55 replies to this topic

[Yello]

Recommendable? Anyone try optional gear diffs on any Tamiya vehicle that has the them as a hop-up?

TA-05s have them and so do DB-01s. The part number for the latter is 54329 and it looks like this:








I figure if I ever run into problems with my ball diffs and one or both of them need to be replaced I'd buy the above. But I wonder if the gear diffs are supposed to be better suited for brushless power and what their cons are.

[spac51]

Recommendable? Anyone try optional gear diffs on any Tamiya vehicle that has the them as a hop-up?

TA-05s have them and so do DB-01s. The part number for the latter is 54329 and it looks like this:






I figure if I ever run into problems with my ball diffs and one or both of them need to be replaced I'd buy the above. But I wonder if the gear diffs are supposed to be better suited for brushless power and what their cons are.

yes a good move for brushless, my db01 melted the rear diff in 3 packs running sidewinder and 5700 on 7.4v, probably running it a little loose ,so i fitted the gear diff and i like it, no slip ,no trying to find correct adjustment. The new problem now is all the stress the ball diff was absorbing is now transferred to the spur and belt,within 2 packs the spur was destroyed when the hex sides were rounded and melted, and the belt had stretched, but with some adjustment to the slipper its now all good ,would be interesting to try in the front aswell?

[WillyChang]

balldiffs are from before crazy brushless power, gear diffs have better chances of survival

have bought SpecR's gear diff for TA05 before Tamiya got into the act, both work well.
(SpecR's outdrives needs cushions, Tamiya's doesn't - depends which parts you like wearing out faster)

Love the nil-maintenance; and if you do rebuild can reset to previous tightness exactly.

Now with TA06 gear diff is stock, don't know anybody who's got the option balldiff for their TA06.

[speedy_w_beans]

I was turned off the by the plastic spider gears and bevel gears, so I haven't tried this option yet.

-Paul

[redzone]

I just got a TA06, i bought the metal cross piece for the gear diffs as i know of a couple of guys on rctech that have broken the stock plastic ones..

[MadInventor]

I was turned off the by the plastic spider gears and bevel gears, so I haven't tried this option yet.

-Paul

+1.

If you want them for silly brushless power I wouldn't use plastic gear difffs. If you are going down that route I would use a spool in the front, and I'd be tempted to put one in the back as well, if what you are mostly going to be doing is going extremely fast in a straight line.

[bromvw]

Its easy to replace the plastic bevel gears with the metal items from a blitzer diff . As you know the blitzer handles brushless power with out any problems .

[redzone]

Its easy to replace the plastic bevel gears with the metal items from a blitzer diff . As you know the blitzer handles brushless power with out any problems .

the old style blitzer/manta ray etc etc tripod planetaries wont fit in a 4 pinion style diff casing

[Yello]

balldiffs are from before crazy brushless power, gear diffs have better chances of survival

have bought SpecR's gear diff for TA05 before Tamiya got into the act, both work well.
(SpecR's outdrives needs cushions, Tamiya's doesn't - depends which parts you like wearing out faster)

Love the nil-maintenance; and if you do rebuild can reset to previous tightness exactly.

Now with TA06 gear diff is stock, don't know anybody who's got the option balldiff for their TA06.

This sounds good. I hope the gear diff turns out to be more durable. But if the bevel gears every give out on you, if the gear set starts to leak, or if the cross bar ever breaks on you, let us know, please.

I just got a TA06, i bought the metal cross piece for the gear diffs as i know of a couple of guys on rctech that have broken the stock plastic ones..

Where do you get that metal cross bar? And is it likely to fit the DB01's gear diff?

This Thread = Me preparing for that time in the (far) future when I'll need to replace ball diffs.

[markbt73]

Wait - now there are optional gear diffs to replace ball diffs? Everything old is new again, I guess.

But if you think I'm going back to mechanical speed controls, you can forget it.

[Sayer]

Wait - now there are optional gear diffs to replace ball diffs? Everything old is new again, I guess.

