What is the point of bending the front links?

[madmax22]

i dont really get what it does can some one help me out?? (sorry if it sounds like a SUPER NOOB question)....

[Mortimer Snerd]

Like in the back, it gives you better breakover on ledges and other tall obstacles. There are varying opinions about whether the improved clearance is that helpful or worth the additional flex.

[Offroader5]

It helps to allow the front tires to drive further forward on top of a ledge after they've cleared the leading edge of that ledge. This then allows the rear tires to contact the bottom of the slope and help with traction to get up and over. With a straight link, you may hit the link itself first on the leading edge at the top of the ledge and it would bring the front tire up off the ground while the rear tire is still powering forward to meet the bottom of the slope. This would more than likely result in the truck wanting to flip over backwards because the rig is now more vertical by the time the rear wheels contact the bottom of the slope to try and climb.

If that made any sense to ya.....

Originally Posted by Mortimer Snerd

Like in the back, it gives you better breakover on ledges and other tall obstacles. There are varying opinions about whether the improved clearance is that helpful or worth the additional flex.

Additional flex? Bending your links to make them "high clearance", doesn't do anything in terms of helping flex or gaining more of it.....Or did you mean you may end up with added link flex/deflection since the bend is already there?

If you meant the later, you can make links plenty strong so that they will not flex or deflect in the least, even if they are already bent like the high clearance versions.

[Nerve]

Originally Posted by Offroader5

It helps to allow the front tires to drive further forward on top of a ledge after they've cleared the leading edge of that ledge. This then allows the rear tires to contact the bottom of the slope and help with traction to get up and over. With a straight link, you may hit the link itself first on the leading edge at the top of the ledge and it would bring the front tire up off the ground while the rear tire is still powering forward to meet the bottom of the slope. This would more than likely result in the truck wanting to flip over backwards because the rig is now more vertical by the time the rear wheels contact the bottom of the slope to try and climb.

If that made any sense to ya.....

Just wanted to comment ... Excellent explanation

[Mortimer Snerd]

I had meant that the bent front links have more flex in them, like when you're pushing up against a vertical rock face. I agree that you can make links that don't do this, but the Axial bent links are generally more flexible than the stock straight ones. Not a big deal for some folks, and a huge one for others.

[SeanD]

Ditto to what Offroader5 says. I made my bent links out of solid 1/4' aluminum. I had to put them in a vise and hit them with a hammer to get the correct bends. These guys aren't going to bend very easily.

In conjunction witrh my bent links, I am now running a droop setup and I find that with these two, my "crawl-over" height has increased dramatically. What Offroader5 says "It helps to allow the front tires to drive further forward on top of a ledge after they've cleared the leading edge of that ledge" is even more evident when your wheels "droop" in over the ledge that much more.

Here's my current setup (except I am now running a saddlepack battery on the front axle)

[madmax22]

Thanks a lot guys! off roader that made sense? I get it though.

[Nerve]

Originally Posted by SeanD

Ditto to what Offroader5 says. I made my bent links out of solid 1/4' aluminum. I had to put them in a vise and hit them with a hammer to get the correct bends. These guys aren't going to bend very easily.

Hmm, I think I might try and make up some bent links as well. Probably using all thread and brake line however. I don't have any tools to drill or tap out the solid rod pieces.

Either that .. or just buy some delrin ones from extreme hobbies... lol.

[SeanD]

Nerve:

I had my frist links made from brakelines and all-thread. Then, when I made my aluminum chassis I wanted my links to match So I decided to go aluminum with them as well.

I see you're in Canada. Do you have a Princess Auto nearby?? PA is my friend!!! I picked up a 4:40 tap there for about 3.00. and I already had the drill bit. The tap is great to have anyway.

The bent links might raise your belly height a bit but I find that the better clearance at a slight raising of the CoG is well worth it!


You wrote: "Either that .. or just buy some delrin ones from extreme hobbies... lol."

I've given up buying anything unless I REALLY have to. This hobby is expensive enough without having to buy stuff that you make yourself. PLUS fabbing gives a greater sense of ownership - that " Hey, I-made-this-myself feeling"

Sorry - one too many beers in me right now!!!

Sean

[Offroader5]

When I finally went with bent links on the Widow, I used the same construction I did with the straight links. I use 1/4" OD acetal tube and run the 8-32 all thread down the center. The tube I use has too small of an ID for the 8-32 to fit....on purpose. This allows me to run a drill bit down the tube to open the ID up just enough so that the all thread slides through with a bit of drag.

