Wild Cats of Wildwood: Remote Control Project

This is an attempt to add remote control capabilities to a live animal trap. 

I started looking around for parts yesterday and came up with a Tyco Phantom R/C car. Brian provided the trap and I have to figure out how to do it. I got the idea off of a YouTube video after searching the web.

Here's how to do it:

1. Remove the body
2. I removed the front wheel assembly because i saw that I could do it and it gives a more compact package
3. After removing the front, there were two wires for steering. I clipped one and tested to see if it still worked.
4. It still worked so I clipped the other wire
5. Now you have to remove the tires off the rear wheels leaving the hubs
6. drill a hole a little smaller than 3/16" through the right rear wheel. I drilled mine slightly off center so as to miss the axle
7. Mount the body with the battery compartment up so you can replace the batteries. Pay attention to where the on/off switch is located
8. The wheel you drilled should be sticking off the side of the cage so the rod you attach to it can move freely
9. I purchased 3/16" threaded rod about a foot long and after attaching two nuts to it screwed it through the hole I drilled
10. I also purchased an 3/16" eye bolt and attached it to the threaded rod with two nuts, one nut was extra long. You need to lock it all together
11. I tied a piece of nylon rope to the trigger mechanism and tied the other end to the eye bolt
12. As you can see in the pictures, the eye bolt starts in the top position and swings down, gaining momentum
13. Wheel rotation is important. In my example, I use reverse to actuate the trigger
    

Rear wheels are already removed

Remove the body

remove the front end

After everything's removed, it's a small and compact.
I duct taped a piece of wood to the circuit board area to prevent any short circuits.

Drilling the hole

Try to get it off center

Like this

This was my initial placement. I ended up moving it towards the back of the cage.

The trigger mechanism

The final mounting

Front view

Here you can see eye bolt and nuts. Note the longer nut

Another view

Finished and ready to trigger!