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Problems with making a Slot.it independent front xle

3326 Views 17 Replies 6 Participants Last post by  Flange, 
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Hi all, I'm trying to figure out what has gone wrong here!, its regarding the making of independent front axles, I had already made some with Slotting Plus parts - hollow axles 50 and 55mm plus their brass eyelets, I found they work great but as a user also of Slot.it parts I decided to make up some Slot.it independent front axles with of course Slot.it parts, so I purchased a 55mm hollow axle and some brass eyelets(slot.it) and found the eyelets to be too loose/sloppy, the slotting plus ones are even looser. I was told I needed to buy the Slot.it brass eyelets but the silver coloured ones, which I did as I was also told that these would be a push fit, when I got these eyelets they would not fit in at all, they looked to be over size or too fat, now I was told that these are the correct eyelets to use, so I tried my hardest to push the eyelets in with absolutely no luck and a sore finger, so out came the hammer(I knew this would be a mistake!), anyway to cut a long story short I ended up destroying the eyelet and the axle, the eyelet would not fit in even with a hammer to help it along.

I'm don't know if I've been told the wrong information on what eyelet to use or if I have got something mixed up, I'm a bit annoyed a wrecking a brand new Slot.it hollow axle and the eyelet, they aren't cheap at nearly £4 for one axle and £3 for 10 eyelets. The silver coloured Slot.it eyelets are the fattest diameter size, then slightly smaller the brass coloured Slot.it eyelets and then smaller still are the Slotting Plus eyelets. Next time I'll just use a smaller size eyelet and glue it in place, but I was 100% definitely told that the silver coloured Slot.it eyelets will "push fit" into a Slot.it hollow axle, and I was told this by a guy that supposedly knows his stuff.

Any thoughts on this appreciated, thank you.

Note: these are the eyelets I purchased:
SLOT.IT brass eyelets independent front x10 ref. SISP17, it even says that they are for the independent front axle, surly this means the Slot.it hollow axle that is available separately, that I purchased and wrecked. The Slot.it axle that comes in the independent kit is the same as the Slot.it hollow axles that are available separately aren't they?, if so surly these eyelets should have fit my axle, that is now in the bin.
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QUOTE (Flange @ 27 Nov 2011, 12:15) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>This 'bad batch' has been around for about a year lol , you just have to get a smaller eyelet and put it in stead ..
Wish I knew that at the time of buying or when trying to make them up, no wonder this guy I spoke to never said anything to me as he apparently had close contacts with Slot.it themselves, you see I asked about this before on another forum a while ago and was told they are "a push fit", and because the guy who told me this was supposed to be a reputable guy I had no reason to believe other wise.

He must have known why they didn't fit but never said anything, so their is me trying to push in the eyelet and no way was it going in, so a gentle tap with a hammer - may be?, next thing I have am eyelet all bent and stuck half in the axle, it wouldn't go in or come out, the axle and the eyelet ended up destroyed.


Of course I could have just glued the other Slot.it eyelet in - the brass coloured ones, I even specially ordered the silver coloured Slot.it eyelets for the job.

This is not good, I was not happy to say the least at wasting £4 on an axle and £3 on some eyelets that don't fit, ok its only £4 for a hollow axle, but now I will have to buy another, so over a tenner with the eyelets I will have spent just to get a front independent axle, that most likely doesn't do anything performance wise anyway, but for piece of mind I like the idea of using this type of axle as it may give a slightly better performance, just as long as your front wheel doesn't fall off(eyelet come un-glued).


So what is the problem the axle or the eyelet?,
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QUOTE (zarko @ 27 Nov 2011, 12:12) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>I also purchased Slot.it independent front axle kit SIPA39 and had the same problem with eyelets not fitting inside the axle. I thought it was just a one off but it looks like there is more to it and perhaps a bad batch is currently in circulation?
So you even had the same problem with the "Kit", I wonder if it is the eyelets that is the problem or the axles.
Funny how I have never heard of this problem before, they kept that quiet.
Also how come I was still able to buy the parts today and have this problem anyway, if they knew about this a year or so ago?, this is not good for customers, at least I'm not pleased about it, I don't have money just to waste like this.
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QUOTE (Flange @ 27 Nov 2011, 13:17) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>If using a torquey motor on a wooden track at least the independent axle does make a large difference , the reason it doesn't fit is because the new hollow axles have a smaller hole in and therefore needs to be drilled out to 2mm to fit the eyelets that come with it which happen to be the same eyelets as before when they sold the kit with the larger holed axle
Sounds like they don't want people to be making their own independent front axles up and want us to buy the kits, although the guy above said he had the same issue with the Kit.
I wish I knew about having to drill the axle, still again after speaking to a reputable guy about this he never mentioned about having to drill the axle.
I was wondering before if that it was something to do with the axle, I thought maybe the one in the Kit had a larger hole, which you just said it did.
Its getting a bit confusing now.
Oh well, lesson learnt!, will just use the smaller eyelets when I buy a new axle. Thanks for helping understand why the problems, appreciated.
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QUOTE (Flange @ 27 Nov 2011, 13:27) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>I'm not saying they knew about it a year ago ... The racers have just I don't know it anyone's reported it
Ok, I get ya. Would have thought they would have known by now though, surly, don't they check these things!
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QUOTE (Flange @ 27 Nov 2011, 14:06) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Who was that?
PM sent!
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QUOTE (Flange @ 27 Nov 2011, 13:17) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>If using a torquey motor on a wooden track at least the independent axle does make a large difference , the reason it doesn't fit is because the new hollow axles have a smaller hole in and therefore needs to be drilled out to 2mm to fit the eyelets that come with it which happen to be the same eyelets as before when they sold the kit with the larger holed axle
I was wondering if that the axle in the kit had a larger hole to fit the eyelets in.

But still I was told that with the parts I have purchased separately, the hollow axle and the eyelets, that the eyelets are just a push fit, maybe this guy was winding me up!.

I should have realised they wasn't going to fit - not way - not even with a hammer!. I know, what was I thinking - a hammer, lol.

Ended up with an eyelet jammed half way in the axle at a wonky angle, I pulled it out with flat-nose pliers and the eyelet just ripped in half, so I had half of it proper stuck in the axle.
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QUOTE (CJA @ 28 Nov 2011, 11:51) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Ey Up,

this is part of the problem, use a hex-driver ( I use my Slot-it size Hudy ), as a "mandrel" to ensure the ferrule is straight, and with a few taps of a SMALL hammer it will go in.

Your situation is redeemable !!. Insert the remaining ferrule in the undamaged axle end, as above, and then fit the other wheel in the normal fashion.

They are still independent although one turns with the axle !!.

If you have a long sweeper on your track, fit the "axle-wheel" to the inside side of the car !!.

vbr Chris A.
Hi, I did try that at first, putting a small jewellers type hex screwdriver in the eyelet and tapping it in, BUT - the hex screwdriver just went straight through the end of the eyelet, it was way too tight of a fit to go in!.

This is how I actually use my independent front axles, I have one wheel spinning freely and the other held in place as it would normally with the wheels grub screw, so that it spins with the axle on one side only.

I ended up with the eyelet wedged in the end of the axle, I tried to pull it out with flat nose pliers but it was well and truly stuck, and just kept breaking apart as I kept pulling it - until I had no more metal sticking out to pull on, but had the other half stuck inside the axle.
I tried everything I could to remove it, but not owning a drill, I couldn't try and drill it out to remove it, by the time I had finished the axle was a mess, yes I could have perhaps used a Dremmel to cut the axle shorter so at least it might have still been useful, but again I don't own a Dremmel.

I'll just stick with my Slotting Plus independent axles for the time being, just as good and cheaper to buy.
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QUOTE (CJA @ 28 Nov 2011, 11:51) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Ey Up,

this is part of the problem, use a hex-driver ( I use my Slot-it size Hudy ), as a "mandrel" to ensure the ferrule is straight, and with a few taps of a SMALL hammer it will go in.

Your situation is redeemable !!. Insert the remaining ferrule in the undamaged axle end, as above, and then fit the other wheel in the normal fashion.

They are still independent although one turns with the axle !!.

If you have a long sweeper on your track, fit the "axle-wheel" to the inside side of the car !!.

vbr Chris A.
Hi, I did try that at first, putting a small jewellers type hex screwdriver in the eyelet and tapping it in, BUT - the hex screwdriver just went straight through the end of the eyelet, it was way too tight of a fit to go in!.

This is how I actually use my independent front axles, I have one wheel spinning freely and the other held in place as it would normally with the wheels grub screw, so that it spins with the axle on one side only.

I ended up with the eyelet wedged in the end of the axle, I tried to pull it out with flat nose pliers but it was well and truly stuck, and just kept breaking apart as I kept pulling it - until I had no more metal sticking out to pull on, but had the other half stuck inside the axle.
I tried everything I could to remove it, but not owning a drill, I couldn't try and drill it out to remove it, by the time I had finished the axle was a mess, yes I could have perhaps used a Dremmel to cut the axle shorter so at least it might have still been useful, but again I don't own a Dremmel.

I'll just stick with my Slotting Plus independent axles for the time being, just as good and cheaper to buy.
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