stait front axle assembly, aftermarket?

[fiatboy]

I know the Parts Box in Australia offers a pretty good one, but too expensive.  I could buy a whole kit, which is do-able, but which kit?  Something in 1/24 scale.  Seems like there should be one 'after market' for like 10-12 bucks.  Thanks

[stavanzer]

Monogram BadMan Chevy is a great donor kit in 1/24 scale.

[Ace-Garageguy]

Straight axles are pretty easy to do in scale if you want to try your hand at scratch-building...and cost almost nothing in materials.

All you need is some styrene or brass tube or rod stock for the axle and ends, some strip or sheet styrene or brass for the springs, and some channel for spindles.

The photo below shows a leaf-spring made from .020" styrene strip stock, with rod-stock ends. The axle is in the process of being made up from rod or tube.

The next shot shows a more-or-less complete axle assembly, with spindles made from channel (in this case, cut from square stock), and stub-axles made from smaller rod stock.

Kingpins are made from .040 wire in this case.

This last shot shows brackets that the spring ends mount to, fabricated on the frame.

 

 

[68shortfleet]

www.ebay.com/itm/1-25-1-Straight-Axel-2-Leaf-Springs-Gasser-Resin/232660704329?hash=item362ba89c49:g:bqMAAOSw71xZo3lU

[Mike 1017]

Speed City Resin has a tutorial on building a straight axle. Click on Model News. 

Good luck

Mike

[afx]

 

HOW TO BUILD A STRAIGHT TUBE AXLE FRONT SUSPENSION

I've built a lot of altered wheel base cars, and though some of them used a dropped tube axle found
in some kits, the most impossible to find, was a straight tube axle !

A lot of customers have emailed me and asked if I would cast one in resin ?
Well, here is the reasons why we don't, or cant cast them.

1. All cars have a different width, so a single tube axle would not fit all car bodies.

2. Depending on which mag wheel you use, it would alter the distance from the width (fender to fender).

3. The tie rods and spindles are too small & too thin.... and would break easily.

In this article we will show you how to scratch build your own Straight Tube Axle....
Reading this article, it may sound difficult, but it's relatively easy once you've done it.

 Real 1/1 tube axle's are 3" tube, a 3/32" Plastruct Hollow Tubing is used to replicate that scale.
(we will show you why hollow tube works best later in this article).

 0.45" Plastruct Round Rod is used for the spindle axles, drill holes through the main axle.
( This will be for the spindles to pivot on ).

 This is how it should look when finished (notice the spindle axles are not even) it doesn't matter, because later the axle will be cut in half.

 The "SLIDE BARS" that come in these "Sliding bar report covers" found at Staples will be used for the Spindles.
My wife bought these a long time ago, and asked me if I could use them......... could I ever !
(You may be able to purchase these individually) ?

 Cut a piece off the "SLIDE BAR" about a 1/4" wide.

 Now cut off the ends of the "SLIDER BAR", this will be used for the Spindles.

 Drill pilot holes holes in the top & bottom and the center of the Spindle, then open it up with a 0.45" drill bit.

 Round off the ends of the spindle, this will help with its rotation.
Small flat head (assortment pack). These nails can be found in any hardware store.
The nail will be used for the spindle axle.

 Depending on what mag wheel your using, measure how long the Nail should be cut.
Slip the "SLIDER BAR" (THE NEW SPINDLE) onto the straight tube axle.
Because the "Slider bar" has an angle to it, it will not come off when put on........ an added bonus!

 Here's how everything looks so far.

 You can see that the Straight tube axle is way too long.
You will need to measure as to how far you want the tires to set back in the wheel well.

 Cut the tube in half, glue a paper clip in one end of the hollow straight tube (this is why you need a hollow tube).
Now put the tires back on and make a new final measurement, mark on the hollow tube where your cuts should be.
Glue the other side of the paper clip in the other end of the straight tube axle, make sure that the spindles are even & straight.

 I'm cutting the steering arms off a tie rod from the "PARTS BOX", although you can use whatever steering arms you want, or scratch build your own.

 Drill 0.45" holes in the ends of the steering arms.
Use the same 0.45" plastic rod for the Tie Rod.
Carefully & slowly bend the rod to make an L shape and heat it for a split second with a cigarette lighter and let it cool.

 Set the spindles straight on the axle and mark where the other bend should be.

 Use a cigarette lighter to melt the ends of the tie rod and flatten with the metal end of the lighter.
(THIS NEEDS TO BE DONE FAST, AS YOU DONT WANT TO WARP THE STEERING ARMS)
I set mine on fire for a fraction of a second. 
Or you can heat up a razor knife and melt the ends of the tie rods, let it cool with the razor knife still on the part and twist off.

 Now were going to set the ride height. This is the most challenging of the build.... but still fun !

Since this model has 1/4 elliptic springs, were going to set the height, by making shocks first.
(you may want to add your springs before adding shocks as it may be easier).
Place something under the chassis to hold up the front of the model, as to how high or low you want the front of the model to sit.
Mark on the frame, where to put the shock mounts, cut small pieces of plastic strip (hanging over the frame).
Glue the plastic strip to the frame, and drill 0.45" holes (for the shock ends to fit into).

 If you can't find shocks that fit, you can make our own shocks.... Here's how.
Using the same 3/32" Tube from the straight axle, and 0.45" Steering Rod, start by using the 0.45" Rod, slide the rod through the holes on the shock mounts (on the frame) to meet the Straight Axle. Glue the 0.45 Rod to the axle.
Now remove the entire Tube Axle Suspension, add 3/32" tube to the middle of the 0.45" Rod (for the main shock unit),
creating new shocks.

 Here's how your new front tube straight axle may look like before painting.
Its up to you, as to how much detail you want to put into it.
You can also add steering linkage using the same method.

[Casey]

21 hours ago, fiatboy said:

I know the Parts Box in Australia offers a pretty good one, but too expensive.  I could buy a whole kit, which is do-able, but which kit?  Something in 1/24 scale.