[rc-cellar]

Hello all,
Been 'zoning for quite a while now... put together a nice little mill and I'm having good success making custom parts for r/c trucks.
Here's one for the T-maxx and another for the Savage.

I'm looking for someone to make dogbone axles (no lathe :frown: ) , need a batch of 50 pieces to start, hopefully many more.
Material is #304 stainless (you supply), tolerances are very loose except for the ball-ends which must fit into the drive-cups shown.
The dowel pins are 3mm x 16mm hardened steel (Mcmaster #91545A116 - $10.29/100) you supply and press-in to 3mm drilled holes.
I can provide you with a sample axle, drive-cup, and some dowel-pins for test fitting.
Please no amateurs (like the last guy), these will take a pounding and I intend to give a lifetime guarantee... need quality stuff.

You can send quotes to me at [email protected] and please be HONEST with lead times.
Thanks to all, Steve

[solgood]

Can they be made of 303 stainless?

[rc-cellar]

Honestly I don't know the difference. I chose #304 because I thought it was the most common and cheapest (like 6061 aluminum).
If #303 has comparable strength then yes it's OK.

[Runner4404spd]

the 304 stainless is a bear to machine. 303 machines easily and leaves a very nice surface finish.

[fpworks]

Not trying to interfere with your design, but just some general product feedback coming from a fellow r/c fan. (1/8 scale buggies)

I avoid any shaft/pin/screw made of stainless steel, because it is usually made from cheap stainless steel and bends way too easy. From a racer's standpoint, this can earn you a DNF...from a basher's standpoint, this can stop you from destroying your vehicle even more.

Why not machine from a case hardneable steel like 8620? The material will be cheaper than even 303 stainless, but you would incur additional cost from hardening and black oxiding. However, the finished product would be superior. Just a thought.

[2muchstuff]

these will take a pounding and I intend to give a lifetime guarantee... need quality stuff.

Then I wouldn't use stainless. There is a reason why they use steel for the axels.

[rc-cellar]

OK thanks for the input - never too old to learn.

I guess I overstated the strength issue...
- These axles are replacing the stock ones in photo, I already made them much fatter (.240" vs .160-.180")
- the failure rate for even the stock ones is VERY low... there are so many other "weak links" on these vehicles, like transmission and differential gears. Just think of a real car, not too many in the shop for twisted or bent driveshafts.
- if they do fail, it'll probably be a worn or broken pin as this is where the metal-to-metal contact is made.

Soooo..... I'm open as far as the material goes, no rust is a must.
303 stainless sounds good OR any type of case-hardened steel with rust-resistant coating.

SEND ME SOME QUOTES !!! ...need 'em yesterday.
Thanks, Steve

[InspirationTool]

A few more comments from the helpful peanut gallery...

303 is more easily machined that 304, but 303 can't be welded.

If you really want a lifetime guarantee, you are going to need to speak with a materials/bearing engineer. I'm not sure what the sockets are made of, but I'd worry about galling.

Frankly, I'd create a test bench and run in for a few weeks straight to see what happens.

-Jeff

[coalstove]

Feel free to call me to discuss 410-876-6336, ask for Chip, we are located in Maryland

[fpworks]

Steve,
When racing 1/8 scales, bent axles were common, but it was only from contact with other buggies, because other cars have pointy things that can "get" to axles. Practicing on the track by yourself never yielded bent dogbones/cv joints/axles. If your customers are not racing against other trucks, they may be safe from damaging their axles.

Certain brands had thicker shafts that still bent, but in my experience, I have never bent a Mugen-Seiki shaft...and these are a much smaller diameter than any other brand.

On the other hand, Mugen-Seiki shock shafts tend to break before bending, and that is a bad thing, since you can limp to finish a race on a bent shaft, but not a broken shaft. Some [reckless] racers would run a different brand shock shafts in their shocks that would bend before breaking, just for reliability. However, the frequency of bent [other brand] shafts was higher than the frequency of broken [original] shafts, so there is that consequence to consider as well.

Having said that, it might go a long way to have a material analysis done on successfully designed axles so that you can choose the proper material for your design, especially since you want to use quality for your product advantage.

Good luck!

Justin

[henryblowery]

Come on guys, if I had a cnc lathe I'd be all over this.

I have a question. How do you do the press fit? Do you have to have a hydraulic press, or can you use something else?

I've been messing with Rhino......does this look right?

http://www.freewebs.com/henryblowery/Links.htm

It's the bottom link. I apologize, I ment to attach the file to this thread but it's not the right file extension.



Gray

[rc-cellar]

Henryb you'd be my first choice!

These particular dowel pins are slightly oversized 3.002-3.008mm so they squeeze into a 3mm hole... and stay put.
You don't need any fancy tools, I do them with a bench vise and it doesn't take alot of force.

I don't have Rhino so I can't read your file. Can you save with an .stl or .igs extension so I can view it with Solidworks or Autocad ?

Yes, sorely disappointed. 37,000 members - got 2 replies. (one in broken-English, from Malaysia, with no price)
Maybe everyone is busy posting in the "Who is NOT making money with their cnc ?" thread.

....looks like I'm buying a lathe

[InspirationTool]

Steve, you might try posting on rfqwork.com

-Jeff

[henryblowery]

I don't have Rhino so I can't read your file. Can you save with an .stl or .igs extension so I can view it with Solidworks or Autocad ?

Done. You can find it in the same place.

http://www.freewebs.com/henryblowery/Links.htm

Gray

[rc-cellar]

I'm on rfqwork too, will give it the week and see.

Gray- nice job, just add some flat spots on the ends where the part is cut off.

[rc-cellar]

like this...