Zvezda Mercedes L4500A (Cargo bed & chassis)

 

Cargo bed

The cargo bed is attached to the chassis by way of a wooden frame and three beams that sit on top of the chassis. The beams are fixed down to the chassis by U-shaped shackle pins.  As access to insert the shackle pins will be extremely difficult if you keep the cargo bed, frame and beams separate, there is an alternative build process to those in the instructions worth considering. I followed the instructions but the method explained below is definitely a better idea as I discovered as it will aid painting and finishing.

This option is to just attach the cargo beam parts F17, F26 and F27 (step 8) once the chassis is built up leaving you to attach the remaining frame parts as per step 7 to the cargo bed. This way you can add the U- shaped shackle pins but keep the cargo bed separate. 

If you do use this method before attaching these three beam parts to the chassis be sure to dry fit them when building up the remaining frame parts in step 7. This way you can be sure both the cargo bed frame and the beams will mate nicely together.  This alternative method makes life a whole lot simpler when adding the cab with the steering column attached. Likewise, propshafts and exhaust parts are easier to position with access from both above and below. 

My kit had particularily bad seam lines on a lot of the cargo bed frame parts so ensuring they are cleaned up nice and square will allow a much better fitment.

Building up the cargo bed and sides is nice and simple as there are zero injector pin marks on any of these parts.  There is a seam line round the outside which will require clean up. Slighty sanding and widening the inside of all the side frame brackets will also aid a better friction fit when it is time to mount the cargo bed sides. The various wooden parts have markedly different wood grain patterns and textures and are also moulded on both sides. The detail of all the brackets and other fittings is excellent, and the separate latches for the drop sides are a great detail, The only omission is with tie down hooks for the tarpaulin. These are items that would benefit from adding.

Chassis

The chassis is a multipart construction. Care is needed to make sure everything lines up nice and square before grabbing the cement. As there were prominent seam lines on every part in my kit called out for in step 10 I had to ensure they were cleaned up or the chassis legs will end up out of alignment.  If you don’t get a nice snug and square fit with all these parts in both the vertical and horizontal planes, it will likely complicate further connection of parts to the cargo body and cab. Test fitting of all the crossmembers is crucial as they all need to fit into slots in the chassis legs to ensure they sit parallel. Time spent on cleaning up parts does eventually reward you with a nice tight-fitting assembly. 

Although the instructions call out for them early on, some of the smaller delicate parts such as part C34 do not need to be attached to the chassis and can be easily attached once assembley of the main frame is completed. It also avoids the possibility of damaging them whilst handling

Initial stage of chassis assembly following the instruction sequence

Exhaust & propshafts

As per the instructions the exhaust is far easier to attach before the rear axle is fitted.  How do I know that?  Cos numpty here left it off by accident!  Another point worth mentioning in step 13 is the location of the exhaust silencer to the inside of the chassis. It is not at all clear in the instructions how this is attached and there are no locating points on the chassis.  As the rearmost exhaust bracket location points are easy to work out you get an approximate location of the silencer but there is a chassis leg shackle pin that will interfere unless you position it in the orientation it is actually intended to go.

In step 14 make sure the prop shaft centre support (parts E15 and E16) sits correctly on the chassis. There are two locating tabs on the crossbeam, but the part needs a good push in to locate so it is not at all obvious where it is intended to go. The part sits right over to the drivers (left) side of the beam. This way all the propshafts will line up.