My Dream Truck project coming to life!

[rx78gp03s]

any who, ever since i started r/c i've always wanted an clod buster since 11. Some of you might know me from creating this outrageous rsx:
http://members.shaw.ca/rx78gp02/rsx/pictur~3.jpg
only 3 weeks ago did i get one used no body,but the axle were perfect with the motors. I'm only 18, soo don't expect me to put in dual brushless or anything.
However, only 2 weeks ago did i start my chassis for it, most of the time i spent my time finding tools to cut the side plates. Everything on this chassis was and is custom made by urs truely (me).
here's a progress pic of it 4 days ago.
http://members.shaw.ca/rx78gp02/protoclod.jpg
thats me in class holding my chassis.

shocks were finally mounted yesterday.
i'll have more pics of it later on today. yes i kno this pic is not that promising, but just wait.

enjoy.

[shoe]

nice!!!!!:D

[-=ADA$=-]

i like Clod, and TXT-1 and all electric (or nitro ) solid axle truck, and it looks great!! good skils

[rx78gp03s]

yay my pics are in!
here's a shot of the chassis:
http://members.shaw.ca/rx78gp02/myclod2.jpg
http://members.shaw.ca/rx78gp02/myclod3.jpg
thats me! :D
http://members.shaw.ca/rx78gp02/myclod4.jpg
http://members.shaw.ca/rx78gp02/myclod5.jpg
here's a shot on some pre emptive rock crawling:
http://members.shaw.ca/rx78gp02/myclod1.jpg

its getting late here. i'll post more tomorrow.

[Grant Tokumi]

Looks good. I commend your efforts.

How does the lower linkages connect to the gearbox? It doesn't appear to connect to the spherical ball part on the axle. And it doesn't appear to connect the metal top brace above the axle.

If I had to make any suggestions, or actually an area of consideration, I'd suggest looking at the the 2 side plates shearing in relation to each other. Those 6 cylindrical cross pieces do not support from shear too much. Its like how a bookshelf is pretty wobbly when you assemble it until you nail in the back cardboard piece on it. Only then does it become much more rigid. If you are gonna mount a plate on the vehicle to mount the radio, batts, etc, then that would be a good shear support, assuming to mount the plate solidly against the 2 side plates.

You may have already considered that, but in case you haven't, that may be an area to investigate a bit further.

But again, looks good. Interesting servo mounting position too.

[rx78gp03s]

u called it right. those cylindrical cross bars are gonna act as shelves. i plan on placing making a 3 or 2 deck chassis with them.
the servo mount i copied from another truck i saw... hahah....

well its not a good pic of the lower linkages, but it's the best i can find of it:
http://members.shaw.ca/rx78gp02/grant1.jpg

that arrow is pointing to the area where the lower links connect to the gear box. the chassis itself is pretttty solid man.

any ways, thanks for the comments

[Grant Tokumi]

Oh, I see where you connected the lower linkages now on the axle tubes. Hmm.... That is an interesting place to mount them. The little ears on the axle tubes that hold the steering knuckle are one of the weak spots on the clod. I've busted many of those. Its good that you're mounting the lower linkage close to that point to bring the support as close to the failure point as possible.

OK, I'll stop being so critical on the design. :) Awesome looking clod man!! :D

And about the copied servo mounting. I like to look at these types of custom/aftermarket designs like yours so I can also make a library of ideas in my mind that I can copy later. "Copying and making better" is how this world operates. :) I like your servo mounting because most others I've seen mount directly in front of the gearbox and requires large bumpers to protect the servo since its so exposed right in front. Your mounting position is not as intrusive.

[rx78gp03s]

hahah lol.
i'm gonna like you. any ways talking about copying and making it better, thats wut i exactly did HAHA. i still plan on making an aluminum bumper for the heck of it to protect the axles instead also.
here's a photo to show what the this clod is capable of:
http://members.shaw.ca/rx78gp02/clod/clodpwned.jpg
anyone reconize that other tamiya under my truck?

[MrHorspwer]

That looks like a Tamiya Lunchbox you are crushing:D

[rx78gp03s]

well for all you fans, i got a whole lot more pics at my site now.

http://rcricer.myftp.org/page2.htm

u'll see them in my rides.
yes that is a tamiya lunch box.

