TOPIC:

Is the carbon axle solid or tubular? - some model shops stock carbon fibre tube for heli/plane builds...

This one's solid but I'm thinking you could also fill a hollow one with fiber glass and resin...
Which might be cheaper but still quite strong.

Tube is usually as stronger than solid for some bizarre reason, but no good in point/crush loading situations eg grubscrews. Maybe another trick would be to glue in solid infils local to grubscrew positions? Or get really cunning & do screwed crosspin type thing. Got some 5mm titanium rod kicking about around here somewhere, was using it for stirring paint...

I think I will do some experimenting with that... but the axle is 6mm diameter btw.

Brought the car back to it's F102 identity a bit more by adapting that upper deck so I can fit the friction plate.
All it really needed was an extra hole - which I drilled :


I've put it on already too - while cleaning the friction plate once more for when I get the proper grease :


Advantage of this is that it's now easier to adjust the 2mm screws for tweaking too...

Tube is stronger because the inside and outside of the tube acts as two tube. This works very well if using a clamp type hub but the grub screw like you memtioned and what Tamiya uses for the diff joint break the fibers and weakens the axle.


Steel is the strongest and gives the most rear grip,but it has the weight.
Carbon is light weight,but only Tamiya and Kawada make a solid axle for the c car/F1.
Carbon axles are considered consumable like tires and wheels for Tamiya direct drive cars.
3Racing makes a hallow one that is junk and a Titanium one, which is also junk.
Tamiya made a Titanium option that last about half a year before they stopped selling it. 10 minutes of run time and it would be bent.

The way the Tamiya axles are set up when you break the F103/c car axle you can use it on a F104 as it is shorter.so you can use it with the f104 diff which does not require removing the thrust bearing everytime you take off the right wheel.

as Edou has found there are 4 different diff joints
F102/ c c ar
F103
F103GT
F104
and the axles are all the same except for the F104 which is shorther.
Left side hubs are all interchangable except for the F103GT.
The spacers on the left side are the same for the f103 and F104 if using a height adjustable gear box. A shorter one is need if you are using the height adjustable gear box on the c car t bar.
The best combo by far is the F104 diff, the shorter axle breaks less and the diff is much smoother. It can be used only on a car using an offset gear box/T bar though.

Axle's 6mm? Wonder why they did that? - means you've got some weird size bearings at the back then?
Something that's bugging me about these & you'll know the answer - are they true 1/10 scale or a smaller version of it (I'm assuming I'm not being a numpty & they're not 1/12?) & what diameter are the tyres? What I'm getting at is, will 1/10 touring car shells fit them?

Good stuff again, Rakuda. Thanks.
Indeed the carbon axle is a Kawada - like the spur is too.
Sounds like the titanium items aren't very recommendable.
Had my eye on a 3Racing but I'm definitely taking taking your advice seriously...

Eddrick, the car uses 1260 bearings - later F chassis 1060...
And I think they're really 1/10. Tyre diameter (outside) is 65mm and the C car has a wheelbase of either 26, 27 or 28cm.
Length depends on which setting you use to assemble it... and the total width is 200mm.
This means that the shells are quite big. Which was a big part of the charm for me to start with.

Interesting stuff.... The numbers make them a squiglet bigger than a TL.
Haven't finished the other projects, or even started the one currently bugging me & already I'm thinking about Group Cs with Capri bodies. Hurts even more about missing those cheapies on Ebay on sunday now!

Sounds like a great project again.
I couldn't locate the past auctions btw... but there'll be others.

260960778034 was one, the other was the Jaguar, in better condition, which went for similar money. Give it a few days & check the seller's feedback, maybe you'll be able to view the car from there (Using 'view item' link).
They all sound like great projects, but most get no further than rattling around in my head until I'm bored with thinking about it!
Off subject I know, but you're a man who'd probably know - just bought a "lightweight front wheel set 53046" for the Astute, but the tyres that came with the car don't fit them. They look like the right tyres, but might not be as they were fitted to rims similar to Wild one. The new rims measure 51mm diameter where the tyre sits - is this the same as the standard 'kit' rims? ie are the lightweight ones something special that need special tyres, or have I just got the wrong tyres?