Solid rear axle donor?

[miniSummit]

Hi all, my first post here. I'm pretty new to rc's, my mini summit being my first. I like a lot about the summit and I think I would like it a lot more if I stretched the wheelbase an inch or two and it had a stronger rear axle. It likes to chew up the weak rear differential gears, wheely over backwards, nose over forwards, slide sideways and just isn't stable. I'd like to end up with something like the Vaterra Twin Hammers when I'm done.

Here's some of what I need:
About 8.5" width from hex to hex
Is locked our can be locked.
STRONG
Can be had in 2.6 differential ratio (axial exo terra optional gear set is very close at 2.57)
Centered differential.

Any ideas? How hard would it be to narrow an exo terra axle?

A big thanks for the help!

[lemonhead]

did you try the summit section while you were browsing the forum before posting in the general section.

lurking always helps before you post wherever

[miniSummit]

The summit forum is mostly for full size summits. Mines a mini and I'm looking for an axle from a non traxxas vehicle.
Thanks

[Meatwad]

This project would involve a new homemade chassis, adapting a solid rear axle and dealing with the width (possibly using different front/rear offsets to accomplish the same width). Also the exo has independent suspension front and rear, you may want to check into an scx rear.

[Androtaz]

Originally Posted by lemonhead

did you try the summit section while you were browsing the forum before posting in the general section.

lurking always helps before you post wherever

searching forums doesn't always give the answer your looking for. You just end up spending hours reading to never find what your looking for. I've been there. If I want to know something I just ask. isn't that what we all come here for?

[miniSummit]

Originally Posted by Meatwad

This project would involve a new homemade chassis, adapting a solid rear axle and dealing with the width (possibly using different front/rear offsets to accomplish the same width). Also the exo has independent suspension front and rear, you may want to check into an scx rear.

Good tip on the scx10 axle. It looks just right and I can get very close on the gear ratio. They are also dirt cheap.

I don't plan on making a new chassis. I plan on adapting the existing chassis with aluminum reinforcements in the right areas to create the link mounts. I'll have to make my own links from aluminum tubing, make a drive shaft adaptor, and make a new mount for the cantilever arms so that I can still use my stock shocks. None of this is that hard. Working with aluminum is cake. I'd guess 10 to 15 hours tops in my highly disorganized garage. Probably more like 5 hours. If it works well then I've made a huge improvement to an already fun car. If I flop then so what? I'm out a little time and not much money. Either way I have fun.


PS: How much abuse can a scx10 axle take? The mini Summit is pretty light but powerful with brushless.

Thanks!

[Meatwad]

It's true, having fun building is alot of it. The scx axle can handle quite a bit of abuse, if you're worried the hardened gear sets are damn near bulletproof. I've run sensored brushless on 3s and no issues. That and the light weight of the 1/16 summit shouldn't even cause a sweat.

[Meatwad]

Originally Posted by Androtaz

searching forums doesn't always give the answer your looking for. You just end up spending hours reading to never find what your looking for. I've been there. If I want to know something I just ask. isn't that what we all come here for?

Searching does help and even if you don't find your answer immediately, there's always something to learn. It's not that asking a question is wrong, not knowing that a question has been asked too many times is.

Some of the axle stuff is common knowledge or can be searched for but making a Frankenstein truck is what caught my attention in this case.

[vipxj]

Ive thought about doing the same to my mini summit, just another project.
miniSummit, do a build thread please.

[miniSummit]

I'm not done yet but it's looking pretty promising

[Harley]

Nice work diving right into it