The Big Strong 4x4 with Independent suspension - impossible?

[Leif]

I've been searching high and low for examples of a 4x4 truck with:

• 4x4
  
• strong (2x XL as power or similar)
  
• big tyres, crawler or unimog size
  
• Independent suspension, not live axles this time! and not Tatra this time either..
  
• usable!
  
• good steering geometry and pivot points (not portal hubs..)
  

So far all the examples always feature the (dreaded?) CV joint and it is not hard to find info about them and at the same time find info about how easy they break...

Building something with the (dreaded?) portal hubs could be a solution but then we are back to hopeless steering geometry!

I have looked through all the LPEPowers excellent, really excellent(!) youtube videos of different solutions. Did I mention they are excellent?

Episode01 and youtube will more or less guide you through the followups:

Still, as far as I can tell, I have not been able to find that really good example of something with a really strong drivetrain?

cardan joints are more or less mandatory and suspension/steering may demand CV instead, is the project a dead end? or maybe some small compromises

would take me forward?

I would really dislike to build that cool 4x4 with big fat tyres and 5 minutes later have to disassemble and take to the garage for CV joints replacements...

any ideas anyone? A lot of thanks in advance

[Jeroen Ottens]

Can you use the steering hubs of the 8880? At least one pivot point is than pretty strong (allthough also that joint relies on two small plastic protrusions).

[Leif]

Can you use the steering hubs of the 8880? At least one pivot point is than pretty strong (allthough also that joint relies on two small plastic protrusions).

well, that would be a quite proprietary solution and the 8880 has some friction issues .not a bad idea though and I just read up on the 8880 on the techniopedia. excellent machine and to think it is 20 years old!

Edited November 15, 2014 by Leif

[efferman]

maybe this is something for you

here you can see more

[Leif]

maybe this is something for you

here you can see more

That is sturdy! I "only" have 7 turntables so I guess I cannot finish yet. I will follow your thread and build with interest!

Edited November 15, 2014 by Leif

[efferman]

Do you want an ldd file?

[izorn]

Do you want an ldd file?

I want!

[Nalyd997]

I would have a look at 1NXTMONSTER's design for this. I haven't used it yet but I will on my next trial truck I think. Here it is:

The only thing though is that it has poor steering geometry but it has pretty strong independent suspension. So it is up to you

Edited November 15, 2014 by Nalyd997

[SNIPE]

My 42029 mod should meet the requirements,

It has fully independant suspention with huge travel, and 4 wheel steering with good geometry.

the drive and steering is remote controlled.

I'm just using x1 PF L motor though I might use an XL motor instead.

Ground clearence its quite good.

Edited November 15, 2014 by SNIPE

[D3K]

1NXTmonster's solution looks very sturdy indeed, possibly the best one so far to meet all your requirements!

I have however experienced U-joints breaking inside the torque tube parts, although that happened with a lot of torque, and no portal hubs/reduction after the u-joints, other than the 20:28 differential.

[Leif]

I want!

not at the moment but if it's handy I would love to look into your ideas!

My 42029 mod should meet the requirements,

It has fully independant suspention with huge travel, and 4 wheel steering with good geometry.

the drive and steering is remote controlled.

I'm just using x1 PF L motor though I might use an XL motor instead.

Ground clearence its quite good.

Sounds like something really good. Do you have an url in the right direction to give me?

[Leif]

Sounds like something really good. Do you have an url in the right direction to give me?

snipe + 42029 at google :)

http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=99726

[izorn]

not at the moment but if it's handy I would love to look into your ideas!

Do you want LDD of my portal independent suspension?

[Leif]

Do you want LDD of my portal independent suspension?

Yes please, if it is not a problem for you.

[izorn]

But how to do this?

Edited November 16, 2014 by izorn

[Leif]

But how to do this ?

you can share quite easy using dropbox/onedrive and similar services. If you don't have any of those storage solutions you might just as well sign up, always good to have!

[izorn]

Ok I've got it https://drive.google...iew?usp=sharing

[Leif]

yep, downloaded. thanks a lot! now study..

[SNIPE]

http://www.eurobrick...showtopic=99726

Now the suspention arms are 5L apart unlike the 4L configuration in the last photo I added to that thread.

also check my bricklink/save for any additional photos:

bricksafe

brickshelf

Edited November 16, 2014 by SNIPE

[efferman]

please note that the gearracks are in "front" of the axle. lxf

lxf

[izorn]

It's awesome!

I really like the design. I need to buy more turntables, and build Trial Truck with this susp. type

[Leif]

This is a trial build I did. It maxes out some things I wanted to finish. For example 5 studs is more or less maximum inside a wheel hub (aiming for 8466 PP wheels!)

some hinges are too weak so this is probably not the best solution, but at least it is now in print..

Some smaller improvements can of course be done in this example, reorder or replace some thin beams, also one or two reinforcements would require 2.5 axles...

but my building knowledge would not stretch so far so I would be able to build anything sturdier given the area restrictions.

If you settle with building most of the construction outside the wheel hub then of course you are not restricted to 5 studs or anything. steering geometry will not be the best..

well maybe that is not priority one when building a crawler or monstertruck so I may have to do some small compromises in this area.

Still, thank's a lot for all tips and I got some real good examples to study tonight!