Dig build thread.

[skid plate]

Originally Posted by doug435

someone still like to explain this to me i am kinda confused as to how it keeps both turnin and the just the frount and then locks the back ? i am lost maybe some drawins or something thanks yall sorry i am new in to this

Suggest going to videos section, search section for videos of digs.
Might explain exactly what we are talking about.

[doug435]

no i am talking about how the pipe and drive shaft thing works like i don't under stand how if it only moves like a 1/4 inch how it dis engages one drive shaft and how it locks the other...

[the other 2.2 guy]

ok I will try to explain. you have 2 small (male shafts) one moves with the tranny all the time and the other moves with the rear axle. the large (female shaft) is lie a bridge that connects the male shafts. this female shaft is held by the metal or PVC pipe so it can spin with the shafts but the metal (holder) doesnt move except for forwards and backwards. when the female shaft is held in place that connects both male shafts they all spin and engage the rear axel (4WD). when the dig is engaged the female shaft moves off the tranny shaft breaking the circut or bridge and only the frotn wheels are used (front wheel drive) you can either let the rear axel be in a "free wheel" or "neutral" which is good for climbing steep so the front wheels pull the truck and the rear wheels dont cause you to flip. or you can have the female shaft engage a "brake" or "lock" the rear axle, this allows for tight turns.

i hope that helps understand, we have to do this because 4 wheel steering is not allowed in 2.2 class (which i wish was allowed but hey you gotta addapt to play)

[breitenbach14]

can i buy all that exept the shafts from ace or home de"pot"?

[mysharona]

yup

[breitenbach14]

okay so the guy at osh said that i couldnt thread the inside of the nipple?

[bigflex]

Originally Posted by breitenbach14

okay so the guy at osh said that i couldnt thread the inside of the nipple?

he doesn't know what he is talking about. All you need is a 1/4" pipe tap.

[Master Basher]

two things that come to mind after reading this thread, and making my own dig, but not having yet installed it:

1; I don't see any reason that the female piece needs to have 1/8" slop in it inside the nipple/bushing assembly as was stated earlier...

2; The 'alignment' rod doesn't need to be threaded on either end, nor does it need to be fixed to either of the male driveshaft pieces. I used a thick piece of welding rod that floats inbetween the pieces. This may require that I shorten both driveshafts equally, instead of taking down just one of them, but I guess I will see if I am right or wrong when I install the unit and make it work.

It will be a while, since I'm not in a super rush to complete this project, and it's just one of many I have going on at the current moment.

On a frustrating note though, I have to say of this entire process, threading the nipple was excruciating. There has to be a different/better way, and I'll post it as soon as I think of it. I used cutting fluid, even drilled the second half of the nipple out with a 7/16" drill to aid in the process, but it was the most time consuming and difficult part of the process. A big thumbs down to using a pipe thread tap to thread the inside of a nipple. I have years and years of industrial experience in doing these kinds of things, and this really takes the cake. Trying to get the pipe tap deep enough so I could do a good bushing insertion without deforming the nipple was a big challenge.

Thanks for all the information, and a good thread. I'll post lots of pictures and how I did it, given my method actually works.

[Master Basher]

Originally Posted by breitenbach14

okay so the guy at osh said that i couldnt thread the inside of the nipple?

Originally Posted by bigflex

he doesn't know what he is talking about. All you need is a 1/4" pipe tap.

You can thread practically any hole in metal, some are just 100x easier than threading the inside of a piece of 3/8" pipe nipple.

[bigflex]

Originally Posted by Master Basher

On a frustrating note though, I have to say of this entire process, threading the nipple was excruciating. There has to be a different/better way, and I'll post it as soon as I think of it. I used cutting fluid, even drilled the second half of the nipple out with a 7/16" drill to aid in the process, but it was the most time consuming and difficult part of the process. A big thumbs down to using a pipe thread tap to thread the inside of a nipple. I have years and years of industrial experience in doing these kinds of things, and this really takes the cake. Trying to get the pipe tap deep enough so I could do a good bushing insertion without deforming the nipple was a big challenge.

really! I just put the nipple in a vise and used a 1/4-18 NPT with an 8 point socket on a 3/8 drive ratchet. It went in like butter. I did 2 nipples on both sides in less than 5 minutes. The biggest thing you have to pay attention to is macking sure the tap is perfectly straight, because even the slightest bit with make it alot harder. I even threaded it far enough that I could tighten the bush all the way down before I lathed it down shorter. Oh it does help to file out the opening with a rat tail file before tapping it. Just give it a small bevel.

[Master Basher]

Originally Posted by bigflex

really! I just put the nipple in a vise and used a 1/4-18 NPT with an 8 point socket on a 3/8 drive ratchet. It went in like butter. I did 2 nipples on both sides in less than 5 minutes. The biggest thing you have to pay attention to is macking sure the tap is perfectly straight, because even the slightest bit with make it alot harder. I even threaded it far enough that I could tighten the bush all the way down before I lathed it down shorter. Oh it does help to file out the opening with a rat tail file before tapping it. Just give it a small bevel.

