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markb_s1

DF-03 Dark Impact rear diff problems?

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Hi all,

Have any of you experienced problems with the rear diff/gearbox on a DF-03 Dark Impact?

I was generally tearing it about and after a couple of small jumps the rear diff is now making a grinding noise when i try to drive the car forward but is ok in reverse. 

I've taken it to pieces and there doesn't seem to be anything obviously wrong so was hoping to get some advice form the forum. 

 

If not, I may cannibalise it and use the shocks/springs and wheels/tyres to try and sort out the overly soft suspension and get rid of the ridiculously soft rear tyres on my neo fighter that I just finished building.

 

thanks,

 

Mark.

20210120_152743.jpg

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Sounds like the ball diff is slipping; have you tightened it again after building it?

Also, the plastic parts supporting the rear diff's rings aren't the greatest; one improvement is to buy a set of front metal outdrives and run them in the rear.

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Not done anything since building it other than drive it. 

Excuse my ignorance, this was the first RC car i bought since my original Boomerang when I was a teenager. What do i need to do to tighten the diff? 

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Take the hubs off and pop dog bone out. Theres a small screw inside the diff outdrive - from memory its a tiny hex head screw and you may need to remove the sponge plug if its still in there.

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Sounds like it’s slipping to me

there is a nut on the end of the shaft on the right hand side of the car (left side if looking at it)

take off the little bell shaped cap and use the Tamiya spanner 1/4 turn 

it slips going forward because in reverse you only get 20% power

JJ

 

 

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30 minutes ago, Problemchild said:

take off the little bell shaped cap and use the Tamiya spanner 1/4 turn 

 

Think that nut would only be for the hop up slipper clutch option mounted on the spur gear.

If its built as standard without the slipper and that spur gear nut is loose it would then be worth checking to see if the pin is still in place for the spur to.

The rear diff needs tightening with a teeny tiny allen key through the diff joint when the dogbone is removed.

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You are right - yes apologies 

It’s the adjustment is inside the drive shaft cups yeah? 
 

or can you not just take the back cover off the diff casing? (I did my friends dark impact ball diff last year as it was whining and not going very fast)

JJ

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6 minutes ago, Problemchild said:

or can you not just take the back cover off the diff casing? (I did my friends dark impact ball diff last year as it was whining and not going very fast)

JJ

Actually yeah i think you can take the back off the gearbox like the ta01/2s so should be able to slide the diff out completely from behind to adjust it which is probably quicker than taking the wheel hubs off.

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Can't remember off hand, but pop a rear drive shaft, pull out the ciggy filter thing, and if there's an alien head, tighten it, if theres a nut in a plastic T ,wrong side 🤦‍♂️doh!

The rear diff on the df03 is a problem area, but an easy fix. Tamiya , for some reason, figured they're make the rear, harder working diff, with 2 piece plastic/metal outdrives, which means there's flex etc. Luckly, the front ,1 piece metal outdrives fit straight on, and as they don't flex, they dont slacken off and you don't need to glue the plates on either! 

If you're going down that road, I'd get a set of tungsten carbide 3mm balls too, pretty much fit and forget then.

 

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Thanks all. Very helpful. I'll give it a try later today. 

Unfortunately, because i got so fed up with it, I tool the servo and receiver out and used them in the other car! 

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