Danchee ridgerock

[DreadDave]

So many awesome mods, so much info, and such a friendly, helpful troop of RidgeRock freaks n fans here.
Mine is another FTX Ravine, but far as I can tell it's a one to one copy.

Like orange and blue but the puke paint scheme had to go.

Cut down the body 2mm (1/2"?) . Superglue the cut off strips to the inside to stiffen the mounting points and mount the body back a bit:

Then some weights in the tires, and got rid of the foams:

Redcat Gen7 links (part# 13822) fit perfectly 134mm. Just swap the ball ends.

Re-routed the wires a bit. Out of harm's way. This is a shot not shown much until lately. Nice to see how the esc is mounted and what servo is plugged in where.

Of course those pathetic OEM servos had to go.

Have seen some of you be OK wih this rub:

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But I didn't like it like that, so moved everything above the axles.
Haven't seen many do this, and believe I might mod it too. It doesn't look extremely stable like this, but seems to work OK for now.
Just thinking... rather have the OEM plastic steering members flex, instead of breaking hubs / bearing carrier parts. I have to wait forever for parts. heh
(Please click for video)
https://www.facebook.com/100000029160212/videos/5578276775516573/

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Then came the infamous Pen Spring Mod:

Decent connectors for 3S power, and a mini low-voltage warning beeper just in case.
Extra wires are from a RX aux plug for lights (later), and added a JST connector to the battery terminals in case want to add a fan or whatnot (capped off for now).

Came out very nice, and is awesome to drive:

Side shot:

Mad thanks to bbolden516 for this thread and all the awesome ideas, as well as the rest of this incredibly creative crew here.
Looking forward to more.

 

[Anthuan]

Am I doing something wrong here with suspension? My shock scuffs on the motor casing on tuhat side, causing the chassis to flex a lot less on other side compared the side with full suspension travel. Can be easily seen on pictures comparing each side.

I feel stupid asking this, but it bothers me a lot...
Or is there a difference in suspension i have missed during pen spring mod?

Lähetetty minun AC2003 laitteesta Tapatalkilla

 

[23drumerboy]

Am I doing something wrong here with suspension? My shock scuffs on the motor casing on tuhat side, causing the chassis to flex a lot less on other side compared the side with full suspension travel. Can be easily seen on pictures comparing each side.

I feel stupid asking this, but it bothers me a lot...
Or is there a difference in suspension i have missed during pen spring mod?

Lähetetty minun AC2003 laitteesta Tapatalkilla

Is it possible you may have flipped 180 the mount on top of the axle that holds the ball end of the third link?

Read-Up! Mod-On! Crawl EXCESSIVELY!

 

[23drumerboy]

Is it possible you may have flipped 180 the mount on top of the axle that holds the ball end of the third link?

Read-Up! Mod-On! Crawl EXCESSIVELY!

Double check you have the same upper-shock-mount positioned in the same exact hole as the other 3 corners?

Take off both of the problem side shocks, do they BOTH have that issue? Does only that ONE have the issue??

If it were me and I already had the problem side shocks off I would go ahead and go through whatever trouble you may consider it to, pull the shock caps, double check My penspring lengths, or at least compare the two problem-side springs? If that's normal, then you still have them out which is already half the labor lol, so before sealing them back up after the initial check I mentioned, go ahead and fill and bleed them both equally as you would normally and once you're done go ahead and compare the way the two shocks compress and rebound compared to one another.

Read-Up! Mod-On! Crawl EXCESSIVELY!

 

[23drumerboy]

Double check you have the same upper-shock-mount positioned in the same exact hole as the other 3 corners?

Take off both of the problem side shocks, do they BOTH have that issue? Does only that ONE have the issue??

If it were me and I already had the problem side shocks off I would go ahead and go through whatever trouble you may consider it to, pull the shock caps, double check My penspring lengths, or at least compare the two problem-side springs? If that's normal, then you still have them out which is already half the labor lol, so before sealing them back up after the initial check I mentioned, go ahead and fill and bleed them both equally as you would normally and once you're done go ahead and compare the way the two shocks compress and rebound compared to one another.

Read-Up! Mod-On! Crawl EXCESSIVELY!

Did accidentally possibly mount that corner of truck's, left OR right suspension links flipped 180?

Read-Up! Mod-On! Crawl EXCESSIVELY!

 

[bbolden516]

23drumerboy
Need better pics of top shock mounts to help you solve your problem, zoom out just alittle. Need to see whole shock top to bottom and mounting hole locations

 

[Anthuan]

Shock mounts are fine, all in same spot. Also, I have not dismounted center arm on either axle, so that cant be wrong.

I measured the custom lower links and found out they are 2mm longer than stock. This causes servos to tilt Back towards the center a bit.

