Punisher shafts for the TF2

[4X42HEL]

So...

I've had this new TF2 for a few weeks now and I have yet to take her out. Been building her up how I like; and based on many reviews I have read online about the stock plastic shafts, I have decided to be preemptive and order the RC4WD punisher shafts.

Well, I finally got them in today and I installed them.

Now, most people in life have a little black book in life where they store phone numbers. I have a black book, where I store "things I just don't understand."
Into my book today, went another journal entry of why o' why this $50 ($25x2) upgrade shaft only has one set-screw-hole on each yoke end.

Makes absolutely no sense to me how the stock plastic shaft has two holes on each yoke where a long set screw can go through the output shafts and make a solid and complete connection.

The set screws which came with the punisher shafts were 3mm and 4mm, but none actually penetrated the output shaft holes on my TF2. I initially tried the 4mm, and it appeared to "bite" well enough to make contact. However, being as that there output shafts don't have a flat spot, I determined it would be insufficient.

So, I had to modify the existing full-length-set-screws which work on the stock/plastic shafts to now work on the new single-holed upgrades. These full-length set screws had to be shorted about 2-3mm to be long enough to still penetrate the output holes, but not so long since there isn't a 2nd hole to continue into.

For those who are wondering if I ordered the wrong shafts: I ordered and received part # Z-S0209 from RC4WD and they fit "perfectly" in terms of length and all else. It's just the set screw business is silly.

Another alternative to augmenting the set screws would have been to swap out the yokes from the plastic shafts, but then that would have required bending and realigning the metal yokes which was the original replacement reason to begin with.

I wish I took pics instead of this long message. Sorry.

/rant/BlackBookEntry

[Cr00zah]

Not that it's worth anything, but the Punishers I ordered did arrive with correct length set screws, and I had no problems installing onto stock TF2. I do agree it would be ideal to use the same setup as the nylon shafts and yokes, with the set screw going all the way through for a foolproof setup.

However, I did cut 1cm off the female end of the front driveshaft because it was too long - yes it installed and fit, but would not allow any meaningful compression of the front suspension.

[2003EDGE]

One thing I will throw out here is that with the full length screws in the plastic yoke it will spread the load out around the full yoke. On a metal yoke, this isn't as necessary due to the difference in material strength. I have run other make steel replacement shafts in other vehicles that had only one set screw with no issues.

I currently have the single screw punishers in mine with no failures to note. I just make sure that the screws are loctited in and check them before every run.

RC4WD Team Driver*Krawl Off-Road