Wraith XL Front Axle Build

[WesTX]

So the discussion has been done in the section a number of times with people wanting a Wraith XL to come out. Now with the Yeti XL it is likely only a matter of time but I am impatient without official news from Axial that it is happening. So I decided to take matters into my own hands to take the Yeti XL rear axle and figure out some knuckles and chubs for it to build a steering axle. Here is what I have purchased - all Axial parts for a Yeti XL:

AX31084 - Rear Axle Lockouts
AX31017 - Front Knuckles
AX31085 - Rear Axle Shafts
AX31044 - Rear Axle Housing
AX31225 - Front Axle Dogbones
AX31220 - Front Axle Outdrives
AX31222 - U-Joint Parts
AX31019 - Front Knuckle Mounts

Goal is to take the rear axle and the rear axle parts to figure out width for chubs and hopefully be able to utilize the stock Yeti XL knuckles with some new machined chubs for now. Also bought the stock front shafts to see if they will be long enough or figure out a way to make them longer to be utilized in the rear housing. The ring and pinion are the same front and rear on a yeti XL as are the carriers and the outdrive cups coming out of the gear carrier.

Parts should be here early next week but I will be out of the country until next Friday. Will get started the following week on this project. Once I have plans put together I will post them up, maybe Ill do some production parts to let others do the same.

Wes

[lostonthetrails]

Sounds like it will be awesome. Can't wait.

[STANG KILLA SS]

I figured CFM would be the first to do this. looking forward to your build!

[ektoz]

sounds nice idea! i will be waiting to see the parts

[savagebeast]

Hell yeah, sub'd.

[ussprinceton2004]

can't wait for Axial to come out with a Wraith XL either...

[WesTX]

Someone else brought it up in another thread so I'll go ahead and say it here too. I know axial and the major aftermarket guys will likely come out with this too at some point. Part of this for me is just having some fun figuring it out!

Wes

[savagebeast]

Right on brother, still sub'd got the popcorn

[cmbscx10]

I'm on the fake waiting/pre-order list. Subbed for sure. Sounds like a great start.

[WesTX]

Got the parts in my hands this morning. Actually looks like this will be stupid simple using almost all stock axial parts. Will upload some pics later explaining.

Oh, and this axle is freaking HUGE compared to a stock Wraith axle.

Wes

[savagebeast]

!!!!!! Yessss!!!

[WesTX]

Ordered more parts I need, will post more details with pics of what I am thinking later today.

So far I have $150 into it, so hopefully I can build this for less than $30-$40 more to not be too expensive, however, it will be totally kickass!

Wes

[Szczerba]

Subscribed.

[WesTX]

OK, so here is what I have so far. It looks like the knuckle holder from the front is almost the right ID to fit over the rear axle lockout. I believe with a bit of massaging with the dremel it will fit easily. Then cut off the excess of the rear lockout once that is done.

Should be able to then use some JB weld to secure it as well as a titanium rod with rod ends across the top of the diff to connect the two into the top of the knuckle mount.

Right now I am waiting on the YETI XL truss (ordered today, will take about a week to get in) so I can see how that mounts to the top of the diff to see about any interferance with the TI rod that will connect the knuckle mounts.

And like I said, this thing is HUGE, the OD of the lockouts is about 7/8"!

Ill try to get to work with the dremel in the next day or two. I am also waiting on the axle gear carrier (spider gears) and the outdrives that come out of it so I can see how long the front intermediate shafts are so I know where the knuckle should be. Ill update with more pics and measurements as I get more parts, etc.

Wes

[WesTX]

I was just looking again, maybe a better option to make the cut down lockout match the knuckle mount, that way the knuckle mount cannot slide any further up the lockout. I can just have the shape cut into the lockout for the width of that knuckle mount then stop and it would not be able to slide down the lockout.

Sorry, just thinking out loud and putting that into a keyboard, trying to figure this thing out.

Wes

[WesTX]

I have all of these parts accumulated and have zero time to work on it. Anyone want to buy all of the parts and pick up where I left off?

Wes

[monkeyracer]

I guess I am going to take over on this build. Wes sent me what he had already started with, and I started making a list of everything that is needed for this build, and what is left that I will need to get.

I made up an exploded view of the parts that should be needed:



I am going to try to design the C-Hub for this and see if I can either print a prototype, or get one cut at my school's CNC machine. If that doesn't work out, What Wes was trying to do was modify the lockout so that the existing front hub would mount to it, that may be the other way I would go.

Stay tuned!

Hopefully I can get this done before Axial releases the Wraith XL... We shall see...

[monkeyracer]

Quick update:

I figured this would be easiest if I just made a C-Hub that the Yeti XL knuckle could mount to:



Sorry for the cell pic, I was just trying to post something to show that this is proof of concept. Now, I need to print the link mount and install on the axle to test fit everything. I'm keeping the link mount separate so that you could clock the knuckles without messing with the links. (Hopefully Axial does this when they come out with the Wraith XL...)

I don't have all the parts to make a complete axle, so I won't be able to test fit how this would work with the ring/pinion gear, etc., but this could be a viable solution until the WXL is released.

More soon...

[KBR97]

What is going to be used for a wraith chassis?

[monkeyracer]

Originally Posted by KBR97

What is going to be used for a wraith chassis?

No, this is quite large for a regular wraith cage. It is intended for proof of concept that it would be easy for someone to either convert their Yeti XL to rear steer, or make a "Wraith XL" using a Yeti XL to start with.

I'm sure Axial is close to releasing the actual Wraith XL, but until then, we have this.

I'd love to see a custom 1:6-1:7 scale rock buggy using these axles, but it's not in the budget for me yet.