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11-21-2005, 07:40 PM
| #1 |
| Rock Crawler Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Land of the Free, because of the Brave
Posts: 891
|  LiveWire2 build thread... This may take a while, so try not to get too impatient...  I've been really dragging my feet on this one, but I figured that now is as good a time as any to start. I'll be using my new chassis plates along with a few new ideas, so here's the start.... These pics show the stock tranny compared to the hacked/painted tranny. NOTE: I wouldn't recommend painting this stuff. This tranny probably has 6 or more coats on it, and it still didn't "take" completely. And before it was painted, it was cleaned in a solvent tank, cleaned in ultrasonic tank, beadblasted, ultrasonic again, and then degreased with alcohol...still didn't help |
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11-21-2005, 07:44 PM
| #2 |
| Rock Crawler Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Land of the Free, because of the Brave
Posts: 891
| In case you haven't seen them, here's a pic of one of the sideplates. As a comparison; stock TXT side plates weigh in @ 176 grams each, while mine only weigh 22 grams each. |
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11-21-2005, 10:40 PM
| #3 |
| Quarry Creeper Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Ventura
Posts: 326
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oh wow, I almost forgot about the livewire truck, so you finally got those new side plates, and why red I thought you were a orange fanatic
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11-22-2005, 04:38 AM
| #4 | |
| Rock Crawler Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Land of the Free, because of the Brave
Posts: 891
| Quote:
It is orange, it just didn't show up well in the pic.-WRM | |
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11-22-2005, 03:54 PM
| #5 |
| Quarry Creeper Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Ventura
Posts: 326
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Ohhh gotcha |
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11-22-2005, 08:34 PM
| #6 |
| Rock Crawler Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Land of the Free, because of the Brave
Posts: 891
| Just got back from the LHS. I picked up the bearings I needed for the tranny/axles and some more orange lexan paint... (Better safe than sorry) I had no idea that the ceramic-whatever bearings were so much!  Thankfully, I've got the hookup there for a nice discount  This weekend, I can hopefully get the axles assembled and get the link/shock mounts machined. Also need to place another tool order for an aircraft drill and a hardened die. Unless of course I can find one laying around at work, but doubtful. More to come later... -WRM |
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11-22-2005, 08:59 PM
| #7 |
| Pebble Pounder Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: P.A. just out of philly
Posts: 165
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U Were Saying That Barings Were Alot U Can Say That Again I Went To My Lhs And I Was Gona Pick Up A Set Of Knuckles For My Maxx Rig And For 2 Wit Barings And Nothing Else It Was $26 I Was Like Let Me Come Back Later I Need To Think I Am Only 13 13 Years Old+$26=$$$$$$$ To Much I Got Off Ebay For 15 All 4 |
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11-22-2005, 09:02 PM
| #8 |
| Rock Crawler Join Date: May 2004 Location: DFW, Texas
Posts: 662
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Man, that is one hacked tranny! Looks cool, got any side shots of it showing the cuts you made? I assume you'll be using a laydown design for the tranny. Dragging your feet??? Seems like you build a crawler every month! |
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11-26-2005, 11:18 AM
| #9 |
| Rock Crawler Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Land of the Free, because of the Brave
Posts: 891
| Here's a pic of the top view of the tranny. Basically, I just cut along the seam, where the second motor would have been located. |
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11-26-2005, 11:37 PM
| #10 |
| Pebble Pounder Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Kenosha
Posts: 181
|  totally off the subject, but that foam that the tranny is layin on, model train track layout?? |
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11-27-2005, 07:19 AM
| #11 |
| Rock Crawler Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Land of the Free, because of the Brave
Posts: 891
| Yep, that's the inclines for the layout I'm currently working on. Like I've said earlier, I have WAY too many hobbies... |
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12-01-2005, 02:38 PM
| #12 |
| Pebble Pounder Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Kenosha
Posts: 181
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lol, definitly a fun hobby there. im heavily into model trains also. been messin with HO for years, had my fun, but that scale is too big for my trailer to have a decent layout in. so a while back, i got into N scale. way awesome, got a full layout on a 4x2 ft. door section for a base. nice and small, but still way fun cause now i have a layout to toy with. but i also have to much on my plate to tackle at this moment, so it sits........
