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How to make the best use of this FAQ
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Click on one
of the following to get started!
Monster
Truck Kits (Clods, USA-1s, Juggernauts, etc.)
Aftermarket Chassis Hop-Ups/Aluminium Parts
Electronics (ESCs, Servos, etc.)
Shocks
Batteries
Motors
Tires/Wheels/Inserts
Setups
Trouble Shooting
What Is?
Miscellaneous
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Q:
What is a Clodbuster and Bullhead and what's the difference between
them?
These two trucks
(both produced by Tamiya) are essentially the same chassis. As such,
both are almost identical 4WD, 4WS monsters. There are differences
of course
the most obvious one being the different covers
that come with the cars. Here are some pictures of the Bullhead
and Clodbuster. Under the
covers lie almost identical chassis - although the Clodbuster one
is molded predominantly in black with splashes of red, and the Bullhead
is molded in a mix of red, yellow, black and chromed silver. The
Bullhead also has nice chromed rims, which are often an 'look-enhancing'
upgrade for most clodites.
The last difference
is that the Bullhead has an additional metal brace that reinforces
the chassis. I had a Clodbuster and found that even in stock trim,
it was a very tough truck - but having never owned a Bullhead, I
am not sure how much added performance that brace produces. Other
than these differences, the two trucks are identical. Note that
because of this, both chassis are often lumped together under the
label of 'Clods'. If you are concerned about whether the Bullhead
will accept all the aftermarket goodies for the Clod, you can relax
because the answer is 'yes'. The Bullhead can be converted to a
Clodzilla, Clod-A-Leaver or any other aftermarket chassis with the
same ease as the Clodbuster.
Q:
Which is better - the USA-1, Clod, Juggernaut or Juggernaut2?
Q: Which Monster Truck kit should I get?
This is a toughie
and one of those questions with no sure answer. All of them form
a special class of Monster Truck which have dual motors and have
huge 6" diameter tires. But each one has it's own unique characteristics.
Here's a brief introduction of their pros and cons.
ClodBuster/Bullhead
The Clod chassis has a solid-axle type suspension (for more info
click here). In stock form, the truck
doesn't have much suspension travel but this suspension type has
the potential to have insane amounts of travel in modified form.
With a proper multi-link setup this truck can have up to 11"
of travel or more. Some rigs can even rotate one axle 90 degrees
in orientation to the other axle. This makes for excellent rock-crawlers
since they can keep all four wheels in contact with the surface
in extreme conditions.
The potential
to use a multi-link setup also allows the clod to look very realistic
since real-life MTs also use similar suspension systems. However,
for even more realism one might look to the Juggernaut.
The solid-axle
setup also allows the center of the truck to ride very high off
the ground which means it can clear obstacles which might stop other
trucks with a lower chassis clearance. However, one disadvantage
of the solid-axle setup is that the clearance below the axles is
generally lower compared to trucks with independent suspensions.
This means that the truck might have problems clearing particular
obstacles that may hit the gearboxes.
One major 'con'
of the clod is that a majority of the weight is not 'suspended'.
The shocks support the chassis, battery and ESC, but the gearboxes,
motors and sometimes steering servos are all on the solid axle.
This means that all these heavy parts aren't being damped by the
shocks off landings - as such, the clod is often a less able jumper,
because it has the tendency to bounce of landings.
Still, guys
have jumped clods off 5 to 6 foot high ramps with no problems.
One of the clod's
greatest strengths is in pulling. It is quite undisputed that Clods
will outpull USA-1s quite easily.
The Clod has
a smooth transmission (smoother than the USA-1's). Each motor in
the truck powers a gearbox and the 2 gearboxes are independent of
each other.
Strengths:
Pulling
Articulation
Realism
Durability
Weaknesses:
Jumping
Handling
Fixed gearing options
RCCA conducted
a comparison of both trucks in October 1995. Click here
to see the results.
USA-1
The USA-1 Electric truck (sometimes referred to as A-1) is produced
by Kyosho and features an independent double wishbone suspension
- as opposed to the solid-axle setup on the Clod (click here
for more info). USA-1 enthusiasts are adamant that this is the superior
suspension system for handling. In my experience, this system does
result in a truck that has less tendency to roll/flip. The independent
suspension also makes the USA-1 a very capable jumper, capable of
sound, no-nonsense landings.
In stock form,
the truck is a decent performer but is often criticized for being
less durable than the clod. The chief culprit is it's plastic dogbones,
which have a tendency to snap (especially when performing those
full-reverse-to-full-forward maneuvers). Sassy
chassis has replacements which solve the problem though.
There is a trade-off
for the superior handling and jumping though, and this is the USA-1's
relatively lower potential to be a great articulating beast. Debates
on the merits of insane amounts of suspension travel/articulation
still wage on - so I don't purport to have the answers - but with
the independent suspension, the USA-1 can never be setup to articulate
like a mod clod can.
To compensate,
the truck does generally have a higher ground clearance under the
gearboxes (compared to solid-axle type trucks) and this allows the
USA-1 to clear some obstacles which might stop/damage a clod.
In stock form,
the USA-1 is generally faster than the clod and the kit also comes
with stronger motors. Note however that it's tranny is not as refined
as the clod and has a characteristic loud whine. Each motor in the
truck powers a gearbox and the 2 gearboxes are independent of each
other.
Strengths:
Jumping
Handling
Several gearing options
Weaknesses:
Pulling
Loud
Durability (stock)
RCCA conducted
a comparison of both trucks in October 1995. Click here
to see the results.
Juggernaut
The Juggernaut was Tamiya's new monster truck. Here's a write-up
from their website:
"CUSTOMIZED
MONSTER PICK-UP TRUCK JUGGERNAUT (FORD F-350) Smashing through boundaries
and breaking down obstacles, the Juggernaut doesn't stop for anything
or anyone. A new arrival to the monster truck mayhem, the massive
Juggernaut Ford F-350 is sure to cause a commotion. The Juggernaut
is the evolution of the classic Clodbuster, with a host of new features
learned from Tamiya's 4x4 experience. The sturdy aluminum chassis
uses a parallel twin 540 type motor configuration and a newly designed
gearbox for maximum power. The twin motors share a common spur gear.
The separately available servo is centrally located in a 4-wheel
steering setup. The chassis uses a coil-spring suspension system
with a double shock system, 8 coil-spring dampers and 4 metal leaf-springs
are used in total. The massive wheels and tires are 175mm in diameter,
the Juggernaut itself is 353mm tall, 480 mm long and 372mm wide.
The awesome dimensions of this vehicle are complemented by colorful
stickers. Two 540 motors are included."
The Juggernaut
was a totally new design and not a re-hashed, hopped up version
of the Clod. While the Clod's front and rear transmissions are totally
separate and powered by one motor each, the Juggernaut's front and
rear transmissions were linked(via drive-shafts) to a central spur
gear located on-board the main chassis itself. This spur gear was
driven by both motors and this, in theory, should result in more
consistent power transfer to the front and rear wheels.
