How much torque do you really need??

[SeanD]

I've only been at this crawling stuff for a year now so maybe I'm missing something but do we really need to have gear-stripping excessive amounts of torque? I know that when my wheels hook under a ledge or get wedged in a crack, I generally back off. I know that my crawler is not going to move a 2 ton boulder so why keep giving it the throttle?

After running a crawler for while, it stands to reason that you get to know its limitations - including the amount of throttle to give in a given situation.

Don't we only really need enough torque to pull the rig up and over obstacles. to free itself from certain tight binds and, when they (the obstacles) are small enough, to move them out of the way?

Correct me if I'm way off on this.

Sean

[Rockcrawler]

Thats why we build them even stronger. Then you need the torque to do what you said above. I have had mine bound up good a few times and got out of it. Especially if its a big comp like the TCS ECC comp I went to this weekend, I want as less points as possible. I know what it will handle.

[nj05nismo]

If your just bashing, it doesnt make a difference, when you bind up, just get up and move the truck, but in a comp where you could win or lose by a single point, having a bullet proof rig, that has the power to get into or outof any situation can make all the difference. I used to run a 55t lathe, and thought it was enough till i started competeing. once i saw the courses (some of them are evil) that the guys were setting up, and places where tires can get jammed, i realised more power to break the rig free was necessary. You may not move a 2 ton boulder, but with enouogh power you may be able to make it over.

[JohnRobHolmes]

I like to have more than is needed. It is like riding a 1 liter bike on the street. Too much power to actually use all of the time, but it sure is nice having a little reserve just in case.

There have been situations where a ton of power helped me out, like when getting wedged in a crack.

[Stormin2u]

I like having it their but good driving skills and a eye for line is way more important than any mod you add to your rig. Watch the really good guys you don't see them "over driving" their rigs. That's a great question and you see a lot of people with massive power and very poor driving skills it's kind of silly IMO.

[Etype R]

I like to have as much power as I can, I know when to use it and when not to.

[extreme]

heres my theory, basically your right you dont really need alot of tourque to get you up and over an obsticle and when your in a bind alot of times its only gonna get worse the more you power into it. the tire wedges in and if your lucky it will find a way out but most of the time i try to avoid the tire wedging by picking a good line and whatching all four tires positions.

but theres another aspect wear tourque is very very important and its acceleration in a small amount of space.

why do you ask we need this? well heres the deal in these crawlers im finding that we cna get our cg low enough that the rigs dont flip over anymore and the obvious issue now when doing a steep climb is traction.... what do you do when you cant get anymore traction?!

basically when 4 wheeling my real truck, i find theres alot of obsticals that if i crawl up it wont make it but if i get a little bit of momentum before i hit it, it will carry me past the slick spot and up and over to wear i can find some grip and thats the key. MOMENTUM and if you can accelerate brutally fast in the area before the hill climb you can get enough momentum(not nessecarly wheel speed) to get you throught the gate. and past that little area wear your tires just dont stick

just my 2cents

hence the reason i want 3c lipo and a 7 turn cobalt

[Scattman]

Originally Posted by SeanD

I've only been at this crawling stuff for a year now so maybe I'm missing something but do we really need to have gear-stripping excessive amounts of torque? I know that when my wheels hook under a ledge or get wedged in a crack, I generally back off. I know that my crawler is not going to move a 2 ton boulder so why keep giving it the throttle?

After running a crawler for while, it stands to reason that you get to know its limitations - including the amount of throttle to give in a given situation.

Don't we only really need enough torque to pull the rig up and over obstacles. to free itself from certain tight binds and, when they (the obstacles) are small enough, to move them out of the way?

Correct me if I'm way off on this.

Sean

You're way off.

Seriously though, as others have stated, you sometimes don't want to back up.

Happened to me at the ECC this last weekend. I am running an Axiom 35 turn on 3S lipo in an R2D. Decent power with good geardown(8t pinion) but I needed more. Had to back up a couple times because I was lacking in the power dept. and couldn't power out of the bind.

Personally, I think the most power possible within reason. You can always back off the power but if you don't have enough in the first place...........

I know I am stepping up in the power dept very soon.

[CrawlinJunky]

Thre's nothing wrong with a little extra power every now and then as long as you know how to use it. The drivers skill is key.

[Mad Scientist]

Whether or not you are running in comps plays a big role, in my opinion. If you are just having fun in the backyard, sure - just enough is all you need. But in a competition scenario, you never know when having that extra grunt is going to put you over the top. Sometimes it comes down to taking those extra points for a reverse and losing, or powering through it for the win (and taking the risk if breaking).

[Kamikaze]

I say less is better, run very weak motors and low voltages.

[Rockcrawler]

Originally Posted by Kamikaze

I say less is better, run very weak motors and low voltages.

(Cough Cough)

[Badd]

Originally Posted by Kamikaze

I say less is better, run very weak motors and low voltages.

so would you say run 27 turn motor /motors on 5 or 6 cells ???

[Reflection]

Originally Posted by Kamikaze

I say less is better, run very weak motors and low voltages.

Originally Posted by Badd

so would you say run 27 turn motor /motors on 5 or 6 cells ???

I think he's refering to the 19t geared at 18:1 final on 4.8 volts he's gonna run.


Seriously though,last year I ran a 3025-8 in my super on 10 and 11 cells at 63:1 final(if I remember correctly). It was pretty peppy in the wheel speed department. As long as the cells could deliver,that motor capable of pushing 2 full horsepower. Honestly,I LOVED it. I set it up so my spur gear was the weak link. At $3-4 each and super easy to fix,it was the best fuse for my rig. Granted,I did burn up MANY spurs last year....Got a few that the center literally melted away and many that no longer have a single tooth on them.....The power was AWESOME. As long as my drivetrain would hold,there was seldom a bind I could not power through.

As much as I loved that motor,the smoothness of a brushed motor will prevail. I honestly feel the cobalt pullers rank up there close to a quality outrunner in the power department and literally crush any outrunner or lathe motor on the market in smooth throttle response.


If a guy isn't running comps and just goofing around in the backyard,he can lift before breaking and go around any hard lines. Less power thats easy on drivetrains works good. Allot of times in comps,you need that extra grunt on the bottom to power through stuff or it might cause extra points.

[Brainstain]

I don't compete but I'm lazy. The less I have to touch my truck the better. And, I love having a badass setup. Currently I'm running an EVX in a scaler, but I have a 7t and a MM on the way. This truck is awesome now and I can't wait to upgrade and put the EVX in something else.

[SeanD]

Some good disscussion here. Just for the record, I've been running a 55t lathe in my Wheely King with a 15 pinion and a 96 spur and with a locked slipper. I've had this setup for a year now and find it good for my purposes - no comps here but I do take it for hard crawls pretty much daily.

Cheers.