TXT-1 stabilizer / anti-sway bar

[Mr. Horsepower]

Since getting the truck running again I've been taking it out a lot- maybe more than I should for a twenty year old vehicle. But I love it and it's just too fun to drive. My preference is speed and so I have it geared fairly fast. I haven't broke too many things thus far but just the other day I managed to snap the front stabilizer bar after running into something. I use two cable ties per side and really cinch them down in an attempt to minimize sway and torque twist. But I think that also puts extra stress at the bend where it broke. Searching for a replacement I spoke with Anthony, Tamico, Tamiya USA, scoured eBay and the rest of the internet and it is safe to say that all stock of the OEM parts (#9805803) are long gone. Discontinued over ten years ago. None to be had anywhere at least that I can find. So it got me wondering about fabricating them. I have some experience with bending music wire and that's the first thing that came to mind. The OEM parts seem to be ~3mm spring steel. Music wire in that diameter is easily sourced and I think the bends required are doable with relatively simple equipment, like a K&S bender and vise. But I have never threaded music wire before and I'm not sure how feasible it is. Is it too brittle to use a die on?  

I'm wondering if anyone one has already done this? Or does anyone have other ideas about how to make replacements for the future? 

Thanks and best wishes for the new year to all!

 

 

[Mad Ax]

I've used 3mm piano wire to make stabiliser bars for my TLT-axle monster truck.  I want to use the same for my TXT-1, but it doesn't have the standard lower links with the holes in, so I need to come up with a different solution.

On my TLT truck I just bent the wire into a flat-bottomed U-shape and cable tied it to the lower links.  Seems to work fine like that on a smaller, lighter truck.  For the TXT, if you could bend in the smaller hooks at the end so it feeds through the hole in the bottom links, just like a standard sway bar, then you could put cable a tie where it goes through the hole, and another where it bends across to the other link.  That should hold it in place, as long as your ties are strong enough.

I've never tried cutting a thread in piano wire, although I have considered it.  I think you'd need a good quality die, plenty of cutting fluid, and lots of patience.

[Mr. Horsepower]

Yes, for sure. The diameter of the Tamiya wire is 2.6mm or roughly 7/64". I have some M3 dies and I'm going to do some experimenting to see how difficult it is to thread music wire of this size.

[Mr. Horsepower]

Okay, yeah, not going to happen with music wire. Either due to my lack of skill, lack of equipment or both, that material is not friendly to cut threads or the sharp 90º bends. So now I'm looking at stainless steel bicycle spokes. They come in 2.6mm diameter and I think will be much more workable. The finish also matches closely with the original parts. Will also see about rolling on the threads instead of cutting.

[Mad Ax]

I managed to get some 90 degree bends in my piano wire, using a metal-jaw bench vice and a hammer.  I started the bend by hand and used a hammer once it was mostly bent over.  I had to wear some thick welding gloves to stop the wire from springing when I hit it, without gloves the springiness transmit all the force of my hammer blow into a 3mm line across the palm of my hand.  Which was a bit unpleasant.

Some heat might have made the bend easier but I'm not sure what effect it would have on the springiness.

[Mr. Horsepower]

Been off the grid for a bit but have been running trucks a lot with my son. Broke another stabilizer bar and I'm sure this will be a recurring situation. Since they are unobtainium from Tamiya I went ahead with the bike spokes and it turns out they work quite well. More workable material than music wire yet still seem to have good strength. Time will tell how they hold up in comparison to the OEM part. They feel similar in the hand in terms of springiness. The spokes cut easily with a Dremel cutoff wheel. Was able to cut threads fairly easily. Not as strong as rolled but for this purpose and the loading it receives it's not an issue. Most difficult part is making the super sharp 90° bends on the two shorter legs. With my limited tools I could only get them a fraction as sharp. Mad Ax I did try a hammer, which does get them very close to a 90° profile but it also mangles it up a bit. Will keep experimenting there- might need something like a hardwood block or aluminum intermediate piece between the hammer and wire. But if anyone down the road needs to make these or something similar, 12 gauge carbon steel bike spokes are a good source of raw material.