Clod dig setup DX3

[f150dan]

I figured out a way to have rear dig on a Clod based crawler using 2 ESC's and a DX3 radio. I don't know if any of you have already done this or not, but it is new to me.

One of my buddies came in the LHS today and wanted me to setup his new Clod Mod computer on his 2.2 Clod truck. After getting frustrated with that, I talked him into just running the truck like normal. I didn't have a Y harness at the time so I just pluged the ESC's into channel 2 and 3 and mixed them so the throttle trigger would control both equally. Then I accidently hit the 3rd channel switch and one of the axles went WOT while the other one was at full brake.

That sparked an idea. You have to run the front ESC on channel 3 and the rear ESC on channel 2 to make this work. Make sure to turn your drag brake all the way up because that is what will be keeping the rear axle from moving. Mix them to 100% on the radio. Now the throttle trigger will control both ESC's equally (the same as just running one ESC) and when you hit the 3rd channel switch one direction while the throttle trigger is at neutral, the front axle will spin foward and hitting the switch the other direction will spin the front axle in reverse.

I didn't know you could do this, but it works awesome. I am very pleased with the results. I will try to get a vid up soon. Lemme know what you guys think about it.

[Kamikaze]

That is counted as a reverse.

[Nicklepimp]

Yep, that would be a reverse penalty once the rear tires move in reverse.

If you're only running front wheel steer, you can use a second servo that hits a micro switch to "lock" the rear motor and power only the front-giving it dig. You'd have to wire the rear motor so that when the switch is triggered it sends positive to both sides of the rear motor, but when not activated it sends power to both motors. I'd post the diagram I made, but I'm at work right now and it's on my home computer. I did test this last year with much success.

[f150dan]

The rear tires aren't rolling in reverse. They are locked down just like my Axial with a R2D. The only tires spinning are the front tires and they will spin either direction depending on which way you push the switch. It's not a reverse penalty. It works the exact same way as anybody else's dig setup except for you don't need anything extra to use it. All you need is another ESC and a 3 channel radio with the mixing feature.

[f150dan]

The only thing about it is that you don't have proportional throttle when controling the front axle off the 3rd channel switch. It's either WOT or nothing. But that's ok when trying to do a dig because that's usually what you do anyway.

[JeremyH]

It's still a reverse if the tires spin in the backward direction...

[TwistedXT]

Originally Posted by f150dan

I figured out a way to have rear dig on a Clod based crawler using 2 ESC's and a DX3 radio. I don't know if any of you have already done this or not, but it is new to me.

One of my buddies came in the LHS today and wanted me to setup his new Clod Mod computer on his 2.2 Clod truck. After getting frustrated with that, I talked him into just running the truck like normal. I didn't have a Y harness at the time so I just pluged the ESC's into channel 2 and 3 and mixed them so the throttle trigger would control both equally. Then I accidently hit the 3rd channel switch and one of the axles went WOT while the other one was at full brake.

That sparked an idea. You have to run the front ESC on channel 3 and the rear ESC on channel 2 to make this work. Make sure to turn your drag brake all the way up because that is what will be keeping the rear axle from moving. Mix them to 100% on the radio. Now the throttle trigger will control both ESC's equally (the same as just running one ESC) and when you hit the 3rd channel switch one direction while the throttle trigger is at neutral, the front axle will spin foward and hitting the switch the other direction will spin the front axle in reverse.

I didn't know you could do this, but it works awesome. I am very pleased with the results. I will try to get a vid up soon. Lemme know what you guys think about it.

i think i get it but im confused on the setup where the throttle trigger will control both channel 2 and 3 at the same time.. can you elaborate? sounds pretty cool though and easy to setup!

and for those of you who cannot read.. the rear axle does not rotate at all.. no reverse points added. Brake is turned up to sinple hold the rear axle during the dig. this allows you to preform the dig rather then just driving around at wide open throttle in front wheel drive.

diagram please

[JeremyH]

Originally Posted by TwistedXT

and for those of you who cannot read.. the rear axle does not rotate at all.. no reverse points added.

Maybe it is you who cannot read.
http://www.usrcca.com/rules2008.pdf
First page, Section 1.2, Second sentence. That will give you the definition of "reverse"...

[TwistedXT]

Originally Posted by JeremyH

Maybe it is you who cannot read.
http://www.usrcca.com/rules2008.pdf
First page, Section 1.2, Second sentence. That will give you the definition of "reverse"...

Originally Posted by USRCCA 2008 RULEBOOK SECTION 1.2 - REVERSE

Back Up/ Reverse: (1 pt) point is given when a vehicle reverses course after making forward progress.
Reversing is defined as at any time if the tires move the vehicle backward or spin in the reverse direction,
whether intentional or not. Once a reverse penalty is given, no further reverse penalty can be given until
the vehicle makes forward progress. No penalty is given if the backward movement is part of a penalized
rollover. (See Reverse examples and explanations, sec. 7.1.)

the rules state that if any of the tires rotate backwards... on this setup, none of the tires turn backwards. the rear remain locked while the front esc is at full throttle. everyone keeps talking about how the rear tires will be rotating backwards.... that is not the case.

[JeremyH]

Originally Posted by TwistedXT

everyone keeps talking about how the rear tires will be rotating backwards.... that is not the case.

That is what I thought he was saying. I guess I was wrong. I see now where he says that the front can spin forward or backward with the rear tires locked....not sure why you'd want to spin the fronts backward, but oh well...

[TwistedXT]

i just hope we get to see a diagram and a video of this this in operation... sounds like a cool idea!

[firebat45]

Another way of accomplishing this would be to have a profile set up mixing channel 2 and 3, for normal use, and a profile with no mixing, for dig use. Then to "activate" dig, all you'd have to do is switch profiles on the radio. A bit slower (it's a few button presses) and eats up 2 profiles, but you retain full proportional control. You could even set up a third profile with little to none rear braking

[f150dan]

Ok guys, when you pull the throttle trigger foward both axle's turn foward. When you push the throttle trigger both axles turn backwards. Just like normal because channel 2 and 3 are mixed. When the throttle trigger is at neutral, neither axle will turn because of the drag brake on the ESC's. You don't have to change any profile's or do anything like that. All you have to do is hit the 3rd channel switch on your radio. It only operates the front axle so those are the only 2 tires that will spin.


I don't know how much simpler I can explain it. I see that some of you get it, but if you don't all I can say is just try it if you have one of these radios. I'm sure it will work on a JR XR3 too.

I will get a vid as soon as I can get the truck back off my buddy. I would draw a diagram but there's nothing really to draw.

Channel 1 - steering servo
Channel 2 - rear ESC
Channel 3 - front ESC

Once you do that, go into the menu on your radio and mix channel 2 and 3 to 100%. After that, turn the drag brake all the way up on your rear ESC. Then your done. Thats it. Dig away

[Rick Tomsett]

any one try this with a M-8 yet?