Tmaxx rims on Savage hexes

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Derekpike

Derekpike

Well-Known Member
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So I bought some Tmaxx tires and rims, but as you all know I have to remove the spline to fit the Savage hexes. This looked easier in the picture online than when I got the rims in person. Any recommendations on how to quickly and effectively remove the spline? I was going to use some side cuts and/or a dremel, but looking at them in person made me second guess that decision. I don't want to mess them up and have to buy new rims/tires all over again.
 
Looks like alot of work, best be precise with whatever you do so as not to screw up the hex portion.....
RPM does make wheels with the correct 17mm hex in them and it is only 12 bux for a pair...... best thing about RPM is they offer them in a 1/2" stablemaxx offset also and they are nylon so that means strong as well...
 
SavageDarwin said:
What about a wood chisel, support the center of the wheel (so you don't break the spokes) push with a rocking side to side motion. Just my idea, never done it.
Click to expand...

Yeah, that was one of my thoughts as well. I was just hoping someone had done it and knew a pretty safe way to go about it. I definitely appreciate the suggestion.
 
I wonder if a set like this will work on the stock axles?

tra5353x.jpg


https://www.amainhobbies.com/traxxas-17mm-splined-wheel-hub-set-blue-4-tra5353x/p25831
 
Well probably not as @Rooky just volunteered. I'd hate to waste $20 if I didn't need to. I talked to a coworker about it, and he said he had a really good dremel bit that would get the job done if all else failed.
 
Yeah, as I said earlier though, I was hoping someone had done it and removed the trial and error from the process. I hate to reinvent a wheel if I don't have to. But I'll find a way to get it done no matter what.
 
If @Rooky hasn't had the chance to try it by this evening, I'll try sticking a Revo hex onto a Savage axle to see if it fits. If it does, then you could fit those and any future Traxxas wheels you feel like using.

While I have not personally tried to remove the splines from a Traxxas wheel, I have done something very similar on other plastic objects and had very good luck with a SHARP wood-cutting chisel. With a bit of careful force, you can make it look almost like the splines were never there without damaging the rest of the hex-shaped part. @SavageDarwin described a good way to go about it. As an added note, when cutting vertically, keep the flat side of the chisel toward the outside of the hex. When you're going horizontally, keeping the flat side up can keep the chisel cutting along the bottom of the hex rather than into it.
 
Thanks everyone. I'll wait to hear back on the hexes, if they don't work I will try the chisel method this weekend. I'll let everyone know the results.
 
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The TRX hubs are too small and need to be drilled out. Trying to do that for half the hub to keep the outer part of the hub would be a pain and get slop over time anyway, so cutting the keyed hex off the hub and using the HPI flanged nut would be the best option. That's what I did on my revos. Over time, the threads of the axle egg out the tube part of the hub and the wheels flop all over. So now I just cut the hex off the hub and use the HPI 17mm flanged nut thing. Works great on the revos.

To cut the nubs out of the wheels, I use a heavy duty exacto knife with a spade type blade in it. I just line it up the best I can with the inside of the hex and rock it from side to side as I push down through the plastic nub. Once your down flush with the back side of the wheel face, tilting the exacto forward bends out the little nub and with a twist of the knife, the nub usually pops off cleanly.

After about the 15th nub... my hands are usually pretty sore and odds are, if I install another set of traxxas tires/wheels on my savage, I'm going to order a set of the traxxas hubs off ebay and a proper 6mm drill to drill them out to fit the savage axle. I think it's 6mm... The threaded part of the traxxas axle and hpi axle are the same size, but the HPI axles have a shoulder on them where the hex sits that the traxxas axles do not. This is why you have to drill out the trx hubs to fit on the larger part of the HPI axle.

Revo axle/hub and a shim/nut to take up the slop where the hub rides on the threads. People make these things by hand due to the slop problem that happens after a short time of running. You can see the lack of the shoulder where the hex pin is:
24dowg8.jpg


Savage axle where you can see the fatter axle part where the pin is:
411B-i4P18L._SX342_.jpg
 
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Well I got the missing dogbone put in, replaced the silver reverse threads axles with the normal black ones, and thanks to @olds97_lss suggestion of using a razor knife I got the splines out of the T Maxx tires and they are mounted on the new 17mm hexes. I was going to try the chisel, but didn't have one small enough and already owned a razor knife. I will try to post pictures tomorrow. The wife is at work and my 1 year old needs tending to.

I want to thank everyone for their input. It was/is greatly appreciated. And special thanks to @Rooky for all of his help on this and in the past. He's the only reason I've stuck with this sport. I'd have thrown my hands in the air and given up after buying this Savage if it weren't for him.
 
Rooky said:
That's what we're here for man. If I can share my joy of the hobby, maybe someone else will get some fun too.
Click to expand...

We'll I hope to learn enough to mentor someone one day and pass it on.
 
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Said I'd get some pictures up and finally getting around to it. Sorry but free time is a luxury I don't have.
 

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