Re: Great Dane excavating co.
 

I saw one !!! KATE STOLZFUS :jaw:

Re: Great Dane excavating co.
 

I got some pics for you and will send when I get home this afternoon.:)

Re: Great Dane excavating co.
 

I just thought of something. Did you figure the camber and caster out on your steering geometry? It looks like everything is 90deg of each other. There was a big discussion about this on "Dads Garage's" thread.

Re: Great Dane excavating co.
 

Very nice work Cooper it is coming along nicely. Ed

Re: Great Dane excavating co.
 

Thanks guys!!!

I did think about caster and camber but for the model I think it will be more complicated and not really important. (A lot more work :). ) but I am trying to get the Ackerman geometry correct. The 1:50 model actually works accordingly with proper steer geometry (Ackerman ). So I'm shooting for that. I will not really know till I get to the cylinders and center pivot point.

Re: Great Dane excavating co.
 

forget ackerman this coopermechanics ! there will 2 1/4 scale servos hooked to multi linkages
4 bell cranks and MR.nutters yanking on the wheels to turn that monster....

Re: Great Dane excavating co.
 

Original idea with rod ends
http://i1357.photobucket.com/albums/...ps9qhgextd.jpg

Changed to smaller rodends. They are smaller and give more room for hydraulic cylinders.
http://i1357.photobucket.com/albums/...pst1vqx6bw.jpg

Haven't finalized the "t" bar for steering but very close with getting the geometry correct. I don't know if pics really show it but wheels do have different turning radius.

http://i1357.photobucket.com/albums/...psr9gc2y1l.jpg
http://i1357.photobucket.com/albums/...psn9dlhs0y.jpg


And photobucket is being a PITA!!!

Re: Great Dane excavating co.
 

That must be a great feeling !!! Up on wheels !!! Awesome Carry on :)

Re: Great Dane excavating co.
 

A couple little things to work out, the t-bar has to be notched out for pivot point. but with full travel up and down things all work smooth. A couple clearance issues to work out but I'm happy to get it working pretty close. The cylinders will work out good but fittings may be a issue. May have to make some hardlines to locate hose fittings in better area. But big thing is cylinder stroke with ends and piston I'll have a little bit of room to spare. Somewhere around 1.5 to 1.9" of stroke. Somewhere around 3" closed and 4.9" extended.

Yes bo, I'm happy it's working out somewhat. The 1:50 model steering works but it didn't translate to the 1:14 scale well. But that may be in my measurements. Off .10" on model and that could translate into off an 1" on the 1:14. So it could have been my inaccurate measurements. By the looks of 1:1 machines the stabilizing bars are parallel with frame crossmember but in my model I can't get 36 degrees of steering angle. Right now I can get over 40 degrees and still not hitting tires on frame of binding somewhere. Even with tires (suspension ) at different maximums.

Re: Great Dane excavating co.
 

Hard part done. check. Now just buffing it off and test run.........:D

Re: Great Dane excavating co.
 

Question for you guys, would it be best to have a pressure and return line for each cylinder of make the two cylinders work as one? Like the left one being pushed with pressure line while the right one is being evacuated of oil? The stabilizers will also pull on the retracting cylinder. Just a thought I'm having. It would dramatically lessen the pushing power, and I don't really know how much force will be needed to make this thing turn. I'm fine with it if tires need to be in motion to turn. I'm not going to be static and cracking the steering.

Re: Great Dane excavating co.
 

Looking awesome RW. Watching you build this makes me miss being able to do this type of stuff for myself a little.:(

Re: Great Dane excavating co.
 

Sweet that looks like one solid setup!

Re: Great Dane excavating co.
 

Great job Cooper just keep pressing on and before you know it it will be finished and then you can get crazy on another project. Ed

Re: Great Dane excavating co.
 

Reg, it's time you start a big project!! (One for yourself!)

Thanks northern farmer, she is slowly coming together. I may not build perfect but usually try to make things somewhat indestructible. I just don't know what kind of forces will be applied to the linkages and holding 4mm pins will hold up. Using m4 screws for the pins in the rod ends.

Thanks jammer, seems like every new project becomes a major undertaking. I would think by now I would know going into it a lot of little road blocks await. But I keep thinking ,,, oh that will be simple, I'll figure it out when time comes:). Well that is where the ever growing box of spare parts comes into play!!!

Re: Great Dane excavating co.
 

