Replacement parts for Carson STN-L3 trailer...

[WhiteWolf McBride]

Hokay guys...

Any of you Carson STN-L3 owners know that the plastic u-bolts for attaching the axles to the suspension arms are crap, right? Well, silly woofie went to go replace 'em with 2-56, 4-40 or 2.5mm threaded rod...

... and silly woofie let the wee rectangular saddle-pieces that the u-bolts go thru fall out of his pocket. Now he has to try to replace the 'saddles'. I've e-mail'd Carson Germany, Tamiya Canada, and even PMD.

Has anyone duplicated these pieces in metal, or know of substitutes Woofie could buy? I ~could~ use the pair I still have to make a mold and cast some in epoxy, but I'd rather have stronger ones that would hold up to a metal u-bolt. I'm thinking of using perforated metal sheet as used in microwave windows and such... but that's a sloppy make-do...

Anyone knowing of replacements, please et me know. I need the 12 rectangular pieces (mounted in pairs) & u-bolts (made out of 2.5mm rod w/ threaded ends if possible) and can supply the originals if someone is willing to make replacements for me. I can make the bolkts myself, would just have to source some rod, and a 2.5mm die (got 3mm and up already)

http://www.tamiyausa.com/pdf/manuals/907060ml.pdf (step #8)

WhiteWolf

[PaulNZ]

If you get stuck PM me, I think I can make those for you, just need the u bolt size and the axle dia. and also the size of the square section that they sit on, on the trailing arm.

[WhiteWolf McBride]

Thanks Paul...

I could send one of my pair of rectangular 'saddle' pieces so you could make 'em, then you'd have 'em if anyone else wants to replace 'em#

As for measurements: (referencing assembly sequence #8, seen in the afore-mentioned pdf file)


the diameter of the axle where u-bolt sits in the depressions is 8.5mm;
the width of the 'leaf' is 7.5mm;
the diameter of the holes in the 'saddle' are 1.8mm;
the unthreaded rod length between threaded u-bolt ends is 45mm;
the thickness of the 'saddle' piece is 3mm, assumes I can acquire replacements, I'll need another 3mm of thread on each end;
therefore full u-bolt rod length (unbent, before end-threading) would be: 45mm + (2x 3mm - saddles) + (2x 3mm - end-threads) = 57mm (6 pcs.)
I'm going to haul out my scrap perforated steel sheet to see if I can fab up a set of 'saddles', just for the **** of it. I'll see how difficult it is to make one set by hand (I need 6 pair, one for each leaf) using wire-cutters, metal files, and Dremel w/ carbide wheels & drill bits. One advantage to using the perf-sheet is with a piece on top of the leaf, another on the bottom of the axle, I can use regular bolts instead of u-bolts (though the u-bolts would still be better) I'll post pic's if I succeed...

I'll also let you all know how my inquiries to the various suppliers go... in case you want/need to do the same at some point.

WhiteWolf

PS: Anyone have a good mechanism for remote-activation of the ramps? I've seen various ones. This one uses a worm gear on the ramp hinge (yea, Bruder, but same idea!) I've also seen where the actuator is a servo-lever... Opinions? And ~NO~ hydraulics!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCLcxScctV0

[ddc333]

You thought of these not sure but I think they could work

http://www.cti-modellbau.de/CTI-Hubzylinder/

[WhiteWolf McBride]

Hmmm,

Electric linear actuators. Interesting idea, but two problems: speed of actuation, and throw. Speed is fixed unless you use one of the delay-boards, and throw is ~fixed~.

Firgelli makes similar ones, and they are L12-R unit is R/C PnP: http://store.firgelli.com/L12_R_Linear_Actuator_For_Radio_Control_p/l12-r.htm

Prices run $70 from Firgelli US, $100 at Robotshop.ca w/o Customs, plus 13% tax. Then in looking for Firgelli's site again, found their other Canadian distributor, Phidgits.com (more options? not really: all too big) Oh, and the CTI ones are all 12v, the German model standard. That blows that idea away, as I'd hoped to stay on 7.2v-8.4v. packs.

