RCCrawler Forums

merlin · 09-23-2006, 04:49 AM

I've been looking at everyone's mods, from tummy tucks to sticks with the f&f batteries. I thought they were all great innovations. Personally, I like the clearance of a stick, but also spoiled by the runtime of the stock battery.
I wanted to incorperate both wile still yeilding a lower COG. I put those weights in the tires kinda like in the last pic. Here is a parts list:
1- four foot piece of 3/4" alum. tube
1- three foot piece of 1" wide flat alum. plate
4- two inch corner brackets
12- 1/2 inch corner brakets
1- box of 1/2 inch phillips head sheet metal screws
all of this cost around 25 to 30 bucks
Next, I went to Hobbytown and bought a Proline lexan body ('72 chevy C-10)
25 bucks
1- can of candy purple paint from the hobby store. (the guy at the store said it was more flexible than regular paint and would resist flaking, so far he was right) four bucks
By all means feel free to offer any insights or suggetions. I'm really pleased with how it turned out. I hope this helps someone.

Hopefully the pics will guide you through the rest

goonster · 09-23-2006, 06:20 AM

nice, what is your fullest flex?

merlin · 09-23-2006, 06:55 AM

Thanks, I haven't measured it yet, but probably not as much as triangulated shocks. But now my shocks do not pop apart.One thing is that the way the axles are mounted, there is no "drop down" that seems to help with stability, also there's no "axle wrap" Going to take it out later and get some pics of her "fully twisted". I'll edit those to the thread.

b2bomber · 09-23-2006, 09:48 AM

i was going to do something like that bit with a 4 link front and rear. but i don't have local access to rod ends. very nice though

do you just stand the chasis on end to charge the battery or does it come out easy?

merlin · 09-23-2006, 10:16 AM

mostly, iI leave it flat for shorter charges on the stands but for long charges, yes , I stand it up.The way it is, I can lean on the grill so that the tires do not touch the ground. Although, it would seem to me that if a battery IS sealed then it is sealed. However, I do follow the standard practice of keeping it upright. The bat. is pretty much permanently locked down. No movement whatsoever.

hotrodzach · 09-23-2006, 04:04 PM

are you going to make some kind of skidplate for the battery? it looks like if it fell in the right spot on a rock it may damage the battery.
-Dalton

merlin · 09-23-2006, 04:14 PM

I'm not sure yet, I'm still in the "research and developement" phase.That thing sits pretty high up. But I guess better safe than sorry.

rutler101 · 09-30-2006, 07:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by merlin

I'm not sure yet, I'm still in the "research and developement" phase.That thing sits pretty high up. But I guess better safe than sorry.

yeah its definatly bound to happen if you dont.... this is a sweet rig i cant wait to see more wheelin pics..i stand my 1:6 up on end when charging too to tell you the truth i dont think it really matters but i do it anyway...

merlin · 09-30-2006, 08:21 AM

thanx man. I still haven't had a chance to get down and dirty with it. going to today though. last w/e was a bust, it rained all friggin' w/e. really hope to hurt someone's feelings with this one

pistonbone · 09-30-2006, 04:35 PM

I like the battery placement, might think about doing this to mine since my entertainment outlasts my ff battery. Good job!

merlin · 09-30-2006, 06:21 PM

Thanx man, I know what you're saying. That was the main factor in the design.
As you probably saw, I started my build a little differently. Start with the batt. and built around it. Hey, if you're interested, I've finally got a vid to upload successfully. About two and a half minutes worth.

Eazy · 10-01-2006, 12:34 PM

I notice in the pics a can of natural ice.....
Nice!

crawler looks good, have fun.

merlin · 10-01-2006, 06:29 PM

woops! I gave away my secret weapon(lol).

ebonysglass · 10-05-2006, 08:15 AM

nice, snapped any bolts, i did a similar but simpler design but i kept snapping the bolts between the backbone and the axles. looks really good.

merlin · 10-05-2006, 02:57 PM

No, not yet anyway. I have four screws in the back brackets that are connecting them to the framerail and three in the front. If something like that does happen, I'm going to use "u-bolts" and some of the same flat aluminum stock i have left over. Hopefully it won't come to that. P.S. thanks for the feedback. I am pleased with how it turned out. I was wanting the jeep body but they were out of stock,but now that I've seen so many of them in here I'm glad I chose the truck. Something a little different ya know. Anyway, thank you

merlin · 10-21-2006, 07:35 PM

It's toward the end of the vid.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=yQzqBvq5H...elated&search=