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12-01-2005, 06:34 PM
| #13 | |
| Rock Crawler Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Land of the Free, because of the Brave
Posts: 891
| Quote:
The major stuff on my plate is:4x6 N scale layout to work on 2 crawlers to build (still need to finish one tuber) finish building my custom '48 CJ2A crawler finish '85 Yota wheeler finish other misc. rc projects etc.... So yeah, I know where you're comin' from... -WRM | |
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12-19-2005, 08:58 PM
| #14 |
| Rock Crawler Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Land of the Free, because of the Brave
Posts: 891
| UPDATE: Well, I decided that after staring at it for a while, that it wasn't going to build itself, so I did a few things today. I got the axles assembled (with the inner link/shock mounts), and fabbed the tranny mounts for the delrin skidplate, and attached the side plates. I also made some lower mockup links from all thread. It's starting to look like a crawler now. I thinking about making this one a 14" WB rig for our developing "driver's/spec. class." I'm still debating it though. Maybe I can get the rest of the links finished and shocks attached by next weekend, we'll see....... -WRM |
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12-19-2005, 10:06 PM
| #15 |
| Rock Crawler Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Grand Forks, ND
Posts: 620
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due to the innovation your putting into this i would say for for clod killer. the cut up tranny so you can lay it low is something i havent seen before you. and you made yourself a custom chassis. i guess its up to you but i would go all the way at this point.
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12-20-2005, 04:35 AM
| #16 |
| Rock Crawler Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Land of the Free, because of the Brave
Posts: 891
| Thanks for the vote of confidence fuzz. I think it'll do very well in the class it's intended for. Something new I'm trying for this TXT........ tool steel lower links sleeved with delrin!  I just hope that I can dye white delrin orange.......... -WRM |
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12-27-2005, 01:19 PM
| #17 |
| Rock Crawler Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Land of the Free, because of the Brave
Posts: 891
| Just a small update. I mocked it up today (just as a roller), and I don't think it'll fit into the 14"WB "driver's spec" class for PARC. My sideplates don't like the short wheelbase. Since the lower link/shock mounts are actually an inch or so away from the axles (toward the chassis), it makes the links really short, and the upper shock placement is out of whack. So, it looks like I'm gonna keep it at close to a 16" WB (maybe 15.5", we'll see). I'd post pics, but it's not to that point yet. Besides, I want to wait until it's finished. -WRM |
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12-27-2005, 01:34 PM
| #18 |
| MODERATOR™   Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Ohio
Posts: 18,928
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I've found the same to be true with my 14" mock up using those special plates I found in the dumpster behind your shop.
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12-27-2005, 05:59 PM
| #19 | |
| Rock Crawler Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Land of the Free, because of the Brave
Posts: 891
| Quote:
Yup. They work perfectly @15.5", but not so good at 14".-WRM | |
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12-28-2005, 07:44 PM
| #20 |
| Rock Crawler Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Land of the Free, because of the Brave
Posts: 891
| Was gonna wait, but I couldn't resist... Got a long ways to go yet, but here's a couple teasers. Shown are the lower links I just got done making, they're .125 hardened steel (threaded 6-32 on each end), sleeved with .250 delrin tubing. The tubing was supposed to have a .125 I.D., but it was actually somewhere around .115. So, I had to order a longer than normal .125 drill bit to "bore" the tubing. Even after that, it was still too snug to slide over, so I heated the tubing with a propane torch, and forced the steel rod through. It's a tight fit, but they're not going anywhere now... I still have much to do as you can see, but I'll get started on the upper link/servo mounts tomorrow, (they'll be of the same design as the original LiveWire). Then, I'll add a few more cross braces to the chassis, an upper tranny mount (for a third mounting point), and finally, mount the electronics. I have run into a slight snag though. On the original LiveWire, I ran K-Rocks and some aluminum wheels with custom backspacing, which worked quite well. But now, since I'm using stock wheels (with faux 'locks, and yes, I know they still need more screws...) and GT's, they rub on the lower links. So, I guess if I wanna keep this wheel/tire combo, I'm gonna have to get some wideners on there. I figure that .5 per side should work. Still waiting on the body to arrive..... Here 'ya go... BTW, as it sits, WB is at 15.75", and clearance under the skid is a hair over 4.25" -WRM Last edited by WRMorrison; 12-28-2005 at 09:32 PM. |
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