However, the
in-board motors and battery mounting position in the Juggernaut
result in a higher CG. Moreover, the Juggernaut's stock width was
narrower than the Clods. These all added up to a truck that would
flip easily.
The Juggernaut
was released in 1999 and shortly after was discontinued because
of tranny problems. It's main problem was that the bevel gears in
the transmission would strip after a few runs. In addition, the
universal joints had the tendency to wear out. Although Tamiya originally
provided free 'upgrade' parts - these parts failed to solve the
problem. The truck was re-released as the Juggernaut2 after a tranny
re-design. In America, new parts were offered at a discounted price
to bring the Juggernaut's specs up to those of the Juggernaut2.
See Juggernaut2 for more details.
Juggernaut2
The Juggernaut2 is primarily the Juggernaut truck with a re-designed
tranny. The latter truck had problems with the bevel gears stripping.
So far, it appears that the problems are a thing of the past with
the Juggernaut2.
The truck, like
the clod, has a solid-axle type suspension
but unlike the
clod, its most unique feature is that both motors are located in
the main chassis and they drive a common spur gear. The power is
then transferred to the front and rear axles via universal shafts.
This means that the transmission on the truck is essentially one
unit - contrast this to the Clod and USA-1 where the front and rear
gearboxes are independent.
The most obvious
advantage of this setup is realism. Of the 3 trucks, the Juggernaut2
has the most realistic transmission. Whether this setup has advantages
in performance is still debatable.
One quirk of
such a setup though is that under torque, the truck has the tendency
to 'twist' resulting in the lifting of the left-front wheel. This
can't be good for racing purposes, although many like the realism
as real trucks demonstrate a similar trait.
The stock Juggernaut
also does not have much suspension travel (more info
on suspension travel) but like the clod it has the potential to
have a lot of it
although I think the drive-axles connecting
the front and rear transmissions to the center gearbox might limit
articulation a little.
The solid-axle
setup also allows the center of the truck to ride very high off
the ground which means it can clear obstacles which might stop other
trucks with a lower chassis clearance. However, one disadvantage
of the solid-axle setup is that the clearance below the axles is
generally lower compared to trucks with independent suspensions.
This means that the truck might have problems clearing particular
obstacles that may hit the gearboxes.
Jumping. While
the jury is still out on this, I think the Jugg2 may make a better
jumper than the clod because more of its weight is suspended and
damped.
One major disadvantage
of the Jugg2 however, is that a lot of it's equipment (motors, battery,
electronics) is located very high up in the chassis resulting in
a high center-of-gravity: increasing the tendency of the truck to
flip when turning at moderate to high speeds.
Because this
truck is still relatively new, not much more can be said about it's
strengths and weaknesses.
Strengths:
Realism (hands-down)
Weaknesses:
High CG
Q: How does the Clod compare to the USA-1?
Radio Control
Car Action magazine (RCCA) did a comparison of the two trucks (in
stock form) back in October 1995, here are the results!
The
Clod won the following categories:
Handling
Tug Of War
Durability
Runtime
The
USA-a won the following categories:
Suspension Travel
Centre of Gravity
Hill Climb
Drag Race
Turning Radius
RCCA went on
to suggest that the Clod is the way to go if durability and hop-up
potential is what matters to you; and you should choose the USA-1
if hill climbing and speed is what thrills you. I think that's pretty
good advice, but here are some additional comments.
The hop-up potential
of Clods is a very important plus-point to keep in mind. After running
RCMTs for a while (or any other RC vehicle for that matter), you
will inevitably want to make it go faster and better. When it comes
to the number of companies producing aftermarket parts for each
truck, the Clod blows the USA-1 away. It's basic design offers the
customizer a clean canvas to work on and this is evident when you
see just how wild some custom Clods are!
This is not
to say that USA-1's cannot be customized (not by a long shot), but
it's independent suspension setup kinda limits this and although
wild custom jobs are still possible, they would require considerably
more work and innovation. Having said that, it is noteworthy that
a company called Sassy Chassis - a major manufacturer
of aftermarket USA-1 parts - re-opened in 1999 and they have a full
range of hop-ups that make the USA-1 an awesome MT. Bennett
equipment also produces an aftermarket chassis for the USA-1
but their design is shunned by several USA-1 owners because it locks
out the independent suspension - regarded by many as the truck's
best feature (more info on the Bennett
USA-1.
For a full list
of companies producing aftermarket parts for RCMTs, click here.
So which one
is for you? Personally I would point beginners toward the Clod,
Tamiya's excellent instructions make it easier to assemble and with
the large fan-base help is not hard to find. However, more experienced
builders who are looking for something new may choose to go with
the USA-1, hopped up A-1's are just as potent as Clods if not more.
Either way, you're still taking an exciting step into the world
of RCMTrucking! You may also want to consider Tamiya's newest offering,
the Juggernaut2!
Go back up...
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Aftermarket
Chassis Hop-Ups/Aluminium Parts
Q:
Which aftermarket chassis should I get and why?
There is no one correct answer to this question. Which chassis to
get often depends on a variety of factors including: function, cost,
parts support and looks. Which is best for you? You will have to
decide by considering which chassis best meets your needs. Here
is some info on the different companies and the chassis they produce:
For CLODS
Elite Speed Products (ESP)
[Company
Info]
The manufacturer of the Clodzilla line of aftermarket chassis. Their
chassis are known for their good looks and ability to produce good
bashing fun! Feedback on the Zilla (short for Clodzilla) kits is
that while they are good kits, they take quite a lot of tweaking
to work right; this is, no doubt, in part due to the poor instructions
that come with them. I have experienced this to be true with my
Zilla IV. There is a general consensus too that the Bennett chassis
are more durable, which is not to say that the ESP ones are wimpy
- all the chassis here can take quite a beating before getting thrashed.
For added confidence, ESP offers a life-time guarantee against breakage
for their parts. I own the Clodzila IV and can testify that aftersales
support is fantastic. There are currently 3 ESP chassis available:
a) Clodzilla
II
Heavier and taller than the other 2 chassis. This chassis allows
almost all the stock parts of the Clod: e.g. body, speed control
and shocks. This chassis has space in it to mount 2 stick packs
without much modification (although they are mounted high in the
chassis resulting in a higher centre of gravity or 'CG') and I've
heard that this chassis is very durable. However, it has a high
profile and that results more in a 'monster' look rather than a
sleeker 'racer' look.
b) Clodzilla
III
Lower in profile than the Zilla II, it has a 'racing monster truck'
look that appeals to many. Because of the lower CG, the truck corners
better than the Zilla II as well. This kit utilizes single servo
steering and low profile aluminium body mounts. May clod enthusiasts
claim that this chassis is more durable and jumps better than the
IV.
c) Clodzilla
IV
I own this one so I can tell you more about it. ESP bills this as
their 'state of the art' conversion kit. It weighs in the lightest
of the 3 kits at 8lbs with over 4" of ground clearance. Built
as per their instructions, the truck offers 10" of wheel travel
which is impressive. Comes with lots of goodies like the ball bearing
cantilevers, anti-sway bars and dual servo conversion. Instructions,
however are poor, but I am working on some that I hope to post on
this site sometime in the future. Although the single-bearing cantilevers
are cool, they do get busted if you thrash really hard, for more
info, visit my clod pages and see my truck
and it's specs.
