Volvo C304 / TGB13 6x6 with printed portal axle

[hoffy]

Hello Everyone,

I guess it's time to open my first built thread here.

I have started with the Volvo midd of last year, so a lill progress is already visible. But I am fare away from beeing ready or having at least a roller. It will be a complete built from the scratch. Only the tranny, the diffs (incl. shafts), wheels (inlc. rims) and electronic will be bought. The rest is printed, milled or handmade, even the portal axles!

My ideal is the Rally TGB13 of Team Havast in Netherland. Thats the one who inspired me to built this rig. But I will not copy it one by one.



In the next days I will show step by step pictures of the built progress.

So stay tuned...

Hoffy


A short teaser, to get a Feeling what will come up...

[doublej]

More photos of the portals please!

[distinctive pd]

Wow is all i can say. .. Very interesting!

[hoffy]

Hello everybody,

First of all, many thanks for the positive feedback and the likes. It seems that some of you are curious to see more of the built. I hope I can satisfy your expectations.

@doublej

For sure will I show more pics of the portals.




At the moment no 1.9” beadlock does fit and gears are modul 0.5… For me its fine at the moment, and I hope everything work as it should and is strong enough.

@distinctive_pd

Thanks, stay tuned, more nice pictures will come for sure.

Okay, let’s start to show the beginning. Everything starts with some research and a bit virtual work.


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End of May the rough planning phase was nearly finished

The axles:


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Just a bunch of parts…


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A bit sorted...


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…


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As you can see, there are some Traxxas parts. Next to the rod end’s even the diff, tranny and shafts are from the small 1/16 Traxxas. The Diffs are nicely small but even out of steel! I hope it will last the forces of this small 6x6 rig.

After cleaning the printed parts, drilling holes and cutting threads, the desk looks like that…


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First of all, I have installed the tranny brackets to the chassis rails…


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... and mounted the tranny with motor...


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Nothing poke out under the chassi rails...


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So fare for the first step. As next, I have started with the front axle.

Cheers Hoffy

[silver falcon]

mini revo tranny ?

nice, been thinking of using one for a build but not liking how to mount it, you look like you figured out how. nice job

[josh6575]

Wow I love these axles. What is the gear ratio at the portal?

[Scrap]

Great looking drill press and anglegrinder and those electric plugs and sockets and extension cords!

Oh and the axles are nice too.

[hoffy]

Thanks for watching, reading, liking and posting!!!

@silver falcon

It’s a Traxxas 1/16 rally (brushed version) tranny. But to be honest, the trannys of the 1/16 Traxxas are all the same. Only the gear ratio are modified between pinion and spur gear.
For assembly the tranny, I simply printed some brackets so I have only two screws on each side. It’s much easier than the original two level and two different hole distances…

@josh6575

Thanks! The gear ratio on the portals are 1.75 and the diff is 2.66, if I remember right.

@Scarp

Thanks! The tools are a minimized version of what I am working with. The sockets, plugs and extension cords are the german version and will be placed in my barn some day in future.

[hoffy]

Let’s go on with the built:

Next step was the front axle. Parts that were needed are:

Axial Wraith CVD (two short one are enough, needs to be shorten never the less)
Traxxas 1/16 Diff (with diff locker)
Axial flange bushings for steering
Bearings
2x 20t module 0.5
2x 35t module 0.5
Axle shaft 4mm (self-made)


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Shorten the CVD.


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As fare as I know, the Axial Wraith CVD’s do have a diameter of 4mm (at the thin area) but the GPM parts are 4.2mm. The Traxxas diff need a 4mm shaft. Damn… No lathe available, so use the column drill and some sanding paper and sanding it down to 4mm. File some flat spots at the end and the Wraith CVD’s will fit to the Traxxas diffs.


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Next step was to made the lower axle shaft out of 4mm steel. Cut to length, cut threads and drill 1.5mm hole for the hex pin. Additionally I did some beef tubes of 8x2mm bras tube.


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But the tubes for the front were so bad produced, hole was out of center and even milling (a friend of my did it) the hole to 4.5mm was without success, that I could not use them. So I had to do some on my own. Lucky me, I found some stainless steel tube 8x1mm and use my “milling machine for poor one” to cut it to the right length.


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Before everything could get together, I had to cut the thread of the CVD’s, even it was no longer needed.


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I know, the cut thread looks really bad, but it seems that silver steel is hard to work on and my die is not the best either. But for the moment it works…


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To complete the front axle some steering arms are missing. So take some L-profile, the dremel and lets go… At the end it should look like that…


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The theory tells it should be 0 degree Ackermann, but some test will show. I am not sure if the steering rod will stay where it is. Maybe I will relocate it underneath the shaft and get some clearance to the frame.


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So fare for the front axle. Still missing are damper and the third steering arm at the front of the axle.

Hope you like what you see.

[eric113]

For the steering link you could use or make a spacer so it clears pinion.

