New Pro44 Aluminum Offset Front Tubes

[Topher Builds]

It's almost sounding to me like Vanquish PURPOSELY designed the VFD skid to ONLY use the VS4-10 front axle, thus "forcing" buyers of the VS4-10 chassis & VFD trans inner purchasing their $300 front axle. This reminds me of Traxxas, and their proprietary battery/ESC connectors.

~ More peace, love, laughter & kindness would make the world a MUCH better place

I think it has more to do with how little room there is to play with on these rigs that have the forward transmissions and motor so low. I don’t think they could have put the link mount anywhere else as it would have interfered with the skid or drive shaft. It takes a lot of finesse to get that type of set up to work properly.

I’d imagine one would find the same challenges trying to put a different axle under the trail king, since their upper link comes out on the drive side and crosses over the driveshaft.

 

[JatoTheRipper]

I think it has more to do with how little room there is to play with on these rigs that have the forward transmissions and motor so low. I don’t think they could have put the link mount anywhere else as it would have interfered with the skid or drive shaft. It takes a lot of finesse to get that type of set up to work properly.

I’d imagine one would find the same challenges trying to put a different axle under the trail king, since their upper link comes out on the drive side and crosses over the driveshaft.

Exactly. I don't think they designed any parts of the VS4-10 Limited or Pro to be proprietary. That's just the way the cards fall sometimes. And, like I said, there's nothing wrong with it. All RC companies do it.

 

[Panther6834]

And there's nothing wrong with that.

Legally speaking, true...there nothing wrong with that. But, if you truly want people to but your chassis conversion kit AND 'special' transmission, is it logical to force people into also buying your axle? Especially when that axle costs 50% more than the COMBINED price of the chassis & transmission kits. This causes your "inexpensive" $220 upgrade to actually become a VERY expensive $520 upgrade. For a little over $200 more, you can purchase the entire VS4-10 Pro package.

I have a strong feeling that, while they might sell a good number of the chassis kits, they're not going to sell very many of the VFD transmission kits...unless it's possible to use a front axle other than their own VS4-10 front axle. I'm sure I'm not the only one thinking this.

~ More peace, love, laughter & kindness would make the world a MUCH better place

 

[Panther6834]

Exactly. I don't think they designed any parts of the VS4-10 Limited or Pro to be proprietary. That's just the way the cards fall sometimes. And, like I said, there's nothing wrong with it. All RC companies do it.

I wouldn't say "all RC companies" do it...but, some of them, yes...and, the numbers seem to be increasing. Since I REALLY want to use the SSD axles for the build I'm considering, I guess that leaves using the VFD trans out. I really like its low CG, and how far forward it is, but if I have to purchase a $300 axle in order to use it, no thank you. My plan is to use these SSD tubes (hoping Chris releases the complete axle soon), but convert to portals (no, not for my planned second Capra...lol).

~ More peace, love, laughter & kindness would make the world a MUCH better place

 

[Xx Losungen xX]

Why can't the SSD offset work with the VFD?

 

[JatoTheRipper]

For the TK version, it’s only about 20g over their plastic housing, so yes not much in the way of weight. However, if you use this pro44 version on the TK then you can also add brass link mounts and brass chubs that are already available for the scx10ii. I have my fingers crossed that they’ll release these tubes in the HD metal of the original pro44 and diamond tubes which should be about 50g.

https://www.amainhobbies.com/ssd-rc-trail-king-aluminum-offset-front-axle-tubes-ssd00366/p1143528

Thanks for the info! "thumbsup"

I wouldn't say "all RC companies" do it...but, some of them, yes...and, the numbers seem to be increasing. Since I REALLY want to use the SSD axles for the build I'm considering, I guess that leaves using the VFD trans out. I really like its low CG, and how far forward it is, but if I have to purchase a $300 axle in order to use it, no thank you. My plan is to use these SSD tubes (hoping Chris releases the complete axle soon), but convert to portals (no, not for my planned second Capra...lol).

~ More peace, love, laughter & kindness would make the world a MUCH better place

I think all RC companies make proprietary parts...

Why can't the SSD offset work with the VFD?

Somebody on here tried building with the VFD transmission and the SSD offset axle and he still ran into interference. The offset on the SSD axle is substantially different than the offset on the Vanquish axle.

Here is the short side universal from the SSD axle housing (top) and the universal from the Vanquish offset housing (bottom). This shows how different the offset really is.

 

[SSD]

I never intentionally design parts to only work with other SSD parts. It just ends up being that way sometimes in order to meet another goal. In the Trail Kings case I want the front upper link to be parallel with the driveshaft (cleaner and more scale to me):

This means the offset front axle is not compatible with the old SSD aluminum scale transmission. It is compatible with a standard Axial 3 gear transmission though.

All the Trail King parts (transmission etc...) will be released soon anyway. So people can build whatever they want...

