Originally Posted by
Granpa
Did not know that. In that case by all means try that remedy. My preference is still the TA03 diff cause it will stay smooth and not become "gritty" in a short time. Present diffs in the cars I usually race were last rebuilt over a year ago. The one in my M05 was done over 2 years ago. All 3 are still slicker than snot.
Just relating my experiences with the M05 diff. Never ever broke a 416 diff screw cause I never run a really tight diff. Just had to rebuild them frequently. If you feel the M05 diff is superior, by all means use it. Most of the "fast" guys here abandoned them some time ago.
TC ball diffs take the same skill to build properly (not unlike the TA03 diff). You need patience and experience, but I think if they can run in mod TC they're more than good enough for minis. The tension adjustment is more subtle than on a mini, and that's probably where things don't always get nailed down properly, but I prefer these. Fine adjustments are easier.
Tamiya was the last major manufacturer to change to 2.5mm diff screws (and proper thrust bearings). Xray always had them, others changed earlier. Corally had some really nice big screws like the one on the TA03 diff and large thrust bearings for yonks.