Just curious, what method do you use for drilling the hole on the axle for wheel hex?

[hoffy]

Hello Everybody,

@eric113

The steering link works fine as it is on the picture. Even with mounted links, nothing is touching before 45degree steering angle is reached on both sides. But when the axle is mounted to the frame, the steering link is touching quit early the frame rails. That's why I said, that I may will relocate it underneath the shaft. That’s not the best position, I know, but it will hopefully give me some more mm of shock travel.

The holes were made pretty easy... I simply placed the shaft in my bench vice, grind a real small flat spot [so the drill has a flat area to start with], align everything accurate by eyes [no cross table available, only a simple column drill] and start slowly. After the drill did a little groove, check once again if it's really the shaft center. If everything is correct centered, go on, if not, realign. To be honest, it was a bit critical and I broke at least one 1.5mm drill. But if you take the time it need and use some oil for cooling, it works out fine. For the 4mm shaft I have stopped 4-5 times and put at each brake a drop of oil into the hole. That's it...





o:p>

[xkill]

I have seen a lot of videos of that 1:1 Volvo! Love that truck!

Your project looks uber cool!!
Also like the scale items that you've made.

What program are you using to model the parts?

Keep it coming!!!

[hoffy]

@xkill

Thanks for your comment!!! It's really fun to see the original Volvo racing beside a KAT or other big trucks.

The scale items are the tools I have staying in my small workshop. For modeling my parts, I am using Creo Pro Elements as a student version. It may not includes all CAD features that might be possible, but all I need and more is included.

[hoffy]

Hello everybody,

Last weekend I had some minutes and used it to complete the last Volvo axle and took some pictures to show what parts I used and how it get assembled...

axle and it's parts...


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lower shaft with pin...


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lower shaft with hex...


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axle with Traxxas diff and axle shafts...


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axle shafts in place...


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upper gears installed on axle shafts...


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portals in parts, lower shafts with flat spots for gear and lower shafts with installed gear...


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mounted portals on axle...


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ready mounted axle...


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That's so far for the rear axle. Hope you like what you see...

Cheers Hoffy

[hoffy]

Let's show some more progress:

I did a short test to see how wide the axle will be at least. And how many space the axles will have under the diff. Wheels are simply 1,9" Mud Trasher on plastic rims with sero offset.

That's how the rear axle will looks like...


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but much more interesting and impressive is the space under the axle tube and diff


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45mm space under the diff and 55mm space under the axel tube are pretty awesome!!!

I am not sure what to show next, for the reason, that this is my first 6x6 rig and I did some test that were or needs to be changed by time. Only the rear suspension is close to how it should be. May be I will find some time at the weekend and be able to work on the front links...

Cheers

Hoffy

[hoffy]

Hey Chaps,

It's time for a little Update.

The axles are finished and to find the right position of the front axle, I needed the cabin. So I start building the cab out of styrene. It s far a way from being finished, but is good enough for first tries.



the front...


the lower cap throw on a test chassis.





inner fender needs some more sanding to fits better...













Cheers hoffy

[hoffy]

Another update of the last weeks.

I got my new-old bandsaw running that needs to be testet. So why not cutting some new chassis frames.

First cut...



Drill some holes for the links, Trans etc... and the second cut...



Unfortunately I had only 8mm alu available, but the test chassis rails were 6mm styrene and that's how it should be. So I had to deal with 4mm additional frame wideness. Next week I will get some 6mm alu, so I will do the chassis frame rails once again...

Cheers Hoffy

[xkill]

Great work so far!
Too bad the frame rails are too wide...
How hard was for you to model the gears on the axles?
I'd like to model some axles in 3D but I'm a bit afraid of the gear mesh being off...

[speednut]

this is looking great, and im subscribed

[hoffy]

Hey chaps,

It's a while ago that I have posted some updates. I have done some minor thing in the background but the chassis rails are still the 8mm once. The 6mm material is laying on my workbench, but before I will cut new rails, I want to finish the front suspension. That's the point were I am struggling at the moment. I did found some shocks that fits, but the points were I could mount it to the axle, are to close together or needs a larger rod end. So I have created some special rod ends that should arrive today. Hopefully the rod ends fit to the balls and I can solve the issue.

In the meantime I nearly finished the rear suspension. Just have to redo two of the four spring mounts. Pictures will probably shown after the easter days...

@speednut

Thank's men, hope to keep your attention...

@xkill

Thank's to you as well!

To be honest, I do not really remember how I did the gear meshing at this axles. It's too long ago.

The easiest way is to measure an existing axle housing (from which one you want to use the diff) and do a sketch / draw in CAD the main points. With this way you will find out the necessary measures that the gears mesh up right. If you have this main points, you can start drawing your axle on CAD... But be warned, the first prints do have in general failure and needs to be reworked at least once. Even with my 5th axle type I still have little mistakes at the first prints that needs to be corrected.