Project RockEater TXT-1

[MT Dude]

wheelbase:

[MT Dude]

15.5"

[MT Dude]

now some shots with the tires on:

[MT Dude]

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pic5

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pic6

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pic7

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pic8

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pic9

[MT Dude]

still maintaining the 5" center clearance:

[MT Dude]

side view:

[MT Dude]

this is what I call "low center of gravity"

[MT Dude]

articulation:

[MT Dude]

more articulation:

[MT Dude]

As you might have noticed in some of the pics, there is no receiver mounted in the truck. That is because I am waiting for this to come in:
http://thecrawlerstore.com/tq3small2-384x291.jpg

Its an independent rear steering conversion for a traxxas tq3 radio. Since i dont have a tq3, i just ordered the radio, receiver, and crystals. (all for $65, which aint half bad)

anyway, check out the site: www.thecrawlerstore.com

Ill let yall know when i get it in.
Until then, cya later

-Chris

[-=ADA$=-]

i dont want to steel the thread but my project is going very slowly, ive yet cut chassis, to make it lower, and moved the body a bit lower. Now i need about $150 for servos, crystal and shafts, and it will be done, now im working on the skid but here is a photo:
http://img58.exs.cx/img58/748/Lowrider3.jpg

But your creation is great, i just love the looks of kongs on TXT, and now it looks as CG and suspension work is really great!! Good job, i look forward to see how it performs

[MT Dude]

thanks for the compliments

what servos are you planning on using?
i use the hobbico cs-80 1/4 scale (they have 343oz in. torque and they are like $30) I would definitely recommend them

looks pretty sweet so far
keep it up!

-Chris

[dont slow down]

there is almost no txt-1 left in that thing, but props to ya for doin a project like this, i cant wait to fix my txt-1 and get it back up and running, keep up the good work!

[MT Dude]

http://www.******.net/view_single.php?medid=43527

[-=ADA$=-]

i wanted to go 1/4 scale on servos but i think ill get CS-70 or 645MG they standard but i might get a deal on servo mounts, and only thats why. I would for sure prefer 1/4 scale, theyr much more powerfull and not that much expensive. But have you heard of the new line of hi-tec servos?? they seem to be pretty powerfull

[MT Dude]

hmm... i cant seem to figure out how to post multiple images

[Noob33]

THATS sick dude a beast and also 45 mim of runtime i would be happy with 30 anyways im gona probably start my own project now on an e-maxx . its probably gona take me a year lol . anyways nice stuff and good luck

[-=ADA$=-]

you need to have them on some server i use www.imageshack.us you upload them, then copy link, the you can add alot of pics

[MT Dude]

ADA,

thanks for the link

Here's my axles on my friends recently built tube frame. He made it by brazing 3/16 and 5/32 music wire. (pretty freakin strong) He's gettin a txt-1 for christmas so we wanted to see how the axles, link geometry, and shock design would work. In the pics, it has a 17" wheelbase. Here it is:

http://img123.exs.cx/img123/5108/100_0701.jpg

http://img123.exs.cx/img123/5708/100_0702.jpg

http://img123.exs.cx/img123/3880/100_0703.jpg

http://img123.exs.cx/img123/1227/100_0704.jpg

http://img123.exs.cx/img123/5889/100_0705.jpg

http://img123.exs.cx/img123/5449/100_0706.jpg

-Chris

[-=ADA$=-]

its really, really really nice, tubers look excelent.Its just my thought but he could make carbon fiber looking body panels

[dont slow down]

it looks great, keep up the good work, and make me one too!! lol j/k

[MT Dude]

...another tube frame comin' right up!!! j/k lol

-Chris

[MT Dude]

i got the radio gear in, here it is:

[MT Dude]

heres a close up of the 3rd channel switch:

[MT Dude]

After i finally got the RockEater totally ready to go, i took it for a spin. This was the playground:

[MT Dude]

here are the action shots:

[MT Dude]

pic2

[MT Dude]

pic3

[MT Dude]

pic4

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pic5

[MT Dude]

pic6

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pic7

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pic8

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pic9

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pic10

[MT Dude]