Bennett
Equipment
[Company Info]
The performance of their trucks are proven by the number of NR/CTPA
titles they've won (note that a ESP Prototype won the 2000 title
though). The Clod-A-Leavers are generally agreed to be the best
handling aftermarket chassis available. Like the ESP ones, they
also utilize cantilevers (although theirs ride on plastic bushings)
and come with anti-sway bars. The kits come in both 2WS and 4WS
form although many people who run these lock out the rear steering
for better handling capabilities.
One particular
distinguishing characteristic of the Bennett kit is that it sits
lower to the ground than the ESP ones, and it's overall CG is lower
too. These, I'm sure, contribute to it's excellent handling capabilities.
However, the lower ground clearance may affect it's bashing abilities
as it can get stuck on some obstacles. I am told, however, that
it's ground clearance is adjustable but unfortunately, I do not
know how high it can go.
The Bennett
kits mount their servos in front of the gearboxes (ESP mounts theirs
above the gearbox, just over the motor) and this eliminates one
of the links in the steering setup reducing slop in the system and
translates to better steering control. However, this puts the servo
in front of the wheel which may affect the truck's climbing abilities.
(more info and pics on different servo
mounting methods).
Bennett has
recently released a Clod-A-Leaver chassis for the USA-1 (however,
it is criticized by several USA-1 owners for locking out the independent
suspension - regarded by many as the truck's best feature).
New
Era Models (NEM)
[Company Info]
New Era Models has a reputation for poor service, but their chassis
are certainly interesting. There are 2 models available for the
clod:
NEM Tube
Chassis
Information is sparse about the abilities of this chassis. This
is probably in part due to the high price tag which keeps many buyers
away. You do get what you pay for though, because their chassis
consists of a heli-arc welded, 4130 Chrome Moly Tubular steel frame.
This is not only realistic, but it is durable as well (take note
that the first generation chassis had weak shock mounts that had
a tendency to bend but I understand these were rectified in newer
production runs). The chassis allows for different configurations
of links, including the 'inverted' link setup found on real-life
monster trucks. Possibly the most realistic looking aftermarket
chassis you can currently buy. It has a higher center of gravity
and weighs quite a lot more than the Bennett and ESP chassis.
NEM Clod
2000 Chassis
This chassis uses 2 aluminium plates cut to look like a tube frame.
Information about this chassis is limited at the moment as it is
still relatively new.
JPS
Products
[Company Info]
Well known for their fantastic looking machined aluminium gearboxes
and axles. Their machined chassis also looks fantastic. A fellow
clodite with this truck has named it the Clodinator because of it's
resemblance to the Terminator in the Arnold Schwarzeneggar movies.
Surprisingly the price of this chassis is comparable to that of
the ESP and Bennett ones (it's surprising because their gearboxes
and axles are incredibly costly). For a machined chassis, the price
is actually quite tempting. Comes with cantilevers that run on two
ball bearings, anti-sway bars and several mounting positions for
links and shocks.
Owners of this
chassis claim it performs better than the other makes but these
claims are hard to test. It is a very tunable chassis with a wide
variety of tuning options and it is also very durable. However,
it has a shorter wheelbase than the ESP and Bennett kits which may
reduce it's abilities in the stability department.
One important
thing to note about this chassis is that it comes almost fully assembled
- just bolt on your gearboxes, shocks and electronics and you're
good to go. The latest news is that the chassis now includes JPS'
front servo/bumper mount and full instructions - which should make
it a lot more user friendly than previously, when instructions weren't
included.
Radical
Chassis Midwest (RCM)
[Company Info]
RCM offers custom work done according to your needs which is a plus
point. They also offer chassis at very reasonable prices. However,
the company is small and that sometimes means longer-waiting times
for them to fulfil their orders. However, if you're one a tight
budget then you may want to check out their work.
Sassy
Chassis
[Company Info]
Sassy Chassis offers an aluminium tub chassis for the clod that
is known for it's durability! They also produce custom chassis to
turn your clod into a 6x6 monster (i.e. with 6 wheels!). Sassy's
aftersales service is remarkable and their new owners are very helpful
people.
ThunderTech
Racing
[Company
Info]
This newcomer to the scene offers a graphite clod chassis called
the Centurion. The graphite plates are cut to resemble a tube frame
chassis. As this chassis is also new to the clod scene, information
about it's performance and durability is still scarce.
It should be
noted however, that this is one of the most complete kits available
- as it comes with oil-filled shocks and even a body. No electronics
or motors though.
Others
It's hard to keep a handle on all the individuals coming onto the
RCMT scene to sell their custom made chassis. As such you may want
to hunt around the popular forums to see if some of these meet your
needs. Note however that these companies may not be around for very
long as they are less established and replacement parts and aftersales
service might not be as forthcoming.
For STAMPEDES
K & J's products
[Company Info]
This company produces a tube chassis to turn your 2wd Stampede into
a twin motor, 4WD monster. According to those who have this kit,
it's a real performer. It's strengths are supposed to be handling
and jumping in particular. The advantages of using a Stampede tranny
for a 4x4 monster include: the use of slipper clutches, adjustable
gearing, independent suspension, proven durability and ease of replacement
parts.
For USA-1s
Sassy Chassis
[Company Info]
Sassy produces a full line of aftermarket parts for the USA-1. Their
top-of the line DXS kit includes a graphite double-deck chassis,
cantilevered suspension, bellcrank steering (for proper ackerman),
extended aluminium a-arms (widens the truck for stability), telescoping
driveshafts and a super 4-link setup to strengthen the suspension.
This chassis
uses a upper and lower deck configuration and is very stiff. Sassy
manufacturers these chassis parts in both fibreglass and graphite.
The two look identical, but the graphite ones are lighter and stronger
and, unfortunately, costlier. To their credit, I've never heard
of anyone having durability problems with the fibreglass units so
they must be pretty tough.
This transforms
your USA-1 to a very capable truck. It's very wide and hence very
stable. It's got a very plush suspension that handles jumps very
well. Note though that if the truck is setup with cantilevers and
extended A-arms, normal hobby springs will not be strong enough
to support the truck adequately for jumping. Perrys Hobbys offers
some great springs for this application. Click here
for more info.
The Sassy Chassis
USA-1 is a very good 'neutral' truck because it can be setup for
both racing or bashing purposes.
