Snapping axle tubes.....

[oxide80]

OK... 1 battery charge... 4 broken rear axle tubes and 1 knuckle. I know I'm still using factory axle parts, but i went a year of aggressive use with nothing breaking... now under easy/moderate use they break.... I have CPE rear lockouts in it, Terminator chassis, CPE wheel wideners. What is a good affordable option for aftermarket tubes?

 

[Badmudrtruckr]

I have had good luck with the Integy alloy tubes/knuckles (the standard ones- Not the heavy duty ones). They are really nice quality for the price. I only had a problem with breakage up front though so I only upgraded the front ones. I've had them about three years without any problems.

 

[TXT-2.0]

silly question but do you have your axle braces on ? i bash mine and have not broke a stock tube yet

 

[oxide80]

i have the factory braces that run to the main case, and the CPE rear lockouts between the knuckles and tubes. Its just the rear too, I have not broken anything in the front except for a servo saver, and bent the CPE BTA steering link.

 

[Badmudrtruckr]

I've never broken a stock tube on my Terminator either, but I used to break them all the time when I had a Z4 because of the way both links mounted to the tubes instead of using a top link mount. I think your main culprit is probably the extra leverage caused by using the CPE wideners. I still use the stock tubes in the rear but since I'm running CVDs combined with TTR 3/4" wideners it reduces the amount of leverage on the tubes/knuckles so luckily nothing has broken yet.

 

[oxide80]

I was thinking of setting it up for 4ws to see if i still have the problem, just to rule out a problem with the lockouts. They do sit flush with in the c-hubs and dont appear to be bent.... Just seems funny I broke so many things with out abusing it.

 

[highroller]

what are the hot racing ones like? I also need tubes and knuckles.

 

[Renegade]

it is those cpe lockouts for sure... I ran them on a truck and they are such a tight fit between the knuckle and tube that they over stress the axle tubes which is why you are snapping so many. I'm not the only one to see this issue either, I've heard a few other guys experienced the same issue.

I'd check out that wheely bar style lockout scottyK makes, that would look good on any clod

 

[oxide80]

Thanks for the heads up, It strange I went over a year of bad abuse with nothing, I have run both 16.8v Titans and Castle 5700's on 7.4v and no problem until now. maybe I will try the wheely bar/lock out combo see how that works. I figured the fronts would be the first to break... they stress and flex alot.....

 

[Mo']

Yeah those CPE lockouts apply pressure to the C hubs and knuckles in a way they arent really designed for. A more traditional lockout will put the stress where it belongs.

 

[oxide80]

Thats what I was thinking about trying 1st, No matter what in a Mod Clod stress is being applied the the axles that it was not engineered for...

 

[Mo']

Thats what I was thinking about trying 1st, No matter what in a Mod Clod stress is being applied the the axles that it was not engineered for...

No doubt man. We are pushing these things to do stuff they were never intended to do. At least a traditional lockout stresses the correct components of the truck rather than areas that are weren't designed to have certain loads on them.

 

[monsterjamman24]

I have both the old Hot Racing axle tubes(had to drill a hole) and the integy ones with stock knuckles on both, must say I haven't had a problem with either, and that If i built another clod today I would defiantly use the integy ones, much easier to use since you dont need to drill a hole. I just decided I was not going to deal with having to replace axle tubes every so often because I some what bash and freestyle them around, and landings on one wheel etc onto asphalt doesn't lead to long life of axle tubes, So I figured the 60 buck investment was worth it for me.

 

[Mo']

Come to think of it I cant remember the last time I broke a stock axle tube. Knuckles however are another story haha.

 

[oxide80]

this is the first knuckle I broke, i figured the fronts would be the first to go , lol with all the stuff I hit... including my wife at wide open throttle....( not intentional, but it was kinda comical seeing her try to move out of the way when I lost control of it)

 

[24-7rc]

Ya believe or not I like the integy tubes, hate there stuff but they actually are nice, the only complaint with the integy tubes and knuckle's is there bearings they give you are junk