shock angle

[skrewdriver]

I just finished building my crawler. I took it out side on to the street and drove it around. This is my first crawler so I think I did something wrong. I think its the shock angle. I think that it might be too steap. her is a link to a drawing I did. the black lines are the links, the red lines are the shocks: http://putfile.com/pic.php?pic=5/12217383938.jpg&s=x402
The problem Im having is firstb of all when I turn and drive the truck 3-wheels. no matter how fast I go. also when I turn then return to going straight, the whole chassis is tilted to the direction the truck was turned to. The only way to get the chassis back to being straight is to turn the other way and drive.
I know that this is wrong. So is it because of my shocks being too steap?
(The shocks might be even steaper than in the pictures)

[Unholy]

You didn't say, but i assume you have a shafty...

Probably a TLT from your drawing.

Do a search on "Torque Twist" to learn about fixes ranging from stronger springs, link locations, shock position, etc.

Hope that helps!

[skrewdriver]

oh sorry. Its actually a CLOD. The chassis is a cutom one. It doesnt look exactly like that but its close enough.

[Unholy]

Then scratch everything I said above!

[skrewdriver]

Yeah if I had a crawler with drive shafts I know it could have problems like a 1:1 truck.
Problems like torque twist. but its not a drive shaft truck so...... Was I correct about the shocks being too steep?

[Unholy]

<------- Not a Clod guy.

Can't be of any help to you.

[envious8420]

sounds like your shock/spring combo is too soft.


jim

[skrewdriver]

Originally Posted by envious8420

sounds like your shock/spring combo is too soft.


jim

Well Im running stock savage shocks. i even tried to add about an inch and a half of spacers and it didnt get better.

[K_B]

I can't see the picture (blocked at my work ) but it definitely sounds like you could aleviate some of that problem by decreasing the angle of the shocks, like you said. Just do some experimentation... hell, that's half the fun in this hobby!

[trevorsride]

I have a clod with a Gecko2 chassis, and had the same problem. I had the shocks almost vertical, and it did the same thing. I laid them down and it almost went away. They were like this ( | | ), and then I put them like this ( / \ ), and it made it a lot better.

[CustomCrawler]

Stand up your shocks more. This will increase firmness but decrease travel.

[skrewdriver]

Originally Posted by trevorsride

I have a clod with a Gecko2 chassis, and had the same problem. I had the shocks almost vertical, and it did the same thing. I laid them down and it almost went away. They were like this ( | | ), and then I put them like this ( / \ ), and it made it a lot better.

well mine are the opposite. there like this(/ \) and the whle thing sucks. I sould probably make them like this (| |)

Also If I make them verticle, I decrease travel- well I run savege shocks and they have quite a bit... so what should I do then?

[flexmonger]

I just went through the same thing with my modified clodzilla chassis. I reccomend mounting the lower shock mounts closer to the chassis pivot point and the upper shock mount further upward. You still want a little angle , like about 70 degrees. Mounting the top further up provides more uptravel or the use of longer shocks. Mounting the lower closer to the pivot point allows more down travel. Do this and play with spring tension and lower shock mounts to adjust the angle accordingly.

[JJsPrecisionGuesswork]

Driver,

Have you checked your 4 links to make sure they're all the same length? I've also found that those shocks sometimes they bind up when they're laid down like that because it puts pressure where the shock shaft goes in the housing, sort of like trying to break a toothpick in half....The other thing is you might need a stabilizer bar, hope this helps some...J.J.

[WestCoastPJ]

for savage shocks,since they are longer,they would need to be mounted more vertically.Your right,the shock angled like that is most likely to be the main cause of your problem.Try fabbing up some shock mounts that would extend out.Also,try some stiffer spring/shock oil combo.Does it lean toward one side or multiple sides?

[JohnRobHolmes]

do you have stuff mounted on the chassis? It sounds like you have weight up top above the roll center, causing the chassis to flop back and forth.

We need a pic of the real thing.

[skrewdriver]

Originally Posted by johnrobholmes

do you have stuff mounted on the chassis? It sounds like you have weight up top above the roll center, causing the chassis to flop back and forth.

We need a pic of the real thing.

I tried driving it with a body and without. It does the samething either way.
Ill try to get a pic of even a video asap.
What I dont understand are these trucks:
http://www.rccrawler.com/forum/tamiya-tlt-crawlers/6756-tlt-crawler-picture-archive-print.html

the shocks are mounted just as steep as mine or even steeper and they work... so whts the deal?

[EeePee]

Could be spring rate.

[skrewdriver]

Well I know that the Maxx shocks a alittle stiffer than the savage shocks. but at the same time I did add like an inch and a half of spacers to the savage shock and I still had the same result.

Yesterday I relocated the front upper shock mount so that its more verticle. I left the rear alone since its going to be quite some work to malke them verticle.
Anyway, withe the front shocks almost verticle, the truck still did the same thing.

[EeePee]

Originally Posted by skrewdriver

I did add like an inch and a half of spacers to the savage shock and I still had the same result.

Because that doesn't increase the spring rate. That only preloads the spring.