RG-35 4×4
Model of a South African MRAP vehicle. Features pendular suspension, 4×4 drive, 2-speed gearbox and lights. 聽
Datasheet:
Completion date: 18/08/2011
Power: electric (Power Functions)
Dimensions: length 41 studs / width 24 studs / height 22 studs
Weight: 2.074 kg
Suspension: pendular
Propulsion: 1 x PF XL geared 4.2:1 (low gear) / 2.5:1 (high gear)
Motors: 1 x PF XL, 3 x PF Medium
RG-35 4×4 is a modern small MRAP (Mine Resistant Ambush Protected) vehicle developed by BAE Systems South Africa as a smaller variant of base RG-35 6×6. It belongs to the second generation of the MRAP vehicles, which means that it combines high level of crew protection with impressive off-road capabilities. It was introduced in the first half of 2011, which means that it’s just starting to enter service, with the Canadian Army considering a massive order.
The model was built primarily to test the wheels and gear blocks from the 8110 Unimog set. It consisted of a short, fully studless chassis enclosed in a studfull body. Both axles had pendular suspension with 4 short shock absorbers on the rear, and 4 long shock absorbers on the front axle. The front axle had a Medium motor for steering integrated into it. The 8110’s set ball joints were used to attach axles to the chassis, as I expected them to support at least part of model’s weight thus reducing the friction on the driveshaft. Both axles also included differentials, as I expected them to be necessary for a vehicle with that short wheelbase. However, the presence of the differentials had a bad impact on model’s off-road capabilities.
The chassis, despite being very short and housing tall suspension modules, housed a remotely controlled 2-speed linear gearbox, a straight six piston engine with a separate Medium motor to drive it, and it even housed a motorized front winch unit until I decided to remove it to lower the model’s centre of gravity – and all of this with the right side of the hull recessed to accommodate for a spare wheel. The model had to weight at least 2 kg to be allowed to an outdoor Truck Trial race, and I achieved this weight by adding approximately 0.25 kg using weighed bricks. They were located at the very bottom of the body, thus lowering model’s centre of gravity.
The model turned out to have very soft suspension and additionally I have somehow mistaken the set-up of the gears in the drivetrain, resulting in an unusually low gear reduction. The latter rendered the model practically unable to drive outdoors, and it was eventually destroyed in an accident while I was driving it downhill. The short chassis was a disadvantage when climbing or descending, and the model tumbled forward over its front wheel and crashed.
I believe the model had a great potential, excellent ground clearance and one of the most effective chassis I’ve ever built. This potential was wasted due to my simple error in drivetrain’s construction and due to disadvantages of its short wheelbase.
@Artwodeetwo
1. Yes.
2. I’ve made plenty of 6×6’s already.
Hi, in the last picture it shows a 6 wheel version;
A)Is this 6 wheel drive
B)Why didn’t you make this instead?
Wow thats is such a nice MRAP. Theres only on problem where My real house is (Port Elizabeth, South Africa) there are no nice militar vechles. You have done a very good job! I would like to try make one, but with 42009 wheels, any advice?
@Natasha
No.
Do you sell these models?
@matty
Sure.
could i make a copie of this model
Hi Paul, I told you about my version of the Rg.. well an inspired vehicle is what came out XD A friend of mine has put some pictures on his website, if you are interested give a look… What do you think about it? http://gtathecompletesaga.altervista.org/blog/lego-rg-35-4×4-rc/
I love the way it performed outside in the video XD
@TwentyLeggedHen
No to the first question, yes to the second.
In pictures 6 and 8 the drive axle looks like it is slipping out of the bevel gears in the differential. Was that a problem? Also the problem with the drive train was the 20t and 12t gears switched, right?
My rg was a disaster, it was too heavy. It was the first time I’ve used a studfull body. The truck was 2.3 kg heavy and the live axles were uneusful, ’cause the springs couldn’t fight all that weight. Anyway the truck had good on-road ability, so I haven’t lose time. Thanks for the tips you gave me.
@Lamboguy59
Sure.
Could it be made with rubber bands instead of the spring loaded hockey piece or shock absorbers?@Sariel
@Lamboguy59
Preferably pendular.
Do you know which supension type to use for a simple trial truck?
@Sariel
Ok, don’t steal fun from the Lego hobby 馃槈
@gabry
Well, you have to work it out.
@Sariel
Back to the shocks, wich angle do you recommend?
@gabry
How hard the shocks are depends on what angle they work at. The mistake was simply installing one pair of gears the other way around.
@Sariel
I’ve already tried 2 times, but the probleb is that these shocks are too soft for heavy trucks. I’ll try new ways and tell you the results, if you’re interested. Ah, I wanted to ask you something about your model: which is the mistake in the drivetrain mentioned in the description?
