Rebuilding The Transmission With CowRC
 

CowRC Web Rep (aka Budhatrain) here. After my first big scale competition, I can honestly say that I have the scale bug bad. I love monster trucks and will continue to do so but in the back of my mind, I am trying to figure out how to add three more trucks to the stable scale class 1/2/3.
One platform I am going to work with is the Axial SCX10. The first upgrade needs to be the transmission. I am not shooting for “bullet proof” but durable. I picked up some hardened steel gears and will replace the stock stuff.

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I easily removed the stock transmission and started to do an initial inspection. I hate rust! I don’t know why, because ultimately, it’s my lack of follow-up and after-run maintenance that leads to rust. However, if I see rust on the outside I can only wonder what’s going on in the inside.

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I was pleasantly surprised to discover that nothing major was going on, bearings just need cleaning. There is a sticky lube that Axial uses, this and other foreign debris are removed quickly by Moo-tor Cleaner, a fast evaporating cleaner and degreaser. I give them an extra shot of air just to be sure all residue is removed before I lube them up with Moo-slick. Moo-slick fast drying silicone spray is an awesome bearing and drivetrain lubricant. I pile the bearings into the lid of the Moo-slick and blast away.

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After I clean up the case halves to match the freshly cleaned bearings and new hardened gears, I make a decision on what to do to seal everything back up. I have done quite a bit of research on this and I have concluded it comes down to preference. Some people swear by white lithium grease for the drivetrain (Tamiya packs it in all their kits). Some people say it doesn’t really matter what lubricant you use just use something to quiet the gears- like shock oil or any 1:1 application. Others do not use anything at all or some use something like Moo-slick, a good silicone spray that repels moisture and grime and keeps a thin dry film on the gears to reduce friction. With grease, the key is to “lightly” coat the gears to reduce friction and keep moisture away. It just seems like when it comes to grease, people have a tendency to use it like shaving cream- always waay too much (I always use way too much shaving cream in the morning). Lightly because too much grease will attract and hold dirt and grime, too much could also create too much drag and slow down the efficiency of your drivetrain, and too much grease just gets everywhere when you need to tear apart your drivetrain. For my application and preference, I went with one that reduces friction, leaves a smooth drivetrain, repels moisture and something that will support my bad habits (knowing me I will probably not check back on it for a while so it needs to last) Moo-slick.

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I buttoned it all up with some stainless steel hardware from Screw Loose Hex Head Hardware, just say no to rusty screws! Caution when screwing it back together, you don’t want to tighten it so much you create drag from the plastic cases pinching the gears, just snug with some blue loc-tite. The whole setup should be able to zing in your hand as you spin the spur gear.

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Happy happy happy!