Re-visiting the Shrikes

rsv1cox Sun Apr 21, 2019 3:55 pm

Finally got around to cleaning up the yellow one.

I did try to start it without cleaning as threatened in my first post, not very productive but it satisfied my curiosity. Using a bulb pump I fueled it with fuel leaking everywhere but the second relief tube. Stuck full of congealed castor, so much for my experiment and stopped right there.

But cleaning the body raised a question. Are the wheels supposed to ride on the axles, or do the axles ride on the plastic body? Seems it was designed to do the latter. The wheels are castor locked to the axles but can be forced to move.

Marleysky Sun Apr 21, 2019 6:04 pm

Bobs question “But cleaning the body raised a question. Are the wheels supposed to ride on the axles, or do the axles ride on the plastic body? Seems it was designed to do the latter. The wheels are castor locked to the axles but can be forced to move. ”

Bob, on my shrike the wheels were castor glued to the axles. After being removed from the body I cleaned the axles and the ID of the wheels, now they spin freely on the axle which is free to move within the body.

rsv1cox Sun Apr 21, 2019 6:12 pm

Marleysky wrote:Bobs question “But cleaning the body raised a question. Are the wheels supposed to ride on the axles, or do the axles ride on the plastic body? Seems it was designed to do the latter. The wheels are castor locked to the axles but can be forced to move. ”

Bob, on my shrike the wheels were castor glued to the axles. After being removed from the body I cleaned the axles and the ID of the wheels, now they spin freely on the axle which is free to move within the body.

That was my problem, the two body pieces do not pinch down on the axles so they wouldn't move. Either way metal is going to be rubbing on plastic be axle against hub or axle against body.

I'm going to remove the clips and clean the axles any way. I bet most of these that have been ran have castor locked wheels. Same thing happens on the Cox Mercedes.

Bob

Davenz13 Mon Apr 22, 2019 2:22 am

Hi Bob
I've stripped down three shrikes just recently, all with varying degrees of castor lock on the axles. One, that had obviously had a lot of use, had spun the axles so much as to wear the plastic axle guides quite badly. Also had a lot of wear on the outer faces of the body where the wheel hubs had been rubbing.
This is the body that I'm using for the "Cars are the Stars" competition so I don't feel bad about cutting it up to make it fit the Prop-Rod belly pan.

Dave

rsv1cox Mon Apr 22, 2019 6:19 am

Yes, there is no inner "C" clip to hold the wheels away from the body depending on the body to preform that function.

Seems like the castor slop is both a blessing and a curse, provides lubrication while running then gets sticky and locks everything up.

What's the deal with the RC sticker? Green one just has COX. Bought green replacements on ebay if I ever get around to the green one.

Davenz13 Mon Apr 22, 2019 6:47 am

Yes I bought stickers off eBay too for the green one and the yellow one and just ordered a couple off canopy's off redvenomrepros, light blue one for the green shrike and a dark smoke one for a custom one . I don't remember seeing stickers on eBay for the R/C one.

DrCox Mon Apr 22, 2019 8:36 am

rsv1cox wrote:What's the deal with the RC sticker? Green one just has COX. Bought green replacements on ebay if I ever get around to the green one.

These may help in the future as to Cox body stickers:

Re-visiting the Shrikes 6k1gnkN

getback Mon Apr 22, 2019 9:31 am

Well that's kinda cheesy with the axles my prop rods not like that and i need to pull the wheels and lube the axles He He Small Cox Logo

Got the mount for the engine made But didnt think about the SBJ has to have a hole to breath Duh !! i think a BB is in order .

rsv1cox Mon Apr 22, 2019 10:23 am

Ah, my little brain light came on!

Those are owner applied decals. I ran a google.

Viper, Hurst, NHRA, etc. are not original to the car. Duh on me.

No matter, spent two days cleaning the thing up. Decals survived and I'm leaving them.

Pulled the C clips and removed the wheels. Not easy. Used a butane torch centered on the axle and with both hands twisted the wheels off the axles. Much better than a heat gun would be.

Used the wire wheel to get the majority of the castor goo off, works great getting in the C clip groove. Then chucked it up in the drill press and hit it with 320/800 then fine steel wool. Simple Green got most of the castor off but it takes chrome plating too. Good!!!!!!

Rolls like a new one now.