22 idler gears
 

Having owned my 22 3.0 for near a year and recently acquired a 1.0/2.0 I've noticed that the only major mechanical weak point in almost anything 22 based is busting teeth off idler gears.

As far as parts issues go, its a really minor issue; don't get me started on parts issues with any lrp rc's i've owned, but is upgrading the idler gears from plastic or alloy/steel asking for trouble? The idler gears being universal to most if not all the 22 range means they aren't expensive or hard to get, but i'd be concerned the damage might end up on the diff gear which is much harder and more expensive to replace.

Is this worry justified or have i perhaps missed a trick as to why all the 22's i've owned or indeed know of have ate a few in their lifetime?

I've not done one idler in my 22's. As parts wear and things flex, that is what tends to cause these things. That or you are running your slipper way too tight.

Ive broken two gears in the whole time ive owned my 3.0

Id rather break a cheap idler gear, than a expensive Gear Diff or Layshaft. Hence why i still use plastic gears.

Its onlys a 20minute job to change them anywyas

I've only broken two on the 3.0 myself in that time, but a friend of mine broke one within a week of owning his, asside from that the 1.0/2.0 hybrid i got came with a selection of spares that contained more than its fair share of stripped idler gears too which did make me wonder.

I would have to agree about the diff/layshaft conservation, the 3.0 is a doddle to break apart to replace the gears so its not the end of the world if one strips, unlike having to change a servo at the track, if you bust one in a 22 you may as well go home for the night.

I've run a variant of the 22 since early 2012 and have never felt the need to run the alloy idler gears.

I think the key thing is to make sure the axle the idler sits on is a snug fit in the gearbox case, to avoid any excess movement.

I also put the tiniest amount of black grease around the stepped half of the gear case, which creates a nice seal and stops any miniature dirt and debris getting in and wearing the gears.


As you state they are also an easy part to source and relatively cheap compared to the other things that could go wrong.