Phantom
[Company Info]
A relatively new company that has an innovative design for the USA-1
chassis. Has a lower ground clearance than the Sassy setup with
a lower center of gravity so it's built more as a racer. It does
look easier to wrench on though, primarily because of its chassis
consists of 2 plates - one on the left and one on the right. This
design is very 'open' and allows access to the various electronics
and other 'innards'.
The phantom
steering system is a 'direct' system which sees the steering rods
linked directly to the servo horn. This reduces slop and is congruent
with the chassis philosophy of simplicity.
Bennett
Equipment
[Company Info]
Bennett has adapted their Clod-A-Leaver chassis for use on the USA-1.
Information on the performance of this chassis is very limited as
it is not very popular - largely because several USA-1 owners criticize
it for locking out the independent suspension - regarded by many
as the truck's best feature. Rumor has it that even Bennett has
given up hope on this chassis.
Which AfterMarket Clod
Chassis is the best?
In June 2000, RCCA did a shootout between the different chassis
available. The various trucks were equipped with chassis components
from the various aftermarket companies and graded on Instructions,
Ease Of Assembly, Part Fit/Finish, Jumping Ability, Durability,
Handling & Backyard Bash. Here are the results:
JPS Products
Pro Chassis: 66 pts
Bennett Equipment Clod-A-Leaver IIR: 58 pts
ESP Clodzilla IV: 58 pts
ThunderTech Racing Centurion: 56 pts
New Era Monster Clod: 53 pts
Read the article
for more info. It should be noted though that the categories on
which the chassis were graded might not be the fairest (similarly
some of the points awarded are arguably subjective), so I would
be wary of placing too much weight on the results. The articles
had some nice specs and pics though.
Q:
Where can I get more info on aftermarket chassis?
Try these out:
ESP
Hobby Mfg.
Address: 129 Elizabeth Lane #4, Genoa City, WI 53128
Phone: (262) 279-0900
Fax: (262) 279-0972
URL: http://www.esphobby.com/
E-mail: info@esphobby.com
Bennett
Equipment
Address: 900 E. 1300 S., Romney, IN 47981
Phone: 765-538-2725
Fax: 765-538-3429
URL: None
E-mail: None
NEM
Address: PO Box 7378, Nashua NH 03060-7378
Phone: 603-888-4453
Fax: 603-888-8645
URL: http://www.nemscalecars.com/prod11.htm
E-mail: NewEraModels@nemscalecars.com
JPS
Products
Address: 4755 Shasta Dam Blvd., Shasta Lake City, CA. 96019
Phone: (530) 275-1950
URL: http://www.c-zone.net/jps/
E-mail: jps@c-zone.net
Radical Chassis Midwest
(RCM)
Address: 26 Oak Drive, Caseyville IL 62232
URL: http://rcmidwest.hypermart.net/
E-mail: RCMidwest@xoommail.com
Sassy
Chassis
Address: 1932, 22nd Avenue, Kenosha, WI 53140
Phone: (847) 516-9834
URL: http://www.sassychassis.com/
E-mail: webmaster@sassychassis.com
ThunderTech
Racing
Address: 1904 Wisteria Ct#1, Naperville, IL 60565
Phone: (630) 428-1276
Fax: (630) 428-1683
URL: http://thundertech.tsx.org
E-mail: ThunderRC@aol.com
K&J
Products
Address: 4810 County Road 114, Maywood Mo. 63454
Phone: (573) 478-3600
URL: http://www.geocities.com/Baja/Trails/2416/
E-mail: kmassner@marktwain.net
Phantom Chassis
E-mail: phantom1@globalco.net
Q:
Can I build an aftermarket-chassis-modified clod without buying
the Clod kit?
Q:
Are the chassis kits offered by aftermarket companies complete?
See Setups FAQs.
Q:
Where can I get aluminium gearboxes?
Q:
Should I get aluminium gearboxes?
Aluminium gearboxes are available from JPS Products.
The main advantage of the aluminum gearboxes is the ability to use
pinion gears of different sizes. The stock plastic ones can only
use 13T pinions. Oh
and they look GREAT too. Note however,
that they are very costly.
Q:
Where can I get aluminium wheels?
Aluminium wheels are available from JPS Products
although they are very costly.
Zoom wheels
is a company based in the UK that makes machined aluminium wheels
for a more reasonable price. Click here
to go to their website.
Q:
My USA-1 dogbones are weak and break easily, is there anything I
can do about that?
Many USA-1 owners
often mention it's plastic dogbones as a weakpoint in the truck's
design. These dogbones can take quite a workout, but they do break
if stressed too much. I've heard of guys breaking these when they
pull one of those wild 'full-reverse-to-full-throttle' maneuvers
(which you really shouldn't do anyway). The good news is that Sassy
Chassis produces telescoping driveshafts which are very tough
and take care of the problem effectively!
Go back up...
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Electronics (ESCs, Servos, etc.)
Q:
Which ESC to use?
For dual motor applications, There are a few things you need to
pay attention to. These include whether you are running modified
or stock motors, how low the number of turns on the motors and whether
they will be wired in series or parallel.
ESCs normally
list motor limits and these are good guides to go by. However, you
have to note that if you wire the motors in series, the ESC can
handle 2 motors - each with winds half the value of the ESC's motor
limit. So an ESC with a 16 motor limit can handle motors down to
8 turns if they are wired in series.
Wired in parallel,
the reverse applies - the number of winds in each of your motors
has to be no less than twice the motor limit of the ESC. Hence,
an ESC with a limit of 12 will can handle motors of no less than
24 turns. You can find more info on wiring from the Novak website
here.
So which ESCs
are best? Favorites in the RCMT world are the Novak SuperRooster
and Tekin Titan. These are good reversible ESCs that handle tough
loads. I myself run a SuperRooster that runs great. It also comes
with smart-breaking technology that ensures that the car slows to
a safe speed before engaging reverse. These 2 are the tried and
tested reversible ESCs
although there are others which you
may consider using.
The other important
thing to note is that every ESC has a BEC rating. This is important
for HUGE monster trucks. If you intend to use a high-torque servo
(which is recommended since the wheels are so huge and require lots
of torque to turn) and the BEC rating is not high enough, then the
ESC may not transmit power to the motors when the servo is under
load. For example, if I try to turn the truck's wheels when the
truck is stationary... I find that the wheels don't turn fully and
the servo is 'clicking' as it tries to turn the wheels... engaging
the throttle at this moment, the ESC light's up normally, but the
motors do not work. I had this problem when I ran my Clod with the
Rooster and a high-torque servo. The SuperRooster has a much higher
BEC rating that eliminated the problem altogether.
A little more
on the Rooster: I have personally run a rooster on my Clod and currently
on my dagger. It works fine with the standard stock motors and gets
a little warm with aftermarket stockers, but with modifieds will
probably overheat.
For more info
on specs of different ESCs, check out this excellent ESC
Spec Chart from Matt Verrochi's page.
Q: How do I wire my ESC to my motors?
