hacking txt frame
 

Hey quick question. Im going to cut off the bottom of my frame and I need to know if I do that am I going to need to adjust the length of my links in order to keep my driveline angles correct? Id like to do this without messing with my links because I dont have a tap and die set to make new holes.

Thanks

Are you just going to cut the chassis for clearence or are you going to lengthen the WB? If you lengthen the WB you can use your links. What I did was search and then did it a way which I'm sure had been done before but I hadn't seen done before.

First are you going to make a serious crawler out of this thing or do want to make a somewhat crawler? if you want a somewhat crawler go to clodtalk or some other place. If you want a ROCK MACHINE you are in the right place.

So here's what I did. I took my tranny out and took a band saw but a dremel or hacksaw could work too. Then I cut off the lower tranny mount to look like this
http://www.nor-calrcrc.com/albums/album01/aaa.sized.jpg
Then cut off an inch of your chassis. like so. now I cut off 1 1/4" because of the skid plate I made. So don't go up as high as I did unless you can make a skid like mine.
http://www.nor-calrcrc.com/albums/album01/aab.sized.jpg
Then remove the cross member that goes between the frame sides about mid tranny level. The one you see under the motor in the first pic. Do this to both sides. Your upper links will now mount here. But you are going to use the stock lowers as you new uppers and uppers as lowers. You'll need to drill new lower mounting holes like this
http://www.nor-calrcrc.com/albums/album01/aae.sized.jpg
Now since you only cut off an inch you'll need to mount your lowers a tad closer together. I had to trim off a 1/4" of my new uppers to make my caster angle zero degrees. so if you mount your lowers closer together you should be OK. Just mount your uppers to your axles and to the frame and mount your lowers to the axles and locate where the lowers need to mount to the frame to give you the stock caster angle of zero degrees. Or you could use longer plastic ball end on the lowers, Get it. Then make a flat skid that bolts to the side of the chassis and mounts the tranny with some 1/4" aluminum sq. stock. Like this
http://www.nor-calrcrc.com/albums/album01/aad.sized.jpg

Ok that should do it. Now Get To Work! And next time search cuz I won't be so nice. :flipoff:

Great post :)

great pics and thanks for the help. Im a memer of clodtalk as well and yea I do want to make a bad ass crawler out of this. I want to show the clod guys that this truck can compete too. Ill keep you guys updated as I go

how do i post pics here guys?

To secure the bottom of the tranny you could also use your chassis supports like this. I didn't cut the bottom bolt off mine as I'd moved the tranny up high enough for it to clear.

That's a good idea too.

That is a very good idea man, I think Ill use that and make a small skid for the bottom to protect everything.

Thanks, Im going to start hacking tonight.

doo what he jsut said to and then if you want a lower cog then cut the frame so on the front and rear there is only one peice.... if you can under stand that lol

ryan

i just hacked mine up tonite and secured the tranny using this methon. i'll post pics after dinner

I flipped my links top for bottom, drilled new lower holes, and raised the tranny to the top hole.
I don't use the cantilevers, so the hole is free to use.
Hacked off the bottom of the tranny case, and used the cross braces to locate the tranny.
The bottom of the tranny hangs maybe 1/8th inch below the cross braces.
The spacing of the holes is about the same (if not exactly the same) as what is originally the inboard lower link holes.
I used a thin, flexible plastic for a skidplate.

http://img201.exs.cx/img201/4126/img02333ge.jpg

You can fit the Super Rooster in there, or a few of my homemade battery packs can be jammed in that same space.


http://img220.exs.cx/img220/6876/img02360li.jpg

Where are your shocks mounted at? Im still using the canti's for now and I had to do a little bit of modification to the canti mounts and the battery tray that Im still using for the time being. I have 6 inches of center clearance now and 5 and 3/4ers at the ends of the center skid. If someone will tell me how to post pics here Ill show you the way that I did my chassis. I have asked this about 4 times and nobody has answered me.

If you purchase a "star" you can just attach them to your post, waaaaay better. You'll be able to enter raffles, have an avatar etc.

If not, go to IMAGESHACK.COM have them host it for you. Just click on the "browse" icon, open your pic there, click host it, right click link, go to post and copy it. Hope that makes sense.

easier for me, here is a link to the pics

http://www.clodtalk.com/viewtopic.php?t=10436

Thanks though!

All I can see is your post, I don't see any pics.

doedly, guess you have to be signed in to see the pics. I guess I have to go ahead and sign up for that imageshack thing

LOL, I will end up signing up because it would just be easier for me to post pics and thats what I like. Yea you guys will still kick my but however, I will at least be a little more competive now. I went for a 10 minute crawl in my neighbors front yard (they have a bunch of big rocks in a pile) and the difference is amazing, I didnt get stuck once and I can climb up stuff thats as high as the top of my truck now with ease. Oh and I never did fix my rear diff, that is still messed up. It is acting kinda like an open diff, I wonder if the jb weld broke instead of the axle or diff case.

The star is worth it for sure.

I've had to re-weld both my diffs because JB Weld was getting ground into powder. :shock: I just did front a couple months ago and it's already developing slop. :roll:
Best thing to do is fill the diff as full as you can.

Well I didnt lock it the first time so I hope I can still open the diff up and that the guy didnt mess anything up in there

When I re-welded mine I marked some "timing lines" on everything w/ a marker, as I took it apart. Then filled diff housing w/ JB Weld, and re-assemble using timing marks. Your diff shouldn't have any damage, they're pretty tough. Of course I can't tell from here. :lol: