DFW axle bend

[FatSebastian]

How much do you bend your dominant front wheel (DFW) axle and why?

[pwrd by tungsten]

for BSA wheels 3.5 degrees or higher. Often 5-7 degrees.

[sporty]

The varying of bend of the axle for RR, there our factors that go into several relationships to the car build.


1- the axle whole drilled or slot, will factor into the prefered bend for the RR wheel.


Why ?

Trueness and accurecy of a drilled whole or axle slot. Height of the axle whole.


2- weight placement and the rear axle cant, either drilled or bent axles.

Standard or exstended wheel base.

Wheel o.d. can effect what the true size of cant you actually have or are using. stock untouched wheels. say for example, versus lathed, shaved or sanded wheels.


Why- It will effect how much bend is needed or desired, based on how little or exstreme of a balance point you use on the car.

The canting of the rear wheels, will also play and effect what bend is best suited for the RR wheel.

You can cant, so much, that you can cause friction in the axle head to wheel. Or you can get to much rub on the side of the track quide.

In other words, there is a relationship between these's area's that play a role in what prefered bend you should use.


3- To much of a bend of the axle, can cause issues with the wheel turning and touching inside the whole bore during rotating, unless you cut or remove some material on the axle. And where at, improper bend or a bend that ends up inside the wheel bore.


4- The standard degree of say 2.5 may not really be 2.5 degrees.


Factors: You might have removed to much material from the wheel bore, you might remove to much material from the axle. More bore and axle gap, effect the desired outcome of the degree of cant.

Meaning, It might be that you bent that axle at 2.5, but you are not ending up with 2.5 degrees of cant.


5- The more you bend the RR axle, the harder it becomes to adjust for rail riding. It becomes much more sensative, and for novice builders. May become very upsetting and frustrating in trying to dial in a car. When they are new to it.



Other Notes:


I drill my axle wholes canted, Even the RR wheel. I still use a mildly bent axle for the RR. This allows me easier tuning and less effect of drastic change to my cant of the RR wheel.


I discovered for myself and shared with others. It seems there is a real realtionship between the front RR wheel cant and the Rears.

It changes the height of the car some. A little is good, to much, can effect your exspected outcome. It does effect the shift in weight of the car during the slope and onto the flat.


With that out of the way.

I like to drill a cant of 2.2 to 2.7 degrees for my rears. I mention this because it is in relationship to what I will cant my front RR wheel.

(the 2.2 to 2.7 degree) range on the rear, is due to axle thickness and width of the wheels.

Now Since I factor in my weight placement, axle whole height.
(my axle whole is not the same in the front as the rear).

Example: pro body jig, axel whole for rear is higher up. standard axle whole height for the front.

I use my adjustable angle block, to drill a 5 to 7 degree cant. Sometimes I use 6 degrees.

I then use a 1.2 degree to 1.5 degree bend for the axle.

I run 1/6th axle gap in the rear, keep in mind, axle gap is also a factor for the overall cant with the wheels on and adjusting toe..

I run 2/16th gap on the RR wheel.


Summary:

Depending on what you do and how you do it, effects what bend you should use.

There is the standard 1.5 and 2.5. Some run more and some run less.

The key note, is when following advise, instructions or copying a build or tips. If you mix and match that information from other builds or process's and try to add them into one build.

The outcome may very, likely not as described, as listed or thought to be. Due to not exactly repeating everything that another builder used or is using.

A pwd build, even with all the tools out there, and standard process'es. Can still very much be accidently deviated thru accident or being green at bulding or doing those prcoesses. That the outcome may not be what you think it is.

I wish It was cut and dry and clear. But it's really not.

Final conclusion. If you want to run a cant, try it. If you want to simulate or duplicate what one or others due. Ensure you try and repeat all the other factors of the build as close to the same as possible.. As to what cant you think you are using for the RR, may not be that cant, might be more or less.

[pwrd by tungsten]

Great post sporty!