Feeler: Clocking the motor/transmission

[Brake Weight]

I haven't owned an RC since the '90s, and back then it was a buggy. So bear with me as I get back into it all.

So I was flipping my motor/tranny this morning as I've seen done online, when it occurred to me. If I build a little bracket I can clock the driveshafts to centerline and also lower the angles on them. This would also shift the weight of the motor higher, but I'm dropping the battery sideways on the frame rails as well. So I mocked up a bracket from a scrap piece of metal to see what it'd look like. I like it, but the metal wasn't stout enough to do anything with besides a mockup, and I didn't have enough hardware to do it proper like. But I do have some stainless scrap that'll hold fine, and some other stainless scrap large enough I can make a new crossmember out of and lower it a 1/2" or so to help bring the COG down some more.

Anyway, just a feeler for thoughts. I did google this idea and didn't find anything on it after a couple of tries.

[Undefined]

Interesting...definetely needs more triangulation "flipoff".....or break it usin like 1/4" alu

[TacoCrawler]

I thought of doing something like this awhile back...
but then I came to conclude that it would be better
for my interests, to install a divorce kit instead.

^ motor/primary gear box up front
utilizing a transfer gear box centered on the trans skid.

Mostly because your current configuration
would make it nearly impossible to install an interior.

[Brake Weight]

When I had the body sitting on it and was looking at it as a whole, any sort of interior isn't an option. Not even something level with the windows. But, at this time I'm not looking for a full blown scale rig with interior.

I do have a piece of 1mm stainless I can do the same idea as pictured, or some 3mm stainless where I could replace the entire crossmember. A break would be nice, but I'll be whooping it over a vise edge.

[ricksonchow]

hhumm, it seems you have centered the drive shafts, but to me, the angles were not reduced or may be even increased.

Buy looking into the close up photo on the the gear box and motor assembly, you can see the gear box out put shaft position rotated from the left side to the center but a higher position. And the heavy motor was also raised up by quite a lot. Even lowing the battery may not able to compensate the CG shift. Just my thoughts

[axial 4x4 crawler]

This is very strange but interesting, it's something what others come up with. Not bad looking, how's the torque twist? I image that it's not as bad...

[Meatwad]

Good to see creativity but the higher cg of the motor and increased driveshaft angles aren't usually a desired attribute.

[Johnnysplits]

Hmmm...all you did was raise the CG...not good.

[Brake Weight]

I dont feel that the COG was raised any substantial amount. Like the stability of a ship, by moving something inboard and raising it slightly has little bearing on the overall stability. The DS angles were not what I had hoped for either. They were nearly the same degree as before, just shifted to a different position.



As I said before, it's just feeler concept. Just seeing if this had been tried and the outcome. If I fabbed an entire crossmember and had it slightly lower than what the factory is, it may work for the better.

[greenjk]

Originally Posted by Brake Weight

I dont feel that the COG was raised any substantial amount. Like the stability of a ship, by moving something inboard and raising it slightly has little bearing on the overall stability. The DS angles were not what I had hoped for either. They were nearly the same degree as before, just shifted to a different position.



As I said before, it's just feeler concept. Just seeing if this had been tried and the outcome. If I fabbed an entire crossmember and had it slightly lower than what the factory is, it may work for the better.

It looks like all that would give you would be a higher COG and less ground clearance at the skid.

[TacoCrawler]

Originally Posted by Brake Weight

I dont feel that the COG was raised any substantial amount.

I think your evaluation is off
and any raising of the COG becomes a negative.

Originally Posted by Brake Weight

Like the stability of a ship, by moving something inboard and raising it slightly has little bearing on the overall stability.

Comparing COG for a boat is not the same as a surfaced vehicle.

Boats or ships sit somewhat below the water line
and are further stabilized by the external pressures surrounding the hull.

[C*H*U*D]

Originally Posted by TacoCrawler

I think your evaluation is off
and any raising of the COG becomes a negative.


Comparing COG for a boat is not the same as a surfaced vehicle.

Boats or ships sit somewhat below the water line
and are further stabilized by the external pressures surrounding the hull.

My thoughts too. Also, when was the last time you saw a ship sidehill?

[Meatwad]

Originally Posted by greenjk

It looks like all that would give you would be a higher COG and less ground clearance at the skid.

Agreed here, decreased ground clearance is a huge negative.

[DTB1]

Originally Posted by C*H*U*D

My thoughts too. Also, when was the last time you saw a ship sidehill?

Lmao, boats around here do that all the time.


KCCO

[Calderwood]

Ships have nothing to do with crawlers. In a crawler we want the lowest cg possible since we operate our rigs at extreme angles. Many ship captains actually like the cg to be higher than what is mandatory to build the ship. This makes the ship more tippy but makes each tip or sway last longer and be smoother so the ride is more comfortable and less harsh. Two totally different trains of thought.

Why does the bend have to be so severe on the plate you made? It seems like it could be bent just enough for the motor to sit right on the frame rail instead of way up in the air like you have it.

[Brake Weight]

That's fair. I'm new again to RC and new here. Figured I'd get flamed and my balls busted somewhat. That's why I asked people that wheel these rigs a lot.

Thanks for the comments.

[Johnnysplits]

If anything, turn your driveshafts around.

[summerof95]

I think making a lower skid-plate might be the more beneficial way of lessening drive shaft angles.

Think of a mildly V-shaped center skid.
Instead of lifting the trans up at an angle, imagine sinking the trans down through the middle, while rotating around an imaginary axis which runs through the centerline of the motor.

You would sacrifice some clearance, however, but that might be fine for offroad racing or hill-climbs.

[Ohioskills]

Originally Posted by summerof95

I think making a lower skid-plate might be the more beneficial way of lessening drive shaft angles.

Think of a mildly V-shaped center skid.
Instead of lifting the trans up at an angle, imagine sinking the trans down through the middle, while rotating around an imaginary axis which runs through the centerline of the motor.

You would sacrifice some clearance, however, but that might be fine for offroad racing or hill-climbs.

like this idea make a lil skid plate to protect eather side of the lowered trans

[C*H*U*D]

Originally Posted by Brake Weight

That's fair. I'm new again to RC and new here. Figured I'd get flamed and my balls busted somewhat. That's why I asked people that wheel these rigs a lot.

Thanks for the comments.

Trying new things is always a welcome sight here. Everyone gets some ribbing, but not everyone is willing to give something a try and for that I applaud your efforts

Keep it up!