My 100% homemade scale crawler. Can it be done?
 

Hey. I'm new to this forum and dont own any crawlers...YET. I have access to TONS of tools and lots of metal, etc and after much thinking and planning aswell as a little designing I believe I can fabricate my RC. (other than the motor and remote controls etc)

Here are my plans. Aswell as questions. Review this and tell me what you think about what I've come up with.

I plan to use drill motors. From small handheld drills.
For any U-joints I need I will use breakover sockets and mill them down small.
Shafts will be easy to make in my lathe...
I can get gears from many different sources...such as old fishing reels I find...(easy for me to come by)
Also planned on fabricating a CJ5 body (I own a real 77 CJ5) out of aluminum.
I can make tires out of EPMD foam.
I can mill wheels out of aluminum in the lathe and mill.
steering shouldnt be hard...a motor attached to a gearbox with a shaft attached to hubs like a real car.
I think i've figured out the shocks using a rod and tube and welding a washer to the end of the rod, sliding it into the tube then sliding another washer over that and welding it to the tube holding the rod inside where it wont come apart (oh...and toss a spring in there =P)
and thats what ive come up with so far...
so i have the following:

• Steering
• Axles
• Motor
• Frame
• Suspension
• Body
• Tires
• Wheels

I need any ideas or suggestions.
My questions: How do i make this remote control? can i do that for a reasonable price?
I'm trying to do this as cheap as possible because my budget is TIGHT.
Is what I've listed reasonable?
How would I go about making my body? I've seen some do it but how do they bend everything so perfectly??

Edit: Oh and also...what should i do about batteries? I dont want to have to spend tons of money on them from replacing and crap and i'd like to keep it running for awhile on a charge aswell as not have 40 batteries in my crawler lol.

Thanks to any help and for reading!

Hmm...56 views and no reply lol.

That's because we were all expecting pictures of a finished rig. "thumbsup"

You'd be time and money ahead just buying one. I'm not saying it can't be done, I'm just saying.

well not really...i already have all the tools and an endless supply of materials to build it. And i need $700 for a new top for my real jeep lol.
Besides it seems more fun to build it myself.

I was also wandering how much should a 1/10 scale crawler weigh? Just so i know what to watch for.
Also i tried to change my topic to better describe my subject but it wouldnt let me for some odd reason...

ya once a topic is set you cant change it, but as far as weight goes my rigs weigh in around 5+lbs

Well using drill motors, gears from other sources, sockets,etc, is not really 100% homemade is it? :lol::lol::lol:

Sweet! thanks for the imput...
Hope im posting in the correct place/manor.
I'm writing the dimensions of everything down today.
Converting a bunch of numbers and crap to 1/10 scale.
Also...what are the width of your axles? I'd like to start on those Monday. Just need some dimension help =D

Lol @ twisted creations. I meant no spending money at a crawler store and just using what i have lol. Sorry...

axle widths vary ALOT. you should figure out what body your running first then build the axles accordingly.

Ok cool. Thanks! I plan on running a scale CJ5 body. Which ill have to figure out how to fabricate but im having to think of all this as "if the creators of these can build it...so can i" and its working out so far haha.
And i appreciate you guys puttng up with my noobness...as i said i just got into this a few days ago and you guys are a great help!!

Edit: I just ran into another question. How should i choose a chassis style? Is this based off the body and what style im shooting for aswell?

You have great enthusiasm and it sounds like you have very good mechanical and fabrication skills. Please! don't take this the wrong way, but I must ask one important question that must be on everyones mind. Do you have any hobby quality RC vehicle of any kind?
Your idea's are great, and it seems like they have the potential to be an amazing project that we may all be able to learn from.
We like to help each other out in the RC community, everyone here has different levels of experience and skills in the various aspects of the hobby.

personally i would just buy a body. even if i was going to build the whole thing.

as far as chassis goes yes, the chassis depends on the body for clearence/wheelbase issues.

Thank you!! No ive honestly never really messed with any RCs...never had the money to. But i know a few people who do and i've researched them ALOT.

@ akguanja: can i find a 1/10 CJ5 body?? how much does the avg body cost?

lol another question: internal or external springs on my shocks...and whats the difference?

Hell man, go all scale! Chassis and all then make leaf springs instead of coils! Especially if you have the skills and knowhow which it sounds like you do. I do as well, I just don't have the patience. I was just thinking if you bought a RTR (ready to run) kit for a few hundred bucks, that would give you everything you need including a radio, batteries, charger, etc. It might not be as capable or as scale as you like but then you could modify it yourself from there.

I've also got a CJ-5 but mines a 73. "thumbsup"

Sweet! yea eventually i plan on upgrading my motors and crap like that but for now i am focusing on the actual model and using motors i find. Thanks for the motivation guys.

Edit: ok so I'm making my idea of a chassis in Zmod (3d modeling program) and my idea so far is something simple with this shape: __....__ only with much less of a sink in the middle lol.
...................................\_/
Note i only added the dots because on this forum lots of spaces doesnt work...idk why.
I was thinking something like a 30 degree angle on the part where it sluffs off. any input?

Edit again: these are some pictures in zmod. Not scale...just rough. prolly do some tweaking. any input?
http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/n...lerchassis.jpg
http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/n...erchassis3.jpg
http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/n...erchassis2.jpg

Edit: and heres my shock idea...i know it looks like a 6 year old did it but...it works.
http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/n...forcrawler.jpg

A few of us make scale chassis from 1/2" SQ steel tubing, heat and bend to the shape you want then split it down the centre so you have two identical rails, then add cross members ect.
http://i478.photobucket.com/albums/r...f/photo002.jpg
http://i478.photobucket.com/albums/r...f/photo003.jpg
I like to drill all the hole after bending, before splitting it on the band saw:
http://i478.photobucket.com/albums/r...f/photo004.jpg
Take your time and have fun.

SWEET! thanks! Never thought about splitting it down the middle. That would save time, money, and weight! Could i get the dimensions of that chassis from you so i'd have a roundabout idea of what to do?

Are you planning on putting oil in your shocks or will this be more for just looks?

I can't remember the exact dimensions, I believe it was 16 1/2" overall length, with the WB (axle arches) at about 12 1/4", the basic wheel base of the body you intend to use will determine the final shape and size of the frame. The cross members can be made from the same material as well.
Here is another tip, I took the gears from an old battery drills planetary box and made a transfer case:
http://i478.photobucket.com/albums/r...f/DSCN6579.jpg
http://i478.photobucket.com/albums/r...f/DSCN6581.jpg

No not only for looks. This will be fully functional. What kind of oil should i put in my shocks and why do i put oil in them?

Oil is used to slow the spring action. Otherwise its just going to bounce around uncontrollably.

It seems to me you need to learn quite a bit more about the mechanical workings before you set out to build your own. I'm not trying to insult you here, just trying to save you tons of time and effort. Buy a RTR, play with it, understand how things work, then make plans to build your own. Creating parts is easy, making them work harmoniously is not.