RCCrawler Forums

JohnR · 07-20-2006, 06:56 PM

Well mostly everything neccessary came in, so I wanted to get started on my tuber today. My one problem is I don't know exactly where to start. I have a pretty good idea how everything is going to come together, however, I'm unsure of how long to make it. For the main hoop (dead center, horizontal, front to back), I planned on making it out of 1/4" brake line, but I don't know how long to make it. It's going to be the usual 'pede tranny / tlt axles combo. I've read about 12" wheelbase is about perfect for 'em. So how long should I make the chassis front to back?

run2jeepn · 07-20-2006, 07:04 PM

Go ahead and get a Body. And start from there. You can flip the body upside down and use it for a template. Thats what I did. The reason most use the 12.5in wheelbase is for comps. Thats not perfect for all tire sizes. Bigger tires work better with longer wheelbases and so on. Start there.

Double J · 07-20-2006, 07:19 PM

You are only restricted by your self on this one.

If you are wanting a 12" WB the go from there. I don't know what tuber look you are after but if you have the body 12" from the front to the back. I would say about 4 to 5 inches at it's widest point with the base or skid area about 3". Same with the roof.
But again it's hard to say without knowing what type of tuber you are after.
Buggy, jeep type, or whatever. There are a bunch out there.

Oh and do you want it to hang over the wheels or just be in front and back of them?

If you have your basic design sketched out then you should post it as that will help us help you.

ColquittCustom405 · 07-20-2006, 08:40 PM

I let the voices in my head guide me when I'm fabricating."vvvshhasshs,hahsssiss,chavvvvisss" (chatter in my head)

Kamikaze · 07-20-2006, 08:56 PM

the only advice i would offer is to use 3/16" tubing, 1/4 looked almost to big for my superclass clod.

Robb · 07-20-2006, 09:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ColquittCustom405

I let the voices in my head guide me when I'm fabricating."vvvshhasshs,hahsssiss,chavvvvisss" (chatter in my head)

Yep, when I started building my first tuber, I gathered up a bunch of pictures off the net, and wanted to steal little ideas from each of them. But once I had the tubing in my hands and got rolling, I just started winging it. Go with your gut!

run2jeepn · 07-20-2006, 09:01 PM

I use 3/16 solid rod. Easier to weld and stronger. 3/16 tube rig will be half the weight as a 3/16 solid rod rig. But using the solid rod you don't have have as many braces which will save weight. It's your choice.

spitfireo33 · 07-20-2006, 09:54 PM

here are some pics of a tube chassis i made for a tlt. this is actually my first tlt build, and i just orderd the axles today. the chassis is 11 inches long, and 4 inchs wide i think, and about 4 inchs tall i think. i was going to the "lo-pro" look, and i think i pulled it off fairly good. im only 15, so you should be able to pull it off better than mine. i found that the best torch to use is an oxy-acetelene one, but if u use that, be carefull not to melt the tubing. mine is made out of 3/16 inch brake line. i hope this helps you. i did not look at any pics for this, i use the that-looks-about-rite method, and i design on the fly.

Reef · 07-20-2006, 11:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ColquittCustom405

I let the voices in my head guide me when I'm fabricating."vvvshhasshs,hahsssiss,chavvvvisss" (chatter in my head)

lol

JohnR · 07-21-2006, 12:02 AM

Well I got done. It ended up being around 14" long not counting the stinger. I ended up using my oxy/acyl torch with a #1 tip. I set the acyl at 2psi and the oxygen at 10. Perfect mix with a blue cone about 1" long. Takes about 5seconds to heat up a 3/16" T-joint, and about 8-10 seconds for the 1/4" t-joints. I just did this one to get a feel of how to make a chassis. It's a bit lop-sided, but I was literally adding filler to the joint, then holding the new peice with a pair of pliers, getting it suck, then going in and filling them out. 20 joints in total, and it looks like a damn crooked boat. I was using some sort of brass-based fluxcoated 1/16" rod they gave me at the welding shop. They had a pound of harrison 15% for 48 dollars, but they didn't have the 56%. Tommorow I'll go buy some more 1/4" and 3/16" rod and actually make a jig for it. I'll try to get pics for you guys tommorow, but don't expect much. I bought one of those autozone benders, but it's really hard to use. When you squeeze it, it ends up pulling the line in, completely messing up any measurements you may have made and tried to follow. I'll try again tommorow, except actually trying to keep things square

Thanks for all the help guys, you're great.
JohnR

JohnR · 07-21-2006, 11:16 AM

Got some pics from the gf's house, don't mind the girlie stuff

In all honesty, it's horrible. The joints have so much extra metal on them they suck. It's not square, mostly because I held peices in place with pliers as I was weilding a full-size oxyacyl torch. Let me know what you guys think, for me, it was a learning experience, and plan on making a different one tonight (that one took about 2 hours including cutting with a 4 1/2" angle grinder (dremel wasn't charged)

run2jeepn · 07-21-2006, 11:21 AM

Thats not bad for your first one. I have seen worse.