See Motor FAQs.
Q:
What servo to use?
More info being compiled, but for now, check out the excellent Servo
Spec Chart from Matt Verrochi's page.
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Shocks
Q:
Which shocks to use with aftermarket chassis?
For all the aftermarket clod chassis and the Sassy USA-1 chassis,
any 4" shocks will bolt on just fine. The favorites here are
the Losi 1.2 and the Associated 1.32 shocks. For those on a budget,
the Duratrax 4" competition shocks or the Kyosho long sport
shocks work great for a much lesser price. Note however, that many
people (including myself) have problems with the Duratrax units
leaking - so I would personally recommend the Kyoshos for budget
truckers.
Note though
that for the Sassy USA-1, if the truck is setup with cantilevers
and extended A-arms, normal hobby springs will not be strong enough
to support the truck adequately for jumping. Perrys Hobbys offers
some great springs for this application. Click here
for more info.
Q: Which shocks can I use with the stock
chassis?
For the Clod or Juggernaut, you can purchase the direct Tamiya replacements.
Look for 50304 C.V.A Long Shock Unit Set. These are oil-filled units
that come in pairs. You will need 4 sets to replace the 8 friction
units on the stock Clod. Alternatively, you could use the more common
4" shocks but you will need to drill a hole below the stock
mounting holes to make up for the difference in length (4"
shocks are shorter than the stock Clod units). The lower you drill
the hole, the higher your chassis will ride. Remember to use rubber
tubing of appropriate length to limit the shock travel so it the
gearbox does not hit the chassis at full compression.
For the stock
USA-1, any 4" shock will do fine. The favorites here are the
Losi 1.2 and the Associated 1.32 shocks. For those on a budget,
the Duratrax 4" competition shocks or the Kyosho long sport
shocks work great for a much lesser price. Note however, that many
people (including myself) have problems with the Duratrax units
leaking - so I would personally recommend the Kyoshos for budget
truckers.
Q:
What shock oil/piston/spring/setup should I use?
For stock & modified Clods, as well as stock USA-1s, the general
consensus is to begin with anything from 30-40wt shock oil and medium
sized pistons. This should provide a neutral setting with which
to start experimenting to fine-tune your truck to your own preference.
If you are running
a full option Sassy USA-1, then you will want to try starting with
100wt oil with single holed pistons and Heavy Springs (from Perrys
Hobbys recommended - more info on these
springs).
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Batteries
Q:
Which batteries to use?
Any 6-cell or more battery would work well on RCMTs for general
bashing (but if using more than 6 ensure that your ESC can handle
it), but I have been most pleased with the performance of 2000mah
packs. They provide excellent torque, speed and good runtime. I
haven't had much experience nor heard much about the 2400mah and
3000 mah packs though.
For
more runtime, you can buy/make a Y-harness and wire 2 packs (ensure
they are identical) in parallel. Alternatively, wire in more cells
in series but it is important to ensure that your ESC can handle
the additional load. Also keep in mind that you will need to find
space on the chassis to mount the second pack.
Q:
Are 4400mah battery packs any good (for the Clod)?
I do not have experience with these but those who do feel that the
only advantage a 4400mAh pack has is runtime. It has a lot more
runtime, but the same voltage. The 4400mAh packs weigh more as they
use high capacity D-cell NiCd's. You will get alot of fun out of
the extended run time but if you want to run these cells you will
have to set the suspension different to handle the greater weight,
for e.g. smaller piston holes and heavier oil weight. Because of
the weight, they don't give the speed of smaller size cells.
Some have recommended
hooking up two 1700mah or 2000mah (using a Y-harness) instead for
additional runtime. If you choose to do this, wire the batteries
in parallel and NOT in series. Also ensure that your ESC is equipped
to handle the extra load, Check out Matt Verrochi's excellent ESC
Spec Chart if you are unsure. (more info
on extending runtime).
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Motors
Q:
Do I need a reverse rotation motor for my dual-motor truck?
Most trucks that use dual motors require one normal rotation motor
and one reverse rotation motor. The Clod uses the normal rotation
motor in the front and the reverse rotation one in the rear. The
Wild Dagger and the USA-1 uses the reverse motor in the front. The
Juggernaut, however, will require two normal rotation motors because
of its 'common spur gear' setup. Important note: For dual motor
trucks, always use two motors of the same make, one in reverse rotation
if necessary (e.g. X-Star stock and X-Star Reverse stock), it is
not advisable to mix-and-match motors.
Q:
How do I make a motor reverse rotation?
The answer to this question depends on what kind of motor you have.
Is it stock or is it a modified motor? Does it have any timing?
For
modified motors:
Modified motors normally do not have any timing. Even if they do,
it may be a good idea to set the timing of the both motors to zero
for ease. Two ways to reverse the rotation of these motors. One
- Simply reverse the leads (wires) to the motor. Two - loosen the
screws that hold the endbell to the motor and then rotate the endbell
180 degrees and tighten them again. Both of these procedures would
do fine. Trinity's Speedgem2 series motors are good motors with
no timing.
For
stock motors:
Stock motors like the standard mabuchi 540s can be reversed by simply
reversing the leads. However, if they have timing (most stockers
have 24 degrees advanced timing), then the process becomes a little
more complicated. You cannot simply reverse the leads because that
will result in negative 24 degrees timing and that means that your
motor will give really poor performance. So can it be reversed?
The answer here is a little more complicated. I have obtained different
answers from different sources, I will share them with you as well
as what I have learnt from my own experience.
a) The first
simple answer is 'No'. The logic is simply that the 24 degrees of
timing is fixed and cannot be tampered with. I agree with this position
only with regards to the new stock motors like the Midnight2 that
feature modified armatures with what they call 'Z-speed' technology.
I am not sure how this asymmetrical armature would perform in reverse,
so I'm just mentioning it as a note. If any of you motor experts
would like to jump in on this one, please email
me.
b) The second
answer is 'Yes, just reverse the end-bell by 180 degrees'. The proponents
of this step claim that doing so reverses the timing and hence makes
the motor reverse rotation. To remove the endbell, remove the brushes
and springs from the motor, and then smack the shaft on a hard surface.
The endbell should pop right off. Then rotate it 180 degrees and
bend the tabs on the can back over the endbell to re-seal the motor.
If you attempt this, be sure to note the washer placements on the
armature and to re-assemble the motor with the same number of washers
on each end.
c) My own experience
with the technique in (b) is as follows. After reversing the endbell
180 degrees, I found that the final effect was no different from
simply reversing the leads - that is, the motor still performed
poorly. This seemed logical to me since turning the endbell is symmetrical
and turning it 180 degrees does not appear to change anything except
the direction of current flow. What I did was to remove the endbell
as described in (b) and then reverse the rotation 48 degrees. By
doing this, I reverse the endbell back to zero and then further
another 24 degrees to give the motor a final timing of negative
24 degrees timing. Next, I reversed the leads to the motor. I reasoned
that when the current was reversed, the negative 24 degrees of timing
is now translated to 24 degrees of positive timing. This has worked
well with me so far. Note, however, that to do this you must cut
new 'slots' into the endbell for the can-tabs so you can re-seal
the motor.