[2.5 guy]

I signed ur guestbook:D

[bcash]

Wanna sell the lunch box what condition is it in?

[DJ BlendeR]

That's looking real good. So now that your chassis is getting closer to completion, what electronics are you going to run? Also, how are you mounting the body, or are you just setting the body down on top of the chassis for the pics? Speaking of bodies... thats a sweet looking ford, the red really sets the truck off nicely.

[rx78gp03s]

i'll be sure to take a look at my guest book later tonight.

The lunch box unfortunetly doesn't belong to me. It belonged to the guy who took the photos for me. The thing is in very very nice shape. he's trying to add matching orange led's to it lol.

I want to put in 550 sized motors. not the titans 550 or the maxx motors. just plain old 550. This project of mine was not for performance in speed and jumping wut nots, but it was to see if i can actually make a full chassis. i want to get my tekin repaired (tekin tsc 411p). Some of you guys know that i work at an electronic shop, so why dont i repair it? well we dont have the parts for it, and my boss doens't have any time helping me repair it.eh. ill have someone repair it.

The body is only there for referance. when i get a chance to take apart my chassis, and shaving off an inch worth of cross bar material, i'll be able to think of something. much like chassis idea that came of thought.

[NPedeInsanity]

sick clod dude.i also love the initial d akina speed stars decal on that body

[rx78gp03s]

'im gonna cry....

i need an esc and my tekin blew up!
plus the servo saver i got from my kawada is tooo weak. the servo turns but the wheels dont :(

the steering has been delt with except for the servo saver problem grrrr.
i might just go 4ws if i can get a hold of an esc soon.
its now has dual decks made out of lexan.

i should have pics of the clod updated this weekend.

[DJ BlendeR]

Why not get on of those spiffy colored servo savers from General Silicone racing I believe the name is. They are always advertising in RCCA, and I've seen their stuff at the LHS and it seems pretty strong and trick looking.

[spoolin]

Originally posted by rx78gp03s

plus the servo saver i got from my kawada is tooo weak. the servo turns but the wheels dont :(


Just remember that when the car is placed on the ground the weight of the wheels is so heavy the wheels wont turn until the car gets rolling.

looking foward to more pics! :) :D

[DJ BlendeR]

Hey I looked in my mag again, GS Racing and ofna both offer servo savers, and they also have aluminum servo arms which might be the route to take.

Spoolin, the only thing is that if he intends to actually rock crawl, he needs the wheels to turn before he gets goin, in order to get his lines right.

What servo are you running? (how much torque?)

[rx78gp03s]

YAAH!
my clod is finished!! well except that i need an esc. and mayeb new gears...
i tested it out today and it likes to flip over.
here are the promised pics:
http://members.shaw.ca/rx78gp02/clod/clod%20001s.jpg
http://members.shaw.ca/rx78gp02/clod/clod%20002s.jpg
http://members.shaw.ca/rx78gp02/clod/clod%20003s.jpg
http://members.shaw.ca/rx78gp02/clod/clod%20004s.jpg
http://members.shaw.ca/rx78gp02/clod/clod%20005s.jpg
http://members.shaw.ca/rx78gp02/clod/clod%20006S.jpg
gonna figure out a way to mount my batteries saddle pack style on there as u can see.
enjoy everyone. i plan on getting an esc and a charger very sooon.
thanks to all those who helped me. couldn't have done it with out ur suggestion.

[NPedeInsanity]

[SIZE=4]HOLY JESUS

[SteveK]

Looks pretty good. Some constructive criticism:

- Try drilling some more holes right above where the shocks are mounted on the chassis. That will help lower chassis a bit: Many of the Tweaked/Powers chassis, and the newest Thundertech one have those lower rods almost parallel to the ground. You don't need to go that low, but a little lower will help keep it upright.

- Put the battery down low. This would probably be a bigger change than lowering the chassis overall. Try putting them down so that the bottom is even with the bottom of the chassis. That will really help with stability, and will keep the ground clearance for crawling. Clod chassis are so light, the batteries can be as much as half the sprung weight (It's all in the wheels/tires and gearboxes), so getting that low makes a big difference.

