Jump to content
ceecrb1

Newbie wheel questions

Recommended Posts

Yeah I've searched and seen the subject talked about a lot but got a few specific questions.

I got my son a Frog for Christmas. All was great, amazing day building it together etc etc

The wheels have not survived 3 batteries. Completely broken.
The have all degraded around the 5 nuts and where the outer edges of the stars meet the rims.
 

He's 10 so not exactly been going mental, and had his on the slower gearing setup, there was one hard crash into a kerb but nothing too crazy. That could account for the two on the LHS but not all 4...

Trying to work out what we could have done wrong.
We used thread locker, could that have degraded the plastic?
Should those 5 bolts be fully tightened down or just enough to press against the rubber?

Added pic of one as an example

I've ordered what I think is correct (hex adaptor and wheel sets) but are there any specifics that people are recommending and getting good results with I should look at?

20201230_133159.jpg

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

You might have over torqued the bolts and cracked the plastic, if you’re using thread locker you wouldn’t need to rely on bolt stretch and not need high torque.

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
38 minutes ago, Lee76 said:

You might have over torqued the bolts and cracked the plastic, if you’re using thread locker you wouldn’t need to rely on bolt stretch and not need high torque.

Good point, may have over done on both cases, one made the other redundant...

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

sudden change in temp' can make rubber turn brittle, taking your r/c gear from a nice warm house and then in to the cold can course all kinds of abnormalities on rare actions. let your 'frog' climatize in a porch or somewhere cool before going out in the cold. Best of luck mate don't get put of with the odd teething problem.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

The issue is the plastic rims.
Also I'd agree on temp changes, except we are based in Valencia, Spain.... coldest it's getting is around +8 deg C. Not particularly cold lol.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Thread lock can make plastic brittle.  Loctite, the big US brand warns you not to use on ABS plastic as the main component (acetone) will dissolve ABS.

If you are concerned about losing those little nuts, use a bit of candle wax to “glue” them in place.

Terry

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Thanks for all the replies.
So from what I understand, I may have created the perfect storm and it's all my own fault!

Looking forward to replacements arriving and carrying on the fun :D

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Don't use thread locker on anything with ABS plastic.

Someone here mentioned candle wax. You can also use white glue on the threads, or a tiny dot of superglue (which is chemically quite similar to some threadlock compounds but won't harm plastic.)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Yeah, I think the thread-lock is what did you in. Those 3-piece wheels are generally very durable; I've only broken one ever, and it was a Parma chrome-plated one, in a hard crash in very cold weather. And I've never seen a screw come loose on its own, so I wouldn't bother putting anything on the threads. Just tighten the screws down until they bottom out, and the 3 parts of the wheel are all touching. No need for any more than that. Oh, and it usually helps if you tighten them in a "star" pattern, like you would the lug nuts on a 1:1 car. That keeps everything nice and square, and evens out the load.

  • Like 2

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

+1 with markbt73

After a bit of experience you will get the 'feel' of the bolt tightening by the force needed to turn the screwdriver . A lot of people go past the 'feel' of 'that's it' and overtighten leading to stripped threads and damage etc

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
1 hour ago, Super ally said:

Looking at that wheel the screws seem very far through those nuts.

Agreed. They only need to be hand-tight, with the tip of the bolt just peeking out of the nut.  Cranking them down will cause the splines to break. I know from personal experience...

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

×
×
  • Create New...