Duratrax Cliff Climber mini pimp cane

[DaTaz]

Hi everyone

I'm planning to build a mini pimp-cane based on CC axles (standard width, 10.5 or 11 inches wheelbase).
I was thinking about this setup :
2 CC axles
2 HH Cobalt 454 with 8t pinion
4 Proline 8 shooter rims with Moab or Chisel tires
1 Novak Rooster Crawler ESC (already owned, laying somewhere on my workshop)
6 cells Sub-C or LiPo 2S battery (a lot of them in stock, from good old NiCd 1500 mAh to NiMh 4200 mAh matched batteries or 4800 mAh 30C LiPo).

First question : how do I wire ESC and motors? If I wire them serial, each motor will have 3.6V. Will it be enough? If I plug them parallel (Y wiring), I'm afraid to have to have too much wheel speed. What is your opinion?

Second question : with such wheels and motors, what may happen to my transmission (gearing and dogbones)? Do I need to upgrade them?

Thanks for your answers

[JohnRobHolmes]

It drives well on 6 cells with the motors in parallel really. A good bit of speed, but plenty of low speed control if your ESC is decent (yours is good). If you keep an eye on your throttle finger you can save the gears. Maybe keep the weight off the rims and cut your tire diamter down a smidge to keep the strain low.

A smaller, lighter battery would be a good idea.

I like the idea here.

[STANG KILLA SS]

your timing is amazing ive got a mini cane in the works too and had also wanted to run 454s.

[DaTaz]

Originally Posted by JohnRobHolmes

It drives well on 6 cells with the motors in parallel really. A good bit of speed, but plenty of low speed control if your ESC is decent (yours is good). If you keep an eye on your throttle finger you can save the gears. Maybe keep the weight off the rims and cut your tire diamter down a smidge to keep the strain low.

A smaller, lighter battery would be a good idea.

I like the idea here.

Instead of cutting tires, I could also go with 1.9 rims and big 1.9 tires, like Proline Flatiron or SDI Trail Doctor XL.
The other point is that I've been offered a supersize crawler without ESC. I could put on it my Novak and buy another ESC for this Cliff Climber based pimpcane. An ESC that supports 3S LiPo, with serial wired motors and 3S LiPo batteries coming from heli or little RC plane, around 1350 mAh, very light. Any comment about this idea? Thanks

[JohnRobHolmes]

If you wire them in serial you will get very bad stall and it won't crawl well.

[DaTaz]

Originally Posted by JohnRobHolmes

If you wire them in serial you will get very bad stall and it won't crawl well.

When talking about a dual MOB axles crawler, everyone is saying "stall" or "Clod stall". The point is I know what is "stall" for a plane and everykind of wing, but could you please explain me what "clod stall" is, for a crawler? Thanks. I try to do my best with english, but it's not my maternal language.
And does anyone know outside diameter of the Duratrax CC stock wheels? Thank you

[JohnRobHolmes]

Basically when you go uphill, the rear motor sees more weight of the vehicle and thus more load. It causes the rear motor to slow down as compared to the front- Clod stall.

I think the stock rims are 2.2 inches.

[DaTaz]

Originally Posted by JohnRobHolmes

Basically when you go uphill, the rear motor sees more weight of the vehicle and thus more load. It causes the rear motor to slow down as compared to the front- Clod stall.

Thanks for your explanation about stall.

Originally Posted by JohnRobHolmes

I think the stock rims are 2.2 inches.

In fact, instead of wheels, I meant external diameter of tires. Stock rims are 2.2 but tires seem "small". I think that a big 1.9 tire (Proline Flatiron, SDI TrailDoctor XL or Losi Rock Claws) has the same size as the stock ones.

[DaTaz]

At least, I will have time for this project in the next weeks...
ARTR Cliff Climber : should arrive within 2 weeks
full metal gearing (Counter Gear, Main Gear Output Joint, Idler Gear, Differential Gear/Spool) : should arrive within 2 weeks
rims : 4 Proline Titus 1.9 Black Chrome/Black : should arrive within 2 weeks

Already at home
ball bearings
4 Proline Flat Iron 1.9 G8
2 Hitec HS 645 MG
2 HH Cobalt 454
2 sets of 11t/12t/13t pinions by Novak
1 Novak Rooster Crawler ESC
2 1/18th LiPo 2S 1350 mAh batteries
1 Futaba 603FS receiver
body/shell : surprise
And a lot of ideas

[fixed13]

Keep us posted, can't wait to see how this turns out.

[DaTaz]

Everything arrived, except rims. Tomorrow, I finish my 4*2 RWD 1/8th nitro off road and then, my CC

[DaTaz]

And here is it...

[Jamus]

Not sure on that spring mount for the backbone. Wit that, it really isn't a torsion since the mount is rotating rather than the backbone twisting. It may prove to fail, though I'm often wrong and it may work out fine. If it doesn't you may also try o-rings for a less than solid method of mounting the backbone to the axles.

[vzereeys]

that buggy body looks good on it

[DaTaz]

Originally Posted by Jamus

Not sure on that spring mount for the backbone. Wit that, it really isn't a torsion since the mount is rotating rather than the backbone twisting. It may prove to fail, though I'm often wrong and it may work out fine. If it doesn't you may also try o-rings for a less than solid method of mounting the backbone to the axles.

It works fine Springs come from an 1/10th onroad nitro car and are really compressed to fit on the tread I wanted to build a torsion chassis but was unable to find the good part to make it. Even the smallest tube I could find was too stiff, even with a lot of holes in it.

[Code454]

the aluminum you have will work perfect it takes time to soften up and put about 5 holes on either side in the middle and you should be mint, like i said it takes time tho to make it flex like that

[DaTaz]

After half an hour of rock crawling, I began to hear an awful noise coming from my rear gear box. Idler and counter gear had lost lots of teeth. Dogbones were twisted. I'm gonna give a try to this mod :
- Tamiya TA02 shafts (same length, 1mm bigger)
- 454 rewired to 35 turns (2 motors, 5 poles per motors, 35 turns per pole, meaning 350 turns of copper, it'll be funny ?)
- 1.9 tires (Proline Flat Iron G8 mounted on Proline Titus) instead of Tamiya CR01 stock tires

[DaTaz]

With its new motors, tires and body...

[73fordhighboy]

i really like your mog body. what brand is that?

[DaTaz]

Originally Posted by 73fordhighboy

i really like your mog body. what brand is that?

It's built by Carson (german manufacturer)