So is (b) or
(c) correct? Well, I will ask you to try it out yourself and be
your own judge. Charge up a pack, and then connect it to a normal
rotation motor - note the sound of the motor (rough guide, but good
enough). Reverse the leads, and then note the sound again - the
pitch should be lower signifying lower RPMs. Next, try (b) and (c)
and then decide for yourself which reverse rotation method produces
similar RPMs to the normal motor running in normal rotation.
One last important
note - opening the endbell of your non-rebuildable stock motors
renders it illegal for most races. Moreover, the timing for many
new motors (Midnight2, Paradox, etc.) have flat-sides on their cans
which permanently fixes their timing at 24 degrees advanced - there
is NO way to reverse the timing of these motors (unless you agree
with the logic in (b)).
Phew
that
was a long one!
Q:
What is motor timing?
Motor timing is simply the measurement of the position of the magnets
in your motor relative to the position of the brushes. Zero timing
is when the brushes are directly centred over the motor. Hold the
motor with the endbell facing you; to advance the timing (for a
normal rotation motor), turn the endbell counterclockwise. To retard
the timing, turn it clockwise. Increased timing increases RPMs but
also results in lower torque.
Q:
How do I wire the dual motors to the ESC?
You have 2 choices for this one. Do you want to run your motors
in series or in parallel? The answers in this section apply to wiring
for the Clod which runs the reverse rotation motor in the rear.
Hence for the USA-1 and other trucks that run the reverse rotation
motor on the front gearbox, simply swap the words "front"
and "rear" in the following instructions. Parallel wiring
results in more torque and power as each motor runs the same voltage
off the battery. Series wiring yields longer runtimes but with less
torque and power because voltage is divided between the two motors.
Most guys run their trucks in parallel. However, you should check
to ensure that your ESC can handle the method you choose - parallel
wiring demands more of the ESC.
WIRING
INSTRUCTIONS (for Trucks running
Dual motors with reverse rotation motor in the rear gearbox)
Series
wiring:
Positive (POS) lead from ESC to negative
(NEG) tab on REAR motor.
Run a wire from POS tab on REAR motor
to POS tab on FRONT motor.
NEG lead from ESC to NEG
tab on FRONT motor.
Parallel
wiring:
POS lead from ESC to NEG
tab on REAR motor.
Run a wire from NEG tab on REAR motor
to POS tab on FRONT motor.
NEG lead from ESC to POS
tab on REAR motor.
Run a wire from POS tab on REAR motor
to NEG tab on FRONT motor.
For more info
and diagrams, visit this
page from the Novak Website.
Q: What do terms like 'turns', 'single',
'double'
mean and how do they affect the motor?
The number of turns of a motor is the number of times the wires
in the motor are wound around the armature. 'Single', 'double',
'triple' and 'quad' refer to the number of strands of wires being
wound onto the armatures. Single refers to one wire, double refers
to two and so on
Hence, a 16 turn double (16x2) breaks down
to 2 wires being wound around the armature 16 times. The lower number
of turns generally results in higher RPMs, amp draw and heat, as
well as lower runtimes.
The number of
strands wound round the armature affect where the torque is located
on the motor's RPM. Singles generally have a lot more low-end torque
(i.e. there is a lot of power at lower speeds) and Quads have more
high-end torque (i.e. there is more power at higher speeds). Doubles
and triples have their torque distribution accordingly. Most monster
truckers favour singles and doubles as these huge trucks benefit
from powerful acceleration. However, if you are going for speed,
you may want to consider a triple. I've not heard of anyone trying
a quad yet.
Q: Which motor should I get and why?
It all depends on your application and what you want from your motor.
Depending on your desired runtime, power and speed requirements,
many different motors are available. The general consensus is that
a good balanced motor is the 17 turn singles. The Speedgem2's Sapphire
motor fits this bill nicely and does not cost too much either. For
a bit more speed you can try 16 turn singles or doubles. For real
speed maniacs, you can go lower than that, but you will have to
ensure that your ESC can handle it. I have heard of one such clodite
who runs 7 turn motors on his Clod!
Another favourite
motor is the Monster Mayhem motor from Kyosho. This is a 550 sized
motor (it is too large to fit in the Juggernaut2)
that produces a lot of torque. A favourite for those who want a
lot of low-end torque. The mega-motors that come with the stock
USA-1 kits are essentially Mayhems with different endbells. I was
going to buy new motors for my USA-1 but after trying the Mayhems
I liked them so much I stuck with them.
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Tires/Wheels/Inserts
Q:
Where can I get foam inserts?
Q: Should I use foam inserts?
Foam inserts are available from Sassy Chassis.
They are excellent for providing additional support for your truck
and increasing it's grip and handling on less bumpy surfaces. You
may prefer to not use them for rock-crawling though. Inserts also
provide additional cushioning for landings off huge jumps. I run
them in all my trucks.
Q:
Where can I get aluminium wheels?
See Aftermarket Chassis Hop-Ups/Aluminium
Parts.
Q:
What tyres should I use?
The stock 'V' threads are generally recommended for tarmac and climbing.
The Pro-Line Giant-Traction Clodbuster tyres provide great traction
on dirt, grass and other soft surfaces. Kyosho USA-1 are lighter
and have slightly better traction than the Tamiya ones. If you're
looking for tyres, Duratrax also produces a set for the Clod with
small-pins arranged in a 'V'-shape pattern. Don't know how they
perform, but they are reasonably priced.
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Setups
Q:
How do I lock/tighten my differentials?
Locking differentials or tightening them up can be desirable if
you do a lot of climbing on bumpy surfaces. Loose differentials
can cause trucks to get stuck when one wheel loses contact with
the ground and spins freely as the other stops spinning altogether.
There are some different ways of locking/tightening up the differentials:
1. Use thicker
grease on the diff gears. Some use auto-grease. It's suppose to
stiffen things up a bit but still give you a bit of differential
when turning.
2. Use an O-ring
or spacer on the diff gears so that they mesh together more tightly...
aimed to achieve similar effect as (1).
3. Glue your
diff gears together. This is a permanent fix that eliminates differential
altogether.
4. Take out
your differential and with them assembled as they would be in the
gearbox, drill 3 holes through both the side bevel gears right through
the centre gear. Make sure the holes aren't too big and then use
a piece of piano wire through all of them. It should be a tight
fit so the wire does not come loose. This should allow you to reverse
the process should you need diffs again. Warning! Don't drill through
the 3 small gears on the centre gear... this will weaken your setup
greatly.
5. Have a solid
shaft made. I've heard of this but never seen one though.
But whatever
you do, keep in mind that locking up the differentials will probably
cause some turning problems when running on high traction and flat
surfaces.
