Modding Hammerjaw

[Notalentclown]

I got an almost new Hammerjaw (with that broken driveline) for next to nothing. I have seen some posts around about replacing the drive lines and cups with Wraith CVDs. Has anyone done this? Would be a great solution to one of the two flaws this truck has. Any help would be great.

[Jim85IROC]

To use Wraith CVDs, you're going to also need to replace the spool with an Axial-compatible spool. The axle shafts in that truck are a larger diameter where they enter the spool. Since the Hammerjaw has plastic spools, you would have needed to upgrade them anyway.

I don't know if a solid spool will bolt directly to the ring gear or if you'll need to utilize the "Cross" style locker that the stock AR60s use. A little research in the E10 and Gen7 threads should get you an answer. I know guys have put Axial axles into those before.

[BRKnadler]

I picked on up for my 7 yr old daughter before they got discontinued. I’ve got to say that for under $200, its pretty impressive. Perfect for a kids crawler. Her 2nd run, she of course made it 3 wheels drive by snapping one of the front axles. After searching for replacement options, I found that the Redcat Everest used the exact same front and rear diffs/axles. I order up a set of replacements from ebony for $11 shipped. We’ll see how they work. If they don’t, the FTX Mauler is still in production in the UK, and you can order replacement and upgrade parts from them. A bit more expensive to have it shipped here, but an option.

[Jim85IROC]

I believe that the Everest axles are narrower, like the Gen7 axles. The Hammerjaw axles are substantially wider than those.

If you can't still get the Hammerjaw axles, you'll need to look for "RGT Rock Hammer" axles, or convert to the Wraith axles as described above.

[Bobzilla9p0]

For a budget minded axle shaft upgrade you can order 2 pairs of cheap AR60 (Wraith) CVDs on Ebay or Amazon $10-12 shipped. Take the long ones and cut to length then grind flat the sides for 8mm to fit the locker spool. Make sure to order a pair of the aluminum HSP lockers part #180009.


Alternatively, I ended up buying a set of AR60 (Axial Wraith/Bomber) style aluminum complete axle assemblies on Ebay made by Xtra Speed (Front #XS-AW-1XS Rear #XS-AW-1XS) This is not a budget minded option. Due to the Off Center Pumpkin/Differential you will need to flip the transmission skid plate around to the other side for drive shaft alignment. You will also need different shocks as the mounts on these axles are the industry standard narrow size. I got a set of 4 blue 90mm dual spring shocks for $24 shipped on Amazon with faux reservoirs (for looks). It also needed longer drive shafts so I ordered steel 122-151mm CVD drive shafts($23 Amazon). Again, all of this starts to add up in total price. The truck has 2.2 aluminum wheels and brass beef patties wheel weights (the new axles don't seem to break with these heavy weights on like the stock did). I have decided that over time I am going to slowly convert this into a Ultra 4 style rig. I have an all aluminum Wraith style 2 speed transmission (got for my bday). I love the truck and I going to run the body until it falls apart then convert to a rock bouncer metal cage body (which will likely require a wraith center skid plate). I normally run 1.9 1/10 trail trucks with my friends but when I go alone I like to keep a faster pace on the mountain so this truck is being built to accommodate that. The bigger 2.2 wheels, wider stance, more ground clearance, and lower gearing with faster motor all help this cover rocky rough ground faster than a 1.9 rig. I also make my own 2 stage foams using 1/2 inch thick EVA foam mats (Walmart or Harbor Freight are cheapest) and 1 inch thick open cell foam from a craft store. I had High hopes for the stock Hammerjaw axles as they are a HSP part so I wanted them to end up in a lot of different trucks (Red Cat uses them in the Camo TT and X4 as rears) thus leading to more aluminum and steel upgrades but it didn't happen. So I Went with the AR60 Wraith axles as I am sure I'll be able to get parts for a long time. I am really tough on my rigs and need spares ( I give 6-10 hours a week of mountain trail abuse to the hobby). I believe that cheaper alternative of using 2 sets of cheap Wraith CVDs in the HSP axle housing will work. It is now one of my favorite trucks and still overall cheaper than a modded Wraith or Bomber (I call it budget Bad A$$). I hope this helps.

[Jim85IROC]

The problem with some of the cheap Wraith AR60 axles is that they're too narrow to fill up the HSP 180009 locker slot, because the stock axles are thicker. It would be a better fit to swap over to an Axial-style AR60 locker. It's an added expense, but I think it's the right way to do it. I've had a couple pair of Wraith axles sitting here for almost a year, but I don't like how they integrate to the HSP locker. One of these days I need to get off my duff and get an AR60 locker for it, but honestly, it probably won't happen until I break one of the factory axles, which hasn't happened yet.