Overall, the run went extremely well; the truck only had 2 rollovers, one of which it was able to turn back over, and the other a true rollover. Other than that, the truck performed flawlessly, it needed no assistance on any obstacle and it was able to complete every challenge successfully. Im working on gettin videos uploaded here because i made 7 during the run with the camera. I should have them up soon. The only downside to the trial was the 2nd rollover in which the front left tire locked itself in a hole while the throttle was still engaged, which resulted in this:

[MT Dude]

Another axle is on its way from TowerHobbies, fortunately. Im surprised the axle snapped before the Revo shafts did though, i guess the modifications i made were really effective. Thats all for now, until i get the videos uploaded.
cya
-Chris

[MT Dude]

I uploaded to 7 videos at ******. just to their site: www.r c pics.net (without the spaces) and type in "RockEater" in the search bar and it should bring them up. They arent the best videos by any means but pretty good for a first time. My friend, who is a little heavy on the throttle at times, did most of the driving in the vids. Hope you enjoy.

-Chris

[-=ADA$=-]

it looks really nice, very nice driving, in those vids :D

[MT Dude]

thanks :)
i should be getting the axle in today so i can have some more fun

-Chris

[-=ADA$=-]

ive also ordered revo shafts to get it running again, next skid plate and ill be able to run some finnaly!! Cant wait for next update from your runs

[MT Dude]

ADA,
sounds good, keep us posted!


everyone,
like the title says, there are 10 new videos posted at R C P I C S . N E T
just type in "RockEater" in the search bar and it should bring them all up

let me know what yall think about the 'stump' vids

enjoy
-Chris

[microrcdude]

That is one nice truck! Do the custom-cut tires help compaired to the stockers?

[MT Dude]

That is one nice truck! Do the custom-cut tires help compaired to the stockers?

microrcdude,

thanks.
the main difference of shaving off some of the treads is the tires ability to flex alot on whatever the terrain. in most of the vids, i believe you can see what i mean. also, the tread pattern is more spaced out which gives a better bite on the edge of a rock, corner of a log, bricks, ruts, and pretty much anything when the tread hits it

so yes, i believe the custom cutting made a very noticable difference in the trucks ability to grip

-Chris

[rccars1]

How much money did you spend on the project?

[MT Dude]

A whole lot. Everything new adds up to more than $1400. Personally, ive put around $800 or so into the project mainly because alot of the stuff i got either from last christmas, birthday, used from other forums, or ebay. But still, thats alot of money into an r/c project. But thats why its called a hobby.

-Chris

[MT Dude]

Now that finals are thankfully over, i can spend more time on the RockEater. As you might have seen in one of the earlier posts, my friend made a tube frame which he was going use for the his TXT-1 when he got it for Christmas. He has now decided to go brushless with a Twin Force so I got the tuber. Because the chassis im using now is already custom and it works really well, i cut the lower supports off of the tube frame and have decided to use it as a roll cage. Here is what it looks like:

[MT Dude]

another shot:

[MT Dude]

heres a few pics of what it might look like on the truck:

[MT Dude]

pic2

[MT Dude]

pic3

[MT Dude]

pic4

[MT Dude]

pic5

[MT Dude]

What color do you guys think i should paint it? I was thinking about sky blue, similar to RokClod 5, because it would match the shock springs and the receiver pack

either that or maybe a lime green color like RokClod 6 i dunno
let me know what yall think

-Chris

[MT Dude]

I finally got the tube frame mounted, here is what it looks like:

[MT Dude]

as you can see, i had to remount the electronics so that the frame would not interfere:

[MT Dude]

another view:

[MT Dude]

here is what it currently looks like now that ive put one coat of paint on it:

[Lonely]

MT Dude,
Where did you get the aluminium uprights for your axles, they look as if they should give more steering as well as being stronger than the stock plastic ones.

[MT Dude]

I got mine from InetRC:
http://inetrc.com/shopping/html/shopping_home.cfm

-Chris

[Lonely]

:cool: Thanks for that, I think I need to start saving, there are a few other bits on there that I would like as well, cheers. :cool:

[MT Dude]

yea, Inet has alot of goodies...
Im thinking about getting a set of those wheel wideners for the RockEater, i need to make a few measurements and see how it would improve it, if any.

-Chris

[tadium54]

MT Dude

Very nice crawler. overall, what would you change if you had to do it over again, knowing what you know now?

