Caldera: Cheap/Alternate BS903-019 Driveshaft?
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Caldera: Cheap/Alternate BS903-019 Driveshaft?
Hi all,
I have a 1/10th Caldera and think it's a good value, and most of the weak points are easy to address (new servo, metal front hubs, keep a spare diff on the shelf)... but I'm constantly bending front dogbones (BS903-019). Moderate front wheel impacts that my other RCs brush off commonly bend one... and as soon as that happens the steering radius gets much worse since the front hub can't turn as far with a bent shaft spinning inside it.
During the summer, careful outdoor driving definately helps when I'm bashing in the local parks... but in the winter I've been taking it to an indoor offroad carpet track: and there any mistake means you usually hit something made of concrete. I can't afford bending 2-3 dogbones in a day when a pair costs $9-$11.
Does anyone know of an alternate hardened part number? Or something that works from another kit? Or an online store that may sell me 5 pairs at a discount?
I bend them back as best as I can, and put the best ones into the rear... but that only let me steal 2 straight driveshafts from the back: I still have about 4 more semi-bent ones on the shelf
Thanks!
I have a 1/10th Caldera and think it's a good value, and most of the weak points are easy to address (new servo, metal front hubs, keep a spare diff on the shelf)... but I'm constantly bending front dogbones (BS903-019). Moderate front wheel impacts that my other RCs brush off commonly bend one... and as soon as that happens the steering radius gets much worse since the front hub can't turn as far with a bent shaft spinning inside it.
During the summer, careful outdoor driving definately helps when I'm bashing in the local parks... but in the winter I've been taking it to an indoor offroad carpet track: and there any mistake means you usually hit something made of concrete. I can't afford bending 2-3 dogbones in a day when a pair costs $9-$11.
Does anyone know of an alternate hardened part number? Or something that works from another kit? Or an online store that may sell me 5 pairs at a discount?
I bend them back as best as I can, and put the best ones into the rear... but that only let me steal 2 straight driveshafts from the back: I still have about 4 more semi-bent ones on the shelf
Thanks!
#2
RE: Caldera: Cheap/Alternate BS903-019 Driveshaft?
I dont know of any dogbones from other models that would work in the caldera....
I can sell you a bunch for a lower price....
And I know it helps to use bits of fuel tubing in the drive cups (especially the diff output cup) to help center the dogbone.
Sometimes the reason they bend is cause the move to far into one cup or the other...which makes the other end bind up and twist the dogbone.
You want the dogbone to have enough play to move as the suspension does. But that only means 1/8 inch of play.
On my EPX Pro models I find the fuel tubing trick makes the dogbones far less likely to bend or break.
I can sell you a bunch for a lower price....
And I know it helps to use bits of fuel tubing in the drive cups (especially the diff output cup) to help center the dogbone.
Sometimes the reason they bend is cause the move to far into one cup or the other...which makes the other end bind up and twist the dogbone.
You want the dogbone to have enough play to move as the suspension does. But that only means 1/8 inch of play.
On my EPX Pro models I find the fuel tubing trick makes the dogbones far less likely to bend or break.
#5
RE: Caldera: Cheap/Alternate BS903-019 Driveshaft?
ORIGINAL: drbogger
Could you please share how you did this? Got any pics to show details?
Could you please share how you did this? Got any pics to show details?
#7
Member
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: , NY
Posts: 40
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: Caldera: Cheap/Alternate BS903-019 Driveshaft?
just get some hpi dogbones. take one with you and size it up. if its a little big bring out the ball joints a few mm, if its too small, bring them in/fuel tubing.
#9
Member
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: , NY
Posts: 40
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: Caldera: Cheap/Alternate BS903-019 Driveshaft?
oh i'm sorry i htought that it had the same setup as the vortex/tornado, but it's setup like the shockwave, so it's not adjustable.
#10
Junior Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Ballston Spa, NY
Posts: 15
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: Caldera: Cheap/Alternate BS903-019 Driveshaft?
ORIGINAL: nitrosportsandrunner
ill try and make some pics to upload later. Its fairly simple tho.
ORIGINAL: drbogger
Could you please share how you did this? Got any pics to show details?
Could you please share how you did this? Got any pics to show details?
#11
Senior Member
Thread Starter
RE: Caldera: Cheap/Alternate BS903-019 Driveshaft?
Hi drbogger,
Do you have a Caldera or EPXmodel? Nitrosportsandrunner was talking about the tubing trick for the EPXline since they have dogbones: it won't work with Caldera's since they have a universal joint connecting the driveshafts to the wheel axles.
ORIGINAL: drbogger
Any plans on the pictures yet? I already have a bent dogbone on one of my front wheels from a crash. Would like to do this mod when i replace it.
Any plans on the pictures yet? I already have a bent dogbone on one of my front wheels from a crash. Would like to do this mod when i replace it.
#12
Junior Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Ballston Spa, NY
Posts: 15
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: Caldera: Cheap/Alternate BS903-019 Driveshaft?
ORIGINAL: PetRock
Hi drbogger,
Do you have a Caldera or EPXmodel? Nitrosportsandrunner was talking about the tubing trick for the EPXline since they have dogbones: it won't work with Caldera's since they have a universal joint connecting the driveshafts to the wheel axles.
Hi drbogger,
ORIGINAL: drbogger
Any plans on the pictures yet? I already have a bent dogbone on one of my front wheels from a crash. Would like to do this mod when i replace it.
Any plans on the pictures yet? I already have a bent dogbone on one of my front wheels from a crash. Would like to do this mod when i replace it.
#13
Senior Member
My Feedback: (1)
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Palo,
IA
Posts: 195
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: Caldera: Cheap/Alternate BS903-019 Driveshaft?
ORIGINAL: PetRock
Do you have a Caldera or EPXmodel? Nitrosportsandrunner was talking about the tubing trick for the EPXline since they have dogbones: it won't work with Caldera's since they have a universal joint connecting the driveshafts to the wheel axles.
Do you have a Caldera or EPXmodel? Nitrosportsandrunner was talking about the tubing trick for the EPXline since they have dogbones: it won't work with Caldera's since they have a universal joint connecting the driveshafts to the wheel axles.
#14
Senior Member
Thread Starter
RE: Caldera: Cheap/Alternate BS903-019 Driveshaft?
ORIGINAL: NewRageRC
Why wouldn't it work? Pull the pin out, put the piece of fuel tubing in and put it back together..? There is still some play at that end because of the slotted hole for the pin.
Why wouldn't it work? Pull the pin out, put the piece of fuel tubing in and put it back together..? There is still some play at that end because of the slotted hole for the pin.
#15
Junior Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Ballston Spa, NY
Posts: 15
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: Caldera: Cheap/Alternate BS903-019 Driveshaft?
ORIGINAL: PetRock
There's maybe a fraction of a mm of play at most: the pin doesn't have much space around it. The slot may look wide near the outside of the ball... but it's pinched in at the center. Also, the tubing trick is most often used to keep the dogbones centered so they don't slide too far into either cup and pop out easily: the Caldera driveshafts never pop out.
ORIGINAL: NewRageRC
Why wouldn't it work? Pull the pin out, put the piece of fuel tubing in and put it back together..? There is still some play at that end because of the slotted hole for the pin.
Why wouldn't it work? Pull the pin out, put the piece of fuel tubing in and put it back together..? There is still some play at that end because of the slotted hole for the pin.
So I did do the fuel tubing trick to that axel. The rest of them look fine though.