How to use aluminum wheel sets?

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    • #9157
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      Just got 4 sets of the aluminum wheels from http://www.BitChar-G.defrom a German friend who ordered them for me before visiting the states. Great design and concept, and not too overpriced considering they appear to be lathed and photoetched, not molded. My only concern, to which I hope someone else might have the solution- how do you install the rear wheels? The rear axle, after removing the existing wheels is too big to fit in the holes in the wheels short of filing it down. Should I have recieved a replacement axle too? Also, on the front wheels, does the pin go in the wheel before or after the decorative cover? and what’s the best method (or a suggested one) for securing the cover into the wheel?

      -dan

    • #14780
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      those wheels look nice

    • #14786
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      Yeah the look great but don’t seems to fit too well, they are even wider than the originals.

      As they write on there site it needs some “adjustments”, didn’t the wheels come with an axel??

    • #14792
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      All 4 sets I got were axleless.

    • #14806
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      bummer….

      look nice tho 🙂

    • #14817
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      damn what a rip off!!

      Then you have to use the originals and cut the wheels off.

      hmmm dosen’t sound right, good thing I’m making my own alloys.

    • #14818
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      uh- why would you have to cut the originals off? they cone off with a little tug on the TOMYs, the OEM’s practically fall off… as it stands these wheels are beautiful, but the lack of an axle is a bit not thought out- well as their website says- for experienced user only.. makes sense. I don’t really find them a ripoff considering they’re extremely short-run sets, and the lack of wheel styles from tomy – colors are availiable, but most are black and silver (early sets are white after you remove the electroplating), with the occassional red and yellow sets. still, no one else offers TRUE metal wheels with custom covers.

      just my 3 cents

      -dan

    • #14825
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      Ok you got a point there, not many wheels are around yet. But if I would start selling wheels I would provide axle, tires & gears.

      Akind of”plug & play” set is much easier.

    • #14875
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      If you want custom rims with various designs of hubcaps that can be removed easily without removing or disassembling your car at all go to http://www.questformadness.com to see the hotswap wheel mod.

    • #14885
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      Defor, your axle may not be too big, I’ve taken mine apart a there is a “swedge” on the end to secure them into the plastic. When I have some time I plan on going into the shop and machining some up for myself and try some of the softer silcon HO slot car wheels on them and maybe do some 3D surface contouring to give it some style.

    • #14913
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      I’ve tried the sets qfm recommends- It’s a nice idea, but I had horrible traction with the wheels, and with no variable throttle, the control was horrid.

      nivrt- yeah that’s the same conclusion I came to als, I’ll try grinding this off with a file onceI get a chance to go to my local hardware store and hobby shops- I need some paint for my RX-7 FC3S anyway.

      -dan

    • #15154
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      I have bought every set the make (12 in total) they ship anywhere. “Experienced” is not right, i would say EXPERTS only. Although the results are worth it. If you are planning to get them, consither the following:

      -They are completely useless as they arrive, holes in the wheels are not big ehough, no axis, unpainted covers.

      -Must use a 56 drill bit to enlarge hole on aluminum wheels.

      -Completely rebuilt the axis. You will need a steel rod of about the same caliber as the drill bit, both avalable at hobby shops. This is because to start the axis on the cars is made of a cheap material that bends easily, you will probaly bend it when removing the original wheels. Also, since the original wheels and gear are pressure locked, the axis has some spikes to provide this locking. Thus if you make the holes on the wheels big enough to fit the original axis with the spikes and all, the wheels will be loose fitting and impossible to align correctly.

      -The axis you make will be shorter. Even if you could file away the spikes and not bend the original axis in the process of dissasambling it, you would still need to cut it about a milimmeter or two. Trust me, its better to get a replacement steel rod at the hobby shop. Get your car and go to the shop, see which caliber fits ok. Get the drill bit too.

      -Do not enlarge the hole on the wheels so much that the new rod is loose, it will be impossible to align. It must be snug.

      -You will get one wheel with an extension, the other 3 without, this wheel should go on the back oppsite to the gears, tha is on the other side. If you look at your bit from the top with the front wheels facing away from you, then it is the right side. this extension is to compensate for the distance, ie the axis is no symmetirc.

      -When you have the new rods gears and wheels ready, glue it all toghether with very little 5 minute Epoxy. And when I say very little, I mean almost nothing, a drop on the top of a tooth pick. I have found that its better to glue the gear to the wheel and then put the rod through. You can use a little bit more Epoxy to glue the wheel to the gear, but remember, not to much. If you can see it, its to much, wipe it off quickly. It is very important that no excess glue be on the axis and the wheels, especially where they come into contact whith the car.