Cooper-your work looks great but I am thinking you have the geometry backwards. Maybe I am wrong but with my old eyes it looks like the outer wheel has the tighter turning radius. I think the inside wheel should be the tighter radius. Right-wrong-not sure but I looked at the picture a long time and that's the way it looks to me. Keep at it on this monster!!

Re: Great Dane excavating co.
 

Sorry cooper-just ignore that last post. I thought the front was the back and the back was the front and oh well; I'm going back to sleep.

Re: Great Dane excavating co.
 

Lol modelman, my fault for having the pics different orientations!!!

So I'm starting on steering cylinders. Settled on 1/4" shafts and I D .375 cylinder. Looking at steves ,ihbuilder, post of cutting more threads on rodends. I gained a little more wiggle room and also cut out the swivel on one rodend. They are just pressed in and I will do same for the end of cylinder tube. Gives me more room for inlet and outlet oil fittings.
http://i1357.photobucket.com/albums/...psejupvv24.jpg
http://i1357.photobucket.com/albums/...pswwmaqqxb.jpg

Re: Great Dane excavating co.
 

http://i1357.photobucket.com/albums/...psufdvladw.jpg

Got the rough length of cylinders. The shaft is short in pic, keeping everything long till I can get the swivel bearing on cylinder finalized. And to figure out how/where to have oil inlet/exit ports. They are going to be the hard part. Hats off to you guys working on small stuff!! 1/4" id cutting internal grooves for the orings is about my limit:). And I know for some of you that may be big stuff!!!

Re: Great Dane excavating co.
 

Got it figured out
http://i1357.photobucket.com/albums/...psitg6mbbs.jpg
http://i1357.photobucket.com/albums/...pscu1msokm.jpg

Have to trim other cylinder down and then both are to working stroke. Still have to make small blocks for m5 hose fittings. I figured out how to run lines, both will work with normal hose fittings and I don't need to make any hard lines. Guess that's next.

Re: Great Dane excavating co.
 

Very nice! What pump are you planning to run?

Re: Great Dane excavating co.
 

If it were just the lift cylinders I was going to use the small one I have from the failed dump truck hoist project. That is the smaller one from rc4wd. It has been my testing pump and probably will stay a test pump. I'm gong to bite the bullet and order premacon planetary pump and also a two valve block. I don't want to spend the bean but they have the most reliable pumps in my opinion. With steering being hydro the pump will be running all the time while in motion.

Re: Great Dane excavating co.
 

http://i1357.photobucket.com/albums/...psrszsctds.jpg

I know I said I wasn't going to make hardliners for the steering cylinders,,,,, but,,,, I did! Couple of distractions leading to soldering wrong lines in wrong places. And thought I was off on oil ports as air was escaping inside cylinder. Found out it was bypassing through the screw threads holding piston to shaft. A little bit of Teflon to seal and no leaks. On final assembly I'll use thread lock and let dry.

Re: Great Dane excavating co.
 

When you solder the cylinders together what solder do you use ? Mike

Re: Great Dane excavating co.
 

Just cheep stuff. Radio shack solder. But,,, I know from past experiences,, I should have brazed the end caps on first. Reason for that would be I could use regular solder on tubeing without the risk of other joints coming loose. As I did place some heat block (wet paper towels) around areas I didn't want to desolder. For me heating such small pieces it's pointless to use silver solder with a little higher melting point then using lesser solder on next parts. I got a big torch and I just end up going past the correct temp on areas I shouldn't. Another words , I don't really know what I'm doing:lol::lol:

Re: Great Dane excavating co.
 

http://i1357.photobucket.com/albums/...psnedelo4x.jpg

Mike, staybrite on left. I used that on ends because I thought it was higher melting temp but I don't think it's any better than silver. Silver solder in middle and cheep RadioShack stuff on left I used for hose fittings and tubeing.

Re: Great Dane excavating co.
 

Hi Cooper there is a special sealant that is used on hydraulics and I will go out in my garage tommorow and get the maker name and the product number, it works real good. Ed

Re: Great Dane excavating co.
 

Thanks Ed.

