Bent my RCS Savage cage...

[olds97_lss]

Just thought I'd post a pic of my little f'up that I did today. Horrible landing followed by a horrible take off on a ramp that had a nasty lip at the top. Landed right on the savy's ass. If it wasn't for the cage, I'm sure it would have done some serious engine damage with the way it landed.

I'm not sure how many more times I can bend the kinks out of these plates... this will be time #3 to this extent.

Anyone get just the side plates from RCS?

 

[.21Rc10GT]

Did you have a body on???

 

[digger]

Took a hell of a hit!
Got video?

 

[olds97_lss]

Did you have a body on???

On the front and top. It wouldn't have mattered if I had a body on or not with the way it landed. I was WOT off a ramp, caught a nasty lip, cartwheeled in the air and landed dead on it's butt from about 8 feet up at 25-30mph.

It's not repairable. When I tried bending it back, both front-to-back rails cracked. Now I have a half cage...

Took a hell of a hit!
Got video?

Nope, I was alone.

 

[NCNitro]

I would try contacting Scott at RCS. He might be able to sell you just a new set of rails.

 

[olds97_lss]

I sent them an email from their site to see how much they are and if they will sell just the rails.

For the time being, I made a few alterations...

Nothing like cold rolled 5/16" steel... I just wanted something to protect the engine some until I get a proper fix in place. I'm thinking of doing something like this instead of the RC-Solutions cage again:

It's made out of 1/4" delrin I believe. Should only cost about $25 or so to build. $20 for the delrin, $5-$10 for bolts and whatnot.

 

[SKIP]

Plastics are the best way to go.. RCS should really consider keeping their "patented" interlocking design but using 1/4" high desity plastics. I think all cages will eventually be made with plastic.. That one in the pic is a great example of what they should look like on a stock length truck..

 

[olds97_lss]

I agree with you skip. Metal bends and contorts. Plastic (the right kinds) absorbs, bends, then goes back to original. I like yours, but I don't want the expense of the longer chassis and being forced to get a specific axle. I appreciate the design and what it does, but I like having mostly stock parts since LHS's carry them. Break it on Saturday, bash it on Sunday.

If RCS went with a plastic alternative with their way of cutting (which I think isn't a very good design), the plastic would break and tear just like the aluminum ones do. Having those notches make it stronger by design but weak as a whole. At least that's my opinion. In pretty much every crevice on my RCS cage, there's either a crack forming, or it's broken all the way through.

I like the above one that I posted because it doesn't really have any weakness except for side impact. But the hope there would be that the delrin would just bend. If I end up making one though, I will have to figure out what to do with the throttle servo linkage as mine is still in the stock location.

 

[nitrost]

well all i got to say is dont get all bent out of shape over it. ok bad joke but at least it wasn't your cooling head. i think that the custom made one are the best like the one in the pic. I'm trying to figure to make one on a stampede.

 

[olds97_lss]

I wasn't getting all "bent" about it. It lasted me quite awhile, but this was the final bash for the back of that cage. I got this cage used for $40, so I definitely can't complain. I just know I don't want to spend the $140 on a new one.

 

[nitrost]

i was just joking, i know it was a bad joke. get it, bent cage, bent out of shape. but yeah i see where your coming from. i would try to make something cheap than speding 140 on something that gonna do the same.

 

[olds97_lss]

It's hard to get a smirk accross on the internet. I knew you were joking.

 

[SKIP]

Yea I know there are downsides to my design.. Most people want an extended chassi so it works out... but there are people that love the stock chassi design and there is only the RCS cage that would protect the head.. I just can't get my rod to mount on the TVP without an extention.. The cage in the pic that you posted looks like it would hold up great... Shouldnt be all that hard to make either..

 

[Plaidfish]

I'll bet if you got one of those 55 gal drum lids (the blue agricultural shipping ones) you can cut a ton of those ribs out of it...and it' would be super resilient....then go to McMaster.com and get the standoffs or steel, aluminum or whatever tubing and tap the sides or run a bolt all the way through.....the taps aren't very expensive if you are only doing 1 size......

 

[olds97_lss]

Yea I know there are downsides to my design..

But the upside of being almost indestructable is a good upside!

I think I just want to try my hand at making one. Well, when the RCS one completely folds.

I took it out and beat the crap out of it Sunday after adding the steel to the cage. It held up well. It took a 10 foot drop on it's butt without any damage.