Traxxas Planety Differential Tuning

[rccardude04]

My stampede has too much horsepower (as I mentioned elsewhere), but I realized it would be very helpful to tighten up the diff. However, as we all know, the differential they give you in these things is NOT sealed. I don't think even 300,000 weight diff oil would stay in there. I refuse to lock the thing up because I know it would be undriveable like that. I just need something to stick in there to slow it down. Grease isn't thick enough, and it lasts about the first 30 seconds of one battery pack, so that's out of the question. I have a couple of ideas but I wanted to get some input before I started on it.
Thanks in advance, I look forward to many great ideas!
-Eric

[SS Pede]

How about silly putty or some similar "goop?" Not enough to fully lock it but enough to slow things down. I stiffened up my diff with some mushed up clay stuff. Got any play-doh or similar stuff laying around?

[rccardude04]

I thought about that, but it seems like it'd be a little inconsistent. Does it hold up pretty well?
I don't have anything laying around either, which kinda hurts that since I'm at work 10 hours a day for a while now LOL
I'm tempted to try to fill it with some 100K diff fluid and see if it holds.
-Eric

[viper7016]

I have put 300k silicone oil in it and it doesn't stay in for crap. It also makes one hell of a mess in your tranny. The problem with play doh or silly putty is that after it breaks down the initial material that is in between the gears it doesn't flow easily enough to go back into the gears thus making it an open differential again.

When I saw the E-Firestorm I thought it would be a nice replacement for my rustler. When I saw that it had a sealed diff I thought, I will definitely get one. However because of the $210 price tag and me just having spent a pretty penny on the FLM tranny, casters, shock towers and other hopups it got me thinking that the Firestorm doesn't have anywhere near the amount of 3rd party options that the Rustler does.

In the end, I can put up with the Rustler for a while longer.

[ElectricThunder]

Maybe you can try sealing your diff. Perhaps some silicone sealant or some sort of gasket would be in order? I haven't had any problems with planetary gears though (just the top gear, which got annihilated, but I solved that problem).

[BIGDADDYV]

I have standard traxxas 50k weight in mine and it holds just fine and gives it a nice tight feel ... I have tons of "horsepower" through mine and it hasnt given me any problems ...

[ironoutlaw]

you work at a hobby shop right ? try the boat drive shaft lube it does not melt down and it will give you more of the limited slip you are looking for, prather makes it

[viper7016]

Sealing the "lid" for the diff wouldn't be hard. However there is no easy solution for sealing the exit points for the output shafts. I'm not all that worried about it, I'm not drifting it or anything and I'm not racing it. If the inside wheel wants to go crazy on tight corners, so be it.

[rccardude04]

Boat driveshaft lube isn't a bad idea... I might have to give that a shot.
And yeah I don't worry about sealing the outside. I thought about cutting spots for O-Rings and what not but it doesn't seem practical, or even really all that possible.
The other option I came up with was to put some tension between the two sun gears so that they would have friction against the outside of the case. However, I can see this wearing through the plastic pretty quickly.
I'll look for some of the boat cable grease stuff. Prather is out of business but I know we carry something or other.
-Eric

[SS Pede]

Let us know how it goes. I guess since I put that clay stuff in my diff it has been in my truck, so I haven't gotten my hands on it to really compare if it still has the same feel as it did originally. I don't notice it diffing out too much in loose conditions though.

[ElectricThunder]

I just pack a ton of grease in there and shim the sun gears with a cut down sun gear pin. Diff holds up great!

[rc10mike]

I used some "Monting Clay" that I got from Target one time. It blue and in the hardware section. I figured it was going to lock the diff like silly putty, but I was wrong! It still had a lot of give to it, like a SUPER thick grease would, but wouldnt leak out.

[rccardude04]

I don't have any durability issues. It just diffs out REALLY BAD a lot of times.
ET, what do you mean "shim the sun gears with a cut down sun gear pin?"
-Eric

[trakhak]

I work at a LHS part-time, try going to the Traxxas parts bin and do it right, that way your customers will benefit too. The optional ball diff(#2520) is the way to go, if you spent cash on making it go fast, spend the $50.00 bucks to do it right. If you ran low on funds the cable grease idea will work, although heat build up will cause it to seep out of the diff over time.

This is not a flame or any disrespect, just some info from a guy who has been in the hobby for too long!:D

[XXWoodmanXX]

RCcardude,

I know it's been covered before, but I'll suggest it, none-the-less. Try using automotive lithium-based gear grease. It covers a wide range of operating temps, and, if packed right, it will always provide plenty of tension, so that your planetary doesn't unload so badly for you.

I've used it in MANY of my elecs, and some of my nitros, too. It doesn't break down and lose it's viscosity. It also isn's harmful to your plastic or nylon parts. Check it out and see for yourself. Head to any auto parts store and find it made by 3M or Mag1

[timie1]

I use normal car diff grease available from any auto shop. It's thick like peanut butter and it works to tighten it up in my unsealed tamiya planetary diff.

[XXWoodmanXX]

I use normal car diff grease available from any auto shop. It's thick like peanut butter and it works to tighten it up in my unsealed tamiya planetary diff.

Exact same here. :) I cram it in there until it squeezes out the tiny screw holes in the diff. side plate. hehe Really does wonders for my M03, as opposed to spending the $$$ on a ball diff.

[chewie]

ive done the silly putty with my emaxx it worked very well but you have to really pack it in.. and then assemble diff.
rotate.. then pack some more
rotate pack some more..
than its all good
or put in 100 k and ca glue the diff shut..

[SS Pede]

The optional ball diff(#2520) is the way to go
I have almost never seen anyone recommend the Traxxas ball diff. This could partly be because most people with these trucks are just bashers, not racers. But I get the sense that the ball diff just isn't worth getting. Have you used it and do you know if there are any particular issues associated with it?

[rccardude04]

The ball diff would be awesome. However, the reason I use the gear diff is because it has a steel outer gear. I need the steel gear. Trust me, lol.
It's all put together right now but the next time I take it apart, I'll definitely find something to stuff in there. I'm betting I'll go with boat grease. I wish I could seal it...
I know that the boat cable grease smells like rear end grease. Is it the same stuff?
-Eric

[ironoutlaw]

no its actualy closer too mobil one long life ball joint grease