But if you think I'm going back to mechanical speed controls, you can forget it.

*shrug* ball diffs always seemed like far too much work for my uses. What with all the tightening and the slipping and nearly snapping your fingers off assembling them...

[redzone]

Wait - now there are optional gear diffs to replace ball diffs? Everything old is new again, I guess.

But if you think I'm going back to mechanical speed controls, you can forget it.

yep difference is these are sealed so you turn them into a viscous LSD..


the cross bar is available at stellamodels under TA06 option parts, cant remember the number off the top of my head atm..

[OCD]

yep difference is these are sealed so you turn them into a viscous LSD..


the cross bar is available at stellamodels under TA06 option parts, cant remember the number off the top of my head atm..

I've been watching these pop up on eBay recently; Does anyone know if these fit either the TA04 or TRF415 cars?

I really like the idea of making one of them a center diff in a TLT.

[redzone]

I just realised that pic u posted has the metal cross bar included..

[WillyChang]

I've been watching these pop up on eBay recently; Does anyone know if these fit either the TA04 or TRF415 cars?

I really like the idea of making one of them a center diff in a TLT.

TA05 diff has a lot of differenct dimensions to TA04 balldiff, also 36/37t vs 32t

there might be enough leeway in TLT to bash 1 in though

although not sure if its worth the trouble, i'd just put a spool fixed axle in the middle

[OCD]

TA05 diff has a lot of differenct dimensions to TA04 balldiff, also 36/37t vs 32t

there might be enough leeway in TLT to bash 1 in though

although not sure if its worth the trouble, i'd just put a spool fixed axle in the middle

Nice - thanks for the insight. Was just dreaming of a viscous diff for my TLT basher project

What about the 415? Does that share dimensions with the TA04 or 05? (I have both diffs here, but I'm too lazy to dig and measure, lol)

-S

[WillyChang]

415 is more like TA05 but not interchangeable,
overall width & position of pulley is +/-5mm ish.
Uses larger pulleys than TA04's i think.

If only TLT wasn't such PITA to access the tranny, gotta strip half the car to yank the diff.

[JeepnMike]

So is anybody actually running one of these in your DB01 or TRF? I just rebuilt my ball diffs, but for next time it would be good to know from some experience if this upgrade is recommended. I sure wouldn't mind the maintenance over my ball diffs.

Thanks!

[Yello]

I've only needed to readjust and tighten my diffs and have never had to get back to them and rebuild.

But I'd be interested in the gear diff. Just seems like a better principle.

Seems like many of the latest versions of a few TRF kits (511 and 417x) are now being offered with the gear diffs. If anything, I'd say that's a good thing.

[redzone]

If u read the TA06 thread on rctech (from page 95ish onwards) you will find a couple of guys talking about leaking gear diffs and how to avoid the problem, it's not a drama with thickish fluid but the thin stuff makes em leak..

[WillyChang]

if you're gunna use really thin oils, just use ceramic grease

they will leak if you're not careful with the gasket when sealing them up,
or run high speeds constantly or you've overfilled them.
Can make a right decent oily mess in chassis.


Being gear diffs (bevels have more leverage than a 3mm ball) imho they've
gotta be set "stiffer" than an equivalent balldiff effect on track.

its also not that easy to dump-n-refill a geardiff in any hurry, the thick oils
gotta be scraped out. I use the shock vacuum chamber to remove bubbles.
If you're racing with gear diffs it might be useful to carry a few diffs
filled with different oils for testing during a tuning session.