      -Finish installing all wheels before you put the covers on. Test the car, forward, backward, turns, everything.

      -It is VERY IMPORTANT that the tires not be pressed all the way in, in fact, they should leave a small part of the wheel (hairline, not more) facing inside the car uncovered. Otherwise the steering will be funky and maybe the rear wheels won?t turn. Try all operations firs without the tires, then install them.

      -If the car drives funny probably you installed the tires crooked.

      -Once you havew the car running and tested without the body, put the body on. Now the car won?t run, steer funny or other problems. to fix this you must either file away or cut the parts of the body that come into contact with the tires. This happens becuase the tires are MUCH WIDER!!! The cars as pictures in bitcharg.de will not run becuase their bodies have not been modded.

      -Truck bodies are easier to mod. Car bodies require a lot of material to be removed.

      -When you are done, if the car looks to ugly due to the huge frontal wheel wells to accomodate the tires, its off to the shop again, for some modelling putty to mod the body to make the wells wider, like a real race car.

      It will take you a while, but here are some pics of what you?ll get, the Accord is not finished yet, still have to mod the body, the BB runs like a Charm, completely finished.

    • #15155
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      I almost forgot, you must glue the covers on too, remeber, very little glue. Try pushing the covers in with the Eraser head of a pencil. (new)

      Finally, for the front tires, you should make the holes on the wheels big enough to fit the original pin, althoug you are going to need to clip it a little, as it is it is too large and it will prevent the wheel from turning properly due to it portruding on the inside of the car, clip off a little bit only.

      If you ruin the pins, you can get replacements at http://www.toyeast.com or just rebulid it using a small nail and some glue. Its difficult, but it can be done I will later post some pictures of my nephews car. We rebulit one of the front pins becuase itbent in the process of being removed and the broke when we tried to strighten it. Howver the car runs perrfectly, and the difference is not noticeble since the nail head sits behind the wheel cover.

    • #15157
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      thanks manshark – good overview of how to install them since they came with no directions or guides on the website.

      Have you tried using longer pins for the front such that the covers slide onto them, then a shallow washer, then the wheel, then the axle? I ask because the all-glueing solution seems to almost make them permanent- I’ll ave to check toyeast and see if they can ship me some steering mounts and spare pins perhaps instead if this is the only method…

    • #15159
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      Lemme see if I got this correctly, say you?re assamblig on a table and need to put the objects in the order they will be finished. We are talking about the fron right? What you what to do is:

      Pin- Wheel Cover -Washer -Wheel- White plastic that atthaces to the car

      It will probably work, but:

      -You need to glue the wheel cover to the wheel anyway and this might interfere with the rotation of the wheel.

      -Remember, the front pins do not rotate.

      -even if it works, and if I am understanding you correctly, having the pin be visible might not look as good as having it hid under the cover.

      -As far as Epoxy goes, it is strong, buy since you are dealing with non poruos surfaces, is is not difficult to take appart if you change your mind or make a mistake. You will find that taking apart the glued parts requires about the same effort as taking apart the original axle, I have done it my self. Just be sure that everything is working 100% before you put the wheel covers on, becuase I am almost certain that they will break if you try to remove them after setting them with epoxy, they are so fragile. Also, if you dissasemble after using the epoxy and then want to reapply the glue, scrape off as much of the original as possible.

      I understand the end result of what you wan?t, I has crossed my mind too, having 10 sets of wheels leftI would really like to be able to exchange the gear ratios without rebuildinjg the whole thing. The front wheels I dont mind, but the rear is a problem. It bothers me having my beatifull wheels commited to a single gear ratio, when I don?t even know yet which ratio will work best with them.

      Ideally I would like to put a thread on the wheel, model the new axel with screwthreads on both ends, and only glue the gear to the axle. That way you can mix and match wheels to gear ratios.

      Given the right tools I am sure it can be done, but I live in the town that time forgot in Mexico, so I have to wait until my next visit to the US or Japan to get the stuff I need to do it. By the way, could you help me by giving me the correct names of the tools needed to:

      -Create a thread on a nut.

      -Create a thread on a screw.

      This so I can make the correct searches in google, and who knows, I might be able to order the stuff on the web.

      Best Regards

      Ottho

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