Axles and Wheels How To

**mick59wests** · 18th February 2009, 11:03 AM

To all of the vehicle makers,

I am always interested in learning and one thing of which there seems to be many options is doing axles and attaching wheels. I will start with what I have done (and seen) and hope others will contribute. Whenever I see a toy vehicle I always wonder how the toy maker has attached the axle and wheels.

For larger ride-on vehicles (like a billy-cart) I have used a threaded rod as an axle. I have then attached a nut and washer on the inside of the wheel and a washer and two nuts on the outside. I 'lock' the nuts together by holding one with one spanner and then tightening the other onto it. I think this works better than a nylon type lock-nut. My main problem with this method is how it looks - I would prefer not to have the nuts exposed on the outside but have not come up with anything satisfactory to solve this.

For the next level down vehicles (I have done for a ride-on truck) I have used dowels glued into the vehicle with a slightly larger hole drilled into the centre of the wheel. I then turned some caps which are partially drilled on the inside (same diameter as the dowel) and then glued them onto the outside of the dowel.On the inside of the wheel I used a wooden washer which I made.

I have seen plans (but never used) where the dowel goes all the way through the vehicle and the wheels are 'attached' to it (glued I expect). For this one the whole axle rotates and the wheels with it.

I also have a small car which looks like nails are used as the axle for each wheel with a cap covering the nail. Pretty simple but effective.

Any other methods and what works well will be appreciated by many.

cheers

Mick

**Billy** · 18th February 2009, 04:29 PM

hiya, with the toys I make I use 6mm "dowel" ( not grooved) for the axle which is glued into the wheel. The hole through the model is 8mm to ensure the axle spins well and doesnt bind up. I then (sometimes) put an upholstery nail with a big domed head on the outer end of the wheel so it looks like a hubcap and covers the end of the axle. Check out some pics in my album, Billys wooden toys. cheers, billy

**srulik** · 19th February 2009, 02:39 AM

Mick,
I use to make 40mm wheels by:
1.Cutting wheels with hole saw, the center drill is 6mm so I can use 6mm dowel as side to side shaft.

2. Sending on belt sebder usig nail as shaft...
3. Using simple jig on router table to craving the groov betwin "tire" and "hab", it is look nice if I use 8mm straight bit..

4. By sebding the wheel edge on METAL table grinding machin, I make manualy the tracks, as they burn they make the darker color.

Look at pictures here.

**Sawdust Maker** · 19th February 2009, 03:19 PM

srulik
very impressive

mick59wests
for billycarts or trailers (I'll have to take a photo of the one I did years ago), I used a steel rod for the shaft with a split pin through the rod to hold the wheel on, then a chrome cap to cover the end. A washer each side of the wheel. The axles go through an angle iron which is screwed to the base of the trailer. I got the axle rod, wheels and angle iron from my local friendly hardware (ie Pauls in Sydney City). I'm not sure whether this way is cheaper then threaded rod,

Attachment 96863 Attachment 96864 Attachment 96865

I got off my behind and took some photos. I think this should give you the idea. As you can see it's had some use. Is about 10 years old now. The two red stripes have faded and fallen off (electrical tape)

**mick59wests** · 20th February 2009, 11:02 PM

Nick,

this may be a dum question but how do the chrome caps caps stay on the axle?

thanks
Mick

**scotty60** · 20th February 2009, 11:28 PM

under the chrome cap there is a washer that has slots cut in it that act as fingers so when you tap them on the shaft the finger pull back and dig into the shaft holding them on.

CHEERS

**Sawdust Maker** · 23rd February 2009, 08:48 PM

Thanks Scotty

I was going to add before - it also doubles as a heavy duty carrier - ie I wheeled in my lathe on it (don't tell the kids)

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