my crawler leans L/R and axles aren't parallel
 

First, my crawler:
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1...4link00100.jpg

It is an E-maxx w/ independent & four link suspension. I decided to post here because the problem i am experiencing isn't maxx-specific. Ii seem to have 2 problems (which may be related to each other)

1) when i enter a turn, the chassis leans towards the outside of the turn, causing the axles to pivot inwards (they don't remain parallel throughout the turn). What is worse is that the chassis remains in that leaning position even after the turn, and i can't even drive in a straight line.

2) Its kind of mentioned in #1, but the problem (or so i believe) is that the axles wont remain parallel to each other when i drive. If the front right tire hits an obstacle, instead of going over it, it will simply make the axles look like >* where the "*" is the object i hit. In such a situation, the chassis would lean towards the left, as described in #1.

The chassis leans towards the right in this picture:
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1...4link00106.jpg

and left here:
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1...4link00105.jpg

Here is a pic of the four link setup:
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1...4link00098.jpg

This is my first four link attempt, so any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

Longer links with more triangulation will help the axle steer problem. Lock out the A-arms and ditch 6 of the 10 shocks you're running. Only run 4 shocks with a stiff spring/oil set-up.

thats the beverly hillbilly car of rc crawlers

Having that much weight that high up is not helping either, you wont be able to get very off camber without flopping.As BENDER said lock the A-arms and just keep the 4 shocks on the chassy but move the mounting point on the chassy up sothe tops of the shocks are about the same level as the purple cooling fins on the ESC. That will also help your pinion angle since you are probably binding the joints right now. Ground clearance is good only to a point

Ok, thanks everyone for all the suggestions. So to fix this "leaning" problem, if i were to keep my same length links, i can try triangulating them more? So making a wider chassis should help fix this problem?

Raising the upper shock mounts is a good idea for lowering the CG, but will that also help this "leaning" problem?

Thanks, i just want to know all the facts before i decide to try and fix it or just go back to independent susp.

Raising the shock mounting points will probably help. It'll let the weight of the chassis "hang" from the top of the shock instead of sitting on top of the shocks and leaning to one side.

1 motor, 1 batt, 4 shocks, 4-link only.

colin

you need to lower that chassis down some the cog is gunna suck

dude having ur links at that much of a downward angle will always have tons of axle steer... thats y most ppl try to keep their links almost parallel to the ground... and as everyone else said b 4 DITCH THE INDEPENDENT SUSPENSION STUPIDNESS... sry just had to. Also try moving the shocks out on the axles this will help with stability.

Also, after you ditch the indy and lock the axles, mount the lower links as far out on the axles as possible, closest to the wheels.

Ok, thanks again for the help. Ill rework the chassis to the links are more parallel to the ground and see if that helps prevent this "axle steer" :?

But about the independent suspension...why can't I just leave that on? It does not get in the way of the four link set up at all. The only disadvantage i can see (please, correct me if im wrong) to having them is extra weight, but this rig is already pretty heavy.

Also, is it better to have the batteries mounted on the axles or on the chassis? If it were mounted on the axles it would be a better weight distribution/lower CoG but there would be more unsprung weight.

Well, thanks again for the help, I would have never come up with a solution to this problem without these forums ;-)

A few problems with the indy suspension. Mainly, when the IFS compresses, the diff gets closer to the ground, and you loose a considerable amount of ground clearance. It could also throw off your balance if one of the IFS arms rebounds. It would be much more predictable driving wise if you ditch the IFS. You can also loose all those un needed shocks and just mount 2 shocks per axle, on the axle, at the ends, closest to the wheel.

It does get in the way of the 4 link. You made some little mounting plates out in front of the IFS whereas if you ditch the IFS you could mount the links right on the locked out IFS.

Keep the batteries on the axles, you ll have a lower center of gravity. Unsprung weight on the axles is good for a crawler.