[-=ADA$=-]

i think that for crawling wheel wideners are not that good, they reduce your under gearbox clearance.

[MT Dude]

tadium54
thanks
if i had to do it all over, i really wouldn't have done anything much different but there are a few things i would have had a slightly different opinion on:
-if i new i would have done this much custom stuff, i would have just bought a new set of axles instead of a whole used truck for $275
-i wouldnt have used low-grade bbs in the tires because they have began to rust and i have taken them out
-i wouldnt have purchased the new era cantilevers because link-mounted shocks perform much better on the rocks
-if i had known about the low quality of the 4400mah clodbuster battery, i would not have gotten it
-i would have gone straight to a 3channel radio with independent rear steering instead of first buying a 2-channel radio
-i would have gone straight to REVO shafts instead of fooling with 2.5 shafts
-if i had looked into the money it takes to make an emaxx tranny bomb-proof, i probably would have stuck with the stock tranny, however, the stock gears would likely break soon enough, and the emaxx tranny offers a much wider range of gearing and a lower cg

Overall, i am pleased with my decisions regarding the choices of upgrade and customazation options.

ADA,
i dont see how making the truck wider lowers the ground clearance, please explain

-Chris

[MT Dude]

now that the paint has dried and the rollcage has been mounted i bring you this:
http://img28.exs.cx/img28/4536/rockeater17xc.jpg

[MT Dude]

whoa, a little too big, this should be better:
http://img28.exs.cx/img28/4936/rockeater4wd.jpg

[MT Dude]

here are a few more pics of it:

[MT Dude]

pic2

[rccars1]

thats tight

[MT Dude]

pic3

[MT Dude]

pic4

[MT Dude]

pic5

[MT Dude]

pic6

[MT Dude]

pic7

[MT Dude]

pic8

[MT Dude]

pic9

[MT Dude]

pic10

[MT Dude]

pic11

[MT Dude]

well, thats it for now, let me know what you guys think about it
cya
-Chris

[Jsven006]

well, thats it for now, let me know what you guys think about it
cya
-Chris

Read through the entire thread. I think you constructed a very creative, intriguing, and capable rock climber. It is amazing the amount of time, energy, and resoures required for a project of this magnitude. You seem to be a very dedicated person. With that said, keep up the great work on the truck (and in college)! An excellent job is difficult to find these days, even with education...get a good education and you can afford several rockclimbers.

Congratulations on your accomplishments thus far!

[MT Dude]

Jsven006,

thanks for the comments
Ive pretty much been like that: whenever i start a project or set a goal, i motivate myself to complete it. I find that if you focus your life, the results are quite rewarding. That goes for alot of things, not just RC.
Anyway, thanks again for the compliments and good luck to you in whatever you do.

-Chris

[MT Dude]

I took the RockEater for another crawl today at my friend Ryan's house and it performed quite well. The tuber held up very well with only a few paint chippings where the rocks hit it. Ive posted 4 new videos at ****** (RockEater Videos 18-21) from this run. Anyway, here are the pics:

http://img38.exs.cx/img38/4554/10008514tq.jpg
http://img110.exs.cx/img110/6172/10008521og.jpg
http://img110.exs.cx/img110/6204/10008532bq.jpg
http://img110.exs.cx/img110/7874/10008544fx.jpg
http://img110.exs.cx/img110/5782/10008553ar.jpg

[MT Dude]

http://img110.exs.cx/img110/152/10008568tk.jpg
http://img110.exs.cx/img110/6130/10008573uk.jpg
http://img110.exs.cx/img110/1274/10008589wz.jpg
[IMG]http://img110.exs.cx/img110/9908/10008592xu.jpg
http://img110.exs.cx/img110/5462/10008603pj.jpg

[MT Dude]

here are the rest:
http://img94.exs.cx/img94/1212/10008611ra.jpg
http://img94.exs.cx/img94/6712/10008639dp.jpg
http://img94.exs.cx/img94/4789/10008644oq.jpg
http://img94.exs.cx/img94/5931/10008652rw.jpg
http://img94.exs.cx/img94/1116/10008661ni.jpg