The Firgelli L12-R 210:1 moves at 5mm/s, 30mm shortest throw; that's 6 seconds to 'actuate' - a tad fast (but that could be adjusted with a board). Don't think I can use 30mm of throw though, but the Euro ones might be slow and short enough.

I need to see how much throw I actually need first, and ~then~ see if an actuator or servo (or two) will do the deed. I can have them paired/linked pushing both sides - double the torque. Then I can slow the beasts down with a delay-board.

I should also consider two other ways to have the ramps move slowly: a worm-gear drive, as shown on the Bruder in the link I posted above; then there is Peter Müllers' ramp-actuator 'kit' on his Faun SLT 50-2 Elefant trailer. It uses two motors to push the crank-arm, the worm-gear is mounted inside. I wonder if a similar one could be made to fit in the Goldhofer. I may have to play about with some styrene scrap and Tamiya toy gearboxes - they have cheap wormgears.

Hmm, if I can prototype one in styrene, someone could replicate it in metal and make some dinero selling it to Carson's customers...

http://www.sonderfahrzeug-modellbau.com/_home/_deu/images/rampe1.jpg

WhiteWolf

[WhiteWolf McBride]

I just saw the smaller PQ-12 units, 20mm throw (even has limit-switches!) at $65 - they might do the trick.

Then I thought, mount 'em vertically, and you have remote Trailer legs! Not cheap though, at $65 each... (the Tamiya kit is $114 MSRP, and includes the 5th wheel control)

WhiteWolf...

~ need sleep... ~

[WhiteWolf McBride]

Gah, hate those almost-hibernation sessions...

I'd like to publically thank Ric at PMD/GardenTrucking for his reply, but using his $455 & #455a suspension pieces would be costly (about $60 for 3 axles worth, then US shipping) so I'm leaving that as a last resort. I'm trying to do this as economically as possible.

But his e-mail did prod my aging grey matter into another train of thought (along with TamiyaUSA's new front-page w/ slide-show of new kits) and made me think of Karen at the AAF. She's often managed to get parts for me where no-one else could, so I've sent her an e-mail, and see if she can complete the task of securing a replacement sprue for my trailer.

I've still gone ahead with the perforated metal parts (hands are blistered from hand-cutting the pieces with wire-cutters) and I'm thinking of buying rod & 2mm die, bending & threading it myself, as I think I'll be using the die again later (already have M3 and up, just nada smaller)

I'll post some pics of the 'attempt' so you can all marvel at my ingenuity (or laugh at my ridiculous attempt) and mebbe it'll give you DIY ideas as well...

WhiteWolf

PS: will also give me an excuse to visit a place west end of town that may stock small hardware, as my usual place closed shop, and MicroFastener.com is a bit costly for small lots, and their stock is limited.

[WhiteWolf McBride]

WHOA... Kudos and Brownie points for Tamiya USA. :bounce:

I'd mention a name, but there is none, just 'Tamiya Customer Service'

They asked me for a picture of the parts I needed, and I sent a *.jpg of Step 8 from the manual with the parts circled. They said yes, they can send the parts, and did I need the u-bolts too? BUT... I had to supply a US address.

Well, if all goes well, my good friend that trans-shipped the trailer initially will send the parts on to me #with me paying reship costs plus# and I'll finally have a functional trailer. I'll post pics when I've got it together. Mebbe I can mock it up for a pic... hey, the loading jacks...

OH - the kicker? NO mention of price/payment. :jaw:

That's why I'm so exstatic. Tamiya USA is willing to: #1# send parts to a Canadian customer; #2) via a US customer; #3) and free of charge!

I think this is a special case though, being a Carson product, and I ~did~ buy the trailer from TamiyaUSA in the first place, via same trans-shipper #Thanks buddy!#

WhiteWolf, off to celebrate a bit.