Jeff's RC Site - Drive Components

The drive shaft is hardened steel rod, the more common diameters is 4mm and 3/16"
They can have one threaded-notch end or notched at both ends.

The stuffing box is simply a brass or aluminum tube, it can have bushings or bearings.
Some sort of lubricant must be applied to the shaft as routine maintenance, they sell silicon grease but Vaseline works fine and is better on open end stuffing boxes since it doubles as a sealant.

What should be used to seal the area where the stuffing box/shaft exits the stern?
With the stuffing box in place, fill the exit point on the inside of the hull with epoxy (two bottle type you have to mix) until the stuffing box and exit hole is completely covered, I then pull the stuffing box out a little to extend the glue down the tube and then push it back so the glue fills the seam. You will want to rig something up in advance to hold the hull at a downward angle if the exit is through the stern and flat if it is through the bottom of the hull..

Some shafts like the Great Plane models used two nuts to hold the prop in place
Using a Drive dog will improve performance by eliminating the prop from slipping

You will need to file a slot on the shaft for the set screw, this does not have to be perfect, just a flat spot so that the set screw cannot slip on the shaft. Figure 1

Slide the drive dog on the shaft until you can see the slot through the set screw hole. Figure 2

Screw the set screw in. Figure 3

You will need to make a simple tool as seen above left, it will need to be most likely metal.
set one post of the yoke in the bottom hole, straddle the top post with the tool and
push in and down at the same time, this will spread the ears just enough so the top post will slip in.
Repeat for the other side.
If your hands are not strong enough to hold it, mount it on the shaft, this will extend your
grip, make sure the shaft has a slot and the set screw is snug, you don't want the shaft
slipping through and skewering your hand, you might want to use a scrap shaft incase you
bend it.

You may come across a situation when the shaft is too small for a drive dog or a U-joint connection.

Use a piece of aluminum or brass tube, you will need to size the I.D. and O.D. for what you need, most motor shafts are 1/8" which is 3.175 mm, 3 mm items will fit, and most shafts are 3/16"
They do sell U-joints and couplers that go from 1/8" to 3/16" but if you don't have it or can't get it, this will work. The most common U-joint is the Traxxas which requires a sleeve to fit a motor.

Make a hole for the set screw first, this can be done with an exacto knife or filed thin and let the set screw push through. Figure 6

Then cut the tube to the length you need, a Razor saw works best. Figure 7

With U-joints the length should be the same length as the coupler
For Drive dogs it depends on the prop, if the prop is the same size as the shaft, the sleeve can be only as long as the body of the drive dog. Dotted line on figure 8
You can extend the sleeve to resize the prop, make sure it is slightly shorter than the prop barrel or you will not be able to tighten the prop to the drive dog. Figure 8

All illustrations were created by me
If you would like to use them on another site
Please ask


Drive Dog	Drive Dog & Stopper


Motor Joint	Traxxas U-Joint 4 MM shaft