Ball Diffs

[hpiguy]

I start off by saying that my level of driving is about medium.

Having said that, I don't think ball diffs are all that great unless you can utne a car perfectly or at least very good.

Using a gear diff saves cash, they are unbreakable, and can be tuned using thick or thin grease and rebuilt in less than five minutes.

I have a RC10B3 with the ball diff and I hate it. I much like my gear and planetary diffs and tuning with grease better. Too bad I can't get one for the B3.

It always seems like they slip at all the wrong times, and need rebuilds whenever the LHS is out of diff balls and rings. And for a guy with fingers like clubs as I am those diff balls just rot. Along with the fact that after you have a gear diff you need only buy different greases, because the gear diff will not wear out, unless you race hard core daily. Unlike a ball diff which in some racing classes needs rebuilds almost weekly, and can run anywhere from 5 to 20 bucks a time, depending on what parts you use, and if you caught the rebuid in time. If not figure on buying alll new nuts, bolts, diff gear excetera after the fuse together. so you get to fork down 25 to 50 bucks for the hop up diff and then sunk dough into constant maintenence and rebuilds, and worrying if it's slipping too much or not enough.

Or go gear and never look back.

There has to be a better way.

I think 1/10th scale and 1/12th scale are the only ones using ball diffs. 1/8th scale doesn't use them because they are so weak, they use gear diffs, like REAL cars. I just don't like ball diffs. Too senstive and too expensive.

[RustlerGuy]

I've been doing a little reading and asking around, and everyone says that if you're gonna start racing, get a ball diff. Is it really worth it, will it make much much of a difference.

[very low budget racer]

you could put a piece from a parts tree in a gear diff and have no problems the piece will be crushed and put off to the sides of the diff case no damage what so ever

[mike]

I don't even consider myself a medium driver but i can tell the differance in handling between a ball diff and a gear diff, i think to even be competitive in the novice class requires it if you wan't to be on top of this class. once you learn how to adjust it (which is not to hard cause i did it.) its very durable if its taken care of which is real easy in a 1/10 offroad cause the trans is sealed. it is almost mandantory if you plan to race.

[puribong]

gear diff last longer and requires less rebuild.

[I R Racer]

Gear diffs are great if you just want to bash around in the backyard with the other kids. But if you want to be competitive in the racing scene, the ball diff is the way to go. They are easy to tune, much easier than a gear diff actually because there is very little disassembly to tune one. Usually just remove one axle and turn a hex nut to loosen or tighten the diff. As for having to replace them often, that is probably true if you don't take care of them, but I have been running all original ball diff parts in my SST2000 since 1997, I clean both diffs about every 2-3 months and have never had to replace a single part. I put a lot of demand on my diffs too, I race heavy every weekend or two, and practice at least one day a week in between races. I have seen no loss in performance in the diffs since the day they came out of the parts bags.

[Bydenso]

Like most people I perfer Ball diffs, but at time gear diffs are stronger and gives you better movement at times. I use both in all of my cars.