idea for a crawler chassis

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EddieB

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First of all I'd like to say I'm fairly new to rc crawling, although many years ago I had a clodbuster that I took half the shocks off of and played around on some rocks with it. Anyway I am wanting to build a crawler after I finish piecing together the t-maxx \ smartech nitro truck I'm working on and I was thinking about the articulation in a crawler and was wondering if something like this would work. Nevermind the suspension links/design thats just to give a better idea of whats going on. This design should allow for the chassis itself to add to the articulation without adversly affecting steering. Stops could be added easily to help control the amount of articulation. body mounts would be off of either the front or rear half only, since if it was mounted to both parts it wouldnt flex. This is also set up for a MOA. Depending on weight balance the electronics could be housed in either half as the wires connecting them are flexible and could pass through the center. Not 100% battery location, but then again I just wanted a visual for the concept in my head and some preliminary feedback from some people more experienced in this field than I am. So here goes, check out the picture, sorry its not CAD but I figure paint will do.
rcrockcrawlerchassisdesign-1.jpg
 
Last edited:
First of all I'd like to say I'm fairly new to rc crawling, although many years ago I had a clodbuster that I took half the shocks off of and played around on some rocks with it. Anyway I am wanting to build a crawler after I finish piecing together the t-maxx \ smartech nitro truck I'm working on and I was thinking about the articulation in a crawler and was wondering if something like this would work. Nevermind the suspension links/design thats just to give a better idea of whats going on. This design should allow for the chassis itself to add to the articulation without adversly affecting steering. Stops could be added easily to help control the amount of articulation. body mounts would be off of either the front or rear half only, since if it was mounted to both parts it wouldnt flex. This is also set up for a MOA. Depending on weight balance the electronics could be housed in either half as the wires connecting them are flexible and could pass through the center. Not 100% battery location, but then again I just wanted a visual for the concept in my head and some preliminary feedback from some people more experienced in this field than I am. So here goes, check out the picture, sorry its not CAD but I figure paint will do.
rcrockcrawlerchassisdesign-1.jpg

Interesting idea. I know next to nothing about crawling but I'd assume that even with stops to control total arc of articulation you'd end up with way too much play in the chassis so your wheels & axles would have to push all the way across to the other side stop before "lifting" the chassis & helping with the actual climb. Maybe consider mounting a small soft shock instead of stops so you can control the speed & length of chassis articulation and still provide some dampening to push against?
 
all i can say is give it a try!!! might work horribly but it might work great!!!
 
I'm thinking with the springs on the bearing plate to keep it from "free wheeling" it would for the most part perform like a normal chassis, depending on the weight of the springs it could be set up to only articulate (only the chassis not the suspension) when under a heavy force, like when the suspension has bound up all the way, the chassis would then and only then give that little extra twist needed. might try it, just got to get all the stuff and right now I don't have the cash flow. Someone want to get me some dimensions on an existing chassis? length and width? That way If i stumble across some metal to cut one out of It will be close to the right size.
 
isnt that kinda how the pimp canes work? no suspension, just the axles spin on the center rod?
 
pimp cane huh? hmm then could this be called a hoes hole chassis? or is that a bit much?
 
anybody wanna offer up some dimensions for a starting point on making a chassis? I've seen different chassis' but no measurements. I don't have a lhs closer than 30 minutes away and they don't have anything like a crawler chassis.
 
all I'm looking for is a length from front to back (top and bottom) on the main chassis plate, and a width. Anybody?
 
anybody wanna offer up some dimensions for a starting point on making a chassis? I've seen different chassis' but no measurements. I don't have a lhs closer than 30 minutes away and they don't have anything like a crawler chassis.

Check out this link http://www.usrcca.com/rules2008.pdf. Look at the vehicle specs. Most crawlers on the market are made to fall into these guidelines. This will give you some basic numbers to work with.

I think the idea has some merit. I would give it a try.
The only way you are going to know if it works is if you build it...
 
Thanks for the link JoeP!!! Lots of good info there.
 
No Problem. If you need some help along the way or someone to run some ideas past give me a shout
 
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