I let my son's 9 yr old friend take the CKS for a run on the beach tonight - not sand but boulder-sized rocks. Ended up breaking a front axle shaft - the one that runs from the diff to to the wheel. I was pretty p'o'd as I generally run my crawler very conservatvely. Plus, getting a part means a 2 weeek wait!!!!

The damage was a shaft with the dogbone (NB terminology) being sheared off.

I decided to make my own. The closest "rod thing " in diameter was a front skewer off an old Shimano bike hub. The strongest material I could find for the "pin" was a stainless steel bike spoke. I first drilled the hole for the spoke using an old drill press. I then cut the skewer to the right length. I pushed the spoke into the drilled hole for a prefect fit. I used a bench grinder to make the end of the shaft the right size/shape to fit the diif locks in the diff case.

I swear to God, that this process took no more than 1 hr (including drink breaks - whiskey and water) and works like a freakin' charm.





I've gone from severe p.o'd (crawler down for two weeks) to elated (crawling tomorrow) in less than 60 minutes. I feel like making these for all my axles as they are much stronger than stock.

hobby shop - "we don't need no steenkin' hobby shop"

you are too good with your off-the-shelf ( or under ) fab work

nice work !

( being handy with your hands sure helps when it comes to "hobbies" )

I think that I would have beat the crap out of that rock

Thanks for the support. I've pretty much given up on my LHS as they still don't know what RC rockcrawling is and I don't feel inclined to educate them on it.

As for tonight's fiasco (letting a 9 yr old run rampant with my crawler) I accept full responsibility - that's why I sucked it up and heaed for the shed for immediate repairs.


First I had to determine what I could use for a a shaft replacement. An old front wheel skewer was just the right diameter. Then I drilled a hole for the spoke - as the pin. Then I cut the shaft to length and shaped the end. It as almost surreal how it all fit together - but I am happpy.

I guess the lesson is "Never buy what you can make yourself" OR "You'd be amazed at what you can make yourself"

Sean

see this is why you should give your son your newbright. so that if he breaks it you don't really have to worry. but glad to hear that the surgery was performed well. i took mine for some "testing" today at a friends house. made a little jump for it to go off. amazed at how much of a beating in can take also the battery life is impressive too.

Suregy went better than expected. The paient is expected to come out better than prior to suregery. At stock this thing jumps like a a SOB. After mods, it tends to land a little less favorably - its a weight distribution thing!!

Sean

dude, looks better than stock! anyways, its a learning experience... never let anyone drive you best rig! i had to learn this the hard way... bought a honda scooter let my buddy drive it, he came in to his driveway too fast hit the grass and bam did a ten foot flip and broke the key off in the ignition... on the first day i had it! i know its as sholish to say no, but seriously you have to... unless im in town, then you should let me have a go! haha

55t in yet?

my bats are almost in and il show ya the progess when they get here

55t is not in yet - soon, I hope. I had to take the stock out two days ago because it wouldn't run on its own. I ran it in a glass of water for about .5 hr and a bunch of carbon came out. Oiled it, popped it back in and away she went. Actually it is running more better now than ever. I did notice my battery life sucked last going off and I think it must have been the carbon buildup. Do not take this as an endorsement for water cleaning - I just did it because the motor was crapped out and I couldn't think of anything better to do with it. Believe it or not it was the same child using it when the motor stopped as when the axle shaft broke. I don't think he'll be using my crawler anymore.

you know what the funniest part is... we are grown men playing with toys and kids arent allowed to touch them HAHA, WE RULE!

jeeze, when I was a kid this kind of stuff either didn't exist, or it was WAY TO MUCH for me to afford - but now, it's a different story ( haha ).

I was following a big 4x4 the other day, and the protective cap on the trailer hitch said - -

"toys go here"

we aren't the only ones - the scale is just different