Frame Rail guide?

[Kochiro]

I am building a custom rig for my first 1/14 scale rig. It is not based on any available kit so I have decided to buy just the parts I need rather than modify an existing kit.

I have purchased a blank set of frame rails but my question is where to drill all the required holes. I haven't seen any guides online for where to drill so how do you guys that are doing custom rigs know where to put the holes?

Thanks,
Jay

[bigford]

you need the stock rails

[Dieselchopper]

its a matter of deciding on exactly where you are going to locate each item that attaches to the frame rails. then placing your holes accordingly. Some will use stock rails to reference placement of things. Myself its all part by part as I add things. I start with suspension and go from there.

[Kochiro]

Would anyone be willing to put their rails on a scanner and send me the file? I could take measurements from that to create a template file. I just find it wasteful to buy stock rails only for the hole placements.

Thanks,
Jay

[Tamiyaken]

First of all, you have to get the components that you need to fit to the rails and then you will see where they go.

For example, (this is how I scratch build some of my stuff) get the suspension springs and line up the location holes where you want them to be. Drill and locate them in this position. I agree it's handy to have a spare Tamiya set of rails but even these can be used to locate the axle spring positions, but other stuff will need separate locations.

Hope this helps

ken

[Kochiro]

Ken, I figured I can do that but when it comes to the braces that mount inside the rails that's a bit harder to get the exact hole locations. That's why I thought if someone could scan the rails I could make a PDF template that I could then share with everyone.

[Rimrock]

See your point, but I don't think one get so more accurate dimensions from a scan than measuring the hole location directly on the parts one has at hand. One drill oversized holes in the rails, so there will be some room for the bolt to be adjusted.
In the custom world we are much left on our own. Those who don't want to bother finding out of the obstacles, just go for the standard kits) The kits have cross members and details added to the frames that one often just not bother to install on a custom rig, which one tend to make more 'clean looking'.
If you post some 'print screen' shots from the available Tamiya online manuals, where you have circled around the specific holes you wondering about, it may be easier to get some information here.

[Kochiro]

Well I've purchased a few frame rails both as spare parts and full kits since I made the original post in this thread. However, I have found a great CAD file that someone shared that has loads of details, including a full set of frame rails for a Tamiya King Hauler.

I'd like to share some PDF files with top, side and bottom views of the rails somehow but the forum has a limit of 19kb per file and I can't make the PDFs that small and still keep the quality. If anyone can host the larger files I'll be happy to email them.

[skeeter]

Were you able to acquire the template for drillign the holes? I'm getting ready to start a project that will require me to drill new frame rails. I'm interested in said template. I know I seen one somewhere in my browsing, & DIDN'T save it. I now save EVERYTHING I find that pertains to the hobby! One never knows when they'll need that one thing, but can't remember where they found it at.

[skeeter]

The holes that worry me the most are the standard holes that don't move. For example the front leaf spring mounting holes, & the hole locations for the rear suspension mount.