Another cheap climber
 

Well I have a little more than just another stock rig to show, but nothing special either. Like many, starting a thread on a project usually is about the time it stalls, but here goes anyway.

I got the prebuilt because it was only $40 shipped after a coupon from tower. I tried running it stock with a moped ESC and 6-cells. I know these things need more volts but the amount of cells needed just seems counterproductive. Anyway, stock sucks. So I swapped in some M3 gladiators on berg rims and put some longer lower front links to correct the steering. That alone made some difference. Next up was a chassis. I just copied the stock chass and added 2" to it. I also incorporated the roof/cab line into the chassis, may want to run bodiless in the future. (DISCLAIMER: NO COMPETITION) Anyway, here it is sprung, though I think it needs to be lower with droop shocks.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...h_IMG_1036.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...h_IMG_1039.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...h_IMG_1040.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...h_IMG_1043.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...h_IMG_1044.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...h_IMG_1042.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...h_IMG_1047.jpg

That clear chassis actually looks pretty damn cool, any plans on selling them?

Nope, but if I did I'd get me a cool blue star. Naw it's too much effort and I'm not accurate enough. This is actually some 1/4"lexan that was some type of shelf end I bought for $2 when a store closed. I cut it with a bandsaw and used a mill vice in my drill press. It may not even hold up to 20ft barrel rolls, but the cliff climber might not either.

Nice looking start, that chassis is cool looking. "thumbsup"

Nice beginnings!! "thumbsup"

How are the M3 Glads? What kind of rocks are you usually on?
Your tire choice is right on with my thinking.
Smaller dia but not 1.9, sticky, and something along the lines of a step pin.

I was looking at J-concepts Goose Bumps in their sticky green compound (goo).
http://www.jconcepts.net/store/index...roducts_id=226

How are you running them? Foams/cut foams/no foams?
Lead or BB's?

So far I am running the stock tires, backwards, w/ cut treads, no foams, and BB's.

Not 100% sure the rears are M3 but they seem like it, got em used in a trade but lightly used. They are just slightly shorter than the stock tires, less than 1/8", might as well call them the same. I posted a video of my testing in the driveway, gravel, concrete blocks, and a rock(mower blade magnet)
http://www.rccrawler.com/forum/videos/178099-new-cliff-climber-test.html
Natural terrain around here is mostly smooth river rock covered in moss, slippery. But i prefer to get rough broken up concrete and jagged rocks, makes you look like a better driver that way. I forgot, the water company is putting in line and dumped a pile on my property. I'm sure most people would get upset over that, not me, haha.

I'm running star cut foams in front and v-grooved in the rear. Mainly because I've heard both can wrok, try both. That's what I love about beadlocks, if I want to change foams I just need to take out a million screws, haha. I'm not running any weight above the beadlocks yet, but I can see adding some up front.

I don't know anything about jconcepts tires but the tread doesn't look too deep. The gladiators have a fairly deep tread for a pin-like tire.

Thanks for all the comments everyone, appreciate it."thumbsup"

I flipped the rear axle around to see how it would work. Messed around with this and that, triangulated the upper links. Not sure if this will work out but I like the geometry better, and a longer motor wouldn't effect anything.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...h_IMG_1048.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...h_IMG_1049.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...h_IMG_1051.jpg

Are you going to triangulate the front axle?

That thing is coming along nicely. Looking forward to hearing a driving report.

Rag6, I'm not sure how to do the uppers on the front, the motrs is in the way I think. Not that it can't be done, I think Dezfan's build did it. It just seems like I'm going to have to redo everything from scratch chassis/links/shocks. We'll see I guess.

Update on the new chassis. Disregard the boogers I call welds, for RC use they'll hold haha. All I really need to figure out is the axle link mounts for the front axle. But you can at least see the direction I'm going in.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...r/IMG_1063.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...r/IMG_1065.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...r/IMG_1066.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...r/IMG_1067.jpg

Throw some 454's in there and youll have a mini berg.:lol:

And a pile of shredded plastic, haha. I'll be ordering the 390 banebots and have them about the time I get this finished up. It might be a little heavy, had to use steel in places since I have no aluminum welding ability.

I like the pimp cane style chassis :) But do u need all those links :? would u put some for the front axle?

Yeah, it's not finished. I have to mount the front links differently, and haven't figured that out just yet. The pimp canes are torsion sticks, I thought about trying that too, mighe one day. This is The Stick, TSC sold this design for Clods way back when, maybe they still do. I always thought it was an interesting design, only 2 shocks.

Can you "bend" the links around the motor?

Don't see why not. So far the links I have will clear the motor though, I think. Should get it finished up tomorrow evening.

Dooh, silly me, i was thinking bout the stick, and said pimpcane .. Pimpcane is the other style of torsion chassis. I was thinking the stick didnt need links, but i was wrong.. :? What WB u got atm?

Why dont u put the links on the upper screw of the knuckle? :? Would that work?