[MOC] Chieftain and Grasshopper

[Victor Imaginator]

Some day i decided to make awesome offroad vehicle and here's two attempts of one MOC. Chieftain is awesome, while Grasshopper is offroad)

Chieftain specs:

- 2 kg weight;

- 4 wheel drive with one differential between left and right side;

- 4 wheel steering;

- full independent suspension, about 2 studs travel - it can handle 1 kg of weight more, before fully compress;

- 1 XL motor geared up 1:1,19 for driving;

- 1 servo for steering;

- fake V6 with fan under the hood, suspended, so it's shaking a little while driving;

- openable rear trunk door (not sure i named it right);

- openable hood with retractable stick for holding it;

- openable doors with shock absorbers to hold it in closed or opened position;

- flexible mudflaps suspended with chains =);

- one way working steering wheel - you can't steer with it, but it rotates, when wheels turning;

- something like handbrake lever, that turns on/off AA battery box;

- adjustable mirrors and some other minor details.

When i designing the chassies i imagine that 4 wheel steering + 4 wheel driving with only one differential between left and right side will be cool. In theory it's really cool. In reality there's so many gears and even chains in drivetrain. And Chieftain can't ride a carpet, only flat kitchen table) But it's slightly faster than Grasshopper. And some backlash in drivetrain make it accelerate and decelerate with nice realistic delay.

And Grasshopper can ride a carpet, a hands, glasses, dishes, various slopes... It may look weird, but i finally find some use for that medium blue panels, and it's really offroad. My first succeful attempt.

Biggest problem was terrible steering pivot offset, but i managed it somehow after few rebuilds.

Grasshopper specs:

- 2 L motors geared down 5:1 for driving, one per axle;

- no differentials;

- front wheel steering powered by M motor, geared down a lot, so precise control is possible;

- live axles connected with each other through gears (and chains, i love chains), so they equalizing each other;

- low center of mass, AA battery just one stud higher than lowest frame point;

- openable doors;

- some minor interior details.

I'm waiting for some dry weather now. I think that filming how Grasshopper is actually hoping through some grass is nice idea.

All photos are clickable for higher resolution, and more photos on FLICKR

Thanks for reading)

[AkiyamaWataru]

Very nice MOCs.

The idea of a center diff not for front rear but for left right distribution is interresting. How did you implement it? Would be cool to learn about.

Fun fact from my brain: I read Grasshopper and had to think of a heavy Battlemech of the Mechwarrior/ Classic Battletech series. Second thought: Does a Chieftain Mech exist?

[efferman]

My first thought about chieftain was a british battletank and i wondered what a tamiya buggy has to do with it

Victor, your grasshopper frontaxle seems a bit overloaded.

[Victor Imaginator]

@efferman: It's not overloaded, it's because of slack( Black T-shaped beams going to frame and secured nice, while DBG CV joint female just don't sit there properly. It's only one hole for whole wheel)

@AkiyamaWataru: i will disassemble Chieftain in few days and make detailed photos of inside mechanics.

[offroadcreations]

I like both of these and all their details a lot, but I prefer the Grasshopper. I like it more because it uses medium blue panels and is more "funky". :)

Edited May 16, 2016 by Offroadcreat1ons

[drakmin]

I like your Chieftain a lot! It has a lot of interesting three dimensional shapes. I also like your part usage: front grille and steering wheel to name some.

[Lakop]

I like the chieftain and would love to see how it performs. Some pics of drive train would be good.

H

[Technic Jim]

In theory it's really cool. In reality there's so many gears and even chains in drivetrain.

Remember, In theory and In reality are the same.

In theory!

[Rishab N]

I really like the Chieftain. The front looks a little off due to the area between the grille and the hood, but its a minor thing.

[Victor Imaginator]

Thanks for all your comments)

@AkiyamaWataru: Here's some pictures)

@Horace T: I'll make some video tomorrow, but it performs really terrible at this moment.

Here is belly shot and LDD screenshot with drivetrain only. It's possible to adjust how it performs by changing two pairs of gears - i colored them in green and black. But this pairs are buried sooooo deep inside all this bodywork... And i realized that i need more torque only when last brick was placed) Pictures are clickable for higher resolution.

P.s. Purple parts on the screenshot - it's a placeholder for new DBG 1M Beams placed on frictionless pins. Can't find them in LDD(

[Kman860]

I really like these both, great job! What pieces are you using for the front grill?

Remember, In theory and In reality are the same.

In theory!

You mean in practice! :laugh:

Edited May 16, 2016 by Kman860

[Victor Imaginator]

@Kman860: Blades from small twin rotor helicopter.

Remember, In theory and In reality are the same.

In theory!

MOC by MOC i moving to that point of building entirely in my mind, knowing that in reality it will be the same)

I make two short videos - one with some performance at kitchen, and another with drivetrain at work only. As you can see there - riding on the flat table is already stalling motor sometimes when turning) Maybe i will modify gear ratios later.

Sorry for quality - it's hard to make movie with phone, and almost impossible with proper camera. I have only 2 hands(

[jono rocky]

These are two great cars with interesting drive setup, cleaver thinking.

[JJ2]

Both of these cars are great but I like Chieftain better, I think you need to gear it down MUCH more, you can hear the XL screaming for mercy in the video.

[Kman860]

I like the idea to use the helicopter blades, I don't think I'd have thought of that.

[2LegoOrNot2Lego...]

Cool MOCs with some innovative idea's, well done!

[Didumos69]

I really like the Chieftain, especially the 4 wheel steering combined with the single left-right differntial. I also like the absence of flex axles in it's body work. This way it looks sturdy and the few rough edges suit the vehicle well.

[Victor Imaginator]

Again, thanks for all your comments)

@Didumos69: It's really sturdy, dropped it down today from 80 cm height... accidentally. Nothing broken, only front and rear bumpers slide out of place, fixed in 15 seconds)

[Technic Jim]

You mean in practice! :laugh:

Yep, I misread my own signature!!