Author Topic: Marlin Crawler's New Rock Crawling Long Travel IFS Suspension System (#RCLT)  (Read 112232 times)

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BigMike

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Last night I updated my build thread (starting from reply #917) so this will be much of the same info. I haven't not responded to all replies yet but I will hold until after posting this new info and take questions after this. I'll also be updating the opening post with current info, thanks!

To take a quick step back, on May 7 I posted the following updated regarding progress on RCLT:

===========QUOTE (Reply #901 from my build thread)=============

Winter/Spring 2019: An Overview

If I may speak freely for a moment, before our Round-Up I had torn both CV boots (again) back in Aug/Sept, at a time when I was originally planning to install the first prototype Rock Crawling Long Travel IFS kit (RCLT) to my Tacoma. I told people it would be on the truck for the Round-Up, which came and passed, with more plans and scheduling going to sh*t among a really long and messed up fall/winter. Many plans were shifted around on a number of projects. I've had my share of things to be upset about over the last 8 or 9 months, including re-tearing the meniscus in my left knee while finishing up the RCLT KOH project 4Runner... During all of this I've let the Tacoma run itself into the ground.

After getting the first Prototype RCLT HD done on January 3rd, I took a two week break and then began on V2 Prototype.

I know many are asking for RCLT and MarRack updates. These things take time and we've only produced one article; It will be longer until we start on pricing. It feels like V1 Prototype MarRack has been on my Tacoma for many years but in reality it was only finished two months before starting on RCLT. I've been working extremely hard on everything plus I have a company to run. Here is an updated project summary:

Prototype MarRack & RCLT Updates
Spring 2018: The MarRack is born & V1 Prototype installed to my Tacoma
Spring 2018: RCLT is born
Nov 27, 2018: Work on V2 Prototype MarRack begins!!
Dec 25, 2018: V2 Prototype MarRack design is finished on Christmas Day
Dec 27, 2018: V2 Prototype MarRack installation on KOH 4R is finished!
Jan 01, 2019: V1 Prototype RCLT HD installation begins on New Years Day
Jan 03, 2019: V1 Prototype RCLT HD installation on KOH 4R is finished!
Jan 16, 2019: Work on V2 Prototype RCLT HD begins!!
Feb 06, 2019: V1 Prototype RCLT HD + V2 Prototype MarRack competes in the King Of The Hammers. It was the only Toyota-based IFS system in all of KOH!!
Feb 21, 2019: V2 Prototype RCLT HD reaches Feature Lock with more than 100 (mostly small) improvements over V1
Mar 07, 2019: V2 Prototype RCLT HD starts pre-production!!!
======================END QUOTE========================

So from early March I waited for V2.0 parts to began trickling in and by early April raw goods were in, my lead fabricator Rocky and I built RCLT HD V2.0, sent it out for powder coating, then finally I prepped my Tacoma by ditching my old custom-built LT setup and proceeded to taste RCLT for myself!!

Incoming info from my build thread with RCLT HD updates!

Late April, 2019: RCLT HD Prototype V2.0 is installed!

Well ladies and gentlemen!! After a crap ton of work I am extremely pleased to announce...

RCLT HD Prototype V2.0!

Featuring more than 100 (mostly small) improvements, the biggest being a one-piece integrated double-sheer & angled steering arm--to--wheel hub--to--brake caliper cut via CNC from billet steel to form a 100% solid lower knuckle assembly. Something I couldn't say before is that my original design called for a one-piece CNC billet steel lower assembly but due to time constraints imposed by the King Of The Hammers competition, I had to scramble and whip-up hand-welded plate-steel components which left much to be desired.

I have also greatly increased strength at the LCA uniball area, with even a bit more strength landing with V3.0.







Manufacturing for V2.0 was also greatly aided by using full one-piece jigs I designed & created for all six components: D/P LCA, D/P UCA, & D/P HD Knuckle. As a result, despite about a final 20 remaining (mostly small) issues, Rocky and I finished V2.0 in only TWO days as opposed to the nearly 30 days it took to build V1.0 free-hand with the countless issues a first prototype yields.

As RCLT HD stands currently, I am nearly finished with V3.0 which I am 90% confident will be the final prototype before we make the major shift towards full production.

Prototype V3.0 is already past Feature Lock with the largest improvements being an enclosed LCA V-Groove saddle (eliminates the need for water drain holes), stronger limit strap mount, dual shock mount (which has been a royal pain in the ass to design on an angled LCA designed for maximum ground clearance), and equipping the 7/8" TREs with larger 5/8" hardware (V2.0 shown here is running 7/8" heims with 1/2" hardware, which is 126% stronger than the single-sheer factory TRE, but we can achieve +253% at no extra cost so whynot).





I reached Feature Lock for V2.0 two months ago and looking at these pictures now makes me sick to think of all the issues V1.0 had... Such an inordinate amount of work to get to this point and we're only on the second prototype. This project has been no joke folks and it has taken a lot of time, energy, and money to get this far. I'll probably cry the first time I see a kit out in the wild haha It's ridiculous but true :p

« Last Edit: May 17, 2019, 03:48:30 PM by BigMike »
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