Great Dane excavating co.

[TRUCKMAKER]

Cooper the dump truck is looking good. Check out Hanks truck pictures/ Robert archer collection and look at the page on dump trucks it has a bunch of Ford/Sterling pictures, it might give you an idea of the bumper style they used on their dump trucks. That 3D printer will come in handy!

[Cooper]

Will do thanks, I've been thinking of the bumper, will have to learn how to split for printer bed isn't as wide. I think it will be easy, the hard part will be the finish, I like Crome bumper but that ain't happening with printer. But parts can be sanded and filled to look flawless. Just now getting the finishing down with my home meth lab,, lol,, cooking acetone in an old crockpot. My wife was wondering why I was doing that and I told her to go watch breaking bad ! (TV show on meth stuff). Just for those that don't know, a vapor bath in acetone will flatten much of the imperfections from 3d printing.

[doodlebug]

Originally Posted by Cooper

Will do thanks, I've been thinking of the bumper, will have to learn how to split for printer bed isn't as wide. I think it will be easy, the hard part will be the finish, I like Crome bumper but that ain't happening with printer. But parts can be sanded and filled to look flawless. Just now getting the finishing down with my home meth lab,, lol,, cooking acetone in an old crockpot. My wife was wondering why I was doing that and I told her to go watch breaking bad ! (TV show on meth stuff). Just for those that don't know, a vapor bath in acetone will flatten much of the imperfections from 3d printing.

Didn't somebody cover a bumper with "chrome tape" a while back?
Cheers, Neil.

[Cooper]

I know just what duct tape you are talking about, foil tape, I have lots in the work truck .

Just a short video of truck speed in low gear and high gear. At first I was thinking way too slow but for what I'm using it for I think it will be just the right combination between first and second gears. And got the big kitty back together with lights. (Just in time for the ground to be frozen. )

http://youtu.be/NnE1AoXVTJI

[Lil Giants]

Trk spd looks about right. It looks like it doesn't turn that sharp though.

Are your lights hooked in series or parallel? Could you rig up the rear lights on a separate switch or just activate in reverse? cause they look bright enough that they may impair your view while travelling forward.

Your radio not have model match? You have to turn one model off before turning on another?

[Cooper]

Speed- check,, like I said when I first ran it I was like darn way too slow but realized hauling dirt on dirt road, speed should be perfect for me.

The lights are in pairs, front, top, and back. I can turn on/off any of them as long as those pairs. Example, front 4 lights on one circuit, left two are series wired then parallel with right to a switch board that can be turned on/off manually for each circuit (6 all together) with that being controlled by radio switch. So whatever switches I have on I can control by radio. And fan on one also.

Model match,, keep forgetting to try that. I'm not sure about the sabertooth and radio rx I have. I may have to program fail safes to keep it from drifting.

And the steering, the tires will contact leaf springs. The axle will turn more than twice that. I may look into what others have done. They are stock tamiya springs with rcbirm axles. I am using super wide tires in front. Will play around with that in mind.

[thebigo]

Hi Cooper
Don't tell me your a dirt biker to? I see your fridge in the background and recognize some of those stickers, some of which are in fact on my shop Oil cubberd.

[Cooper]

Originally Posted by thebigo

Hi Cooper
Don't tell me your a dirt biker to? I see your fridge in the background and recognize some of those stickers, some of which are in fact on my shop Oil cubberd.

Lol,, yup mx'er at heart. Back in 2001 I went pro, before first race I had 60 staples in my knee. It was a year before I could get back to practicing and then two more surgeries, another 6 months, and yet another, about 4 months,,,, by that time I decided to level all my practice tracks and bought a street bike. Kinda what got me into rc stuff,, can't get hurt right?? Well not as bad and definitely not as risky. As the saying goes the old man is wise and wisdom comes with age!!-- I got old too!! Friends always try to get me back riding but I know once I do it's gonna be expensive again. Guess the wisdom thing works

[Cooper]

Got one side tank done , one more to go.

[thebigo]

Ya, I do a little of everything, I have a mx track on my place, just started trials couple of years back and really like that, also like to do enduros and hare scrambles. Use to race Stdium R/C truck's way back in the late 80's. Guess you could call me the jack of all trade's master of none. Now just learning from you guy's on the trucks and equipment, and just love it. I do still love riding, but I can tell my reflexes are slower from age, so can't school the youngsters that much anymore.

