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HPI Savage Tips, Mods, and Fixes
Wheel Hex Problems
This one isn't pretty or glamorous, but neither is rounding out a wheel hex in the middle of a bashing session! Many of us have been there, unfortunately. You hit the gas, the engine revs, but the truck only has front- or rear-wheel-drive and goes nowhere fast. Dogbone? Possibly, but check those wheels! If you don't keep the wheel nuts quite tight on the Savage your wheels can become loose which almost guarantees a stripped out hex. After it's happened, about the only thing you can do is replace the wheel, which often means replacing the tire as well, and since both are sold in pairs, it gets expensive!The best solution is to simply keep your nuts tight! I use a little threadlock on the axle stubs before tightening the nut to make sure it doesn't back out. Also, keep a few extra wheel nuts on hand and replace them every so often. That nylon insert doesn't last forever and once it's worn out, your lock-nut turns into just another nut.
Another solution that is more effective before stripping a wheel's hex than after, is to attach the aluminum hex to the wheel itself with JB Weld (two-part epoxy you can mix together to form a very sticky, very durable substance).
Now that the hexes are fixed to the wheels, you're pretty well assured the hex won't strip out the wheel! Sure, once you get new wheels you'll need another set of hexes, but they're a lot cheaper than replacing wheels and tires. It's possible to do this procedure to a stripped wheel, but it's not as effective as the JB Weld has fewer hard edges to grip. I've done it and it lasted a while, but eventually the hex came free of the wheel.
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Copyright © 2007 Bruce Johnson