Q:
How do I improve the steering of my Clod?
You can improve the steering of your Clod in many ways, here I shall
discuss 4 ways:
a)
Use a larger servo horn.
If you are running the stock steering setup with one servo, then
you can try using a larger servo horn. I have found that the large
circular one works very well. Drill the holes on it further apart
than on the stock one provided in the kit and you will get more
servo throw and more steering.
b)
Using Dual Servos.
Most aftermarket companies produce dual servo-conversion kits that
allow you to convert the stock single-servo steering setup to use
2 servos instead. This results in one servo that controls the front
wheels and one for the rear. You do not need a 3-channel radio to
do this, all you require is a Y-harness that allows you to use just
one channel to control both servos (this is available from most
LHS). Dual servos are better because you eliminate those long rods
that connect from the central servo to the front and rear servo
savers. With 2 servos, you also have more muscle turning those massive
wheels - this is one case where 2 are better than 1!
c)
Mount your steering servos in front of the gearbox.
Check out the Bennett style mount that does this. This improves
steering because it eliminates one link and the stock plastic servo
saver altogether - this results in less slop and more responsive,
more powerful steering. Here are some pics.
Bennett-style
mount 1
Bennett-style mount 2
[more pics of a Bennett-style mount
I made for my clod]
ESP-style servo mount
[more pics of ESPs mount on my clod
page]
d)
Filing off the steering stops on the axle.
This is one of the easiest ways to increase the steering of stock
clods. Examine the axles of the Clod, the end that holds the hubs
resembles a 'C'. On this 'C', there are small triangular protrusions
that limit the steering of the Clod. By filing away some plastic
from this stop, you will allow your wheels to turn even more for
more steering. Note however, that this is only possible with modified
clods with multi-link rods or special wheel wideners because on
the stock clod, any extra steering will cause the wheels to run
against the stock bumper and suspension ladder bars (the large plastic
pieces that connect the chassis to the gearboxes).
e)
Using a stronger steering servo.
Another easy way to increase the steering of stock clods. Get a
stronger steering servo. For MTs with such huge wheels, a servo
with no less than 100oz of torque is recommended. Check out Matt
Verrochi's Servo
Spec Chart for a list of good high-torque servos.
Q:
How do I improve the steering of my USA-1?
Info being compiled...
Q:
How do I mount servos on the ESP dual servo mounts on my Clod?
One question many people who receive their Clodzilla IV kits ask
is how to mount the servos on those small 'L' shaped aluminium mounts?
The mounts are too small to use any servo mounts. ESP recommends
that you use good quality mounting tape and add nylon tie-wraps
for added security. I personally prefer to use servo mounts so what
I did was cut a piece of aluminium that could accommodate my servo
and servo mounts. I drilled 3 holes into it and countersunk them.
I drilled another 3 holes on the ESP mount and used flat-head screws
to attach the 2 parts. Drilling 2 other holes on the project allowed
me to use my servo mounts and servo. It's quite an easy job with
excellent results.
Q:
How do I reverse gearboxes on the Clod?
I've not done this myself but those who've tried this claim it has
certain advantages:
a) There is no need to reverse my modified motors, both will turn
in the same direction.
b) With the rear motor toward the back of the chassis there is more
room in the center portion of the chassis where the battery is mounted.
This allows for more cells to be used.
c) The weight distribution does not allow for nose-dive jump landings.
How
is this done?
Assemble the chassis according to the manufacturer's instructions
but don't attach the rear gearbox. When you're finished you should
have the four rear link bars hanging off the chassis. You should
also have drilled the holes on the axles housings to mount the lower
link bars (according to the manufacturer's instructions). Now turn
the rear gearcase around and bolt it on. I don't have the Bennett
kit, but I have read that you will have to reverse the nylon shock
and sway bar mounts on the rear. Just put the right one where the
left is to go - this way they face the right direction.
[As far as I
know, the credit for this idea must go to Cobalt. I read about it
on Clod Moves]
Q:
Can I reverse the rear gearbox on a stock Clod?
Not without the use of an aftermarket multi-link suspension kit.
The problem with the stock setup is that little black tab that connects
the gearbox (near where the motor is mounted) to the red 'wing'
piece that connects to the chassis. Without this tab, the gearcase
assembly is unstable. The multi-link kit eliminates the need for
that tab.
Q:
For Clods, how do I attach multi-link suspension rods to the axles?
Common question. The most common way of doing this is to drill a
hole in the 'C' shaped part of the axle housings. There is already
one hole there that is used to connect the metal axle brace. Drill
one more hole at the bottom 3mm in diameter. Use 15-20mm screws
to attach the multilink rods to the axle housing. Use lock-nuts
to hold them in place. You should also use conical washers (available
from ESP or Bennett) between the rod-ends and the plastic to prevent
binding under full suspension travel.
Q:
Can I build an aftermarket-chassis-modified clod without buying
the Clod kit?
Yes you can, but you will need to purchase all the parts to build
the front and rear gearboxes, the axles, rims and wheels. I've not
calculated this myself but some who have claim that the cost of
this is almost equivalent to buying the whole kit. In my opinion,
getting the entire kit is less troublesome and you get all the other
parts too (body, chassis, shocks, etc.). The aftermarket chassis
do not come with the transmissions, wheels, shocks, body and electronics
(although you may check with them to see if they sell completed
rolling chassis). If you still want to purchase the parts separately
without buying the kit, you will require the following:
You will need
two of the following:
0005294 B
parts
0005296 D parts
0005297 E parts
9805230 Wheel Axle Bag
9805229 Drive Shaft Bag
9335039 Gear Bag
3515001 Pinion gear
9805231 Counter Shafts
0555026 Wheels
9805226 Tyres
You will need
one of the following:
1055291 Instructions
9405352 Press Parts
9405353 Ball Connector Bag
9465188 Screw Bag A
9465189 Screw Bag B
9465190 Screw Bag C
9465191 Screw Bag D
9405349 Rod Bag
Please use this
list only as a rough guide as I cannot be sure that the same parts
are required for all the varied aftermarket chassis out there. I
recommend that you get the instruction booklet first and familiarize
yourself with what you need before making any other purchases.
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Trouble
Shooting
Q:
When I turn the truck's wheels when the truck is stationary... I
find that the wheels don't turn fully and the servo is 'clicking'
as it tries to turn the wheels... engaging the throttle at this
moment, the ESC light's up normally, but the motors do not work.
What's wrong?
The problem lies with the BEC rating of your ESC, check out Electronics
FAQs for more info.
Q: My truck veers right on acceleration
and left on deceleration. It tracks straight at constant speeds.
What's wrong?
This is a toughie and I have not found any concrete answers. All
I can say is my truck has experienced these problems too and this
is what I think is the cause and possible solutions.
There can be
three possible causes:
a)
The chassis is tweaked.
