R/C Tech Forums - View Single Post - Ball diff pulley, different teeth on front vs rear theory.
Old 11-21-2010, 07:55 AM
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niznai
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I have used front overdrive last year in the local onroad championship. We race on a small technical carpet track. Briefly put, the sysem has some advantages but because of the high grip, the drivetrain doesn't last as long as one would hope. Eventually, the rear pulley was worn out, the ball holes having enlarged beyond the point where the balls were running true on the same track. The main upside was stabilising the car off power in the high speed corners as well as pulling fast out of tight turns (chicanes, hairpins). I gave it up eventually as it does take away some power. Remember the front and rear diffs are fighting each other and grip is a function of other variables mainly weight distribution which varies a lot as the car brakes, accelerates or turns.

I did not use a one way anywhere, and my overdrive was 1/42 ( I had a 42 tooth pulley on the front and a 41 tooth on the rear). That is just about 2% front overdrive.

The best way to find out what happens is to try it for yourself.

My opinion after running it is that you have other better adjustments you can use to improve your car's handling. This is not the best idea, because it causes loss of power. Remember this is the worst possible downside. We want to make use of all the power we have, not diminish it even by a smidgeon.
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