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Lowgear wrote:45mm is what I've come up with for the dogbone length as well.

Axle wise the only thing I've come across so far that look like they might work are ones from an HPI Firestorm: http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXPYX8&P=Z

I'll be the ginny pig, I have a pair on the way.

losiXXXman wrote:Thorp bones on ebay NOW ends 31 minutes... valkyriemotorsports

Thanks for the heads-up via PM. They've actually been listed a number of times but no takers. Probably due to the price, and the fact they're really only desirable if you have the rest of the Thorp driveline.

RCveteran wrote:

Lowgear wrote:45mm is what I've come up with for the dogbone length as well.

Axle wise the only thing I've come across so far that look like they might work are ones from an HPI Firestorm: http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXPYX8&P=Z

I'll be the ginny pig, I have a pair on the way.

I'm glad you did because I couldn't justify the $13 if they didn't work. Then I would be too lazy to return them. The diameter is the same as stock, and they have the step-down/shoulder like the stock ones as well. The rest is up in the air.

The key will be is the hole for the drive pin in the right place, and will they work with the Thorp bones. We shall see.

I think the problem I had while looking was finding anything that looked like it might be close in a 45mm diameter. I suppose if worse came to worst the bearings could be changed to another size to fit something else.

Now with the stock or Maxtrax outdrives (since they're made to replicate the originals) the pin in a dogbone won't be long enough to make good contact since the cups are just too big. What I was planning on doing is knocking out the pin and replacing it with a longer roll pin which will solve the problem.

The stock axle length is 45mm and the diameter where the bearing sits is 5mm as I understand it. These HPI ones are 41MM long so 4mm short but diameter where bearing rides is 5MM. So if the Thorp dogbones I have coming fit in the cup the remaining question will be where is the drive pin hole relative to the hub.

Well if its not exactly in the right spot than I hope its further out because at least that would be workable. Some washers or something could be placed behind it to act as shims.

I got the axles and will take pics once I get around to doing some work but delayed a bit. Intial trial is this, the Thorp dog bone balls are too large to fit in these. Very close and I think a little grinding with tapered dreml bit and they would fit. We shall see. Perhpas the Kyosho 45MM swing shafts would fit??

The drive pin hole needs to be about 1MM further out, I think with a slight mod to the inside of the hub allowing the inner bearing to go further in, there is space between the inner and outer it might work. Need to try.

Also I was looking at my Tamiya CC01 land Cruiser dog bones, they are in truck right now but look surprisingly close, I have to take apart and take a look see.

I'm happy to hear that they're close to working. I would be using different dog bones so the ends shouldn't be a problem. I wish the pin hole was 1mm out too far instead of in as then you could just put a washer behind it or something. Thats a good idea to grind a little out from where the bearings go to allow the axle to protrude out a little more.

Getting closer, I recently replaced the front dog bones on my Tamiya CC01 with universals, as it turns out the dog bones removed are the perfect 45mm with correct size ball for thorp and those axles we are discussing and they are readily available.

I have not begun assembly or mock up yet but think I may just be able to get this all to work if I can get these axles to sit about 1MM deeper in hub as I mentioned.