Repairing split SCX hubs - size of tubing needed Options

[snurfen]

Hello folks, I need to repair an SCX wheel that will not stay on the hub. It has slit on the tube that sits on the axle.

It's off a Skoda Octavia rally car, and I need to know the size of tybe that will act as an effective sleeve on the split part.

Any ideas? Unfortunately, I brought one in to work to take to the local model shop that has all the required brass tubing, but I can't find it now. Grrrrrr

[Julian_Boolean]

You need tubing with a 3/32" inner diameter - I think it's sold as 3/32 tubing, this will give a sliding fit on the axle, if you want a tight fit on the axle then probably best to go for 1/16 tubing.

[Mr Modifier]

Julian, I don't think that's what Snurfen is asking. By the sound of it His wheel is split and he needs a sleeve to go around the outside of the bit of the wheel that goes over the axle.

Snurfen - I don't know if SCX wheels have a standard "tube" bit that the axle pusjes into. I just measured my SCX NASCAR and the internal diameter of the tubing would need to be 5mm or 6/32".

If it's a bit tight then you can always spin up the wheel and sand the diameter down a tad.

[Ember]

6/32" internal sounds about familiar. But it's sold by external diameter, so you need the next size up. If you use aluminium rather than brass it's possible to stretch a slightly too tight cuff over the hub.

[snurfen]

6/32 it was indeed. Thanks for the tips folks,much appreciated.

The alu tube I got from B&Q (you're right, I "didn't just do it.....") looked the biz in the shop, but when I got it home and sawed the requisite slice off,it was eccentric - the walls were different thickness so the profile of the tube was actually cam-like.

Off to the local model shop in the morning armed with some SCX wheels to try out his brass stock.

Sad to say, the car needed TLC needed the vet with his bolt gun. I rummaged around in my big bag of old wheels and found a suitable replacement.

[alexis in greece]

I was ready to put my Skoda in the box to post to SCX Proxy Rally when i realised that 3 out of 4 rims were loose on the axles.A close examination proved that they had cracked.


A quick search showed no replacement parts in by spare box.No time to order new ones.So here is what i came up with.

I cut a piece of 1mm brass sheet 4-5 mm bigger than the dia of wheel center,in this case wheel center is 6 so i cut 11x11.Drilled a hole 1,75 mm as centered as i could then mounted the piece on the dremel axle we usually mount the cutting disk on.



I filed the square down to a disk of 10mm dia.


Then drilled the disk.The tricky part is this:i used 5 bits 3mm,4mm,4.75,5.5,6 one after the other because it is very difficult to hold the tiny disc in place while drilling.In reality a 6mm bit gives a 5.6-5.7 mm hole which is perfect for the job.The general rule is that the final drill has to be ~.5 mm smaller than the desired dia.


I filed conically the hole to reach the desired dia using a round file,one tiny step at a time,test fitting between steps.When done correctly(i scrapped 4-5 before getting it right) you can press fit the disk over the wheel center.Then
you dont even have to super glue the rim on the axle,i did because they have to last a whole championship.
Sorry for the bad photos but it was a rush job.

[steveaca]

Great job. My SCX Citroen C4 had the same problem with one rim. I just epoxied it on. It's working so far.

[Abarth Mike]

Not scientific but I have used the barrel of a Reynolds ball point.



The end is tapered so I kept cutting a small piece off until I got the correct size then cut off a 5mm slice.

[mtucker666]

Can be used as a repair or preferably as prevention . Wrap cotton thread round the rim lots and then liberally apply some superglue to the thread.

Matt

[mtucker666]

Alexis, shame for all the rest of us proxy runners you noticed the issue before posting the car off!

Matt

[fl_slotter]

While not as pretty as some of the fixes above, I have had total repair success using beverage straws and JB Weld - which is a two part epoxy type of adhesive.

Most of the time the beverage straws are free when you purchase a beverage. I just use a small amount of JB Weld to hold the split hub together, then put a small amount of JB Weld on the outside of the hub and slide a piece of straw over it.

I've not had any issues using this method.