07-20-2006, 06:56 PM	#1
JohnR Newbie Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Laredo Posts: 23	Been looking for tuber plans Well mostly everything neccessary came in, so I wanted to get started on my tuber today. My one problem is I don't know exactly where to start. I have a pretty good idea how everything is going to come together, however, I'm unsure of how long to make it. For the main hoop (dead center, horizontal, front to back), I planned on making it out of 1/4" brake line, but I don't know how long to make it. It's going to be the usual 'pede tranny / tlt axles combo. I've read about 12" wheelbase is about perfect for 'em. So how long should I make the chassis front to back?

07-20-2006, 07:04 PM	#2
run2jeepn I wanna be Dave Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: USA Posts: 11,196	Go ahead and get a Body. And start from there. You can flip the body upside down and use it for a template. Thats what I did. The reason most use the 12.5in wheelbase is for comps. Thats not perfect for all tire sizes. Bigger tires work better with longer wheelbases and so on. Start there.

07-20-2006, 07:19 PM	#3
Double J I wanna be Dave Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: between heaven and hell. Posts: 3,367	You are only restricted by your self on this one. If you are wanting a 12" WB the go from there. I don't know what tuber look you are after but if you have the body 12" from the front to the back. I would say about 4 to 5 inches at it's widest point with the base or skid area about 3". Same with the roof. But again it's hard to say without knowing what type of tuber you are after. Buggy, jeep type, or whatever. There are a bunch out there. Oh and do you want it to hang over the wheels or just be in front and back of them? If you have your basic design sketched out then you should post it as that will help us help you.

07-20-2006, 08:40 PM	#4
ColquittCustom405 I wanna be Dave Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Orlando Posts: 7,420	I let the voices in my head guide me when I'm fabricating."vvvshhasshs,hahsssiss,chavvvvisss" (chatter in my head)

07-20-2006, 08:56 PM	#5
Kamikaze I wanna be Dave Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Columbia TN Posts: 6,154	the only advice i would offer is to use 3/16" tubing, 1/4 looked almost to big for my superclass clod.

07-20-2006, 09:01 PM	#7
run2jeepn I wanna be Dave Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: USA Posts: 11,196	I use 3/16 solid rod. Easier to weld and stronger. 3/16 tube rig will be half the weight as a 3/16 solid rod rig. But using the solid rod you don't have have as many braces which will save weight. It's your choice.

07-20-2006, 09:54 PM	#8
spitfireo33 Newbie Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: usa Posts: 10	here are some pics of a tube chassis i made for a tlt. this is actually my first tlt build, and i just orderd the axles today. the chassis is 11 inches long, and 4 inchs wide i think, and about 4 inchs tall i think. i was going to the "lo-pro" look, and i think i pulled it off fairly good. im only 15, so you should be able to pull it off better than mine. i found that the best torch to use is an oxy-acetelene one, but if u use that, be carefull not to melt the tubing. mine is made out of 3/16 inch brake line. i hope this helps you. i did not look at any pics for this, i use the that-looks-about-rite method, and i design on the fly.

07-21-2006, 12:02 AM	#10
JohnR Newbie Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Laredo Posts: 23	Well I got done. It ended up being around 14" long not counting the stinger. I ended up using my oxy/acyl torch with a #1 tip. I set the acyl at 2psi and the oxygen at 10. Perfect mix with a blue cone about 1" long. Takes about 5seconds to heat up a 3/16" T-joint, and about 8-10 seconds for the 1/4" t-joints. I just did this one to get a feel of how to make a chassis. It's a bit lop-sided, but I was literally adding filler to the joint, then holding the new peice with a pair of pliers, getting it suck, then going in and filling them out. 20 joints in total, and it looks like a damn crooked boat. I was using some sort of brass-based fluxcoated 1/16" rod they gave me at the welding shop. They had a pound of harrison 15% for 48 dollars, but they didn't have the 56%. Tommorow I'll go buy some more 1/4" and 3/16" rod and actually make a jig for it. I'll try to get pics for you guys tommorow, but don't expect much. I bought one of those autozone benders, but it's really hard to use. When you squeeze it, it ends up pulling the line in, completely messing up any measurements you may have made and tried to follow. I'll try again tommorow, except actually trying to keep things square Thanks for all the help guys, you're great. JohnR

07-21-2006, 11:16 AM	#11
JohnR Newbie Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Laredo Posts: 23	Got some pics from the gf's house, don't mind the girlie stuff In all honesty, it's horrible. The joints have so much extra metal on them they suck. It's not square, mostly because I held peices in place with pliers as I was weilding a full-size oxyacyl torch. Let me know what you guys think, for me, it was a learning experience, and plan on making a different one tonight (that one took about 2 hours including cutting with a 4 1/2" angle grinder (dremel wasn't charged)

07-21-2006, 11:21 AM	#12
run2jeepn I wanna be Dave Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: USA Posts: 11,196	Thats not bad for your first one. I have seen worse.

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