How To: make your OWN 4-link Mount

[Nova]

It hasen't been explained, so I thought on taking the liberty to make a How To on making your own stuff...

Let me start off here with what your going to need(Or close to it):
Grinder(MUST need a steady hand)
Sharpy
Straight Edge
Needle Nose pliers

Materials:
a $0.69 plate of sheet metal
a Brain

Don't worry guys, I got lots of picture explainators.

(I started off without thinking about making a How To post, but I decided to gain some brownie points from Mods ;))

First thing, get yourself a sheet of sheetmetal (Or your favorite ductile metal)



Now that you have it, draw a 6 3/4" line from the side to the middle, 3/4" away from the other side, like so:



Now that that is done, for future reference, make bend marks in the metal, the picture explains what to do:
(IF YOU MESS UP with a sharpy, lick your finger and apply a LOT of force in a frictional way.)



Now that you have it marked, time to cut.
Once it is cut, bend it first with the pliers, making sure they are straight, then finish it to a 90* with your fingers or proceed to bending with the pliers. It should look like this:



And the finised Product:



And how it looks on the TLT Axle:

There is 1/4" of space from mount to servo. If you want, make a brace as well...

Hope this helps some people out there, just though it might be essential.

[Nova]

I lost the one that isn't in the last pic... I'm a littler frustrated there... Gotta make another one now...

[microgoat]

while you're at it, make the next one thicker. that one's gonna go pretzel on ya as soon as you hit the rocks.

[Nova]

Just noticed that a minute ago... Can't even drill a hole in it :S

Well... it's still a good reference page...

[Madkoifish]

Steel is hard enough you need to punch it first, not with a fist but a nail or nail set will do then the drill should cut in quite easily.
I definetly would look into alum and use a vice to bend or use a L shaped extruded thingy from ace or the hobby shoppe. Ill post some pics in about 30min??, heading out the door now for some foodie. The steel when at the right thickness would 1 be hard to bend 2 be super heavy (which could be a good thing! for the front axle!)

[egdinger]

Honestly I made mine out of steel, actually an old computer case. And it has held up decently, It bent a little, but so far has proven stronger than the links. And I did a header off of a 3 foot drop onto one tire.

[Madkoifish]

Ok here are the pics.

1 use thicker L than I did mine acualy bent a little at the top, that or leave more of the L behind when you cut in the hole. Just coping saw it out then grind or file it square.

Now reason I state the need for strength is this area is one of the MOST important areas on the truck. If your links are off by a few mm it will affect the suspention. Any bending or deflecting will result in inconsistant handling. Not to mention a part that creates a weak link.
2 NOW this solution Im posing isnt the end all be all of servo mounts. I avoided the bent overhead style because I had no stock avalible without waiting a few days so the shoppe would be open. And I had no firm way to make a symmitrical part though bends. IE have it be the same on both sides. (yes, Im anal) Each solution has its drawbacks and each has thier merrits. I plan later to convert from this style to a sandwich style where the top plates will bolt through the servo mounts which then are bolted to the servo plate.
Either way I hope this helps some?? lol or did I just waste a few min of my life?? :-P
Anyhoo this brings a idea to me, a http tut page on all those annoying small things related to crawlers! heh I do need to fab a backup set of drive shafts hrmmmm
anyhoo good luck and I hope you make that 1week deadline!!!

[Nova]

Thats a servo mounted link tower?? There are 2 screw holes on each side of the axle not being used, thats what I figured doing, but for the front axle, that's pretty cool, BUT you probabl will have to switch to a firmer servo post...

Yeah... thats what I'll see about doing, thanks.

[Don]

I'm glad none of those are going on my rig.

[Nova]

Ok then... you tell me what you have, and I'll tell you if its in a $5 budget.

I wouldn't either....

[Will]

Originally Posted by egdinger

....an old computer case.

ghetto.....