[MT Dude]

and the last of them:
http://img94.exs.cx/img94/1160/10008685ay.jpg
http://img94.exs.cx/img94/1197/10008703sj.jpg
http://img94.exs.cx/img94/7518/10008750bo.jpg
http://img94.exs.cx/img94/6100/10008762xd.jpg
http://img94.exs.cx/img94/7168/10008770rg.jpg
http://img94.exs.cx/img94/2293/10008788kx.jpg

and thats all of them, hope you enjoy

-Chris

[dub-c]

That's awesome; very nice project. Congrats :)

[MT Dude]

hey,
thanks for the compliments, i appreciate them

ive been doing a little more work on the truck, mainly fixing a few bugs like the torque roll and the steering smoothness, so here are my most current mods:
http://img154.exs.cx/img154/2683/10008942id.jpg
http://img154.exs.cx/img154/1112/10008956vo.jpg


for the steering, i used 4x18mm screws along with 3/16" brass tubing to ease the steering and the shocks are traxxas big bore with the stiffest trinity springs made to help torque roll

i order some other goodies from Inet not too long ago, so ill be sure to have the updates posted ASAP

until then
-Chris

[Maxxcrazy]

Nice. You gotta register on www.rccrawler.com and post it there.

[MT Dude]

pretty cool site, ive been a member there for a couple of months i just never really visited much, but now that you brought it up, ive posted there and its all good

thanks for reminding me

-Chris


p.s. the stuff from inet should be here any time today so ill keep ya posted

[MT Dude]

i got the stuff in so here it is:
http://img155.exs.cx/img155/8377/10009011ua.jpg

[MT Dude]

and here is the truck now in its current state:

http://img155.exs.cx/img155/9422/10009116xo.jpg
http://img155.exs.cx/img155/6165/10009138ad.jpg
http://img155.exs.cx/img155/2717/10009145ah.jpg
http://img155.exs.cx/img155/2241/10009162ab.jpg
http://img155.exs.cx/img155/7943/10009202rf.jpg

[MT Dude]

and some articulation shots:
http://img155.exs.cx/img155/3489/10009242sy.jpg
http://img155.exs.cx/img155/2967/10009256lw.jpg
http://img155.exs.cx/img155/8164/10009294fn.jpg
http://img155.exs.cx/img155/702/10009311gy.jpg

[MT Dude]

and few other shots:
http://img155.exs.cx/img155/2301/10009326jd.jpg
http://img155.exs.cx/img155/9817/10009344lm.jpg
http://img155.exs.cx/img155/9168/10009358eh.jpg
http://img155.exs.cx/img155/6817/10009369lw.jpg

thats all for now, well, almost.
with the new wideners and longer ballends, 4-link mods, and a few other last minute tweaks, here are the most updated specs of the RockEater:

Overall Length: 24.5"
Overall Width: 18"
Overall Height: 10.5"
Chassis Height: 8"
Wheelbase: 16.25"
Center Clearance: 4.5"
Diff Clearance: 3"
Weight: 14lbs
One-wheel articulation: Around 80 degrees or 14"
Final Gear Ratio: 196.27:1
Servo Torque: 343oz/in
Run Time: Around 35min

Until next time

-Chris

[-=ADA$=-]

What i meant is considder a rock as a ball, when wheels are further apart, top of the ball will be closer to the gearbox, but nevermind, it looks so sweet nothing else is important. And are those kyosho ball ends? ive ordered same ones recently :). Great project.

[MT Dude]

i see what your saying, but thats why you can take different lines on the rocks to avoid axle-rock contact

those ballends are actually from inetrc.com they are molded out of nylon after the kyosho 6.8 ballends i like em

-Chris

[Rotary Rocket]

MtDude, I just spent an hour going through your entire thread. All I can say is WOW. Very impressive.

BTW, if you ever want to use the "D" cells again I have two packs sitting around that I don't need anymore. If intrested email me at LB9731@sbc.com.

[Maxxcrazy]

i think that for crawling wheel wideners are not that good, they reduce your under gearbox clearance.

Not really. Yes they reduce your axle clearance in relation to the width, but not the actual clearance. Its a TXT axle, so it doesn't matter. I would be a different story if he was using Mad Force or X Factor axles.