[JeepnMike]

OK. I still can't tell if any of you others have tried these gear diffs out in a DB-01 yet. I was out trying to tune my DB01 a bit yesterday and both ball diffs started slipping (just rebuilt). I tightened them up, still slipping. Tightented them to where I think the nut-sert started to slip a little and the diff is still slipping. I used super glue on my diff rings this time (vs. shoe goo) thinking they would be bullet proof this time and I wouldn't have to worry about my diffs for a while, I was wrong. I am not sure why they are slipping so bad, I am just guessing the diff rings. I will tear it apart and see. In the meanwhile and out of frustration, I checked rcmart and they had the hop-up gear diffs on sale for $22 USD so I bought one for the front and rear. I will let you guys know how they work out. I do plan to stick with the thicker oil for now for the sake of them not leaking, I just want to drive the @#$^^ thing. LOL

[Yello]

OK. I still can't tell if any of you others have tried these gear diffs out in a DB-01 yet. I was out trying to tune my DB01 a bit yesterday and both ball diffs started slipping (just rebuilt). I tightened them up, still slipping. Tightented them to where I think the nut-sert started to slip a little and the diff is still slipping. I used super glue on my diff rings this time (vs. shoe goo) thinking they would be bullet proof this time and I wouldn't have to worry about my diffs for a while, I was wrong. I am not sure why they are slipping so bad, I am just guessing the diff rings. I will tear it apart and see. In the meanwhile and out of frustration, I checked rcmart and they had the hop-up gear diffs on sale for $22 USD so I bought one for the front and rear. I will let you guys know how they work out. I do plan to stick with the thicker oil for now for the sake of them not leaking, I just want to drive the @#$^^ thing. LOL

Just a shot in the dark, but did you see the "twist" in the ball diff build instruction? It is claimed that those who install the diff screw etc in the wrong direction would have problems with the diff loosening on its own.

I'm genuinely (morbidly?) curious as to why so many people have such a hard time with their DB01 diffs. I must have really lucked out. I've put my DB01 through countless bash sessions by now and after the initial break-in, my diffs seem to have settled into a nice little stasis. *knocks on wood*

- Also when you tighten the diff, do you use Tamiya's guideline or do you tighten down ALL the way and then back out?

Anyway, Stellamodels has the gear diffs for 20 USD and the next time I pick up stuff from them, I'll probably pick a gear diff up too to replace the rear ball diff, and that just for the heck of it and as a backup in case I ever need it.

Please tell us how you like the gear differentials.

[OCD]

OK. I still can't tell if any of you others have tried these gear diffs out in a DB-01 yet. I was out trying to tune my DB01 a bit yesterday and both ball diffs started slipping (just rebuilt). I tightened them up, still slipping. Tightented them to where I think the nut-sert started to slip a little and the diff is still slipping. I used super glue on my diff rings this time (vs. shoe goo) thinking they would be bullet proof this time and I wouldn't have to worry about my diffs for a while, I was wrong. I am not sure why they are slipping so bad, I am just guessing the diff rings. I will tear it apart and see. In the meanwhile and out of frustration, I checked rcmart and they had the hop-up gear diffs on sale for $22 USD so I bought one for the front and rear. I will let you guys know how they work out. I do plan to stick with the thicker oil for now for the sake of them not leaking, I just want to drive the @#$^^ thing. LOL

Likely that your balls got flat-sided -- Won't roll like this and diff can only 'slip', which makes the balls even flatter. Rinse then repeat.

Please do let us know how that new diff works out for you. I am very interested in how these actually perform.

[Yello]

I just got a TA06, i bought the metal cross piece for the gear diffs as i know of a couple of guys on rctech that have broken the stock plastic ones..

the cross bar is available at stellamodels under TA06 option parts, cant remember the number off the top of my head atm..

I just realised that pic u posted has the metal cross bar included..

Yes, the DB01's has the metal cross bar that you bought. It's included in the gear diff set for the Db01. The part number for that cross shaft is 54311.


I went ahead and purchased the gear diff from stella, since I recently made a purchase for another set of tires/wheels. For 20 dollars, it's worth tinkering with. That and the fact that my rear diff feels like **** right now. It's feeling very gritty, not smooth at all when I turn one wheel in the air and such. The fronts feel fine. But the rears tell me my DB01 is in bad need of a tuneup and is far off the mark.

Tips on how to minimize or eliminate the chance of leakage would be appreciated.