can't get my wheels off!!!!
 

I have a second hand Wraith and I just love it! so does my 7 year old son.
I had trouble with the wheel nuts loosening. so put some blue(medium) hold loctite on them and it solved the problem to a point.
A friend gave me some alloy wheels. wacked them on. They look great, but now when I try to undo the wheel nuts they are undoing maybe 2 turns then binding. So much so that I snapped the threaded part of the axle off. I replaced both the axles. Went to take the front wheels off same problem! I can tighten it OK, but can not for the life of me get the nut all the way off.
Any thoughts? My boy does like to drive hard and fast ( 27t brushed motor ) could the forward hard reverse be affecting the nuts over tightening them?
I'm stuffed if I can figure it out. Any help greatly appreciated.

Re: can't get my wheels off!!!!
 

The nuts used should be Nylock nuts so that material would normally give first. Are they Nylock nuts in use? Look like the have a plastic inner that threads as you screw it on. :)

Re: can't get my wheels off!!!!
 

the forward hard then reverse should not tighten the wheel nuts. What esc do you have? you should have a forward/ brake/ reverse setting, this might help with control, or in my case with my 6 yr old, he just wanted to go balls to the wall fast into everything! on th eohter hand the 8 yr old does pretty good with slower cars and is starting to understand!

Re: can't get my wheels off!!!!
 

I have the traxxas nyloc nuts with the knerlled face(spelt that incorrectly) I had a set on my EXO for the same reason, so went with what I knew.

The electronics are standard AE2 with the only change being the 27t motor. It is set to "crawler" mode(instant reverse) with drag brake.
Standard tires on unweighted rims that are a Chinese brand alloy.

I run the crawler mode because my boy is autistic and it's easier for him to just let go to stop, rather than push away for braking. he is high functioning, like Sheldon from Big Bang Theory, his hand are still a bit small as yet.

Thank you for racking you brains for us, I'll keep playing and let you know if I figure it out. I'm 47 and a mechanic so you see why I'm tearing my hair out. I really should be all over this.

Re: can't get my wheels off!!!!
 

It's almost like as they come off they get cross threaded. At least that's how it feels.

Re: can't get my wheels off!!!!
 

Well if they're cross-threaded, it happened when they were put on. Lol But you shouldnt really need thread lock for wheel nuts IMO. But if you're using the little 4 way tool that comes with the kit, that could be your problem. Cant get a firm grip on that thing. It'll work if you have plastic wheels but not metal. I use a socket on a 1/4" drive ratchet to really torque em on. I see youre a mechanic too. I was a bit leary at first, cranking those little nuts down with my "big" tools but no snapped axles yet. Just leave the impact gun in the box. :mrgreen:

Re: can't get my wheels off!!!!
 

I may be wrong but you could have some bearings going bad that are generating heat and gualding (sp) the nuts to the axle.

Re: can't get my wheels off!!!!
 

I have a "wheel nut screw driver", I do nip them up pretty well. They are brand new front axles, so I'm pretty sure I haven'y cross threaded anything. and this is the second time it's happened...that's why I have new front axles.

The first time they did it I couldn't turn them, so slipped an allen key through the handle of my wheel nut driver...big twist!! Broke the end off the stub axle, sheared at the base of the nut.

I have not checked the bearings, so yea heat maybe the issue. I did lube them when I first got it, but really didn't pay much attention to them other than that.

Again thanks for your help.

Re: can't get my wheels off!!!!
 

could be poor tread quality. Since you are a mechanic its like when the parts guy gives you one of those cheap bolts and you put is on for lets say a transmission cross-member for example. so you use your impact gun and "torque it down" but then you had to remove the cross-member and the bolts locks up just like you are saying on your wraith! could be just cheap shafts or nuts (I think I read you are using traxxas nuts so it probably not those).

Re: can't get my wheels off!!!!
 

^ kinda like what he said ?

it's likely the nut's pitch/tolerance is slightly off
and or the threads are soft and deforming when tightened.
thus cross threading during removal.

possibly both could be of fault.

I know the traxxas screws I have used recently
are commonly a softer metal
then what I've seen from some of the other mfgr's.

use the wraith original nylock nuts and see what that nets you

1 + 1 = stop,
using the same nut that keeps failing
even tho' you might think it's special.

Is just a bad idea and likely costly to boot.

Re: can't get my wheels off!!!!
 

I think you guys have nailed it with the cheap thread idea.

I did buy cheaper cvd's just to get her up and running! She is a bit of a long term project, but I do like driving her.So chucked in what I could afford at the time. Wasn't running big power, thought I'd get away with it. Well you get what you pay for.

I can work them off by gently coming off in stages, off a turn back half a turn. This to me says the threads are not a perfect match, but I wouldn't have thought of it without your help.

Thank you to everyone who commented and to those who looked and gave it some thought. You guys on here really are fantastic.

So thanks from "The Land Down Under"

Re: can't get my wheels off!!!!
 

when you say cheaper cvd's... what's that mean ?

possibly the cvd's thread pitch is of fault !?
something to be sure of.

what cvd/mfg'r. ?

if the nut fits the thread pitch correctly
it should spin on fairly easy a few threads
using just your fingers.
Should then get snug whence it hits the nylock material.

then you'll need get yer monkey on :razz:

Re: can't get my wheels off!!!!
 

I know they're not on Axial or VP uni/cvd shafts but could your stub shafts be stainless?

If by chance the Traxxas nuts are stainless as well (they only appear to be zinc plate but can't tell from a pic) that could be your problem.
Stainless on stainless threads are notorious out in the full size world for galling together if not assembled with anti-seize, they'll usually go together fine but lock up when being disassembled, the exact symptoms your describing.

Re: can't get my wheels off!!!!
 

What size nuts did you put on? A little heat might help loosen the locktite, you might be able to warm the stub axle up a little with good soldering iron.

Re: can't get my wheels off!!!!
 

there's a U in knurled, and only one L :)

Re: can't get my wheels off!!!!
 

Plus 1 to altd896. I won't use stainless on stainless because of this. Every time i have in the past, it's haunted me.


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Re: can't get my wheels off!!!!
 

Any exposure to water? Rust could make them easily snap off. That or a mismatched nut that's the wrong thread maybe, I know I have done that.