Shoulder screws coming out of the RPM caster block

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AbdoSnowMan said:
My son's Torment and a friend's Ruckus are doing the same thing. Before I saw this thread I thought I may have to buy a metal detector to find the screws every time they fall out. Watching for the outcome....
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Lol!! I've spent more time walking my track looking for those dam shoulder screws then we have raced. Metal detector would be great
 
K0N3R77 said:
Lol!! I've spent more time walking my track looking for those dam shoulder screws then we have raced. Metal detector would be great
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Me too! I've cleared the track of debris and come away with a handful of body clips, screws, washers, rod ends, etc. :)
 
I realize that I probably could have just purchased the Hot Racing or ECX aluminum spindle blocks and just use Locktite and be done with all this faffing about.

Anyway, since I'm going to give the Associated B4/T4 mash-up thing a try here's what I've got coming:
Caster block 7922
Steering (spindle) block 9880
AE B4 axles 7496 (I believe that the T4 axles are longer?)

I found a lot on Ebay that included all the parts for the round end: caster and spindle blocks, axles, all bearings, ball studs, screws, and spacers. They were apparently a take-off from a RTR B4.2

I've noticed that the B4 and I think the B4.1 (not B4.2) use a fixed axle and the bearings are pressed into the wheel. No good. The B4.2/T4.2 features an axle and bearing setup where the bearings press into the spindle block and the axle inserts.

Link to the B4.2 manual

The parts are due to arrive over the weekend so it will likely be the week of the 4th before I get a chance to try fitting the parts to my Boost. I'll post a quick review describing initial success or failure.
 
i_r_beej said:
I realize that I probably could have just purchased the Hot Racing or ECX aluminum spindle blocks and just use Locktite and be done with all this faffing about.

Anyway, since I'm going to give the Associated B4/T4 mash-up thing a try here's what I've got coming:
Caster block 7922
Steering (spindle) block 9880
AE B4 axles 7496 (I believe that the T4 axles are longer?)

I found a lot on Ebay that included all the parts for the round end: caster and spindle blocks, axles, all bearings, ball studs, screws, and spacers. They were apparently a take-off from a RTR B4.2

I've noticed that the B4 and I think the B4.1 (not B4.2) use a fixed axle and the bearings are pressed into the wheel. No good. The B4.2/T4.2 features an axle and bearing setup where the bearings press into the spindle block and the axle inserts.

Link to the B4.2 manual

The parts are due to arrive over the weekend so it will likely be the week of the 4th before I get a chance to try fitting the parts to my Boost. I'll post a quick review describing initial success or failure.
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Thanks i_r_beej as always you come through with all the info needed to move forward.
 
Well I was so totally sick of this whole shoulder screw thing so here's what I decided to try!!


image.webp
I happened to have all I needed except the brass tubing I used for the bushing.

Rear hub carriers
Caster blocks
Drive shaft axles (these had to be ground down to clear steering)
3mm screws
3mm nylock nuts
Traxxas turnbuckles



image.webp

Screw threaded all the way through with bushings in place and a nut on the bottom (a little more slop than I like with the bushing so I'll be looking for some brass tubing with a little bigger OD)

image.webp

Finished product works great 1.5hr bash session and zero issues. Except my son just lost his first shoulder screw so his is next.
 
i_r_beej said:
Brilliant hack! Details, dimensions, etc on the brass tubing you used?
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The tubing dimensions are just under 5mm od and 4mm id I did drill out the caster blocks for the tubing to fit using a 3/16" drill. This is the bigger tubing I said I was going to be looking for as the other stuff was way to sloppy.
 
So on to the next episode of the shoulder screw saga... Today I lost a screw again. I couldn't find it back so I don't know what condition the threads were in. The Hot Racing spindle looked great. Probably the screw worked itself loose from catching sand between the spindle block and the shoulder, then gradually unscrewing itself each time I turned. In the aftermath of the accident I also cracked the caster block, it's hanging on for dear life now.

So... Hot Racing aluminium spindles and super glue for thread locker didn't eradicate the problem. I don't know if it was the crash that caused me to lose the screw or the screw that caused the crash. Either way, it's not over yet.
 
With the aluminum spindle carriers you can use blue threadlock. That will probably work much better than Superglue. Just make sure you keep it away from plastic parts! If you just put a dab on the screw threads, let it dry for a few minutes and then install you should be okay without any worries about it getting on the caster block. Superglue is best (but not perfect) for nylon plastic parts.
 
So I am done with loosing shoulder screws!! I just ordered the HR Aluminium caster and steering blocks. I really didn't want to go aluminium but I guess i have too. Also I am loosing the over-sized bearings, but I'm sure i wont notice that.
 
Let's see how this works out. I put blue loctite on all of the metal to metal connections. The only thing I'm waiting on is the new set of shoulder screws, order 2 sets just in case. Unfortunately I'm back to running the stock bearings.
IMG_20160727_132527.webp
 
If you don't like aluminium you can use the stock or rpm caster blocks instead. I think alu is fine for those though, the a-arms still take the brunt of the impacts.
 
xlDooM said:
If you don't like aluminium you can use the stock or rpm caster blocks instead. I think alu is fine for those though, the a-arms still take the brunt of the impacts.
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I agree, I don't notice a significant weight difference between the two. My original plan was to have a sleeper, so I didn't want any bling. I think it's way past the sleeper aspect, so oh well. A little bling won't hurt.
 
Wow it's comforting to know other people feel my pain.. damn shoulder screws.. on the stock setup and rpms castor blocks and spindles I've tried loctite and superglue with no success.. allready got the aluminum ecx blocks/spindles on the way with some blue loctite hopefully this will end this headache
 
I have been using HR aluminum steering blocks in mine with blue loctite without any issues. XlDooM, you lost your screws in your aluminum steering blocks because you didn't use proper threadlock (CA should have never been used here). I got another set of HR blocks for my son's AMP too as his (like all others) is loosing the screws too.

Personally I think the HR steering blocks is the ultimate, cheapest, simplest method for fixing this issue. Been working fine for me. Sure beats all that swapping out stuff
 
MADitto said:
Let's see how this works out. I put blue loctite on all of the metal to metal connections. The only thing I'm waiting on is the new set of shoulder screws, order 2 sets just in case. Unfortunately I'm back to running the stock bearings.
View attachment 958
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What aluminum hexes are those? Looks wider than stock. Know they are 12mm hexes, but I'm wanting some aluminum hexes and want to get the right ones
 

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