New diff balls and rings...but still VERY notchy!
 

I'm confused at this one.

Just rebuilt my X5 diff, and new ceramic diff balls and diff rings, and when tightened the diff is unbelievably notchy.

I haven't replaced the diff gear itself, but it looks okay, and I've rebuilt it several times using the same diff gear, and it's been okay before.

Any ideas? Is the diff gear that is warped / melted / worn?

Did you replace the thrust race?

No actually I didn't, but I will now.

Sorted Lee....that was it! :thumbsup:

Weird though, as I've changed so many diffs in the past few years, but never changed the thrust, and it's always been okay....up until now! :o

Still, thanks oh wise one!

No probs,

I find the thrust race causes the gritty feel. Sometimes fresh grease and a clean works other times it needs fresh balls.

Glad its sorted though :thumbsup:

I remember now that when I dismantled it to chuck it all in white spirit for cleaning, that some of the thrust race bearings fell out of the plastic casing thing (LOSA3098)....should have noticed this as a warning sign!

So lesson learned there! Cheers Lee. :thumbsup:

Russ.

I replace thrust balls/races far more often than diff balls/rings.

That's good to know!

Funny (and sad) to think that I could have been throwing away perfectly good balls and rings all this time, when actually it is only the thrust race that needed replacing.

In future I will replace the thrust first, and rebuild with with old parts to see how it feels first, before I go chucking money away pointlessly on new diff balls and rings.

Well I'm somewhere in the middle, plates are pennies so I always change those, then thrust every other set of plates (2 sides per plate) so every 4 rebuilds, which is so every 1/2 season or something?

im with dan on this one, we run the plates both side and change them after that, same with diff plates, but we run tungsten carbide diff balls and should in theory last at least a season,

Exactly. The balls, diff and thrust, are carbide -- very hard -- so the rings and washers wear out much faster.

The diff balls drive the car while the thrust balls give it the diff action. But the thrust balls also hold the thing together, there are only half as many thrust balls and they are much smaller. Result is the thrust balls wear faster than the diff balls.

IMHO, the thrust bearing assemblies where the bearings are held in a retainer and the washers have little grooves for the balls to run in, like LOSA3018, are much better.

They are what i use and my balls always stay smooth. :woot:

Has anyone found that the losi diffs go notchy and tighten up after a couple of runs, then you can come to the car a few hours later and they are super smooth again?

I can only imagine its down to heat but is there a way to eliminate it?

Lee, I have had that on high traction tracks where you can drive very aggressive, or in longer than 5 minute practice runs (Belgium say).

Yeah i was having it at Southport the last time i was there. Is it just a case of rebuilding or having spare diffs handy?

My last diff lasted a few months before i bothered re building it. Ive never had that problem before, i switched to the trust race with grooves in it at Taly and they are still smooth as silk.

Can you use that on a B4 diff?

I was having all sorts with my xx4 diff but then tried taking the thrust bearing case out of the equation (just add another 3 thrust balls so that theres now 10 in total) so now the balls just sit in the grooved washers and now the diff is super smooth and seems to stay that way, it is a bit more difficult to build and assemble but.

Peter

Thanks Pedro, i will give that a try :thumbsup:

must admit i use the thrust race with that cage, i do use the grooved plates but remove the carbide balls,use your balls loose with lots of grease,it feels much free'er (is that a proper word?)