Hex pins... Lets fix the issue.

[youngblood]

Just make sure everything is tight and the shim is in place between the hex and the bearing. I tighten my wheel nuts every time I swap out my 1300 mah 4s. I've never broken a pin in the year or so I've owned this thing. Hell, I sheared a v3 cvd at the knuckle, right next to the pin hole, and the pin was fine.

[Erik D_lux]

Just had another thought on the hexes.

I wonder how much of the problem can be from the hex not being able to hold itself tight on the pin/axle. Mine have been taken off so many times that I gave up trying to tighten them on and just counted on the wheel holding them on. When my wheels were getting loose I bet that created a lot more slop between the hex and the pin also.

[Toyo496]

Originally Posted by Erik D_lux

Just had another thought on the hexes.

I wonder how much of the problem can be from the hex not being able to hold itself tight on the pin/axle. Mine have been taken off so many times that I gave up trying to tighten them on and just counted on the wheel holding them on. When my wheels were getting loose I bet that created a lot more slop between the hex and the pin also.

Agreed

[gunnar]

What I've found, with a set of V3 CVD's that I bought, that the pins are .060, but the holes are much larger, .063-.064 which creates slop, so the hex and pin move too much back and forth. Coupled with fact the Losi hex does not have a set screw to hold itself, this will eventually cause the pin to bend(or break) from these shearing forces. I tried to get some proper sized wire, but I had to buy 2000 feet minimum, just can't afford that. Eric D has the better solution, the axle hex pin should be bigger, and tolerances reduced for a tighter fit.

[sledge57]

Originally Posted by youngblood

Just make sure everything is tight and the shim is in place between the hex and the bearing. I tighten my wheel nuts every time I swap out my 1300 mah 4s. I've never broken a pin in the year or so I've owned this thing. Hell, I sheared a v3 cvd at the knuckle, right next to the pin hole, and the pin was fine.

That's part of the problem, if I run the shim, the wheel binds when I tighten it.
I noticed the bent pins long ago and never paid any attention to them, figuring when they broke, then they were a problem.

After seeing the binding and subsequent fried worm I started looking closer at the problem.

I've had my crawler since January and the worm was the first thing I broke on it and I believe that was preventable (not counting the dig servo I killed because I was stupid, never leave your receiver powered up and your X-mitter off ), which is what I'm doing now, trying to make it more bullet proof.

Over all I'm pretty happy with my LCC, I've seen way more Berg Carnage at our comps than what I've experienced.

As far as the AL C's and Knuckles go, I have to find out who made the ones I have. I got them on a Night Crawler I bought for spare parts (and these aluminum pieces).

I'm also going to file off the little ridge on the back of the hexes for this weekend, seeing as that's the first place the hexs make contact with the bearings when they bind.

Ultimately though I will go to the larger pins I think (you sending those to guys who bought and broke chromo pins Erik?)

The axial pins and hexs sound like an option I'm also going to explore, I wonder what Venom Hexs and pins are like, I happen to have a pair of screwed up Venom Axles (bad ring gears) I can rob for parts too.

Another thing to tinker with, that's why I love this hobby.....

[Erik D_lux]

Originally Posted by sledge57

(you sending those to guys who bought and broke chromo pins Erik?)

I am leaving this up to the customer. I know as a customer I usually know better than anybody what I deserve.

As always and with any/all my products,... if you dont feel like you got your monies worth,.. contact me so we can make things right.

[djjiz]

Originally Posted by Erik D_lux

Do you know what your hexes look like on the pin side? Just wondering if they are hogged out.

I've over tightened the hex's from day one until they fit loose in the wheel hub rather then the pin recess.

Im guess 80-100 packs on them.

