The Hornet, rear axle springs, are they needed?

[Dan1891]

I got an old The Hornet from a friend, and now when i started to take it apart to clean up all the gunk and dirt,

i realise that one of the rear axle springs is missing.

Do you really need these springs? They seems so soft, do they do any good at all? 

[markbt73]

The springs help a little to keep the axle from slapping when you accelerate, but there's a much better way. I use an old tie-rod end, drill a hole in that "tongue" sticking out of the front of the gearbox, then another hole in the back of the chassis battery compartment, and screw it in place. If you locate the hole so that the rear axle's mounting pin is halfway up the slots, the axle will still have articulation side to side, but it can't slap up and down in the slots.Works great, and I've done it on a few Hornets over the years.

The photos don't show it well, but maybe a lousy drawing will?

 

[Kowalski86]

They help, but not significantly and sometimes they will even fall put.

In my Super Hornet I'm running some sticky tack where the gearbox "slaps" the chassis, so far its helps prevent that (just probably not as effective as the mod above), still allows full articulation, and it doesn't involve drilling.

[Dan1891]

9 minutes ago, markbt73 said:

The springs help a little to keep the axle from slapping when you accelerate, but there's a much better way. I use an old tie-rod end, drill a hole in that "tongue" sticking out of the front of the gearbox, then another hole in the back of the chassis battery compartment, and screw it in place. If you locate the hole so that the rear axle's mounting pin is halfway up the slots, the axle will still have articulation side to side, but it can't slap up and down in the slots.Works great, and I've done it on a few Hornets over the years.

Ahh, great! Seems to be a much better way than these very loose springs!

But i dont understand one thing:

Do you not using a ball end screw to connect the rod end to? just a regular screw?

[Andreas W]

Or just use the fishing string mod and leave the springs out. No slapping and you have full articulation.

 

 

[Dan1891]

Now i understand!

You use one of these tie rod ends!?

 

 

[Dan1891]

15 minutes ago, Andreas W said:

Or just use the fishing string mod and leave the springs out. No slapping and you have full articulation.

 

Great! That seems to be a very simple and good solution too!

[Dan1891]

Thank you all , now i have some good alternatives to those loose sloppy springs!

[markbt73]

Yes, one of those. A little plastic one, I think it was actually a Traxxas shock end.

[Dan1891]

markbt73, you do you have an reference to where to drill the hole in the chassi? in mm from the bottom or so?