Problem really is something in the chassis proportions, either the shortened shocks or wrong length lower links.
I will test original links and see how they work. Disassembling the shocks to remove the pen springs is the next step If nothing else helps.....

Lähetetty minun AC2003 laitteesta Tapatalkilla

 

[23drumerboy]

Shock mounts are fine, all in same spot. Also, I have not dismounted center arm on either axle, so that cant be wrong.

I measured the custom lower links and found out they are 2mm longer than stock. This causes servos to tilt Back towards the center a bit.

Problem really is something in the chassis proportions, either the shortened shocks or wrong length lower links.
I will test original links and see how they work. Disassembling the shocks to remove the pen springs is the next step If nothing else helps.....

Lähetetty minun AC2003 laitteesta Tapatalkilla

I could have been just a N00b, orr, i could have done the mod wrong....but i onlr ever tried PenSpring modding my Ridgerock, and i felt it was a FARRRRRRrrrrrrrrr less-capable machine. Had to immediately revert

Read-Up! Mod-On! Crawl EXCESSIVELY!

 

[23drumerboy]

I could have been just a N00b, orr, i could have done the mod wrong....but i onlr ever tried PenSpring modding my Ridgerock, and i felt it was a FARRRRRRrrrrrrrrr less-capable machine. Had to immediately revert

Read-Up! Mod-On! Crawl EXCESSIVELY!

Also don't quote me on this but it is possible that maybe the rear shocks and front shocks are different lengths? Did you maybe put a rear and a front on one axle?

Read-Up! Mod-On! Crawl EXCESSIVELY!

 

[bbolden516]

Anthuan, longer lower links will cause your issue, also a bond up pin spring could limit abilities sounds like your on the right track."thumbsup"

23drumerboy, all shocks are the same length, this machine is built very symmetrical. "thumbsup"

 

[bbolden516]

Trying out the same tires I got for my sons rig, cut out the old 2.2 beads to glue to the 2.8 tires that are 6.3 inches tall, that way I can run the factory bead locks, this thing is pretty unstoppable now. I would however like to narrow the tires anyone know how to easily?

 

[bbolden516]

Anyone have trouble with pics loading to the page upside down?
I've had a couple recent post that the image is fine then when I upload the pic flips upside down and I cant seem to figure out why?

 

[Jamus]

Those tires are huge. Anyissues with gears stripping or do you have to drive it really easy?

 

[bbolden516]

Jamus, no issues with the tires, and gears, I run my rig as lite as possible so I've only been threw 1 gear so far and I have been on 3s lipo since 2 weeks after getting this thing about 18 months ago. These tires are massive 2.8 beads and 6.3 overall diameter, I also run no foams in these tires again my rig is very lite. I cut and shut pretty much every wheel I have especially cause their cheap plastic ones and the offset is usually not ideal, I always cut out from the back side of the wheel in turn pushing the tire to the outside, this helps with tire rub on the lower links and body. "thumbsup"

 

[Jamus]

Finally got my danchee back together with the portals on. It's limited on steering but we'll see if that is a problem whenever I can test it outside. I couldn't find the hub screws I needed so I ended up cutting down some TLT stub shafts, they have the 4mm thread and 5mm shoulder I needed. If I need more steering angle I might be experimenting with adapting other axle shafts. The parts diagram shows it's just a 5mm rod with cross pins slid through, no splines or "D" flats like other vehicles. I still haven't fixed the easy problems like too much flex and bent lower links. I was preoccupied with seeing if these portals would actually work.

 

[bbolden516]

Jamus I can wait to see what you came up with on the portals. I tired the see if gen 8 portals would be able to work for the price I got them for but no dice, I do now want to make a scale belly dragger with the portals I got for the danchee Ridgerock project, since it will take to much work and probably won't work like I want. I would love to see any manufacturer make a MOA with portals and great steering angles that would be a comp rig in the making.

 

[Jamus]

Yeah all the modern portal axles have really tall kingpin mounting points. I can get pics but its just a mirror of what I did on the front. I'll try and get a video when I test it next time.

 

[racerfred]

Weight in the axle

[/IMG]

 

[Jamus]

Awesome idea Fred, why didn't I think of that.

I ran my danchee at my usual spot and with all the new mods it's like a completely different rig, almost too easy now. The portals have a noticeable gear reduction, added ground clearance, no flex or lack of torque in the steering with new servos and metal links, and limited flex with some plastic tubing on the shocks. I'd like to add bent lower links, tighter steering, and some weight down low either at the knuckles or maybe inside the axle now that I see it done. I forgot the camera though, sorry.

 

[racerfred]

There is 2oz, you could add more in the other half, just make sure you clear the spinning parts. "thumbsup" I hot glued them in, if I want to remove them later.