This means that the chassis is not 'flat' and the 4 wheels do not
touch the ground at the same time. The suspension can absorb some
of this tweak so it is not obvious. To check, lift your truck off
the ground and carefully and slowly lower it to see if all 4 wheels
touch the ground at the same time. If they do not, then the damping
provided by the shocks will be inconsistent on acceleration and
deceleration causing the steering problems.
Solution:
Assemble the chassis again paying special attention to keep it 'flat'
(or 'square').
b)
Poorly assembled shocks.
The same problem can arise if there is differing amounts of oil
in your shocks is different. Shocks with more oil have harder damping
characteristics. Again, the inconsistent damping causes steering
problems.
Solution:
Assemble your shocks again carefully. The Losi shocks come with
cartridges that I am told make bleeding shocks really easy.
c)
Motor Induced Torque.
The motors in your truck act as gyroscopes and when they accelerate
they can impose a lot of load on the rest of the chassis 'forcing'
it to veer in one direction or another during changes of speed.
I'm beginning to suspect this may be the cause because I experience
the same phenomena on my Wild Dagger even though I have made sure
(a) and (b) are not the cause.
Solution:
None really to totally eliminate this. However, good strong high-torque
servos and slop-free steering setups will go some way in cutting
down the problem. Most guys I know just get used to this handling
characteristic.
After all that...
On a final note, the problem is often noticeable only on hard, surfaces
like tarmac and not at all when running on grass or dirt where RCMTs
are most at home. The moral? Monster Trucks weren't meant to run
on roads, they're monsters looking for some rough terrain to conquer!
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What
Is?
Q:
What is Suspension travel/Articulation?
Loosely put, this translates to how much you can lift one wheel
of the truck off the ground while the other 3 remain in contact
with the ground. Here are some examples of the axle articulation
of my Clod and Wild
Dagger. In the pics, you can see that the dagger has far less
articulation than the Clod. In this case, the choice of shock is
part of the reason for this, but the general rule is that cars with
independent suspension will have potentially less axle articulation
than cars with the clod-type suspension.
Q:
What is Independent Suspension/Solid Axle Suspension?
Q: Can you give me an introduction to the
various suspension systems?
One of the cool things about the Clod is it's suspension. Clods
(and the new Tamiya Juggernaut) do not have independent suspension
found on most other cars. Where independent suspension is concerned,
the gearbox of the vehicle is directly bolted to the chassis, suspension
movement involves the movement of the 'extensions' from the gearbox
- namely, the wishbones (or trailing arms) and the upper-links (if
any), the driveshaft (dogbones or universals) and the hub. These
components allow the tyre and wheel to move up and down for the
suspension action.
On Clods, the
gearbox is not bolted onto the chassis and the driveshafts do not
move in relation to the gearbox. Instead, the driveshafts are 'fixed'
to the gearbox and the whole assembly forms one assembly with no
suspension movement at all. So where does the suspension come in?
The answer is that the whole gearbox assembly (with the dogbones,
wheels and rims, are suspended from the chassis via some form of
rods. This is what is termed as multilink suspension. In this setup,
wishbones are no longer needed since the gearbox and wheels are
connected with an axle instead that houses the dogbone.
Click here
for a pic showing the above differences.
The beauty
of this suspension system is it's potential for axle articulation.
This is one reason why the Bennett aftermarket chassis for the USA-1
(which has independent suspension) actually locks out the stock
suspension and uses a multilink setup instead (more info
on this chassis).
It must be
noted, in fairness of independent suspension, that it although it
lacks axle articulation, it generally provides more stable handling
and has it's own advantages. But most RC monster truckers favour
the multilink suspension setup instead because it's excellent for
what monster trucks do best - climbing over huge obstacles and crushing
other RC cars! YEAH BABY!
So where do
cantilevers come in?
Cantilevers
often work in tandem with multilink suspensions. Click here
to read more about Cantilevers/Cantilevered Suspension Systems.
Q:
What are Cantilevers/Cantilevered Suspension Systems?
Cantilevers
often work in conjunction with the multilink setup because of the
axle articulation potential. You see, every suspension
is limited by the travel of the shock absorber in the setup. Shock
travel is simply how much the shock absorber can compress and this
is often easily measured (in most cases) by measuring the exposed
portion of the shock shaft (click here
for a pic). When the shock is connected directly between the chassis
and the gearbox, 1" of shock travel is roughly how far your
suspension can compress. Here's where the cantilever system comes
in handy. It's primary function is to increase how far your suspension
can compress with the same shock (that still has 1" of travel).
In this way, a cantilever system increases the axle articulation
of the truck.
How do cantilevers
do this? Here's a detailed answer:
We'll begin
by considering the parts of a cantilever
Parts
of a Cantilever
It may be useful to refer to this
picture while reading the descriptions.
Cantilevers will consist of the following:
1) The Cantilever
These are the heart of the system (duh!) and usually consist of
triangular shaped pieces of aluminium although once you understand
the concept you can design cantilevers of different shapes and sizes.
It will have 3 important parts which I shall now discuss.
2) Pivot
Point
This is a hole in the cantilever which a screw/bolt will go through
to attach it to the chassis. The attachment will not be a 'solid'
one in that the cantilever will be mounted in such a way that it
can pivot on the screw. Sometimes a ball bearing is mounted at this
pivot point so that the pivoting action would be silky smooth and
also wear better.
3) Cantilever
Rod Mounting Point
This is a hole on the cantilever which will be attached to the cantilever
rod (I'll touch on this in just a little while). For the purposes
of this discussion, I will refer to the distance between the pivot
point and the cantilever rod mounting point as distance (A).
4) Shock
Mounting Point
This is the part of the cantilever that will mount to the end of
your shock absorber. The distance between the pivot point and the
shock mounting point will be referred to as distance (B).
5) The Cantilever
Rod
This is a simple part that consists of a rod with two rod ends at
each end. The rods and rod-ends normally used for steering or upper-suspension
links will do fine, although in the future you may prefer to use
something more beefy and durable. This cantilever rod mounts from
the cantilever to the gearbox/axle/transmission assembly. Hence
when the assembly is pushed up towards the chassis, the rod pushes
against the cantilever and that in turn pivots on the pivot point.
6) Other
Hardware
You'll need all the screws, nuts and washers that will be used to
mount the different parts together.
7) Ball Bearing
(optional)
Like I mentioned earlier, a ball bearing (or even two) can be mounted
on the cantilever's pivot point to smoothen out the pivot action
of the cantilever.
The
Principle behind Cantilevers
This is pretty simple. The secret lies in the distances (A) and
(B) discussed earlier. For cantilevers, (A) will always be longer
than (B). When the cantilever pivots then, the distance which the
cantilever rod mounting point moves will hence be greater than the
distance the shock mounting point moves. Consequently, when the
shock is compressed, it's shock travel (labeled 'X' in this pic)
translates to greater suspension travel (labeled 'Y' in the same
pic). Simple - but effective!
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