Crawler Canyon Presents: The Animal in the Vanimal

Full disclosure, it's not specifically an LCG. I didn't really make it for that-- I'm too lazy, and I didn't want to mess up the link geometry. But it is a new chassis, I under-thunk and over-engineered it, so it's probably a revision 1.
But it'll do for now, for sure. What better way to enter a comp series than by making wholesale changes to vehicles? And the Vanimal isn't the only one! Rusty and Blue Sky High got a whooooole buncha' wrenchin' (not in this video, mercifully)
IG: crawlercanyon

[@johnadkinson1146]

Cool build. Sprung weight is the chassis and everything sitting on the springs. Unsprung weight is axles, wheels and tires and everything under the springs.

[@MaxeeOffroadRC]

Nice off-road run and excellent RC 👍

[@Shakermt]

I'm seeing a tapir :) I'm loving the new and improved Vanamial.

[@Andy_Yates]

I co-opted Rob Robinette's excel file for cg. I just had to adjust wheelbase and figure out axle centerline from the "ground". That was the primary difference from Longacre if I recall. I thought it to be more representative because tire circumference doesn't always reflect the radius when our tires give under the weight of the rig and foams. It compared fairly well to the Longacre. I also had excel show more decimals because we're using smaller numbers than an actual vehicle. I use it for directional improvements, even if it's not 100% exact Also, loving the direction you're going with the Vanimal. I agree some kydex should help keep the van body from scooping more dirt or becoming an anchor

[@jayleeson8517]

Loved the rework on the vanimal. It's like a brown bear 🐻 love it

[@dkmgm2011]

Deep dive in the Vanimal! This was lit. Looks like she's squatting hard in the rear. May need more preload. Battery on servo, you should be able to pick up ground clearance with minimal drawback. And ground clearance IS Vanimals only drawback.

[@codiddley]

I. Love the Vanimal! I want the VW kombi van version!!!

[@GhostRider-ii7tz]

That’s cool.that’s what is great about the hobby

[@michaellenheiser3157]

Always enjoy seeing the brands that don’t receive much aftermarket love get the needed attention to put them on a level playing field with the 900 pound gorillas…. At least in the US market. Impressive as always.👍

[@rcjono]

Digging crawler vans more with this! Great job!

[@Fantaman900]

Good gravie I'm early at uploaded 5 min ago, 1 view. On the vanimal I want the axle to sit a few mm lower, like 1 hole lower with longer shocks. Because I feel that would help with the clearance issues I see but probably not hurt it by raising it a tiny bit.

[@CrawlerCanyon]

I think the Vanimal could benefit from longer shocks and longer body mounts. I figure I'll end up fabricating my own mounts to get them higher, and maybe search around to find a decent 100mm shock-- it's currently on oddball 96mm Axial shocks with Capra purple springs, so it might actually be as simple as just going up one rate on the spring, which would raise it a little and make it less tippy at the limit.

[@brianargo1659]

U most definitely need to get on the cricket and make some A-Team strips for the Vanimal. 👍😂 But instead of red strips. Do them in a color that compliments the color that u have the body painted.

[@jjm2948]

Incredible

[@FaithSaraG]

I see an anteater.

[@JPWirt]

The Vanimal obliterating the "normal" view count!! Awesome!!

[@CrawlerCanyon]

The algorithm really ran with that one for some reason. 🤷‍♂️

[@jjm2948]

Throw a bowhouse LCG skid with an stealth X and a Amazon rear sway bar.

[@georgeanthony8999]

The "VANIMAL"🤙

[@ekpauly]

When are you going to make a carbon chassis? You have the tooling, you can’t use threaded holes in the chassis though. We may have to all chip in and get you a gspeed or ccw chassis to build up. 🤙🏽

[@CrawlerCanyon]

Working with carbon is a NIGHTMARE. Aside from having to use a respirator for the whole process, the tooling is more expensive as well-- gotta use carbide drills (unless you want to blunt them after 5 holes) and diamond grit blades are the only things that --mostly-- work. It's a mess. I end up with black hands for days. G10/FR-4 isn't nearly as bad, and is only about 20% heavier than carbon. Then of course good old silver butter (6061) is so easy to cut, file, sand, everything. So my laziness-- and my inability to plan ahead-- keeps me in the aluminum zone. I can never seem to get a chassis "right" on the first try, and I would kick my own ass if I wasted carbon.

[@jjm2948]

Chassis too stiff for side hilling maybe

[@jimbocreationsbu8203]

hi , maybe add a lower hole for the shock in the back to raise it a little

[@CrawlerCanyon]

I'm gonna try going up a rate in spring first, before I bust out the drill for more holes, or my wallet for longer shocks.

[@jimbocreationsbu8203]

@@CrawlerCanyon the shock travel looks fine you do not need longer shocks - in my opinion if the rear will be a bit higher and the whole van is slanting forward a bit - it will be fine - and definitely some kind of skid for the rear bumper the noise is very unsoothing

[@dkmgm2011]

'Unsoothing' is far too nice of a description for that wretched collection of demonic clatter.