Asceder on its way

[JatoTheRipper]

I fail to see how this skid makes a difference. It'll be interesting to see what your findings are after real world testing.

[Itali83]

Originally Posted by JatoTheRipper

I fail to see how this skid makes a difference. It'll be interesting to see what your findings are after real world testing.

Just a slight gain of ground clearance at the skid. Which will help on long wheel base trucks like ours. But if it raises the transmission I think I'd keep my stock skidcand lower COG. Where I crawl high centering isn't a huge issue so not really on my list of needs.
Ben

[JatoTheRipper]

Originally Posted by Itali83

Just a slight gain of ground clearance at the skid. Which will help on long wheel base trucks like ours. But if it raises the transmission I think I'd keep my stock skidcand lower COG. Where I crawl high centering isn't a huge issue so not really on my list of needs.
Ben

That was my point. It barely raises the skid plate and that's one of the last places where my Ascender gets hung up.

[Chris81]

I'll get a measurement this weekend of the differences. For me I don't have a a a lot of steep rock, it's all more technical boulders (old rock walls) so the clearance will help, so if it is raised a few mm I don't think it will make much difference...I hope.

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[Chris81]

Ok here are a couple pics showing how much things are raised. I took pics of the space between the motor ad the frame rail. As you can see the stock position almost rests the motor on the frame whereas the low profile skid raises everything up probably 6-8mm. I've got to look closer at the skids and space because it looks like the stock skid has the transmission mounted at an angle because the motor has to clear the frame rail. The new low drag skid has the same angle for mounting, I'm thinking I could grind down that ramp to drop the motor down to the stock location and get the best of both worlds! More to come. Cheers

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[Chris81]

Had a chance to play a little yesterday, the lower profile skid was definitely noticable for me. That being said most my driving consists of trailing and old stone walls etc. So raising the motor a little wasn't noticable in terms of less stability. The extra clearance was nice. As I said earlier I now have a 3D printer...so the wheels are turning. I'm thinking about trying to make a skid that has the clearance without the angled transmission mount. If I can make a skid that keeps the motor against that frame rail like it is stock that would be even better!!!

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[Chris81]

So in all my free time i've been tinkering (I have a 2.5 year old...and a wife, if that gives you any idea)...I really like the design of the new low profile skid in that it affords some more ground clearance, I really did notice a difference on stone walls, riverbed type driving. BUT i really didn't like that it raised the motor that same amount, thanks for pointing that out guys So I got to thinking, and inspecting, generally staring at my truck a lot, thinking about the design, general obsessing, and figured I'd better put my new 3D printer to use, until now I've been printing little animals for my daughter (I told my wife when i bought it that it was for that purpose) Found some good free CAD software, Fusion 360 which is professional grade and free for hobbyists and got to learnin!
This is what i came up with. The skid will sit inside the rails, the motor sits at the exact height as stock, as a result the non-motor side of the transmission is rolled up about 6.5mm which Im ok with. The transmission is pretty light compared with the motor and its only the far side that is rolled up so I think the effect to the CG will be pretty negligible. This also brings the lower links up into the frame which is about 10mm higher than the stock position...Does that means the truck could be lowered 10mm and still have the same clearance as stock if you wanted to, that could be pretty significant for you gravity conscious guys!. The one possible downside that i see right now is that to change/fix the links you have to pull the skid...maybe a problem for field maintenance. I just finished my final modifications and will print a test tomorrow. Cheers!

[Itali83]

Good idea! I hear ya about the free time thing. I've got a 3.5 year old, 1.5 year old, and another one on order due in February so yeah, tons of free time. Most of my "free time" is just staring at my truck too. I think you've got the best of both worlds there. I'd just drill the frame so you can slide the link pin out while the skid is in the frame. Two holes per side won't weaken the frame any and that way you can change links easily still. Can't wait to see it printed and installed.

Ben

[Chris81]

I thought about drilling holes, I'll have to see how I like the skid before I start chopping my frame rails.

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[Natedog]

Originally Posted by Itali83

I'd just drill the frame so you can slide the link pin out while the skid is in the frame. Two holes per side won't weaken the frame any and that way you can change links easily still. Can't wait to see it printed and installed.

Ben

X2, maybe cut out the top edge of frame rails a little too so that motor and tranny are even lower? Not sure about how much would need cut and frame strength. Can't wait to see this installed and testing too!

