Ultimate Wraith Axle Setup?

[Digital]

Performance-wise, is it better to use plastic AR60 axle tubes with beefed up internals? I know the look of the Curries or SSD's are awesome (really cool looking), but from a performance standpoint, wouldn't the stock plastic axles tubes slide over rocks better?

Thanks

[mewalsh100]

[QUOTE=Digital;5795812]Performance-wise, is it better to use plastic AR60 axle tubes with beefed up internals? I know the look of the Curries or SSD's are awesome (really cool looking), but from a performance standpoint, wouldn't the stock plastic axles tubes slide over rocks better?

There is no doubt that plastic slides better. And generally speaking, will still be lighter even with Beef Tubes and other upgrades.

My problem with plastic axles is threads stripping out and things still coming loose constantly. Even with beef tubes in my old AR60's, the screws would constantly back of the CHUBS and Lockouts. And yes, I use locktite. I've got Aluminum housings on all of my rigs now and have not looked back. Nothing has loosened, they look amazing and hold up well.

I think it all comes down to personal preference, what your intended use is, and budget. If I'm building a rig to trail and crawl with and I just want it to be low maintenance and bullet proof, I'd go aluminum. Which, is what I've done.

If I'm building a rig to primarily comp with, I'm gonna go with plastic for it's ability to slide over rocks better, and it's inherent weight advantage.

That said, I'm sure there are plenty of people that do both with both.

[Teng]

Originally Posted by Digital

Performance-wise, is it better to use plastic AR60 axle tubes with beefed up internals? I know the look of the Curries or SSD's are awesome (really cool looking), but from a performance standpoint, wouldn't the stock plastic axles tubes slide over rocks better?

Thanks

I think it is almost the same in performance. Plastic only easily to stripped. I like aluminium for more durability as I treated my Wraith like a rock racer rather than a crawler.

[PoorManRC]

Originally Posted by mewalsh100

.
My problem with plastic axles is threads stripping out and things still coming loose constantly. Even with beef tubes in my old AR60's, the screws would constantly back of the CHUBS and Lockouts. And yes, I use locktite. I've got Aluminum housings on all of my rigs now and have not looked back. Nothing has loosened, they look amazing and hold up well.

I think it all comes down to personal preference, what your intended use is, and budget. If I'm building a rig to trail and crawl with and I just want it to be low maintenance and bullet proof, I'd go aluminum. Which, is what I've done.

Yeah Mike, I'd love to run with Aluminum Axles! Unfortunately, it's not in the cards - or the budget.
Hopefully, I can at least get some cheap Korean knockoffs...... I can't Comp, and I didn't know about the screws backing off!!

I may end up Epoxying the C-Hubs to the Axles.

[mewalsh100]

Carmine - if you do ever decide to go with aluminum housings, Check out Xtra Speed aluminum AR60 axle housings. They’re Chanquish, but the fit and finish is really good. I did a budget rebuild of my old AX10. It’s under the AX10 thread as “Project AX10 Scaler”. I iused them on that build because I wanted to see how economically I could rebuild it and make it a useful rig again. The old plastic AR60’s on it were pretty thrashed and like I stated earlier, even with Beef Tubes and copius amounts of locktite, the chubs and lockouts would constantly loosen up. Anyways, I think they were like $40 for the set shipped. At that price, scarcely more than plastic AR60 replacements.

Full disclosure - I have a tendency to overtighten things and I think that contributed to my issue with the plastic units. Having said that, it’s a pretty common problem with them. I’ve seen guys use hose clamps on the chubs, epoxy as you stated, and all sorts of other remedies. It is what it is. There’s only so many times you can run threads in and out of plastic before it gives up the ghost!

[TheLetterJ]

Not at all saying I've got the "ultimate" axles, but I chose to stay with plastic housings and built them up from new all at once. Something often overlooked is that the stock 11mm inner pinion bearings can actually shift in the stock housings under heavy loads (I was running brushless on 4s) which will eat your gears in short order, so if you want beef, that needs to be addressed. The rear axle was an easy choice for me, the SSD D60HD is cheap, eliminates the need for lockouts, has thicker tubes, and a 13mm pinion bearing, basically all of the stock AR60 housings short comings are addressed with that... so long as you don't mind the centered diff.

