My creeper

[Exocaged]

Hey everyone. I am on my second creeper. Wore the first one out so its a parts supply at this point as some parts are still good. I have a video of mine here Venom Creeper - YouTube this video is ment to show a comparison of whats in it now vs the brushless stuff. In the video it is a Novak 55t motor with some 7.2V batteries. The motor has a 27tooth pinion and it has 4ws. I like the speed but lost some crawling power as you can see in the video. I have ordered and will instal a 2800 KV tazer motor and the speed control. I also now have a venom 3S battery and a 2S on order. The new motor will run the stock 15tooth pinion. I'm looking forward to seeing this thing move! I don't compete, I just go play and here in Florida a super slow crawl isn't very useful unless I'm on a purpose built course. I have some buddies to wheel with so I should be posting videos up in a week or so once it's all in.

I also have a real 4x4 that I wheel in. I'll post a few pics of that in the 1:1 section.

 

[AlvaCracker]

I watched that video and your creeper is pretty fast. I live in southwest Florida so I know what you mean about not having any rocks to crawl lol. I'm in the process of turning my creeper into a scale truck. How did you set up the 4ws? I tried doing in on my old wk but couldn't figure it out.

 

[Exocaged]

All you need is the stock front steering stuff and a 3 channel radio. Notice my rear tie rod is red. That's off of my old creeper. I want it faster for hills and general play. With stock speed there is no "bump". It wouldn't lift the front tires to get up onto things. With the 27t pinion it would. But run times suffered accordingly. I hope to use the 2S battery for crawl play and the 3S battery for hills. It's about a 10k RPM difference between the 2 with the 2800kv motor.

I expect to kill some axle pinions as well. Whatever I break I will try to make stronger.

 

[AlvaCracker]

I believe venom makes upgraded diff gears and rc4wd makes xvd axles for the ax10 but they also work in the creeper. The mip ax10 driveshafts from rc4wd work on the creeper as well as traxxas stampede axle shafts. I have stampede shafts with plastic yokes in my truck but since your running brushless and lipo you will need the steel yokes. Make sure you use 2 set screws in the drive shaft if you decide to get the pede axles.

 

[Exocaged]

yep I've been reading up on these issues. I appreciate you letting me know about the axles as I haven't seen that one yet. I know I have the weak gears in there now. My older creeper has a better set so they will go in as soon as I pop the bad ones. I should be running next weekend if all goes well. As best i can tell the issue with breaking the stock CV's is over steering them. I expect to pop a few of them with my rear steer trying to dig up some hills. I am kinda eyeing that new Twin Hammers truck as well.

 

[Docwolf]

I believe venom makes upgraded diff gears and rc4wd makes xvd axles for the ax10 but they also work in the creeper.

is this verified!?!?!? I have been trying to figure out which shafts everyone was using and I never could figure it out. is it a drop in???

 

[Exocaged]

I called venom and left a message in regards to the better gears. If they call back ill post up what they say.

 

[AlvaCracker]

Exocaged, No problem about the advice. I joined the forum so I could get help and ideas with my rc's. I agree, that twin hammers truck looks BA but id rather build one then buy one, that's just me though :mrgreen:
Docwolf I'm not sure if its a direct fit but I know people have used them in their creepers from what ive found in this forum. I searched for "creeper axle upgrades" in the search box.

 

[Exocaged]

is it possible to "bolt in" other brand gears in our housings? Like axial gears? I searched and it looks like the axial gears can be run but requires a bunch of axle mods.

I wonder if a machine shop could make us some pinions out of 300M? I know they wouldn't be cheap but they also wouldn't break

 

[AlvaCracker]

Personally I haven't seen the diff gears in my creeper because it was already assembled when I got it 2 weeks ago. I've read on here that ax10 diff will fit in the creeper axle with some trimming to the axle but I know for a fact (in fort Myers anyways) that its a $400 base price for cnc machining at the shop I went to for wheely king parts. But $400 is a new Rc truck so I just made the parts myself. Diff gear would be ridiculously hard to make without those special machines. Id just say to keep looking online and in the forum to see what others are doing or have done.

