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Thread: Codyboy's 46 Powerwagon Flatbed.

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Old 01-22-2018, 08:44 PM   #1
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Default Codyboy's 46 Powerwagon Flatbed.


Ok, for those that know me have come to realize that I can't leave well enough alone. For me the term "if it ain't broke don't fix it" is out the window!!!!
I'm starting this upgrade to my K10 right in the middle of getting some new orders, so it will be slow, but steady.
I will start with a how to on the Ascender/TRX4 axle marriage. I want to show how I put these together to encourage some of you to try it. Any questions please ask. Ben?

I've been playing with this idea in my pea brain for a while. They are inspired by some that Chino63 built with a Axial flare. I think he is planning on going to Axialfest



I started with my normal brass weighted tubes I make for my ascender axles. I added a brass washer left over from the scraps of my TRX4 brass knuckle weigh. (Always nice when I can recycle)! Next I cut one of the TRX4 chubs so I would have a pattern to transfer the shape to the brass housing weighted tube.



From here I hand shaped the brass washer to fit inside of the front TRX4 chub and rear lockout.



Then I started test fitting parts to see what I needed to do to get my hex to hex width the same as the stock ascender width.



I'm getting close.



Next I transferred the mounting holes from the chubs and lockouts to the brass mounts and moved to the drill press to drill and tap them for a 4-40 screws. The TRX4 mounting screws are 2.5-46 (I think), but I thought a little larger screw with coarser threads would be a little stronger.



Checking for fitment, (nice and tight) Insert a chide remark here if you want!!!





It was nice having a TRX4 manual, as it was a big help in figuring out what parts I needed for this mod.
The TRX4 rear axle has two different length drive shafts, I ordered the two long shafts. I got lucky in fitting the shafts to the ascender locker/ring gear. All I had to do was file a little on them and they fit perfect. As you know the ascender ring/locker has square hole passing all the way through it. So in order to keep the TRX4 shafts from sliding back and forth and out of the drive gear in the TRX4 portals I made a 1/4" spacer that fit inside of the ascender locker to keep this from happening.



On the fronts I wanted to keep the mod as simple as I could so I decided not to do a offset pumpkin. So for the drive shafts I ordered the longer right side shafts/CVD. Again all I had to do was a little file work to get it to fit into the ascender locker.



Still working on getting the width right, but couldn't quite do it. The front axle is 1/8" wider than stock. I could work everything a little and get it there but these, for now are test axles and I'm going with what I have.
I can go with a narrower hub on my wheels to make up the difference.



Mounting the front chub to the brass inside the axle housing.



Test fit 1-2 and 3 times before I JB Weld the brass into the housings!!!
Getting ready to do just that to the rear axle.



I always use this on the screws to secure the housings to the brass tubes.



Near finished Rear axle, still waiting on a Mc Masters order for screws.



Same with the front.





Of course there were a few steps in between some of those photos. If you want to try it, I can talk you through it!!

So as you guessed it, I'm going to test these on this new build!!!
Thanks for looking and stay tuned for more to come! Like maybe a reverse reduction transfer case with over under gears???? MAYBE
Thanks for looking,
Ernie

Last edited by CODYBOY; 01-22-2018 at 08:50 PM.
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Old 01-22-2018, 09:15 PM   #2
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Default Re: Codyboy's 46 Powerwagon Flatbed.

Holy wow Ernie! Those truly a work of art by a true craftsman. Great write-up! Definitely tuning in for this one.

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Old 01-22-2018, 09:45 PM   #3
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Default Re: Codyboy's 46 Powerwagon Flatbed.

Man Ernie, you've got a head on you like a crow.
(By the way, that's a good thing, crows are wise)
Will be tuned in for the test fit/run...
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Old 01-22-2018, 09:48 PM   #4
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Default Re: Codyboy's 46 Powerwagon Flatbed.

Great work as usual Ernie, they look great!

You new build will be killer with these axles!
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Old 01-22-2018, 10:31 PM   #5
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Default Re: Codyboy's 46 Powerwagon Flatbed.

Hell yeah!! Those came out nice!
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Old 01-22-2018, 10:41 PM   #6
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Default Re: Codyboy's 46 Powerwagon Flatbed.

