Swivel Chassis Prototype

[Jaydee]

Being Clod axles have the motors mounted right to the axles I can't see any reason why people keep trying to hook the axles up like standard axles with links and shocks and what not for crawling. It seems to me you can just make the center of the chassis rotate instead. However I am new to RC truck world and usually learn the hard way.

Anyway here is my first prototype of the Swivel Chassis.

Movie (Sorry pretty bad quality): http://www.virtual4x4.com/movies/swivleproto1.AVI

Pic (Sorry for the Copyright watermark but people rip my pics on other hobbies and claim as their own):



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This after I bashed on it for 2 hours. Only thing I managed to damage was the front steering link. Needs better links anyway.




Articulation is only limited by the wiring. Other wise it could just spin in circles. Still a work in progress however. Thinking about moving the swivel mount from the center to the front so it would be easier to mount a body of some kind although real rock crawler don't have real bodies anyway.

[Double J]

Nice work. Something I haven't had time to work on similar idea but with a tuber.

[Offroader5]

Too much articulation can be a bad thing also. There's nothing keeping the axle from going all the way around like a shock would do.

It's not a new idea in 1:1 rigs. People have tried it in crawling and in the Tough Truck comps...and the "simpler is better" philosophy usually comes out on top.

[Jaydee]

Yeah, I think a tuber body would be a good choice.

Just a note I am running stock Clod pinions with 65 turn lathe motors and stock clod wheels and tires (not glued) right now. I got some IMEX Swamp Dawg 2.2's I might put on the next version.

I am drawing up the next version in ACAD and will machine the parts for the second version of this sooner or later. It doesn't need links or shocks really. The 4 links I have on there don't function as actual links but just supports to keep the axles from twisting. Those will be replaced with something new. I also just got a rubber seal bearing kit for the axles I will drop in. Lots of stuff to work out yet.

I got a TLT off e-bay for a second project as well. Going to make a scale mudder with it.

Winter is fast approaching here so it will give me something to do.

[Jaydee]

Originally Posted by Offroader5

Too much articulation can be a bad thing also. There's nothing keeping the axle from going all the way around like a shock would do.

It's not a new idea in 1:1 rigs. People have tried it in crawling and in the Tough Truck comps...and the "simpler is better" philosophy usually comes out on top.

Yes it needs articulation limiters. Also instead of shocks I am thinking up a way to spring load the swivel. Will be in in the next version. In the vid I got the front at 90 degrees and managed to pull out of it but with better crawling tires it probably would have flipper over. Done that a few times yesterday.

This is as simple as it gets though. Lot easier than links and shocks.

[4link4eva]

I like it. The simpler is better philosophy ALWAYS comes out on top, and this is simpler. You could use 2 torsion springs, like the one you'd find on a clothes peg, set at half travel facing opposite direction on the main chassis bar for suspension limit. In crawling, too much articulation is certainly a bad thing, lock your diffs and limit the articulation and you'll see a sizeable improvement.

Good start

Cheers 8-)

EDIT: Also, narrow your wheels (leave the tyres standard width) to roll the tread around and give some sidewall grip.

[BrandonW]

thats one dirty rig! looks cool man nice to see a new design in the making.

[run2jeepn]

I like the idea, but having the travel not being limited and not helping with tratcion. Shocks help put traction where needed. Even the Torsion chassis that don't have links or shocks put force on the tires. Yours seems to just roll around. Oh and the COG is really high.

[badger]

I bet you can really tell how well that works with those awsome stock tires and the short wheel base.

[Offroader5]

Personally, I wouldn't call it the simpler way...but I am used to building 4 links and using coilovers on 1:1 rigs, so doing that on RC's just came naturally, and is the simple way for me.

I would be mostly concerned on the strength. It would only be as strong as the pivot material used, and the mounts used to attach the pivot to the chassis halves.

All the designs I have seen on 1:1 rigs have been built where the tube that is used for the pivot (and to run all lines through from front to back), was mounted in a double sheer fashion. Which would mean that instead of the whole pivot being held in place by only the end of the chassis closest to the middle...it would be a longer tube that stretched from the end of the chassis farthest away from center so that the tube was supported from both ends.

I'll definitely give ya props for trying something new on an RC crawler

[Jaydee]

Originally Posted by badger

I bet you can really tell how well that works with those awsome stock tires and the short wheel base.

Wheel base is 12" as it sits. Was trying to keep it 2.2 class. Easy to move it to 12.5" though. Just have to cut a longer spacer. Yes stock wheels and tires. This thing is not even remotely close to start real crawling. After the 3rd or 4th version I will consider paying for better tires and wheels. No point at this stage. Not even sure if I will stick with the concept. After a few move versions I will know.


run2jeepn: I have a lock nut on the bolt holding it together. It sets the tension on how much force it takes to spin it. It is not spinning freely in other words. I would like to have a spring loaded however to keep pressure better on all 4's. COG is not as bad as it looks. Most of the weight is the axles and motors. They are twice as heavy as the battery's and electronics and chassis combined. I can scrap the receiver battery pack when I get a better ESC to.

4link4eva: Diffs are locked. Only way to go. I Have future plans for these tires and wheels so I am not going to mod them. Don't even have them glued which didn't help either. I will buy better tires and wheels when I get a final design done.

noob_superman: Thanks.

[Jaydee]

Originally Posted by Offroader5

Personally, I wouldn't call it the simpler way...but I am used to building 4 links and using coilovers on 1:1 rigs, so doing that on RC's just came naturally, and is the simple way for me.

I would be mostly concerned on the strength. It would only be as strong as the pivot material used, and the mounts used to attach the pivot to the chassis halves.

All the designs I have seen on 1:1 rigs have been built where the tube that is used for the pivot (and to run all lines through from front to back), was mounted in a double sheer fashion. Which would mean that instead of the whole pivot being held in place by only the end of the chassis closest to the middle...it would be a longer tube that stretched from the end of the chassis farthest away from center so that the tube was supported from both ends.

I'll definitely give ya props for trying something new on an RC crawler

Yeah I hear ya on that.
It is plenty strong. The swivel link is the strongest part of the entire rig. All it is a couple steel bearing, a steel bolt and a copper spacer in the middle with a few brass washers.
I am treating these clod axles different than normal axles because the motors are mounted to them directly. I think this can be an advantage over stock style axles setups being there is no motor and drive train to work around. I don't really see the point in links on these axles for that reason. Work in progress. May end up back to links but experience isn't made doing the ordinary.

My TLT build however will have a link setup.