Next up was to make the links. I am pretty stoaked about this since I have only been able to run a mild bend with the Losi. I may have went overboard.

For some reason making the links was a nightmare. I made the first set of lowers and checked my wheelbase. I was over 1/2" too long. I finally came to the conclusion that I got the wrong dimensions so I had to re make them :roll: After I got the lowers figured out I made the uppers. I thought it would be a great idea to do some in AL and gun drill them. This took a really, really long time. In the end, I ended up re making the uppers too because I thought they were a bit too sketchy.

DLUX links
http://www.rccrawler.com/forum/chassis-suspension/296929-steering-suspension-aluminum-titanium-delrin-links-custom-made.html

DLUX Delrin link sliders
http://www.rccrawler.com/forum/chassis-suspension/314101-titanium-delrin-link-sliders.html

Gun drilled uppers

http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x...g/100_1833.jpg

All links installed. AL uppers (save weight), TI lowers.

http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x...g/100_1838.jpg

I got the fatty 7980 servo installed. The servo mount I made for it fit like a glove. I am really happy with the way the mount turned out and I am also really, really happy to be able to keep my 7980.

http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x...g/100_1841.jpg

I was really happy to have the extra hole for mounting on my shock mounts. I dont know if I have just been driving a low rider for so long, if I bought an "east coast monster truck chassis" or if I just dont understand the extra belly height in general but, I fought to get the COG down on this thing. Being able to move the shocks back another hole really helped and help drop the chassis down some. Also, being able to rotate the shock mounts worked out just as planned. Its super nice to put everything where you want it rather than dealing with what you have.

For you guys running this SS chassis, what is your belly height?

http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x...g/100_1861.jpg

Wiring this thing up was great. Its a well thought out chassis. It was awesome to be able to pull the skid out with 4 screws, mount all the electronics on the skid and then simply bolt back up. If I ever have an elec issue this is the same way I would pull it out. This solves one of the only issues I have with bodiless chassis. I hate working around the cabs.

http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x...g/100_1862.jpg

http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x...g/100_1865.jpg

Of course I have to plug the knuckle weights. If you dont have knuckle weights youre missing the boat.

http://www.rccrawler.com/forum/axles-trannys-t-case/304791-berg-axial-knuckle-weights.html

http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x...g/100_1872.jpg

I guess I forgot the steering....

Nothing too fancy. Just some TI rods. I wanted something simple that just works. Only downside I can see is that it is not completely behind the axle. We will see how it works.

http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x...g/100_1867.jpg

So, its all up and running. I drove it for a bit and its pretty crazy! A lot different than I am used to. I have no idea how to run the mixing :mrgreen:

The only thing that does not feel fantastic is the springs. It feels really soft. I am running the soft pink springs so that makes sense but I dont get how to get my ride height down without them. If anybody has some feedback that would be great. Maybe I am just supposed to run this chassis taller?

I just need to make panels which I should have done tomorrow. Here is an overall shot as it sits. After looking at this picture I just saw that the battery tray/skid looks like it needs to be addressed. Looks like a huge rock anchor. I dont know if this is because I have it sitting too low or if I am supposed to raise the skid up (see above paragraph).

http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x...g/100_1859.jpg

And last but not least, the overall RTR weight. 5lb .05oz If I could only figure out how to kill that last .05oz LOL. Just to be under 5lb as a principal.

Breaking down the weight is pretty crazy.
Tires/wheels 1lb 7.5oz
Knuckle weights 12.4oz combined

2lb 3.9oz out of the total 5lb are at/on the wheels, almost half.

Add in the entire axles/motors @ 1lb 13.2oz and you have 4lb 1.1oz all on the axles

http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x...g/100_1871.jpg

Erik,

I run between 2.75" and 3" of ground clearance at the front of the skid(depending on course). The chassis looks like it is twisted due to the length of the links and the clocking. That battery skid should be roughly even with the bottom of the motor at full compression. With your motor clocked that high that may be difficult. I would rework the link lengths to get the geometry dialed in a little bit better. You may want to unclock the axles a bit to get everything lined.

You may want to put a shorter rod end on the cap mod for the shocks. Try the smaller traxxas ends with the round barrel on them.

Andy speaks the truth.

Don't worry about it being taller than you're used to with the Losi. You'll be amazed at how well it will stick to the steep stuff when you don't have all that weight up high on the chassis.

Rig looks sweet as Erik"thumbsup"

Lathe the shocks.. run internal springs.. that will loose some more;-)

Erik. I can't really speak for chassis height as I do not have that chassis, but it would look to me like you could drop some weight by getting the battery mounted behind the motor on the axle and cutting some of that battery assembly away.

What battery are you running?

Your rear upper links need to be out boarded at the chassis like you have the fronts (spacer in wrong place). Most are running the red springs also"thumbsup"
I run my rig at 3" to 3.25" at the front of the skid and it side hills great.

white delrin is like ice cream ...... it makes you feel happy

great build!!!

so when can we have those tubes????

I too used to run a 30* clocked front end and swore by it. But when I went to the moonbuggy, I unclocked it and much to my surprise it didn't hang up as much as I thought it would. Plus it handled a little better with the motor weight just a touch lower. On my SS and running the Clover tubes, I have about 5* clock on my front axle and love it!!

This is exactly where mine is at too! And as Scott said, it sidehills great!!

I am very excited to see this rig perform tomorrow!!!

I hope you get it all worked out!

I can tell you that most of the top drivers in our club run their MOA's around 2.5-"3"

Most of them are around 2.75" I believe.
I run mine at 3"
And then you have T-money who runs his bjv4 at 1.75" and still beats our asses!:x

Looks cool Erik, cant wait to see it at the comp. You have so much going on I need to see it to take it all in. LoL
oh and welcome to MOA AXLES !

I definitely had some issues going on.

Looks like I had the lower plates attached to the upper plates in the wrong spot. I moved them back to what looks like everybody else has and that helped things quite a bit.

I also guessed at my front motor clocking. As you guys pointed out, it was way too high. I thought I was at 10* but it came out much closer to 20*. once I brought that down everything looked much better.

I am actually looking at the SCX10 plastic shocks. I just need to find a good cheap set. If not, I may just have to chuck them up :mrgreen:

I am actually really liking the battery tray where it is. I absolutely hated getting stuck on the front of my skid on break overs. This skid being all the way to the axle makes a nice transition all the way through. I am guessing a motor mounted battery mount would weigh as much as the part I cut off the skid too.

Thats a cheap o Gens ace 450mah. 1.5oz by itself. 13min of runtime.

Thanks for pointing that out. Having the rear spacers in the wrong place did not create an issue until I fixed the cab (see reply above). Once it was in the correct place that needed to be fixed also.

Hopefully pretty soon. I will test for a week or so and then send them out to my testers for a couple weeks and then its on.

Yeah, thanks. I clocked the front down and its much better. Good eye.


Thanks. Your driving was looking great yesterday.

I got this thing out on Friday so I could get some time in before the comp. I cannot express enough how pleased I am with everything. My concern of having too tall of a belly and too high of a COG was quickly relieved after driving it. This car at 2.75" belly is 1000x times more stable than my LCC with a 1.75" belly. The stability felt so great and the break overs were absolutely awesome.

I put a couple hours on the car on Friday before the comp and had some pretty burly rollovers. The only issues I had after running this car all weekend were that both my outer knuckle bearings in the front failed (weird). I forgot to replace one of my mock up aluminum link bolts with a alloy one so it got tweaked pretty bad. None of the axle tubes show any sign of fatigue, the shock mounts/link mounts didnt move a touch and the servo plate is still super tight and looking good.

As a whole I am really happy that there were no issues especially since it was a fresh build. It just feels awesome to drive a car that is enjoyable to drive and does not have any issues with breaking. I am hard on these cars. I have broke something at 4/5 comps this year and I didnt tighten one bolt on this car the whole comp.

Here are a couple "finished" shots I took before I messed it all up :mrgreen: Not 100% happy with the top panels so I will be re doing those.

http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x...x/100_1879.jpg

http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x...x/100_1882.jpg

http://i704.photobucket.com/albums/w...1/P1050295.jpg

Another option if you can't find plastic SCX10 shocks. Those are the aluminum versions, but since you mentioned cheap that might not be what you after.

Kieren