AX-10 ? How much weight in your wheels?

[alpinehyperlite]

what ESC

 

[Radron]

I'm going to use a Novak Cyclone,I have the programmer for it & have programmed some initial settings. I'm sure I will have to change some things,But it looks promissing. I'm also using a Nomadio Sensor radio, Which has a ton of setting to play with too. I can even do rear steer with it.:bow:

 

[CharliesTheMan]

Yeah but you don't need rear steer in the 2.2 class. In fact, it's not allowed in the comp rules for 2.2. However, you will need rear dig, and if the radio has a 3 position 3rd channel (which it must if it will handle rear steer) than it will handle the dig. I'm going to look into that radio, because if it has 3 position 3rd channel, I'll probly buy it. It's cheap, and if it does what I need, I'll be happy with it. Well it has to feel good in my hand too, because I hear it's hard to beat the feel of the DX3R with it's 4 cell setup.

 

[alpinehyperlite]

Chuck, imma have to get with you on how to do a rear digg system when u do yours.

 

[Radron]

The sensor is a 4 channel, So I think I can have both the dig & rear steer. I haven't played with it to see yet. I'm waiting on the truck....

 

[Brushlessboy]

Ok boys, dont laugh cause I've just bought my AX-10, and although I've been reading all you've written, what on earth is rear Dig? Me no understando....

 

[CharliesTheMan]

It's no biggie, most people don't know what rear dig is. Rear dig is a system that connects to the transmission or to the driveline right behind the tranny. The system uses a micro servo setup, and it changes the way that a rear axle operates. In normal operation, a crawler is in 4WD all the time. The dig setup allows you to better control the rear axle. The dig part gets it name, because when you're in dig mode, the back axle is locked. This allows you to drag the back wheels by using the front wheels to pull. As you can imagine, you can pull yourself up steep vertical climbs where you would normally flip over backwards, pull up and over ledges, and use it to turn which greatly reduces your turning radius. The second mode you can use is rear axle freewheel. It's like dig, but instead of locking the rear axle, it's disconnects the drive from that axle but allows it to roll freely, like 2WD. The third mode is simply like normal.

I hope I explained it good enough. You have to have a 3 position 3rd channel to operate rear steer and rear dig. Most radios have 3 or 4 channels, but it's just a 2 position or usually a button that operates a third channel. For these options, you have to have left, right, and return to center, or for dig, you have to have dig, freewheel, and no dig.

Video

VF Dig Websitehttp://www.visionaryfabrication.com/sales/vfaxialax10digsystem.htm

 

[Radron]

I KNOW, I KNOW, another question.LOL!!
Where do most mount there ESC & RX? I noticed in that video, It looks like they are on top of the stock batt. tray. I was thinking of the underside of the tray. I'm going to make a tuber chassis for it & want it as low as possible.

 

[alpinehyperlite]

I had originaly mounted mine on top where the stock batery tray was, but then i just the other night mounted them onto the bottom of the tray. Will take pix this evening and post.

 

[Radron]

Here's a link for those of you interested in the Sensor radio for crawling.....

http://support.nomadio.net/viewforum.php?f=21

 

[CharliesTheMan]

You definitely don't want them on top of the tray, because you want the center of gravity close to the axles. I mounted mine on the bottom of the plate when I built it, but it was temporary. I'm in the process of moving the elecronics down closer to the axle now.

That's the beauty of a crawler, there's no set way to do anything, you can move stuff around to best suit your needs. I'm in the process of moving my electronics do closer to the axles to get ready for the comp. I'm mounting my receiver and ESC on the upper links. You can buy link plates, but the ones that I've found are made of aluminum. I didn't want the extra weight above the axles, so I made mine out of lexan. They are mounted on the upper links with zip ties, so they will stil flex and will not interfere with the suspension one bit. I'm attaching mine with velcro, so I can remove them and reaatach them with no problems. I'll include some links to the plates so you can see the basis for the design that I'm making out of Lexan. I'm going to order some carbon fiber to cut them out, but the lexan will do for now, and that's what a lot of the big comp guys are using. I look at the setups that some of the big dogs use, and at least I know it's capable of working out good.

http://www.ckrccrawlers.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=24_56&products_id=1033

Axial realized that this was a better design than under the battery tray, and just released these.
http://www.axialracing.com/ftp/ax10options/ax30497_upper_plate.html


Another option is to cut the battery tray in half, and move the lateral braces that hold the battery tray into the holes further down on the chassis. You basically cut the stock battery tray into three pieces, and get rid of the middle. That way, you still have the stock mounting holes and brackets so it's an easy conversion. It lowers the COG, but not quite as low as mounting on the upper links.
http://www.rccrawler.com/forum/showthread.php?t=84882&highlight=electronics+tray

You guys really owe me, I just spent an hour looking for that thread because I'm at work and my favortites are on my home computer.

I also replaced my aluminum battery tray with graphite to cut down on the weight. I thought about using the battery plate method above, but with the graphite it lowers the weight a lot, and still give chassis strength. Also, I'm switching over to a blackjack comp chassis and the link plates work a lot better on that setup.

 

[Radron]

Thanks! I thought about mounting them on the upper links on my tuber. Just wasn't sure if there was room on the stocker, I don't have the AX-10 yet...Come on USPS!!:LoL: I'm going to weight them both & put the heavier of the two up front.

Man I don't even have the thing yet & it's already modded. Gotta the love this hobby!!!

 

[CharliesTheMan]

there ya go... thinking like a crawler already!

 

[alpinehyperlite]

Yay, Losi Rock Claw's came in today. can't wait to pick them up from the LHS and get em mounted.

 

[Radron]

Couple more ?'s

Should I install the bent links on the front also?


Can someone measure & tell me the inside width between the main chassis plates? (AX30480)

 

[CharliesTheMan]

Yeap, I would put bent links on the front and back. You can buy the set of four from Joe at EEM (my signature) for about $14 I think. The width from inside TVP to inside the other TVP is 80 mm.

 

[Radron]

Thanks Charlie. I think I only need one set, Doesn't the kit come with the rears?

 

[alpinehyperlite]

no, kit comes with straight front and back. Thanks to Chuck, i now have bent for my rears. Bout to install em.

 

[CharliesTheMan]

The kit doesn't comes with straight links. The ARTR comes with bent rear links.

 

[Radron]

Well that bites. The instructions show bent for the rears.If I would have known that I would have ordered them with the kit.