Originally Posted by theproffesor

Which gear? Spur, input gear, diff gear, spool gear? In any case, that's were some of your noise has been coming from, is have the wrong gear mess. If it's your spur that's stripped, it could have come from the motor moving due to the collisions you've had that break other parts. If you have hit something hard enough to break the gear boxes like you have mentioned, it could easily be the diff/spool gear. If the gear box is cracked/broken, then your diff/spool will not be seated prolerly in the case causing bad gear mess and stripped gears.

Without sounding like a complete ass, I think most of your problems are stemming from poor driving. Like a mention before, if you have hit something hard enough to break the diff case, that is an extremely hard impact. I would tear the car down and inspected every piece for damage, replace anything that needs it, carefully rebuild the drivetrain setting proper mesh in each of the gear boxes. Next turn the EPA down on your throttle. You might not be the fastest on the track doing this, but you will hit less stuff, need less turn marshaling, break fewer parts, and mostly finish more races. As you improve your skills, turn the EPA up to go faster. 17.5 blinky isn't exactly slow, especially on a small track.

From everything you have written, it sounds like you're pretty new to onroad RC. We all were at on time. It's ok. It will just take down time for you to build some skills. Both in building and maintaining your car and in driving. Don't get discouraged. You'll get there.

Originally Posted by theproffesor

You must have been hitting he boards like a rocket to break the diff housings. What part broke / how did it break? I have stripped one of the camber link holes in mine, but that's just a drop of thick CA to repair. Never broke one in any way from impacts. The only problem I ever had was the front c hubs. I don't think it's the material, I think that it is the fact that the pin threat attached the hub to the arm is .1 or .2 mm smaller in diameter than the hole in the cub. This allows for excess movement and leads to breakage. The TA05 hubs are a softer plastic and the correct hole diameter. After switching I haven't had any issues with breakage.

For your screws backing out, you might want longer screws, you should have 1.5-2 threads coming though the top of the toe blocks. This allows for full coverage of the surface area of the hole in the block. It's also a good idea to check those screws after every couple of heats or after a crash. The alternative, but I actually don't recommend it, especially if you use aluminum screws is blue lock tight. You really don't need it, but some swear by it. If you choose to use it, only use the blue, and only put the smallest drop on the screw. If you don't, you will strip the screw head trying to take them out.

Good luck and hope you get you issues resolved.

My drivetrain is pretty free now, but since I have some down time before my next race, I am going to try the bulkhead shimming trick. I'd like to get the drive train to free spin when's motor isn't attached.

Originally Posted by speed_dmon

What's the verdict on the Spec-R TB03 gear diff versus the Tamiya TB04 ball diff performance wise and weight wise?
I understand the Spec-R is lighter than the stock gear diff but how does it compare to the TB04 ball diff?

Originally Posted by OSherman

Me thinks all the 'light blue' hints at all the parts that are 'updated' for this kit however significant the change/addition may be.

Originally Posted by rtypec

84425 TB-03/TB-04 Aluminum Lower Gearbox