Those look incredible. What talent you have!
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Old 01-23-2018, 01:04 AM   #7
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Default Re: Codyboy's 46 Powerwagon Flatbed.

Great inventive work. That adapter to fit the Traxxas hubs is very neat, but must use a lot of time shaping it.
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Old 01-23-2018, 05:04 AM   #8
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Default Re: Codyboy's 46 Powerwagon Flatbed.

My offer to test them still stands

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Old 01-23-2018, 07:37 AM   #9
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Default Re: Codyboy's 46 Powerwagon Flatbed.

Awesome work Ernie! I'd like to see how the extra reduction does with the inherent torque twist. What's the reduction of just the portals? I've been just staring at mine lately trying to figure a way to get more reduction out of the axles to reduce twist. Only thing that would work would be a planetary hub set up like heavy off road trucks have but don't think it's possible because of the physical size of what we're working with. That would keep the ride height down and everything else but I think I'm ugh some creative suspension/chassis work, with your axles the weight could be kept low and gain the reduction. Again, awesome work!!

Ben
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Old 01-23-2018, 10:30 AM   #10
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Default Re: Codyboy's 46 Powerwagon Flatbed.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ascender'nMN84 View Post
Holy wow Ernie! Those truly a work of art by a true craftsman. Great write-up! Definitely tuning in for this one.

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Thank you young man for the nice words!

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Originally Posted by Zippy1 View Post
Man Ernie, you've got a head on you like a crow.
(By the way, that's a good thing, crows are wise)
Will be tuned in for the test fit/run...
Thanks, from you I will consider that a great compliment! Looking forward to helping you out with parts for your trucks.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Yeti.stealth View Post
Great work as usual Ernie, they look great!

You new build will be killer with these axles!
Thanks Yeti, and I always welcome your input!
Time will tell!

Quote:
Originally Posted by chino63 View Post
Hell yeah!! Those came out nice!
Thanks Dean, coming from the master builder, that is a great compliment!
And thanks again for all the help with the ratio #. It seems that the ratio thing just creates a brain block for me. Although there probably isn't much there to block anymore.

Quote:
Originally Posted by LSXGMC View Post
Those look incredible. What talent you have!
Thank you sir, I do love to tinker in my shop!

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Originally Posted by M1tch View Post
Great inventive work. That adapter to fit the Traxxas hubs is very neat, but must use a lot of time shaping it.
Thanks M1tch, I sat at my workbench for a few hours just looking at part and figuring out how to blend them all together. The chub mount does take a good portion on the time building the axles. I start with a side head mini grinder with a thin disk mounted in a vise. I notch up to the line and then go back and remove the notches. Next, over to the bench grinder to smooth them out, and finally I do the fine tuning and fitting with a dremel. Easy peezy.


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Originally Posted by SHOme View Post
My offer to test them still stands

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Ok, If they test out for me and I decide build more you will be my tester!!!


Quote:
Originally Posted by Itali83 View Post
Awesome work Ernie! I'd like to see how the extra reduction does with the inherent torque twist. What's the reduction of just the portals? I've been just staring at mine lately trying to figure a way to get more reduction out of the axles to reduce twist. Only thing that would work would be a planetary hub set up like heavy off road trucks have but don't think it's possible because of the physical size of what we're working with. That would keep the ride height down and everything else but I think I'm ugh some creative suspension/chassis work, with your axles the weight could be kept low and gain the reduction. Again, awesome work!!

Ben
Thanks Ben, the Portal gears add a 2.3:1 reduction to the final ascender ratio. With a 86/14 the ascender final is around 45.96. That is with the Ascender trany ratio of 4.05. So throwing all those ratios together we come up with a married final ratio of 105.8 No worky!!! But if we change pinion spur ratios we can get a lot closer to a workable ratio.
For example a 84/25 would put the final drive at 57.89 which would be a slow crawl, maybe just what your looking for! But now, what really got me excited is I have two speed gears in my tranny. So final tranny drive in low gear is the ascender 4.05 giving me the 57.89. The two speed high gear has a tranny final of 2.27. Using the above numbers a 84/25 spur pinion in high gives me a final of 32.35.
So using those # I have very very slow Trail truck but maybe good comping truck in low, but a good trail rig in high and probably a good crawler depending on motor. I have a holmes 2700 stubby puller, which I think will be perfect for this set up.
Sounds like what you might be looking for. And of all my buddies on here I know you would be the one that could DIY this with a little help from me!!
I can take a pic of my math with different spur/pinion ratios,(almost a full page) so you can see how I came up with all my final ratios if you'd like.

