Originally Posted by
sakadachi
I run #54194 in both my M05 and V2 at a fairly loose setting after trying the stiff setting everyone was raving about which did not work well on my tight track.
On one of them I used the Tamiya thread lock, one is using the HPI thread lock. Neither are loosening after 3months of almost daily driving. I've mentioned that I tried it in both orientations inside the gear box. No issue.
Also be very careful not to contaminate the threadlock with diff grease during assembly.
I ended up with the adjustment shaft on the left side just from a convenience point of view as I do adjust the diff if it's too tight by turning it maybe 1/4 of a turn ccw. I don't have this problem of it loosening inside the gear box further on its own to the point it slips or completely separates.
And this is like my 40th or 50th car or over the yrs. I've built MANY ball diffs and it's not unusual for me to adjust the tightness of it.
And, as a real car hobbiest, I've also had issues of Loctite blue not curing after it's been on the shelf too long. I toss it if it's more than a yr old.
My M03 used the MantaRay ball diff. The splines on the pressure plate broke after maybe 5months of hard driving. I only plan to buy the #54194 from now on for my M-chassis as the pressure plate and cup is one piece.
Regardless, good luck at the races. It was not a smart-ass comment. I genuinely want you to do well at the races.
Mike and I were talking about the TA03 ball diff and not the M05 ball diff you've been using. For the track conditions you run on, it might be better than the TA03 ball diff. But you'll have to admit that your circumstances are fairly unique in that few of us have a basement track of our own. The two diffs are entirely different and what applies to one, may not be applicable to the other.
The primary reason so many Mini racers use the TA03 ball diff is that it can be run much tighter than the M05 ball diff. The popularity of the after market gear diffs is that they can be run tighter than the 05 diff. The weakness of the 05 diff is that for some reason grit can work into the thrust bearing quickly so that the diff isn't smooth as when first assembled. This does require fairly frequent rebuilds. You may not have run into this phenomenon, due to your unique circumstances. However, the 05 diff is a very good unit if you don't mind the maintenance issues and run the diff fairly loose.
By the way no one is questioning your R/C credentials and experience or your obvious talent. Mike is running a TA03 ball diff and seems to have had a similar experience with the 05 ball diff that many of us have had. And that is the diff screw snapping when you try to run a tight diff. If I'm not mistaken , he also has to support his sons racing so running out and buying several 05 diffs might not be a good option fr him.
We all wish the best for him and Gold Dust--do I have that right???--- so my option was to see if we could make what he was using work better.