The Crash clan

[crash]

Ok so over the past many months of me and my boy competing, going on vacation and taking the lil rigs with and just plain going out and having fun... My lil girl asked if she could get in on the action too. Well being as how I love to spend time with the kids out having fun---how could I resist...

So since both mine and kyles rigs are TLT based--it only made sense to do the 3rd the same...

So for the last couple of weeks I have been collecting parts and will poke my way thru how I am going to do it. But basicaly I will be building myself a new rig and passing parts down to kyle and katelyn which makes sense because I am the hardest on parts...

But in any case here is how mine and kyles rigs look today.....





So instead of updating mine and kyles build threads I figured I would just make one thread.....

[Tanis]

Right on Mike!! Finally some decent competition for Britt Looking forward to what you throw together for the new rig

[Grizzly4x4]

Looking forward to seeing the updates crash.
Good job getting your daughter involved.

[Stallion1967]

Hopefully she will be as good as Kyle. It's funy to see pics of rigs that I have competed with on the web. I'm anxious to see what the new rig looks like.
-Rick

[grob23]

awesome. I love TLT's and can't wait to see a new TLT based build...

It's awesome that you're spending time with your kids... Someday, I hope to do the same... or at least spend time with my brothers kids...

Good luck: I'll be watching!

[crash]

Originally Posted by Tanis

Right on Mike!! Finally some decent competition for Britt Looking forward to what you throw together for the new rig

Originally Posted by Grizzly4x4

Looking forward to seeing the updates crash.
Good job getting your daughter involved.

Originally Posted by Stallion1967

Hopefully she will be as good as Kyle. It's funy to see pics of rigs that I have competed with on the web. I'm anxious to see what the new rig looks like.
-Rick

Originally Posted by grob23

awesome. I love TLT's and can't wait to see a new TLT based build...

It's awesome that you're spending time with your kids... Someday, I hope to do the same... or at least spend time with my brothers kids...

Good luck: I'll be watching!

The new rig won't be MUCH different from the current rig as I have it dialed in pretty good.. But I have to make changes to it and would be easier to build the new changes into a new chassis vs change the current one.

But ya she is pretty excited about it--and she is one of those natural drivers--but still needs work with the whole "cone" thing

Oh and Grizz------ My next step is try to out do you with a scaler

And I agree Stallion, its cool to meet folks and compete against them that you converse with over the web---but its even cooler when you get to wheel with them in the 1:1 world--something I get to do whenever I get down to the hammerz...

[crash]

Ok so for a while I will be kinda bouncing around--not totaly centering on one rig since there will be a shuffle of parts from one to another..

So I decided to rip the axles out of kyles rig. At this point I tore both of them down to inspect all the parts, ended up replacing 4 bearings and one bent stub shaft on the front....



These axles will be going under katelyns rig along with the steering servo..


SO at this point I gave kyles rig a good look over---3 of the 4 locations for the lower links are bent. Kyle absolutly wants to keep the chassis so I will tear it completely down and straighten the side plates.

[crash]

So as like mine and kyles rigs--both were built from exhisting rigs. Well since I have pretty much figured out this game--I am going to build the axles from scatch--picking and choosing what parts I want--so there is no waist ( example buying a tlt-1 for the axles).

So for starters I got a couple housings(plus a few more just so I have em)



I am going to run MIP CVD's front and rear---I am tired of bending my rear straight axles plus I have been really impressed with the ones I had in the front.



I went with RCP's rear lockouts due to the fact they are round--less to hang up. MSD also makes a nice lockout that are round on the bottom and square on the top---but RCP had them cheaper and basicly the same thing..



And of course--and true TLT guy has to run the TLT link mounts...

[crash]

So I got all eager beaver and tore kyle's chassis apart--and boy the side plates were bent up..



So I went out into the shop and progressed to beat on them with my deadblow--and thats when I relized why they are bent---dang the material is really soft--I could bend them into a U shape with no problem.. But I continued to work with them and filed them down to pretty damn close..



If they bend again kyle will be getting a new chassis..

So I got all the oil from the R2 dig unit(constantly giving the unit a shot of tri-flow) off the chassis and re-assembled it---so its now ready to start a few upgrades and final assembly..

[Tanis]

Done yet?..............:-P
Good call on the CVD's for the rear, I ran the same set in the rear for a year with no isssues, now the front I went through more than my fair share of CVD's, but that's to be expected when you max out the steering and run a heavy rig

[crash]

Originally Posted by Tanis

Done yet?..............:-P
Good call on the CVD's for the rear, I ran the same set in the rear for a year with no isssues, now the front I went through more than my fair share of CVD's, but that's to be expected when you max out the steering and run a heavy rig

Fatty :-P

[crash]

Ok so bouncing to my rig---I sat there for a while using my old chassis, looking and measureing and finally clicked...

So I cut some material for the chassis plates



The chassis is going to resemble the current one---only its going to have a shorter belly (same width) which is something I wanted to achieve.. I am also redefining some portions of it---to lighten it up a bit....

[crash]

So after running the R2 for the better part of the season and doing alot of reading. I opted to go with something else (Katelyn will get the R2 with my old chassis)

So I went and got an Axial tranny and DNA dig..

[crash]

So here is the R2 next to the new setup...



So here is the R2 next to the new setup...



The widths are pretty close to the same--you can lop off a lil bit off the motor plate on the Axial to get it a tad narrower.

But you can see the Axial/DNA is shorter than the R2 which will allow me to have a shorter belly.

Another great aspect of the Axial/DNA is its a 1/4 turn engagement with the cogs a better design than the R2 (and the R2 is 1/2 turn engagement)

And one more thing is the shift setup in the Axial/DNA is a better design..


So for those who are contiplating what tranny/dig to run--take that for what its worth

[iwantoffroad]

great information ^

I have been contemplating this decision for a while. that pretty much just made the decision for me.

[Tanis]

Not to mention the weight savings in the chassis Good choice Mike, you're gonna like that change and shortening the belly will also allow longer links.

[crash]

Originally Posted by Tanis

Not to mention the weight savings in the chassis Good choice Mike, you're gonna like that change and shortening the belly will also allow longer links.

Its alll about the evolution--huh Nathen

[crash]

Well work was a lil slow today--so I came prepaired with my neat lil tool I use for cutting alum. and started in on the new chassis plates..

[crash]

Ok I am putting along on the chassis. I finally got it really roughed in..



The chassis is TLT width. I am not sure what I will use for spreaders--as I had to rob the ones off my old rig to set it up. But I will probably end up making them.




Got the skip plate made and mounted--and then mounted the new rod ends so I can set the tranny/dig into the chassis.

[Stallion1967]

yah when I get a real rig I will be going out as often as I can but I'm only 15 now so I gotta wait a while