Front Dig

[AZ-Savage]

I have a very inexpensive way to get front dig if you have an extra channel and about $15.00 to spend. I bought a micro server and cut an old motor can in half to use as a servo mount since it will match the curve of the motor. I dremelled out the air vents on the motor that is mounted in the truck. Took some JB weld and glued down the servo mount as shown below:



You use the servo arm to lock the motor up temporarily.
Here it is mounted in the truck, it is up and out of the way of anything hitting it:



Here is a shot of it engaged into the motor:



You just need to make sure the servo arm goes in as far as possible, on my first test it eventually chewed up the arm because it was too short. I used this method of dig at our comp last weekend and it worked great the whole time. I eventually had to take it another step and use Toyofast's idea and mounted another servo to pull out the brush to cut power to the rear motor. Here is a pic of the double servos mounted:



I hope this will help anyone looking to get dig without buying another esc. Thanks,
Ron

[TwistedCreations]

why not just use that servo to pull the brush out a little bit??

[Highmark]

He's doing that, and locking the armature at the same time with two servos.

[SVEN]

Nice idea for the servo mount. I might have to put some of those old cans laying around to good use.

[run2jeepn]

Or just do what Dez did.

[Unholy]

Originally Posted by run2jeepn

Or just do what Dez did.

I did it first!

[Unholy]

This method is kinda better because it locks the motor/axle.

[grover]

Nice write up ron...very well done. The idea is simple and your aplication lis ingenious.

Chad-

[TwistedCreations]

Originally Posted by Highmark

He's doing that, and locking the armature at the same time with two servos.

yeah I know that, but why not just use one servo on the brush and be done with it. Works just fine without having to lockout the motor also.


remember K.I.S.S. Less stuff to go wrong

But to each his own

[Highmark]

Because it's not a 2.2 rig?

Try disconnecting one of the power wires to the rear motor on your TCS stick and see how good of a dig it does.

[AZ-Savage]

Hey Guys, yes I tried just pulling the brush out and the truck just dragged the rear right along with it. Man even sometimes it is hard to do digs because with the rear locked it still wants to drag it along. With the double servo setup I can just cut power to the rear if I am bound up and the rear keeps shoving my front into a wall face and let the front pull up. It is awsome going downhill because you can come to a complete stop and just drag in the direction you want to go. I also decided to go with the double servo setup because then when I am doing digs instead of the rear being stalled and drawing amps, all of the power will go to the front motor. Thanks for all of the good remarks!
Ron

p.s. here is a pic of the duall servo mount, it is very easy to make if you have a dremell tool:

[Mad Scientist]

Very clever setup. Do you think it hurts the motor at all? I suppose with a plastic servo arm, it wouldn't really do any damage to the rotor. If anything, the servo arm would be the first thing to go.

[roktoy]

Saw it work this weekend and functions great.

Someone's alway coming up with some new cool idea.

Jay

[TwistedCreations]

Originally Posted by Highmark

Try disconnecting one of the power wires to the rear motor on your TCS stick and see how good of a dig it does.

It does it just fine

So the main reason for the servo arm lock, is basically to use it as a brake right?

[AZ-Savage]

Hey Twisted, I really had to come up with a solution to lock the rear because cutting power to the rear motor would not work for me, it just pulled the rear along with it. It just has the added benefit of braking going down an incline. My original idea was to use one servo and have another ear on the servo horn push a momentary switch. I could not find a small switch that would handle enough amps, so went with two servos since I had another open channel.
Ron

[TwistedCreations]

yeah ok.. With it being on a super truck, it probably wouldn't lock up as easy as a 2.2. are both servos on one channel or seperate?

[Brandon]

Originally Posted by TwistedCreations

remember K.I.S.S. Less stuff to go wrong

But to each his own

Ha! I remember that from my first engineering class in college, I always keep that in mind now

[TwistedCreations]

Originally Posted by dezfan

That dig stuff doen't work anyways!

True.. Plus if people learned to drive in the 1st place, we wouldn't need digs and such

[Highmark]

Originally Posted by TwistedCreations

It does it just fine

So the main reason for the servo arm lock, is basically to use it as a brake right?

Right, on linoleum.

If it works on high grip suffaces aswell you have some serious binding issues in your drivetrain or more motor breaking than I've ever heard of a lathe motor having.

[AZ-Savage]

Hey just wanted to do a follow up on the dig setup. After a few months of using it everything still works great. I change the servo arm every month just for the heck of it. We have been having some tight courses out here lately and if you don't have dig you will be getting reverse points!
Thanks,
Ron