New Night Crawler "plus"

[motopreserve]

Thanks to a lot of research here on the forum - I decided a while back to buy a LNC. Then I quickly decided to formally join the forum, and that's where the trouble began....

Flash forward just a short time later and I've already swapped out the Servo (7955) ESC (CC Sidewinder) and added a BEC (CC Pro) for future use with 3S. Removed the battery tray , mounted the shocks with LCC braces, and relocated the battery to some Lexan on top of the front links. Right now I'm still on the stock motor, and figure I'll just enjoy it for a bit before sinking even more money into it. I'm using a flysky GT3c Tx.

This is from my first day out to the river bed rock area one of the members here pointed me to... not even dirty yet.



Today I received a bag of goodies to solidify this thing (although none of it was absolutely necessary): HR aluminum chubs and link mounts, BMRC steering links, HR lockout knuckles, HR steering knuckles, and D-Lux Ti links. I think next will be HD tranny gears before I actually make the switch to 3S.

While I had been waiting for these parts, I began messing around with a custom body. I'm not a big fan of the stock body, and I'm a sucker for raw metal...





I need to fab up some type of roll cage that will hold the roof. I'm sure it will be torn apart and redone completely, but it's a start...

Thanks for all the help and valuable info here.

[mr4x4king]

looks cool but will the aluminum mace it top heavy?

[motopreserve]

Thanks, but you're Exactly right! No sense in moving the battery location only to add weight to the top. I was just messing around to see if I could come up with something. I also welded up an aluminum tube roll cage, but even just that would probably add unwanted weight (1/4" tube).

Not sure where I'll go next with it. Maybe Lexan tube for a roll cage? Might be lighter...

[celsiusprime]

I used 3/16" and 1/8" steel rod to make my custom chassis. It may be a little heavier than before, but I'm loving the way it drives. It seems to be a bit more predictable. And it's still fairly light weight; light enough to be getting 2 hours of run time on a 4200 lipo.

Steel: Give it a whirl.

[motopreserve]

Well if steel is working, them the aluminum should definitely be light enough. But did you end up putting body plates on? That's where the real weight comes in, if they're anything thicker than hobby shop aluminum sheets - which I find hard not to melt instantly with the TIG!

I read the article about using brake line. They do brazing though, which I've never done, don't have an Oxy torch, but maybe I'll give it a shot using the TIG as the torch.

[celsiusprime]

I put lexan body panels on my truck with the steel cage. I bought a really big sheet at the local plastics store.
I've done the brake line thing too. It works really well, but it takes longer due to the fish mouth that you have to do at the joints. I do all of my brazing with a MAP gas torch from home depot and some safety silv 56 from the welding shop. Its very strong.

[motopreserve]

I had been hoping to have more updates to this build - but ended up hitting some snags with ordered parts. A couple Hop-Up items arrived missing parts, lacking countersinks or were incorrectly measured - requiring returns and more waiting.

Finally have the replacement HR knuckles to go with the HR chubs, and the Dlux bent links are installed as well. You can see the add-one and the Hitec 7955 with Plasti-Dip in the photo below.



I messed around some more with the aluminum tube frame but wasn't happy with the results. I'll be starting fresh with either brake line or solid steel tube for the next one. Going to grab one of the oxy/map gas rigs at Home Depot that I've read about. I have some brazing rod for the TIG, but it looks like the safety-silv is the way to go. I'll check Airgas welding supply to see if they carry it.

[motopreserve]

Finally got somewhere with this thing. Long wait times to get the parts swapped (ebay purchase was missing parts), but they are on the rig and ready to go.

Also got a chance to mess with a new roll cage. Slapped a bit of thin aluminum sheet on it to try to the it together. Was just winging it - but I think it's a start down the right path.

[motopreserve]

I wasn't in love with the stock plastics, but I realized I needed some protection for the electronics that I moved to the fabbed tray in the center. And that's where the rabbit hole began

[motopreserve]

Been too long. Finally got some time to work on the Losi - at this point it used to be a Night Crawler and now it's become a "Losi something-else."

Picked up a pair of VP DH Procomps pretty cheap. Should help with being able to tune the weight on the front vs rear. And added the Panthers and CI foams. Still have a ways to go, but getting there....




Some HR aluminum lockouts:



The VP DH Procomps close up and personal. Need to machine some more weights for them.

[EeePee]

You got some old school stuff going on. You just get those Panthers? Two tires are on wrong. And instead of making more weights, just take the rear weights out and maybe use one more in each front. Those are pretty hefty wheels on their own.

I just put old Cougars back on my Losi for old time sake.

[motopreserve]

Thanks EeePee. I've picked up a lot of tips from your posts - appreciate the help. I spend my days working on mostly mid-1970's Honda motorcycles, so I take 'old-school' as a compliment

I was stupidly rushing to test whether the hubs I bought would work for these wheels on the Losi (clearance) - spaced out on the direction of the tires. I'll swap the right side before I take her outside. The good news is that they clear all around.

The weight of the wheels is definitely impressive even before added weight. I was planning on turning some aluminum with some stock bored out of the middle so that I could have some lighter versions to mess with. Seems that it will be easier to fine tune with something even lighter than these. Might not need any in the rear - and we will see with the front. Could be a combo of these and the lighter ones.

The Panthers came from CI as one of their "specials" with the foams as a package. Definitely cheap - and since I haven't really messed with different tires on this crawler - figured they'd be better than stock and an inexpensive experiment.

[Hardline]

I assume this is a kick-around recreational crawler, not destined for comps. That being the case there is no right or wrong -- you just do what makes you grin. Who cares if it only climbs 55 degrees instead of 60? But in general, these rigs do like 60-65% of their weight on the front axle, so we mostly see heavier front wheels and lighter rears. But like I say -- unless you have a pet boulder you just have to be able to climb, doesn't really matter.

[EeePee]

Originally Posted by Hardline

-- unless you have a pet boulder you just have to be able to climb...

Just a matter of time before we all find that special one.

[motopreserve]

I don't really have any specific plans to comp seriously. But I may get a chance to run it on a comp course next weekend. I've been running it locally along a riverbed that has some pretty cool rocks. The stock wheels were definitely weighted more to the front (auto wheel weights). And I think I will continue in that direction. But the rig is front heavy even without wheels - which is why I thought the variety of wheel weights may help with a balance.

[motopreserve]

Originally Posted by mr4x4king

Wow that's cool and different

Thanks!

[Vwfreak]

Looks good! Brazing is pretty easy I made a cage from 1/4 copper line and solder. Then body panels from stainless steel.