anyone rotate the rear axle?
 

I decided to rebuild my rear axle setup on my 4-linker because the rear of it keeps getting in the way and i wasn't happy with the upper links connecting to the blue arm bracket.

What i did this time around is pretty much the same as any motor relocation but rotating the axle so the part that you cut off is facing the ground. The rear hump is facing straight up, which i am connecting my triangulated uppers to (it's a perfect mounting locations) and the lowers connect to the shock mounts, which are now facing forward. New shock mounts on bolted on top of the axle tubes.

I feel this setup benifits more from the standard axle setup we see often. The ground clearance is increased by 1/4" (based on how much you cut off from the motor relocation cut), there's no hump in the rear to get stuck on, and the motor is facing forward, and tucked nicely under the body and between the tummy and axle. I'll have pictures in an hour.

Sorry if this is a repeat, not sure if it was done before or not.

Pictures?
;-)

Here's some pix.
It flexes nicely, with no binding. The motor does seem kinda low, now that the tires are mounted. I may fab up a skid for the motor just in case it attracts sexy rocks.

During the process of making new longer arms, i learned that brake line can fit inside the alum. tubing that i purchased online. With the brakeline inside the alum tubing and the threaded rod inside the brake line, it's nearly impossible to bend the links. STRONG!


http://img411.imageshack.us/img411/3154/dscf2088qf7.jpg
http://img49.imageshack.us/img49/647/dscf2090qe0.jpg
http://img411.imageshack.us/img411/7826/dscf2095fi9.jpg
http://img49.imageshack.us/img49/110/dscf2097cs4.jpg
http://img444.imageshack.us/img444/3705/dscf2096ct6.jpg
http://img162.imageshack.us/img162/4200/dscf2098iq7.jpg
http://img324.imageshack.us/img324/9117/dscf2099mw4.jpg

I just wish the front axle was this simple to work with....

Nice work

I think that is a 1st timer, but could be wrong

I can't say for sure with out fielding the rig myself, but all the extra mods needed to rotate it, do not seem worth the gain of only 1/4 inch of clearance. As for the back side of the axle being up on top and out of the way, I just cut mine off in the same way I cut the front off where the motor was. Although I could be wrong. Take it out on some good rocky terrain and let all of us know if it really made a difference.

that 4-link setup is positively bad@$$!!!!!!

nice work!!

I'm thinking about going with something more like a 1/4 elliptical with mine....but we'll see, I may have to go 4-link

Actually there wasn't that many mods to do. The axle cut was standard that everyone's doing and the lower control arm mounts are already on there (shock mounts). All i had to do was drill holes for the brackets for the uppers and shocks. It was pretty simple. The 1/4" clearance gain is pretty decent if you talk scale, because you only gain an inch or two if you shave your axle on your 1:1. I was originally planning to cut off the back as well as the front but then thought it'll be 10x easier to mount my uppers on that hump instead of fabbing up a complete mount.

I did some nasty flexing around the apt but haven't been outside yet. Planning on doign that today.

thats pretty cool....nice link placement too...

If you go by scale that is 1.5ins. Thats alot. Many 1:1's grind the hell out of there axles for less. So 1/4in could mean stuck for some spots, but couldn't hurt. Its also like going from a 33in tire to a 35in tire. Its more then you think.:)

what did you use to attach the links to the frame/axle?? I'm very seriously considering doing this myself, but am not sure how to attach the links and have them move like they should. somethink like a mini-balljoint....

I can't tell from the pics what you used...

This is what i used:
http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...&I=LXHGB7&P=ML
These are mostly used for traxxus and other RC's that use turnbuckles and stuff like that.

I got the threaded rod from home depot and alumunium tubing to go over the rod from an online website. Home depot has it too.

sweet!! thanks!

nice clean work

WOW! is all i can say. The difference is HUGE. I took it out for the first time today and played in the rocks, mud, and on the hills. The sections that i could not do with my other nylint, i could get through with the 4-linker. The wheelbase is about 1.5" longer but the 4-link rear setup gets most of the credit. Having the lower links spread out on the axle like they are, and the uppers triagulated made the rear axle super-stable without any of that bouncing and rotating that the stock axle has after some use. The jeep would climb hills without slipping and hopping. The lower links double duty as rock sliders which helped tremendously on the spots i could not get through previously. I managed to roll about 3-4 times (on the steps), one major, and the links held up just fine.

After playin some, i tried out the steps leading up to my apartment. The very first step is un-climbable due to it being higher than the rest of the steps so i just place the crawler angled on the 2nd step and it climbs up. There was no way my stocker could get up 1/2 of a step without rolling backwards.

I also cut off the lower outside lugs (that most of you guys are doing) and this proved to be very helpful on mud-slicked hills. You can see the tires dig the moment they touch the ground. Sweeet.

Good idea flipping the axle around, turned out pretty nice.

that is nice, a lot like my 1/18
-Dalton

sweet...

my plan for my spare axles is to use the stock shockmount/pivot as the link mounts....

i will be cutting off the front and rear of the axle and making a skid to wrap all the way around....

i will also be going to HG electrics that can handle 12 volts and using a F&F battery....

will probably go ahead and build my chassis, but the electrics will have to wait until i have my credit card almost paid off.....

heres the ESC i am going to use.......
http://www.horizonhobby.com/Products...ProdId=PRB2314