC04048.jpg

And once in place, I secured the front end with the 4 screws from the skidplate

http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn268/jeeper2005/Desert%20Storm%20Baja/DSC04049.jpg

One thing I would like to see so far is for RC4WD to incorporate another skid like the darksoul skid, for protection in the front, the darksoul bumper/skid still does fit with this chassis though…

http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn268/jeeper2005/Desert%20Storm%20Baja/DSC04050.jpg

I then slid the radio box back in place and secured the top plate with the 4 screw, then reinstalled the body clips to the radio box…

http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn268/jeeper2005/Desert%20Storm%20Baja/DSC04051.jpg

I secured the rear end of the baja with some 6mmx20mm flat head allen bolts, I used flat heads because they have a bigger surface and fit the hole better, the rear of the cage is tapped for the 6mm bolts…

http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn268/jeeper2005/Desert%20Storm%20Baja/DSC04053.jpg

I was getting worried when I was installing it thinking I was going to have to give up my rear dom, but just had to remove it and reinstall it, and she fits like the cage wa sbuilt around her…couldn’t get myself to go back to the stock ss pipe, so I am super happy it fit!!

http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn268/jeeper2005/Desert%20Storm%20Baja/DSC04054.jpg

http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn268/jeeper2005/Desert%20Storm%20Baja/DSC04055.jpg

http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn268/jeeper2005/Desert%20Storm%20Baja/DSC04056.jpg

Here is what I came out with tonight, had to throw the paddles on it, just to see what she looked like…

http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn268/jeeper2005/Desert%20Storm%20Baja/DSC04060.jpg

http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn268/jeeper2005/Desert%20Storm%20Baja/DSC04059.jpg

http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn268/jeeper2005/Desert%20Storm%20Baja/DSC04062.jpg

http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn268/jeeper2005/Desert%20Storm%20Baja/DSC04063.jpg

Hopefully I will have some more time tomorrow night to get this thing built a little more, I only have the stock wing mocked up for now, but I know this was a lot of people’s concerns is that the rear end had no protection, once the wing is properly installed, it will have plenty of protection…I also need to get some lexan for the panels (the one you order will come with precut panels), and I need to wire up all six lights, hopefully RC4WD will come out with the roof light guard soon, otherwise the top lights will be very vulnerable…The chassis seems to have great triangulation, and I think it will take more of an impact than people think, but only testing will prove that…Another nice feature is the bottom is tapped for screws also, so I will be building a floor, and I will be building a firewall and rear wall to keep debris out, similar to the way baja windows are mounted…Everything on the baja is very easy to access, I will get pictures of filling it up, choking it, removing spur gear…etc etc…Testing will take place this weekend, Thanks!!!

[mradlin]

Wow! It looks really good. Keep us informed of the progress! :D

[hndaman1]

that is starting to look pretty cool..

[neverhappy]

That thing looks great. I wish i had a baja too.

[mradlin]

Any updates for the RC4WD Desert Storm yet? I really want to see it all complete! :D