For the front, stock AR60 housing with 13mm bearing modification by Dlux costs like $20. From there, add beef tubes (I bought SS steel ones for $9 from Xtra Speed) and clamping c hubs from Vanquish ($50!) make the concern of mounting screws backing out a non-issue, you could likely run without the mounting screws once the c hubs are clamped on, not that I'm suggesting to do so. Pretty much everything else would be the same regardless of what housings you choose such as gears, lockers, knuckles, shafts, steering linkage, etc. I did choose to run a Dlux U4 front truss too, partially for housing strength (initially built as a sand car) partially for the improved steering clearance and servo placement (in my opinion) and fully because it looks sweet! I did just switch to an aluminum SSD "D60" cover on my front AR60, it does not slide like the stock plastic cover, but it laughs it off when it gets smashed into rocks.

I run Axial UD gears in the rear and standard ratio HD gears in the front, mounted to Incision spools (I would buy Locked Up's F.I. spools if I were to do it again) with Axial universal joint axles up front (Dlux can build you much stronger front shafts if you require.) I went with Vanquish knuckles because I wanted the option to run weights some of the time. If you know that you want to run knuckle weights, I'd skip the add-on type and go straight to Dlux's brass knuckles.

Lot's of options out there, but that's what's been working for me, or what I'd do differently next time.

[PoorManRC]

Originally Posted by mewalsh100

Carmine - if you do ever decide to go with aluminum housings, Check out Xtra Speed aluminum AR60 axle housings. They’re Chanquish, but the fit and finish is really good. I did a budget rebuild of my old AX10. It’s under the AX10 thread as “Project AX10 Scaler”. I iused them on that build because I wanted to see how economically I could rebuild it and make it a useful rig again. The old plastic AR60’s on it were pretty thrashed and like I stated earlier, even with Beef Tubes and copius amounts of locktite, the chubs and lockouts would constantly loosen up. Anyways, I think they were like $40 for the set shipped. At that price, scarcely more than plastic AR60 replacements.

Full disclosure - I have a tendency to overtighten things and I think that contributed to my issue with the plastic units. Having said that, it’s a pretty common problem with them. I’ve seen guys use hose clamps on the chubs, epoxy as you stated, and all sorts of other remedies. It is what it is. There’s only so many times you can run threads in and out of plastic before it gives up the ghost!

Mike, I've got the SAME tendency!!!
I will definitely check out your thread. Anything economical is a good idea for me. I've been diving into all sorts of Threads, for ideas..... Many of them, made me want to comment. I've been doing so much of it lately, I'm surprised that nobody's called me a Post Whore yet!!

...... I'm actually surprised that nobody has come out with some kind of better looking clamp for the Lockouts yet.
I've ALREADY stripped TWO screw holes on the Chubs!! I'm wondering if there's room in there to Epoxy some thin nuts inside of the tubes.......

[PoorManRC]

Originally Posted by TheLetterJ

..... The rear axle was an easy choice for me, the SSD D60HD is cheap, eliminates the need for lockouts, has thicker tubes, and a 13mm pinion bearing, basically all of the stock AR60 housings short comings are addressed with that... so long as you don't mind the centered diff.

For the front, stock AR60 housing with 13mm bearing modification by Dlux costs like $20. From there, add beef tubes (I bought SS steel ones for $9 from Xtra Speed) and clamping c hubs from Vanquish ($50!) make the concern of mounting screws backing out a non-issue, you could likely run without the mounting screws once the c hubs are clamped on, not that I'm suggesting to do so. ...

Clamping Chubs sounds like the BEST idea I've heard yet!!!!
There's GOT TO BE a less expensive option besides Vanquish!! (They're a great choice, I just don't have the money )

Harley (Josh, Who I've gotten a TON of ideas from for the past 2 years), suggested using Bronze Bushings in the Pinion, if going with big Bearings aren't an option. And for me, it's not... I do have a LOT of Bushings from my first run in RC (1985-96). I'm not a Basher (anymore!). The speeds my Rigs go these days is SO slow, that speed differences with 4 Bearings being downgraded, almost nil.

I have NO idea who Dlux is - but it sounds like I need to find him!!

[ferp420]

I like the steel axles they are heavy but they hold up better than plastic and slide better than aluminum the problem i had with tbe plastic is the gear deflection brand new gears shimmed and they still slipped no matter how tight the mesh was i have boom phat axles on my wraith and i love them rear has the 13mm bearing mod the front runs a thrust bearing the heavy axle plant the rig like nothing else but can be hard on parts