Noob attempts to build Cheap Clod Crawler

[fletty999]

Gday!

After all my mates got into rc crawling a while ago (ax-10, Losi comp crawler, Gmade spider) I decided to get in on the action but I didn't have a heap of bucks to spend.

So after some research I decided that a Clod would be the way to go and I went onto Ebay and bought a big bunch of parts for $70:



When I got the parts home I found that I was missing about 10 parts before I could make two whole axles. When I went to buy those ten parts I found that they would cost $145! $10 more than buying two brand new axles So I bought some new axles anyway.

In the meantime whilst Im saving up some more cash for motors and such I decided to find some CAD drawings of some axles, so I could design a chassis. After a thorough search of the net, I couldn't find any 3d CAD so I drew this myself:



Let the building begin!

[xgerstandtx]

I am interested to see what kind of chassis you design. Keep us posted.

[prioret]

What cad program did you use? I would be interested in seeing the inside of the gear box model, so some one can come up with new aluminum ones.

[fletty999]

I drew the axle in AutoCAD 2004

I didn't model the inside of the gearbox properly, Its really hard to measure gears to draw them properly. (pitch lines and all that tricky gear stuff)

If you want to get a copy of the model to use you can get it here:

http://sites.google.com/site/flettan...odbuster-stuff

You can buy aluminium replacements for clod gears already tho.

[prioret]

Wouldn't really need the gears model, just the casing. Once thats done, you can have gear case made with a CNC.

Have you looked at the cose of the metal boxes? They are crazy expensive!

[BUGGYBOY]

If you are interested I have almost 2 complete clod buster based crawlers both on the pimp cane design and both taken apart. One is a 12.5 and the other was a super. I has a heavy duty cast axle I have the motor adjusting plates tires and more. No electronics. If you are interested you can email me at robin@jrobtees.com
Maybe we can work something out.

[fletty999]

Update:

I've been slowly purchasing parts to build up the two axles:

2 x MG995 Servos = $22
Servo Y Leads = $10
2 x 8 tooth pinions = $16
2 x Adjustable motor mounts = $22
2 x Novak Terra Claw Motors = $33
2 x Kimbrough 124 servo savers = $16

And I've had my eye on a torsion style chassis for a while now (I also bought some traxxas TRA5347 rod ends for a 4 link later on):

Heres a mock up with 40mm x 40mm cable ducting:



I was eyeing up some pvc cable duct in an electrical workshop as it comes in all different shapes and sizes, then I found out I was doing a lot of parralel thinking to this bloke:

http://www.tamiyaclub.com/showroom_m...d=55390&id=297

Ps BUGGY BOY - Thanks but if I hadn't already bought the axles I would be all over that offer!

[fletty999]

Update,

I've started building a torsion style chassis from electrical ducting.



I fabbed up some bracketry that connects the motor mounts to the stick so that their is another mounting point to keep the axles square.






Onto the servo mounts...

[xiteamxi]

wow looking good make some good servo mounts to save your self a lot of broken servo ears.

[slim1122]

I built a cane a few months back out of electrical ducting. it lasted about five minutes and ended up using the same profile but in ally.

[jl0r]

I'll be curious to hear how that "bracketry" works.
I need a better solution to keep mine square, as it tends to creep away.

[fletty999]

Update,

After a couple of months hiatus, I finally got back to building the crawler.

After looking around at wheels, I decided that I didn't have the $150 to spend on a set of tyres and rims for the crawler. My mate told me a story of how when he was little he glued foam to the outside of the tyres on his rc car so he could drive it down the sandy fire breaks, so I decided to build some rim and tyres myself.

I was searching for something I could turn into a set of rims, when I noticed that a spray can lid fits perfectly over the clod axle C. My house mate was spraying a whole van with rattle cans so there was heaps of lids around to experiment with.

I then went to the local foam shop and bought some foam offcuts for cheap and some selleys glue that "Sticks anything to almost anything". Then drilled the 6 holes in matching lids, placed them back to back and glued the foam around them.

Thus the experimental wheels were created: