View Full Version : Lexan Vs CF vs Titanium
SerpentKing101
07-15-2004, 05:14 PM
Im in the process of creating a 1/8 in thick custom chassis for the TC3. Im just wondering which material to get. Lexan looks good since it doesnt conduct electricity, but might flex on me :(
StevePond
07-15-2004, 05:24 PM
Is this for a speed run car?
SerpentKing101
07-15-2004, 05:28 PM
Yep. Plan on running in the independent class.
chassis will hold 32 cells if theyre in the brick-style.
racerrandy
07-15-2004, 07:40 PM
Even 1/4 thick lexan is flimsier than 3mm graphite. If you want cheap, go with aluminum. Associated used aluminum chassis for years, just put your cells in trays. You can take some .030 lexan and bend it in a u shape l__l to hold your cells and use velcro straps long ways to hold them. You could use some chassis protective material on it too if you were still worried about it.
Later,Randy
BPPSupermaxx
07-16-2004, 02:09 PM
Lexan will flex alot w/o a doubt. on a TC3 style set-up, it will result in MAJOR chewed spur gears.
Titanium is leightweight, and very strong, but expesive.
If you get thich enough carbon fiber, nothing will be as rigid, but if you hit a wall doing 100 MPH, it would be a major hazard, carbon shreds flying into the crowd. Error.
traxxas-dude
07-16-2004, 10:37 PM
I think carbon fiber would be yours best bet...
Cosmo
07-17-2004, 05:07 PM
I think carbon fiber would be yours best bet...
Ditto. Check with Penguin RC. They will make most anyting for you out of carbon.
Use carbon fiber. I use it on almost all my cars and it's ver strong and light. (I got it from penguin rc) :)
SerpentKing101
07-18-2004, 02:41 AM
I'm looking at the penguin rc site, and havent found an iota of any kind of where they will make a custom carbon-fiber anything. closest thing i found was this P5500 chassis for the TC3, which is too narrow for my needs (essentially every aftermarket TC3 chassis is too narrow)
Oh well. I guess ill have to break out my drafting stuff, then c-clamps and a jigsaw...
Cold Fusion
07-18-2004, 03:51 AM
Check out www.dragonplate.com for Carbon Fiber.
I could do any custom machining that you would need. Shoot me an email and we'll talk details.
Penguin rc will custom make you a chassis, but it will cost over $100 just for the design, plus the carbon fiber, etc. It would cost alot. And making your own chassis is more fun.
CENthasizer
07-19-2004, 11:56 PM
Who can i go to, to make a custom body? is it possible to make one from Carbon Fiber? if not i guess lexan will do... althought i want a ridgid body for the downforce and all, can anyone help?
Cosmo
07-21-2004, 06:25 PM
Making one out of .060 lexan should be stiff enough to do what you want to do. The trick is how the body is molded. I have done some lexan molding, so I can give you a few pointers, but it's really not that diffuclt to do. It can, however, be expensive...
NotWalkinBlind
07-22-2004, 11:10 AM
And if .060 Lexan turns out to not be stiff enough for your screamer, you could always double it with another body... well, maybe not... I dunno if you could force one up inside the other... I'm sure you couldn't if it were a CanAm body unless you cut the rear fences off "the underneath body"... you might be able to do it if it were a Touring or a NASCAR. Still not sure, though... obviously the outside dimensions of "the underneath body" are .060 larger than the inside dimensions of the one that would be on top.
Anybody got two identical (unpainted) bodies lying around?
TOPSPEEDSRS4
07-22-2004, 12:25 PM
He People Was Up, Just Wanted To Get A Feel For What People Are Runnin, Im In Miami, Fl, Most Of Us Are Runnin Gas, Hpi's, Myself A Super Rs4 With A Novarrosi .21r Race With A 24 Tooth Pinion/ 37 Tooth Spur, Runnin The Ts04 Toyota Body, Runnin 60% O'donell Fuel. Wont Be Able To Make It Out To The Finals, But We Have Our Own, Tuesday's And Thursday's . The Fastest Of Us Is Runnin 98 Mph Gunned. Thats With The Regular Rs4, The Super's Are Around 96mph, The Crashes Are The Best!! I Was Wondering, Is It Going To Be Held In A Straight Line Or An Oval For The Top Speed Runs? Good Luck To All!! Slow People Suck
NotWalkinBlind
07-22-2004, 03:37 PM
http://www.radiocontrolzone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=167450&page=1&pp=25
crank throw wei
07-22-2004, 10:33 PM
Im in the process of creating a 1/8 in thick custom chassis for the TC3. Im just wondering which material to get. Lexan looks good since it doesnt conduct electricity, but might flex on me :(
This (http://www.radiocontrolzone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=97847&page=8&pp=20) (scroll down) is a chassis I designed that is incredebly stiff,and also very light(if that's your goal).A lot of work,but I think a design of this type may work for you.
CENthasizer:Making a custom body starts with making it out of clay,then pulling a mold,and laying up the CF in the mold,a fair amount of work and expense(although definately trick!). I would think that taking an existing body,and bonding stiffening ribs underneath would be much simpler.
CENthasizer
07-22-2004, 10:41 PM
yeah its just in the "worlds fastest" thread i saw a pic of a custom CF on a HPI, and i wanted totally custom and all, but i am too poor to go and have it done:) i will stick to my Pro-line Ridez Escalade body, and the 24 series wheels to complete it, should be good enough rihgt?
NotWalkinBlind
07-23-2004, 10:34 AM
Good enough for what? You said you wanted a rigid body "for downforce and all." Surely you can't be thinking of entering this competition with the pimped-out Escalade unless you're gonna put a sound system in it... and as far as I know, they're not gonna award anyone a trophy for "Slowest and Thumpiest."
:D :cool: :D
:cool: :D :cool:
CENthasizer
07-23-2004, 12:11 PM
You know its funny you said the sound system part, i actually did put in a sound system, i took flat pannel portable laptop speakers and took the panel off, leaveing this speaker that if u put it on any material it will resonate the material and make THE MATERIAL the speaker. so i put one up front and one in the back, added the small amplifier and a tiny mp3 player...it works pretty good! just dont turn on the car because nitro cars are loud...
Sorry if you didnt get it but i was being sarcastic with the whole using the escalade body, but hey i might use it and prove that it can be fast! heheh
Anarchy_Biker
12-04-2005, 01:42 AM
If you got the dough go carbon fibre. Its so much lighter than both of those other materials and just unbelievably strong. Unfortunately its also extraordinarily expensive. My complete bike which has a carbon frame cost me a little over 8000...my cars worth 405. But CF is lighter and stronger than anything else out there(unless you have unlimited access to Area 51)
SerpentKing101
12-05-2005, 08:55 PM
hey...who dug this up...
anyway, STILL dead in the water over the chassis, even though i have plenty of drawings and layouts of what it would look like.