Scrap Mechanic First Vehicle - 10 × 16 Starter Car

Bearing part icon from Scrap Mechanic — Six bearings define the starter chassis: four wheel hubs and two front steering pivots. Direction errors should be fixed before bodywork hides the connections.

Connect Tool icon from Scrap Mechanic — Use the Connect Tool to separate steering bearings, drive bearings, engine throttle, and optional lights into readable groups.

VEH-01 starter bill

Part	Quantity	Job
Wood Block Level 1	48	Low ladder frame
Bearing	6	4 wheel hubs + 2 steering pivots
Wheel	4	Road contact
Driver's Seat Level 1	1	Steering and throttle input
Gas Engine Level 1	1	Drive power
Switch	1 optional	Headlight control
Headlight	2 optional	Night route visibility
Large Chest	1 maximum for first test	Low-mounted cargo

Frame and connection specification

System	Setting	Pass condition
Footprint	10 × 16 blocks	Symmetrical rails and three or more crossmembers
Ground clearance	2 blocks	Shallow ditch crossed diagonally
Steering	Front pivots mirrored	Both full-lock turns clear the frame
Drive	Rear-wheel or four-wheel	All driven wheels agree on forward
Power	Low, then one step at a time	No rollover or steering loss
Payload	Driver + one light chest	Loaded return keeps steering authority

Failure diagnosis

Symptom	Likely cause	Specific correction
Vehicle fights itself	One drive bearing reversed	Inspect arrows and reverse only that hub
Turns opposite input	Steering pivots not mirrored	Reverse one front steering bearing
Wheel rub at full lock	Track too narrow or rail too close	Widen front corners before reducing steering
Flips after adding chest	Mass above or behind wheelbase	Move chest low and forward
Beaches on road edge	Clearance below 2 blocks	Raise local frame without raising cargo
Cannot recover	Body covers all Lift points	Leave exposed front and rear recovery pads

Lay Out the 48-Block Frame

Build two 16-block rails.
Join them with at least three crossmembers.
Keep seat, engine, and future chest inside the wheelbase.
Leave both front corners open for steering travel.
Mark one accessible Lift point at each end.

Install Six Bearings by Role

The four wheel bearings rotate for drive; the two front pivot bearings rotate for steering. Mixing those roles produces connections that look complete but behave unpredictably. Connect the seat only to the steering pivots and engine throttle, then connect the engine only to driven wheel hubs.

Commission the Empty Chassis

Drive straight and reverse without adding power.
Complete a full-lock circle in both directions.
Cross a shallow ditch diagonally.
Tip the empty chassis in a safe area and recover it with the Lift.

Load One Chest, Then Repeat the Tests

A Large Chest changes mass distribution even when the body looks symmetrical. Mount it low, inside the wheelbase, and closer to the steering axle if the front tires lose authority. The first vehicle is complete when one light chest returns safely—not when every available part fits on the frame.

Upgrade by Route, Not by Decoration

Rough road: add four Off-Road Suspension units and retest rollover behavior.
Long night route: protect fuel and add two Switch-controlled Headlights.
Second chest: extend the wheelbase before loading it.
Heavy tool head: move to a dedicated mining or harvesting chassis.