SRB Balldiff - ???

[rroodd 0]

Just pulled apart the SRB gearbox on my Pitstop Taipan, and found this in the guts of it. Can someone tell me if it's a Thorp ?

Is just normal ball diff grease OK to use for these..?

What parts wear out quickest on these..?

How many balls (of each size) is there supposed to be..?

Thanks for your help, or any further info guys. Cheers, Rod

[tanker(2) 0]

This is a thorp differential. I know of three designs of SRB differential:

(1) thorp, just like the one you have, however, not too long ago someone on this forum outsource custom made a batch. the new one look 99% like the old thorp,

(2) MIP, mip is essentially the same design as thorp but they used three slot screws instead of hex screws, the main gear was silver in color, likely aluminium and the gear was about 1/2 the width only, very light

(3) a third design is made in Japan, do not know the name but I used one before. Nylon gear, 6 balls, no adjustment screws but the differential was pressurised by the gearcase halves, two pressure washers on the axle, sort of fall apart when the gearbox is opened. It worked but sort of slip when the pressure washers lose their tension.

Those were the days....

[Live Steam Mad 17]

Hi,

quote:not too long ago someone on this forum outsource custom made a batch. the new one look 99% like the old thorp,

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PLEASE does anyone know who it is that is able to custom make an SRB differential ? I would DEFINITELY be buying one if they are able to be custom made.

Also, a week or two ago I was offered an SRB ball differential, and it looks like this ;-

Do these pictures look familiar to anyone? Just curious to see who made the diff?

My PC now informs me that he is a TC member, so I think I will go ahead and buy it.

Anyone fancy a go at CNC'ing an SRB diff? Ant mate, I hope you're listening LOL.

BTW if at all possible I would really like a GEARED diff not a ball diff, for realism, but frankly any diff is good for me.

Cheers,

Alistair G.

[Shodog 1835]

Alistair, That is the ball diff made by MIP. I Have a similar one in my MIP Gear box.

The gear is made of Aluminum and is much lighter weight than the brass gear found on the Thorp.

[OldSchoolRunner 116]

I heard the same rumour that someone was custom making these and I would love to have one too!

OSR

[Toykid 596]

Live Steam Mad

Please let me know who is offering these for sale as I would love to get my hands on another. This part makes the single biggest differnce after you tune the front and rear shocks.

Please post here or drop me a e-mail,

thanks,

James.

[Live Steam Mad 17]

quote:Originally posted by Toykid

Live Steam Mad

Please let me know who is offering these for sale as I would love to get my hands on another. This part makes the single biggest differnce after you tune the front and rear shocks.

Please post here or drop me a e-mail,

thanks,

James.

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Hi,

You are absolutely right about that, the diff does make a huge difference. More so with me, since I run my cars indoors on carpet quite a lot.

Believe me, if I had a source of diffs for sale for the SRB chassis then I would be offering them up on TC for a not-for-profit price, since I firmly believe that everyone should have the opportunity to own one.

However the guy that offered it to me didn't mention if he had anymore of them, and actually has not got back to me yet, despite me sending him messages via every method available i.e. his Ebay user name, his TC user name, and his normal E-mail address, God it is frustrating.

In the meantime, does anyone have the skills or facilities to make a batch of SRB diffs? If I manage to get this diff that I am being offered then I will take out my Final gear and Final shaft and offer up accurate dimensions to anyone who wants to try to make one. Ant has offered to maybe try and have a go but he needs the exact dimensions of the thing, and I will send him my Final gear and Final shaft so that he can duplicate it, and try and create a diff from it, since I know that I can trust him 100 per cent.

quote:That is the ball diff made by MIP. I Have a similar one in my MIP Gear box.

id="quote">id="quote">

Ta very much Jim, the info is appreciated. Does this MIP ball diff work perfectly in the original Tamiya SRB gearbox on the Ranger XLT?

Best Wishes,

Al. G.

[DJTheo 2]

Despite having 2 SRB ball diffs, am not crazy for them, except that they are nice to collect. Imho one of the basic characteristics of a SRB is the non-diff rear drive which makes them so great for a 2WD on soft sand, as well as the radio box. If you remove those you loose a big part of the character of a SRB and its not worth it imho as a SRB will never handle greatly, even when you have spent hunderds of $ on it, as old races showed when the Scorpion appeared. Of course everyone is free to do with them what he likes, this was just my 5 cent, so you don't feel bad you don't have them, as imho they are more hype then anything else.

Cheers

[Ferris 0]

Hi guys,

I have a Rough Rider that has a few 'mods' from the time. One such item is a Thorp Diff. I have the original instructions. If I was to sell it any ideas what is worth? Is it worth more with the RR? Or is it better to split??

The Rough Rider is the one in my showroom.