[Nova]

My school had a LOT of tower shells... hmmmm and a bender... hmmm... and a drill press... hmmm....

School is good MmmmKay

And the best thing is, I'm the number one welder in the school, so I get to fool around pretty much as much as I want.
And it's right after lunch... how could it get any better? maybe a mill, but hey, thats pushing it.

[RD400]

I use the stock mounts on the top of the axle and I made this mount. It wouldn't be hard to incorperate the servo mount into it.



It might not be the best, but its better then nova's abortion.

[Don]

Originally Posted by Nova

Ok then... you tell me what you have, and I'll tell you if its in a $5 budget.

I would use the same set up I have on my TXT's. And they only cost me $3.60 to do both axles.

[Don]

Originally Posted by RD400

I use the stock mounts on the top of the axle and I made this mount. It wouldn't be hard to incorperate the servo mount into it.



It might not be the best, but its better then nova's abortion.

That is a nice set up! I'd like to see it with out the top.And a little closer.

[Madkoifish]

Originally Posted by Don

I'm glad none of those are going on my rig.

see what you look like after sitting under the workbench for 3weeks.
Its ugly since I hacked em together last min. Also note I mentioned one should run thicker alum. I used what was laying around in the garage. Also I mangled the hell outta that one cause I went from a "standard case" servo to a wider servo so I sorta made it fit ( hence why its home is under the bench now)
as well if your going to rudely critisize others stuff at least post what you think is the "right" way.

As for stronger servo mounts they arnt to bad stock I do run washers to brace it all more but best is to use alum mounts. but the stock plastic shouldnt deflect at all. Least not like thin steel or PC cases. Only having the upper hole in use is a drawback but I didnt have alum wideenough to utilise the lower servo ears. Anyhoo there are other ways but it seems so far this is the one I have seen most on others trucks. And as ugly and thin as mine are only that one failed due to me forcing it over a too large servo and it living on the rear of the truck.
And yes that dealie is only for servo mounts for links I run a ti alloy plate out back with the link spaced on top. In the middle of making a solid mount that bolts to the rear plate but some old spacers are doing the job just fine for now.
here is the rear plat in prototype phase.

I have since drilled out the back braces and bolted the plate in I found the single screws only in the stock locations it wasnt a secure hold.
Anyhoo you can see the nasty spacers Im using but it should give you a idea. Im sure someone would boo how low the links are. Im thinking it might be my over articulation issue right now with the rear. Hence why Ill make a alum brace that will bolt in with a mess of link holes to find which I like :-P

Anyhoo give a search a try, and not only in small crawlers I just saw some stuff that give me a few ideas.

[Don]

Originally Posted by Madkoifish

That is realy nice. I mite have to do some thing like that on the rear of my rig. Only with angle aluminum to match the front.

Originally Posted by Madkoifish

as well if your going to rudely critisize others stuff at least post what you think is the "right" way.

I did not mean to rudely critisize. And I'm sorry if it came off that way. Right after I started to post I had to go out. I intended on posting the pic in the frist post.
I was commenting on how weak all the mount looked and how cobbled together.

Originally Posted by Madkoifish

I mentioned one should run thicker alum.

I did see that you posted that thicker aluminum should be used. I use 1 1/2 x 1/8 angle aluminum. It has anof room to fit a standard size servo. And it's strong anof to mount the uper links to. And still light as hell.

[JohnRobHolmes]

made with 1/4 inch delrin, and CF plates. you could use aluminum plates if you were so inclined. tools used were scroll saw (took forever to cut the CF), and a hand drill. the servo is very snug . they slide forward and backward, but there is little movement otherwise. a square of servo tape has held the servos brilliantly.

[JohnRobHolmes]

my hand looks like a 5 yr old kids! the pic is at least a year old though, right when the tlt came out.

[Madkoifish]

cool that is very close to I was refering to.

I just gotta get off my lazy arse and do the work, the shop is a pigsty. ;p