- Try it without rear steering, just to see.

- Consider a rear and possibly front swaybar for faster running.

- If you run into clearance problems, wheels into the 4-link rods, shocks, etc, consider narrowing the chassis (The one on my to-be-completed truck is the same width as the outside of the stick chassis where the suspension links mount to it, and most other chassis seem to be about that width as well).

- For more width and stability, you could add some Thundertech wideners, or make your own from Traxxas Stampede wheels (It's more involved than this, but basically you glue them inside the stock Clod wheels). The T-Tech mounts are more expensive, but should be easier to deal with.

Overall it looks pretty good. Don't take my 'suggestions' as criticism, just some things to try if you run into problems (The battery one is the most important one IMO). I really gotta get off my butt and finish mine.

[WheelNut]

Looks pretty good for a first gen. truck. :) Your on RC MT right? I agree with Steve you ought to lower that truck, and make the side plates smaller. The truck looks nice though. Kinda makes me want a clod again...

[DJ BlendeR]

Sweet ride! On your chassis, you could also drill some holes for different shock mounting positions, but then again, why put your truck back on the work bench right when you get it running?

You're making me antsy to get my truck rolling, been running into problems since I don't have the right tools for half the jobs.

[PCC]

A question: what do you intend to use your truck for? For rock crawling or for racing?

Mounting the batteries: try a setup like used on electric touring cars like the HPI Pro2 or X-Ray T1. This will require either a graphite or aluminum plate with six rectangular slots cut in it for the cells. Then you just use a pair of Velcro straps to hold the cells in place.

Try cutting away any and all excess aluminum from the side plates. Be careful not to take too much material off and weaken the chassis structure.

Lookin' good, though!

[rx78gp03s]

i'm planning on mounting the batteries on the lower portion of the deck if you guys havne't guessed.
havne't had a chance to build the velcro strap mount for it yet.
its also gnna have a fan specifically to cool down an esc.
it was originally designed for rock crawling.... no rocks to crawl yet.

for now i'm running an msc. and having the battery on the top deck.how does it run?
its freakin fun!! the thing turns on a dime!
it'll only flip over if i turn one way then turn the other way really quickly. runs over touring cars really nicely. moving touring cars that is

[DJ BlendeR]

Oops, didn't see your reply. Hey how much does it weigh? And do you have plans for carving out the inside to make it lighter? Also, how are your shocks set up; oil wt. and spring stiffness?

[rx78gp03s]

my lhs suggested 40wt oil.
it weighs about 10lb give or take. fully loaded.haven't been able to mount the batteries down there yet becuase the holes i drilled for the dean plugs are tooooo small by 2mm.
i'll be running in sand tomorrow hahaha.bwahahahah

[rx78gp03s]

finally some action stuff of da clod.
i got u guys pics n vids.
not so great but wut the hey.


here's the clod and his driver(me):
http://members.shaw.ca/rx78gp02/clod/1.jpg

here's the only action shot we got of mah clod...:
http://members.shaw.ca/rx78gp02/clod/4.jpg

here yah go, some vids:


www.******.net/media/2.mov
www.******.net/media/3.mov (www.******.net/media/2.mov)
www.******.net/media/5.mov (www.******.net/media/2.mov)

enjoy

[RC Jack]

That truck is coming along really well! Nice work!

rx78gp03s, if you decide to cut away the excess from the side plates, which is highly recommended, all of the cuts should be in a triangular pattern, which offer more structural strength than other patterns. Aside from being lighter, it will also be stronger.

Keep up the good work.