[Chris81]

Yeah I have all kinds of ideas, build in RUL mount into skid, trim frame even more to set the motor inside the frame rails....I'm really trying to take this one step at a time lol. After more staring and thinking about this I started wondering why vaterra had such a low skid...then it hit me, it keeps the lower links from hitting the frame rails at full compression, maybe this was obvious to you guys, especially those of you who build rigs from the ground up, but I'm still new at this design thing. Soooo I may be building some new lower links with a bend if I run into this problem....but like I said, one problem at a time. Appreciate the feedback.

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[Chris81]

Version 1.0 installed...fits ok, couple things need to be adjusted, tweeked etc. But here are a couple pics of what I've come up with so far....and one of the print in progress. This is actually my 4th print. I purposely have been working up to this one in steps. As you can see motor sits in Stock location, output shafts are a little higher, battery tray may ger some trimming.

One idea I had regarding changing links is rather than have the shaft for the links and the mounting screws as separate holes, I could just make one hole that serves both jobs and use a 40mm m3 bolt as my mounting screw and the link attachment(one frome each side) Haven't decided if I want to do this as I would need some spacers in the lower links to make it work, but it might be a nice simple solution...I'll have to think more...cheers!!

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[Natedog]

Nice print and very interesting, in my experience upper and lower links mounted at same height at frame has some odd suspension cycling characteristics, but try it and see. I think moving upper link mounts up at the frame will be beneficial. Keep up the good work!

[Chris81]

Originally Posted by Natedog

Nice print and very interesting, in my experience upper and lower links mounted at same height at frame has some odd suspension cycling characteristics, but try it and see. I think moving upper link mounts up at the frame will be beneficial. Keep up the good work!

Yes, that is my next to-do. My blazer an ready has RUL mounts that I made, I still née to make them for the mog. I will need to make one for the front as well.

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[Chris81]

A working version of the skid is in, I've been doing all this on my mog just to work things out, if it's good I'll do it on the blazer too. For the Mog since I hadn't fabricated any RUL mounts I just swapped the battery tray mounts around. I also just finished up designing a new front upper link mount to raise that up a bit (trying to keep all links sorta parallel....I hear that's good. I'm planning on mounting the battery tray in the stock location, I will just mount it to the shock towers instead of the floating stock design, with the transmission rolled up a bit there is even less room under the tray than stock, and the new front upper link location is sorta in the way.

I will also need to put a bend in my front lower links on the mog to clear the frame. Anyone have any homemade link preference? I know about the threaded rod and brake line....I did see titanium tubing for sale online, that would be hard and smooth... solid ti or stainless could be cool, how hard is it to cut threads on either of those??

In the pic you can see a temp front upper link mount, not a lot of room to spare with the motor!!

Also, I'm putting this up on thingiverse if anyone wants to print their own feel free, or if anyone wants the design pm me and I'll semail it to you. I've yet to really test it so might be good, or it could be a lot of work for nothing lol...it's ok, It's forcing me to learn the design software which is a big benifit for me!

Cheers!!

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[Chris81]

Finally, I think I can say I'm done...well except for testing, revisions, more testing etc...with your own printer it's easy to go down that rabbit hole lol. So anyway, skid fits great I designed some link mounts that could actually be used in the rear too if needed, I built them without holes so you can slide them around to where you want them then drill your holes. I also made up some front links with some bendy bits to clear the frame rails in the frame out of some threaded rod covered in brass tube...kinda like my rig has some gold teeth now lol. Actually it matches the brass on the Codyboy axels...BLING! I still may raise up the rear links a little more as well but no rush on that. Little get together sunday so I'll give it a good test then. Hopefully everything is at least as good as stock lol! So this has gained my truck a full 10 mm of clearance....is all this worth it....meh...maybe, I do like that from the side there is no big plate hanging out of the bottom now I think it looks better. Like I said Im put all the files from these prints on thingiverse, so help yourselves. Or message me any I'll send them to you
Cheers!

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[Shinchu]

Heyyyy thats cool man!
Digging the brass links too!

[Yeti.stealth]

great work on the high clearance skid and link mounts, I like it!
With my lowered K10 im always dragging the belly over stuff, I have worn the stock skid down to the trans mount screws and have started wearing away at the screws.

[Itali83]

Very nice! Can't wait to see it Sunday.

Ben

[Chris81]

I'm trying to get both trucks ready, was half way through printing a second set of parts and the power just flickered....so those were a waste. Really annoying...

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