When the link is all made, I put the bend in it. The all thread is actually taking all the bend, but because it's so tight inside the tube...the tube has no choice but to follow along with what the all thread is doing

[Nerve]

Originally Posted by SeanD

I had my frist links made from brakelines and all-thread. Then, when I made my aluminum chassis I wanted my links to match So I decided to go aluminum with them as well.

I see you're in Canada. Do you have a Princess Auto nearby?? PA is my friend!!! I picked up a 4:40 tap there for about 3.00. and I already had the drill bit. The tap is great to have anyway.

The bent links might raise your belly height a bit but I find that the better clearance at a slight raising of the CoG is well worth it!

Yeah my first links (which are on my rig now) are made from brake line, all thread and the lowers are arrow shafts. Hmm, I do have a PA about a 20 odd minute drive away from me. I might have to stop in to see what is there. This might be interesting to make it out of solid rod instead.

I have a hand drill and dremel. That is the exetent of my power tools (well besides a screwdriver.. LOL).

Originally Posted by SeanD

I've given up buying anything unless I REALLY have to. This hobby is expensive enough without having to buy stuff that you make yourself. PLUS fabbing gives a greater sense of ownership - that " Hey, I-made-this-myself feeling"

Sorry - one too many beers in me right now!!!

Sean

Mmmmm beeeer

Agreed, that is the one thing I liked about a crawler build. Basically everyone has their own build and own custom way of doing things. R/C Crawling really does give you a great sense of " I made this " ..

[Nerve]

Originally Posted by Offroader5

When I finally went with bent links on the Widow, I used the same construction I did with the straight links. I use 1/4" OD acetal tube and run the 8-32 all thread down the center. The tube I use has too small of an ID for the 8-32 to fit....on purpose. This allows me to run a drill bit down the tube to open the ID up just enough so that the all thread slides through with a bit of drag.

When the link is all made, I put the bend in it. The all thread is actually taking all the bend, but because it's so tight inside the tube...the tube has no choice but to follow along with what the all thread is doing

Interesting. It shows that the delrin is capable of bending without snapping.

Ok, so the 1/4 tube has too small of an ID for the 8-32 all thread to fit properly then... correct?

This past week I emailed a local plastics company outside of Toronto and got some pricing on sheet of delrin. $20 for a sq ft and about $20 shipping. I was looking into finally building up a Widow for "something to build". So if im going to pick up some delrin from them, I can look into getting some tube for an update to my links.


EDIT: same size of tubing for the uppers ?

[Mortimer Snerd]

$40 for a square foot of 1/4? Thats crazy. Even with the difference in the dollar, there shouldn't be that much difference. I picked up 1/4 here in Colorado for about $7/sq foot US. Find a local plastics place.

[Nerve]

Originally Posted by Mortimer Snerd

$40 for a square foot of 1/4? Thats crazy. Even with the difference in the dollar, there shouldn't be that much difference. I picked up 1/4 here in Colorado for about $7/sq foot US. Find a local plastics place.

Well I was originally asking for 3 sheets, so I guess the $20 shipping was for 3 pieces. But yah, $20 for a sq ft sheet. I asked him for 3/16 size but I guess its the same no matter what size.

www.plasticworld.ca is the place I emailed.

It would probably cost me at least that in gas to drive down to toronto and back. Plus about an hour or so of my time.. lol.

Right now that place is the only one I know of that sells plastic to the public.

[Mortimer Snerd]

This is probably a dumb question, but have you googled for plastics in your area. I've found some plastics shops in odd places.

[Offroader5]

Originally Posted by Nerve

Interesting. It shows that the delrin is capable of bending without snapping.

Ok, so the 1/4 tube has too small of an ID for the 8-32 all thread to fit properly then... correct?

This past week I emailed a local plastics company outside of Toronto and got some pricing on sheet of delrin. $20 for a sq ft and about $20 shipping. I was looking into finally building up a Widow for "something to build". So if im going to pick up some delrin from them, I can look into getting some tube for an update to my links.


EDIT: same size of tubing for the uppers ?

It will bend to an extent. My links don't have that much bend to them...maybe 20 degrees at the most.

Yeah, the tubing only has like a 2mm to 2.5mm ID. I open it up to about 4mm after I have the pieces cut to length for the links.

You could use the same size tubing for the uppers. I didn't have to make uppers on mine since I had the machined wishbone.

[Nerve]

Originally Posted by Mortimer Snerd

This is probably a dumb question, but have you googled for plastics in your area. I've found some plastics shops in odd places.

Yeah I started to work on emailing and checking out webpages of the other plastic companies around here yesterday. Few replies saying "wholesale only". But I'll keep on emailing.