[MT Dude]

thanks for the compliments guys, really

i havent posted here in a while so here is the latest...

i kept breaking axles at the same spot as last time, right where the drive pin pierces the axle end:
http://img105.exs.cx/img105/2893/10009660oc.jpg

so i decided to change rubber to a smaller, lighter, more realistic-looking tire, the imex k-rock, aka the "crawer":
http://img105.exs.cx/img105/1740/10009689bz.jpg

my plan was to use the aluminum wheels i had been using but i quickly found out that the wheels were not narrow enough to accomodate the tires properly:
http://img105.exs.cx/img105/2793/10009693xh.jpg
http://img105.exs.cx/img105/963/10009703rn.jpg

so i narrowed them myself:
http://img105.exs.cx/img105/3955/10009711uf.jpg
http://img105.exs.cx/img105/2558/10009769lb.jpg
...much better

[MT Dude]

As many of you have probably seen in the other pics, the tube frame/rollcage had many scratches and paint chippings from rough contact with the rocky terrain, even though I buffered the surface and used paint primer. As I was brainstorming a way to solve this, I thought of something that would work very well, something that was made to take this kind of abuse...Rhino Lining! Thats right, the tough-as-nails spray-on truck bed lining. Check it out.
http://img105.exs.cx/img105/6029/10009727bf.jpg
http://img105.exs.cx/img105/6779/10009747ty.jpg
http://img105.exs.cx/img105/2170/10009733kk.jpg
http://img105.exs.cx/img105/2756/10009759ry.jpg

I lucked out on this mod. I went to my local Rhino Lining dealer and got the frame sprayed for $15.

Im also working on a new servo mounting design which will increase the trucks approach angle, relocate the primary battery and the receiver battery pack to the chassis, and reduce the overall weight of the truck along with the new tires. I should have pics up soon of the servo mounting progress.

Let me know what yall think of the Rhino Lined frame, I think its kickin'!

-Chris

[jturkey69]

i like the rhino lined frame!! did you have any problems with finding the holes that were previously drilled? , you could also maybe use the rubberized automotive undercoating in a can from wal-mart??

[dub-c]

Wow, rhino-lining; nice idea. How does it work?

[MT Dude]

i didnt even think about other spray-on stuff, oh well its done now! heh

lately ive been workin with the tires and wheels, getting the wheel halfs jb welded together and mounting the k-rocks which is kinda hard because they have such a small lip, that and also im still working on the new servo mounts which will be made from sheet aluminum
so i really havent been able to test the new rhino-ed frame
ill will definitely post pics of any progress

here is one of the wheels with the jb kwik on it, which holds up very nicely
http://img113.exs.cx/img113/8247/10009778vv.jpg

cya later
-Chris

[X-Krawler]

hey man i really like the truck! do you think that it might could have floated the first time you took it out? i think the truck should have been light enough for the truck with the kongs on it. i think that you could fix the axle problems by either,
1.) have a machinist machine the groves on the axle and making it straight until the end and have a hole drilled in it to put a small pin through, or
2.) cut the axel and have a solid piece of steel the same sixe as the axle welded to the end of the old axle and cut it to the same lenght and drill a hole in the end for the pin

nice design it looks like it rocks, wish i could see it run

J.D.

[X-Krawler]

i mean to float* not for the truck my bad i'm kinda dyslexic

[MT Dude]

hey Jerr,
go to R C P I C S. net (without the spaces) and type in 'rockeater' in the search bar there should be like 20 vids

also, you can edit your post as long as no one has posted over it yet, so you could have edited the 1st one ;) just click 'edit' at the top of the post

good to see ya here

-Chris

[kelmar]

very impressive chris!
~Kel~

[MT Dude]

hey kelly,
haha! i remember now, i accidentally sent you a link here, well this is one of my hobbies, rc crawling it rocks! (as the ant would say...) you know what i mean

anywayz, good to see you here as well

peace
-Chris

[kelmar]

Chris~ro!!! (hehe)
when do i get to drive the rockeater?? or control it whatever... lol Or maybe just watch.. Its pretty nifty! and you built this by yourself?

cya later fella! (as the ant would say... hehe)

