Front Axle shaft play

[professorcake]

Building up wraith spawn kit front axle with vanquish stage 1 c-hubs and knuckles. I notice that the axle shaft can be pushed in/out about 1mm on both sides. A wheel installed on this would shift in/out when steering. I could use a spacer between the outer bearing and the wheel hex but i was not expecting to have to shim out these high quality pieces. what am i missing?

[Eric0424]

Yes, spacers and/or shims will be fine, but don't over do it. You want it nearly free of end-play with the bearings/axles rolling freely. If it's exactly 1.0mm of play (for example), then 0.9mm shim or spacer would be about perfect.

[professorcake]

Originally Posted by Eric0424

Yes, spacers and/or shims will be fine, but don't over do it. You want it nearly free of end-play with the bearings/axles rolling freely. If it's exactly 1.0mm of play (for example), then 0.9mm shim or spacer would be about perfect.

Thanks for the reponse.

Yea that is pretty much where I landed for now. Used spacers and there is much less play and the axles roll smooth.

Mostly I am curious if anyone else has the same setup/problem. Anyone?

[professorcake]

Out


In


Shimmed (wrong! put the shim on the inside of the knuckle)

[Eric0424]

I had roughly the same amount end play on the front and rear of my Wraith. It's set-up for 4WS and all the parts are stock Axial except the STRC steering linkage and front universals. Can't remember how many 5x7 shims I used on all four wheels, but I probably need to stock back up on them.

[professorcake]

Originally Posted by Eric0424

I had roughly the same amount end play on the front and rear of my Wraith. It's set-up for 4WS and all the parts are stock Axial except the STRC steering linkage and front universals. Can't remember how many 5x7 shims I used on all four wheels, but I probably need to stock back up on them.

Thanks Eric, I am lucky to have a few perfectly sized shims for this.

I just moved the spacers to the inside of the knuckles and I like it a lot better. The axle shafts are now shimmed slightly inward (like middle pic above) instead of slightly outward. This way the axle is pushed further into the locker for a bit more contact.

[professorcake]

Additional question about the axles. Which way should the link/shock mounts face? The manual seems to show them with the longer side up, but i think most people are running them with the longer side down. I have them with the longer side up right now.

[professorcake]

looks like i answered my own question, stock the mounts have the long side up as pictured. flip them to achieve a lower ride height i guess.

[maslin]

Long side down for lower ride height.

Shim the inside or outside in order to align the u joint and "king pin." Forcing the joint to bend at a point other than the steering axis will cause stress.

Or, let them have some play and find that perfect alignment on their own.

[professorcake]

Originally Posted by maslin

Long side down for lower ride height.

Shim the inside or outside in order to align the u joint and "king pin." Forcing the joint to bend at a point other than the steering axis will cause stress.

Or, let them have some play and find that perfect alignment on their own.

Did not even think about alignment of the u-joint and king pin, thank you for this comment. Coincidentally the way I have the shim set up now, on the inside of the knuckle, has perfect alignment.