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TC5 Rant

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flm_savage

flm_savage

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  1. Bashing
So i picked up a TC5 a few weeks ago. i slapped in the novak GTB / velociti 3.5 brushless setup with a 2S maxamps lipo. I had less than one battery pack through it and i had destroyed 2 sets of tires, melted the rear diff, and popped off the front belt. At first i was happy that the 3.5 was such a beast. I ordered the factory team aluminum diffs ($50 each), new tires, spurs, belts and other misc parts. I get the new diffs in and start assembling. I get everything together and i am putting the center bolt together. (the thrust bolt, spring. washers, and balls) i get it all together and start to tighten the diff up. I get it just about where i want it and POP, the threads pull off the little SS nut and stay on the black oxide shaft. CRAP!!! so i get the nut out of the other pack and start to assemble it, POP!! same thing. WTH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! the threads are coming clean out of the nut and are fully wrapped around the black oxide bolt. I am pissed but whatever, $20 gets me some diff rebuild kits so i am back in business. I try the first rebuild kit and i go nice and slow, POP it happens again. Now i am ready to just burn the tc5. I get my final $10 nut out and tighten it very very slow. I get it to about the point where it was popping and feel the diff. Its not tight at all by my standards. I can hold one side and turn the other. NO WAY will that hold up to brushless power. I go a hair tighter and it pops like the rest.

So now i have to make a decision. part it out, sell it without fully assembled diffs, or try to rebuild the diffs again. I am thinking a spool in the rear and a one-way up front and just say screw the stupid weak ball diff. My dang 18b diffs held together better than this. Either that or sell this pile of crap and get something else.


questions, comments and smart remarks are welcome
 
Sounds like you're missing a part in there, my friend. Double check the assembly... I'm willing to bet you're missing a spacer somewhere, or you have too thick of a bearing in the middle of the diff.... Or your diff rings are too thin. Or the balls you have are the wrong ones.
 
have all the parts. i printed out the diff assembly from the manual and everything went together perfectly. it just won't tighten. the two thick washers and thrust balls on one side and then the spring, thin washer and nut+holder on the other side. diff balls sit in the slots on the main gear, bearings in the middle. Its a pretty straight forward assembly and its not the first ball diff i have assembled.
 
You must be missing something.

I know a couple of people that race TC5's with that brushless setup and they don't have any problems at all.
 
If you decide to sell it with everything, just pm me first lol. Maby a little thread lock, and dont tighten it down so tight. Thats all I can think of.
 
yep, i assembled it using those very same instructions. Last night i clamped down on the outdrives with a set of hex's and they held the gear very very tight. i was basically squeezing the outdives together just like the center thrust bolt should do. its simply a matter of the nut not holding as i tighten down on it.

robmob: are they running the ball diffs or spools and one ways?
 
I don't run a TC5. I have one in the box, but I am still using my TC4 FT to race with and haven't seen the need to switch.

I use a one-way in my TC4 and I would do the same in the TC5.
 
i am wishing i would have gone with a tc4. not a huge fan of the belt drive. one little pebble and your belt is off.


i am gonna sell of some of my surplus and get some more parts in. got a novak ionic charger, spektrum radio, and a maxamps battery to get rid of. watch the classifieds.
 
don't remind me. :angry:

i guess its possible. just sucks. spool and one way coming up. its a shelf queen anyway. i can't afford to keep tires on it.
 
i'll hit you up on msn. You know i am easy. haha
 

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