~Kel~

[MT Dude]

yea, ill have to let you come over sometime and drive it, its a blast, but right now im still working on it as usual... this is a project ive been working on for a long time now but yea ive done most of the building but jake has helped me along the way also

anyway, here are the latest pics from the servo mounting idea im using:
http://img174.exs.cx/img174/5636/10009867pj.jpg
http://img174.exs.cx/img174/5795/10009872pi.jpg

for mounting, im using 1/8" by 3/4" and 1/8" by 1/2" aluminum

-Chris

[MT Dude]

here is what the steering mounting system looks like:
http://img179.exs.cx/img179/6262/10009967av.jpg
http://img179.exs.cx/img179/4898/10009970ho.jpg
http://img179.exs.cx/img179/6078/10009982jx.jpg

and here are a few pics of it mounted on the truck:
http://img179.exs.cx/img179/7440/10010008wp.jpg
http://img179.exs.cx/img179/7931/10010016pf.jpg
http://img179.exs.cx/img179/9213/10010026ff.jpg

[MT Dude]

and a comparison of the difference of approach angle the truck has gained from the new steering system:
http://img179.exs.cx/img179/1489/10010042jn.jpg
http://img179.exs.cx/img179/4306/10010057wr.jpg

anywayz, thats all for now

-Chris

[MT Dude]

hey everyone! long time no see...
ive been incredibly busy with school right now, but i actually have a free weekend right now which is very nice

after setting up my messy workbench (a ping-pong table this time around), i got started:
http://img219.exs.cx/img219/3148/10011197bn.jpg (http://www.imageshack.us)

here are the most recent shots with everything complete:
http://img219.exs.cx/img219/8560/10011205bh.jpg (http://www.imageshack.us)
http://img219.exs.cx/img219/5800/10011230wn.jpg (http://www.imageshack.us)
http://img219.exs.cx/img219/4448/10011271wj.jpg (http://www.imageshack.us)
http://img219.exs.cx/img219/1603/10011365vh.jpg (http://www.imageshack.us)
http://img219.exs.cx/img219/4940/10011342jz.jpg (http://www.imageshack.us)

hopefully, i will be able upload some videos tomorrow,
until then,

cya later
-Chris

[MT Dude]

hey all
heres the latest:
I ordered the 55-turn integy lathe motor and installed it, its soooo slow. I definetely need to change the gearing from 196:1 to more like 120:1 or sumthing around there. The torque is enormous though, I took it to my friends dirt pit earlier today and could not stop the tires on any obstacle. Speaking of tires, the K-rocks are a nice tread but they need bigger gaps between the lugs. I am planning on shaving the tires to fix that, its my next project. Anywayz, here the latest pics:

the new motor:
http://img187.exs.cx/img187/2112/10011398fp.jpg (http://www.imageshack.us)

as you can see, its a lot shorter than the Permax 600, but its a torque monster:
http://img187.exs.cx/img187/74/10011427az.jpg (http://www.imageshack.us)

and here is the extra drivetrain parts i got...just in case:
http://img187.exs.cx/img187/2267/10011418wr.jpg (http://www.imageshack.us)

[MT Dude]

ok, here are the shots from the latest run at the dirtpit:
http://img187.exs.cx/img187/5261/10011466rq.jpg (http://www.imageshack.us)
http://img187.exs.cx/img187/503/10011497rr.jpg (http://www.imageshack.us)
http://img187.exs.cx/img187/3223/10011535zw.jpg (http://www.imageshack.us)
http://img187.exs.cx/img187/6937/10011545qp.jpg (http://www.imageshack.us)
http://img187.exs.cx/img187/2333/10011553mw.jpg (http://www.imageshack.us)
http://img187.exs.cx/img187/7789/10011586pd.jpg (http://www.imageshack.us)
http://img187.exs.cx/img187/4194/10011601uh.jpg (http://www.imageshack.us)
http://img187.exs.cx/img187/1029/10011618ev.jpg (http://www.imageshack.us)

[MT Dude]

and some more:
http://img187.exs.cx/img187/3439/10011656lm.jpg (http://www.imageshack.us)
http://img187.exs.cx/img187/9650/10011666we.jpg (http://www.imageshack.us)
http://img187.exs.cx/img187/4017/alf7tq.jpg (http://www.imageshack.us)
http://img187.exs.cx/img187/1256/pic6wc.jpg (http://www.imageshack.us)
http://img187.exs.cx/img187/2210/pic27lr.jpg (http://www.imageshack.us)
http://img187.exs.cx/img187/6643/pic47es.jpg (http://www.imageshack.us)

well thats all for now
until next time

-Chris

[tadium54]

if you keep breaking shafts near the pin, why not splice/cut the splined part, MIG or TIG it to a seperate outdrive, and use cvds?

looks awesome tho, wouldn;t want to take it on if I had a crawler lol.

also, your pics are pretty crisp and sharp, what cam do you use?

