anyone have an idea of an ultra light weight semi-strong (not too expensive) tube to use instead of brakeline for a tube frame?

im also going to use this as my posting for the different stages of the tube build

How about some cheap aluminum arrows? I know Walmart sells them but not sure if they are "cheap enough" to meet your criteria.

Canadian Tire sells 31" carbon composite arrows for 11.99 each. They also have a set of 3 fibreglass for 14.99 but I'm guessing they are too heavy.

Imagine how cool a carbon composite tube frame would be. Epoxy would have to be the order of the day for construction, though!!

Sean

You can get aluminum rigid tubing from MSC Industrial. It will be difficult to weld and not nearly as strong as the brakeline. It's better to build the chassis how you want, then add the power it needs.

yeah i think i will go 1/4 brakeline and 3/16 brakeline for the fourlink, originally i had a pretty fancy design for the tuber, but figured it could get too heavy, and so im fixing it up, taking a look at a ton of different rigs, im going for a battery in the front (hood) and a battery in the back (trunk)then all the electronics in the middle, im going to make the front and back as low as possible before the axle would hit it, and the middle skidplate as high as possible without messing up the fourlink, also looking for some rubber to attach to the studs in my tires, like tex's idea of glueing the old nubs back on, but i wanted something ju-jube shaped to add on there, any ideas?

I was standing on mine today, its all 1/4" brakeline and 1/4" rod for support. I weigh only 135, but still that is **** strong enough.

yeah for sure, im working out the bugs as we speak, the idea of batteries over the axles got me thinking about the CG and how it wouldnt be very good when climbing vertically, im going to run 2 batteries on each side of the skid plate running diaganoly with the frame, that should keep it a bit lower and grounded, im keeping the battery compartment of the NB intact but upside down so i could still plug in the old style batteries... now i gotta figure out lengths from angles etc, danmed math class all over again!

ok, here is a general pic of what i mean, i just need to figure out a good placement for the axles... i was thinking of making the bottom of the skidplate to be level with the top of the axle, or the middle of the axle, what do you guys think?

not a bad idea but i have seen some of those hobby crawlers with the batteries over the front axel. it seemed to help when going up steep inclines.

i think i would need different axles to do that, these nb's are huge and you need to have the frame a bit above it, too much in my opinion

quick update, ive been looking at drawings and i hate how you have to have a "cab" to make it look realistic and how it makes crawlers top heavy, so i thought hey why not use the old NB roll cage for the top cab portion should lower the top weight a bit

marmech i like your idea drawn above, i was thinking of doing something similar, i welded this up the other day. (it kinda looks like hell right now but once i get the final cuts and holes in it, its gonna get some powdercoat)

and i bought some of those pivot rod end links the other day and some all-thread, i'm gettin ready for major rebuild.

how many did you order?

well i went to a local hobby shop and got a pack of 19 of the traxxas ends for 7 bucks flat. not too bad of a deal.

ahhh good call dude, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE WITH SEVERAL DOZEN CHERRIES send me the extra 3 ?!?!

i love you long time?

haha, yeah i could send em.

FANTASTIC! thank you tons man, il pm you some info

hey dude get thissssss, i just cracked open the package to count the parts and there are actually 20 in the pack. butttt 2 of the links have the pivoting bolt type connectors, you could still use em for links i guess. i'm really starting to think i got a hell of a deal at this store. 20 links for $7 plus tax.

SCHWEET, do those pivoting bolts stay in well? hrmm i think the rear could do with those ones, and the front with less squat!