[ghtpdm5]

Originally Posted by gunnar

What I've found, with a set of V3 CVD's that I bought, that the pins are .060, but the holes are much larger, .063-.064 which creates slop, so the hex and pin move too much back and forth. Coupled with fact the Losi hex does not have a set screw to hold itself, this will eventually cause the pin to bend(or break) from these shearing forces. I tried to get some proper sized wire, but I had to buy 2000 feet minimum, just can't afford that. Eric D has the better solution, the axle hex pin should be bigger, and tolerances reduced for a tighter fit.

I'm running the cheap cast axial hex's on my nightcrawler and i think gunnar may be on to something here. before i had switched them out, even with the molded plastic hex's, i had bend in my pins that i attributed to simple overtightening of the wheel nut. can't say if it was, but at the time i was running the very underpowered 55t that came stock. now after a change to a pretty zippy modified 27t and the axial hex's, there is no bend, even doing similar if not greater torque on the wheel nut itself.

[Robbob]

not to hijack but figure Id post what I been running with zero problems.

on the front hexes I use the factory ones with stock pins. to help keep the hexes from binding into the bearings I filed the back of the hex down, this leaves a gap if the pins do bend. there is a step on the back side you can see, thats what I filed flat. my pins are bent but even with the nuts cranked I havent pinched the bearings or broken any yet.

on the rear I drilled the pin holes out and run these style hexes
http://www.integy.com/st_prod.html?p...725&p_catid=16

they use a bigger diameter pin thats captured by the oring. the big benefit is you can get different offsets in .5mm differences, helps changing track widths. I use 3mm in the rear.

I found though anything over 4.5mm doosnt allow the nut to fully go on, threads dont go into the plastic lock part enough. 4mm seems to be the same as factory so you could use them on either axle.

I also filed down the back of these hexes so I dont pinch bearings also.

[sledge57]

Originally Posted by Robbob

n...............n the front hexes I use the factory ones with stock pins. to help keep the hexes from binding into the bearings I filed the back of the hex down, this leaves a gap if the pins do bend. there is a step on the back side you can see, thats what I filed flat..

Exactly what I was talking about and did tonight, glad to hear you think it helps...

[Erik D_lux]

Thought I finally broke one of these big hex pins. Come to find out that it was a V3 pin. All hex pins are still in perfect condition.

I have to hand it to Losi. The V3 are some great axles. Now to see if I can break a Chromo pin in the axle

[losikid]

Have you had any problems yet with the big hex pins...because i need some new hex's or thinking about just some bigger pins

[Erik D_lux]

Nobody has made me aware of any issues to date. This does not mean they are unbreakable though. For the $$$ they are one of the best upgrades you can do.

It also fixes the loose wheel problems. I literally take a 1/4 drive ratchet and tighten my wheel nuts. They never come loose when you do that.

[Sneed]

Haven't put mine in yet.. I'm rocking stock replacements at the moment

[losikid]

Originally Posted by Erik D_lux

Nobody has made me aware of any issues to date. This does not mean they are unbreakable though. For the $$$ they are one of the best upgrades you can do.

It also fixes the loose wheel problems. I literally take a 1/4 drive ratchet and tighten my wheel nuts. They never come loose when you do that.

What happens if i break them I can snap stock pins like twigs, your normal chromoly pins seem to hold up, no breaks for awhile, well a few hex pins partially due to over tighting

So they won't bend or break like stock pins do when you tighten them suckers down. Awesome, i'll be ordering a few things here soon

[Erik D_lux]

Originally Posted by losikid

What happens if i break them

I think that is a sign that its time for anger management.

Really though. I would be surprised if even you can break them. I am just a step down from you and I have not had a problem.

Even if you magically break them, I think I am selling them for $1 each or less?? Might just want to grab 2 sets since they are so cheap.

[djjiz]

Originally Posted by losikid

Have you had any problems yet with the big hex pins...because i need some new hex's or thinking about just some bigger pins

I had "issues" when I ran a 13.5 on 3s but only when my fronts weighed around 1lb each. Even then I ran some packaging plastic behind the hex to take up any slop and I could not have been happier. I could smear a axle pinion at any time but didn't have major pin failures.