Pete's WK project

[Pete from Houston]

Yes, another stock looking WK.
It started life as a 2wd.
I converted it to 4wd and added Maximizer diff locks.
M2K's on HPI WK wheels with Proline 2 stage truck foams.
32 pitch gears (60/14= 4.29 ratio)
55 turn Integy
Futabe 9303 steering servo

Here's what she looked like before:


Made a few changes (chassis flip):




Unfortunately, there will be alloy parts in this truck's future in the form of the front top suspension mount and the axle-mounted steering pivot. The new Futaba 9303 servo just twists these around like wet noodles. I had to lengthen the steering rod by over 1/8th inch at each end to allow for proper steering throw. If/when I get the alloy bits, I'll upgrade the steering rod with heavier threaded rod to allow for full thread engagement in the rod ends.

I'm going to start working on a set of stingers for the front and rear since the wheely bar is gone and the battery box door is now unprotected.

Now, if the weather would just stop sucking so I could go out and test it!

[kwkride]

Originally Posted by Pete from Houston

I had to lengthen the steering rod by over 1/8th inch at each end to allow for proper steering throw.

What size rod did you use for this? Looking in the book it appears that the stock rod is 3mm, but I have seen 4-40 rod mentioned. Thanks!

[dragnz24]

Before I did the SOA steering i used 4-40 all thread for my steering after the streach. Hope that helps.

[kwkride]

Thanks a lot. I'm making my list of parts. I've decided that I can't wait for the HPI crawler kit.

[Pete from Houston]

quick update: I made a Jowett's servo mount and ran with a battery zip-tied to the left front side of the chassis (to help fight the torque twist).






I had fits trying to get the LRP ESC set to run correctly with the motor running backwards with my chassis flipped, so I had to turn the chassis around the day before the March TXRCO comp. I'm not going to change anything until I get my hands on the HPI crawler conversion, (if/when it's ever released).
Once the crawler conversion is on, I'm looking to install a front dig setup.

[Pete from Houston]

OK, it's been a while...

A friend made me a Lexan TVP chassis to try out. It was set up with the trans centered and worked very well:






I played around with it this weekend, trying to shorten the wheelbase up to a legal 12.5" and move the trans forward:


The wheelbase is under 12'5" at rest, but when compressed it's over 13" (suggestions on how to cure this are welcome):


A little dark, but this shows the underside of the chassis as it sits now. I have Traxxas driveshafts but I need to fix the wheelbase issue before I cut the front shaft down to fit:


I also need to figure out the battery mount for my shotgun packs (not going with custom packs...long story).


My WK is eventually going to get a ladder frame and become a trail truck. This is probably the way it will stay until then.

Comments welcome!

[akramer007]

to get your wheel base to stay at 12.5 in you need the links to be almost paralell to the ground when it sits not compressed, youd have to shorten the links or move them farther in on the chasis and try puttin them a little higher on the axle to get rid of the angle.

[JeremyH]

Looks good Pete!

BTW, you have very nicely manicured fingernails!

[jbrandt]

To make sure the WB doesn't go over 12.5" during articulation/compression, you'll need to make sure the links are parallel to the ground (or at least the two link pivots are at the same elevation) when it's at rest (mid travel) and make that 12.5". That way, with either up travel or down travel, the axles will rotate slightly forward on the arc of the links.

Comp rules say the WB has to be 12.5" at rest, so as long as that rule is satisfied, it doesn't really matter if the WB gets a tad longer with up or down travel.

oh yeah, almost forgot, how do you keep your hands so soft looking?

[Pete from Houston]

I didn't think to move the shock mounts from their rock-racing setup to a moire suitable crawler setup. Hopefully, I'll be changing this sometime before the 21st, provided that hurricane Ike doesn't create more work for me.


Oh, that's my wife's hand, and I don't know what she does to make her hands so soft...I just like what she does with her soft hands.

[Pete from Houston]

OK, I changed stuff up and I'll be fixing the photo links above soon...

This was the first outing for my WK with it's 60/40-stock links setup. IT WORKED BETTER THAN EVER!

(I put the compass on the back to act as an artificial horizion for the photos)



The Imex tires worked very well without foam...folded over like 1:1 tires would:


It's a great climber (check the compass):


And the stability is much improved:


more pics at www.myspace.com/petefromhouston