ArancioC5

Ok, so the economy sucks but I have a question for you guys. How many of you would be interested in some LOW Cog CNC milled TVPS with matching chassis brace/ middle skid? I am not obviously looking to make money because this hobby is um..tiny and doesnt realize the initial cost of tooling. BUT.. I had this vision to make basher proof low cog milled plates that are to be THICK yet perforated in key areas to be light. If there is enough interest in this, I will consider making them (ie: Flux and XL). Think race chassis, yet not meant for that really just better handling and best possible strength. 7075 Aluminum.

t9dragon

My Feedback: (11)

I might be interested.......

ArancioC5

T9.. why might? Need some DEFS. Everyone can say "well on ebay stockers go for $10-20 bucks" and they are right. Will people pay the appropriate amount for high quality?? I dunno...not sure yet. I'm watching though

t9dragon

My Feedback: (11)

Cost would be the biggest factor for me. I am going to be coverting a X SS that I got in traded into a Flux which I will need TVP's for.

Shenanigans

My Feedback: (12)

Many people pay for flm and other aftermarket tvp's......so the demand is there, its just a question if you can beat the other manufacturers IMO with price and/or quality

ArancioC5

Price can be matched by my estimates, it really depends on how many are ordered to offset cost. I am not doing this as a business, it is really just to make even and make the best TVPs available, just because I wanted to. I keep seeing that people want to change out shocks, and improve handling (i remember all of the work I put into my Flux to make it a better handler and put down the power more efficiently). Companies like FLM and others use cheap methods to produce these parts because of cost, and in a perfect world I'd love to take the "open checkbook" approach, but if you need a price point, I would say FLM prices with better quality and design.

wolfie1

how much do flm ones go for?

t9dragon

My Feedback: (11)

FLM doesn't make Low COG TVP's for the Flux.

Flux HD Stock TVP's are $38.00

Flux HD Extended TVP's are $57.00

X-ruler

I would be interested. Do you happen to have a pic?

ArancioC5

Nothing I am willing to post as this time as I have nothing to protect my design. My TVP design will be different for sure, thicker than FLM, milled out in low stress areas to lighten the part, and all inner "windows" beveled so it looks less "flat." I am also thinking of different finishes such as powder coated windows/ machine finish face like a custom 3 piece wheel on a real car/truck. I will have to cut costs somewhere, and I'd rather it be on the finish than the design/ material. I will also need to consider longer hardware, and that will likely drive up the cost but maybe I could get a deal with a company like tony's to get upgrade screws while you are at it changing out the tvps. I may be able to offer cheaper screws as a budget package, but I really don't like thinking that way because for my personal RCs I have always thrown out the budget for quality.

Again, this idea will never make it to reality if enough people don't step up and let me know that they are more than willing to add this as an upgrade. I understand this mod wont make sense to the guy who uses his Savage once a month and likes/ accepts that it handles like a MT. I may do a limited run of 100 sets, or less even if I personally feel that every Savage should have better TVPS as they are what makes the truck different than others and are the part you see the most.

Any interest in FLUX battery trays? I always found the stock ones to be a weak design. I think they could also be centralized a couple mm more but that is just being picky I guess. The biggest advantage of a lower COG chassis for the FLUX guys is to move those batterys down more to the ground but still have protection.

I dunno, maybe if people tell me what they would like improved on the Flux especially then I can take in what you -really- want. Anything I do would be to break dead even, if I tried to sell for profit with my quality standards I would be priced out of all markets, but I need to be nearly guaranteed that I would break even. I'm sure alot of people on here know that I enjoy the build process and improving things where solutions dont exist from the factory, and that I am an RC snob :P. Well, let me know.

X-ruler

Would you be willing to look at a stock x length chassis plates? or you just looking at flux and xl?

ArancioC5

If the interest is there.. that goes for all the models, I will not do any one model unless people want it. I know the shorter X chassis accepts more bodies, so that is a consideration. I'll even consider doing new shock towers that are more truggy style with adjustments and the ability to add turnbuckles so you remove the stockers from the sides of the diff cases. Anything can be made with interest, and the only thing I can guarantee to set it apart is that my standards are far higher than anything available currently for the truck. So, it comes down to you guys. The way I see it, on ebay there are so many parted out savages that you can actually be right on budget if you build a Savage with top notch parts rather than waste money on RTR kits. It's not even taking money away from HPI because the parted kits would be sold whole either way so it's not even hurting anyone.

Example.. you can then get the BP differentials, XL parts, RPM arms, Big Bores, Flux parts ETC to build a Savage how -you- want it. It just opens up more possibilities and cuts waste.

sharkattack99

isn't that for a single tvp though

although i pretty interested if the price is right that is.

t9dragon

My Feedback: (11)

That is the price per set which is 2 TVP's.

sharkattack99

well thats better i was thinking it was for one cause thats all they show and they don't say its for 2 so thats good.

mac3194

My Feedback: (2)

id be intrested... sounds like a great idea.

rcnitrohead

I'd just like to chip in really quick. You said thicker than FLMs? Thats really overkill for 7075, FLMs are really thick already. I know when I ran them, they were beefy as hell- just designed poorly and made of 6061 which flat out sucked. I wish someone could copy Chronic's tvps, those were seriously the ultimate setup and chassis of choice back in the day. He had a LOT of customers going and I missed him right before he disappeared. The market is definitely here, but you need some kind of beta product. Based on what I see here, you're gauging interest- but it looks like it would be an all in group buy? I'd also be interested if the price is right, I haven't touched my truck since july- but it sure could use a shiny new chassis .

