malacaih 1 Posted January 5, 2023 Wanted to beef up the steering rods on my nephew's Frog. I have a bunch of M3 threaded rod and a few xtra ball connectors from my Monster Beetle. My problem is the ball connectors on the steering knuckles of the frog are too small for monster beetle rod connectors. Does anyone know of 3d files to print connectors that will fit the frog ball connectors and also take the M3 threaded rod? Or do you have other suggestions to try out? Thanks Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Frog Jumper 3661 Posted January 5, 2023 https://www.ebay.com/itm/295392961838?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=W7RWFscpRKm&sssrc=2047675&ssuid=-IHU6wS3Qt-&widget_ver=artemis&media=EMAIL Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ziddan 947 Posted January 5, 2023 Im whipping together a file, sending it to the printer when ive finished it in a few minutes. @Frog Jumper Ive got a Grasshopper and looking at pics i think the steering balls on the knuckles are the same as on the Frog? White ones to go on 2mm rods with the balls being 4mm? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MICHAELs TopForce17 586 Posted January 5, 2023 tamiya 51111 (4mm adjuster) will fit the smaller balls on the steering knuckles of the frog. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Frog Jumper 3661 Posted January 5, 2023 8 minutes ago, Ziddan said: Im whipping together a file, sending it to the printer when ive finished it in a few minutes. @Frog Jumper Ive got a Grasshopper and looking at pics i think the steering balls on the knuckles are the same as on the Frog? White ones to go on 2mm rods with the balls being 4mm? The GH uses the standard size Tamiya ball cup and ball end (I think). The Frog balls are actually smaller... There are a few way to go about this. You could buy the kit from ebay above, or build your own. To build your own, you want M3 Ball Ends (they come in all kind of length, styles, forms and colors). I like black plastic. You will have to sacrifice two of them, but get some cheap M3 thread rod and cut to length as needed using the cups. Once you get the length of rod correct, buy turnbuckles in that same length. Since two of the ball ends are now threaded the wrong way (see sacrifice above), you'll need two more and reverse thread those. If you go for metal ball ends, make sure you get "left hand" threading or "reverse" threading. Terry Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ziddan 947 Posted January 5, 2023 Huh, well, i did some more searching and it saw it mentioned that the frog balls are 2.6mm, gonna change my file but since i dont have any of the correct size i wont be able to test them, ill rework the file to probably fit 2.6mm tho and will be willing to do revision to make it fit See below. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ziddan 947 Posted January 5, 2023 @Frog Jumper Had a look at the frog manual and i think ive got it right about it using 4mms? 4mm is also listed on Tamiyabase as being used in the Brat which should have the same as the frog. Just test printed it at .2mm layer height and it fits snugly, a little too snugly in fact but heating the bit covering the ball slightly with a lighter and moving it a bit will make the fit perfect. Ive attached the zipped stl file. M3rod-to-4mmBall.zip The print just takes a couple of minutes so if im wrong just tell me and ill make one for 2.6mm balls (the number i saw mentioned elsewhere). ADDITION: Looked some more at the manual, Check the V sprues, not sure if the two left over number 6 bits are actually ball ends or just eyelets, if they are ball ends then those might fit. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
malacaih 1 Posted January 6, 2023 Thanks, Buddy! Very cool of you. I’ll test it out when my nephew comes over this weekend. I’ll let you know. Thanks again 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
malacaih 1 Posted January 6, 2023 Printed it out. T4 threaded Rod screwed in but spun when it reached the end. Some glue/glue gun would probably make up for it. Haven’t tried it on frog yet but will as soon as it arrives. Thanks again! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ziddan 947 Posted January 6, 2023 If going for glue id use super glue if you have some around, it can make threads. Another option is just heating up the hexagonal part into which the m3 goes and pressing it together at bit, should make the fit tighter. Hope it works out 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Frog Jumper 3661 Posted January 7, 2023 My latest frog mod… https://imgur.com/a/7I5oE57 https://imgur.com/a/lEQlbYS 7 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pablo68 1049 Posted January 10, 2023 On 1/7/2023 at 11:15 AM, Frog Jumper said: My latest frog mod… https://imgur.com/a/7I5oE57 https://imgur.com/a/lEQlbYS I like it, good thinking. On my ORV chassis I just put the servo in the center and used aftermarket steering rods/cups/balls and a kimborough servo saver. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sprocket 52 Posted January 19, 2023 I too am going to be running a center servo. I’ll let you know how it goes 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
