Alex's berg take I

[Chris_The_Battery_Man]

Originally Posted by AlexG

Not really

At first I ran really hard for a couple packs and they held up. I noticed that they were getting sloppy at locker pack after pack then 3wd

The al locker didn't survive the small tang but the shafts did. So I felt more confident about them and swapped a stock locker in to see if they hold up.

They did fine for 10 packs but then a small drop from a cliff 2ft high where you hit the ground running and CLACK!

After inspection the shaft broke. I think it's all due the width of the tang. It was really hard the get the broken part off the locker because the shafts started to chew on the locker so I think the breakage it's due to a centering issue.

So I am thinking there is a chance that the large fall you took might have did the shaft in. I have broken plenty on smooth river rock when landing hard on throttle. So I have a feeling that is what broke them. The fact that you were able to have about a dozen hard runs on em is a good sign.

NOW I will say that I am not thinking these shafts will be the strongest option out there. But a great budget shaft that will hold up to moderate-mild crawling conditions. Nothing I would feel comfortable saying a guy could compete at a national level comp on high traction rock



How high is the traction where you are? Got any pics of the rock you use out there?


In regards to the RCbro locker... I think the smaller drive tang is what helped do it in. In my head, it's kind of like a gear reduction thing. A wider tang would have been harder to rotate in that housing, much like a larger diameter gear would be harder to rotate as a pinion. I wish there was more meat on those shafts to that the tang was at least 5mm wide. I may try and get my hands on a set of VP VVD's for the wraith and see if it is 5mm wide. They may be a bit more expensive, but at least I will know that I am working with a higher strength steel to begin with.

Which side was it that broke? The long or the short? I may be able to get you out a replacement if youre comfortable taking apart the uni to replace the inner section.

[AlexG]

Originally Posted by DickyT

Talk to Erik about 1:8 buggy uni's He and I discussed it a while back, I did not want to change from my 300 shafts with the bully stubs I modded. Stubs is running that setup though. Having seen it in person, it is awesome!

I'm considering some dlux cf goodness this summer and I'm wondering if I should run some dlux shafts. But I'm not really sure yet because I like the 8* stuff. So I'll try to make them work first, I still have a trick in my sleeve when I get back in belgium.

Originally Posted by RcBro

That tang needs to be bigger or a new steel locker designed. The key to our lockers holding is due to the larger berg tang. This is even more evident with the aluminum dlux shafts. You'll see the tang is larger then stock and as a result he machines out our lockers to accept them.

This is what I was thinking. Your locker is a proven product, no doubt about it but the tang is too small and if tolerance and the machining on the shaft is not top notch they will never work. As Erik said his shafts are even smaller.

Originally Posted by Erik D_lux

The universal shafts I make now have a SMALLER tang than those and your lockers and the shafts hold up great.

Edit:

To add to it, when I first built my shafts I had this idea that the 7075 lockers would not hold up. I ended up making the shaft too short without knowing it. I ended up stripping a stock steel locker out but I put the 7075 shaft in and it didnt. I think that says a lot about the strength of the 7075 lockers.

I think it's a lenght issue, you can see how deep they go in the locker in my pictures.

Originally Posted by Tgreer

It almost looks like the way the locker is warn out, that it was not fully engaged. Like maybe the shaft where a little short!

Exactly what I'm saying above, they could be 2mm longer.

Originally Posted by Chris_The_Battery_Man

So I am thinking there is a chance that the large fall you took might have did the shaft in. I have broken plenty on smooth river rock when landing hard on throttle. So I have a feeling that is what broke them. The fact that you were able to have about a dozen hard runs on em is a good sign.

NOW I will say that I am not thinking these shafts will be the strongest option out there. But a great budget shaft that will hold up to moderate-mild crawling conditions. Nothing I would feel comfortable saying a guy could compete at a national level comp on high traction rock



How high is the traction where you are? Got any pics of the rock you use out there?


In regards to the RCbro locker... I think the smaller drive tang is what helped do it in. In my head, it's kind of like a gear reduction thing. A wider tang would have been harder to rotate in that housing, much like a larger diameter gear would be harder to rotate as a pinion. I wish there was more meat on those shafts to that the tang was at least 5mm wide. I may try and get my hands on a set of VP VVD's for the wraith and see if it is 5mm wide. They may be a bit more expensive, but at least I will know that I am working with a higher strength steel to begin with.

