Split Personality

[R/C Bashist]

I've had my Losi MRC for quite some time now, but it can only do so much. After frying a servo for the second time, I figure it's time to do some upgrading! I already done a far bit of custom, free upgrades like removing the upper plate, moving the battery onto the servo, and other stuff, but now it's time to get some REAL upgrades! Here's a few pics of my crawler:



After I fried the Hitec servo:





Nice looking wheels, eh?

As you may have guess from the pictures, I want BTA (Behind The Axle) steering, which I am going to custom make myself. A friend of mine is giving me a full size servo with a good amount of torque. I also want to make my own servo/battery mount for the front axle so I can mount the steering servo on backwards. As for the battery, I'm thinking Losi's smaller Li-Po that's meant to be mounted on the axle, or find a nice, small Li-Po on Hobby King which would be cheaper, and probably better power. I want to get Pro-Line's 1.9" Titus wheels and Chisel Tires.

Then there's the chassis. I have a few ideas of what to do in this area. I'm thinking of either buying a new chassis, like Losi's Pro version, or making my own on the milling machine. If I was to make my own, I'd like some advise as to were to put suspension link relitive to where they are stock. I think I want to convent to four-link suspension as well, with bent lower links. On the front, they're going to be attached behind the servo and battery on the mount. And on the back, they'll be mounted the same way as the Losi Mini Crawler Pro.

Aside for the servo, the electronics are going to stay the same, for now at least. But I would eventually like to upgrade to Novak's or Losi's mini brushless crawler system.

[BuddhaTat2]

I just got a Losi Pro Yesterday..... Chassis is already replaced. You want it?

[R/C Bashist]

Originally Posted by BuddhaTat2

I just got a Losi Pro Yesterday..... Chassis is already replaced. You want it?

Where are you? You're location just says "west port".

[R/C Bashist]

Spent some time on our new milling machine, and came out with these for the BTA steering:





They're looking pretty good I think. I had to use some longer bolts on the top, and drill a couple holes a little larger to get the new bolts to fit. I'm going to have to move the top of the shocks back in, 'cause the new arms will run into them after I cut the old arms off. I'm also going to machine a custom steering link to attach to each arm and run under neither the sevro mount.

[R/C Bashist]

Stayed in the shop till about 10:00 Thursday night making this:




Still has one flaw though, it runs into the bolts that hold my steering arms.



I had originally planned on milling 45 degree angles in it, but then decided to cut a couple curves instead because I thought angles would run into the shocks. But now I see that they wouldn't. So I'm going to rebuild a new steering link on the mill with angles instead of curves.

[R/C Bashist]

Did some more milling and came up with a new steering link for my crawler. Like I said before, it has 45 degree bends in it rather than the curved bends I made in my previous attempt.



Much better.

[BuddhaTat2]

Originally Posted by R/C Bashist

Where are you? You're location just says "west port".

Missouri, but I can throw it in a usps priority box and get it to ya Friday or before.

[R/C Bashist]

Originally Posted by BuddhaTat2

Missouri, but I can throw it in a usps priority box and get it to ya Friday or before.

How much would it cost to ship to Canada?

[BuddhaTat2]

Originally Posted by R/C Bashist

How much would it cost to ship to Canada?

You're killing me kid!!!!! I'll look into it tomorrow... Not much more...

[RickM]

Very cool idea. Nice work and nice finish to it as well. It will be fun to see how you are going to mount the servo link.

On a seperate note it looks to me like your shock flair out at the chassis in a v shape. I am not sure but wouldn't it be counterproductive to have the shocks mounting in that configuration? Seams to me that a reverse v is less likely to want to bind up on you. Just a tought. keep up the good stuff.

[R/C Bashist]

Originally Posted by RickM

Very cool idea. Nice work and nice finish to it as well. It will be fun to see how you are going to mount the servo link.

On a seperate note it looks to me like your shock flair out at the chassis in a v shape. I am not sure but wouldn't it be counterproductive to have the shocks mounting in that configuration? Seams to me that a reverse v is less likely to want to bind up on you. Just a tought. keep up the good stuff.

Ya, it's going to be fun to see how I'm going to link the servo to the steering for me too. lol The shocks are like that just because it limits the articulation. They're going to go back to parrallel when I get/make a new chassis.

[Just crawl it]

Lovin it keep the pics coming can't wait to copy your build as I constently get hung up on the steering links looks great

[thomass14]

I run my shocks the same way, and like it cause it slows the shocks down. I've tried different shocks and always seem to go back to this setup and stock plastic shocks. Just my driving style I guess

[R/C Bashist]

Started working on the chassis now. I've bought some ball-ends for Traxxas shock to use as rod-ends, and ordered some upper links. I decided to move the upper links further apart 'cause that's how they are on the Pro version and other 1/10 scale chassis'.



Any one notice anything missing? Shock mounts? Body mounts?

[R/C Bashist]

Video update! I decided to video a bit of the milling process.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TL3MVLUxzsE

[R/C Bashist]

Well, I got some more parts for it. Bought some used tires, and ordered some links from the LHS.



Just in case you were wondering what the chassis looks like at the moment:



Should get some more work done today.

[R/C Bashist]

Didn't get much time in the shop today, but I did get to make this little prototype:





There is a problem though, with where the upper links are located they'll run into the shocks when articulating.



Need to do a little redesigning I think. Might need to narrow the chassis like the Pro Roller version. I've got a few ideas in my head, but would appreciate suggestions.

[Gfresh]

try outboarding the shocks at the axle bracket. Gives you a few mm extra clearance (as done on GC-3 chassis to clear links)?

[Charlie-III]

Originally Posted by Gfresh

try outboarding the shocks at the axle bracket. Gives you a few mm extra clearance (as done on GC-3 chassis to clear links)?

If you do this, make sure the screw is long enough to use both mounting tabs on the axle & a spacer between the tabs to fill the space, otherwise you will likely break a single one off.

[R/C Bashist]

Is this what you guys mean?