25 replies to this topic

[tazman]

I was wondering if any of you could steer me to a manufacturer who made a replacement truing axle for a Hudy truer so I can true vintage tires. If not, did you make your own?

[slotcarone]

They have a 1/8" axle available if that is what you are looking for.

[don.siegel]

If you're referring to axles with 5/40 threads, I had a machinist here make up a few for my Hudy. I don't think any company makes those now. 

 

Don 

[slotcarone]

If you're referring to axles with 5/40 threads, I had a machinist here make up a few for my Hudy. I don't think any company makes those now. 

 

Don 

You can tell I do not play with early vintage slot cars much! LOL 

[Bucky]

Contact Jim Radford of JK/Eagle/Pacific Slot Car Raceways. He showed me a threaded axle for a Hudy a week or so ago and may stock more. Not my cup of tea, so I dont know details.

[tazman]

Going to the machine shop to have some modifications to my vintage axle so I can use to true tire using my Hudy tire truer. First, I want the shop to chop one of the thread sides and true and reduce the diameter of the smooth sid

[tazman]

Axle pics.

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[Flathead]

As I only use my Hudy for vintage I took the easy route and replaced the axle bearings with 1/8" and drilled the pulley to suit. This now means I can use any 1/8" axle I choose, drill blank, 5/40 threaded of even cox tapered.

[Mark Onofri]

I made one by chalking a 5/40 in my drill press and taking a file to it. If I had a choice I'd have bought one but, as always, I was impatient.

[Mark Onofri]

Here it is in action

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[Martin]

Lee, I had a friend ask me if I could make an 5-40 threaded axle for him to work with his Hudy tool. I told him about you changing out the bearings, which sounds like the perfect solution.

Can you share the bearing number or size and talk about any mods to the Hudy tool itself?

Thanks in advance Lee.

Martin.

[dc-65x]

Below is my solution for 1/8" axles from my "Toys for retirement" thread:
 

Here's my latest "upgrade" (depending on your point of view ) on the Hudy tire grinder. I bought a threaded axle that was ground down to fit the Hudy. The threaded part ran out of round over .002" (she'a wobble too much, thats'a no good)... so:
 
1. Replaced the metric bearings with good old "Merican" 1/4" X 1/8" ball bearings. I found some vintage Bill's Hobby House bearing adapters that fit perfectly in the 8mm bore of the Hudy.
 
2. Reamed out the Hudy pully to 1/8" to fit a vintage threaded axle.
 
3. I went through my axles and and modified the straightest one I could find.
 
Here's the result. A dedicated 1/8" axle tire grinder that will true tires up to 1-1/4" in diameter:
 
[
 

 

 
Neato!

Here are the long out of production Hobby House bearing cups. So what is needed is a simple reducing sleeve to fit the larger hole in the Hudy and a good old 1/4" X 1/8" ball bearing:

[Martin]

Perfect solution Rick, thanks for sharing. Easy enough to make a reducer on the lathe. 

[dc-65x]

You bet Martin.  

 

McMaster Carr is also an easy source for longer adjusting screws, plastic thumb screw caps and bigger O-rings for doing BIG diameter tires.

[Flathead]

Lee, I had a friend ask me if I could make an 5-40 threaded axle for him to work with his Hudy tool. I told him about you changing out the bearings, which sounds like the perfect solution.
Can you share the bearing number or size and talk about any mods to the Hudy tool itself?
Thanks in advance Lee.
Martin.

Much the same outcome as Rick but just opted for the 5/16" outside diameter 1/8" bore bearings, thus doing away with the need for an adaptor. 5/16" is 2 thou undersize so JB welded mine in with axle in position with both bearings pushed to one side came out perfectly true, but plenty of adjustment on the hudy if it didn't set straight, then reamed the pulley out to 1/8" total cost was about $3 as I used cheap Chinese bearings to check the theory with intention of swapping them out at later date, have trued hundreds of urethane tyres and bearings have been fine. Just checked out ebay and they are on there for $7.50 for 10 bearings. Not necessary but other mod I made was longer adjustment and stop screws (M5 I think) so I can true up to Russkit drag tyre sizes.

Ps: Martin I haven't forgotten about McLaren measurements but am not sure where car is at the mo, half way through a sort out (October) I broke my heel and have been pretty immobile since.

[Mark Onofri]

I like the lock nut, I put one on before I bought a Mid America setup. Dyslexia kicked in and I had the nut on the wrong side. I had discussed changing the bearing with Martin,but I needed to use 1/8" & 1/32". Sure, I could use a sleeve but, I felt lucky and tried the aforementioned method.

[Mark Onofri]

If you compare dc-65×'s Huddy to mine do you notice anything different? 🧐
Is this a case of dyslexia rearing it's ugly head again?

[Martin]

Thanks Lee, sorry to hear about your injury.

If anybody is wondering about the "McLaren measurements" comment ? I have been for decades now trying to find a replacement M8B Mclaren body to match my childhood race car from 1970.

Mine has had its tail cut off after it got sucked up after being hit from behind in a race.

I am planning to add the cut part back on, with Lee's help.

 

 

[Bill from NH]

Is this a Betta body, or another manufacturer's?

[Flathead]

Is this a Betta body, or another manufacturer's?

Original GT Models (Gordon Tapsel) body Bill.

[Johnny]

I'll think that Red Fox is making a McLaren M8B in .010 Lexan if remember correctly

[Flathead]

I'll think that Red Fox is making a McLaren M8B in .010 Lexan if remember correctly

The idea is that Martin wants to replace with the exact same body that he built his car with when he lived in England.

[Mark Onofri]

Ok,I guess no one noticed that I have the adjustment knobs opposite compared to dc-65×'s ?

[Bill from NH]

I kept my Cobra truer which came has a 1/8" axle with one end turned down to 3/32" to fit both axle sizes. If I wanted to true threaded tires, I'd loosen a setscrew, pull the factory axle, replace it with a threaded axle, & retighten the setscrew. This saved me from rebuilding my Hudy.

[tazman]

I got the axle back from the machine shop and they chopped one side of the threads out. Trued the the smooth side so it could fit through the bearings and it fits like a dream. I usually true 1/32 tires and now I can work on some of my vintage stuff. I trued a wheel/tire from the 60's and it worked perfectly. Now, what vintage restoration should I work on? Now that I can cut down my vintage wheels/tires, should I treat my tires to make them softer?