LUCIER7 3link and SRB mods

[JaysTCB]

Ever get tired of loosing races because you can’t make the turn?
Do your wheels come off the ground when turning?
Are you tired of having an 11 foot turn radius.
Well thats probably because you are using stock SRB 3links. But don’t worry I got you covered.

Let’s start with what is wrong with the 3links.

1. the heim only allows so much turn.
2. the rodends bind when not adjusted properly and actually give you less turn than what they are set for. So if you have your truck set at 45°. And the rod ends are not set properly. You might only be getting 43° When in full turn.
3. the axle locking nuts bottom out agents the heim when turning.
4. the heim locking nut to the frame or baseplate can come loose causing the heim to turn.
5. so many moving parts that can come loose and make for a bad day.

Although I cannot really do anything about number five, except constant monitoring of wear items on your trucks. Like, The 1/2-20 nylock nuts the keep bushing tightness. Or the 1/4” rodend bolts that tighten to the axle are worn out. Always go through your set up and do maintenance.

“ You are only as good as your contact patch”

So let me give you some LUCIER7 proven mods that will increase your 3link turn angle and keep your wheels on the ground.

————
First thing you can do is adjust your heim or rod ends so you get 47-55 degrees.

Second thing you can do is angle the axle locking nuts that keep your axle from moving side to side. The heim hole is 1/2”. The nut is .625. When you add an angle to the nut it gives you about 2 more degrees of lean.
Left is angled, right is stock.

The next mod is a little more involved. But is definitely worth it.

After riding your board and you find the perfect setup. For me it’s 45/30.

Disassemble your 3link and reassemble them without the bushings.

(Added information… this is a great time to make sure your rod ends are not binding in full lean. I had to use smaller length rod ends and narrow them on the axle. I also had to chop the 1” aluminum spacers down to 1/2” so everything would fit on my v5.)

1. then with the board in full lean mark the heim housing with a marker where the axle touches the heim housing. Then do the same thing on the other side.
2. remove the axle, use a drill gun and a 1/2” drill. Insert the drill through The half inch bearing hole. Turn on the drill and angle it to cut about 1/16 off of the heim housing where you marked it.
3. Then reassemble your trucks.

Another couple cool mods that I like to do are as follows.

1. I like to use set screws to hold my heims square. Then I never have to worry about the heim being off-center, Or the nut coming loose while riding. It’s a definite must have for added piece of mind.

2. Machine a flat on the 5/8 thread that is 90° from the heim face. This way, when the set screw tightens against it, you are guaranteed that the Heim will not move from side to side. When the heim is not square. It gives you more lean one-way versus the other, And tends to bind the rod ends and bend or brake the support bracket.

3. on baseplate 3links, I drill and tap a 3/8-16 hole through the back side into the 5/8 hole. Then I insert a 3/8-16 nyloc set screw. This is incredibly useful when using narrow trucks to keep from getting wheel bite against the heim locking nut.

On stooge race board frames. I drill and tap through the top of the frame and add a 1/4-28 set screw.

On my V5 frame. I actually had to turn the frame around so that I had more clearance when turning.

I hope you guys find this information useful. I will add more things to this post as I go. Thank you, and good luck with your builds.

[JaysTCB]

On old three link base plates with a single 5/8 hole. You can use an offset heim. Then switch out from short rod to long rod Just by turning the Heim around.

[sugandese]

You should start charging for that rent. Hasn’t most of this stuff already been sorted/non issue?

[tuckjohn]

@sugandese

Hasn’t most of this stuff already been sorted/non issue?

Some it has? I know that this isn’t an issue with the newer welded axles.

@JaysTCB

Second thing you can do is angle the axle locking nuts that keep your axle from moving side to side. The heim hole is 1/2”. The nut is .625. When you add an angle to the nut it gives you about 2 more degrees of lean.

This is a pretty neat idea though

@JaysTCB

[JaysTCB]

Do you have any proof that any of the turning issues have been fixed? I know he changed over to a heavy duty bracket, But that does not stop any binding. I’ve never even seen a proper set up video or post explaining the correct way to get full lean and angle out of a three link truck from him. I had to figure all this out on my own. That’s why I made this post.

Same goes for the heim turning because the nut comes loose. There are set up videos on how to align the wheels with a square. But nothing about how the actual heim need to be square Or anything to keep it from moving except for “make it tighter”

Welded axles do nothing for lean. It just puts something else in the way.

I have seen him use the heavy duty heims. But they are a lot wider and do not offer the same lean as the original heims.

But that’s it. I have never seen him address any of the issues that I addressed in this post.

