Kenworth K100 aerodyne idea + questions

[PierreR89]

So i got an idea while looking at Ebay earlier and saw the Kenworth K100 tri axle for sale (to pricey for me) and got thinking a little.
I have already built the rereleased K100 and still have the K100 aerodyne to build and got an idea of making it in to a triaxle or 5axle with 3rears and 2 steeraxles.
I could build it from the box but i am starting to feel that i am having to many "normal" trucks with rear duals and i want something different now (mostly to challenge my self a bit)

If i decide to build my K100 aerodyne in to a 5 axle truck is there anything i have to think about when adding the second front axle to it exept mounting if far enough back so that if it was a real truck the springhangers can not touch eachother when the front suspension is moving?
Adding a extra driveaxle and extending the frame to the rear and making it strong is easy  just because that the frame has a inner frame that supports everything, i just have to think about where i cut them so the joint on both the inner and outer are a bit away from eachother.
What is the easiest way to extend the front part of the frame and make it stong enough to be able to hold its own weight and not snap in half when moving it somewhere?
The front part dont have a inner frame like the rear do to support it.
I also have to make the driveshaft longer and somehow figure out how to build the linkage for the steeraxles so both can turn at the same time + moving some other parts on the outside of the frame to clear the wheels from the added axle.
Something else i should think about if i do it or i will notice stuff that has to be moved or modified as i go along?

I looked at those that part out kits on Ebay and added the price togheter and just for the axles, tires and frame + shipping it will cost more then a complete second kit to rob the parts from.
What is the smartest thing to do? i obviosly want to get away as cheap as possible but with a new kit i would end up with a complete cab, engine, rearaxle that i have no use for.
The small parts can be good to have


 

[clayton]

Will do what I can to help. That is a twin steer. You can get the parts from  KFS. His stuff is in 1/24 scale maybe you can still work with it.

Are you looking to build a a lift axle or a tridrive/ 3 drive axle?

When cutting the frame try to make the cuts at the cross members that will give a little help holding things together. Like you say get 2 kits and add to the rear of the frame. Just use the last axle and some of the frame you may end up with a single axle truck. 

https://www.kitformservices.com

[PierreR89]

Thanks for the reply.
I am thinking of making it into a tridrive with twin steer on the front.
I was thinking about cutting the frame where the crossmembers are to give it some strength.
I was looking at my built K100 and saw that i thought that the front springs were longer then they are so having enough spacing between them and the wheels is not a problem.
Should be able to just move the fueltanks back a bit and then keep the batterybox and airfilterhousing in the same position.

I might aswell do it now since i bought a second K100 kit yesterday, it seems like they are starting to be hard to find now since there was only maybee 4-5 of the rereleased versions and the rest were old and to expensive.
The k100 with the flat roof was there only one of on ebay and the others had the aerodyne roof.
So if anyone wants to have that kit you should probably hurry up before they are gone again.

I have to see what i do with the leftovers from the second kit.

[gotnitro?]

Sounds like a fun project,  be sure to start a WIP so we can follow along and add advice or learn along the way  ! 

Ordering from kfs would get your twin steer arrangement sorted out, then you could just focus on the chassis.  But building one yourself is fun too 

[PierreR89]

I also think it would be fun to do.
Will try to start a WIP when i begin on this but i usually forget it and remembers after it is done.
I doubt you will learn anything from me, most likley the other way around

But i dont think it will be happening this year as i have 4 others to complete + the BRBO truck that i have to find the time to start on soon.
But once i have the time i atleast have the parts needed for it.

I dont think i will be ordering anything for this as i am going to try to use as much as i can from the second kit.
But that can change as i go along with the build.
 

[PierreR89]

So a few years later i have finally started thinking about this again.
The part with not ordering parts and just use a donor kit has already failed mostly because i decided i want to keep the donor kit as an out of the box build and i just cant destroy a perfectly good kit for a few parts including frame sections.
Another reason is that the Revell K100 aerodyne are hard to find now and of the 2 i have i want one to be built out of the box.

I decided that it is going to have an australian look so i ordered a few things from auslowe and then ebay for the other parts i needed, engine, axles,frame and tires just so i dont have to rob anything from the other K100 kit i have.
Also going to add the crane that italeri have in one of their truck accessory kit to it to make it look more like a heavy hauler and making sense to the twinsteer and triaxle rear.
If that crane looks small i might have to see if i can find something that looks better.