My First Rock Crawler

[Brute_Crawler]

http://bruteforce.freeownhost.com/crawler/brutcrawler.html

Modded Kyosho TwinForce

lengthened to a 16 " wheel base(from 13")
completely new suspension system, 4-link was 2 link
one 550 stock Kyosho motor (one of two that it came with)
a stock gd-600 (gearbox that makes it possible to run one motor in such a huge truck)
weighs around 13 pounds
can run on 7.2 - 14.4 volts of power(very fast at 14.4)
run time on 7.2 = around one hour
stock rims and tires(not for long)
front servo = Hitec HS-945MG
speed control = Mtroniks Super E-Truck 14.4
new "REVO" drive shafts
Diffs are locked with medical grade "nutty putty" this is starting to wear after 6 hours of running, still stix good though. I like it but am looking for better.

made that in shop just before school ended
goes almost anyware

[jimbobmarley]

looks pretty good too me

top job for your first crawler i would say

[FrankyRizzo]

Want to sell it?

Looks nice.

[snakeman]

Looks nice, I'm about to do the same.

Franky, you can get a new one for a touch over $200, and build it to suit.

[Brute_Crawler]

sry franky, it's not for sale, but if you need help on "how to" type stuff, don't be afraid to ask

if you click the "back to main" button at the bottom you can also c my computer that i set up

[Reflection]

Looks pretty good for your first shot. I think one thing I would change is not to pack that extra battery around and put the battery inside the chassis. Not a huge issue but less weight will get you longer run times. Might not help as much as lower gearing but it'll help some.

I know my situation is a little more extreme but I went from 19 lbs down to about 10 lbs and nearly doubled my runtimes.

All in all though it's a good lookin truck.

[FrankyRizzo]

Looks nice, I'm about to do the same.

Franky, you can get a new one for a touch over $200, and build it to suit.


I will look into that.

Thanks

[snakeman]

Here is their dealer locate map.

http://www.kyoshoamerica.com/locatedealer/Map.asp

I got mine from tower hobbies before they quit carring Kyosho. Cost was $219. Only problem I have now if finding replacement parts since my lhs won't carry them.

[Brute_Crawler]

I completely agree, i originally wanted to put one pack on each axle and still have the ability to run both at the same time or remove the back one for longer run times. I just didn't get around to it yet. For now I'll sit back and enjoy it for what it is... I keep the second pack on for balance and since I'm too lazy to carry it in my pocket, it takes about 10 mins off my run time, that was the worst I got for loses from the times i bothered to use a stop watch. It get to hot to be moutain climbing, trying to keep up with where my truck goes. An hour is enough, now to get my friends into this so it isn't so lonely.

Oh yea, these three truck inspired me to start a crawler in the first place, recognise anything

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v72/Raptorman57/twin2.jpg
for its, um creativity... no seriously, i like it, it was the first twin force crawler I've ever seen.

The orcrc graz crawler (can't find pic, they all died or something)
for its innovative design (i have 8 aluminum savage shocks just sitting around cause they don't fit right lol)

and
http://www.rcalloys.com/crawler/shocks05.jpg
for its absolute quality and beauty


And thanks to all the rccrawler guys. Although I only just registered, I've been reading up in this place since Christmas.

[jimbobmarley]

wow i ent seen that last one before but that is quality - how long are those shocks :mrgreen:

bit to clean and shiny if you ask me - needs to be taken through a few lakes :twisted:

[Brute_Crawler]

i'm running the stock 4 " twinforce shocks, he has the standard savage shock(6 3/4"), the orcrc graz truck does too, mine will have those shocks as soon as i figure out a strong way to mount them

[SupermanWV]

http://bruteforce.freeownhost.com/brutcrawler.html

Modded Kyosho TwinForce

lengthened to a 16 " wheel base(from 13")
completely new suspension system, 4-link was 2 link
one 550 stock Kyosho motor (one of two that it came with)
a stock gd-600 (gearbox that makes it possible to run one motor in such a huge truck)
weighs around 13 pounds
can run on 7.2 - 14.4 volts of power(very fast at 14.4)
run time on 7.2 = around one hour
stock rims and tires(not for long)
front servo = Hitec HS-945MG
speed control = Mtroniks Super E-Truck 14.4
new "REVO" drive shafts
Diffs are locked with medical grade "nutty putty" this is starting to wear after 6 hours of running, still stix good though. I like it but am looking for better.

made that in shop just before school ended
goes almost anyware

If you don't mind me asking.......What are the lengths of your links from the center of the balljoint to the center of the other balljoint. And also...What did you have to do to make the REVO Shafts fit the axles of the TwinForce?

