Suspension/steering links - DIY simplicity

[ChrisB 0]

Great guide Andy with excellent pics - well done mate [].

Funny how things like this come up just when you need 'em too. I was sat there thinking where the badword can I get some small metric dies for putting a thread onto the end of a suspension shaft..... when lo and behold Twinset to the rescue!!!! That link to the modelfixings place has a really good choice of small metric tap and dies - perfect []

Cheers,

Chris

[TWINSET 1793]

Modelfixings is a great place, I get a lot of hardware from them now - great source of M3 nyloc nuts

They take paypal too

[jesterdude 0]

That is an outstanding guide twinset. It is perfect for newbies that are just getting into building a crawler or up gradinig there link set on the cc01/ xc. i will deffinatly becoming back to this in the future if only i could source the materials but as i live in cornwall ive got na chance lol.

[TWINSET 1793]

Depends where in Cornwall you are I guess.

There's a dirty great B&Q warehouse in Plymouth that does the alu and threaded rod - it's where my first lot came from.

Screwfix or modelfixings do the nuts mail order - I take it they have a postal service there? []

B&Q storefinder; http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/templates/co...s=1288035808781

[fatboyslim 11]

Now, next thing, are the Traxxas ends:

a) Suitable for M4 rod

Already tapped

Let me know, as this affect what I buy at B&Q later today!

Cheers

Sam

a)No, not really, you could drill them to M4 size but it would make them very weak!!

b)No

[Bigwheels_inc 11]

Exellant how to guide ive made some and fitted them on my crawler (now in my showroom)

way cool

Pete

[Tinno 0]

I thought I would post a little triumph I have had trying to take the slop out of my steering, so its along the same lines.

I bought some m6 alu rod from homebase, and a tap and die set for making thread.

Died it down to m5, then cut again to make m4 threads.

Popped into apex models at lunchtime, and they have sold me some great ends, not ball ends but cupped ends, I think they were of the "Schumacker"?? Havok, nitro thats just out. (sorry about the spelling, it's definately the havoc car, but can't remember who makes it)

Well I've made one rod, and apart from one ever so slightly wonky end it's pretty good and does look nice (I'll try and get spome pics up in my tcphotos showroom later this week)

my biggest problem now is how to remove the old brass ball ends from the steering of my mad bull.

I think I'm going to have to drill them out, they don't screw in thats for sure, but I'm worried about making the hole too big for the thread of the new ball ends.

(one thing that really impressed me about the havoc ball ends (and I looked at a lot)

the ball ends are female (I needed male ones, but they supply a little threaded bar that you pop into the ball end to make it male, that way you have both) none of the others seemed to do this.

First time making thread too, a little 3 in one oil helps the cutting (but I think that m3 in the alu rod I bought would be too flimsy.)

Rod was about £2 per length ( I bought a plastic rod to try as well but haven't done anything with this yet)

Found a tap and die set in machinemart (I think that was about £6 or a more comprehensive one for about £16)

Tap and die say (unsure of quality) in the u.k. whdirect.co.uk. £6.95 or a more comprehensive set for £16.95

Also have some verniers for £1.00 (they have loads of stuff for £1.00) like cableties etc.

Mini drill for £17.95

Drill stand (converts a standard drill into a pillar drill) £9.95, and same thing for an angle grinder @ £11.95.

Hmmm I feel a spending spree coming on.

[WILD WILLY 1]

Superb info ! this realy does need to be in the how to section ! )

[Hillman666 2]

  lol!!! Andy, I just noticed the measurement on your Vernier - 69.69!!  I hope that was the real length you wanted and not some kind of personal preference you were trying to get across!! lol!!  [][][]

[kadtoy 0]

A great post, being new to all of this all the help I can get is good for me.

Where is the best place to get the ball ends that you use? I have managed to get the 3mm studding and the pipe.

Where is the best place to get some Ali channel and some ali flat bar.

All advice is greatly appeciated.

