How to adjust ball diffs equally?
 

I want to adjust my ball diffs, so they are equally tight front versus rear. Is there any simple method, or is the only way to adjust, so they FEEL equal?

feel... lock both sides and try to spin the gear...... two diffs never build the same... so there is no way to make something to guage it...

I have seen some diff building tools out there that seem to have double wrenches, would this help in building the diff more equally?

I agree FEEL! gotta go by if they feel the same, and adjust till they do, then go enee menee minee mo (or flip a coin) for wich one goes in front & rear.

To get them equal...simply tighten the set screw as far as possible...then back off about 1/4 to 1/8th of a turn. 1/4 for a looser feel...1/8th for a tighter diff...

Doing this could result in flat spots on the balls by over tightening against the rings. I suggest you dont do this. Feel is the only way. I use two screwdrivers to lock the outdrives and twist the gear casing. I believe RPM made a tool that does this same thing. Small screwdrivers do the same thing and if you already go them than it's free. :)

Flat spots on carbide balls??? Umm sorry but no. Tighten until the bolt bottoms out in the spring...then back off 1/8th to 1/4th of a turn. Back off more if you want the diff really loose.

Thats direct from an AE team driver.

YOU ALL ARE WRONG!

Cole, I've thought about that before and my answer to it was by using a torque-screwdriver sold by niftech. Yeah it's an expensive tool but hey, with this hobby we like our tools-at least I do:D

http://www.niftech.com/catalog/index.cgi?mode=all
http://www.niftech.com/pix/cat/2100-torque-tool.jpg

wow, thats pretty cool. Any place online that sells niftech other than direct?

even if you tighten them both to the same rating.. odds are the3y will not be exactly the same...

the niftec tool is for when u rebuild.. so u can get the setting back to the last setting that worked well..

trust me. i race pan cars... as soon as u change the rings and or the balls... they will re seat different..

feel is the best way.. and the only true way....

as for the tightening them down all the way then loosening is bad in the long run... carbide diff balls are harder then the rings... they will leave impresions in the rings if they are to tight... A team driver may say to do it that way, but u have to remember. they rebuild diffs all the time.. if a diff is good for one race thats good enough for them...

Sorry again folks...but I really do have a clue what I'm talking about...Postcount doesn't mean you know jack.

What I said is also a direct quote from Associated's TC3 Manual.

(Page 6, step 4, #9)

"Caution: Pay Close attention to feeling when the spring is fully compressed. Once compressed to not tighen the bolt further. WHen you feel that the spring is fully compressed, loosen the diff bolt 1/8th to 1/4th of a turn. No more, no less. Your diff should now operate very smoothly when turning the hubs in opposite directions. After you have driven the car once...recheck the diff adjustment. Never adjust the diff any other way."

KGB - I agree that feel is really how you get it...but the factory way...at least initially...can't do you wrong.

First off, Cole doesn't have a TC3, he has a RS4 Pro 2. And where did you ever see him post that he has carbide balls? Your procedure does not work with a HPI car and you could be putting him at risk by offering him AE suggestions. Stop assuming that everyone can do it the same way.

Just about all TCs with ball diffs use carbide steel balls in their diffs. The instructions for the Pro 2 are identical. I know...I had one...Hpi said to tighten to the limit of the spring them back off 1/4th to 1/8th.

My Corally says the same thing as well does my Yoke SD.

Ball diffs are pretty much the same on any car. They use two output halfs, sandwiching two rings with carbide steel balls in the middle, then a spring controls tension on the thrust bearing assembly.

Adjusting them isn't rocket science and just about all of them recommend the same adjustment method.

Once you've adjusted for baseline...you can tighten or loosen either way for the feel you want.

I do have carbide balls.... brand new.

Tigthning til the limit of the spring? How do I know when I hit that point?

Here's the Pro2 diff manual . It doesnt mention the TC3 method ;)

Anyway, thanks for the replies, I believe I'll go with the feel-method.

Oh, and by the way, I dont like ball diffs: It's a joker in the setup since you cant set them equal and it's just costing time in maintenance. If it wasnt for the weight, I would use gear diffs :ha: :tire: :nod: :cool:

Why not just put it on the weighing scale....:D :D :lol: :lol: :D :D