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Thread: Project: TLT Strengthen and Steer

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Old 04-29-2007, 11:08 AM   #1
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Default 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:

Name:  stock_axle.JPG
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Then I cut the stock C's off:
Name:  axle_cut.JPG
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And modeled up some extenders:
Name:  extenders.JPG
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Size:  20.0 KB

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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Old 04-29-2007, 11:10 AM   #2
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Awesome!! I can not wait to see this happen! Are you heading out to the shop soon?
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Old 04-29-2007, 11:21 AM   #3
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Here's the axle CAD assembly about 90% complete.
Name:  90percentaxle.JPG
Views: 1271
Size:  19.8 KB

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:

Name:  akerman.JPG
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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"
Name:  stubs.JPG
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Size:  14.1 KB
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Old 04-29-2007, 11:22 AM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 666 View Post
Awesome!! I can not wait to see this happen! Are you heading out to the shop soon?

Hey 666,

As a matter of fact, Yes!

Think I'll make the extenders first. Gotta do a quick drawing.
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Old 04-29-2007, 11:30 AM   #5
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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
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Old 04-29-2007, 12:01 PM   #6
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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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Old 04-29-2007, 01:18 PM   #7
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Holy crap it's nice out. I've got the A/C running in the shop!

Should be out crawlin...
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Old 04-29-2007, 01:30 PM   #8
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cant wait to see this done.
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Old 04-30-2007, 06:57 PM   #9
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this is going to be awesome
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Old 04-30-2007, 08:08 PM   #10
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A little real time machining update:

sizing stock for the carriers:
Name:  100_1975.JPG
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Size:  50.8 KB

Both carrier blocks roughed out:
Name:  100_1977.JPG
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Size:  41.3 KB

Cutting out the knotch for the dogbone/stub
Name:  100_1979.JPG
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Size:  50.5 KB
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Old 04-30-2007, 08:08 PM   #11
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Looks sweet Ace...
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Old 04-30-2007, 08:10 PM   #12
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Default TLT Strengthen and Steer

Ace,
If you need a test done...I could give it some abuse.

Let me know.

Thanks,
John
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Old 04-30-2007, 08:13 PM   #13
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And real time FU&% up!

Name:  fup.jpg
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The bottom of the knotch is supposed to be flat.

Doup. Entered the wrong depth for the cut.

SUNOFFA!
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Old 04-30-2007, 08:13 PM   #14
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lol guys at this rate it might be awhile!
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Old 04-30-2007, 08:15 PM   #15
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LOL! Looks like things are going smoothly!
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Old 04-30-2007, 08:18 PM   #16
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Could be worse I suppose, coulda been my vice.
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Old 04-30-2007, 08:24 PM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ace View Post
Could be worse I suppose, coulda been my vice.
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.
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Old 04-30-2007, 08:30 PM   #18
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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.

Name:  100_1984.jpg
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Old 04-30-2007, 08:31 PM   #19
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Quote:
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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.

"
How come the one you screw up is always the one you don't cut an extra blank for???
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Old 04-30-2007, 08:33 PM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ace View Post
How come the one you screw up is always the one you don't cut an extra blank for???
I wish I knew.
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