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350zzy
2011.05.06, 09:41 AM
Just wanted to say hello and this is my first post here... I just picked up my awd for the first time in years and I just remembered why I put it away.. I can't figure out what the problem is, I tried a search but came up with nothing so here it goes
Basically, when I turn the car to the right, the diff acts as normal, but then when I turn the wheel left the front diff starts acting funny, it decides to lock up, then open, then lock up, and it's harder to rotate the left wheel when this is happening, the right wheel has no problems but the left wheel always does this. I tried opening up the diff then putting It back together, I tried swapping diffs, I remember before putting the car away I changed the dogbones and the piece that goes into the diff that hooks up to the dogbones... The axle I think it's called? Anyone else have this problem or a solution? Thanks
I hope to learn some more about these cars I know they're a lot of fun, btw anyone else from Miami here?

mikey
2011.05.06, 08:36 PM
Sounds like something is binding. Have you taken the diff out of the car?

You're in Miami Florida?
There's a mini z track opening in crown hobbies on coral way off of the palmetto. Theres a few mini z guys down here.

Scrapper
2011.05.07, 11:22 AM
Thats cool do they have a website i have apartments in south beacu and will be going in three weeks

350zzy
2011.05.09, 09:50 PM
oh that's awesome about crown hobbies, i used to go there a looong time ago when I used to have a nitro car, I've taken the diff out of the car, replaced it with the rear diff, and it does the same.

cowboysir
2011.05.09, 11:23 PM
try swapping the front knuckles with the rears...curious to wonder if the swing shaft length of the fronts are causing the binding.

thestug
2011.05.11, 12:02 AM
Check to make sure the bearings are still spinning freely and seated properly in the knuckle. I had this problem when I first got my AWD. A bearing was sitting at an odd angle and causing binding. Another time i had a diff bearing seize up.

mikey
2011.05.11, 10:10 AM
if the car is tracking straight, and the issue only arises when when the car is turning, im thinking maybe one of the axles are out of whack.


maybe the wheel is rubbing on a part of the chassis, or the body?


swap out the axles front to back, see if there is still any binding

thestug
2011.05.11, 03:10 PM
if the car is tracking straight, and the issue only arises when when the car is turning, im thinking maybe one of the axles are out of whack.


maybe the wheel is rubbing on a part of the chassis, or the body?


swap out the axles front to back, see if there is still any binding

I also think this may not be binding now that I think about it. Definitely check the axles. The stock ones tend to slip, because half of the shaft is metal while the rest is plastic. I would reccomend replacing the axles with all metal ones anyway. Tires rubbing on the body can also can cause this. If you have checked all this I would guess you may have a bad diff (if its stock).

350zzy
2011.05.11, 10:42 PM
Thanks for all the input guys, I've tried replacing the front knuckles with the rear, my axles are aluminium and so are the dogbones i think it's called, everything is seated properly, it's not the body because i don't have a body on the car, it's weird because it's only when I turn it left, when the steering is centered or turned right the diff works as normal, but when I turn left it starts acting weird.

thestug
2011.05.12, 02:43 PM
Thanks for all the input guys, I've tried replacing the front knuckles with the rear, my axles are aluminium and so are the dogbones i think it's called, everything is seated properly, it's not the body because i don't have a body on the car, it's weird because it's only when I turn it left, when the steering is centered or turned right the diff works as normal, but when I turn left it starts acting weird.

Are your diffs still the stock gear diffs? If they are I would try to see if a new diff would help. My AWD had a similar problem after I broke a gear diff. I never figured out what was wrong and ended up buying a new diff anyway. The stock diffs are terrible for longevity. I wold recomend getting decent ball diffs to anyone.

andreophile
2011.05.14, 02:00 PM
My AWD developed the same problem a short while back. It showed the same lock-open-lock symptoms plaguing your car, but the problem got worse with sharper steering angles. The culprit was a bent centre shaft. I had to put up with two defective Atomic titanium shafts before I found a perfect Kyosho Ti64 centre shaft. Now my AWD runs freely.

350zzy
2011.05.14, 05:58 PM
My AWD developed the same problem a short while back. It showed the same lock-open-lock symptoms plaguing your car, but the problem got worse with sharper steering angles. The culprit was a bent centre shaft. I had to put up with two defective Atomic titanium shafts before I found a perfect Kyosho Ti64 centre shaft. Now my AWD runs freely.

that's interesting, yea it started with the stock then i changed to the titanium one, still did it, so this could be it

andreophile
2011.05.15, 11:18 AM
that's interesting, yea it started with the stock then i changed to the titanium one, still did it, so this could be it

The very first Kyosho Ti64 centre shaft I purchased shipped with a bent pinion gear, and I have seen more people vouch for the same on this forum. A bent centre shaft will loosen and tighten around the differential gear (front) and the spur gear (rear) as it rotates along its axis. You should definitely get that checked out.

thestug
2011.05.15, 03:26 PM
My AWD developed the same problem a short while back. It showed the same lock-open-lock symptoms plaguing your car, but the problem got worse with sharper steering angles. The culprit was a bent centre shaft. I had to put up with two defective Atomic titanium shafts before I found a perfect Kyosho Ti64 centre shaft. Now my AWD runs freely.

Hmm, never had this problem because i have never upgraded my drive shaft, but I can see how this could be a potential problem. You should definitely check this.