Which side was it that broke? The long or the short? I may be able to get you out a replacement if youre comfortable taking apart the uni to replace the inner section.

That was not a large fall, about 1ft 1/2 but just the day before I took big fall in a pond I'm digging near the rock pile. Again I hitted the ground running and the truck did a couple backflip. I kept my finger on the throttle just for the heck of it and because I was confindent about steel locker and your shaft. So I was really stunned when they broke during a totally controlled situation.

Right now I'm in congo and traction is pretty high everywhere. Sorry no pictures, It took me about an hour just to upload the 2 previous pictures.

As you said that's a mixed feeling, they work, are cheap and are not stated as the strongest shaft out there but there's some improvement that need to be done and then maybe they will be evenmore reliable. I'll start by some longer shafts, both can be easily 2mm longer.

The pinion resoning is how I'm seeing it too, and more contact area would help to fight the lever.

I broke the short side, I'm not really confortable with taking them appart. So far I broke 3 shafts on just trying to take them appart. How are you doing it?

[Chris_The_Battery_Man]

I simply put them in my vice, and punch the small pin out with a small punch and a hammer. Once that comes out, the rest just falls apart. I can get a picture of how I am holding it if that helps any

You think a deeper tang engagement would help? I am not seeing why it would since the break is likely to be near the edge of the locker. But perhaps Im wrong.

[klabeaume]

How did you cut the flats? Was it machined or ground?

[Chris_The_Battery_Man]

A little of both. I mill them to really close, then finely shave the last hair so they fit tightly into the locker. From there, I home-brew harden them with a torch and used motor oil

[klabeaume]

Originally Posted by Chris_The_Battery_Man

A little of both. I mill them to really close, then finely shave the last hair so they fit tightly into the locker. From there, I home-brew harden them with a torch and used motor oil

I would think your "case" hardening is the cause for his failure in the picture. It probably made it brittle. Why try to change the hardness? If you keep the part cool while cutting you should effect the materials properties.

[Chris_The_Battery_Man]

Probably a good point. I certainly am no expert in metal hardening. I just had a non treated set break, but it did have a hard edge rather than a tapered one.

I just am used to hardening stuff from back when I was shoving universals in berg axles a couple years ago. The 4340 was too soft, and hardening it like that helped

[klabeaume]

Originally Posted by Chris_The_Battery_Man

Probably a good point. I certainly am no expert in metal hardening. I just had a non treated set break, but it did have a hard edge rather than a tapered one.

I just am used to hardening stuff from back when I was shoving universals in berg axles a couple years ago. The 4340 was too soft, and hardening it like that helped

I can tell you the stock axial uni's are tough! I've never seen one personally break ( yes I know some people have broke them) and the set I had in a 10lb wraith axled scaler with a tekin truck t8 on 22.2 volts held up fine. I am serious.

[AlexG]

Bump all the way to the top

Here's a vid from last year I've finally had a chance to edit.



Running wraith shaft up front with some TAG proto adapter. These shaft are strong, they did hold up very very well.

[Tgreer]

Back from the dead! Good to see you on here again!

[summit77]

sedona front and rover rear ............?

[AlexG]

Originally Posted by Tgreer

Back from the dead! Good to see you on here again!

Thanks Thommy!

Originally Posted by summit77

sedona front and rover rear ............?

Yup, both set are siped. Front foam are 5.5 DD with a soft outer, the rear also but with a medium tuning ring.

[AlexG]

Butchered my 2nd gear.



To make it longer. Also I've shortened the locker but I still have to mill it.

[jason1973]

that is one fine rig!!!
really need to get on it with my berg

[AlexG]

Originally Posted by jason1973

that is one fine rig!!!
really need to get on it with my berg

Thanks














First time lathing some "Delrin". Also I made some 7mm pistons for my shocks.

I'm working on a new rear axle case and tube. I'm just waiting for some 7075 then the fun will start. Not sure about the tube, the finish on the radius is crappy. The OD is 12mm, they felt just a bit too flexy on the lathe but hopefully that's enough material for the job. Only testing will tell.



Any tips or advice are welcom off course. Lathing is pretty new to me, been learning in a formation center the last 4 months

[Tgreer]

Did you see the slight mods I did to the chassis?