Hogjowls, since you're already tearing your chassis apart, why don't you try this experiment for me.
Get a brass tube that fits the axel snugly, it's ok if it slows it down. (let me finish
) Get some bushing grease from your hobby shop. Green Slime is good stuff, but Associate, or Team Losi stuff is good. The key is the Teflon. Then take a spare axel, and put it in your drill. Coat it with thegrease, and spin it in the brass tube, to break it in like you'd break in a bushing. Then spray out he tube with motor spray, or WD-40 to clean out the metal you've worn away, and run your car with your axels greased.
See if that works. Should be super smooth, if it works out like when I broke in the bushings on my 1/10th scale cars
Dave