Mark Ferris

[Ferris 0]

Ahh forgot to mention... There was another diff availible for SRB's at the time. Nodis (?) made a geared diff, I have a review in a old mag at home.

Ferris

[Shodog 1835]

quote:Originally posted by Ferris

Hi guys,

I have a Rough Rider that has a few 'mods' from the time. One such item is a Thorp Diff. I have the original instructions. If I was to sell it any ideas what is worth? Is it worth more with the RR? Or is it better to split??

The Rough Rider is the one in my showroom.

Mark Ferris

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I have seen used ones go for the $150 range on ebay.

[Shodog 1835]

quote:Originally posted by Live Steam Mad

Does this MIP ball diff work perfectly in the original Tamiya SRB gearbox on the Ranger XLT?

Best Wishes,

Al. G.

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It looks like the axles are long enough for the stock gearbox so you should have no problems in fitting it to you XLT

[Shodog 1835]

quote:Originally posted by DJTheo

Despite having 2 SRB ball diffs, am not crazy for them, except that they are nice to collect.

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If you're not so crazy about them, I am sure you could find a few people on this board that would be willing to take them off your hands.

quote:Originally posted by DJTheo

Imho one of the basic characteristics of a SRB is the non-diff rear drive which makes them so great for a 2WD on soft sand, as well as the radio box. If you remove those you loose a big part of the character of a SRB and its not worth it imho as a SRB will never handle greatly, even when you have spent hunderds of $ on it, as old races showed when the Scorpion appeared.

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You're correct; the SRB is never really going to make a great racer. Besides coil over collars and springs, the ball diff is one of the single most sought after hop ups out there. The ball diff makes a huge difference in the dirt. It actually allows you to turn the buggy under power.

[Live Steam Mad 17]

quote:Despite having 2 SRB ball diffs, am not crazy for them

id="quote">id="quote">

Well Theo, I would buy one off you straight away!

quote:Imho one of the basic characteristics of a SRB is the non-diff rear drive which makes them so great for a 2WD on soft sand, as well as the radio box. If you remove those you loose a big part of the character of a SRB

id="quote">id="quote">

Yeah I hear what you are saying and agree that on sand you will probably loose a lot of traction (although I have never driven any R/C car on sand yet...hard to get to the beach at Southport without any transport except for a bus that runs every 3 HOURS ! [xx(][])

However I run my cars quite a lot indoors so on carpet I would like to get a tight turning circle, that would be more important to me, personally, at the moment, given my circumstances.

quote:a SRB will never handle greatly, even when you have spent hunderds of $ on it, as old races showed when the Scorpion appeared

id="quote">id="quote">

Yes I know, but I just want a nice tight turning circle when indoors on medium carpet driving it around my house! At least at the moment. I wasn't wanting one to improve handling outside on tracks or in races.

WOW Ferris, any chance of scanning that article and posting it onto image shack or something (see 1st post) so that we can all see it, at 300 dpi preferably. I would love to see a geared SRB diff.

Thanks again for the info Jim about it fitting my XLT directly, much appreciated.

quote:If you're not so crazy about them, I am sure you could find a few people on this board that would be willing to take them off your hands.

id="quote">id="quote">

Yeah like me Theo, hint hint.

Cheers,

Alistair G.

[terry.sc 16]

quote:Originally posted by Live Steam Mad

WOW Ferris, any chance of scanning that article and posting it onto image shack or something (see 1st post) so that we can all see it, at 300 dpi preferably. I would love to see a geared SRB diff.

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If you could scan it in you could put it in the vintage media section of TamiyaClub.

[Toykid 596]

I have to say guys that in my car the ball diff improes the handling in all conditions. On concrete I get a tighter turn with less tendancy to spin out under power. On sand it is way easier to do nice turns under power, check my video out on Cardesigners movie page. You get great drifting turns on damp sand. Without the ball diff the car either turns wide or spins out very easily in tight turns. Of course this is fitted to a stock scorcher (yes they never will run fast and handle well). But for a stock scorcher I have so much fun getting the back end to slide out just a little in nice fast corners on damp smooth sand which I can't achieve with my std non-diff. I recently had to switch back to the std non-diff as salt water got in a ruined my precious ball diff. It was no where near as much fun to drive and a complete handfull in the turns. So if anyone out there can help me find another for my runner I would be most greatfull.

Let me know guys[]

James

[DJTheo 2]

quote:

If you're not so crazy about them, I am sure you could find a few people on this board that would be willing to take them off your hands.

