Motor plate flex?

[Mad4Rnr]

Let me start by saying what a sweet kit this is, right out of the box this thing wheels better than the custom TLT based rig I've been dialing-in for 8 to 9mo's. The AX10 if very well thought out and very well engineered, many props to axial and its engineers for a job very well done!

But uh, any one else noted the motor plate flex? It dosn't seen to affect the drivability but still trips me out a bit. I also noted some rotational play in the axle assembly due to the single upper link mount (will be worsened with time and wear of this joint). Man I hate to nit pick but there is also a ton of play in the axle drive-train (wheels spin freely 5-7 degrees).

Please note I am an engineer so I tend to analize things to death as its my job to do so on an every day basis, but again killer kit and for the first production crawler ever, this thing rocks!!!!

[EeePee]

I'm running a brushless motor in mine, and haven't had the pinion gear skip yet, so I don't think the motor plate flex is a problem. But I admit I haven't looked at it and tried to flex it. But if the gears don't skip, it's not a problem.

All the gears have their small amount of gear lash. Add them all up and it equals a small amount of free movement. Add the tire diameter and it's amplified, and you get your 7 degrees of tire rotation. The worst truck I've had that does this also is the Tamiya TXT. Big huge 32 pitch gears. I think I can roll it forward half a tire circumference before everything catches up.

[dirk379]

just yanked on mine.... No flex

[Mad4Rnr]

looks like the flex is not in the plate but in the plastic transmission housing. it would be sweet if axial made a NC'd aluminum housing, oh and maybe a metal gear set, it would make an already bullet proof tranny absolutly bomb proof

[BeeRC]

If "flex" is an issue for you, could the Hot Racing motor plate be a good solution for this since it has the extra mounting screw that attaches to the skid plate?

I have an aluminum transmission housing on my Scorp and I wonder if this motor plate would be good companion for it to eliminate any chance of flex.

The Visionary Fabrication motor plate very nice too. It's twice as thick as the HR plate but it doesn't have the extra mounting screw to attach it to the skid. It also costs over twice as much. Not sure which plate would be the better solution though.

Any thoughts/comments?

[Mnster]

Made my own plate from 1/8 aluminum.


Was having issues with the plate bending under that heavy motor. Might be able to bolt two plates together.

[nigels_world]

Mnster - link to that ^?

[yukon635]

I noticed some with mine using my bm9. if you bind up the axle or cause stress on the drive line, I noticed mine flex and caused me to strip a spur gear and take a repair.

I ended up bracing mine after that with a piece of L angle aluminum. too cheap to pay $30 for a plate

[yotachump]

The newer Axial motor mounts are thicker to reduce the flexing

[dezfan]

I had a spur gear munched by the flexxy motor plate. I just used an extra motor plate and some longer hardware. So far so good.

[jmdave69]

So implementing the alum motor mount would remove this flex, but the next question is just like my 1:1 make something stronger and this will only point out what is weaker next. then KABOOOOM...


i believe that it would be the plastic tranny housing and gears so that may be one of my next purchases!

[O.C.D.]

Originally Posted by yotachump

The newer Axial motor mounts are thicker to reduce the flexing

So what are the differences looks wise? i bought my kit a month ago and the options plate in the manual is the one I got in my kit. Is that the new one?

[BeeRC]

Part# for the new Axial plate that is thicker......?

[ElkySS]

I had issues with flex there as well. Turned out on mine, I had gotten bound up and it had stripped out two of the screws on the motor side. Caused my motor to wobble around when it was driving. I did not have a better one at the comp so I used a stock one that somebody else had. When I put it back together I used locktight and did not tighten then up quite as much. Also backed off the mesh a bit. So far so go but a stronger plate is going on soon.

[JUSTGOINGSLOW]

I went though two 87 tooth spur gears in two day over the weekend. After looking closely it was like "WOW" I can't believe how much it flexes. That is definitly a most upgrade.

[Natedog]

Originally Posted by yotachump

The newer Axial motor mounts are thicker to reduce the flexing

Good to hear, hope they aren't all cut out around the mounting screws cause that necked down area allows more flex too.

Originally Posted by jmdave69

So implementing the alum motor mount would remove this flex, but the next question is just like my 1:1 make something stronger and this will only point out what is weaker next. then KABOOOOM...


i believe that it would be the plastic tranny housing and gears so that may be one of my next purchases!

\

Just like 1:1...if it brreaks upgrade it....simple. And the motor plate needs an upgrade.

Originally Posted by BeeRC

...The Visionary Fabrication motor plate very nice too. It's twice as thick as the HR plate but it doesn't have the extra mounting screw to attach it to the skid. It also costs over twice as much. Not sure which plate would be the better solution though...

Extra mounting screw not needed...besides you're going to attach it to the flexy plastic skidplate? That doesn't sound like a great idea. Just get a beefier plate made out of better quality aluminum....like the Visionary Fabrication plate.

[Stormin2u]

VF makes a very nice 1/8" replacement with great adjust ability.

[JUSTGOINGSLOW]

Stormin, VF does make one of the best motor plates out there, a whole lot beefier then stock.