Wheel Wobble

[Fat Corgi]

I've got it on my TA-05 and on my DB01 as well. How do you get rid (or lessen) it? Where does it come from? Is it just unbalanced wheels?
On the DB-01 I have stock wheels with Proline's Dirt Hawg's which are a fairly large and soft tyre, and the TA-05 is running stock tyres and wheels. Any tips or tricks would be greatly appreciated.

[simoncrabb]

The infamous Tamiya wheel wobble...

Make sure you shim everything, axles, hinge pins, etc so that there is the minimum of free play.

Balancing wheels helps too, yes, I've no idea how to do it though...

[liquid ideas]

Hi

Which shim sizes would you recommend for a 511?

[Jan Larsen]

0.1/0.2/0.3x3mm. Tamiya makes a set with those in it. Buy two as you'll prolly need quite a few to do the entire car.

[peetbee]

Any idea of part nos for these as I've been meaning to get some for a while, thanks.

[Jan Larsen]

53585.

[peetbee]

Thank you

[fastinfastout]

you need some WO(wide operating angle)universals, which tamiya make for the db01, and atomic makes for your touring car. But be aware that the atomic ones break easily though. The atomic ones are kind of like double jointed with 2 pins if that makes sense.

losi makes them for their standard jrx-s cars
hot bodies have them as optional on their cyclone
xray have the ecs as optional

they atomic ones kind of look like this
http://www.redrc.net/2008/10/xray-t2-ecs-drive-shafts/

[dimblum]

I used to shim my universals to lessen the gap between the hex drive and the upright for my front wheels on a DB-01..

Later I took out the shims and started balancing my wheels.. The wheel balancing has been superior since the centrifugal force eliminates any wheel wobble that may exist while the car is in motion.

If the universals are shimmed and the tires are not balanced, then the shims can only serve to fight against the wheel vibration.


Balancing your tires is better overall because it also ensures better traction..

[5POINTSTAR]

Originally Posted by dimblum

I used to shim my universals to lessen the gap between the hex drive and the upright for my front wheels on a DB-01..

Later I took out the shims and started balancing my wheels.. The wheel balancing has been superior since the centrifugal force eliminates any wheel wobble that may exist while the car is in motion.

If the universals are shimmed and the tires are not balanced, then the shims can only serve to fight against the wheel vibration.


Balancing your tires is better overall because it also ensures better traction..

This will eliminate wheel wobble, never had this problem with my 501X .

[mole2k]

I've only ever noticed wheel wobble on the 501x as a result of an unbalanced wheel. If I put new balanced wheels on it doesnt wobble.

[simoncrabb]

I found a new cause of the wheel wobble last Sunday... The outer bearing on the front hub wasn't a snug fit in the hub.

I was using a DB01 kit front hub on the 511, and there was quite a bit of movement between bearing and hub, resulting in a lot of wheel wobble.

The carbon 501x/511 hubs were much better. And better still are the GPM alloy hubs I've got on my DB01, got another set on the way for the 511...

[muratti]

Originally Posted by fastinfastout

you need some WO(wide operating angle)universals, which tamiya make for the db01,

How do the WO Universals prevent the wheels wobble?
Also where do you put the 53585 3mm shims? I thought you have to use 5 mm shims or do i think of the false place to put them?

[Jan Larsen]

The 3mm ones are for the hingepins (inner and outer). The 5mm ones are for spacing the gap between the axle and the drive pin.

[liquid ideas]

I also thought the gap between the wheel hex and the outer bearing was what needing shimming to reduce the play.

[Jan Larsen]

That was also what I meant to say. Language barriers can be annoying at times.

[muratti]

Originally Posted by Jan Larsen

That was also what I meant to say. Language barriers can be annoying at times.

RIGHT! But this time i know what you mean! Many thanks!

[94eg!]

If you look closely, not all wheels are made the same. Because they are molded and not machined, some will run more true than others. This will cause a visual wobble that is not actually an imbalance, and cannot be prevented. Typically a few small wrecks will knock even the truest of wheels out of round as well. It's not really something to be worried about.

The warped wheel effect is well detailed in Jilles Groskamp's you-tube video about setting camber.

As for the wheels being out-of-balance, that's the cause of the vibration you can feel when revving the car in your hand. Even if you apply lead tape to make them balanced, a few runs will cause the tire and insert to shift and unbalance the wheel again, and you will be fighting a tough battle. Shimming everything helps reduce the visual wobble, but the actual vibration is just transferred into the suspension...

[muratti]

Originally Posted by 94eg!

If you look closely, not all wheels are made the same. Because they are molded and not machined, some will run more true than others. This will cause a visual wobble that is not actually an imbalance, and cannot be prevented. Typically a few small wrecks will knock even the truest of wheels out of round as well. It's not really something to be worried about.

The warped wheel effect is well detailed in Jilles Groskamp's you-tube video about setting camber.

As for the wheels being out-of-balance, that's the cause of the vibration you can feel when revving the car in your hand. Even if you apply lead tape to make them balanced, a few runs will cause the tire and insert to shift and unbalance the wheel again, and you will be fighting a tough battle. Shimming everything helps reduce the visual wobble, but the actual vibration is just transferred into the suspension...

Does it mean you would recommend to leave it all as is? I suppose you mean that vibration transferred to the dampers isn´t good either...

[super gripper]

Are the Tamiya wheels just cheaper plastic?