D.I.Y Mods for AX-10... what have you done...
 

Hi Guy's .
I'm new to the forum and new to rockcrawlers...

What I'd like your help with it , what D.I.Y Mods that you have done to your AX-10... The simple ones that didn't cost you much money ,if any...

This mite help another newbie in the future...


We all know about moving the battery for lower CG... Done that one..

Driveshafts... I've CA glued a carbon fiber rods inside mine ... Some use a 6mm threaded bar others use a wooden dowel ..
Helps stop twist in drive shafts..

Weights for the wheels... If you ask nicely at a garage that balances car wheels/tyres , they mite give you some strips ( 60g a strip ) wheel balance weights... ( the 10g squares don't sit right on the rims , but the 5g do, so be cheeky and ask for a hand full )


I'll edit this first post once we get this thread up and running . .

So what ever D.I.Y Mods you've done please post.... "thumbsup"

Thanks.

Sean.

.

When I first started in to the hobby I used the stock ax10 chassis and made homebrew upper and lower links which made a huge improvement over the stock links. Converted to 4 link to help take out all the TT. I didnt hold onto the truck long but it was my first real experience with crawlers and fabbing out my own parts. Ahh the good ol days. "thumbsup"

What did you do with the 4 link to remedy the torque twist? I'm still fighting that battle.

This is just my experience with 4-links based on my gc3a and venom creeper. Have the rear links almost parallel to each other when viewed from above and have them parallel or slightly above level to the ground when viewed from above. Like how the D-Mount works for the Fastback. "thumbsup"

Maybe you can see something wrong with my links if you check the last page of the thread in my signature. I believe my links are set up as you describe and it helps some, but I still struggle. On the drivers side I have more anti squat, a stiffer spring, and I am constantly changing out the oil - but it's usually thicker.

Cut my own droop chassis rails from 3mm off cut aluminum sheet that I scored for $2 (enough to do many chassis plates)
Internally sprung shocks with springs from hardware store
Reversed transmission to cater for dig at a later stage
Custom skid plate made from cutting board material with triangulated lowers, skid is only 2" wide including 3mm plates
Steering servo relocated lower on axle housing with battery plate on front axle made from same 3mm aluminum
Steering knuckles turned around for custom behind the axle steering setup
Custom bent lower rear links made from aluminum rod
esc and rx relocated to custom plate on rear axle housing
Stick on wheel weights added to inside of front rims only

I can't think of anything else to do to mine that doesn't require a pile of money...

Have you tried adding a little more spring in the rear? I was having trouble w my T1E with a good link setup. Added 1/8" of preload and all but eliminated t.t. Pulls 63° on an incline ramp and front stays planted now.
something to try.

A few different types of servo mounts for steering and dig.
A number of BTA setups.
Steel reinforcement tubes inside the axle housing.
Comeplete chassis' or mods to purchased ones.
Offset (not bent) links to clear front shocks.
And all the wierd little things...making stuff is fun, and torture too.

Get some better tires!

mirroring your trans is free & its supose to help. (though I dont see much inprovement)

I used round led (for fishing) to make round ring weights to put inside the the wheel. (still have the rolling mass problem, but the weight stays closer to the axle so you get a lower C.O.G.)
http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...C/DSC04874.jpg


Or if you have the axial wheels with the round holes, you can cut the heads off bolts. then notch 1 end & screw them in.
http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...DSC04530_1.jpg

Bam! Just ran out and did this. That is exactly what it needed. Thank you so much! :mrgreen:

Yeah I waz pulling what little hair I have out for two days before it dawned on me with mine. lol
Glad it worked for you

Don't believe him...gunnar doesn't build anything :mrgreen:

Take a read through this and welcome to RCC "thumbsup"

http://www.rccrawler.com/forum/axial...omp-build.html

That is a great thread.

Any body done the lower link arm Mod... that I've heard about....

Where you cut away abit of the skid plate and have your lower arm links on the inside of the chassic ...

If so , do you have a photo ...

Here is how I did my skid plate. 5th post

http://www.rccrawler.com/forum/axial...al-ax10-2.html

Just to see airdreams1 pics
http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...C/DSC03936.jpg
and
http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...C/DSC04632.jpg

this is strange - it is in the thread but can't be shown here.

i did the same thing to my skid and just 2 days later my new skid from strc arrived and a bit later Juan made me happy with his flawless Fastback :lol:

Take from airdreams thread.. "thumbsup"

Added Dinamite alum steering nuckles & shock bodys. Changed the springs to some chrome ones I had here (they are a litle softer than stock. still need spacers for the shocks & longer screws)
Moved the links inboard the chassis.
Changed the beed lock rings.
Switched the electronics to the top & battery under the tray. (Till I can get a different bat setup.)

http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...C/DSC03935.jpg
http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...C/DSC03937.jpg
http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...C/DSC03936.jpg

Taken from K.O.M.'s Newbie Comp Build thread.. "thumbsup"


If you notice the steering on a stock AX10, there is a bit of toe-in and negative Ackermann (inside wheel steers shallower than the outside wheel). The means the crawler has a tendency to understeer. While I can't fully eliminate the negative Ackermann, this is due to the knuckle geometry, I can add some toe-out to reduce the negative Ackermann to close to neutral with the cost of a few small washers.

Before-Notice toe-in and inside wheel not steering as sharply as outside wheel:
http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/a...0/CIMG3976.jpg
http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/a...0/CIMG3975.jpg


After-Notice slight toe-out and inside wheel steering sharper, almost the same angle as outside wheel:
http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/a...0/CIMG3978.jpg
http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/a...0/CIMG3977.jpg


The actual mod, cheap, and effective:
http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/a...0/CIMG3979.jpg
http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/a...0/CIMG3980.jpg

Drove the crawler in the house, and it can drive a circle about 6 inches smaller in diameter than stock.

Made my own battery tray/ four link mounts front and rear, only thing that I had to buy was the steering rod.
(The link ends I had on leftover parts trees, and the colored links I was going to do whether I had 4-link mounts, or if I had to use the 3-link setup.)

I'm looking to do a skidplate mod next.