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04-29-2007, 11:08 AM | #1 |
Rock Crawler Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Longmont, CO
Posts: 901
| Project: TLT Strengthen and Steer
As we all know a TLT axles steering is marginal at best. There are lots of things people do to upgrade the steering and here's my version. As far as strengthening, at the last comp I drove my 2.2 tuber to a rock and started to climb it and the left front wheel stopped spinning. No noise, no drama nothing. I figured my wheel had come loose, nope I sheared the inner axle at the dogbone. No wonder, the cross sectional area of a tlt shaft measures about .0158in^2 I plan on using 1/4" axles, necked down to .200" at the dogbones for an area of .031^2 or twice the strength. So twice the area, twice the shear strength. I also plan on using high carbon steel which is probably much stronger than a stock TLT shaft (guessing on that) I hope to go from CAD models to finished parts in this thread. Just finished the CAD models this morning and I'm gonna head out to the shop and machine today. 1st thing I had to do was model up the stock TLT axle. At first I thought drawing up the axle would take forever but it actually went pretty quick. One thing I notice when drawing Tamiya parts is alot of the dimensions are in inches and yet the hardware, bearings, shafts etc are metric. I wonder if the designs are done in America... Anyway here's the axle halves assembled: Then I cut the stock C's off: And modeled up some extenders: I hope to improve strength (obviously) and also steering by reducing the scrub radius on the kingpins. I did that by moving the pivot for the tires under the wheel as much as possible. Can't get it perfect because the wheels available don't have enough offset. |
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04-29-2007, 11:10 AM | #2 |
MODERHATER™ Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Colorado
Posts: 10,939
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Awesome!! I can not wait to see this happen! Are you heading out to the shop soon? |
04-29-2007, 11:21 AM | #3 |
Rock Crawler Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Longmont, CO
Posts: 901
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Here's the axle CAD assembly about 90% complete. To maintain akerman angles when steering, the line formed by the tie-rod end and the steering pivot should intersect the middle of the rearend. So I drew up a plane (angled line in the pic below) that runs thru the steering pivot and the center of the rearend. Then I played with the tierod mount location until it lined up: As far as strength, check out the stub axles!: 5/8" od at the dogbone. High carbon steel. I doubt I'll need to carry replacements! The dogbone pin is 1/8" |
04-29-2007, 11:22 AM | #4 |
Rock Crawler Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Longmont, CO
Posts: 901
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04-29-2007, 11:30 AM | #5 |
Rock Crawler Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: North GA
Posts: 824
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Looking good so far! You designs definitely look strong enough. How much steering do you think you will gain with this mod? I got 50* of steering in each direction with a set of custom C's and knuckles on a TLT axle. -Destroyer |
04-29-2007, 12:01 PM | #6 |
Rock Crawler Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Longmont, CO
Posts: 901
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In CAD, 45* looks good. I would have checked a little more angle but I realized my links would hit with anymore steering...
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04-29-2007, 01:18 PM | #7 |
Rock Crawler Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Longmont, CO
Posts: 901
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Holy crap it's nice out. I've got the A/C running in the shop! Should be out crawlin... |
04-29-2007, 01:30 PM | #8 |
I lost my vendor privileges Join Date: May 2006 Location: TOP OF THE HILL
Posts: 3,014
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cant wait to see this done.
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04-30-2007, 06:57 PM | #9 |
Rock Crawler Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Santa Rosa
Posts: 566
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this is going to be awesome
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04-30-2007, 08:08 PM | #10 |
Rock Crawler Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Longmont, CO
Posts: 901
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A little real time machining update: sizing stock for the carriers: Both carrier blocks roughed out: Cutting out the knotch for the dogbone/stub |
04-30-2007, 08:08 PM | #11 |
I wanna be Dave Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Here
Posts: 7,317
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Looks sweet Ace... |
04-30-2007, 08:10 PM | #12 |
I wanna be Dave Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Here
Posts: 7,317
| TLT Strengthen and Steer
Ace, If you need a test done...I could give it some abuse. Let me know. Thanks, John |
04-30-2007, 08:13 PM | #13 |
Rock Crawler Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Longmont, CO
Posts: 901
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And real time FU&% up! The bottom of the knotch is supposed to be flat. Doup. Entered the wrong depth for the cut. SUNOFFA! |
04-30-2007, 08:13 PM | #14 |
Rock Crawler Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Longmont, CO
Posts: 901
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lol guys at this rate it might be awhile!
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04-30-2007, 08:15 PM | #15 |
MODERHATER™ Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Colorado
Posts: 10,939
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LOL! Looks like things are going smoothly!
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04-30-2007, 08:18 PM | #16 |
Rock Crawler Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Longmont, CO
Posts: 901
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Could be worse I suppose, coulda been my vice.
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04-30-2007, 08:24 PM | #17 |
2006 2.2 National Champ Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Big Bear Lake
Posts: 8,328
| That would have sucked!! The worse thing about scrapping a part, with no extras, is going back and catching the new one up to where you were with the others. Nice work as always, can't wait to see the finished product in person. |
04-30-2007, 08:30 PM | #18 |
Rock Crawler Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Longmont, CO
Posts: 901
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My momma always said CNC is like a box of chocolates. You never know what your gonna get. Pic of last nights progress and one carrier. |
04-30-2007, 08:31 PM | #19 |
Rock Crawler Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Longmont, CO
Posts: 901
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04-30-2007, 08:33 PM | #20 |
2006 2.2 National Champ Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Big Bear Lake
Posts: 8,328
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