DIY 3D Printed Micro RC Steer Axle Built with Springs, Glue, and Dreams 😂 But Will it Actually Work?

When built, not bought goes too far! Despite some great small scale RC 4x4 vehicles and parts already being available, I couldn't help but tinker with my own ultra scale axle design. Simply modifying our MA10 rear axle into a front steerable variant looks promising, but when It came time to create a DIY joint to allow the knuckles to steer, I eventually came up with a simple but sketchy solution. Could springs be a cheap and simple alternative to a conventional U-joint? It looks like it could be, at least for a very specific type of build. I'm sure I'll be tinkering with this axle more in the future, but for now I hope you fin it interesting. Keep on building and tinkering, you never know what solutions you might find. 👍
If you enjoyed this video, check out this 1/24 scale RC Ramcharger build: • A Seriously Scale 1/24...
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MA10 Axle Housing STL files on Patreon: / new-ma10-axle-36827171
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[@MakeItRC]

Thanks for watching everyone! I’m not sure if anyone’s tried this for a crawler axle before but hopefully it proves to be good enough for a very scale RC build. I know far less sketchy looking spring couplers have been used on RC boats for decades, but will it work for a steering axle? Maybe we’ll find out in a future video. Keep on tinkering everyone. 👍

[@nutsandy7183]

My friend and i were brainstorming this and had the same idea, we just failed to actually try it! Glad to see it works, thank you for sharing!

[@MakeItRC]

Great minds think alike! Thanks for watching. 👍

[@Bad-Vertisements]

Have you thought about using braided wire, commonly called wire rope, instead of the springs? It might be worth experimenting with. It would definitely be easier and stronger to solder to the axles, rather than trying to solder the springs. Excellent work as always!

[@MakeItRC]

Thank you, will look into that. 👍

[@Twesion]

If you want the super glue to be a bit stronger, try adding some baking soda. The spring coupling should break way less. Careful though, it heats up a lot.

[@MakeItRC]

Good idea, I'll try that in the future. 👍

[@BillsWorkbench]

Nice work. Maybe swap the direction of the spring on the opposite side will help with the issues. That would make the wound of the spring of the same direction on both sides.

[@EdN4STY]

I got my hands on a 3D printer lately and got some Rally 1/24 Kits laying around, and you know.. they're All wheel drive, and front engine. That would be the next step, I bet you would be the one to make it work!

[@NiteReepa]

Something to try, a cross hole at the ends of the axles to be linked and bend the ends of the spring to pass through said cross holes, making them mechanically linked instead of chemically (i.e. glued). Then as an added bonus you could try a dob of epoxy smushed into the hole once the spring is in to help lock it in place and/or maybe sleaving the spring and a mm or two of axle in heat shrink

[@kieren7763]

I've been making my own shocks lately out of brass tubing and 1.5mm piano wire with printed ends and piston they work great might be worth a try with those leaf springs

[@MakeItRC]

Nice! I've been sort of slacking on shocks. 😆 I've used magnets in the past for dampening. When done right they work nice but aren't the most scale. Sounds like you've got a good set up that would look a lot better. Will have to experiment with something like that. 👍

[@dirtydeedsrc]

Awesome. I can't wait to see this on a fully functional chassis. It will be super cool to see a true 24th scale 4-wheel drive rig on the trails as well. 👍

[@MakeItRC]

Yes hopefully it works out! Would be a lot of fun to do some 4x4 model to RC conversions.

[@OCDRex11]

The transfer case will be fun to design and build! You'll of course do a 1:1 to start, but it could be designed for a selectable 1:1/1:4, etc. Man, I might have to make one now! lol

[@arnejungclaus7957]

Dude, this should work for irs and fwd applications! That opens so many possibilities for model kits, that were previously unimaginably like newer cars, European cars and even Japanese, with irs all around or even hot hatches. I'm exited

[@tankerboysabot]

The good part is the spring helps self center to straight.

[@sabre0smile]

Clicky-Pen springs work quite well in my experience, though the're a little long. The Little extra banding on the end makes the physical connection a bit stronger

[@makestuffbetter19]

They use springs in the drive shaft of weed wackers with curved shafts that transfer quite a bit of torque. Maybe looking to how that works to get more torque out of the spring idea? Not that you’d need it for super scale builds. Just a thought.

[@bigdumbdad2226]

There is a lot of potential there! Keep developing them!

[@wolffin100]

This just popped into my feed ,,,, and I'm thinking I have found the mad scientist of tiny rc things 🙃 Love it 👍🏻👍🏻🙌💯 Subscribed and tagging along 😀

[@mtb0519]

I have used solder to join springs b4 works really well

[@just.jose.youtube]

Awesome idea! Can't wait to see a final version. Springs are also used on angle adapters for small screw drivers so I think you're on top something! Would a tighter coil help?