Well got the other cylinder done and,,,,,, well the presser test was good. I was playing around with the air, extending and retracting. I was just using the air nozzle and have a small brass tube hooked up to it that I can squeeze into the hose. As long as I keep hand tension on it , it stays put. But the trigger on the nozzle isn't too precise and it's all on or all off. Really gets the rod to slam in and out. I was trying to be gentile but I hit the trigger and blew the back right off!!! Well it handled the pressure well but not the sudden impact!!! Was being too lazy to actually hook up the pump and fill with oil!! Well looking back its good and bad. Bad that I have to resolder the back onto the cylinder but good (I guess) that a weak spot showed up now and not later:) / :(

Re: Great Dane excavating co.
 

you going to have two steer cylinders cross feed to steer?

Re: Great Dane excavating co.
 

Hello Cooper the sealant is Devcon Permatex Part number PT 54550 or 54540 The hydraulic shops use this . I had to go direct to Permatex to get some and when I did the mice person that answered me said you should find were you live and she said that she would send me some. But to my amazement it wasn't one of those little tubes but one of those large bottles and no charge. Ed

Re: Great Dane excavating co.
 

Thanks Ed, I know I can get some of this locally. have to get some hydraulic oil for 1:1 machines and take a backhoe cylinder in to dealer for repairs, when there I'll pick some of that up.

A little dab of that on bolt holding piston on will seal threads , lock them, and also seal between piston and shaft. Perfect!!! Thanks.

Re: Great Dane excavating co.
 

Well long day , I'm down in Florida, temps are 60ish, was wanting 70s but it's better than home :) have a few pics from before I left

http://i1357.photobucket.com/albums/...psos8av9hh.jpg
http://i1357.photobucket.com/albums/...pse4q2uxgi.jpg
Went with springs in rear shocks and installed a small breather hole.

Also installed swivel bearings in top and bottom of shocks for the little bit of articulation.

http://i1357.photobucket.com/albums/...pso8dqxymn.jpg
http://i1357.photobucket.com/albums/...psfdfloeyi.jpg
http://i1357.photobucket.com/albums/...ps8ktf6acw.jpg

Downtown Disney is a walk away and I may have to get a Lego crane to pass the time in hotel:)

Re: Great Dane excavating co.
 

beth know your posting pics? should'nt you two be getting mani/pedi's together?

Re: Great Dane excavating co.
 

http://i1357.photobucket.com/albums/...psgsggttvg.jpg

Completely collapsed suspension
http://i1357.photobucket.com/albums/...ps9ykm376j.jpg

A little squatting
http://i1357.photobucket.com/albums/...psditvhn0h.jpg

Completely unloaded
http://i1357.photobucket.com/albums/...pszwbbbvuq.jpg

Max articulation
http://i1357.photobucket.com/albums/...psdxcclfso.jpg

I have a little too much travel in suspension. I'm going to make some internal spacers to limit travel. But at max articulation nothing hits so it will just get better.

Re: Great Dane excavating co.
 

wow that thing is getting LARGE!!!. what is the gap between tires and ground clearance

Re: Great Dane excavating co.
 

Mark,
http://i1357.photobucket.com/albums/...psaa2vy8ia.jpg

That's a 123 block, back has about 2-1/2" ground clearance. Front has more like 3"


I used bushings inside the springs to limit compression resulting in travel limits. Different size bushings can be arranged to get exactly amount needed. The pic has ones installed in spring and a couple laying there to choose from.
http://i1357.photobucket.com/albums/...ps9ojbmks3.jpg

Re: Great Dane excavating co.
 

Always love looking at this thread! The parts you machine are superb awesome job :cool:

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Good to see you back Cooper, hope you had a nice holiday.

That last pic of max articulation, if it were to flex that far loaded, would it not roll on its side?

Re: Great Dane excavating co.
 

Thanks joe, Florida weather was nice for a few days, left in 70s and got home to 10s!!!

The second pic with ruler is going to be max articulation. That one pic was with no limit to travel. I wasn't sure how much material to mill/lathe out so I just figured adding spacers (internally) to the shocks would be easier than trying to set parts back into exact location for more machining. (Reality-I didn't know what I was doing or going to end up with) :lol: and that may change once I can get a load in the truck to see how much movement happens. Also can change stiffness with different springs. It's all trial and error. So I'm trying to allow for future tweaks that wouldn't be needed by making new parts.

You got to slow down on your projects joe, your gonna dig yourself out of work!!!!:lol::lol:

Re: Great Dane excavating co.
 

http://youtu.be/ef_Yu-R4UQI

Bushing on front are tight yet, but a quick video. She rolls!!!!