HOW TO: Narrow TLT & Bruiser Axles

[Brandon]

Thanks guys!

Originally Posted by chino63

Looks like a great write up Brandon!

Only issue I see is the fact that the front Bruiser stub shaft is now only supported with one bearing. Always been an issue with me on this type of mod. Under moderate use with 1.9's, it should be fine but if you drive like me, it might not last long. I'm curious to see how it does! Simple solution would be to bring along a few extra bearings.

Yeah I agree. It took some time to finally cut the knuckles because I had the same concern. So far it feels like it should hold up fine. These axles already had a lot of slop in them so whats a little more

[utieh]

I d like to do narrow my axles while still using leaf springs all around.

The problem is that the screws that attach the axle'C are at the same place as the screws that attach the leaf...

In the rear I think it s possible to turn the straight axle kit 90 degres so it fits between the axle and the leaf.

But for the front I don t really see how to achieve this.

Great tutorial by the way

[utieh]

Could anyone could do this job for me ? I don t have any of the tools to drill holes in the axles.
Thanks a lot.

Gilles

[banchee]

gives me some good ideas.thanks

[pantablo]

Originally Posted by Nluvwithxlr8ing

Bruiser axles up I will get some comparison pics later today. haven't taken them yet

can you split this into two separate stickies? its getting confusing threading the bruisers into the TLT topic. Its only going to get worse. They're different enough I think they each deserve their own thread.

[Brandon]

Originally Posted by pantablo

can you split this into two separate stickies? its getting confusing threading the bruisers into the TLT topic. Its only going to get worse. They're different enough I think they each deserve their own thread.

Probably not, I was lucky enough that the mods made this a sticky. They dont like the top of every page cluttered and neither do I.

Is there anything you can suggest that I do to make the thread clearer?

I know I need to update it with some better comparison shots and I will

[pantablo]

I don't think there's anything you can do to clarify it. There are already random posts commenting or asking questions related to the bruisers among the ones for the TLT's. In the future there will be more posts and when people start to research for this its only going to get even more confusing.

Its not your work or how you wrote this. its how the following posts and future posts end up confusing the thread. I don't even see why the narrowed bruiser and narrowed TLTs are being compared. The bruiser narrowing should have its own thread and maybe be compared to standard Bruiser axles as well as standard TLT's. The narrowed TLT's should be compared to standard TLT's. I think that makes the most sense because thats what people are going to be looking for. At least I would.

It was just a suggestion. This is such a great subject-both narrowed axles-that it would be a shame to not make it clear and easy to find when someone searches for it.

[Brandon]

I understand. I will add pics in the early posts that show comparisons of un-narrowed tlt's with the narrowed tlt's.

Unfortunately I dont have another set of bruiser axles so I cant do the same.

When I posted this I was trying to get axle narrowing information all in one spot.

[pantablo]

by separating them out you also open it up for a separate Axial and WK narrowing thread, also useful and been done.

Anyway, just a suggestion to you and/or the mods. Would be nice but being a mod on another forum I understand how much work, thankless work for the most part, goes on behind the scenes.

At least the information is here. Thanks for doing it. Damn Nick for taking so long. Those bruiser axles are awesome scale looking and I would love them under my rigs.

[ROCKEDUP RICKY]

I hope you don't mind me throwing this in here, Just wanted to share it with yalls.


I was sitting here looking at this. This just looks like HELL. and it does bind little,I did the 2 short axle thing cause it was easy.




I decided to do something about it and it was just as easy as the 2 short axle thing. I started over, put the long axle in and made a real short axle for the other side. Being in the rear, didn't need the ball end to turn. Drill and pinned it and still have the spline.





Now don't that look better with the drive line straight.

[justinart24]

Here is my “Narrowed” TLT Pajero build.
Project: "Payote" (WARCRC.org Team Trail Truck)

I would first like to state that I tried doing the whole “pin in dif case thing”, that’s definitely the hard way.

I just bought two bags of the TLT shafts and cut the case/used two short shafts. It works like a champ!

*****Tamiya Differential Shaft A/B 47201
http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...&I=LXGKG2&P=FR

[Tommy R]

Originally Posted by justinart24

Here is my “Narrowed” TLT Pajero build.
Project: "Payote" (WARCRC.org Team Trail Truck)

I would first like to state that I tried doing the whole “pin in dif case thing”, that’s definitely the hard way.

I just bought two bags of the TLT shafts and cut the case/used two short shafts. It works like a champ!

*****Tamiya Differential Shaft A/B 47201
http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...&I=LXGKG2&P=FR

Justin, can you expand a little on how you narrowed your TLTs? I'm not a fan of having to re-groove for the o-ring and drill the case/axle. How did you trim the axle housing to accept two short axle shafts? That definitely sounds like the easier way to do this!

[Tommy R]

Today I narrowed my first TLT axle and I did it a little differently. Brandon's method makes a TLT that would still be a bit wider than I needed so I decided to use two short shafts to reduce the axle further. I see others have used two short side axles, but I haven't seen the method documented. So here ya go!

In order to determine how much material to cut off the long side, I shortened the housing like Brandon suggested. With the short axle placed in the housing with the diff, I could see where the end of the housing would need to be (by the outermost c-clip). So this is what you should see.


Here you can see both modified halves next to a stock piece.


Next you need to remove the axle's.....um...."male unit". Stock on top, modified on bottom. Do this for both short axles that you will use.


Here's a quick mock-up. FYI, the axle is pushed in and bottomed out inside the diff for max spline engagement.


We have a few issues that we'll need to address one by one. First of all, in the above pic there is nothing keeping the axle shaft from walking out of the housing. So with everything mocked up, mark a groove for a c-clip and cut it using Brandon's method which worked like a charm!


Sweet! Now the axle can't slide out, but the outer bearing is not kept and it can freely "walk" inside the axle.....like this.


I measured a cut a piece of 1/4" brass tubing I had around. Any material would work, but the thinner it is, the better....as you'll soon see. Another option is to cut another groove in the axle for a c-clip. Your choice. I chose this method because I just don't want to cut into my axles any more than necessary.


Here's an exploded view of the new, modified axle assembly.


And installed into the housing half. Notice the two holes above and below the brass tubing. These are the holes for the straight axle adapters or C's. The installation hardware does not contact the brass tubing, but it's obviously close!


And here is the shortened axle next to a stock one.


This process removed just over 23 mm from the overall width of the axle. Now my TLT is right at 155.5 mm WMS-to-WMS with SCX10 hexes, which I believe are 5 mm thick.

Hope this helps someone!

[OllllO]

Nice! Will the diff still work on the short one?

[Tommy R]

Originally Posted by OllllO

Nice! Will the diff still work on the short one?

Do you mean will the differential still allow each axle to rotate at different speeds if it's not locked? I don't see any reason why it wouldn't. The diff itself is unmodified. And the splines of the axles engage the diff just as they did in a stock TLT so you shouldn't have any problems. My TLTs are all locked, but I don't see why it wouldn't work great open.

[OllllO]

Originally Posted by Tommy R

Do you mean will the differential still allow each axle to rotate at different speeds if it's not locked? I don't see any reason why it wouldn't. The diff itself is unmodified. And the splines of the axles engage the diff just as they did in a stock TLT so you shouldn't have any problems. My TLTs are all locked, but I don't see why it wouldn't work great open.

Ok, thanks ;) I thought that you "locked" the shaft to the diff-clock on the first one ;)

[toy4crawlin]

For the Bruiser front axle mod: TLT stub axles are impossible to find, so what makes the TLT a perfect fit, What other stub axles could be used?