 

[SSD]

Here is the short side universal from the SSD axle housing (top) and the universal from the Vanquish offset housing (bottom). This shows how different the offset really is.

And this is the reason you have to use their frame.


SSD Trail King parts are backwards compatible to the SCX10 II.

 

[JatoTheRipper]

I never intentionally design parts to only work with other SSD parts. It just ends up being that way sometimes in order to meet another goal.

Exactly!

In the Trail Kings case I want the front upper link to be parallel with the driveshaft (cleaner and more scale to me):

And I'm glad you did this.

All the Trail King parts (transmission etc...) will be released soon anyway. So people can build whatever they want...

That's awesome to hear!

And this is the reason you have to use their frame.

SSD Trail King parts are backwards compatible to the SCX10 II.

Good point!

 

[soze]

Yeah bummer that I can't run the SSD axles with the VFD transmission. I think I'll stick the VFD transmission in the Origin and maybe rob the origin transmission, or get a Stealth X Transmission and put it in the chassis kit with SSD axles. That should work right?

 

[Topher Builds]

Yeah bummer that I can't run the SSD axles with the VFD transmission. I think I'll stick the VFD transmission in the Origin and maybe rob the origin transmission, or get a Stealth X Transmission and put it in the chassis kit with SSD axles. That should work right?

Yes. Fairly certain the non-VFD vs4-10 skid plate also allows the front upper link to mount on either side so assuming you go with the offset axle you’ll just need to get this link below as well. The rest of the links you should be able to use any scx10ii compatible set.

https://www.rpphobby.com/product_p/ssd00377.htm

 

[powder4breakfast]

...I have my fingers crossed that they’ll release these tubes in the HD metal of the original pro44 and diamond tubes which should be about 50g.

^^^ Crossing my fingers too

 

[Xx Losungen xX]

Somebody on here tried building with the VFD transmission and the SSD offset axle and he still ran into interference.

Thanks mate, I didn't even think of it being an issue, just saved me some bucks!

All the Trail King parts (transmission etc...) will be released soon anyway. So people can build whatever they want...

And this is why SSD keeps getting my cash, I've been searching for that transmission on its own, good news!

Lemme know when I can spend some more!

 

[Panther6834]

All I know is, while I was hoping to possibly use the VFD trans (if I decide to go with the VS4-10 chassis) for the 329mm build I'm considering, if I can't use it with the SSD axles I WILL be using, then I'll be forgoing the VFD trans...the SSD axles are more important than the VFD trans.

~ More peace, love, laughter & kindness would make the world a MUCH better place

 

[HumboldtEF]

All I know is, while I was hoping to possibly use the VFD trans (if I decide to go with the VS4-10 chassis) for the 329mm build I'm considering, if I can't use it with the SSD axles I WILL be using, then I'll be forgoing the VFD trans...the SSD axles are more important than the VFD trans.

~ More peace, love, laughter & kindness would make the world a MUCH better place

Well if it helps the Trail King motor location is fairly close to being just as low as the VFD's.

 

[Panther6834]

Well if it helps the Trail King motor location is fairly close to being just as low as the VFD's.

Which is why I'm still considering a second TK (for the "mystery" build needing a 329mm wheelbase)...but, if replace the axles with SSD portals, using the machined SSD tubes.

~ More peace, love, laughter & kindness would make the world a MUCH better place

 

[Col_Sanders]

It's almost sounding to me like Vanquish PURPOSELY designed the VFD skid to ONLY use the VS4-10 front axle, thus "forcing" buyers of the VS4-10 chassis & VFD trans inner purchasing their $300 front axle. This reminds me of Traxxas, and their proprietary battery/ESC connectors.

~ More peace, love, laughter & kindness would make the world a MUCH better place

Well, Vanquish released their offset front axle before SSD and the VFD was designed to work with that.

 

[Maxxamillion]

A little confusing... The Vanquish SCX10 II VS4-10 chassis kit says a 'industry standard' 3 gear trans will work. But not the SCX10-II 'kit' transmission? So I take it the SCX10 II RTR tranny will work?
And then will stock take off SCX10 II axles work in the Vanquish kit?

I bought the chassis kit solely to bolt into my SCX, using parts I already have, hopefully. Basically stock SCX10 II w/Vanquish chassis. Not looking to use the VFD trans or Vanquish axles if I can help it.

 

[Xx Losungen xX]

It's the way those transmissions in the Axial line up was labelled by the aftermarket when it was just the rtr and the Cherokee kit available.

Now, it means basically that the standard 3 gear = rtr = the silver case = old scx10 transmission. The new black one = kit transmission = NOT the standard 3 gear.

The rtr one (silver housing) will work with the vs4 chassis set, you are correct.

 

[4RunnerKid]

so worth the wait, proper Toyota build incoming 8) only thing I would recommend is to use 6 or 7mm screws instead of 5mm to attach the center section to the tubes

i don't know why more people aren't stoked for these things...