Dave

[Bigwheels_inc 11]

Hi Dave

if your using 3mm studding you should be able to get ballends from your local hobby shop i used 4mm studding in my rods and bought the ball ends from andy (Twinset)

as for the ali channel and flat bar try B&Q or any local hardware store (the bigger the shop the more chance they will have it)

i find 3mm a bit thin for links but i always try to over enginer every thing so its extra strong

pete

[kadtoy 0]

Hi Pete,

Thanks for that advice, I will get some more studding in the morning, as well as more ali tube, will also look for the channel and flat bar.

Need to contact Andy about the ball ends.

I totaly agree with the over engineering, may be a bit heavier but stands more of a chance of surviving, especialy with me learing to drive as I build..........

Have had to fix the nieces car a few times, wall stepped out in front of me.......

Thanks again for the help.

Best regards

Dave

[Bigwheels_inc 11]

Hi dave

andy is a very nice chap who helped me loads and is always there with advice and he's prob the worlds best at T/C Member when it comes to crawlers (also designes chassis available from alu-cutter for racing and crawling and if your in the uk no nasty suprises like importing from the states )

give him a shout for the ballends he does'nt bite LOL;)

pete

[kadtoy 0]

Hi Pete,

Thanks again for that, I have sent Andy a PM, to ask about the Ball Ends. Hope to hear back soon.

Building a Chassis for a Land Rover Series 3.

Well doing the drawings at the moment, looking to build a ladder chassis, with an articulated suspension system, Something to past away my spare time at work, lucky to have a machine shop at my disposal.

Contemplating front and rear steering not sure yet will see how it pans out.

Been thinking about the diffs if it goes that way, will need some serious thought.

Will post pics of the finished chassis as and when I get it finished.

Thanks again.

Dave

[TWINSET 1793]

Good thing I read this, looks like PM's are down - did anyone get notification that I replied to topic?

Anyroad, bit low on ballends at the moment, will put an order in for some more on Wednesday or Thursday, and they normally take a week-ish to get to me

They are around 60p - 65p each though , but that includes the brass ball and a conical washer (kinda like a standoff)

[kadtoy 0]

Hi Andy,

No, I havn't received any notifications for PM's. Thanks for looking and the info on the Ball ends. If you could let me know when they are in I would love to order some if that is ok with you. I will be looking at 20. Let me know if that is ok.

Cheers for that, Best regards

Dave

[MikeT 0]

Alright Lads,

The TRAXXAS ball ends from the Jato or the Revo take M4 as standard.

http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti00...=LXKMD6&P=7</A>

http://modelsport.co.uk/?CallFunction=Show...mp;ItemID=23363

Just a bit of a heads-up, expensive though :S

Mike

[TWINSET 1793]

From Tower, they're cheaper than the Dubro ones I get;

http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti00...=LXFRH1&P=7

Although I can get them for $106/£60, shipped, per 100 without screws and nuts.

[Bigwheels_inc 11]

Good thing the search is now working otherwise it would have taken me ages to find this old thread

is there any way we could get chris to put this in the how to section ?

Pete

[TWINSET 1793]

Add it to your favourites []

There's also a link (geddit []) in my showroom

 

 

[bangstick 0]

What an excellent guide Andy, added to my faves! Good luck anyone trying to find any M3 threaded bar as my local DIY shops don't seem to stock it, m4 is getting scarce too!

[terry.sc 16]

A quick web search will throw up lots of places that sell m3 and m4 studding.

I personally use modelfixings for most of my hardware requirements.

http://www.modelfixings.co.uk/metric_studding.htm 

[bangstick 0]

Cheers Terry,

  Its just a pain when you go to the trouble of getting in the car and going somewhere so you can get your hands on it then and there only to find something so basic eludes you. Been out today aswell looking in all sorts of shops to no avail, got some nice 6mm alu tubing though and enough of the little bits and pieces to perhaps get my crawler going :-)

[MikeT 0]

Bangstick ( hahah, i typed Bangstick on a public forum [] )

Have you tried B&Q ( Don't try their site, it's awful! ) My local one sells M4 studding, in the racks that hold material vertically!

Mike

[bangstick 0]

Yes mate i tried them, they do the most types out of everyone i did try but they just seem to be out of stock of it at the moment, thats where i got the alu tubing. They do brass tubing too. In the threaded bar there was just one length of M5 and that was about as straight as your average blue oyster punter (see police academy 1 for ref) lol.