Lone-wolf Posted September 25, 2021 Share Posted September 25, 2021 I spotted a thing on youtube, a guy had built a superlite SCX10, and it got me thinking (yes i do sometimes) Is there a good reason to have a superlite crawler, so instead of loading up the weight, actively reducing the weight...........your thoughts please 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turok007 Posted September 25, 2021 Share Posted September 25, 2021 (edited) 13 minutes ago, Jack Reacher said: I spotted a thing on youtube, a guy had built a superlite SCX10, and it got me thinking (yes i do sometimes) Is there a good reason to have a superlite crawler, so instead of loading up the weight, actively reducing the weight...........your thoughts please if it is light then you need less power and less grip to move it if i wanted a super lite crawler i would try pinion to drivetrain totally get rid of the gearbox electrics are so good now so it might be possible Edited September 25, 2021 by turok007 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PraetoR Posted September 26, 2021 Share Posted September 26, 2021 (edited) Lighter crawlers do have several advantages: Much easier for inclines & declines. More likely to slide and hop over obstacles. Work the tyres, suspension and drivetrain less. They do lack the ability to push through mud, overcome snagging, have less traction and are less planted, though. Adding weight down low is an effective way to lower CoG, but then... so is reducing weight up high! It's the proportion of weight down low and far forward that matters, not the total weight. However, it is much easier to add weight, in order to shift balance and bias, than it is to reduce it. EDIT: Although adding some weighted parts to a light truck obviously make a far bigger difference than adding to a heavy one. You can make a larger proportion of the weight work for you, if that makes sense? Edited September 26, 2021 by PraetoR 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lone-wolf Posted September 26, 2021 Author Share Posted September 26, 2021 6 hours ago, PraetoR said: Lighter crawlers do have several advantages: Much easier for inclines & declines. More likely to slide and hop over obstacles. Work the tyres, suspension and drivetrain less. They do lack the ability to push through mud, overcome snagging, have less traction and are less planted, though. Adding weight down low is an effective way to lower CoG, but then... so is reducing weight up high! It's the proportion of weight down low and far forward that matters, not the total weight. However, it is much easier to add weight, in order to shift balance and bias, than it is to reduce it. EDIT: Although adding some weighted parts to a light truck obviously make a far bigger difference than adding to a heavy one. You can make a larger proportion of the weight work for you, if that makes sense? Nice reply, it seems how heavy you run a crawler really depends on the type of terrain most likely to run it on 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PraetoR Posted September 26, 2021 Share Posted September 26, 2021 That too 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tucker427 Posted September 26, 2021 Share Posted September 26, 2021 I'm thinking it would be prone to tipping over unless all the weight is in the wheels Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PraetoR Posted September 26, 2021 Share Posted September 26, 2021 2 minutes ago, Tucker427 said: I'm thinking it would be prone to tipping over unless all the weight is in the wheels If you added axle/knuckle weights, or heavier wheels, then it would be less prone than a heavy rig. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tucker427 Posted September 26, 2021 Share Posted September 26, 2021 6 minutes ago, PraetoR said: If you added axle/knuckle weights, or heavier wheels, then it would be less prone than a heavy rig. Yes, less prone than a top heavy rig. If you work on reducing the weight above the axles/chassis, then that's a good start. Softer tyres and softer shocks with less travel on the rear shocks, will also help reduce tipping. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lone-wolf Posted September 26, 2021 Author Share Posted September 26, 2021 I may put this to test at Xmas, and get a Carisma Coyote v1 kit, build it light, the coyote has always done pretty well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tucker427 Posted September 26, 2021 Share Posted September 26, 2021 I've been out of the crawling scene for several years, so I don't know what new rigs are unsing worm drives. A worm drive is more suited for crawling and has several advantages over standard gearing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stimpy Posted September 27, 2021 Share Posted September 27, 2021 22 hours ago, Tucker427 said: I've been out of the crawling scene for several years, so I don't know what new rigs are unsing worm drives. A worm drive is more suited for crawling and has several advantages over standard gearing. Losi used worm drives in their night and comp crawler rigs to good effect. Sadly it never took off really, in part due to the motor type required to run the gearing so never fell into the populous applications. Had a few Losi's, I liked them. With regards light weight rigs, that is how I try build all my trucks. Even for mud I would say it possible to tune a light rig as it would run over the top instead of digging in - In the 1:1 world I always ran Suzuki SJ/Samurais and could get to most places the landies could - and some other places due to size!. Where it would struggle would be in landie 35/37" tyre ruts! But most of the time you could straddle them... That said, I also had one Sammy on 35s - though it was a heavy bugger with them!.. That said, where the light weight - and focused weighting really helps is in crawling. For me my passion is rock crawling, but even the trail crawling discipline benefits from this design philosophy!. My "Scale" crawlers built around carbon chassis weigh in at 2.2/2.4kg whereas most folk would be running 3.5 to 5kg!!! I can't remember the figures now but even my RC4WD Trail finder and Marlin on leafs weigh about 1kg less than most folks!... Do they work? Oh yes!! Light weight can definitely be harder to tune in some applications mind. For scale realism for example, sometimes more weight makes the rig react and drive in a better realistic way. I'd also say that for general trailing a lightish rig is useful but too light and it would be wasteful and just bounce around a lot... At the end of the day; Horses for Courses but I shall keep building lighter rigs no doubt 👍 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BashingBrian Posted September 27, 2021 Share Posted September 27, 2021 I'm off to weigh my SCX10lll cause I'm sure it's really heavy 4kg+ I'm thinking.. I like the idea of a lighter rig, I've heard the Gmade trucks are quite light ?? It's shopping time 🤣 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C tay Posted September 28, 2021 Share Posted September 28, 2021 I’d say my element ecto is a light rig especially up to my trx4 bronco. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Fat Freddy Posted September 28, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted September 28, 2021 1 hour ago, C tay said: I’d say my element ecto is a light rig especially up to my trx4 bronco. That’s crazy light, the way they float up to the roof of that cave! 1 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Freddy Posted September 28, 2021 Share Posted September 28, 2021 Interesting thread as it’s something I’ve been wondering about myself. Fingers crossed I’ll be planning a new build soon and can’t decide which way to jump. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lone-wolf Posted September 28, 2021 Author Share Posted September 28, 2021 I weighed my FS racing SCX10 and its 3.3kg, so its borderline light-weight, i figure i could do a carisma coyote at about 2.4kg but not much of a saving Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C tay Posted September 28, 2021 Share Posted September 28, 2021 1 hour ago, Fat Freddy said: Interesting thread as it’s something I’ve been wondering about myself. Fingers crossed I’ll be planning a new build soon and can’t decide which way to jump. Well I did say it was light😄 my bad, must’ve took pic with phone wrong way round👎 1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stormbringer Posted September 28, 2021 Share Posted September 28, 2021 11 minutes ago, C tay said: Well I did say it was light😄 my bad, must’ve took pic with phone wrong way round👎 And here was me thinking you were Australian as well lol 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Freddy Posted September 28, 2021 Share Posted September 28, 2021 4 hours ago, Jack Reacher said: I weighed my FS racing SCX10 and its 3.3kg, so its borderline light-weight, i figure i could do a carisma coyote at about 2.4kg but not much of a saving Interesting you’d call that borderline lightweight. I just weighed my SCA-1e and it’s 3.13kg…. and that’s with steel bead locks, homemade metal bumpers and the battery in. It also has about 15 coats of paint, a driver figure, extra LEDs and the shell is lined with duct tape… all extra grams. I thought it was heavy??? But maybe not 🤔 Can’t help wondering how light it would be with original plastic parts and a cut back shell and @turok007s idea of a worm drive? 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stimpy Posted September 28, 2021 Share Posted September 28, 2021 6 hours ago, Jack Reacher said: I weighed my FS racing SCX10 and its 3.3kg, so its borderline light-weight, i figure i could do a carisma coyote at about 2.4kg but not much of a saving 1KG SAVING!?!?!?!?!?!? NOT MUCH?!?!?!?!?!?! Thats a significant save if you think you could do it.... For info, my Toyzuki is weighted at 2.2kg. Just the weight is where I want it. My own frame option is slightly heavier due to the parts on it at around 2.4kg... My 2.2 comp crawler ( NOT SCALE) is tubby currently.... Weighing around 1.8kg, should be nearer 1.6kg but hey ho.... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PraetoR Posted September 28, 2021 Share Posted September 28, 2021 On 27/09/2021 at 22:20, BashingBrian said: I'm off to weigh my SCX10lll cause I'm sure it's really heavy 4kg+ I'm thinking.. I like the idea of a lighter rig, I've heard the Gmade trucks are quite light ?? It's shopping time 🤣 It seems that way. My Gmade GS02 Komodo is significantly lighter than my HPI Venture, despite having the SSD brass knuckle weights and Gmade steel front links fitted. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lone-wolf Posted September 29, 2021 Author Share Posted September 29, 2021 6 hours ago, stimpy said: 1KG SAVING!?!?!?!?!?!? NOT MUCH?!?!?!?!?!?! Thats a significant save if you think you could do it.... For info, my Toyzuki is weighted at 2.2kg. Just the weight is where I want it. My own frame option is slightly heavier due to the parts on it at around 2.4kg... My 2.2 comp crawler ( NOT SCALE) is tubby currently.... Weighing around 1.8kg, should be nearer 1.6kg but hey ho.... yours at 2.2kg sounds ideal, i may well do the coyote as i could use a small lipo like an 1800mah 2s to drop high up weight, still gonna get 45-50 mins run time, another light option is the FTX outback 1/10th models but they need a lot of upgrades to make it worth while........of course i do have a light crawler in the FTX ranger XC 1/16th Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turok007 Posted September 29, 2021 Share Posted September 29, 2021 just put my stock Gmade sawback on the scales as it's the only one to hand and without shell it is 1700G It's a bit long for real crawling so could cut it down & remove a few useless parts to save even more weight. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stimpy Posted September 29, 2021 Share Posted September 29, 2021 (edited) 8 hours ago, turok007 said: just put my stock Gmade sawback on the scales as it's the only one to hand and without shell it is 1700G It's a bit long for real crawling so could cut it down & remove a few useless parts to save even more weight. Wow that is light, but better with body measurement. Is that the leaf sprung one or links and coils?.. My listed weights are with batteries. That said, I run 850mah 3S on the LCG Scale crawlers and 450Mah 3S on the 2.2 comp crawlers.... Edited September 29, 2021 by stimpy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stimpy Posted September 29, 2021 Share Posted September 29, 2021 14 hours ago, Jack Reacher said: yours at 2.2kg sounds ideal, i may well do the coyote as i could use a small lipo like an 1800mah 2s to drop high up weight, still gonna get 45-50 mins run time, another light option is the FTX outback 1/10th models but they need a lot of upgrades to make it worth while........of course i do have a light crawler in the FTX ranger XC 1/16th Yes, significant weight saving possible with battery changes. I run 1500mah 3S units in my TF / Marlin leaf sprung crawlers C1 & C2 respectively. Those batteries still give an absolute age 👍 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.