Self Righting Monster Truck Add-on
#1
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Self Righting Monster Truck Add-on
As any driver of a monster truck knows (who likes bashing at least), the truck spends a lot of time flipped over. As a result you the driver spend a lot of time running around just to flip it back over onto its wheels. So I started thinking about adding a small device inside the frame of my truck that could flip it back over. I’ve looked around here and elsewhere and never found any reference to anyone else even talking about doing this, but it seems like a no brainer to me!
As I see it, I’d need an extra channel available on my radio (either dial or a switch), and obviously a corresponding channel on my receiver, and a servo to actuate it. I imagine a small linkage that will kick out of both sides of the truck body simultaneously as the truck is very unlikely to meet resistance on both sides at once. Also I’m keeping in mind that this solution will have to be very durable.
Also I’ve already done some preliminary measurements of the forces and distances required to get my truck (Savage X 4.6) to the point where it will fall back right-side-up. It’s about 30 degrees past vertical, and my self-righting linkage would need to be about 12in long from the center of the Savage to reach the ground at this point. (Ok I appear to have misplaced my fish scale acquired force measurement, guess I’ll have to redo that later).
Anyways, in the not too distant future I’d like to get onto building (I have access to a basic machine shop) but figured if anyone else had done anything similar or just wanted to weigh in I’d love to hear/see what others think about this idea or have already done. I’ve obviously considered several different linkage possibilities, but could always use more ideas. Anyways, thanks in advance for the help! [8D]
As I see it, I’d need an extra channel available on my radio (either dial or a switch), and obviously a corresponding channel on my receiver, and a servo to actuate it. I imagine a small linkage that will kick out of both sides of the truck body simultaneously as the truck is very unlikely to meet resistance on both sides at once. Also I’m keeping in mind that this solution will have to be very durable.
Also I’ve already done some preliminary measurements of the forces and distances required to get my truck (Savage X 4.6) to the point where it will fall back right-side-up. It’s about 30 degrees past vertical, and my self-righting linkage would need to be about 12in long from the center of the Savage to reach the ground at this point. (Ok I appear to have misplaced my fish scale acquired force measurement, guess I’ll have to redo that later).
Anyways, in the not too distant future I’d like to get onto building (I have access to a basic machine shop) but figured if anyone else had done anything similar or just wanted to weigh in I’d love to hear/see what others think about this idea or have already done. I’ve obviously considered several different linkage possibilities, but could always use more ideas. Anyways, thanks in advance for the help! [8D]
#2
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RE: Self Righting Monster Truck Add-on
I would think you would have to put some type of servo on a mount to get it high enough, and then put a metal tube extending from the servo arm? It would have to be very powerful though.
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RE: Self Righting Monster Truck Add-on
Haha, I actually had thought of the hoop idea already. However as a mechanical engineer I have to find a more expensive and complex solution than that!
As far as the arms sticking out idea, the other thing to keep in mind is that I have nowhere in the body to hold a 12in long arm member (without it sticking out of the body at least). So to achieve my 12in arm distance I will have to have at least a 2-bar linkage that pivots about some midpoint. Again though, wondering if anyone else has ideas about creative ways to keep the solution small and then scissor out to be wide only when necessary.
As far as the arms sticking out idea, the other thing to keep in mind is that I have nowhere in the body to hold a 12in long arm member (without it sticking out of the body at least). So to achieve my 12in arm distance I will have to have at least a 2-bar linkage that pivots about some midpoint. Again though, wondering if anyone else has ideas about creative ways to keep the solution small and then scissor out to be wide only when necessary.
#5
RE: Self Righting Monster Truck Add-on
ORIGINAL: compunerd
Haha, I actually had thought of the hoop idea already. However as a mechanical engineer I have to find a more expensive and complex solution than that!
Haha, I actually had thought of the hoop idea already. However as a mechanical engineer I have to find a more expensive and complex solution than that!
Multiple gold plated hoops?
