Wondering if someone could explain how a front "one-way" is different than the standard front differential found in many 4wd touring cars.

I know there are advantages to having a one-way, especially with steering and corner speeds, but I'm just not sure of the mechanics/internals in that type of diff.

Can you back up (ie. use reverse) with a one-way?

thanks much,

rev9

Yes you can use reverse, the one-way only affects the front wheel.

A one way diff contains two one-way bearings, which mean that the front wheels can freewheel individually faster than the rear. This acts as a kind of substitute for a third differential, and lets the car corner faster without the tyres scrubbing (the front wheels need to turn faster than the rears for efficient cornering, a standard 2-diff car can't achieve this)

When braking and coasting, the only braking effect is on the rear wheels, this can make the car unstable, and also serves to sharpen the steering.

On power, when the wheels are spinning, the diff acts like a solid axle, which can pull the car around the corner, without "diffing out".

A one-way pulley has similar effect, but less pronounced, as the retention of a front diff adds some stability.

Thanks for the info!! Sounds like it acts like the center diff on a real 4wd car.

Just curious why these aren't more standard on touring cars, since I would think it would give the car more realistic handling characteristics (and seems to be faster as well).

thanks again for the quick reply!

rev9

A one way i more powerful in corenering, much faster in the straights, and i think it is more reliable to use than the standard. I'm switchin to a 1 way once i get enough money to buy one. By the way, how much do they cost?

Price - $40 to $60 us dollars. But factor in a few drive shafts with that, as front diff's are brutal on them.

Alot of people prefer front ball diff's becuase it makes the car more forgiving. Generally a car is more inclined to push with a front diff and oversteer with a front oneway.

It all depends on what you run and your driving style. If you brake alot you'll need to learn how to roll through corners instead of brake/power out. The straighter you keep your wheels the faster your car is capable of going. Thus why the front one-way is such a great advantage in mid-high traction conditions. Basically you can have the dual rates at 65% and have the same amount of steering that you had with your ball diff up front and the dual rates set at 100%. The less your tires turns the lesser the friction, so there is less time scrubbed each lap during cornering.

Here's an article about oneways: RC Car Action

they are harder to use, you dont want to be using one to learn with. so only the full on expensive pro kits come with them standard