Axle holes a bit loose...how to snug up?

[TahoeGator]

So we are about to hit final assembly and low and behold the axles are a bit too loose. We drilled #43 holes and for the BSA axles we are using they aren't snug enough. My mistake, should've used a smaller bit, but it's too late now. For some neighbors' cars we helped build (also drilled #43) we cut little slivers of 400-grit sandpaper and slide them in with the axles and they seemed pretty snug, so that could work. Or, maybe, we put a few drops of glue of some kind (super glue or Elmer's or ____?) in the axle holes, let the glue dry, and then that would keep them snug. Any suggestions?

 

[BulldogRacing]

You may try an eye dropper and putt a few drops of water in the hole so it will swell.

 

[IAE Racing]

The paper shims as you mentioned is an option. It can mess up your alignment slightly so you'll need to check and recheck as you use that option.

Edit: I have had the best luck with water and that's what I'd suggest trying first.

 

[chromegsx]

You may try an eye dropper and putt a few drops of water in the hole so it will swell.

+1 on water. I've tried paper in the past and haven't had much luck and could never quite get it to stay in or not get in the way....

For water, I used a toothpick, dipped in water and put toothpick in axle hole, spun around a little, repeated a 2nd time and set aside to wait to dry. to my surprise, when I tried to put the axle in I couldn't get it in. had to relieve the hole with gage pins again.

I think why water worked so good for me this year was my axle holes were drilled about .003 to small and then relieved compressing the wood around the hole. then when water introduced to hole it really expanded the wood. Why was it too loose the first time...dunno. one gage pin too much i guess. If I'd of only drilled .001 too small and got the axle too loose, there may not have been enough wood to expand like it did for me. so paper may be a better option in that case. or a combination of the two.

 

[ngyoung]

Use water before trying glue. It should be enough to swell the holes.

 

[aircooled]

A drop or two of water works for me.

 

[Vitamin K]

Didn't one of the pro guys here warn about water in axle holes having the potential to warp the uber-thin bodies? I guess as long as you double-check your alignment after you do it, it should be fine.

Use water before trying glue. It should be enough to swell the holes.

 

[B_Regal Racing]

I have drilled an "air relief hole" in the bottom of the car for each axle and have used a drop of glue there after the axle is installed. I have had some success with water as well. You may also try dental floss, but I would typically use it on the front since alignment is not a factor. As IAE said, make a quick check your alignment if using dental floss on the rears (assuming you checked it initially with a slow roll test) or for that matter, anything you do out of your standard build practices to snug up an axle hole.

 

[kmiller]

I avoid water myself, as we run thin bodies, but I've had luck with a small piece of shrink tube on the axle and then a drop of CA through the air relief hole as B_Regal has mentioned.

 

[ngyoung]

Using just a small drop of water on the end of a toothpick I doubt will soak the wood enough to cause warping. You're just trying to add enough to get the surface of the hole a little wet to raise some of the grain.

I avoid water myself, as we run thin bodies, but I've had luck with a small piece of shrink tube on the axle and then a drop of CA through the air relief hole as B_Regal has mentioned.

 

[Cam-Car]

Dental floss has always worked for me. Put a short piece on the bottom side of the hole. This won't mess up your alignment.

 

[Kinser Racing]

I use water, on some top cars too.

 

[The Iceman]

Hobbytown has wood dowels, If you want to go to this extent. Redrill so the wood dowel would fit, then epoxy the wood dowel back in. I use about twice the size of the axle that way when you redrill you get all wood! If you want more precise sizes of bits and dowels size ping me.

 

[TRE]

if you wanna redrill just use tooth picks

 

[The Iceman]

if you wanna redrill just use tooth picks

I noticed when I did this, the axle would spin very easily. So I came to the conclusion that epoxy/glue is slippery for axles and full wood all the way around was like drilling a brand new hole. Nice and Tight! /images/boards/smilies/smile.gif

 

[TRE]

use tooth picks and wood glue is works great

 

[1reason]

I've used puddy, as in tungston puddy to hold the nail.

Killed me too because I had to use it on the front wheel while AT the race out of fear the nail wouldn't stay. We won, so I guess it worked out, but wouldn't think twice about the rear wheels if needed. Front, will use puddy if I had too.

 

[561 racing]

Just ran into this very problem, I just put some dental floss in the hole, just make sure the end is not sticking out and scrubbing off speed.

 

[OPARENNEN]

I had a car that was completely finished, and then found out very late, that the canted holes in the rear were way off.
The bottom of the car was covered with Mono, which I removed. The rear end had 2 rows of 6 cubes behind the axle, and one row in front. The cubes had been strongly glued in.
Using a Dremmel, I removed the axle section to within 1/32nd of an inch from the top of the car, and to 1/16 inch from each side. I then shaped a piece of strong wood to fit the hole, and glued it in.
The new piece was just a bit high, so I bottom sanded it so the rear end was nice an flat. I was able to remove the two rear fenders, then using GoatBoy's canted drill tool, I re-drilled the rear canted hole.
IT WORKED PERFECT. This all took me less than an hour.