[Blacken]

looks great but where is the wing this can't be a rx78gp03s creation with out the wing

:p

[cm113]

from what i can see of your truck you have done a great job for your first time! now for the servo issue i use a cirrus [hobbyppl have them in stock] cs 80 servo its 150oz /in torque servo it will turn the tires while the truck is on the ground, it made a big differance in the driveablity of my clod . and i had the rear of mine locked but i think that when ever i can get my chassis done i will use 4ws , just to make it easier when i get in a tight spot . again good job! you have to be proud of your self considering this is your first chassis

[rx78gp03s]

technically this is my 3rd chassis.
as for clod chassis yes its my first.
the other 2 chassis were robots, so i guess they dont count cuz they look nothing like a clod haha.
thanks for the praise. i'd love to see ur chassis when it'z done cm1143.

small update: steel skid plate gaurd/bumper / steering prtoection plate.
looks pretty strong but i have concerns about it's pivot point for my recoil bumper and the location of the shocks to make this all work.
i'd gladly right now take some suggestions on where i can remount my servo or remount my shocks.
thanks in advance and thank you for da comments. hope u guys like my truck many more updates to come soon.
enjoy

[cm113]

ok for the servo what you could do is what i have done for mine take a piece of alum { or any metal of your choice** [ 1/4 inch thick should do] and make a u shape that goes from mounting hole to mounting hole much like the stock bumper did , granted that it will be a problem if you want to go rock climbing,but normal bashing[if thereis such a thing{lol**] it should work ok
as for the shocks go pick up last months fourwheeler they had an article on four links and the correct way to run them includeing some on shocks , you could always go with a cantilever system like some of the real monster trucks run [bigfoot runs cantilevers in the back]{www.bigfoot4x4.com**
and you will see my truck when im done , i have done talked about it so much on here in the past i got to show that im for real, so these guys dont think im some poser[lol]
now think about what all the guys have said and you will be running lean and at the speed of sound good luck and good work

[AudiTT-Quattro]

Whose that sexy Canadian beast behind the clod in the first pic?

[DJ BlendeR]

cm11, fourwheeler, the 1:1 truck magazine did a spread about four links?

Also, RX7, why don't you mount the shocks on the links? That's where I am mounting mine, and I have seen it done else where, you will just need to go to a nice hardware shop and see if there are some kind of locking clamps or something you could modified to mount them.

[rx78gp03s]

Originally posted by AudiTT-Quattro
Whose that sexy Canadian beast behind the clod in the first pic?

they call him a thai born khmer canadian asian, me of course.


The original was mounted on the 4 links, take a look at the early photo shots of it before it had steering and u'll see it. i switched to mounting it on da axle cuz it would raise the truck high enuf so that the axle woudlnt hit the body when it articulates.
i might just lock down the front bumper ah well. keep da idea's coming thankz

[rx78gp03s]

hello ppl. dis is the final update for a long while on my clod.
skid gaurds.

an under neath shoot of my rig for those who are wondering
http://www.******.net/media/DSCN2271S.jpg

http://www.******.net/media/clodx3s.jpg
a lil climb down the sand box.

and a lil sand slinging:
http://www.******.net/media/clod4s.jpg

enjoy

[Eddd]

hey rx78gp03s,
dya reckon you could give me sum rough measurements of ur chassis, i like the way it looks and its kinda made me wanna make my own now.
ta

[freakout22]

i know thats really nice, i got a juggernaut but everyseince i seen this i wanna sell it

[deekortiz]

whats shocks are on the truck

[Mustang_child]

can i know how much this cost to do completely. if it was mentioned earlier i missed it but it is a very good truck nice articulation. would do good on the coal banks here yup. lol well anyway please lemme know the price please.

[AudiTT-Quattro]

rx78gp03s currently doesn't have access to the net as he is moving. I helped him with the design and build aspects of the project, so I figure I'm qualified to answer your questions.

We basically started out with a stock clod, scraped the stock plastic chassis and what was left were the wheels and gearboxes. The whole project was around $150CAD+electronics. The chassis design is fairly simple which of course keeps the cost of the project down.

I'm not quite sure on the shocks, but they came with the clod. The shock assembly is aluminum though.

Advancements since his last update:

- Shock loaded front bumper/skid plate to project the gearboxes since they are plastic and arguably the weakest point on the whole chassis.

- Cantilever suspension with a progressive shock system. Because of this, we'll have to find another solution to remount the body (canti arms don't clear the top).

- The truck is wider by hacking up a few rims to extend them out a bit. More stability at the expense of maneuverability.

