Axial Universals.... Mysteriously breaking....

[3sgte]

was just thinking that maybe trying to temper the shaft might help? I know on some other rc car parts people were doing this to make the metal stronger. I read that heating the metal with a torch until red hot then quenching in either water or oil will help make the steel a bunch stronger. could this work?
I just got a new in box kit that I will be building very soon and wonder if I should do this to the shafts before installing them.

[Harley]

Originally Posted by 3sgte

was just thinking that maybe trying to temper the shaft might help? I know on some other rc car parts people were doing this to make the metal stronger. I read that heating the metal with a torch until red hot then quenching in either water or oil will help make the steel a bunch stronger. could this work?
I just got a new in box kit that I will be building very soon and wonder if I should do this to the shafts before installing them.

These shafts are already heat treated I'm pretty sure.

[SouthernComfort]

Glad I seen this thread before I went and ordered a set.. sucks as the stock steering sucks..

[skerb]

Originally Posted by 3sgte

was just thinking that maybe trying to temper the shaft might help? I know on some other rc car parts people were doing this to make the metal stronger. I read that heating the metal with a torch until red hot then quenching in either water or oil will help make the steel a bunch stronger. could this work?

I just got a new in box kit that I will be building very soon and wonder if I should do this to the shafts before installing them.

Maybe oil, but not water that will make them hard, but brittle

[blackfox93]

Originally Posted by TwistedMetal

Wow!! What customer service. Kinda starting to regret buying an axial now! I was always told they had great customer service and now this!

I know what you mean.... just trying to keep a positive attitude about the situation and try to get some results for ALL OF US... not just me. Ive ran Axial products since the original AX10 B-17 Betty kit (Bought one the day my LHS got them in) and have had nothing but good things to say about them up until now but Im not gonna let one faulty part which is most likely built by a 10 year old in a factory in China drag down my thoughts about Axial as of right now..... I deal with Mass Production items and parts all the time in my line of work and know not everything that comes off any kind of assembly or forging/fabrication line is not gonna be perfect.

[mce076]

Hi I just thought that I would update on my contact with Axial/Hobbico..
I have been responded to now and have had an offer to have my rig sent in for repair or for replacement parts sent to me.
I've just let them know that I'm in Aus, so the parts would be a lot more convenient.
Will update on this once i have further contact.

[motopreserve]

Thanks for the update. I just installed the stock universals from the kit purchased early December. Hoping for the best. I'd rather not have to sink another bunch of $ because of a faulty manufacturing batch.

[Jesse XR10]

Originally Posted by Eric0424

If it were the universals they would both be breaking and we would be seeing a lot more complaints. .

Not true. The Wraith uses the AR60 axle. It's an asymmetrical design. The shorter shaft undergoes less flex and twist compared to the longer shaft. If there is a flaw in the material being used, and more torque is making it to the shorter shaft coupler (even if it's a small %) it will fail first.

[Harley]

Originally Posted by Eric0424

Sure, it could/should break first. Then we would see the right side fail simply because it's older and has been subjected to more stress than all of the three left universals combined. Not the 3/left to 0/right ration in the 5-6 weeks we're seeing with his truck. There's something else wrong on that corner. His axle assembly being more Vanquish than Axial could be the reason an Axial rep. isn't in a hurry to contact him. They can't be held responsible for other manufactures parts and/or user installation of factory or aftermarket parts.

Not really the case. At the factory something could have changed between runs. They aren't doing 100 at a time, they are likely doing 1000 or 5000 at a time. If something changed in their heat treating or a tolerance got off it could effect a huge number of parts. Those parts may only be on one side. Plus if you're following along, this problem is going way past one guy. There is certainly a problem with something greater than his truck.

[sam63]

Originally Posted by Jesse XR10

Not true. The Wraith uses the AR60 axle. It's an asymmetrical design. The shorter shaft undergoes less flex and twist compared to the longer shaft. If there is a flaw in the material being used, and more torque is making it to the shorter shaft coupler (even if it's a small %) it will fail first.

Well put and completely true

I sure hope this gets figured out soon, I need some new shafts for my class 3.

[Eric0424]

You ladies feel better now?? Nothing to contradict your narrow-minded, blame the company view.

[3sgte]

does everyone loctite in the axles to the locker/diff? just finishing up a new build and notice that the instructions say to use loctite. I did put a little on them and inserted them into the locker/diff. I see that the blue kit locite did not hold as I can move the universal/axle in and out.

[802coma]

Broke a xr one today, first pack on my 1.9 scx10....

[SouthernComfort]

Well I WILL NOT be getting a set of these..

I hear good things about CVDs but how do they do in dusty and sand ?

I need better steering angles.

[Eric0424]

Originally Posted by 3sgte

does everyone loctite in the axles to the locker/diff? just finishing up a new build and notice that the instructions say to use loctite. I did put a little on them and inserted them into the locker/diff. I see that the blue kit locite did not hold as I can move the universal/axle in and out.

My Dingo manual said "Grease" on the shaft going into the locker, the Wraith manual said "Thread Locker". Not sure if it's intentional or not for the Wraith to have thread locker and SCX10 to have grease.

If you want to use thread locker, make sure the lockers and ends of the axles are clean and dry before you apply it. But blue Loc-Tite was not really meant to glue metal parts together so it probably won't hold too well. Red Loc-Tite would probably hold and bearing/race locker (620 and 640 series I believe) would certainly hold, but you would most likely need to heat the axles and/or lockers to get them apart.

[Erik D_lux]

If it helps, I just put up just short or just long side shafts for you guys. This way, if you keep breaking short sides (more typical) you can buy just the short side and save some cash.

[Exocaged]

On a real truck there is no bearing at the end of the axle tube so it's possible this could be causing the issues especially when turning if something isn't perfectly straight. I have a set of unis in a bouncer and I raise hell with it without issue, but they are about a year old now so that may be the case. Front axle in the bouncer is a VP housing with STRC chubs and knuckles, 2.2 swampers, ROC 412 3100 on 4S.

[802coma]

Originally Posted by Erik D_lux

If it helps, I just put up just short or just long side shafts for you guys. This way, if you keep breaking short sides (more typical) you can buy just the short side and save some cash.

That's awesome Eric!! I was real hesitant on doing the XR mod on my scx10 because the XR shafts are discontinued. At least now I can get 2 long side axles now!!

Thanks you a bunch! And as always thank you for providing us those must have items no one else does!!

[RealDeal]

UPDATE :

Replaced axle around Christmas time from Tower Hobbies, I've got about 1 1/2 hours on it and just spent about 20 minutes DELIBERATELY trying to break it , so far its holding up to the RX8/pro4 3300 on 3s

[skerb]

Had another xr shaft break today at a comp on a 1.9 rig with treps and a 35t on 2s. Anyone had any luck with a replacement shaft from them or are we out of luck?