belt or shaft driven

markymark6183 · #1 28-01-2015

Hi, looking at getting a new 4wd and basically wondering what your opinions are on belt drive or shaft !!

Cheers

wookiee76 · #2 29-01-2015

Shaft driven is generally more efficient than belt whereas belt drive doesnt give any left to right torque imbalance. Ive always preferred belts and when I looked most if not all the shafties had geared diffs which you cant really adjust quickly, ball diffs however take seconds to tighten or loosen. I would see what does well at your local track if unsure and also which spares are easily available. I went for a tlr 22-4 but ive always been a losi fan going back to the jr2 and absolutely loved my xx4, xxx4 was a different matter.

badger5 · #3 29-01-2015

I don't think belt drive is less efficient than shafts, it may feel this way when turning the transmission by hand but due to the bevel gears required in shaft drives the loading and friction increases when load is applied, whereas belts seem to stay the same. This is why my K1 can accelerate so well.
With belt drive cars the motors direction of rotation can be used to influence the cars handling, with my K1 the motors torque reaction is towards the front of the car giving the car more on power steering and lively whereas with the new Serpent the motors torque reaction will be towards the rear of the car helping tractio . With shaft drive cars they want the torque reaction of the motor to be eliminated as it will be from side to side upsetting the cars handling.
If you have any concerns about belts being exposed and failing, I've driven a K1 for about two years without one failure from a belt.
At the end of the day see what's used at your local track and see if you can try a couple of different cars if people will let you, different cars have there own traits and handling characteristics and what suits one person may be wrong for someone else.

mark christopher · #4 30-01-2015

Belt is more efficient than shaft, but who then were not runing out of power, I prefere belt after running both

Welshy40 · #5 30-01-2015

Belt is better but all depends if a one way is an option, shafts dont. Losi is a doddle to clean and serpents new belt drive would be my next move, also all enclosed and does seem plausible a one way will be an option and seems a better drive train than losi, based on what MIP did in the late 80's, Tamiya and Kyosho developed in 90's and early 2000. 2wd rear gearbox and belt to the front. Im tempted but cant stop using my Lazer ZXR belt drive

markymark6183 · #6 30-01-2015

Thanks for the response guys, been with my b44.1 for a while now and fancy either the losi 22-4 or the schumacher k1 aero but just not sure if they are more maintenence been belt driven and also do belts strip easily ??

Thanks

wookiee76 · #7 31-01-2015

Belts run at the right tension do last fairly well especially in a sealed drive train although most buggy shells do a good job of keeping most crud out, you will get some warning when a belt is going to go with it skipping rather than if a shaft goes it tends to be rather instantaneous. Have to say I only had one decent shaft drive buggy, tenth technology predator, (that dates me!) And I never really got on with it, made a racket and ate spur gears for breakfast, dinner and tea!

luke · #8 31-01-2015

Iv been running my D413 for about 3 months without one issue I always liked the quietness of belt but my shaft drivern D413 is quiet and I enjoy it I did own a 22-4 but liked shaft driven buggys as above bud get to a couple of tracks and talk to the guys and see what there running

badger5 · #9 31-01-2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by markymark6183

Thanks for the response guys, been with my b44.1 for a while now and fancy either the losi 22-4 or the schumacher k1 aero but just not sure if they are more maintenence been belt driven and also do belts strip easily ??

Thanks

If you like rebuilding diffs for a pastime the 22-4 may be ok.

There is also the new Serpent SRX4 to look at, enclosed front belt and the car looks very good.

markymark6183 · #10 31-01-2015

Thanks for all your responses, think I'm swaying the the b44.3 or dex410 all geared diffs so a little less hassle.

Thanks

wookiee76 · #11 01-02-2015

Ok, so im a weirdo who actually finds building and servicing ball diffs quite therapeutic! At least they should be a smidge easier to get to than they were in the xx4, rear diff in that was a sod, having to take the servo out to access the rear diff as well as the whole back end was a pig!