My Savage Truggy Project!
 

Hi guys it's E-Traxxer if anybody remembers me.. Signed up here again to show you guys my project and gain some insights. Wasn't sure whether to put this in the Savage forum or this forum but I figure it's unique enough to be put here. :yes: Anyways, I am and always have been a Savage guy, I just love the reputation it has, the durability, the options, all of it. my dad has recently acquired a Tekno Jammin X2 CRT that is kinda beating the pants off of my current Savage flux, so I told him I was getting a truggy. Making one is more like it. :whistle: So here's my project. It's in the baby stages right now, but it is what the title says it is, a Savage turned into a truggy. I really wanted to do a TVP style Truggy but I found that it was just too hard to keep the CoG low enough with TVPs, so it's getting a pan chassis, most of which has been drawn out in CAD, I just have to make a few adjustments and it's good to go. After I finish the chassis I am going to draw up some low CoG shock towers, the top chassis plate, and diff mount/battery mount etc. This thing is getting a purple, black and silver theme so I'm going to try and get my pieces anodized black, but we will see how that goes. This thing will be running off an E-Revo Castle Neu (Black) 2200kv on 5s with a MMM of course :party: Anyways, here is a picture of the chassis I am drawing, it's almost done, just have to make some modifications and add a few holes. I have the front and rear ends (mostly) assembled so I'll get pics of those up tomorrow, but this will do for now I hope! If you have any questions or input don't be afraid to speak up! :yes:


http://i1010.photobucket.com/albums/...ggyChassis.png


I actually have a few questions of my own though, maybe somebody could help me out... I have been looking for some custom dogbones for this thing, I have e-mailed Mike and RC-Alloys but haven't gotten a response from either yet, anybody know who will be able to do these? The rear is 165mm long and the front is 60mm long.
I'm also trying to look for an anodizer, I have somebody that will (almost positively) mill out my parts, but I can't seem to track down an anodizer... If anybody knows of one, please let me know! The color scheme on this thing is important to me, for once!

Anyways, hope to become a regular here again, if you have any questions just ask! :mdr:

Oh also! I am trying to find a good name for this project. My naming ideas are stupid. I keep thinking "Saggy".. combinations of Savage and Truggy just don't work haha, Suggy? SNUGGY? I have one of those, no lie. :lol:

Haven't been able to work on the chassis too much today, but I took some pics of all the stuff ready to go in/on the chassis, and it gives you an idea of what it might look like. I'm using the Tekno Battery tray (this one is the short one, long one on its way), Tekno Mud Guards (my dog chewed one, replacements on its way), Tekno Motor mount, and Mike's amazing Slipperential of course! :yipi: Battery in there is a 3s Hyperion that I use in my Flux, don't have my 5s ones yet (also going to be 4200mah G3VX Hyperions probably). Well, it's not much but I hope it gives you guys an idea of what it's going to be! Enjoy!

I don't want to flood the thread with pictures, so if youw ant to see more, all of the pictures I have for this project are going to be on THIS ALBUM.

http://i1010.photobucket.com/albums/...y/DSC04143.jpg

http://i1010.photobucket.com/albums/...y/DSC04144.jpg

http://i1010.photobucket.com/albums/...y/DSC04145.jpg

http://i1010.photobucket.com/albums/...y/DSC04147.jpg

Very excited about this!!! Great job! Amazing parts selection. I really like the MMM combo, Slipperential and Hypes! When you design the CoG towers you don't expect to use the stock shocks, do you? UE Super shocks are back on sale. They would do well but four even bigger truggy shocks would be great, like the rear ones on the 8T. Maybe the LST shocks, IDK. They seem kind of heavy. You could get the plastic bodied ones...
Are you going to cut the motor wires down? Have you thought about kick up? I think it would really help to incorporate some. Antisquate is arguable.