[deekortiz]

do u know the measurments for the chassis

[AudiTT-Quattro]

Here you go:
http://www3.telus.net/edestiny/clod_dimen1.jpg

[Eddd]

cheers audi,
rite best get crackin then...:)

[king nero]

Originally posted by RC Jack


rx78gp03s, if you decide to cut away the excess from the side plates, which is highly recommended, all of the cuts should be in a triangular pattern, which offer more structural strength than other patterns. Aside from being lighter, it will also be stronger.




i would have said circular holes, dunno?

[rx78gp03s]

guess who's baaaaack? thats right, my clod is! oh wait, so i'm I.
its been along time since i've been here, and its been a long way coming.
this is a 1 year update of my clod. and here are the digs.

last i left you people was with the completion of my clod at it's end.
Here's a picture of what most people remember it as:
http://members.shaw.ca/rx78gp02/clod/new/clodx.jpg

After a summer of "testing" i've come to realize it had alot of flaws. (ok so i broke some parts :P) here's the list:
- axle shock mounts
- upper shock mount
- singular giant top deck, with a smaller lower deck
- batteries were mounted too high
- body mounts are annoying when mounting nuts are lost (in mud)

all this was too annoying to trouble shoot and fix each and everyone of them, soo i decided to build a whole new chassis from scratch again. and what i ended up with was a whole new beast. (shown below)
http://members.shaw.ca/rx78gp02/clod/Clod%20002.jpg

[rx78gp03s]

The new one is totally different. It now has an onboard cantilever suspension, a unique triple clear acrylic deck for the electronics, front mounted hinged body, and custom rims that have an offset that makes the truck wider, almost 90degree's worth of articulation. there are a few more new stuff to list, but i can't list them all at the moment. (just ask later). soo for now, here are a few pics of my new clod pics:
http://members.shaw.ca/rx78gp02/clod/Clod%20003.jpg
front shot
http://members.shaw.ca/rx78gp02/clod/Clod%20005.jpg
angled rear shot
http://members.shaw.ca/rx78gp02/clod/Clod%20009.jpg
a shot fromt he back through the chassis internal
http://members.shaw.ca/rx78gp02/clod/Clod%20017.jpghttp://members.shaw.ca/rx78gp02/clod/clod%20004s.jpg
and the most important shot of all... the articulation shot!! left is the new chassis and on the right is the old one. its a remarkable difference how cantilevers can make a difference in suspension eh?

well thats all for now people. If anyone has a question or comments, feel free to ask or comment on as it's all welcomed.
thanks for reading this u guys. see ya'll around - Ve

[kyle_tdr]

That thing looks great, can I ask how much it cost you to make it all? I really want to do one, but I dont have much money ("What the hell is he doing in this hobby" did I hear you say? ;) )

[rx78gp03s]

thanks for the comment kyle
believe it or not the chassis didn't cost me much to make. the axles were 125CDN, then + materials and rod ends, it came up to about 200CDN. so thats like 150us?
the only part that will cost you money is the equiptment to run the truck. a few ways you can cut cost by is if you still go to highschool, and you have access to a machine shop, you probably can get the material free. being that you use a fair amount. and be creative i guess.
i hope that'll help.

[kyle_tdr]

Yeah, im still in high school. I guess if i buy to axle assemblys I could go from there since the rest can be home made. I will see what i can do in the future, thanks alot man and again nice truck!

[nitro_newbie]

nice truck!!!! how difficult would this be for a 1st time r/cer that is 15 years old and is on a budget of say 250us $???

thanx in advanced

nitro_newbie

[rx78gp03s]

if you got a shop teacher that is supportive and understanding and he's willing to let you to use some of the school material in exchange for your time and work tobuild it, then the chassis will be free (maybe).
The difficulty of building a clod is enourmous, but you have to cheat. look at other people trucks, figure out how they came with the idea and figure out how to make the stuff with the tools you have access too.
with 350 us (pending you have a transmitter and some electronics) might get you a decent crawler. the axles are the most expensive part and will consume about 50-80% of your budget.
your #1 resource will be your school's shop teacher for help on building the thing.
If you need help or anything be sure to just give me an email or message me here like if you need dimension or tips on stuff. - ve