How to extend driveshafts

[iateacookie2]

Im thinking about getting the blade smc 5.5 ex scaler chassis for my micro. But how do you extend the driveshafts? On a few really good looking scalers they have some silver tubing, where do you get that or what is it?
Thanks!

[Midlife Crisis]

Grab your driveshafts and head to the LHS, find their tubing rack and start fitting the female end of the shaft in the tubing until you get a good fit.....buy toob! 7/32" or 9/32 is the rough tubing size.

Next, aquire a small tubing cutter (Home Depot, etc. Smallest size). Assemble the rig with driveshafts and get a measurement to the center of the male end (mid travel) to the end of the smooth part where the yoke starts. Cut tubing and the use the tubing cutter town cut half the female spline end off. Take the cut end and lightly glue the extension piece, then insert being careful not to get glue in the splines. Then glue in the other end and your set. I crimp mine together with my tubing cutter instead of glue, works good. I'd suggest fitting the shaft for fitment before final glue assembly though.



If any user would like to do a thorough write up on extended links and driveshafts, I'll sticky it for all to access easily. Just a thought guys.

[DVS]

Micro Mod bible

[8695Beaters]

I simply bought an extra set of stock driveshafts, lopped off the ears of the male end and glued it to the female end. I don't think that would be long enough for the 5.5, but using Trail Trekker driveshafts would solve that.



Took me about 20 minutes with some 5-minute epoxy, a hobby knife, and some sandpaper. They're plenty strong and lighter than aluminum tubing (albeit not quite as cool looking). There is also less room for screwing up since there's only one glue joint.

[Midlife Crisis]

Beaters......

Is that shrink tube extending that shaft? I can't quite tell exactly how you did that, but it looks good.

Those wouldn't touch the wheelbase of the 5.5, the extension on mine ended up being 2-1/4" to 2-1/2" long......minus the yokes, etc. That chassis is long in the rear.

[andrewt1]

Man- ML Crisis/Beaters u both nailed it!! This is why so many of us love this forum- Thank you All, really-

[8695Beaters]

Originally Posted by Midlife Crisis

Beaters......

Is that shrink tube extending that shaft? I can't quite tell exactly how you did that, but it looks good.

Those wouldn't touch the wheelbase of the 5.5, the extension on mine ended up being 2-1/4" to 2-1/2" long......minus the yokes, etc. That chassis is long in the rear.

No, I just removed the u-joint from the male end, lopped off the ears, and used some 5-minute epoxy to glue the male end to the female end. I took those pics with my phone so they aren't great. Here's another shot with the stock McRC driveshaft on the left, the stock TT in the middle, and mine on the right:

[BLOODBANE]

Here is a extended shaft using the tubing method.....

[rcdave13]

The best way is to get a tube (I used a peice of antenna) that fits on the male driveshaft and glue it on. Then drill out the female shaft so the tube slides in easy but not too loose. Next drill a hole through the female shaft halfway down and and glue a pin in it, I used a small nail. Last put a slot in the tube so it slides past the pin. I just did this so I don't have pics yet.
The easy way is to buy another driveshaft and cut just the shafts off and slide the male about halfway into the female and carefully glue it. You now have an extension that can slide onto the existing driveshaft.

[D-Oak]

I did mine out of 1/2" aluminium tube on WB8's

[Mastah Kyler]

i used 9/32 aluminum. i cut the tubular part of the drive shaft in half and glued the 2 pieces in the ends of the tube

[Fungi]

I lengthened the rear shaft in a different way. I will add info here as well.


Cut the Trekker shaft as shown.



Drill into the ends slightly using a 5/32 drill. I did it by hand to have more control. About 1/8" is good. The drill only cuts the "threads" from inside the shaft.



Cut a section of 5/32 styrene tubing and superglue it on both ends. Super easy and it looks better.