So in my mind there are two different kind of scale drivers. Those who build and enjoy stock or nearly stock rigs and those who fabricate tough as nails rigs and drive them to the very limits of their capabilities. The latter part of those scalers often like to put their rigs to the test through the rigors of competition. While scale comping has never been my thing it happens to be a big percentage of the scaler segment. These drivers often at least partially hand fabricate their rigs to take the durability factor a level only required for those who drive their rigs hard. Even for the most devoted who sink hundreds of hours into a build there are parts of the car where they are required to rely on the aftermarket for parts as garage fabrication just isn’t an option. One such area happens to be the axle shafts. The machining requirements to manufacture such parts is pretty much out of reach even for the countries top builders. That is where Vanquish Products enters the picture.
Vanquish has a well known and respected reputation in the scale world as building the highest quality parts out there. The scale scene also knows that such quality also comes at a premium. Name a quality product that doesn’t. On the subject of axle shafts the Vanquish VVD has been the standard in quality and durability when you need to bullet proof your rig whether comping or not. No matter how well they are manufactured the VVD is a stock replacement part. That means that the design is limited; although improved will always be restricted by the original design to retain OEM compatibility. The ability to bolt these right on your existing stock rig gives them huge appeal for the casual scaler who just needs to beef up his ride. So where does that leave the hardcore? The guys who really need every bit of performance they can squeeze out of a part no matter the cost? Well that is another area VP has always been obliged to serve.
Enter the VXD Universal Axle Package. No fancy anodizing or logos; these chromoly beasts are all business. This isn’t just a set of uni’s for your comp rig, this is a full on replacement of your front axle internals. The full kit includes the universals, locker, clamping hexes and axle nuts. To get the low down on these new parts I reached out to Josh Thiede at Vanquish Products and had a lengthy discussion about them. In short he stated that the VXD brings improved performance in the form of additional steering angle and a universal that remains smooth while in rotation up to 60 degrees. That means little to no steering chatter and smooth predictable steering all the time while being the toughest axle shafts VP puts out. They feature a rebuildable design similar to a full size axle shaft with removable bushings and star should you need to service them at any point. That might make these the last set of universals you ever have to buy! The ends of the axles feature beefy 5mm axle stubs and special clamping hexes made especially for the oversize parts. The end result is the toughest, highest performing universals you can buy for your rig.
When you take anything to an extreme there are always compromises. Because of the bolstered dimensions of the axle stub a regular wheel nut tool will no longer fit. VP states you can mill down your own 8mm driver to make it fit or you can pick up a specialized one from VP (part# VPS07100) to get the job done. Keep that in mind when ordering because I was not able to find any alternate method of installing these and ended up ordering one because I don’t have the tools to modify my own. Another area customers may notice some changes over stock is the axle shaft itself between the stub and the tang is larger than OEM. VP does this to maximize the amount of material increasing durability, but it may cause some rubbing on the suspension mount hardware. The original VVD design did this as well and I ran them for years with no ill effects. I heard a little bit of metal rubbing initially but it wears in after a few minutes and everything is fine.
VP always welcomes feedback from their customer base and are always interested to examine any failed parts. The VXD is a culmination of everything the guys have learned since entering the axle shaft market. Other design changes have been made as well.
You will notice that the VXD has a square tang as opposed to the stock double flat tang on the OEM parts. Utilizing a square helps distribute the rotational load and should help avoid failures in this area. A consequence of using this design VP had to leave compatibility with the stock locker in the rear view. That is why the VXD system includes a new chromoly front locker. Based on the popular Incision locker the VXD unit will work only with these axle shafts. The result will be a much more durable product with a much more positive engadgment where the axle shaft meets the spool.
As always VP parts are made in the USA from the highest quality materials available. This axle system may not be for everybody given the cost of entry, but for those who need the best that can be had this seems like an easy choice. The fact that they can be rebuilt vs replacement on most other brands should also be considered when shopping around. How much is your favorite universal if you factor in buying 2 or 3 sets? A new set of bushings for this setup costs 15 dollars. To me that makes these a pretty worthy investment!
The VXD Universal Axle Package is currently only available for Axial AR60 axle based models. It retails for 125 dollars and is available now from vanquishproducts.com.
Thanks for stopping by gang, I’ll catch you on the next one!
-Evol
Details:
- Fully constructed of domestic high strength chromoly steel
- 5mm Stub Shaft Design*
- Squared Locker Engagement Design – Features higher cross sectional area engagement for increased strength
- Chromoly Spool is included and required for use with these axles
- 12mm Clamping Hexes with 5mm thru bore
- Comes hand assembled
- Ultra high strength 4-way cross pin
- Replaceable bushings for a longer lasting product
- Full selection of rebuild and replacement parts available
- Achieve up to 60 degree of steering angle
- Price: 124.99
- part# VPS08110