Heya! Thanks for the kind words. :) I am actually planning on using 4 Mugen Big bores, 2 of which I have.. just looking for another pair on eBay for cheap. I am going to cut the motor wires down, as I am a big fan of clean wiring, and I actually just added 7 degrees of kickup to the front. I'm mainly focusing on the top chassis plate now as the bottom one is pretty much done. Hopefully I can get it done by tomorrow then move onto the other parts, I'll keep you updated!

looking good so far, sounds like you have put some thought into it, are you planning to make lower shock towers, might help your cg some as well as trying to narrow it up as much as possible.

if i were you i would put the servo on the motor side and put the battery infront of the esc, that would be more compact and balanced

Yeah, the shock towers will be much shorter as to reduce weight and mount the body lower as well. And I played around with where to mount thinks.. if I were to move the battery over it would have to be farther out and not so close to the center driveline. I think it'll work well as planned :) thanks for the input!

try offsetting the center diff like in the losi 8ight, that way the battery is not further out

Yeah but if I did that then the motor would be too far out :/

Might want to check the HPI Monster Truck forum at rcuniverse.com. There were a couple of truggy, albeit nitro, conversions that used existing truggy shock towers and truggy shocks. Avoid having to fab your own unless of course you wanna. :)

I would also not mill all the way through the chasss for spur clearance - This will stop you getting dirt into the chassis

Hmm I haven't seen any Truggy Savages but I'll be sure to give them a look. Reason why I want to make my own shock towers is also for upper arm link mounts so I can adjust the roll center if needed. I saw some Platinum RC lower COG Carbon Fiber shock towers that look pretty nice, but I'd only get them if I decide to not go for my own.

And as for the spur gear hole, that's a good idea. I was thinking about that but I figured that since nitros and lot of the conversions out there have a hole there it didn't matter, but it's probably a good idea. My dad was out with his Jammin today and sand got in through that hole and ruined his pinion. I think I'm going to take out that hole, thanks. :yes:

looks reall good man. If you dont mind me asking are those chassis sides from ?

Wow, nice work so far dude, always enjoy these custom made chassis projects. :smile:

...i am trying to make the chassis sides PART of the chassis, a'la baja chassis...Like how this looks so far though :)

DOOD!!! JUST stole your servo placement :) nice job :)

Heya, sorry guys was out of town and my trip got extended a bit. I'm back now (although sick) and working on the project. It's a little different, got a few surprises now but still the same general idea. Should have some pictures before the end of the week. :yes:

jappow, I'm assuming you mean the mudguards? Those are TeknoRC Mud Guards for their V3 Conversions

My Dad is waiting for me to finish my Truggy (which he suspects is a Mugen :lol: ) so I'm definitely looking to get the entire design done by Sunday and hopefully I can get it machined shortly after. I'm sick and my girlfriend is in town though so we'll see!

Great idea!!! Love It!!! What are you using for the upper arms?? What speeds are you hoping to reach? Keep the pics coming!

IMHO your top plate is KEY :) FYI i use RC INNOVATION 'towers' on my suspension...a small slice of the plastic on the bulkhead and they are a perfect fit :)

Hey guys, sorry for all the slow updating, I've just been having a lot of family trouble this weekend and I'm still trying to get it all back together. I'm going to have a bit of time tonight to work on the drawings, hopefully I will be able to get most of it completed, I'll post drawings for you guys later tonight.

coolink13, the upper arms are from HPI's Suspension Conversion kit for the savage which includes the rear uprights, the front c hubs, a center link sort of piece that adjusts the roll conter, and those upper arms (more like links). It looks like it'll be a great handling and beefy setup so far.

...still one of the best versions of this i have ever seen incorporates a tiny bit of TVP at each end and tying in the top plate to THAT instead of to the bukheads directly, which i am kind of the direction i am taking too...just to more options to the mix :)

That's the direction I'm actually taking this in now ;) It's all mapped out in my head, I just have to put it down. There are going to be a few surprises too!

great project thus far!

