Let's Talk Pulling Clods

ChisaiKuso

ChisaiKuso

Well-Known Member
I need your thoughts and expertise, especially if you have experience pulling.

I'm interested in building a pulling truck from a stock Clod Buster. I have no wish to compete in competition, so I'm not worried about following any set rules. What I would like to start with is a truck that can easily pull a few kids around in a Radio Flyer wagon. From there I'd like to keep going until pulling a full-size vehicle becomes possible. :D

Here is how the truck sits so far:

- vintage Clod Buster
- full bearings
- Sassy Chassis steel straight axles (rear)
- JPS steel pulling gears (both front and rear)
- Sees ten hole aluminum wheels
- Imex pulling tires
- ESP chassis brace
- ESP lift kit (this doesn't seem ideal for pulling, but it looks cool)
- Hobbico Max Trax pulling hitch

For the moment electronics consist of a Novak Super Rooster powering two Trinity Sapphire motors. Gearing is stock because I can't get my vintage gear reduction units to fit with the ladder bars (which I very much want to keep). Batteries are sub-C cells in six or seven cell configurations.

I need direction with setups for suspension, tires, electronics, motors, gearing, etc. My goal is to keep this truck as vintage as possible, so keep that in mind.

ChisaiKuso
 
T

Thunder VP

Well-Known Member
Sounds like you have the base equipment already to build a great pulling truck.
I assume the reductions you have are the Stormer or APM 4:1s. These are made to work with the stock suspension. The lift kit may have changed the ladder bar angle enough to interfere with the motor so you may need to loose it to use the reductions.
The Saphire motors would be good on 7 cells with the 4:1s using 13s on the output and maybe 15s on the motors.
If you can't make the reductions work, you could also pick up some adjustable motor mounts. This would allow you to drop to an 8 or 9 tooth pinion. This would be fine for pulling the kids around.
Add some firm foam inserts in the tires and add some extra weight to the from of the truck.
If you don't already have it an axel mounted steering servo would help control the beast better.
To get it up to pull a full size will require much more work. Reinforcement of the gearboxes or going to aluminum cases would be needed. The Sassy straight axles will bend under that kind of load as well.

This should get you started. Good luck and throw up some pics of your progress as you go.
 
C

cpe mt

Moderator
Moderator
RCMT Sponsor
troystr68 has done virtually the same thing with his Clod. I can't find the build thread here, but it there may be one on Clodtalk. I know I've seen a video of his Clod pulling a kid around in a wagon.
 
ChisaiKuso

ChisaiKuso

Well-Known Member
Thunder VP said:
I assume the reductions you have are the Stormer or APM 4:1s. These are made to work with the stock suspension.
Click to expand...
I'm honestly not sure what I have. They are machined aluminum and anodized gold. I have several different steel pinion gear sets to change the ratios. Whatever they are, the motors will not fit between them and the ladder bars regardless of the lift kit (which I will remove as I get more serious).

What are all of my options for current reduction units? Also, do you know of any vintage units for sale?


Thunder VP said:
add some extra weight to the from of the truck.
Click to expand...
How much weight would you recommend? Does anyone still offer something with a scale appearance?


Thunder VP said:
The Sassy straight axles will bend under that kind of load as well.
Click to expand...
Wow! I always thought the Sassy axles would hold up better than most of the other stuff out there. What is it that makes them prone to bending, and what would you recommend instead?


Thanks for the great reply!
ChisaiKuso
 
ChisaiKuso

ChisaiKuso

Well-Known Member
cpe mt said:
troystr68 has done virtually the same thing with his Clod. I can't find the build thread here, but it there may be one on Clodtalk. I know I've seen a video of his Clod pulling a kid around in a wagon.
Click to expand...
Hhmmmm ... I couldn't find anything either.

I may want to look into one of your pulling hitches for my project. I'll likely be using my Eliminator sled for testing purposes, and I'd rather not risk damaging the vintage Max Trax hitch.

