B3 wheel nuts

[spud]

Is there a reason that the front wheels have plastic nuts?
If not can I put metal nuts on?

[Richy]

The B4 also has plastic front wheel nuts and they don't look very durable I looked on the B4 parts list and could'nt find an alternative. :-

[Southwell]

No cuz it will crush the bearing if u use metal ones and do them up too tight

[Gaz_Stanton]

Pretty much any 4-40 nut can be used but the plastic one does the job just fine. There's not much lateral loading on the nuts so strength isn't an issue. The plastic ones are much lighter and don't damage the bearings. They can also be replaced for pence so if the thread is going, a new nut isn't much of an outlay.

(also the axles are aluminium so there is much more chance of stripping them when using a steel nut. I'd rather replace a cheap plastic nut than an axle.)

Another good thing is the width of the plastic nuts. they sit flush with axle so the axle doesn't catch when you rub on track markers.

[spud]

Thanks, some good points there. I thought it might of had something to do with the bearings being mounted against the nut. Best I get some spares.

[Southwell]

You can get nice white nuts from losi

[spud]

Do you know if anyone does blue nuts?

[Southwell]

Havent heard of any blue nuts about. Maybe RPM?

[savage beast]

yup RPM do blue nuts. try tower or maybe apex will do them

[Southwell]

Whata guess ;D

[super__dan]

As mentioned above I think the only reason is if you normal 4-40 steel nuts it WILL strip the thread on the axle (been there, done that). I never tried alloy nuts however, they might be better!

Dan

[webba]

Maybe something to do with damage limitation too. Recently in an indoors meeting, another car crossed the track and colided with mine removing my front wheel in the process. It did this because the plastic nut just came off. I think if i had a metal nut on there i may have been looking at other damaged parts as the wheel would've stayed put.

[rich_p]

AE now sell new front axles for the B4 that allow the wheel to be held on by a screw. No chane of that catching a track marker as they are flush with the wheel

[Southwell]

Does anyone remember the MX4 with screws to hold the wheels on? Never seen so many wheels fly off down a straight lol