RCCrawler Forums - Narrow Wheely King Axles. Really narrow.

RCCrawler Forums (http://www.rccrawler.com/forum/)

- 1.9 Scale Rigs (http://www.rccrawler.com/forum/1-9-scale-rigs/)

- - Narrow Wheely King Axles. Really narrow. (http://www.rccrawler.com/forum/1-9-scale-rigs/123056-narrow-wheely-king-axles-really-narrow.html)

HOW TO: Narrow Wheely King Axles. Really narrow.

The Disclaimer:
I put this in 1.9 tech, because that is where the bruiser and TLT narrowing threads were. I still think General scale would be better, because someone may want to use it for a 2.2 build, but its not like we don't read in both sections.

I would not put the in the wheely King section because I have a feeling that this will have scale applications only.

Mods of course feel free to move it, but I think this will work.
Stickying this thread I will also leave to moderator discretion.

If someone wants to copy the photos to someplace more permanent than photobucket, please do.
[\disclaimer]

The Tools:
screwdriver, Phillips
hack saw
File, narrow fine
Soldering Iron, 25w
Tape Measure
Scratch awl
Bench Vise

The Tech:

I have a handful of WK axles which I have been accumulating for the last year or so. The GSRC guys I'm running with are focusing more on scale than comp, which works for me, so my 8 foot wide axles have got to go.

http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q...K/P6101096.jpg

at 8.125" to the outside of the hub, they aren't going to tuck into anything

My entire goal here was to make the WK axle as narrow as possible while retaining functionality.
I decided to use the taper of the case to my advantage, and basically telescope the ends of the axle tube into the rest of the housing.

http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q...K/P6101106.jpg

measuring up from the hub a little, the case is 9/16" wide on the outside.

I just had to find the place where the interior of the axle case was 9/16".

http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q...K/P6101107.jpg

First step in cutting was to remove the link mount fixtures.

http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q...K/P6101111.jpg

after those were gone, I clamped the case in a vise level, and used the tops of the vise jaws as a cutting guide

http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q...K/P6101112.jpg
http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q...K/P6101114.jpg
http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q...K/P6101115.jpg

Next I stuffed the cut piece inside the axle housing, holding it with a finger, and marking where to make the next cut

http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q...K/P6101117.jpg
http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q...K/P6101118.jpg
using the top of the vise as a guide again
http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q...K/P6101119.jpg
http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q...K/P6111120.jpg
http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q...K/P6111121.jpg

Use a file to clean up all the edges
http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q...K/P6111122.jpg

Once done with the first two cuts, the housing needs to be notched on the side. I put the cut hub end into the housing, and marked where to cut to.
http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q...K/P6111125.jpg
http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q...K/P6111126.jpg
http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q...P6111127-1.jpg
http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q...K/P6111129.jpg

The original axle case was about 5-7/8" long
http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q...K/P6101108.jpg

After narrowing one side the axle case has dropped to 4-5/8"
http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q...K/P6111133.jpg

After narrowing both sides of the axle case as written above, the axle case length is now 3-7/16"
http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q...K/P6111135.jpg

The axle case looks like
http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q...K/P6111134.jpg
http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q...K/P6111136.jpg
http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q...K/P6111137.jpg

Holy narrow axle! :shock:

:shock:now that is narrow

Next step is the axles of course. not much point otherwise.

First step is figuring out how much ot the axle to eliminate.

The original axle is 3-1/4 from the end to the pin
http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q...K/P6101098.jpg

That is going to be too long, so leaving the axle in the case like this,
http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q...K/P6111139.jpg

I marked it where the differential bearing race is on the inside of the case.

next I stuck the axle into the differential, moved the bearing face of the differential up to an inch mark, help the axle, and pulled the differential off the axle to figure out how much of the axle goes into the diff. It is about 7/16"
http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q...K/P6111141.jpg

After adding 7/16" to the mark I had made earlier (for the bearing face of the diff) I put the axle in the vise and cut it with the hack saw. This ONLY works with the NON-hardened stock axles. a dremel with a cuttoff wheel will work for the hardened stuff just fine.
http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q...K/P6111145.jpg

Clamping the axle in a towel will hold it tight without damaging it.
http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q...K/P6111146.jpg

