HomeMade BTA Material Options.

[RickM]

Hello all. I am working to replace a bta link I had that broke. It was a CKRC kit and the knuckles do not appear to be a standard width, so any ole link probably won't work. I tried to make my own with a drill press and jigsaw and it works but looks like crapolla.

Anyone know of a good non-metalic material that could be usable to cut a link out of? i would love to use carbon but it is so darn expensive. Delrin would work but I am afraid that I would have to get it so thin to fit that it would flex. Any other ideas?

[DickyT]

Rick, I think Alu is going to be the answer here. CF would be ok, but is a pain to work with and may break long term do to the way load is put on a steering link. Delrin would certainly flex.

Have you considered alu rod then die cut threads on to it?

[gunnar]

I don't think a plastic tierod will work well, too much flex, unless you have a pretty beefy cross-section on that part. Even carbon would need at least a 1/8" thickness, and probably a 1/4" minimum width to prevent flex. I would rather use 1/8" 7075 plate, or .090 or 1/8" steel. It all depends on the width of the part going out to the knuckles.

As DickyT suggested, rods can be made to work well too, Alu or Ti. but usually you need the drag link to go to one of the knuckles.

[RickM]

For whatever reason I am running into space issues. I am running the high steer knuckles from CKRC. I am also running losi 4 inch flipped shocks with CO caps. I have lowered my front tray and have ground down some stuff on the front axle to lower the COG. regardless it won't hurt to try and I have plenty of alu tube at home. Thanks.

Gunner- I am going to check out your build threads and give it a gander!!

[gunnar]

The lowered plate will leave you less room, so Lunsford Ti rods might work, or you will have to make a plate style tierod. Things get really tight when the axle plate is lowered down, as you have found out, usually it is the clearance around the back of the pumpkin, and/or the plate being near the same plane as the knuckle arms.

[indiana mudcat]

I replaced my CKRC link with a straight Ti peice from lundsford with Revo ends, don't remember the link length but it was the next to longest rock grinder they sell. I had more clearance around my shocks than anything I had ever tried with the CKRC bar that got sloppy and would bend all the time. Try taking the stock tierod and adding a couple spacers to see if it clears or not, I tried with different knuckles and never got the straight bar to work.

Edit: probably won't work with the lowered plate as my drag and tie just barely cleared each other.

[RickM]

Gunnar, We are thinking along the same lines! I am going to swing by the lhs and get the rod going.

[KC_JoNeS]

Rick, what knuckles are you running?

Casey

[RickM]

Gunner, you would be so proud of me if you could see what got put together tonight. You are the zen fab master (just from watching your narrowed FF4). but I am learning from you my man and I did some of my best work tonight. I will be posting pics soon as my camera is dead. I will also post my first attempt so you will see how far I came in a few days.

To address my question that started all this, I used aluminum rod. I had to bend it with my front servo tray lowered. I took my plumbing torch to it to soften it while it was in the vise. I bent it to the angles I needed and the taped the ends and put in 3 mill screws. I finished it off with traxxas rod ends. Would have preffered revo 4 mill but was worried about weekening the aluminum. This thing is super stiff. I also can crank down on the ball ends and not worry about binding or needing the helo bearings I was using.

KC. I am running the basic high steer knuckles from CKRC that came with there kit. Included knuckles and a link. I like the knuckles but the link was a joke. Such low quality aluminum that I was worried that it was pewter. Saw your bta link which is beautiful for sure but I kindof messed up being able to go stock by grinding off all kinds of stuff from my axles while doing some experimentation to lower my COG.

[gunnar]

Originally Posted by RickM

...You are the zen fab master...

Well, I don't know about that, but when I start on the sportsman rig, you'll probably think I'm crazy

Lets just say it's going to be...strange

[asw27x]

fiber glass, nylon, delrin, some bent alum or steel tube,
or something else

[rmdesignworks]

Originally Posted by asw27x

fiber glass, nylon, delrin, some bent alum or steel tube,
or something else

not fiberglass bro...it will never take the abuse..carbon fiber might but both are just not rigd enough like aluminum or flexible enough like delrin...gotta be one or the other,,,both CF and FG will crack epecially when its cold...FG also splinters...freakin ouch.

UHWM plastic is another good material,,,I use aluminum on mine. easy to cut,,tap and bend

[RickM]

In the spirit of not duplicating a bunch of stuff. I posted pics of my alu, BTA link on my build thread.

The Yen, The Yang, The Bang Bang Fastback!!

Have a good'on