 

[winnerone23]

I believe venom makes upgraded diff gears and rc4wd makes xvd axles for the ax10 but they also work in the creeper. The mip ax10 driveshafts from rc4wd work on the creeper as well as traxxas stampede axle shafts. I have stampede shafts with plastic yokes in my truck but since your running brushless and lipo you will need the steel yokes. Make sure you use 2 set screws in the drive shaft if you decide to get the pede axles.

Just catching up here.. yes, the ax mip drive shafts work. The Traxxas metal yokes an long truck shafts are nice, but in a years time, the mip's end up ur cheaper an longer lasting option.
No, there isn't a drop in replacement for the cvd's, rc4wd use to make xvd's for the creeper but stopped(the stock ones are better) I have had both.
There is some small work that can be done on the creeper cvd ball where the pin goes thru, which is when the steering bumps the wheel out as it turns. I believe I did a write up on It in my build thread.
Ax xvd won't work with the creeper.. I'm not saying without some work, they won't but as a drop in, they won't. The creeper uses two diff length axle shafts, ax/scx are the same length both sides. My favorite was cutting some xr universals an doin some xr steering upgrades.. stronger an better steering!

 

[winnerone23]

is it possible to "bolt in" other brand gears in our housings? Like axial gears? I searched and it looks like the axial gears can be run but requires a bunch of axle mods.

A bunch of mods! Like the only thing left is the creeper housing, some of it... Lol.. nothin bolt in.
Has one one tried shimmin the axle pinion more towards the ring gear to see If that helped? Use to have that problem in a mrc, then I started shimmin everything in The axle.. shimmed the diff towards the pinion side an the pinion gear to the ring gear.. trial an error..
If you pull ur drive shaft off the axle, use ur fingers an see if you can pull or push the ring gear output shaft(the little thingy the drive shaft came off) in or out any.. if you can, that's the issue with breaking them.
If not that, then take the axle apart an see if you can move the whole diff left to right any.. if you can it needs shimmed as well..

In binds them two gears pull away from each other an skip. that's where the broken teeth an ruined gears come from. That an junk materials.

 

[Exocaged]

Thanks for the input on that. On my axles I have very very little pinion play. Now that you have done all this work, would it be better to just order a new steering axle from another manufacturer then?

 

[winnerone23]

Thanks for the input on that. On my axles I have very very little pinion play. Now that you have done all this work, would it be better to just order a new steering axle from another manufacturer then?

No problem..

I like doin the work, it keeps me busy.. no I wouldn't buy a diff front axle.. then it wouldn't be a creeper anymore.. I think building an modding makes it what you want it, that an just better as a final product..

 

[Exocaged]

I agree with the build it vs buying it. But as I get older i find that sometimes there is value in buying something vs building it. In the end with what you have, would you say it is stronger or equal to the AX axle? I plan to stay 4WS as I can get into more trouble that way :mrgreen:

 

[Exocaged]

You guys are making me think about mods. On my mind now is stretching the WB by about 1/2" so I can get a full stick battery under the battery tray ( which will be removed ) This would lower the COG substantially. The added WB wouldn't be an issue with the 4WS and all of this would help with hill climbing. I will also be putting on some shocks more tuned for racing and jumping. Yeah I've been checking out the FOFF section. Nothing good will come of this.

 

[AlvaCracker]

Just make sure you post some pictures and maybe a video link of the new progress.

 

[Exocaged]

I will. Already planning to pick up supplies. Gonna run it like it is this weekend then next week it undergoes surgery. Gonna have to build some new shock towers for the rear as I won't be able to mount them normally with the stretch. Front will stay stock for now.

 

[AlvaCracker]

What shocks were you thinking about getting? Just curious because I don't like my stock shocks.

 

[Exocaged]

I have no idea. I have several old race trucks with various missing parts that aren't made anymore. I'll use some shocks off one of those I guess. They won't be anything special. I may just use lighter oil in the ones on the creeper now. I just want a faster acting suspension. Ill know by Monday what's going on it. Everything I will do will be a bolt on type deal.