[@assassinred426]

You may have thought of this or heard of the suggestion but It's what I thought of slightly Use a thicker spring, or Put 2 Springs on each side, but have them facing polarops. So that 1's always pulling on the other as 1's turning one way or the other. Maybe it will Reduce the strain on them.

[@FreedomMTBshorts]

Thank you for making such cool videos about scratch built scale RCs. I’m saving to get one of your kits and try to put it into a 1/25th scale Plymouth duster I’ve had for a while collecting dust.

[@MakeItRC]

Thank you for watching. 👍

[@TheShopMiniRC]

Seems orlandoo cvds or even driveshafts (they have a few options, u joint & cvd) would be exactly what your needing if you can get the axleshaft long enough for the offset diff. The awesome part of using a spring is it’s kind of a build in damper to help reduce breakage when getting bound or under heavy throttle/braking). Also cool it can be made from basic parts. ;)

[@webreakforsquirrel4201]

A Volkswagen beetle swing axle has an interesting design that may be useful to apply in this scenario. The axle is more like a slotted screwdriver and the output cup has 2 half moons that allow pivoting side to side while the slotted end is allowed to oscillate within the cup perpendicular to it. I suppose the difficulty would be making the dual axis cups but it requires no tiny pins or yolks.

[@Scale3DRC]

Perhaps some UV Curing Resin for the Adhesive? Perhaps create some splines in the all thread for the Resin to grip?

[@Robert-ni6ut]

So cool I've used springs ♨ on small rc boats for the prop drive shaft works ok with low power 😊

[@Robert-ni6ut]

Maby try using small rubber hose glued on each end and it will mimic a cv axel boot on real car 👍

[@NBC_NCO]

Excellent. It looks to me that the pivot point on the steering knuckle needs to be changed in such a way that the sping does not stretch or compress but only bends when turning.

[@MakeItRC]

Good eye, looks like the design could use a little adjustment. 👍

[@virtuosoification]

you live my dreams love scale models and wanted to drive them as well .being older and having my own money i now have some choice old rc cars . instant SUB and like

[@Slyd_Fox]

I wonder if using a ball-end hex wrench in the head of the spindle hardware would work?

[@mackenziehenderson5868]

Would love to see what you do with the orlandoo trophy truck, 1/25 and 24 bodies fit pretty well on top but will need to chop the cage slightly as I had to do to mine

[@MakeItRC]

Would be cool to do an Orlandoo build someday, they have some awesome looking kits including that trophy truck.

[@haroldthompson4453]

Have you thought of soldering the springs to the axles?

[@CenReaper.]

Use a soft cable tube for joints.

[@Namrepus221]

Would something like a rubber hose/shrink tubing be more suitable than a spring? Flexible, more easily repaired.

[@Justin90Sawyer]

I have seen other creators use the plastic body of a ball point pen to cut out the cup of a ujoin/yoke.

[@jacobmonger7803]

im unsure if this scales well but i have made some very strong "uni-joints" on lego models using two axles connected by a flexible but firm fuel hosing. it could handle more torque than standard plastic pieces.

[@Justin90Sawyer]

(^-^)/ YOO! Guitar cords or clear (latex?) Fish tank tubing. You can coil your own springs with guitar cords also but may not be the best option but try it. I've also ran guitar cords through that clear tubing before as a conduit with some vary proming results. USE WHITE LITHIUM GREASE. If the cord goes to fast the tube will fail. I've used this as a flexible shaft on a rc boat I built out of scratch and random parts laying around. I was making my own props by hand for fun. This was a hand sized boat. I was able to use the shaft to steer the boat with a minor rutter shape. And nylon bushing made out of scrap.

[@frankgile1996]

Is it possible to somehow solder the spring to the rod and screw either side, instead of gluing? I mean, you'll probably have to sand the plating off (if there's any) from all surfaces, do the soldering, and then re-plate the whole thing afterwards (nickel plating, I'm guessing? This is really out of my depth), but would this actually work?

[@remainsmemories626]

Spot welding springs?

[@hughjanus5518]

Find a way to tac weld the springs.

[@wilebgingy669]

Use 2 spring coiled in different directions.

[@CenReaper.]

It's actually not a perfect power transfer but it's good enough.

[@user-jm8ef2bn5u]

Пружина может давать дополнительные нагрузки на сервопривод, на Thingiverse есть кардан для поездов HO масштаба, попробуй использовать его. Может немного переделать и проверить работоспособность!?

[@meatman9570]

It's compatible with orlandoo hunter front axle parts? I like you videos

[@dacooter]

Hey There, I like your work. You mentioned Orlandoo axles, as well as flashed a picture of some Geko24 axles. I have a set of 60mm black and red aluminum Orlandoo axles sitting around. If you'd like them, hit me up with a shipping address. On another note, the Kuro King X-ROW has lockable diffs in a 1/24 scale axle (similar to the GK24 size). They're sweet. Check them out if you have the money.

[@MakeItRC]

Thanks for watching and glad you enjoyed the video! The Kuro King 2.0 looks awesome. Amazing piece of engineering!