Chassis Side Plates

[BLADE]

Check out the plates for the "Cobra" Crawling chassis let me know what you think.

http://www.clodmodracing.com/images/Cobra1.jpg

[Grizzly4x4]

Looks like a monster truck chassis, not a rock crawler, judging from the distance between the top rails and the bottom of the chassis. Maybe my scale is off without a body and axles though.

That's some very nice work though

[BLADE]

Originally Posted by Grizzly4x4

Looks like a monster truck chassis, not a rock crawler, judging from the distance between the top rails and the bottom of the chassis. Maybe my scale is off without a body and axles though.

That's some very nice work though

What are the correct measurments for the top rails according to you and I can Check what my measurments are just to compare besides I want to make sure it crawls as good as I can get it to so any info you can give me I would appretiate it. I do have a prototype with these plates that I have been running for the last couple weeks, it has a 16 inch wheel base right now it will have 15.5 and I am running E maxx Shocks on it and it seems to be very stable and has alot of articulation. I will share some photos of it in the near future.

[CLODPRO]

Those are pretty cool sideplates.
Are those custom ones for yourself or are you selling them?
I looked at your page, but I only saw some motor plates. What else do you sell?

[Grizzly4x4]

Originally Posted by BLADE

What are the correct measurments for the top rails according to you and I can Check what my measurments are just to compare besides I want to make sure it crawls as good as I can get it to so any info you can give me I would appretiate it.

I dont know that there is a "correct" measurement, I was only suggesting that monster trucks have the body way up high and the bottom of the chassis down low. Having the bottom of the chassis low allows them to keep the lower links near horizontal. I believe that rock crawlers should be designed to have a very short distance between the top rails and the lower link mounting points, this keeps the center of gravity low and when the lower links are designed right, maximizes ground clearance at the center of the truck to maintain a good breakover angle. Now maybe you are thinking: well I'm going to mount the batteries in the center of the chassis at the bottom so the CG will be low. That is fine, but in my opinion the battery should be mounted on the top rails so that it can be mounted over the front axle, as far forward as possible. This really helps with climbing vertical stuff.
The Duke's chassis has about 2" from the top rails to the bottom of the chassis and the battery sits on top of the frame above the front axle. The wheelbase is 14 7/8" and has 4 5/8" of clearance from the ground at the center of the chassis. Under articulation it gets 7.5" under one tire, not including any "tire squish" if it were driving over something. I am very pleased with how it werks, just as you are.

This is all just my opinion , I dont claim that this is the only way to build a rockcrawler and after this weekends competition in CO I may have my butt handed to me. I will post pics soon too, I have redesigned alot of stuff for the competition since my post of "Come meet The Duke".

[BLADE]

Thanks for the information I appretiate any kinda of suggestions. Your crawler definetly Rocks. I hope to make a more custom crawler with E maxx diffs soon and I will build it alot different then my clod. Oh and on the chassis the body will be lower then it looks, there is acctually 2 sets of mounting holes for the body so if you wish you can mount it higher or lower and my battery will be mounted at the bottom of the chassis.
Again I appretiate your suggestions. Also make sure you guys get some pictures posted after your competiotion so I can be even more jealous that I couldnt make it.

[Grizzly4x4]

Thanks for the kind words Blade.

I am thinking of building a shaftie myself. Maybe someday when I have time to do another rig.
I hope to see you at the Rumble on the Rocks June 26th. I need to see if I can even the score with PinchFlat.

[BLADE]

Originally Posted by Grizzly4x4

Thanks for the kind words Blade.

I am thinking of building a shaftie myself. Maybe someday when I have time to do another rig.
I hope to see you at the Rumble on the Rocks June 26th. I need to see if I can even the score with PinchFlat.

Sounds like you guys had a Fun Weekend at the Comp. Ya it definatly takes time to make a crawler It is taking me forever to finish my clod crawler but it is coming along, I froze up the one of my axles in it last night racing my buddy that was using my emaxx so there is another delay on it getting finshed. But man it was fun.
I dont think I will make it to the Comp on the 26th man I wish I could but to much going on and my crawler is still in its beginning stages. But I am definatly shootsing for the next one.