[RCP57]

You guy's need to stop talking about dirt bikes! I'm getting the urge lately to buy a new bike even though I haven't ridden much in the last three or four years(where has all my time gone?Hmm?)....Hearing others talk about it is not helping. I even groomed my MX track a couple of weeks back but then the weather turned cold and the ground froze before I could ride. The weather is warming up so I guess I will have no excuse not to put some laps in on my oldy! Too bad I'm so outta shape and fat.lol At 9K for a new bike I think my business needs to pick up before I rush out and buy a new bike!haha

[Cooper]

Originally Posted by RCP57

You guy's need to stop talking about dirt bikes! I'm getting the urge lately to buy a new bike even though I haven't ridden much in the last three or four years(where has all my time gone?Hmm?)....Hearing others talk about it is not helping. I even groomed my MX track a couple of weeks back but then the weather turned cold and the ground froze before I could ride. The weather is warming up so I guess I will have no excuse not to put some laps in on my oldy! Too bad I'm so outta shape and fat.lol At 9K for a new bike I think my business needs to pick up before I rush out and buy a new bike!haha

I hear ya!!! Bouncing off the dirt from 20 feet up just isn't as fun as it was when I was in my 20s. Lol!!!

[Cooper]

Got the ubolts done. I just settled on m3 threaded rod and a piece of steel brazed then ground round.

This is how I did the tanks and strap, used ss for the strapping.

[Cooper]

And in the spirit of Great Dane construction company business I'm going to tear into the 4200 ex despite being done with other projects. We here at GDC, never really finish anything and are always eager to start something new before finishing anything old. .

On the docket for the 4200;
New cylinders
New rx/tx system
Update track drives
Scale cab and body more towards 1:14
Bucket possibly with quick connect.
More lights
Not sure if it's going to be a hitachi or cat, I'm partial to cat but it suits a hitachi better (I think)

Just let the dogs out and some of the loose dirt is workable, I may have to load a few loads with the excavator into the new dumptruck before dismantling. I have noticed to be careful with hydraulics in -0 weather. It's probably just not a good idea -is it? I may have to get them pretty warm before taking a video.

[thebigo]

Coop, are you going to use the RC4WD upgrade track drive's? Why are you changing out cylinders, are they just worn out? By the way the truck is looking awesome.

David

[Cooper]

That's one reason for changing out cylinders, look at my dozer from summer, and I changed/added oil several times. But I want to make better cylinders and hard lines. Kind of like the six million dollar man show, we have no reason to do so but we have the ability and technology to do so .


I've been thinking of going the hitachi way but I am a cat man at heart. For scale in the 1:14 range , keeping with the trucks, what do you guys think would be better suited? A 345d or a 374L? I'm leaning towards the 374 as I can build up the back some to make appearance of the bigger machine. As far as cab goes I may cut down or print new parts.

And thebigo, I do have the track upgrade motors, I tried them before and had some voltage problems. But this time around I'm using different esc and better radio that I can tweak how I want. The esc I'm using has a drag brake. I've noticed with this model that in heavy digging force you can roll the machine forward. I really hate that. I would rather have force to skid it than have the tracks roll. And with making new cylinders I'm upping working pressure. Ah, another question for you guys, I was planing on keeping the original pump/motor. I have the premacon pump it the dozer and it is flawless so far. By going off specs the rc4wd pump can deliver higher pressure but what is reality? I'm wanting to limit it to 25 bar- 300-350 psi. (If everything can handle that, I think I was running around 20

[Lil Giants]

The Premacon hyd kit has a Jung pump capable of 100bar. The pump motor is properly gear reduced so the brushless motor & pump run at correct speeds & the esc won't be maxed out in Amps or heat. And the Meinhart rotary valves are just far superior in smooth oil flow.

I think this model's overall size is moreso a 345 series.

Does the track motor upgrade have planetary reduction? I don't think spur gear will hold even with a drag brake in the esc.

What bore size cyls were you thinking of making?

[Cooper]

Hey joe, yes the drives are planetary gears, so some movement might happen but minimal (I think). I just hate when the machine rolls forward!! I like how I have the dozer set up to run pump at 30% until stick imput ramps up to 100%. I don't know what's better, that or having pump %100 with bypass like the excavator is set up with a 4th valve. I never timed it but using the same battery I know I can usually get close to an hour on the dozer and in the excavator I doesn't last as long. I would have thought different with dozer running two motors and pump vs one big pump on ex. I think the drive motors in dozer are pretty mild and the big motor in the excavator is amp hungry. Running 8400mah 3s battery.

The cylinder tube I use is 1/2 I'd and 3/4 od. I can easily lathe down od to suit whatever. Also the 1/8 wall allows me to drill bolt holes into cylinder without soldering another piece. Cylinder rod will be 5/16? I forget exact size something along that. Are those meinhart valves the premacon ones? If so that's what I have in dozer and have had no leaks, problems whatsoever.

I know some may wonder why I'm transforming a decent working machine this rout but my intentions when purchased in beginning of year were to use it as a template to make one or to revamp using most parts to make a heartier beefier momma earth cutter .

[Cooper]

No turning back now

[Cooper]

Just an estimate if I can run 400 psi. I have hose rated to 350 and have been using it with no heat breaks or leaks. That's what it's rated for so I'm sure it can handle a bit more