[MT Dude]

i only kept breaking shafts when i was using the jumbo kongs and wideners. the k-rocks are lighter/smaller and thus easier to spin so i shouldnt really face any real drivetrain threats now, but i happen to, that doesnt sound like a bad idea

the camera i use (couldnt take a picture of it... lol) is a kodak DX7630, and the software comes with it, the camera was pretty pricey (around $400) but it will be on up there with the best for years the images i post here are only set at 25% quality (because of size limitation,so imageshack can hotlink them), you should see what they look like full sized at 6.1 megapixels, its quite impressive

-Chris

[tadium54]

yeah, i figured the kongs would be the cause of that. thats alot of tire for that truck. did you cut the k-rocks yet?

[MT Dude]

i changed the gearing alot: 52.3:1 now mainly because i couldnt find any extra gd-600 pinions or 32-pitch pinions the change the ratio, so i just directly mounted the motor to the plate:
http://img181.echo.cx/img181/6402/10011723mo.jpg (http://www.imageshack.us)
http://img181.echo.cx/img181/9540/10011732ig.jpg (http://www.imageshack.us)

as far as shaving the tires, here is what ive done so far (that much took about 20 minutes):
http://img181.echo.cx/img181/1516/10011741au.jpg (http://www.imageshack.us)

thats all folks
-Chris

[MT Dude]

i had a few extra hours between classes to work some more on the tires, here is the latest:
http://img190.echo.cx/img190/7258/10012505zo.jpg (http://www.imageshack.us)
http://img190.echo.cx/img190/9012/10012510yz.jpg (http://www.imageshack.us)
http://img190.echo.cx/img190/3912/10012522ye.jpg (http://www.imageshack.us)

as far as the center lugs, im not exactly sure how im guna do that yet
as always, suggestions are welcome

-Chris

[mp7maxx]

shave those in half vertically so they have more flex

[MT Dude]

alright, after about 2 hrs of dremel work, here is one tire:
http://img206.echo.cx/img206/2413/10012532jg.jpg (http://www.imageshack.us)
http://img206.echo.cx/img206/8827/10012557au.jpg (http://www.imageshack.us)
http://img206.echo.cx/img206/6581/10012545vm.jpg (http://www.imageshack.us)

the slots did in fact provide for flex, which is good and also, figured they would increase lateral traction

-Chris

[MT Dude]

just a few updates:
-ive shaved 3 tires so far, so just one more to go
-i ordered a new GD-600 to use with the integy motor, which was fixed by my friend Jake, the glitching it was doing was caused by a faulty brush
-the new gear ratio is 105:1 using a 12-tooth (32-pitch) pinion and the 15-tooth pinion on the reduction unit
-instead of grinding down the 5mm shaft of the GD-600, Jake and I decided to try something else: boring out the pinion gear with a 13/64" bit, which worked very nicely and is also much easier than accurately grinding the shaft to 1/8"

anywayz, here are few pics showing the increased traction provided by the newly cut tires:
http://img290.echo.cx/img290/2076/10012631te.jpg (http://www.imageshack.us)
http://img290.echo.cx/img290/6835/10012656wz.jpg (http://www.imageshack.us)

-Chris

[RCfrodoRC]

Wow that's an amazing truck. The entire thread is pretty sweet, and pretty insperational. I would love to build my own rock crawler but i'm only 14 and don't have that much money, but now i might start saving up.

[MT Dude]

Due to a new hobby of mine, 4 wheelers, I no longer have the time or funds to continue being in r/c crawling, so I am selling the RockEater. Check out my thread here for more details on the sale:
http://forums.radiocontrolzone.com/showthread.php?t=201509

-Chris

[RCfrodoRC]

o man that stinks, i would just keep the truck in case u get back into it again.