Axles???

[Fletch3]

What is everyone’s opinion on axles? As of late I have ran into some Slot it axles that are bent. Tonight I ran into a Slotingplus that was slightly bent. I only run on wood so it really shows up on acceleration.

[waaytoomuchintothis]

Error, see below.

[HomeRacingWorld]

Well, I have been using Sloting Plus and Slot.it. Not a one yet has been bad in the last 8 or so pairs.

But once in awhile, it happens. Not seeing a lot on this end though.

[RazorJon]

I use ejector pins for ejection mold machines they are hard and ground to a exact tolerance most pins are .0005 under 1\8th or 3\32

[RichD]

I have never gotten a bent Slot.it axle. Back when I had access to a machine shop I could stick an axle in a lathe and check it with a dial gauge. According to the package Slot.it axles are "rectified", I once asked a machinist what that meant and he said that they were straightened. If I am building a car from parts I use drill blanks from McMaster-Carr, those are probably centerless ground and should be both round and straight, in addition they are hardened.

[Pappy]

I've been using drill blanks from Grainger. So far, so good.

[munter]

I have never had an issue using slotit axles...and I have used many.
I like drill blanks too and have bought a few six packs off eBay....no issues there either.

I have looked unsuccessfully for a cheaper option but without much success...any pointers?

[waaytoomuchintothis]

[Fletch3]

There not extremely bad, it’s just I have been putting a lot of focus on as low of a tolerance as possible on the entire build of a car. When I put the axle in the chassis and put it on my block and lower the power down as far as possible I can see one side slightly wobble. Not saying it is affecting the car that bad but I’m just trying to get everything straight and as true as possible. All the little things add up. But I will say that I did find two that were real bad. When I rolled them across the block you could plainly see the bow.

[BRS Hobbies]

I have seen 3/32" axles tweak just by tightening the set screw of the wheels and/or the crown gear. I find it best to snug up the set screw but not too tight or it might induce a wobble.

Best regards,
Brian

[BIG E]

Yep, same here. 1/32 or 1/24 scale, home or commercial tracks -- drill blanks are the way to go, especially (at least!) on the rear drive axle. Been doin' it that way since the early 1970s commercial track wars.

Keep it runnin' smooth... -- Ernie :>)

[RichD]

If tightening the set screws on your wheels or gears bends or even leaves marks on your axles those are of inferior quality. I use drill blanks made of M42 steel, the ones from McMaster-Carr now cost $3.68 each compared to Slot.it axles that cost $2.00.

[ConrodJo]

Been building RTR cars for at least 10 years - probably a couple of hundred competitive cars for club, national and proxy events. The only bent as supplied axles I have ever come across were Ninco and Fly Racing.
I can only recall bending one or two axles in all that time through crash damage and that was in magnet racing situations, where different types of stress force occur in multi-vehicle crashes.

Mr BRS Hobbies, I gotta call ya on this one
It is physically impossible to bend a hardened steel axle by tightening up a black metal grub screw if the gear/wheel are the correct size hole - there is simply no point of stress or leverage in the physics, let alone the possibility of enough screw force being generated unless you had at least M3 grubs, going through something harder than aluminium and a dang strong tip on your 1.5mm hex wrench

[waaytoomuchintothis]

I suspect he is talking about some wheels in the past that would deform at the hub when the grub screw was overtightened. It never was a lot, but the wobble became a hop fast on the straightaway. The axles didn't deform but the wheel hub sure did. The material the wheels are made from these days is more likely to strip out and let the grub screw fall out, or, as has been said, the hex wrench will roundover (exasperatingly).

[ConrodJo]

:text-yeahthat: Ah yes waytoomuchintothis, - I think you may have well connected the hammer to the blunt bit of the nail there, despite the dubious source of wisdom in your signature.
- I always thought that was a George Washington quote. :laughing-rolling:
If I were smarter or less senile I might have thought of that possibility.