ChisaiKuso
 
T

Thunder VP

Well-Known Member
I don't recall ever seeing gold anodized reductions before but they could have been specially plated. No one is currently making a gear reduction specifically for the Clod that I know of.
Search e-bay or the buy/sell forums here. You could also ask in the NRCTPA forum. (one of the 2 pulling forums here)

Weight can be added under the body if you want to keep the stock look. (Less than 5# should be enough for now.) Otherwise there are a few places that make scale pulling "suitcase" weights

The Sassy axles will be fine for pulling around the wagon. One piece axle tubes were available for awhile that worked with the Sassy axels that would help support them. As you up the pulled weight the axles will start to bow a little and could end up snapping completely when running with steering knuckels installed. I run a modified dirt pulling Clod with a one piece 1/4" axle with custom axle tubes. My carpet puller has a 3/8" rear axle with a gear reduction between the gearbox and drive axel, and I have pulled a full size pickup several times with it.
Thunder Tech Racing makes straight axels that increase from 6mm up to 8mm diameter out by the wheels. They are currently out of stock but again search around, some venders or ebay may have some.

As for an optional hitch, Hooter Chassis & Hobby makes one. They also sell the scale lead weights and other pulling products. They could even have some of the old reducion units. 814-425-3122
 
M

markturbo

Well-Known Member
Not RC, but I always enjoyed the vintage 1:1 monster truck days where they would do a side by side sled pull, run over a couple cars, then drive thru some mud! I find that better then the new racing they do today. It was really cool to see an old monster truck pulling a sled!
 
ChisaiKuso

ChisaiKuso

Well-Known Member
markturbo said:
Not RC, but I always enjoyed the vintage 1:1 monster truck days where they would do a side by side sled pull, run over a couple cars, then drive thru some mud! I find that better then the new racing they do today. It was really cool to see an old monster truck pulling a sled!
Click to expand...
I 100% agree with you. It was a long time ago, but I remember those events very well. In my humble opinion, today's monster trucks (and especially the competitions they do) suck by comparison. :(

ChisaiKuso
 
B

blublood

Member
Gear reductions

I think your gold anodized gear reductions are old 2:1 units. They probably have a combination of standard pinions. The Clod 4:1 pieces use an Associated pan car spur gear and the motor mount rises above the stock suspension arm. I ended up making a custom set to fit Pullmaster IVs.

 
Last edited:
ChisaiKuso

ChisaiKuso

Well-Known Member
blublood said:
I think your gold anodized gear reductions are old 2:1 units. They probably have a combination of standard pinions.
Click to expand...
While I can't be 100% certain you are thinking of the right gear reduction units, your description is correct. Various combinations of pinion gears can be used to achieve different reductions in overall gearing. They are great on my custom rock crawler. I've just never been able to fit them to a stock Clod.

ChisaiKuso
 
B

blublood

Member
My point was that if you are running a stock type Clod suspension, the Clod 4:1 reductions relocate the motor above the suspension. The pic is just to illustrate the concept. In order to use Pullmaster IVs, I had to make custom pieces. Are you looking for the Clod-type reductions?
 
T

Thunder VP

Well-Known Member
Lets go over a little gear reduction 101 for the clod.

Several different versions were available over the years. Most common was the Stormer 4:1 (or copied APM) versions. These moved the motor up and in to clear the ladder bars on a stock Clod.



Thunder Tech Racing did an upated version that was a 7:1 unit and allowed the motor to be "clocked" into many locations to fit different setups.





Sounds like you have a 2:1 reduction that was ment to be used on many vehicles but interfered with the ladder bars on the Clod.



To make those fit you could add a set of the Clod Adjustable Motor Mounts like those from Thunder Tech or a few other copied versions.
These not only would allow more gear choices by letting you adjust the pinion in the gearbox, but would "clock" the reduction and motor by 90?. This should help clear the ladder bars.



With limited hand tools and some creativity, you could make your own reductions to fit. I made these years ago using only a drill press, hacksaw & files.

Although now I have access to a mill and lathe I can do much better work.:tmb
 
ChisaiKuso

ChisaiKuso

Well-Known Member
There is a lot of great information here. Thank you again to everyone who has replied to my post. :)

Keep it coming!

ChisaiKuso
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top