Crawler King Shocks/steering servo

[vtelvr]

Well, after just 1 weekend playing with my new CK, looks as if I have busted my front left shock. Oh well. I was already looking to upgrade shocks and springs anyways. Any suggestions?

Also, I am wanting to go ahead and upgrade to the center mount steering servo mod, by using the East End Machining diff mount. What other linkages will I need to perform this? I will also, at the same time modify the plastic steering linkages to metal. I feel the plastic is quite flimsy, and along with the poor servo placement, affects steering quite heavily as well.

Thanks in advance!

[bluenosegoat]

I am a new owner of a used CK so I'm new to crawling but not to Rc. The first thing i did was to replace the steering! I've never seen a funkier set up that what is stock! I got the template from this forum and made my axle mount and I used 8/32 all thread and 1/4 in brass tubing with large tmaxx rod ends. I used brass because its all i could find at the time and so far has held up wonderfully and its easy to cut with a small tubing cutter (the kind used for copper pipes). I also made the rear steer lock outs and four link suspension brackets and rods. The four link nearly eliminates torque twist, I would highly recomend this mod!
Very easy to do with simple tools and the parts are cheap. I think all of it was under 20 bucks including hardware- I had to use 4-40 because 3mm is hard to come by around here for some reason but it works just fine with no noticeable slop. So far so good with my stock shocks but I also see alluminum shocks in the near future.
Still trying to get pics posted here! Ahh figured it out!

[vtelvr]

bluenosegoat, please post up pics asap. I love home remedies to stuff like this. I am new to crawling as well...but not to RC, just like yourself. I had a tmaxx before this. Thanks!

[bluenosegoat]

Got the pic thing figured out finally! I know I should become a paying member.......... Neat though that it links you to my photo bucket when you click on the pic! Technology- how cool!

[bluenosegoat]

Originally Posted by vtelvr

bluenosegoat, please post up pics asap. I love home remedies to stuff like this. I am new to crawling as well...but not to RC, just like yourself. I had a tmaxx before this. Thanks!

Theres a couple pics there now. The steering mount is very easy to make. I made mine out of steel and the the four link brackets out of alluminum (I've got all kinds of materials around my tinkering shop) I didnt think the four link would make that much of a difference but it really helps with torque twist along with heavier oil and stiffer spring setting in the rear. I tried tmaxx springs to find they are to stiff so stock springs with a spacer up top to stiffen them up a little works good so far with 60wt oil. As far as making the links just carefully measure and use the stock connecting rods as a basis and its very simple. I've since found stainless steel tubing but the brass is holding up just fine so I'll stick with it and it looks kinda cool too I think!

[entropy]

Bluenosegoat -

Nice lock-outs! Gonna have to grab some AL and 2 Traxxas turnbuckles and do that for my WK trail truck.

[ae racer]

question for you guys with the crawler kings....what is the length of the shocks from eye to eye?