-SomeGuy-

Couldnt agree more! 3.2mm thick 7075 is all you need max.

I was in the market for the 6mm front ext chassis Chronic was working on before he left. The 6mm allows you to run a rear dogbone in the front. And I would like them to be LCG with center skid. He was selling the set for 45$ back in the day so if you can do somethinglike that for a resonable price them im in.

ArancioC5

hey Tom

Well beefy is not a good approach by any stretch. Thick as in thick without recesses = zero imagination and thinking that more material trumps actual design. FLM imho are in this business to make money and dont actually understand engineering even though the owner obviously has a machine shop, or worse sublets the work.

Chronic TVPs I have never seen, but I think my ideas are better, and I know 100% havent been done yet. You are right, I'd need a group buy to do this because I have learned several times that this hobby is TINY and I dont want to have to catalouge stuff that takes 3 years to sell. By then there might be a new Savage to worry about. If these are made, I can damn near guarantee that these will be the last TVPs you would need to buy, and my design even incorporates easy refinishing of them. I think these could take TBJ/Tom abuse with ease just based on the structural planning. 6061 isnt crappy aluminum, but it is mid grade, and used to save on cost.

As I said a few posts up, if you guys want something made and enough people want it, then shoot the idea to me in here. Nothing I will ever design will be cheap, so keep that in mind and I believe in the theory "buy cheap, buy twice." .

ArancioC5

Not sure if chronic worked/ ran a machine shop but to get even CLOSE to $45, then I need volume. I can guarantee, the designs I have come up will take ALOT MORE time on the mill than any other TVP I have seen to date. 3.2mm is thick, but it's not about overall thickness, it is more about thick in the right places like a proper woman

ThunderbirdJunkie

My Feedback: (3)

ThunderbirdJunkie would be interested in a set. Either stock wheelbase, or front-extended to use the same size dogbone as the rear.

Damn you...he JUST trimmed and drilled his new body for the new Savage...you could've said this like, a week ago[&:]

BTW, Chronic's stretched chassis plates used an Ofna/Hong Nor 9.5 dogbone in the front, if ThunderbirdJunkie recalls correctly, not a Savage rear.

ThunderbirdJunkie

My Feedback: (3)

BTW, here are Chronic's chassis plates
This is the 2nd set he made, so they're not quite as "finished" as some of the later ones.


Best picture ThunderbirdJunkie has with them installed on the truck

ThunderbirdJunkie

My Feedback: (3)

Double posting because ThunderbirdJunkie wants to put new plates on the new truck and just leave Chronic's plates on the old truck and the only old parts being used will be the 1/8 buggy hubs and shocks/shock towers.

Although an extended version could be slick...got a Revo 3.3 crowd pleazer sittin right here. HRMMMMMMM[sm=72_72.gif]

ArancioC5

No offense to Chronic (or HPI) but I can tell you right away why ANY of these TVP designs can fail. First and foremost, the strongest shape is never a box. If you look at the TVPs from both makers, they are based on BOXES, and Rectangles. I understand the point of cut outs to minimize weight, but HPI wants you to twist TVPs and other parts to BUY MORE. Real cars and RC cars all make money in repairs . I really dont want to say much more because FLM and the other makers in Asia will follow my lead here with more info, but lets just say that Chronics biggest failure was to copy HPIs basic layout. FLM, same thing.. why even bother to design an UPGRADE when all it is is a copy? LOL..guys thinkkkk about it for a minute.

HPI will not like me, even though I got to know a few people who work for them with my Baja days :P. Anyway, TBJ I really dont think I'll be making an off-size extended TVP because I don't want lack of body choices hindering the interest. It is hard enough to explain to certain people that low volume production = $$$$$. I used to design parts for real cars, and I know the difference of time spent on the mill VS waterjet cut TVPS, or solid thickness parts.

I can tell you guys right now that these wont cost $45.00 after trying to calculate approximate time per unit. I would estimate closer to $70.00 + with a basic finish. I would give finish options to those who are into more "bling", but the standard finish would be attractive. These are also not being made in Asia, nor mass produced so the added cost will have to justified in that you are one of few who will ever own a set. You need to look up what HPI Baja custom parts cost, and then realize that we are in the same ballgame here. FYI, I paid $140.00 just for 2 chassis braces made by HPI for my Baja made from 7075. They are mass produced peices as far as RC goes, and MUCH smaller/ simple in design. Again, I'm not going to lie to you and let you think I am going to compare a Ferrari to a Honda accord coupe here. The best will cost $, but I will sell at COST..as in dead cost to keep things from being crazy expensive (see Gorilla MAXX chassis prices, DDM.com = Baja stuff, ETC to see how $ things can be via low production).

Thanks guys.

ArancioC5

Oh yeah... IF I do end up making any part, keep this in mind. I am = HAMMAN, TechArt, Lorinser, Gemballa etc.. FLM etc = American Racing etc. Just can't compare the two very different approaches. Sorry to sound like my **** doesnt stink, but I'm just calling it as I see it. If I do anything, it is going to be done the best way possible