I'm 2 weeks late, but I finally have my next update!
This week's update adds a custom designed 3D printed front bulkhead that provides vertical shock mounting, bell crank steering and an adjustable front mount battery tray! This represents a major upgrade for the 10428 series of Twin Hammers style vehicles.
This new design replaces the laydown shocks with nearly vertical 90mm shocks for smoother suspension action, it replaces the sliding steering rack with a more conventional bell crank system that works smoother and provides more steering angle, and it moves the battery forward (and lower) for better weight bias & CoG when crawling.
The only parts you need in addition to the 3D printed bulkhead & accessories is a set of rear SCX10 shock hoops, a new servo horn, and some miscellaneous mounting hardware, so this upgrade will only set you back about $22.
The new design replaces the laydown shocks, the rocker arms, the shock links that connect the a-arms and the rockers, the bulkhead under the laydown shocks, and the steering rack underneath the bulkhead. In it's place, you mount the new bulkhead with the bellcranks mounted beneath. One of the shock links is reused to connect the bellcranks, and the other gives up its ball studs to replace the lower ball studs in the new shocks. A new servo arm is required because of spacing as well as a need for more throw out of the servo.
Here are a couple 3D renderings of the bulkhead:
10428 Battery Tray2 by
jim85iroc, on Flickr
10428 Battery Tray by
jim85iroc, on Flickr
Here's a view of the underside:
10428 Battery Tray5 by
jim85iroc, on Flickr
And here's a view of the part with all of the accessories:
10428 Battery Tray everything by
jim85iroc, on Flickr
The piece in front is the battery stop plate that mounts to the bulkhead in one of 3 different positions depending on your battery length. The pieces in the lower right corner are the bulkheads. The long piece on the far side of the bulkhead is the shock tower support bar, and the two pieces in the upper corner are the shock spacers.
Here are some pics of it installed:
Battery tray by
jim85iroc, on Flickr
Battery tray by
jim85iroc, on Flickr
Battery tray by
jim85iroc, on Flickr
Battery tray by
jim85iroc, on Flickr
Battery tray by
jim85iroc, on Flickr
Battery tray by
jim85iroc, on Flickr
Battery tray by
jim85iroc, on Flickr
I'm really stoked at how this came out, and I can't wait for our snow to melt so I can get out there and run it!
This week we started with a balance of $45.
The total spent this week is $22, which leaves a balance of $43 from this week that can be carried over.
The Thingiverse files for the printed parts can be found here:
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2839924
Additional parts used:
90mm shocks: $9
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Aluminum-S...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649
Aluminum servo arm: $2
https://www.ebay.com/itm/25T-CNC-Al...896595&hash=item3d5b8789b9:g:1zEAAOSwBoxaj3oJ
SCX10 AX80025 Rear Shock Hoops: $11.25
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Axial-Raci...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649
Miscellaneous 3mm & 2.5mm screws
Here's the video for it:
<iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/oNOxIg8QwJM" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Make sure to check out the whole upgrade series:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLX0Rpn6_sowEQKosfT1eEyjOK3WH96uJr