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RE: Self Righting Monster Truck Add-on
how about something spring loaded (like a jack in the box) that when you're on your lid, releases and springs the thing up into the air and hopefully back onto it's wheels
#8
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RE: Self Righting Monster Truck Add-on
ORIGINAL: compunerd
Haha, I actually had thought of the hoop idea already. However as a mechanical engineer I have to find a more expensive and complex solution than that!
As far as the arms sticking out idea, the other thing to keep in mind is that I have nowhere in the body to hold a 12in long arm member (without it sticking out of the body at least). So to achieve my 12in arm distance I will have to have at least a 2-bar linkage that pivots about some midpoint. Again though, wondering if anyone else has ideas about creative ways to keep the solution small and then scissor out to be wide only when necessary.
Haha, I actually had thought of the hoop idea already. However as a mechanical engineer I have to find a more expensive and complex solution than that!
As far as the arms sticking out idea, the other thing to keep in mind is that I have nowhere in the body to hold a 12in long arm member (without it sticking out of the body at least). So to achieve my 12in arm distance I will have to have at least a 2-bar linkage that pivots about some midpoint. Again though, wondering if anyone else has ideas about creative ways to keep the solution small and then scissor out to be wide only when necessary.
i still like the hoop idea.
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RE: Self Righting Monster Truck Add-on
Why not mount one of those helicopter yaw rate gyros at 90 degrees to measure Roll, and conect it to your steering servo so if the MT starts to tip over from hard, the steering automatically steers out of the corner and brings it back on 4 wheels vs tipping up on two. Might cure 90% of roll-overs.
hmmm...........I wonder if that would work.................
hmmm...........I wonder if that would work.................
#10
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RE: Self Righting Monster Truck Add-on
I've seen gadgets like this on battle robots. The most popular one used there is an arm with a wheel on it. Arm turns, bot flips over, no problem.
For a monster truck, though, I would rather go with a couple of pneumatic pistons that slam a plate into the ground and basically throw the truck back onto it's wheels. Or maybe a couple of linear actuators that do the same thing only slower and less violently.
Dbox > mount on side > Done.
Though you'd have to tune the gain so it doesn't over correct and flip it in the other direction, and so it doesn't go off during hard but otherwise stable cornering on pavement. I've seen MTs heel over 30-35 degrees on pavement, yet never once think about actually traction rolling.
For a monster truck, though, I would rather go with a couple of pneumatic pistons that slam a plate into the ground and basically throw the truck back onto it's wheels. Or maybe a couple of linear actuators that do the same thing only slower and less violently.
ORIGINAL: Argess
Why not mount one of those helicopter yaw rate gyros at 90 degrees to measure Roll, and conect it to your steering servo so if the MT starts to tip over from hard, the steering automatically steers out of the corner and brings it back on 4 wheels vs tipping up on two. Might cure 90% of roll-overs.
hmmm...........I wonder if that would work.................
Why not mount one of those helicopter yaw rate gyros at 90 degrees to measure Roll, and conect it to your steering servo so if the MT starts to tip over from hard, the steering automatically steers out of the corner and brings it back on 4 wheels vs tipping up on two. Might cure 90% of roll-overs.
hmmm...........I wonder if that would work.................
Though you'd have to tune the gain so it doesn't over correct and flip it in the other direction, and so it doesn't go off during hard but otherwise stable cornering on pavement. I've seen MTs heel over 30-35 degrees on pavement, yet never once think about actually traction rolling.
#11
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RE: Self Righting Monster Truck Add-on
ORIGINAL: Argess
Why not mount one of those helicopter yaw rate gyros at 90 degrees to measure Roll, and conect it to your steering servo so if the MT starts to tip over from hard, the steering automatically steers out of the corner and brings it back on 4 wheels vs tipping up on two. Might cure 90% of roll-overs.
hmmm...........I wonder if that would work.................
Why not mount one of those helicopter yaw rate gyros at 90 degrees to measure Roll, and conect it to your steering servo so if the MT starts to tip over from hard, the steering automatically steers out of the corner and brings it back on 4 wheels vs tipping up on two. Might cure 90% of roll-overs.
hmmm...........I wonder if that would work.................
