Capra axles, Meus, Rhino?

[m4inbrain]

Hey there.

After finishing my VRD Carbon (my first "proper" crawler after a few stock TRXs), i decided to now try my luck on a scratch build. From what i've read, the process is usually to chose an axle, and go from there - and i've settled on Capra axles. Mainly because they can be had for reasonably cheap, as opposed to other options. While i do like Supershafties etc, the wallet sadly doesn't - so while there's no set budget, and there will be expensive parts, i do try to stay within reason for the first build.

So, yeah. Settled on Capra axles. Meus and Rhino do offer interesting choices, with Rhino axles being almost twice the price (in £, 130 for a full set versus 230 for the Rhinos). My only experience with Meus is in regards to 1/24 axles, so doesn't really apply here - and zero experience with Rhino.

Which axle is the smarter choice? I'm not set on a chassis yet either, it's going to be something like a Spartan V2, T3V2, or something in that direction.

 

[ferp420]

i usually start with a body then pick my axles to fit the body

what scale is this build is it a1/10 or a mini

 

[m4inbrain]

i usually start with a body then pick my axles to fit the body

what scale is this build is it a1/10 or a mini

Settled on a T3V2 Killmode, so 1/10. Axles going to be Capra, only question is, from which company. Meus isokinetic Capra axles, Rhino Capra axles, or some other manufacturer (other than BDX and other cheaper china axles - don't want to go marbles to the wall with the axles, but something mid-rangish).

 

[ferp420]

they all come from china so i would get the cheapest ones you can and be prepared to replace some axle shafts although my capra axles havent had any failures yet on the few sets i have

 

[m4inbrain]

Thank you.

Anyone else got some input, in particular to the question i asked - between Rhino and Meus, which is the better axle (since they very clearly are different axles, despite both coming from china), and are there other mid-range options available that i missed?

 

[bgredjeep]

For the builds i have done, I like the meus setup over the rhino. I prefer the orientation of the bta servo mount and the link mounts on the meus. The rhino axle looks pretty ideal for a shafty style comp rig. I'm not sure how that upper link setup would work on a rail style chassis.

*Edit*
Also, I like the idea of the double cv axle shafts from meus. That should avoid the common "pulse" you get at high steering angles with standard ujoint shafts. I'm not sure how strong those are, but i haven't seen any posts from people complaining about failures so I take that as a positive.

 

[HouseFeces]

I am also interested in the Meus 1/10 Capra Isokinetic axles. I amxed out the steering angle to make the smallest turning radius possible. I was able to get my Vanquish Curry Axles angle maxed out for the shortest possible turning radius without putting too much pressure on the front shafts joints. I prefer to max out the steering angle rather than using 4WS.

Does anyone have any video showing how tight of a turning radius the 1/10 Mues Isokinetic Capra axles have compared to the Vanquish F10? Or just a video showing how tight the Meus axles turning radius is?

 

[Chingon]

Settled on a T3V2 Killmode, so 1/10. Axles going to be Capra, only question is, from which company. Meus isokinetic Capra axles, Rhino Capra axles, or some other manufacturer (other than BDX and other cheaper china axles - don't want to go marbles to the wall with the axles, but something mid-rangish).

The BDX axles are pretty nice actually; I have a few sets. I also really like the offset front diff.

 

[bgredjeep]

I prefer to max out the steering angle rather than using 4WS.

There's not really a comparison between 4ws and drag axle steering, but depending on what you are building for, 4ws might not be an option to use (ex. class rules).

Meus lists 48° as the steering angle out of the box, and up to 55° with trimmed steering stops.

 

[xaviere919]

Capra axles are definitely a solid, budget-friendly choice to start with, especially since you’re trying to keep things reasonable for your first build. Meus and Rhino do seem like interesting alternatives, but as you pointed out, the Rhino axles are pretty pricey.

 

[aVgJoE79]

I don't know if you've chosen yet but the meus capra axles in aluminum or vinyl are both solid choices. The double cardon steering in the front is unbeatable in terms of smooth wheel rotation at every angle....no other axle stock can do that so it's the best choice period...unless you want to get a cheaper brand and buy the isokenetic rods from meus ...so you see the answer is probably meus...the best

Edit...
In terms of the f10 they are great as well ...vanquish is the only brand that has decent single cardan turning rods but it is really down to what you want capra is a much wider stance ...if you don't want 9 inch wheel footprint then go with the shorter f10

 

[HouseFeces]

I’m actually waiting for Boomslang Suspension Sus to release his axles. He mentioned them in a video, and I’m really curious to try them out. For now, I’ve been able to get further than I expected using the Vanquish Currie F10 axles, they’ve proven to be durable so far.


I just got back from the forest about 30 minutes ago. I didn’t stay long since there’s currently an active search in the area for a seriously dangerous individual. Still, I’ve been putting my rig through some serious binds, enough to bend the chassis, pop out links, and even crack my 3d printed skid. I honestly thought with the amount of angle I’ve modded into the F10s, the shafts would have snapped by now. That’s when I originally planned to get the Meus axles. But after all these trips (I hit the forest 3–4 times a week), nothing has snapped, although my back felt like it did today from carrying too much weight.


I go back and forth between preferring the F10 or Capra track width. I often swap out SLW hubs on my Brazen Frontline VRD Carbon, adjusting the width depending on where I’m crawling. I agree. Aside from Meus, I haven’t seen axles with such smooth and sharp steering angles. I even asked Boomslang if the axles he’s working on will be double joints, and he confirmed they will be so I’ve been holding out for those.


If I ever see the Meus Isokinetic axles pop up on Amazon again with same day or next day shipping, I’d buy them in a heartbeat. I actually saw them a while back but passed because I had just picked up the VRD Carbon and hadn’t even had a chance to feel it out yet. I didn’t even realize at the time how much I’d end up valuing steering angle.

 

[Col_Sanders]

No firsthand experience with the Meus or Rhino axles, but I have seen some negative feedback on the Rhinos and mostly positive on the Meus. If I went with any "off brand" axle, spare parts would be a concern for me if they have any sort of proprietary parts. Just me being me, I'd grab a few sets of spare shafts just in case they get discontinued or harder to find in the future.

IIRC, Vanquish lists F10 portals at 49 degrees of steering? You can trim the stops and get a little bit more. I really like F10 portals. I've got 4 trucks with them and between them the only failure has been 2 snapped axle shafts (front short side) and a twisted long side. One of those short sides was completely my fault as I wrapped the winch line around the tire and something had to give. That truck is for competition and I'll bind that thing up pretty hard to not have to reverse.