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10-16-2008, 04:33 PM
| #1 |
| Rock Stacker Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Chestnut Ridge
Posts: 91
|  Weight Debate
Weight...is good and bad. What are your thoughts on weight in relation to setting up your crawler? Some run Ni Cads on the front axle while others have lighter LiPos. Some add weight to their wheels or run heavy wheels. I see many different setups that are very different in the way of weight distribution. Weight is good for traction but at the same time you now need more traction to pull the extra weight.  Where the weight is located is far more important. Weight down low will lower your center of gravity, the lower it is the better. That's why the wheels are the best place to have weight. It increases traction and lowers your COG. Does anyone add weights to any other part of the crawler? I see the HD gear set made of steel as a good way to lower the COG since it is at a low point on the crawler. Is it worth $50 to do this? What are your thoughts on weight? Is going lite or heavy the way to go? How did you set your crawler up? What works the best for a sprung setup? Mine is heavy Mayhem wheels and 6 4/5SC Ni Cads on the front. No additional weight. |
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10-16-2008, 04:42 PM
| #2 |
| Pebble Pounder Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Okinawa, JP
Posts: 166
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i like weighted front wheels..seams to give me the traction needed to get up the vertical stuff. lite above the top of the axles heavier below is my prefrence
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10-16-2008, 04:48 PM
| #3 |
| Quarry Creeper Join Date: May 2005 Location: Bakersfield
Posts: 242
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I run a heavy edge and I just finished a light TLT. Both have their advantages and disadvantages. The Edge has gobs of traction and excellent side hilling ability, but can get bound up in tight rocks. The TLT doesn't side hill as well but kind of floats over the rocks. I was really impressed by it's ability.
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10-16-2008, 04:49 PM
| #4 |
| I wanna be Dave Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Where the sheep run scared.
Posts: 3,008
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This has been a great debate for some time now. I feel that weight is a necessary componet of a great crawler build. To much weight can kill your rigs performance as well. I always run enough weight to cycle my suspension well. I feel that weight in the wheel is the only way to go. The weight is better off non-moving IMO as opposed to non consistant moving weight. I am running meyhem 7's w/no weights with comp rings, six cell nimh saddle on front axle. I believe the 7's weigh in @ 5oz's a peice. I also run double memory foams in the front panthers and a axial /memory foam combo in the rear. The heavy duty ring and pinions do add weight low but also add strength.  Last edited by Bananaclip; 10-16-2008 at 04:58 PM. Reason: text |
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10-16-2008, 05:58 PM
| #5 |
| Newbie Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: rock pile
Posts: 37
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i moved my motor, gearbox and dig ahead 1 inch. that worked very well for me.
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10-16-2008, 06:33 PM
| #6 |
| I wanna be Dave Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: In the Dark Edges of your Mind
Posts: 6,386
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Balance my brothers... balance is the way to go. Heavy or light depends on your springs and what it takes to pull your wheels back down to the ground. If you are too heavy in front (like I have seen alot) you will sink your nose into holes in the rocks that a more balanced rig would float over. I like to set mine up so that when I'm crossed up at max flex, I can balance the opposite two wheels in the air. I also like my trucks to be able to back up anything they can climb forward. I recently softened my springs and dropped about 2 lbs. of weight. The truck does much better lighter than heavy... but not too light  |
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10-16-2008, 06:59 PM
| #7 | |
| RCC Addict Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: E.T.R.C.
Posts: 1,575
| Quote:
X 2 I think Kev has it all figured out | |
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10-16-2008, 07:01 PM
| #8 | |
| I wanna be Dave Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Cedar Rapids
Posts: 2,028
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10-16-2008, 07:13 PM
| #9 |
| Quarry Creeper  Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: #
Posts: 216
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i prefer heavy and as much as i can put up front. im running the mayhem alluminum comp heavys and all my electricronics on the front links. im at 9-10 pounds and my balance point is on yhe front links. its all in what you prefer and what your drivein style is. |
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10-16-2008, 10:04 PM
| #10 | |
| I wanna be Dave Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: In the Dark Edges of your Mind
Posts: 6,386
| Quote:
 Break Much ? | |
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10-16-2008, 10:24 PM
| #11 |
| Quarry Creeper Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Las Cruces, NM
Posts: 412
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I think a lot of us are in the 9 lb range, and no we don't break much.
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10-16-2008, 10:34 PM
| #12 |
| Rock Crawler Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: estacada
Posts: 697
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i am running 7oz in front and 3.5 in back seems to work well, also just got a mfm black widow chassis that moved the tranny forward a bit, worked great got 1st instead of 3rd or 4th at our local track.
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10-16-2008, 10:40 PM
| #13 |
| I wanna be Dave Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: drillin Holes for the man
Posts: 2,736
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it all depends on the drivers preference but I like my rigs to be a little on the heavy side. I run DNA snipers and with the foams and tires they weigh 14.8oz each up front and 13.2 in the rear. I also have 6oz of stick on weights on my front axle. It gets stupid traction and is very stable. |
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10-16-2008, 10:44 PM
| #14 | |
| Quarry Creeper Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: At the Gates
Posts: 462
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i run 7 oz of weight in the front wheels with a small lipo on the front axle. all electronics go in front of the motor. bottom line is that lighter is better and weight in the rear holds you down on climbs. Quote:
bta and lock dig out of any hole, no prob  | |
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10-16-2008, 10:46 PM
| #15 |
| Quarry Creeper Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: #
Posts: 216
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acctually the only thing ive broke was the rear lock out on the axial. the straight axel conversion took care of that. also all the weight makes for a very stable and capable rig.
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10-16-2008, 11:10 PM
| #16 | |
| Newbie Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Colorado Springs
Posts: 42
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10-16-2008, 11:11 PM
| #17 |
| I wanna be Dave Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: BFE, NV
Posts: 2,324
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9-10 lbs? really? I just went from a 6lb rig to a 5lb rig and the differance is amazing. I am still trying to figure a way to lose more weight I run a torsion MOA truck, maybe each design likes different amounts of weight.
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10-17-2008, 04:00 AM
| #18 |
| RCC Addict Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: San Jose
Posts: 1,697
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i run 8 in front on each and 3 in rear. you just have to find that balance, try and retry. i think this is pretty relevant to your shock setup too. |
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10-17-2008, 04:46 AM
| #19 | |
| I wanna be Dave Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: In the Dark Edges of your Mind
Posts: 6,386
| Quote:
Traction was still there, but the difference in how it handled over the rocks was like dancing with a hottie instead of a hippo. To each his own... but if you were one like me who went from no weight to a ton of weight because people on here said "the more the better" ... it's worth a try going a little lighter. Afterall... testing setups is all part of the fun aint it | |
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10-17-2008, 05:04 AM
| #20 |
| RCC Addict Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: E.T.R.C.
Posts: 1,575
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The weight really depends on you chassis and link setup allot...With some chassis I have had to run 2lbs in the front to keep it down :-( With my current setup I dropped almost all the weight,,just 5 oz in each front and 0 in the rear and I run my lipo on the rear axle to give me better balance I can still climb a 60 degree or more vert and never lift a front tire..If you get the rig setup right and then you can just use weight to balance it..
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