I have seen posts where he states that he’s never had any issues with his trucks or boards. But if that were true, why would he constantly be changing things? Hence, the old term, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

[fessyfoo]

@JaysTCB

I like to use set screws to hold my heims square.

this is a cool idea.

it’s definitely a mechanics art to deal with keeping the thing square while tightening it.

@JaysTCB

Second thing you can do is angle the axle locking nuts

These are not used anymore. the welded technique is designed to be out of the way of the articulation, to deal with specifically the problem you describe allowing full articulation. mine’s been that way for more than a year maybe more than two?

Tho i like your fix too.

Love that you’re still driven to engineer stuff and share it.

Ever get tired of loosing races because you can’t make the turn?

Sry the drama is still with you.

[fessyfoo]

@JaysTCB

IMG_4815547×656 42.8 KB

I suspect this isn’t the datapoint you think it is. Esellita in this shot is recovering from fully falling over. She’s on both pucks most of her weigh is off the board. She’s an extreemely light rider. I don’t know if they had produced the new lighter bushings yet for this race. It’s very probable that the only thing preventing articulation in this shot is the bushing stiffness with no weight on them.

But still the problem you found with the collars was real. and is real for anyone still using them. Which is why SRB addressed it in later versions.

[JaysTCB]

Fess
The picture is there to show that the wheel is coming off the ground in full lean. That’s it.

I understand you say that he has modified or revised the newer axles by welding them. But I have never seen a post made by him explaining how to fix any of the older stuff that is out there.

That is what this post it about.

Anybody that has three links that is having an issue and or wants more turn. This is what I did to improve what I have.

[sugandese]

The new billet collars have sorted the issues with rod binding in the rear or the need to be particular with adjustment I should say.

[JaysTCB]

Fess
Can you post a picture of your SRB V5 for comparison to show the difference in full lean that I get?

I used a protractor app.
It shows I get 65° of axle turn at full lean on 45° angled rodend.

And 39.8 degs of deck lean

[sugandese]

Did you modify your enclosure for more clearance?

[JaysTCB]

I have 2 enclosures. The stock one, and a deeper one for larger batteries

[sugandese]

The stock one doesn’t hit the ground with your modifications?

[fessyfoo]

@JaysTCB

Can you post a picture of your SRB V5 for comparison to show the difference in full lean that I get?

You’re getting more lean and steer than me.

my Enclosure hits the ground at 75° with 24° deck lean.

not sure how accurate my measurements are tho. varies quite a bit as you try to lock things in.

my radius rods appear to be somewhere between 35° to 40° from the ground. that’s also hard to measure. but it sounds like it’s less than your 45° so the protractor differences are probably not a good comparision.

Full articulation on my axle ends up with my wheel almost above the deck. and the thing it binds on is the axle hitting the case of the heim.

I hope that’s interesting. The engineer in me thinks the engineer in you just wants to know things are working as best they can.

[fessyfoo]

@JaysTCB

never seen a post made by him explaining how to fix any of the older stuff that is out there.

That is what this post it about.

thanks.

was probably the dramatic tone of these openers that distracts people from understanding your goal was to help people.

@JaysTCB

Ever get tired of loosing races because you can’t make the turn?
Do your wheels come off the ground when turning?
Are you tired of having an 11 foot turn radius.

[JaysTCB]

No.

[JaysTCB]

Your bushing are loose. Mine are not. Mine are tight enough that I can not turn the bushing or sleeve by hand.

[sugandese]

Mine does, fairly easily

[fessyfoo]

Sure, I loosened them up to show the full articulation on the peice of wood without having to stand on it and hit the ground. with them tight I can still hit the ground.

your bushings are softer than mine but that also shouldn’t matter.

Softer bushings or looser bushings shouldn’t have anything to do with what the max articulation constrained by the collars is and which is what i understand your technique of beveling the collars to be about.

The constraints on my setup are:

• ground,
• then bushings,
• then axle.

not collars. not weld.

but we don’t have to compare that stuff…

Your technique is still cool for anyone that still has collars and doesn’t want to change to newer stuff.

and that’s what your post is about.

@JaysTCB

explaining how to fix any of the older stuff that is out there.
That is what this post it about.

plus the other ideas seem cool too.

[JaysTCB]

The stock enclosure I have is stock. I can put it on my stock v5 frame and see if the pan hits.
But really. The mods I did really just add more axle turn without binding. In reality. A 45 deg radius rod should give 45 deg lean. But because the rods now travel past centerline I get 45/45 up to centerline. But past centerline I get more turn and less lean on full lean. It is strange And goes against the functionality of normal trucks. But three links are not normal. And don’t really fall under the same category.

As far as my modified frame. Goes… I added w concave and moved the top of the deck up 1/2”. But the bottom pan is stock. I had to add 1/2 spacers to the W frame so the stock pan would fit in the stock location.