3D Printed Remote Control Car

Objective:

I am fascinated by RC cars, and I always wondered if I could make my own RC car with mostly 3D printed components. I decided to make an RC car from scratch, and it was far more complicated than I originally thought.

Brainstorming process:

I researched several the key parts of existing RC cars, including some of my own cars, and disassembled one that didn't work anymore.

The key components I found were:

Main Chassis
Drive shaft with gear reduction
Front and rear differential
Suspension assembly with 4 bar linkage
CV joints to transfer power from differential to wheel that can rotate with suspension
Strong wheel bearing joints
Steering linkage for front drive assembly

Design:

I designed my first version of the RC car in the CAD program Fusion 360. I first tried to make the rear drive assembly as it was the simplest since it did not need to turn. After printing it, the suspension properties worked, but there was a severe problem with the deflection of the exterior wheel (almost 30 degrees). This would render the car useless.

Rear Drive Assembly V1

Rear Drive Assembly V2

So I went back to Fusion 360 and redesigned the entire assembly, making the 0 tolerance joints on the inside of the joints, and the loose fit rotary joints on the outside (Y split on the linkage arms). Additionally, I stiffened up the arms and the general structure to prevent bending. I also made the differential housing (centerpiece) screw together from top to bottom instead of front and back to ensure the assembly would take the massive forces of taking a jump or crashing.

Steering Drive Assembly V1

After making the front steering assembly, I noticed the wheels would turn in and out when there was suspension travel. I redesigned the steering linkage arm to be parallel to the main linkage arms so that when there was suspension travel, the steering would remain constant.

Steering Drive Assembly Steering Link V2

Final Design

Assembly:

Assembly of the final design introduced some additional design challenges, but I was ultimately able to put it together, making some slight manual modifications to the chassis. In the end, everything fit together well.

Drive Shaft Assembly

Full Chassis

Fully Assembled RC Car

All the Failed Parts!

Results:

Success! It worked perfectly, clearing jumps and achieving a top speed of 30 mph!

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