Polished vs FTE vs Color Shifter Axels
I was on the topic of axels with a friend and we were discussing what the best axels were. As someone who is starting to dive into customization I have begun trying to maximize the value of a good set of axels and wheels. With that being said I have a fairly decent collection of FTEs as well as older blue cars and late 90's castings (Production quality seemed much better to me back then) but I haven't delved much into Color Shifters. Now my question to you is which one seems like the best quality and value in terms of speed and integrity. Maybe this has been already covered as I'm sure it has but any and all input would be extremely helpful as I begin doing more and more customs!
-Drift-
Discussion
I agree with much that's be said above. IMO, nickel-plated axles certainly aren't the final word in diecast performance. I have dozens of stock mainlines that are faster than thier FTE equivelents. I think the original OH5 wheels may have a tighter tolerance than other wheels which may explain why they were chosen for the first FTE series in 2005. I also think the mold quality of those wheels has deteriorated over the years because the early versions seem to be the more consistent performers. Mattel also has a history of using 10sp wheels on nickel-plated axles (Color Changers, Target Race Aces). The mold quality seems to be more consistent on those wheels. There are also options from premium cars like Mario Cart wheels and the brown wagon wheels from the BTF2 DeLorean which have become common on many racing customs.
- With the wagon wheels isn't the main benefit the minimal contact area they have with the track? Deadly on a drag strip!! Nothing but GO! With OH5 the impression that I get, after listening to so many, is the reduced mass of the wheel compared to say Aerodisc which are more "solid" — Chris_Hood
In my opinion, the axle/wheel combination you choose and how you prepare them is the single most important factor in diecast racing. I still haven't figured it out. My cars are usually well built and run well, but they never have the low end torque that a lot of the top builders have. A good set of wheels is definitely the difference-maker. The only way to find out which ones are faster is to test your cars. Another factor you have to consider is the length of the axle. It has to fit the car you're working on. Sometimes that in itself poses a challenge. I've been doing this "full-time" for 2 years now and I'm still trying to figure it out.
- I'm confused by "low end torque," do you mean your cars don't get out as quickly from the start gate? I know you've built the Shelby Daytona Coupe several times, those huge diameter wheels have top end potential at the trade off of inherent rolling resistance — Chris_Hood
- Yes, Chris…lol. It seems like my cars pick up speed as the run goes on, but a lot of the time, it’s too late. The top guys have already left me in the dust. On the road courses, I usually have to hope someone else has problems once I get to the later rounds. And on a drag strip, you really don’t have time to start slow. — Dog_Squab_Racing
- After seeing a stock Nissan Skyline 2000GT-R LBWK do well on a drag strip and road course with those TINY wheels, I had to rethink all my assumptions on wheels, LOL!! — Chris_Hood
- Also, you just made me realize…I haven’t built a Shelby Daytona Cobra in a while…lol. I’m itching to work on another one. Just wait until the next race happens that I can use one in! I still haven’t won anything using that casting. You’d think I would learn my lesson haha. — Dog_Squab_Racing
Everybody is right, round wheels and cleaned and polished axels are a must for speed. Something I do is that I have 2 Mustangs that are drilled and tapped, one of them has bigger wheel wells to accommodate bigger wheels, and I have them weighted to about 50 grams. Whenever I am prepping wheels and axels for a build, I use those cars to test them and break them in, while working ojn other aspects of the build. By using the same cars to test, I know what to expect for speed when they have good wheels on them and when they don't. Having a circuit track at home is great for testing, but having a drag track would be even better.
An oldie but a goodie primer on wheels; at least I found it enlightening!! Edit for clarity, this is from Chris Raab back in the day
- Good watch, thank you. — alva1370
- As you probably know, I enjoyed watching, commenting on a lot of Chris' videos. Great stuff. Cheers — CutRock_R_Marc_D
Just my opinion, but if you're lubing then nickel plated axles mean nothing. It's going to be all about minimizing and prefereably eliminating any kind of imperfections that would reach beyond your lube later(s) and snag into wheel plastic. For example any burrs, crimp lines or ridges created during the nailhead forming process.
That lube is a contact barrier that in a perfect scenario would prevent your metal axles from ever touching the wheel plastic.
My short answer, polished axles. But I have no racing pedigree worth backing that up.
Axles are only as good as the wheels that are on them. Look for non-wobbly, non-buzzy wheels. You can always polish the axles to a fine shine to be just as good if not better than FTEs. Color shifters I believe have slightly thicker axles, but are also nickel plated. I only use color shifters because they have plastic bodies with metal chassis. Sometimes they have good wheels, but it's not a guarantee. Find castings, or eras of castings, where the wheels seem to be better than average and buy a bunch of them.