Too much articulation wtf?!!?!?

[Jus]

1 tire with half the trucks weight on it has far more traction than 2 tires with half the trucks weight on it.

I can't say anymore than has already been said.. If/when you get serious with the technical crawling you'll learn first hand what works and why.. Experiment with your equipment and try everything you can.

[BELADOG]

Originally Posted by Jus

when you get serious with the technical crawling you'll learn first hand what works and why.. Experiment with your equipment and try everything you can.

nice!

[BELADOG]

Originally Posted by foratm

I personally like a lot of articulation in the front and bit less on the rear.

Your rig looks like it has much more than mine ever will.
Have you since limited this or is this considered an acceptable amount?

[SC Convert]

Too much articulation has gotten me in trouble on the rocks. Thee have been situations in cutbanks where I've been able to get one front wheel up and have the other get caught under it. Had I limited my articulation I would have been able to float my second tire high enough to clear the undercut and gain purchase on the ledge. A second scenario where too much articulation has caused problems is where I had to float a tire over a gap just large enough to swallow the tire. Without a way to limit the tire from dropping in and getting bound the obstacle was impassable.

[NFA Fabrication]

With how violently limited the factory Wraith suspension is as far as articulation goes, very surprised to see a "Too much articulation" discussion thread in the Wraith forum. I had to modify the rear suspension on my Wraith to get it so it could even begin to keep up with my Wheely King on the trails/obstacles we regularly go on. Until I did that, I simply had to leave the Wraith at home occasionally depending on where we were going to be driving. Much happier now! I'd sell it before I went back to stock!

[AR Fabrication]

So it took so poking and prodding but there has been some good information posted here. It makes sense that just because a wheel is touching the ground it will not be very useful if it doesn't have weight on it.

I stumbled across this link that also has some good information on it.

Articulation: Pro’s and Con’s


And I can now understand how too much articulation can get you into trouble. I don't think the example given earlier in the thread explained it very well, but later posts did.

Thanks

[johnnyh66]

This is a shot from today's comp where 3 slabs meet up.
Crossing this gap is a nightmare.

It's steep, low traction and will eat your wheels and spit out your axles if you can't float a wheel over it while maintaining a bite with the 2 or 3 tires that have contact.

I run less than a tire of flex in Buxom Melons

[AR Fabrication]

And just for fun.

Chainlink extreme 4x4 Lizard - YouTube

If you don't watch the whole thing at least watch from the 50 second mark.

[AR Fabrication]

Originally Posted by NFA Fabrication

With how violently limited the factory Wraith suspension is as far as articulation goes, very surprised to see a "Too much articulation" discussion thread in the Wraith forum. I had to modify the rear suspension on my Wraith to get it so it could even begin to keep up with my Wheely King on the trails/obstacles we regularly go on. Until I did that, I simply had to leave the Wraith at home occasionally depending on where we were going to be driving. Much happier now! I'd sell it before I went back to stock!

What shocks are those and did you make the mount? Looks like a real nice setup.

[NFA Fabrication]

Originally Posted by Track Rat

It makes sense that just because a wheel is touching the ground it will not be very useful if it doesn't have weight on it

I also felt that this was mis-described in an above post. One of the main points of having a vehicle that articulates properly is that it helps to keep a more EVEN pressure on all tires with terrain changes. Not relying on opposite corner tires with exaggerated load due to an improperly tuned suspension. And before someone chimes in without understanding what I am saying, yes, you can have too much articulation, It is just rarely an issue on many Wraith builds I have seen.

[AR Fabrication]

Originally Posted by johnnyh66

This is a shot from today's comp where 3 slabs meet up.
Crossing this gap is a nightmare.

It's steep, low traction and will eat your your axles if you can't float a wheel over it while maintaining a bite with the 2 or 3 tires that have contact.

I run less than a tire of flex in Buxom Melons

So when you float a tire what part of the truck is supporting that corner? Do you slide on the axle, belly, links? The truck has to make contact somewhere otherwise it will roll.

[johnnyh66]

Originally Posted by Track Rat

And just for fun.

Chainlink extreme 4x4 Lizard - YouTube

If you don't watch the whole thing at least watch from the 50 second mark.

I see

[NFA Fabrication]

Originally Posted by Track Rat

What shocks are those and did you make the mount? Looks like a real nice setup.

They are wheely King shocks. And the mount could be made with 2 simple flat plates, I added the cross bar to add a little rigidity. The lower shock mounts were very important to this set-up as well, as the stock mounting would bind. I rotated the pivot 90 degrees.

[johnnyh66]

Originally Posted by Track Rat

So when you float a tire what part of the truck is supporting that corner? Do you slide on the axle, belly, links? The truck has to make contact somewhere otherwise it will roll.

the geometry of your suspension and force of the drive train with a strong servo can keep a wheel up for a good distance.
It's that downward force on the tires that are in contact.

[mtnyote]

Originally Posted by Track Rat

I can now understand how too much articulation can get you into trouble. I don't think the example given earlier in the thread explained it very well, but later posts did.

The fact that you learned it by reading on the interwebz proves you don't fully understand it. You get the idea, but have no first hand experience. That's why it had to be explained to you 10 different ways.

I still think you should go out and learn First hand. you should see what works for you.

[johnnyh66]

Our comp results are in and Buxom Melons wins 1st place in Class 3 4th comp in a row! There's something to be said for limited flex

[AR Fabrication]

Originally Posted by mtnyote

The fact that you learned it by reading on the interwebz proves you don't fully understand it. You get the idea, but have no first hand experience. That's why it had to be explained to you 10 different ways.

I still think you should go out and learn First hand. you should see what works for you.

So you cannot learn anything from reading? I wish I had known you years ago.

It had to explained more than once because there were a lot of crappy explanations.

Obviously I don't fully understand suspension setup and I doubt that many people do. What is important is that some basic concepts were explained here that lead to explaining how too much articulation can have a negative impact on performance.

[Meatwad]

Originally Posted by Track Rat

And just for fun.

Chainlink extreme 4x4 Lizard - YouTube

If you don't watch the whole thing at least watch from the 50 second mark.

Anyone seen this Chainlink?

[mtnyote]

I say:

Originally Posted by mtnyote

The fact that you learned it by reading proves you don't fully understand it. You get the idea, but have no first hand experience.

I still think you should go out and learn First hand.

You respond:

Originally Posted by Track Rat

So you cannot learn anything from reading? I wish I had known you years ago.

You're ridiculous man..... I love it. Thanks for the entertainment.

Edit: thread officially derailed

[dunerinaz]

I understand the "too much flex" idea, but I will never be convinced the Wraith has too much flex using the stock shocks. A flexy, but not too flexy, suspension can keep your rig planted better in some situations where with not enough flex, the rig will tip over instead of articulate through the obstacle.

I also think that some people's idea of a tough comp obstacle are way different than others. Today's comp here in AZ was humbling to say the least.