Use a file to duplicate the flattened spots on the driveshaft COMPARE OFTEN, don't go too far.
Use calipers if you have them, I used the eyeball and test fit method. they both work.
There is a slight diameter change right at the flattened portion, so you will have to file all the way around the end of the shaft.
http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q...K/P6111147.jpg
http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q...K/P6111144.jpg

Do the next side independant of the first, Mine was about 1/16" off in length from side to side.
I don't care that it is off, but I know there are people who get rabid about tolerances.
http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q...K/P6111148.jpg
http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q...K/P6111149.jpg

Now that you have the bearings and axles in place, they hold the axle housing pieces in a line.
It is time to join the case pieces. I used a 25 watt soldering iron to weld the plastic together. It is a little stinky, but does a decent job, I think it is more secure than CA glue. If you have experience with fiberglass you could use that also.
http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q...K/P6111157.jpg

I took a video of soldering iron plastic welding apparently the sounds not working for me. the visual should be alright though.
http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q...h_P6111138.jpg

Final assembled width drops from 8-1/8" to 5-5/8"
http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q...K/P6111150.jpg

This is now narrow enough to fit under most 10th scale bodies
http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q...K/P6111154.jpg

and maybe even 12th scale
http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q...K/P6111152.jpg

That is awesome! Put it under the FJ and post some pics to see the tuck in action! :D

nice!!! WK are usefull i guess :lol:

Now you say, "ok, smart guy, how are you gonna mount the stupid things?"

Step 3 reusing the link hardware.

I measured an angle I need to trim off the original link mounts by holding it up to the case and scratching a mark.
http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q...K/P6111157.jpg

Then the link Mounts go into the vise and get hack sawed into submission
http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q...K/P6111158.jpg
http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q...K/P6111159.jpg
http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q...K/P6111160.jpg
http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q...K/P6111161.jpg

Longer screws are needed to get the ends to join securely. the mounts are a little weaker, but for most scale aplications they should hold up fine.
http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q...K/P6111162.jpg
http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q...K/P6111164.jpg
http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q...K/P6111166.jpg

Ta-da, super narrowed wheely King axles.

This did take about 2 hours to do one axle.

The FJ is on an xc chassis, so unless I wanted to make a chassis and do 2wd, that is out.

I did think about throwing it in the back of my comp tuber, but it would be hard to see any tuck.

Great for the step-by step. I've never been afraid to cut my stuff apart, but I'm always lax in documenting [the mods that work].

This may have comp crawler implications if you just narrow one side, leaving the pumpkin off-center next to the wheel like some 1:1s. Maybe on a 1.9 extreme or a rock racer. . .

Thanks for putting the "you need a WK" devil on my shoulder. :twisted:

'41 Willy's scaler anyone. . . rare 4wd coupe.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phatmac (Post 1222458)

'41 Willy's scaler anyone. . . rare 4wd coupe.

Just like all the 4wd vw beetles I see running around :lol:
It is a basher/comp rig shell, and works quite well rolling me back onto all 4's again.

Narrowed the front axle today, it took right at an hour and a half without stopping to take photos, but with going uh huh.... uh huh.... uh huh.... with the girlfriend on the other end of the phone for about 30 miutes while working.

Having done a couple now, do you think it would be possible to knock about an inch and half off the width instead of the two and half? I understand you may need to a make a seperate internal bracket to join the two tubes instead of using the outside of one to the inside of the other.

I think with more careful measuring than I have illustrated any width could be possible using my method.
slit the case further toward the axle housing so the top and bottom of the axle case can stretch out to fit the axle end in then glue or weld or glass it all solid.

even only narrowing one side the way I have shown could work for a front axle with an offset pumpkin.

quickie example

http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q...enarrowing.jpg

Quote:

Originally Posted by hairba11 (Post 1223502)

... but with going uh huh.... uh huh.... uh huh.... with the girlfriend on the other end of the phone for about 30 miutes while working.

thats classic right there...funny!"thumbsup"

Nice writeup Tim"thumbsup" Guess I'll have to pick up some WK axles and give it a whirl.

So under what body will these be running?

I think they will look pimp under my new Lunchbox hardbody. I get about half the tire under the body so they don't look ridiculous.

debating on a paint scheme though.
http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q...0612082243.jpg

http://www.rccrawler.com/forum/hpi-wheely-king/103655-narrowing-wheely-king-axles.html
this was my take on narrowing wk axles, only not so extreme