FSAE LIGHTNING SERIES Batwing Steel Tripod Inserts — 18T

Steel roller tracks for compact aluminum wheel hubs.

TRE Batwing Inserts provide steel running surfaces for our LIGHTNING SERIES 18-tooth FSAE tripod inside a custom aluminum wheel hub. The contoured profile packages the steel around the tripod tracks, allowing teams to retain a compact bearing diameter while keeping the rollers running against steel.

Designed for the TRE Lightning Series 18T tripod, Batwing Inserts allow an integrated hub layout with a 55 mm bearing journal, providing a much smaller radial package than our 20T tripod system.

Steel at the roller contact. Aluminum for the surrounding hub structure.

Key benefits include:

• Steel running surfaces: The tripod rollers contact steel instead of running directly on the aluminum hub.
• Compact bearing packaging: Accommodates a 55 mm bearing journal
• Custom hub integration: Teams retain control of their wheel interface, brake mounting, bearing arrangement, and upright layout.
• New-build or retrofit applications: Design the inserts into a new hub or evaluate their use in a suitable existing hub.

Design the Hub Around the Inserts

Bearing diameter is a packaging choice within the complete wheel-end design. A 55 mm journal with aluminum material removed for the inserts leaves less aluminum overall, so the surrounding structure must be evaluated for the team’s loads, material, geometry, and fatigue requirements.

The inserts provide the roller contact surfaces; the aluminum hub must support them and carry the loads into the wheel and bearings. Pocket geometry, insert fit and retention, remaining wall thickness, tripod plunge, and articulation all need to be considered together.

For an existing hub, suitability depends on its condition and the material remaining after machining. Contact TRE before modifying worn hubs to determine whether a Batwing conversion is practical.

Bearing sizes above refer to bearing bore / hub journal diameter, not bearing outside diameter.

Compatibility and Design Support

Designed for the TRE FSAE Lightning Series 18T Tripod, and custom aluminum hubs machined to accept the Batwing profile.

Contact TRE for design reviews, DFM support, and potential custom manufacturing of your hub designs.

Example CAD for machining your housing

Example housing shows required 2D path and full pocket.  Details of bottom fillets, etc are shown for example, with the concave bottom to interface with TRE axle snubbers on the plunging system.  

Sold individually, 3 are needed for a complete housing.