Mini monster truck rebuild

[Possom Point]

Mocked up the engine and gearbox (rough fit) and put the body on to check clearance and to see where the exhaust will fall, I will be making a new exhaust setup for this and plan to have it come down and out below the rear bumper. Gotta do some more figuring and lay out some tubing to see where things will be best for placement.

 

[Possom Point]

Got my bumpers cleaned up, blasted, primed and painted Friday and welded the exhaust pipe up today. This is a motorcycle type muffler (cheap) that slips on. I had to make an adapter to make it work for my Setup, so I drilled and tap for 2 sets screws on top and bottom to hold it on. This may work or may not work, if it does great, if not then I have another idea to make it work out, but we’ll see down the road. Still have a long way to go but took advantage of the good weather we had.

 

[Whitetrashrocker]

As long as you clamp that muffler to something stable, you will be fine.

 

[Possom Point]

As long as you clamp that muffler to something stable, you will be fine.

It will be, there is a small tab on the rear bumper that the hanger will bolt to, Definitely don’t want it to break off from riding and bouncing around.

 

[Hellion]

and welded the exhaust pipe up today.

It looks good, I like the motorcycle muffler but I was visualizing another bend on the pipe, maybe 90° to permit the pipe to run horizontally and emerge from under the rear bumper area just like on a 1/1 truck. I've actually seen some pre-fab Predator exhausts that look like that.

Let us know how quiet that muffler is. I'm always looking into non-stock mufflers.

You got mad fab skills, all these parts are primo. The front brush bumper...

 

[Possom Point]

It looks good, I like the motorcycle muffler but I was visualizing another bend on the pipe, maybe 90° to permit the pipe to run horizontally and emerge from under the rear bumper area just like on a 1/1 truck. I've actually seen some pre-fab Predator exhausts that look like that.

Let us know how quiet that muffler is. I'm always looking into non-stock mufflers.

You got mad fab skills, all these parts are primo. The front brush bumper...

That would look much better I believe as well, I don’t have a way of bending pipe, I snagged the 90 from work that was a cut off from a job.
We’ve got a top tube bender we use sometimes and occasionally we’ll have some test bends that get chucked in the scrap bin.
I will definitely post up a video when I get the engine wired up, I’m hoping it sounds good, I don’t really want a loud exhaust on this one since the kids will be riding it more.
I appreciate that . I’m far from expert and a professional but I do what I can with what I’ve got.

 

[Possom Point]

Powder coated a couple parts tonight with a new to me fine texture lack matte powder, I think it turned out nice for the first time using this stuff, gives it a different look.

 

[Functional Artist]

gives it a different look.

Nice!
Gives 'em a professional/factory like "look" ta me

 

[Whitetrashrocker]

What kind of oven do you use.
I want to try powder coating and could do well with business but the large oven kinda put a stop to that.

 

[Possom Point]

What kind of oven do you use.
I want to try powder coating and could do well with business but the large oven kinda put a stop to that.

Haha, I took a double wall oven , cut the center out, rewelded it together. I’ve got maybe sub $200 total in it. Reused the insulation and parts to make it work.

 

[Whitetrashrocker]

Haha, I took a double wall oven , cut the center out, rewelded it together. I’ve got maybe sub $200 total in it. Reused the insulation and parts to make it work.

Very cool.
My things would be much larger projects.
I cut cnc signage, and auto parts like axles and such.

Was the learning curve steep?
It doesn't sound hard, clean parts and an even coat of powder.
What gun are you using.

 

[Functional Artist]

Haha, I took a double wall oven , cut the center out, rewelded it together. I’ve got maybe sub $200 total in it. Reused the insulation and parts to make it work.

Creative & clever

Very cool.
My things would be much larger projects.
I cut cnc signage, and auto parts like axles and such.

Was the learning curve steep?
It doesn't sound hard, clean parts and an even coat of powder.
What gun are you using.

As for a DIY oven for large stuff, I've seen guys mount DIY sheet metal boxes (of various sizes) on top of old gas grills
...like windshield size boxes, for forming polycarbonate sheets
...into compound-curved, race car windshields

 

[ezcome-ezgo]

Did someone say Race Car?

 

[Whitetrashrocker]

Did someone say Race Car?

He did, but you read that backwards.
It should be race car.

 

[Possom Point]

Very cool.
My things would be much larger projects.
I cut cnc signage, and auto parts like axles and such.

Was the learning curve steep?
It doesn't sound hard, clean parts and an even coat of powder.
What gun are you using.

That’s really neat, I need a bigger oven as well, parts are getting bigger for me as well.

It’s not to bad, biggest thing is prep work, has to/needs to be very clean. I try to sandblast parts before powder if I can, other wise DA sand and clean with laquer thinner, and use lint free rags, the little hair fibers won’t burn off during bakin. I started off with the Eastwood dual voltage powder coat gun, easy to use and not expensive for starting out. They have great prices on powders as well. Only thing I haven’t tried is a clear coat over parts. I’m a little skeptical on the re-coating part.

 

[Functional Artist]

I need a bigger oven as well, parts are getting bigger for me as well.

This is one of the guys, that I was talkin' about (kinda reminds me of my buddy T)
...& this video has lots of commentary, on the subject

 

[Possom Point]

So the set screws didnt work out , which I kinda figured, so I added some springs just like a motor muffler, once the muffler bracket is bolted to the bumper everything should be tight and good to go. I finally got the frame painted to while we had some good weather in our area, hopefully in the next week or so and I can start putting the parts back on the frame and work on the body soon as well.
Here’s a short video of the muffler.

March 6, 2026

Amazon muffler on a Lifan 212

youtube.com

 

[Possom Point]

Sneak peak
Finally got the frame painted and at the point of re-assembly, however I ran into a snag, the Manco spindles I’m using hit the wheels, so I’ll be modifying these to hopefully work and not mess up the way it steers.

 

[Functional Artist]

Are the spindles long enough to install a simple (~1/2") "spacer" behind the hub?

Which should give'ya enough clearance
...without modifying the Tie Rod Arms
...&/or "messing up the way it steers"

 

[Possom Point]

Are the spindles long enough to install a simple (~1/2") "spacer" behind the hub?

Which should give'ya enough clearance
...without modifying the Tie Rod Arms
...&/or "messing up the way it steers"

I did put 3 (1/8”) washers behind the hub when I saw this but that didn’t change much, I believe the offset for these wheels is to much.
i have enough room for spacer on the axle but I feel that won’t solve my issue. Good call though.