Thanks for any information you can give.

Clark, SUPERMANWV

[Brute_Crawler]

all four front links are 18mm
all four rear links are 19mm

you'll need this http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXHFY3&P=7
and this http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXHFZ3&P=M
to make these shafts

first i drilled out all the yokes so they fit tightly on the kyosho shafts, i did this by grasping the yokes one at a time with visegrips and slowly drilling through the original hole. the drill bit will want to suck its way through so make sure its going in straight.

i then put the shafts in the truck and mocked them up so that they sit were they need to be. through the holes for the pins i marked the kyosho shafts(tranny and diff).

Take the kyosho shafts out of the truck for drilling. the diff shafts are easy to drill through, i think u need a 7/64" drill bit for these holes. for the tranny shaft you need to bench grind off(or dremel) the case hardening on one side of so the drill bit will cut into the metal. again 7/64" drill bit(but check first just in case). I used a piece of wood and pressed the shaft into it till the shaft's curve dented the wood, this held the shafts in place while drilling, and use a drill press...

when you put the pins in you'll see that they don't go all the way through, i don't know what the part number is but there are longer pins that you can buy. what i did was drilled a 1/8" hole 1mm into the 7/64 hole on the flattened side were the pin's threads hit the shaft. this makes the tread part of the pin go into the shaft and engages the plastic revo yokes on both sides. After 6 hours of running i did some inspections, the pin's threads weren't damaged so they can take it(being part of the shaft).

You then just put it all together...

i might be making it sound like a lot of work but it isn't... less than a half hour to do all this and my shafts are still going strong.

[RCALLOYS]

wow i ent seen that last one before but that is quality - how long are those shocks :mrgreen:

bit to clean and shiny if you ask me - needs to be taken through a few lakes :twisted:


Too clean eh? Apparently RC Driver liked it enough to do an article on it :mrgreen: No worries though, truck has plenty of rock rash and miles on it now. That picture was from when it was first completed. At the time of the article the truck had Traxxas Big Bores on it. Now have Savage boingers as Brute mentioned. Took a bit to get them tuned for travel and droop but they work great now!

http://www.rcalloys.com/crawler/openerpage.jpg

[NSANE]

Hey where do you get the axle brackets for the suspension to convert it from the stock 2 link. That is exactly the suspension that I want for the truck I am curently building. Any help would be appreciated I am new to rc crawling but have been building Jeep crawlers for years.

thanks

[Frkan]

Hey where do you get the axle brackets for the suspension to convert it from the stock 2 link. That is exactly the suspension that I want for the truck I am curently building. Any help would be appreciated I am new to rc crawling but have been building Jeep crawlers for years.

thanks

he custom machined those, to convert to a 4 link you will need to do some fabbing...

[Brute_Crawler]

Yes... there is a story behind those pieces... It all started when my dish washer broke down...

But enough of that, its just a piece of thick sheet metal I salvaged from the bottom kick panel of my old dish washer. I cut two 1" wide strips from that old panel, already painted black :)

I then marked two points to bend the strip down at 90* so that it would mount to the tabs already on the twin's shafts. I then cut off what I didn't need. I traced two partial circles for where the shaft would go from the cap of a pop bottle, its about the right size. Then went to a high school to borrow a plasma cutter.

Cleaned up the cuts, drilled some holes, screwed stuff on. Done. It was very easy, had both done in a few hours. Which was nice considering how much time I spent(about 3 weeks) trying to "copy" RCALLOYS beautiful work.

[Frkan]

Hey brute, your link doesnt work anymore

[Brute_Crawler]

Hey brute, your link doesnt work anymore

fixed, thanx for saying something, forgot to change the link when i changed the site


And the pics for the graz truck i mentioned are back. My sheet metal brace above the axle is similar to this one's.
http://www.gerrish.net/PDRM2640.JPG

[rbgerrish]

Graz, from the 'olden days,'

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2326/2145798554_d16ebe93f0_o.jpg

[Reflection]

Graz, from the 'olden days,'

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2326/2145798554_d16ebe93f0_o.jpg

Thats definitely old school. I remember watching video's of that rig. good stuff."thumbsup"

[Bart bender]

OMG, is that

Different?

Do we need to start an old school Force post?