zx-5 front diff differences- spool?
12-02-2010, 09:14 PM
#1
zx-5 front diff differences- spool?
I bought a zx-5 from a member here a while back, and it came with a LOT of spares.. actually enough to make a second buggy, minus a chassis. So I decided I would build a second. I was going through the pile, and found that the parts buggy I had for spares has a spool in front, with two one way bearings, and the running buggy I have has a diff in front, and a center one-way bearing on the front diff pinion shaft. Was this originally just an option (ball diff or spool), or was one or the other a revision on a later model?
also, has anyone here used the yeah racing blue teflon bearings?
also, has anyone here used the yeah racing blue teflon bearings?
12-03-2010, 09:37 AM
#3
The spool was typically used in the on road cars.....I played with a spool once just to see and it sucked on off road.
Some people like the one way on a 4wd car...it allows it to be somewhat driven like a 2wd in that off power the front wheels will freewheel and allow the rear end to do all the braking entering a corner which allows you to pitch the car sideways like a 2wd but still give you 4wd power coming out of the corner on power.
I personally never liked driving a 4wd car with a one way unit. On dirt, a 4wd car accelerates way to fast to be able to stop effectively with only rear brakes. I drove it way faster with full time 4wd than with a one way. In fact, the one way actually wasnt even available for the newer FS model ZX5. It was only available for the older stick pack SP and RTR versions of the ZX5.
So, if I were building the car..I would do front ball diff and eliminate the one way on the center shaft.
Some people like the one way on a 4wd car...it allows it to be somewhat driven like a 2wd in that off power the front wheels will freewheel and allow the rear end to do all the braking entering a corner which allows you to pitch the car sideways like a 2wd but still give you 4wd power coming out of the corner on power.
I personally never liked driving a 4wd car with a one way unit. On dirt, a 4wd car accelerates way to fast to be able to stop effectively with only rear brakes. I drove it way faster with full time 4wd than with a one way. In fact, the one way actually wasnt even available for the newer FS model ZX5. It was only available for the older stick pack SP and RTR versions of the ZX5.
So, if I were building the car..I would do front ball diff and eliminate the one way on the center shaft.
12-03-2010, 07:53 PM
#4
thanks for the advice, I may just do that. Although with the two one way bearings on the front drive cups the spool doesn't really work like the spool in my onroad HB TC. There seems to be multiple ways to set this up. I could have a diff or a spool, with or without one ways on the drive cups, nor a center one way (front and rear totally locked together), or a spool or a diff with one, two, or even three one-ways (redundant).
I'm still wondering which version came first, or if this is just the nature of the car that even originally it came with all these options.
I think I may have to keep enough of the parts to make sure I can do it both ways (spool or diff) if I want to. I think I may have enough parts already to do that.
btw, are diff gears a weak point on this car? the guy I bought it from literally had 16 spare diff gear sets.
I'm still wondering which version came first, or if this is just the nature of the car that even originally it came with all these options.
I think I may have to keep enough of the parts to make sure I can do it both ways (spool or diff) if I want to. I think I may have enough parts already to do that.
btw, are diff gears a weak point on this car? the guy I bought it from literally had 16 spare diff gear sets.
12-03-2010, 08:23 PM
#5
Suspended
iTrader: (7)
Diff with no center one way. This setup allows for front brakes, and lets the front wheels rotate at different speeds on and off throttle.
Diff with center one way. This setup allows for no front brakes, but still lets the front wheels to rotate at different speeds on and off throttle.
Spool with one way bearings installed. This setup allows for no front brakes, it lets the front wheels rotate at different speeds off throttle, and does not let them rotate at different speeds on throttle.
Spool with center one way. No front brakes and the wheels rotate the same speed on or off throttle.
Spool. Front brakes, wheels rotate the same speed on and off throttle.
Each one of these configurations is going to severly change the handling characteristics of the car. Like others have said, I don't think I have ever seen anyone run a spool in an off-road car and be faster on the track. There is just not enough traction to make them work. I think it will make the car push really bad. Center one ways can work good on a track that has a lot of 180 degree turns, with a driver that likes to throw the car into the turns. It gets rid of the front brakes, allowing you to "E-Brake" into corners. The only way to get a definitive answer is to try each configuration. To get a true answer you will need a track that is consistent enough to make those changes and be able to put the car out and test if it is better or worse. I will say this though. When you don't know what your doing, it is best to copy those that do. Most everyone runs a front diff, and no one way.
Diff with center one way. This setup allows for no front brakes, but still lets the front wheels to rotate at different speeds on and off throttle.
Spool with one way bearings installed. This setup allows for no front brakes, it lets the front wheels rotate at different speeds off throttle, and does not let them rotate at different speeds on throttle.
Spool with center one way. No front brakes and the wheels rotate the same speed on or off throttle.
Spool. Front brakes, wheels rotate the same speed on and off throttle.
Each one of these configurations is going to severly change the handling characteristics of the car. Like others have said, I don't think I have ever seen anyone run a spool in an off-road car and be faster on the track. There is just not enough traction to make them work. I think it will make the car push really bad. Center one ways can work good on a track that has a lot of 180 degree turns, with a driver that likes to throw the car into the turns. It gets rid of the front brakes, allowing you to "E-Brake" into corners. The only way to get a definitive answer is to try each configuration. To get a true answer you will need a track that is consistent enough to make those changes and be able to put the car out and test if it is better or worse. I will say this though. When you don't know what your doing, it is best to copy those that do. Most everyone runs a front diff, and no one way.
12-03-2010, 08:41 PM
#6
To get a true answer you will need a track that is consistent enough to make those changes and be able to put the car out and test if it is better or worse. I will say this though. When you don't know what your doing, it is best to copy those that do. Most everyone runs a front diff, and no one way.
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