tlt axle upgrade?

[rockbound]

Was wondering what you guys think is the most important upgrade to do to a stock tlt axle.

I am building my first tlt and want it to be strong, i dont want to break everytime i go out.

I have already purchased cvd's what else needs to be replaced?

[8500lbs]

from what i have seen locking them is always the best step for crawling. you can either get a spool from rc4wd or RCP. i am sure others have it as well but these are the ones i looked at. after that i believe the next thing is to replace the pinion. once again rcp and RC4WD make sets of them.

good luck

[Tanis]

Get some Fatrock axle C's, and some aluminum knuckles. You will be good to go then.

[Thorsteenster]

If you get spools, wait for RCP's R&P's to get back in stock, you get both ring and pinion gears.

[EeePee]

I'd shy away from the RC4WD Tracgear...

Mine fell apart.

[chivas72]

why spend your money if you can lock them for free with the 3rd spider gear method ? ? ?

don;t forget to shim and use locktite or else you will be stripping and falling apart

[RXcrawler]

Just lock it with JB weld. Spend the money on the Axle C's and better knuckles first.

[chivas72]

Originally Posted by RXcrawler

Just lock it with JB weld. Spend the money on the Axle C's and better knuckles first.

this is as correct as it will get except i don;t agree with the jb method

the spider gear method is much cleaner and reversible rcp always has extra parts in stock.

with jb you purty much need to buy all the guts again if you break

[Tanis]

I've been running the same JB welded R/P's for almost a year.

[RXcrawler]

I've also never broke a ring gear with JB weld, I have had them come apart when I used "quick steel" but I just relocked it. I have worn out 3-4 sets of ring and pinions, where the gear literally get worn down and it starts slipping. I have also broken the part with the 3 legs that the spider gear rides on. Broke all 3 legs off but the diff stayed locked no problem.

[jpfreak]

Hmmm, I just stripped out a side gear in the stock diff (locked with epoxy).

I always thought I'd beak an axle before that happened.

About 1yr of use by the way.

[rockbound]

the diffs are already locked, i think jb weld but not sure they came locked i havent pulled them apart.

looks like the next step is axle c's and aluminum knuckles.

I have been running stock plastic knuckles on my tuber clod for almost 3 years now, never broke one yet! do i really need aluminum ones for the tlt axles? you guys break those alot?

also sounds like upgrading the ring gears are important.

thanks guys!

[RXcrawler]

Upgrading the ring gear would be the last thing I would do. It will eventally wear out (1+ year) but usually won't break all of a sudden.

If the axle C or the knuckle break your done until you fix it. It will steer better with the aluminum knuckles because the arm won't flex in a bind. And if the truck hits the wrong way in a fall or roll you can snap the axle c or the knuckle. Yes the TLT knuckle is more fragile than the clod plastic knuckle IMO.

[TURTLE]

Originally Posted by chivas72

this is as correct as it will get except i don;t agree with the jb method

the spider gear method is much cleaner and reversible rcp always has extra parts in stock.

with jb you purty much need to buy all the guts again if you break

Why would you need to reverse it?
But all the guts come in a bag together, ive destroyed spider gears with this method.

I personally think J b weld is the way to go, there is also alot less slop in the drive train with jb weld. and once its locked, its locked (in crawling thats a good thing).

[redbaron]

I know you said the axles are already locked, but for those recommending the third gear trick, it won't last long. With the third gear trick, it will eventually break the pins that hold the gears. It happen to me about 4-5 times before I got the JB weld out. Even the third gear and hot glue didn't hold. And when the pins break and come out, it usually trashs the ring and pinion because now that pin is rolling around in there.

[redbaron]

As far as upgrading, like others said; CVD's, Fat Rock C's and alum knuckles and you'll be set. If your gears are not shimmed, do so. Without being shimmed, they strip and wear out quickly.

[rockbound]

Originally Posted by redbaron

As far as upgrading, like others said; CVD's, Fat Rock C's and alum knuckles and you'll be set. If your gears are not shimmed, do so. Without being shimmed, they strip and wear out quickly.

how do i know if they are shimmed, and how do i shim them if they are not?

thanks.

[redbaron]

With the axle apart, pull the pinion out. The shims will usually be in between the pinion and the first bearing. If the axle is assembled, see if the pinion moves in and out. If it moves alot, more than likely its not shimmed. If it moves very little, then it's either shimmed or is a good fit and doesn't need shimmed.

[scuzzy51]

dont shim the pinion!!! it will eat away at the at the back edge of the pinion and make it really weak!! just find the right size washer and but it on the backside of the ring gear so it pushes the ring gear into the pinion!! and as far as the locking method goes i've done both... but if you use jb weld and strip out a ring gear you have to buy the whole diff again... spiders and crosspins come in one bag.. ring gear comes in another bag.. and the back side of the diff comes in another bag.. you cant buy them all together... and yes i've broke the crosspin using the three gear setup but i think its alot easier and if you strip out a ring gear you only have to buy that part!! i've bashed on my crawlers dam hard especially my scaler and have only broken one crosspin... so its your choice but i thought i would throw some choices at ya

[Tanis]

Originally Posted by redbaron

Without being shimmed, they strip and wear out quickly.

It really just depends, I only recently shimmed mine, as the gears were starting to get sharp after a year. The only 2 R&P that I have managed to strip were 2.5 yrs old.

At the Axial West Coast Championships, I picked up a couple of RCP R&P's, and they are what I will buy again, if I manage to strip another one.