#12
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RE: Self Righting Monster Truck Add-on
ORIGINAL: The_Shark
mmm it might work if the person behind the wheels is a crappy driver, i can usually feel when its about to flip.
mmm it might work if the person behind the wheels is a crappy driver, i can usually feel when its about to flip.
Because a correctly mounted gyro can.
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RE: Self Righting Monster Truck Add-on
ORIGINAL: The_Shark
mmm it might work if the person behind the wheels is a crappy driver, i can usually feel when its about to flip.
ORIGINAL: Argess
Why not mount one of those helicopter yaw rate gyros at 90 degrees to measure Roll, and conect it to your steering servo so if the MT starts to tip over from hard, the steering automatically steers out of the corner and brings it back on 4 wheels vs tipping up on two. Might cure 90% of roll-overs.
hmmm...........I wonder if that would work.................
Why not mount one of those helicopter yaw rate gyros at 90 degrees to measure Roll, and conect it to your steering servo so if the MT starts to tip over from hard, the steering automatically steers out of the corner and brings it back on 4 wheels vs tipping up on two. Might cure 90% of roll-overs.
hmmm...........I wonder if that would work.................
Hey....it's the OP wanting something....not me....LOL. And I think you mean "see" vs "feel" But then again, I'm not the best of drivers.....
#14
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RE: Self Righting Monster Truck Add-on
I'm thinking a couple acme rocket engines actuated by a third radio channel. Although that damned road runner would just find a way to sabotage it.
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RE: Self Righting Monster Truck Add-on
How bout a MT that doesn't need to be flipped over? Can operate upside down, or right side up? I think some toy grade models had this function.....be cool to see a truck hummin at 40mph, hit a curb, flip on its lid, and keep on going
#19
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RE: Self Righting Monster Truck Add-on
ORIGINAL: Argess
Hey....it's the OP wanting something....not me....LOL. And I think you mean ''see'' vs ''feel'' But then again, I'm not the best of drivers.....
ORIGINAL: The_Shark
mmm it might work if the person behind the wheels is a crappy driver, i can usually feel when its about to flip.
ORIGINAL: Argess
Why not mount one of those helicopter yaw rate gyros at 90 degrees to measure Roll, and conect it to your steering servo so if the MT starts to tip over from hard, the steering automatically steers out of the corner and brings it back on 4 wheels vs tipping up on two. Might cure 90% of roll-overs.
hmmm...........I wonder if that would work.................
Why not mount one of those helicopter yaw rate gyros at 90 degrees to measure Roll, and conect it to your steering servo so if the MT starts to tip over from hard, the steering automatically steers out of the corner and brings it back on 4 wheels vs tipping up on two. Might cure 90% of roll-overs.
hmmm...........I wonder if that would work.................
Hey....it's the OP wanting something....not me....LOL. And I think you mean ''see'' vs ''feel'' But then again, I'm not the best of drivers.....
i mean the gyro deal is a good idea, and might work to some extent, but steering servos are slow under load and monster trucks suspension are slow and soggy. if you ever try it let us know.
#23
Senior Member
RE: Self Righting Monster Truck Add-on
ORIGINAL: Argess
Why not mount one of those helicopter yaw rate gyros at 90 degrees to measure Roll, and conect it to your steering servo so if the MT starts to tip over from hard, the steering automatically steers out of the corner and brings it back on 4 wheels vs tipping up on two. Might cure 90% of roll-overs.
hmmm...........I wonder if that would work.................
Why not mount one of those helicopter yaw rate gyros at 90 degrees to measure Roll, and conect it to your steering servo so if the MT starts to tip over from hard, the steering automatically steers out of the corner and brings it back on 4 wheels vs tipping up on two. Might cure 90% of roll-overs.
hmmm...........I wonder if that would work.................
that may work.... I have used a gyro to help stabilize the steering of my DM-1 when we run on the cold pavement....