Ernie
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Old 01-23-2018, 11:42 AM   #11
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Default Re: Codyboy's 46 Powerwagon Flatbed.

Theres some impressive stuff goin on here!
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Old 01-24-2018, 11:35 AM   #12
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Default Re: Codyboy's 46 Powerwagon Flatbed.

Axles are cool, surely creative. Hopefully the numbers work out.
I clicked on this for a 'powerwagon flatbed' - I was contemplating marrying the new proline body to a ascender tube-body rear. Whatcha got goin' here?

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Old 01-24-2018, 01:38 PM   #13
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Default Re: Codyboy's 46 Powerwagon Flatbed.

Quote:
Originally Posted by skybolt View Post
Theres some impressive stuff goin on here!
Thanks, I can never leave stock alone.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Browneye View Post
Axles are cool, surely creative. Hopefully the numbers work out.
I clicked on this for a 'powerwagon flatbed' - I was contemplating marrying the new proline body to a ascender tube-body rear. Whatcha got goin' here?

Subscribed. ;)
Thank you sir, at 68 and retired I have a lot of time in my shop. I thought about doing that, but I want to do a flatbed with wood side racks and some scale acc. I did one for my ascender k10 but I made it a little heavy. So I may rebuild that one or put together a new one. I'll post a photo of the old one.

Ernie


For those that are better at math than me (which wouldn't take much) here is my Ratio numbers if you are interested.

If the numbers don't work I have already started drawing up a reverse reduction transfer case that will have over/under gears.




Thanks for looking!
Ernie

Last edited by CODYBOY; 01-25-2018 at 09:46 AM.
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Old 01-24-2018, 01:45 PM   #14
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Default Re: Codyboy's 46 Powerwagon Flatbed.

I wish I had a fraction the talent some of you guys have for miniature fab.
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Old 01-24-2018, 03:47 PM   #15
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Default Re: Codyboy's 46 Powerwagon Flatbed.

Looking great Ernie, would you rotate those calculations to upright please? I'm a bit foggy today for sideways reading and math.
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Old 01-24-2018, 08:05 PM   #16
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Default Re: Codyboy's 46 Powerwagon Flatbed.

Rotated it for you Nate.
Ernie
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Old 01-25-2018, 10:42 AM   #17
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Default Re: Codyboy's 46 Powerwagon Flatbed.

Thanks for the rotation, looked up gears, did some calculations and your gear ratio math looks good to me.
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Old 01-26-2018, 07:03 PM   #18
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Default Re: Codyboy's 46 Powerwagon Flatbed.

A little update is in order!

I finally got a little time today in between orders to work on my Power wagon.
Spent a good part of the time today shimming the gears to get them as smooth as possible. Also finally got my screw order so replaced a few of those.
So here is a look at the portals on my Ascender.





For some of the portal haters, it does raise the COG a little, but that will be fixed when I start the flatbed and mount the Power wagon body.





Next I need to redo my electronics placement, to fit the 46 body.
Thanks for looking.
Ernie

Last edited by CODYBOY; 01-26-2018 at 07:06 PM.
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Old 01-28-2018, 08:46 PM   #19
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Default Re: Codyboy's 46 Powerwagon Flatbed.

Got a little done today!

In order to build it up to get new ideas to fit, we have to break it down. Going to build a new winch bumper with real grill for the front.



Going to pull this transfer case and build a reverse reduction with over under gears.



Started thinking about stance for the body. I think I need to remove the running boards on the body and build them into the sliders??? Any input??
I know I want to get the body down a little more.





Started on the new transfer case,





All for today, back to orders tomorrow. Thanks for looking!!!
Ernie
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Old 01-28-2018, 09:18 PM   #20
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Default Re: Codyboy's 46 Powerwagon Flatbed.

Nice, how do you get the proper spacing amongst transfer gears to maintain proper quiet mesh? Formula, eyeball it, or?
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