Are you using Solidworks? I am also about to undertake a similar project to your, and to save me the time of measuring the bulk holes do you think you could email me the chassis file. no hard feeling if you dont wanna. thanks anyways

Concreat, YGPM

Not as much time tonight to work on it as I thought, but I'm dead tired so I'm going to sleep, I promised pictures so here's what I have so far! The general idea is there, just have to refine it a bit.

http://i1010.photobucket.com/albums/...AssemblyV1.png

i was think along the same lines as you, with the small TVPs at each end to give it some stillness, but i wasnt going to use a top plate.

why have you done that, what are you going to put on there?

conreat, ygm

And I actually took away the whole top plate TVP thing, I just couldn't have it how I wanted it and it was getting too complicated. I'm back on track with the old design + a few tweaks on it, just need to get the chassis bracing squared away and I'll be good to go. :yipi:
It will be done tonight assuming nothing goes wrong, I have a good amount of time to work on it and there isn't much left. I'll post some pics up when I'm done. :whistle:

basically my issue is FLEX...would i want to use a top plate to eliminate it? To give myself more room to place stuff? With the lower TVPs / struts if you will, which merely serve to anchor the bulks to somthing solid, (reducing fore and aft movement), do i need a top plate to reduce sideways flex? Or are the cut down TVPs going to achieve that already? I am all for LESS metal :)

Well I'm not too worried about flex really, I'm actually kinda hoping it flexes a little bit. Flex acts as a bit of a cushion on other parts in my mind, and my new setup for this probably won't allow bending/breaking things flex, but it'll allow for a little wiggle room so to speak. I'm just trying to keep things as simple as possible for now. Simple = less parts = less money :yes: and it's nice to have it all simple to work on and such. I'll be done with the main design in about an hour and I'll post it up so you can see my approach on things. After that it's just a bit of refining and I should be able to send it off to the machinist tonight/tomorrow. :yipi:

Looking forward to what you come up with :)　Nice to have access to a machinist :)

Well I don't really have "access" so to speak, still going to cost me a fortune! The price you pay I guess. :oops:

Anyways, still some refining to do but all it is is some chamfering/hole making/fileting.. the easy stuff, to make it look pretty and to piece it together. :yes:
I'll keep working on it tonight and see what I can do! I just remembered I still have to make some shock towers for this thing, but those shouldn't take too long. Hope to have everything done tomorrow to send off!

Complete, with Mudguards (These are my own)
http://i1010.photobucket.com/albums/...ageTruggy1.png

Mudguards off
http://i1010.photobucket.com/albums/...ageTruggy2.png

Just the Chassis
http://i1010.photobucket.com/albums/...ageTruggy3.png

No i like the top plate...i think life will be BETTER than without it...

Hmm I coulda sworn I posted this up last night... but I finished the chassis and sent it off to the machinist! Still have to do the bracing just right but the chassis is 100% done. Figured I would post a picture of it to show what the finished product will be like. The rest is soon to come. :)

http://i1010.photobucket.com/albums/...ssis-Final.jpg

very nice, what is it going to cost to get in machined?

I'm not quite sure, I'm still waiting on the actual quote, but I was told it would be pretty reasonable. He was going to look over it and give me a quote tomorrow so I'll let you know.

any updates?

Unfortunately I'm going to have to put this project on hold for a little bit, the quote I got for the chassis was way too high and I've been calling around machine shops and they are all wanting ~700 for just the chassis (and around that much for the other parts too), which is just too much for me to spend right now. I've recently been looking at some CNC mills and I think I might get a little Taig or something and eventually mill out this project, but for now I don't think it's going to happen, sorry. :(

I will definitely get back to this though.

For those prices you probably are better off investing in a small mill. It would be an awesome learning experience, and you could do some jobs on the side to help recoup some of the cost. I've been looking into doing the same thing but my current living situation (small apartment) and finances won't allow it at this point.

the chassis you have drawn up doesnt look to awful hard so i agree with SC on this one,go buy yourself a small mill.the uses are limitless and youll always find something cool you can make for another project--josh

Yeah, I am definitely going to get myself a mill. I've just been trying to find out how much I want to spend on one. I'm probably going to go with a small Taig, good to go with some tooling for about 3k. After 2 or 3 projects it'll pay for itself. :yes:

you could really buy both a lath and a mill for about $1000 but all the extra's that you need will cost you ie. mill vise, end mills, parallels rounding bit........... and thats just for the mill.

Yeah, I'm going for a CNC mill though, not any options under 1k. I made a wishlist of a CNC Taig + Decent Tooling and such for 3k, just have to scrounge up some money and I'll put in an order. This project probably won't get much love until I can figure everything out though, much to learn about CAM and machining for me!