MAGracing Forum

Wes do you manage to produce the wheels with axle hole or do you drill it out later ?

The wheels are formed in individual circular female moulds. In over 40 years of vac. forming I have never made wheels before so it was an interesting challenge. I don't have a lathe but made them using my bench pillar drill. With this system, if the pin is perfectly in the centre, the wheel will run true and the bore of the wheel can be adjusted by altering the diameter of the pin. The pins are basically axle material and the wheel hub shrinks onto the pin which gives a nice tight fit for the rear wheel. The pins need to be pulled out of each wheel after moulding.
The front wheels shown have had the screws bonded into the bore so they don't need a screwdriver when fitting the nyloc nut, now inside the steering king pin moulding ( the only 3d item on the car at present but I may change my mind)
The disadvantage of vac forming is the radius which is formed at the bottom of the pin, i.e. under the screw head on the front wheel which reduces the bearing length.

geek:

Thx for sharing Wes nice to learn from a pro.