Butter? Really now? I must've grabbed a high strength nipple or something, because you couldn't describe my experience as anything near butter, or smooth that is. I used tapping/cutting fluid, and I understand how to use a tap, but even with backing out the tap and blowing out the chips every 1/2 to full turn, I generated enough heat to 'smoke' the cutting fluid, literally, you could see smoke boil off when I squirted it on the piece. I used a brand new tap too.

I'll try it again with a different tap and a different type of nipple.... by the way, I didn't use galvanized nipple like the author did... I don't know if that made a difference or not, but it was anything but easy.

Also, I had to cut the tap down into the nipple about 3/4" to get the threads big enough to get the bushing in a reasonable distance.

[bigflex]

Originally Posted by Master Basher

Butter? Really now? I must've grabbed a high strength nipple or something, because you couldn't describe my experience as anything near butter, or smooth that is. I used tapping/cutting fluid, and I understand how to use a tap, but even with backing out the tap and blowing out the chips every 1/2 to full turn, I generated enough heat to 'smoke' the cutting fluid, literally, you could see smoke boil off when I squirted it on the piece. I used a brand new tap too.

I'll try it again with a different tap and a different type of nipple.... by the way, I didn't use galvanized nipple like the author did... I don't know if that made a difference or not, but it was anything but easy.

Also, I had to cut the tap down into the nipple about 3/4" to get the threads big enough to get the bushing in a reasonable distance.

yeah you probably used a hi preasure nipple. They have the same OD but are about an 1/8" smaller in the OD. If you use a cheap galvanized nipple it will work alot better. I ran the tap almost all the way into the nipple on both ends. A NPT is tappered and so is the bush. So in order to get the bush all the way in you will need to run the tap almost all the way in. Hope this helps.

[Master Basher]

Originally Posted by bigflex

yeah you probably used a hi preasure nipple. They have the same OD but are about an 1/8" smaller in the OD. If you use a cheap galvanized nipple it will work alot better. I ran the tap almost all the way into the nipple on both ends. A NPT is tappered and so is the bush. So in order to get the bush all the way in you will need to run the tap almost all the way in. Hope this helps.

DOH!!!! Dammit, you're probably right, the thought didn't even cross my mind!!! Oh well, I'll try it again, the right way this time.

[Master Basher]

Well, incidentally, I just happened to finish mine up tonight. Full dig, freewheel, and 4wd all available with my dx3.0 and the aux channel set to LN. Of course I have to attention, as there aren't any 'preset' distances for each mode, when suspension articulation comes into play...

I will post pictures asap, I'm pretty happy with the results.

Thanks for a cool website/resource on the sport.

[Master Basher]

Here are some pictures. I tried to take some measurements and detail photos, and I will add some explanations later, but I'm going to bed now!

Works great. A little slow from using the LN mode Aux channel, but works none the less.
















I'll post some more info later, to whoever is interested.

[bigflex]

looks good. I need to take some pics of mine and post it up.

[Master Basher]

Originally Posted by bigflex

looks good. I need to take some pics of mine and post it up.

thanks.

How did you accomplish your servo movements? Do you have a 3 position dig? What radio? There doesn't seem to be much information in this thread about those particular items.

[bigflex]

Originally Posted by Master Basher

thanks.

How did you accomplish your servo movements? Do you have a 3 position dig? What radio? There doesn't seem to be much information in this thread about those particular items.

as of right now I have a Cirrus 3ch with only a 2 position 3rd ch. I am waiting on my JR XR3 to get here then I will have a 3pos. setup. You will want to have a 3position toggle switch that doesn't return to center. You can do this to several radios but not all. There are also some radios that have 2 position 3rd ch but can be combined with anoth switch through mixing to work the dig in all 3 positions. look in the electronics section for rear stear and dig and you will find alot of useful info. What radio are you using?

[Master Basher]

Originally Posted by bigflex

as of right now I have a Cirrus 3ch with only a 2 position 3rd ch. I am waiting on my JR XR3 to get here then I will have a 3pos. setup. You will want to have a 3position toggle switch that doesn't return to center. You can do this to several radios but not all. There are also some radios that have 2 position 3rd ch but can be combined with anoth switch through mixing to work the dig in all 3 positions. look in the electronics section for rear stear and dig and you will find alot of useful info. What radio are you using?

Spectrum DX3.0. It doesn't seem like you could use the XR3 to achieve 3 positions, unless it has a linear aux channel like my DX3.0. I would be interested to see how you accomplish that with that radio.

Thanks for the advice.

[bigflex]

Originally Posted by Master Basher

Spectrum DX3.0. It doesn't seem like you could use the XR3 to achieve 3 positions, unless it has a linear aux channel like my DX3.0. I would be interested to see how you accomplish that with that radio.

Thanks for the advice.

The XR3 is just like a DX3 but without the 2.4g module. The 3rd channel is a 3 pos. RTC switch and all I will have to do is add a micro toggle that is a NRTC 3 pos. just like this
DX3 toggle switch installation