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As I wrote above they are nice to have collectivewise, because of all the hype around them, but its also a shame to use or sell them as they are so rare, so its a bit of Pandoras box...

quote:Yes I know, but I just want a nice tight turning circle when indoors on medium carpet driving it around my house! At least at the moment. I wasn't wanting one to improve handling outside on tracks or in races.

id="quote">id="quote">

SRB on carpet? Where is the fun there? SRB is a beach bug, an off road vehicle not a TRF-415 LOL [] Also wouldn't it be a shame to use such a rare product just for a bit of home driving?

quote:On concrete I get a tighter turn with less tendancy to spin out under power.

id="quote">id="quote">

Like above, the risk of rolling and destroying it as well the few fun on onroad gives me no big argument for a ball diff since its an off road vehicle imho and feels/fits much better there.

quote:I recently had to switch back to the std non-diff as salt water got in a ruined my precious ball diff.

id="quote">id="quote">

That and its rarity make them pretty useless for me as its a shame to use them imho, unless some one makes new batches, but that's just me, who also wouldn't know what to do with a sealed NIB kit...

Cheers

[Live Steam Mad 17]

quote:Originally posted by DJTheo

SRB on carpet? Where is the fun there? SRB is a beach bug, an off road vehicle not a TRF-415 LOL [] Also wouldn't it be a shame to use such a rare product just for a bit of home driving?

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Oh dear... Maybe you make fun of me since I am only on my 10th driving lesson and I have not got my own car, and I cannot get 30 miles away to my beach to run it [] Relax, Just kidding Theo, I know very well that you only mean well are a really nice guy and are simply being logical. You have strong opinions, like me! [][8D]

Seriously though, my cars get run either in my garden (very rarely in the Winter in uK brrr it's cold) or sometimes on my back patio (more often but not very!), and infact mostly indoors on my carpet around my house.

There used to be racing and meetings for R/C around my area, but hasn't been for many years now [] Even then I would really need a 1:1 car so I could drive myself to the meetings [] So I'm screwed, basically.

Hence the reason that I use them mostly indoors and hence I would REALLY appreciate a diff, any diff, right now []

Actually I do get a LOT of pleasure simply lying down on my carpet and driving my cars indoors at their own 'level', like a little kid!

Cheers,

Ali.G.

[Shodog 1835]

quote:Originally posted by Live Steam Mad

Actually I do get a LOT of pleasure simply lying down on my carpet and driving my cars indoors at their own 'level', like a little kid!

Cheers,

Ali.G.

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It's all fun and games until you make a wrong turn and the car smacks you in the head. [][][]

[SteveH(2) 0]

quote:Originally posted by Ferris

Ahh forgot to mention... There was another diff availible for SRB's at the time. Nodis (?) made a geared diff, I have a review in a old mag at home.

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You're spot on there Ferris. I used to use one 'back in the days'!

[Mervyn 1]

A year or two ago Jakes(a tc member)in South Africa made a few.Not sure if there is anymore but they were a very nice copy of a thorp diff.

[Ferris 0]

quote:Originally posted by SteveH

quote:Originally posted by Ferris

Ahh forgot to mention... There was another diff availible for SRB's at the time. Nodis (?) made a geared diff, I have a review in a old mag at home.

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You're spot on there Ferris. I used to use one 'back in the days'!

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Has anyone seen one for real??

[Ferris 0]

I wonder how many basket case SRB's have them in without anyone knowing.. I bet a few of you have had a nice surprise when you buy a £50 SRB on Ebay to find you have a £100 Thorp diff sat inside [][][]

I did see one in the States a few weeks ago with one fitted.. Maybe we will just have to buy every SRB we see just in case it has a diff lurking inside...

[Shodog 1835]

quote:Originally posted by Ferris

I wonder how many basket case SRB's have them in without anyone knowing.. I bet a few of you have had a nice surprise when you buy a £50 SRB on Ebay to find you have a £100 Thorp diff sat inside [][][]

I did see one in the States a few weeks ago with one fitted.. Maybe we will just have to buy every SRB we see just in case it has a diff lurking inside...

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This is how I got one. I bought this thrashed out SRB that had some hop ups. Most people pass on them becuase they are not original

[Live Steam Mad 17]

quote:Originally posted by Mervyn

A year or two ago Jakes(a tc member)in South Africa made a few.Not sure if there is anymore but they were a very nice copy of a thorp diff.

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Yeah, I e-mailed him about this 2 days ago but got no reply so I have to assume that he cannot get any more of them?

Fortunately I have sealed the deal on the MIP ball diff so it looks like I may be able to get one finally.

If at all possible I will be doing a little business collaboration shortly with my TC pal Ant and we may be able to knock up a few CNC SRB diffs ourselves. Target price will be 'affordable', or else we won't do them at all. Mind you if we pull this one off then it will be a miracle I suppose. Then again Ant produces exceptional quality CNC parts. We'll see what happens.

See ;-

http://www.tamiyaclub.com/xforum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=25935

Cheers,

Ali.G.