AEC_Steve

Thanks for that good advice. I will completely dismantle the rear end and start again. I didn't think it was right - you have confirmed that! Thanks also for the suggestion about ball bearings - I will certainly use those in the reassembly. Fortunately I have not yet started on the gear box so that can be built with them from the start!

This is my first model build and I am so glad I started with a Tamiya - wonderful quality and engineering! So far I have built up to the rear axels but would like a little guidance on them. The differentials were initially very stiff but soon eased off with some manual turning and they are now perfectly smooth in operation. However now assembled in the axel housings I find the drive from the prop shaft very tight indeed and although I have checked assembly carefully and lubrication (of course) it is still very stiff when turning the input shaft by hand and it feels extremely notchy as I can feel the teeth meshing between the bevel gears and the ring gear. The rear most axel is not too bad but the front is much worse as the ring gear has also to drive the small output bevel gear. It feels to me as if the gears are too deeply meshed and are interfering with each other rather than running sweetly My question is, should it be like this initially and will it bed in after a little running? Is there anything I can do to ease things? Any advice would be very welcome!