@gabry
There is no easy way to put 4 shocks on a live axle. Perhaps your problem is that shocks are too close to each other – try setting them further apart.
@Sariel
I’m trying to build a replica of the rg35 but I have a problem: I have used live axles, but, with a weight of 1.75kg for the unfinished model, the suspension is very very soft and on inclinated surfaces the centre of weight of the model usually gets on one wheel per axle, so in most cases differentals make the truck unable to move, and sometimes it falls (with inclinations over 50掳). I’ve used 8110/9398’s shocks, in a suspension system like 9398’s one. Could you tell me, if U know, a way to put 4 shocks per axle keeping live axles?
@gabry
Nope.
This truck was very nice, but didn’t the front wheels bend?
@artur
1. Nie wiem. 2. Nie wiem.
@artur i jeszcze takie dziwne pytanie: ile wyda艂e艣 pieni臋dzy na klocki, i ile 艣rednio kosztuje udany projekt?
no tak. w sumie to wkurza mnie ostatnio lego. nie dosc ze nic nie dziala to jeszcze masa innych problemow
@artur
St膮d, 偶e szuka艂em a偶 znalaz艂em zamiast zwala膰 to na innych: http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=64179
@artur
nie wiem sk膮d ty masz te ramki 9×5 chyba takich wymiarow
@Sariel
a to to ju偶 widzia艂臋m, nie ma prawie 偶adnej z cz臋艣ci kt贸rych potrzebuje
@artur
Naprawd臋, dwa klikni臋cia… http://www.bricklink.com/browseStores.asp?countryID=PL&groupState=Y
@Sariel
3. daj linka
@artur
1. Nie mam.
2. R贸偶nie.
3. Jest.
i jeszcze jedno: ile kosztuj臋 transport cz臋艣ci na bricklink.com i czy jest jaki艣 polski sklep z cz臋艣ciami?
@Sariel a masz mo偶e jaki艣 chat, co艣 na styl skype lub gadu-gadu? bo wygodniej by by艂o pisa膰
PS ksi膮偶ka jest 艣wietna, t艂umaczy nie tylko mechanik臋 w lego, ale te偶 og贸ln膮, czyli jakie si艂y gdzie dzia艂aj膮 itp.
@artur
Mi si臋 nie zdarzy艂o przeskakiwanie. Widocznie faktycznie masz problem z ram膮.
@Sariel heh racja, lecz moim g艂贸wnym problemem jednak jest brak pomys艂u na to jak by tu po艂膮czy膰 te mosty. plus: most z twojej ksi膮偶ki, ten heavy duty pendular axle ma pewien b艂膮d, a mianowicie z臋batka odpowiadaj膮ca za skr臋canie czasem
przeskakuje, jest to problem gdy do sterowania u偶ywa si臋 serwa.
@artur
Wi臋c dobrze, 偶e kolebki nie wymagaj膮 CV joint贸w.
@Sariel tak, 偶e kolebki s膮 dobre wiem, ale wymagaj膮 stabilizacji, kt贸ra z kolei wymaga bardzo mocnej ramy, kt贸ra jest dla mnie czasem problemem.
i jeszcze s艂ysza艂em 偶e cv joint jest do艣膰 s艂aby.
@artur
Tak, u偶y艂em CV joint贸w. Najlepsze do TrTr s膮 kolebki.
@ Sariel
1.polski jezyk lepszy 2. raczej bardziej chodzi o rame pojazdu, oraz poprawne zamocowanie mostow. 3.w kategorii zawieszenia sterowanego oraz napedzanego sa tylko 2, i obydwa nie sa dla mnie za duze 4.nie wiem jaki typ zawieszenia jest najlepszy 5.w alvis stalwart uzyles CV joint?
@artur
My book had instructions for complete suspension systems in it. If that doesn’t help you, there is nothing more I can do.
hey, i am sure that you can help me:
i tried to build a trial truck a lot of times, but ALWAYS stopped at same step, at suspensions and sterring. i have your book but it dont helped me
Love your outdoor testing, I think the suspension worked well on the terrain…
@Sariel
Ok, sorry, I didn’t read accurately O.o what about music? I think it would be nice to hear some Really good music, such as The Who, Pink Floyd… or Giorgio Gaber! I’m joking… but it would be seriously interesting to hear gears and motors working, let’s think about it… have a nice time 馃槈
@gabry
It’s all here: http://sariel.pl/future-projects/
@Sariel
Cool… tell me, please, that you’re going to use live axles, I’m angry with pendular suspension!
@gabry
I have just put some info on it on the Future Projects page, thanks for reminding me.
@Sariel
Yeah, it’s cool… and.. could you tell me something about the dakar truck you planned to build? Do you have any ideas?
@gabry
Personally, I like his Tow Truck the most.