09-23-2006, 04:49 AM	#1
merlin Rock Stacker Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: knoxville Posts: 66	Merlin's buildup/slightly different approach I've been looking at everyone's mods, from tummy tucks to sticks with the f&f batteries. I thought they were all great innovations. Personally, I like the clearance of a stick, but also spoiled by the runtime of the stock battery. I wanted to incorperate both wile still yeilding a lower COG. I put those weights in the tires kinda like in the last pic. Here is a parts list: 1- four foot piece of 3/4" alum. tube 1- three foot piece of 1" wide flat alum. plate 4- two inch corner brackets 12- 1/2 inch corner brakets 1- box of 1/2 inch phillips head sheet metal screws all of this cost around 25 to 30 bucks Next, I went to Hobbytown and bought a Proline lexan body ('72 chevy C-10) 25 bucks 1- can of candy purple paint from the hobby store. (the guy at the store said it was more flexible than regular paint and would resist flaking, so far he was right) four bucks By all means feel free to offer any insights or suggetions. I'm really pleased with how it turned out. I hope this helps someone. Hopefully the pics will guide you through the rest Last edited by merlin; 10-07-2006 at 08:25 PM.

09-23-2006, 09:48 AM	#4
b2bomber Pebble Pounder Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: 111.1 miles from Hell, MI Posts: 180	i was going to do something like that bit with a 4 link front and rear. but i don't have local access to rod ends. very nice though do you just stand the chasis on end to charge the battery or does it come out easy? Last edited by b2bomber; 09-23-2006 at 09:50 AM.

10-05-2006, 02:57 PM	#15
merlin Rock Stacker Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: knoxville Posts: 66	No, not yet anyway. I have four screws in the back brackets that are connecting them to the framerail and three in the front. If something like that does happen, I'm going to use "u-bolts" and some of the same flat aluminum stock i have left over. Hopefully it won't come to that. P.S. thanks for the feedback. I am pleased with how it turned out. I was wanting the jeep body but they were out of stock,but now that I've seen so many of them in here I'm glad I chose the truck. Something a little different ya know. Anyway, thank you Last edited by merlin; 10-05-2006 at 07:23 PM.

10-21-2006, 07:35 PM	#16
merlin Rock Stacker Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: knoxville Posts: 66	Link to vid of Merlin's build in a comp It's toward the end of the vid. http://youtube.com/watch?v=yQzqBvq5H...elated&search=

09-23-2006, 06:20 AM	#2
goonster Newbie Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Price Posts: 11	nice, what is your fullest flex?

09-23-2006, 06:55 AM	#3
merlin Rock Stacker Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: knoxville Posts: 66	Thanks, I haven't measured it yet, but probably not as much as triangulated shocks. But now my shocks do not pop apart.One thing is that the way the axles are mounted, there is no "drop down" that seems to help with stability, also there's no "axle wrap" Going to take it out later and get some pics of her "fully twisted". I'll edit those to the thread.

09-23-2006, 10:16 AM	#5
merlin Rock Stacker Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: knoxville Posts: 66	mostly, iI leave it flat for shorter charges on the stands but for long charges, yes , I stand it up.The way it is, I can lean on the grill so that the tires do not touch the ground. Although, it would seem to me that if a battery IS sealed then it is sealed. However, I do follow the standard practice of keeping it upright. The bat. is pretty much permanently locked down. No movement whatsoever.

09-23-2006, 04:04 PM	#6
hotrodzach Rock Crawler Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Dayton Posts: 712	are you going to make some kind of skidplate for the battery? it looks like if it fell in the right spot on a rock it may damage the battery. -Dalton

09-23-2006, 04:14 PM	#7
merlin Rock Stacker Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: knoxville Posts: 66	I'm not sure yet, I'm still in the "research and developement" phase.That thing sits pretty high up. But I guess better safe than sorry.

09-30-2006, 08:21 AM	#9
merlin Rock Stacker Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: knoxville Posts: 66	thanx man. I still haven't had a chance to get down and dirty with it. going to today though. last w/e was a bust, it rained all friggin' w/e. really hope to hurt someone's feelings with this one

09-30-2006, 04:35 PM	#10
pistonbone Newbie Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Marquette Posts: 36	I like the battery placement, might think about doing this to mine since my entertainment outlasts my ff battery. Good job!

09-30-2006, 06:21 PM	#11
merlin Rock Stacker Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: knoxville Posts: 66	Thanx man, I know what you're saying. That was the main factor in the design. As you probably saw, I started my build a little differently. Start with the batt. and built around it. Hey, if you're interested, I've finally got a vid to upload successfully. About two and a half minutes worth.

10-01-2006, 12:34 PM	#12
Eazy Pebble Pounder Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: BINGO Posts: 176	I notice in the pics a can of natural ice..... Nice! crawler looks good, have fun.

10-01-2006, 06:29 PM	#13
merlin Rock Stacker Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: knoxville Posts: 66	woops! I gave away my secret weapon(lol).

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10-05-2006, 08:15 AM	#14
ebonysglass Newbie Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Orlando Posts: 20	nice, snapped any bolts, i did a similar but simpler design but i kept snapping the bolts between the backbone and the axles. looks really good.

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