I had a great time charging around the race track at Buttonwillow this
past weekend. The racing around the track tends to magnify any
weaknesses in your car. Apparently, I had a weak differential. There
was a little noise on the first day, but I didn't think anything of it
because it was gone when I got off the track. The second day the noise
was very loud, especially downshifting and using the engine to brake in
3rd gear. It sounds like a bad bearing race or something is out of
alignment in the differential. Kind of like the wheel is rubbing in one
spot as it goes around. The frequency of the noise is directly
proportional to the speed of the car regardless if is in gear or moving
in neutral. There is no noise when I am accelerating, but if I take my
foot off the gas, the noise returns immediately until the car stops
moving.
I took the whole rear end apart today and pulled out the axles. I
thought maybe an axle was getting ready to break and the splines were
twisted, but both axles were fine. The right axle does not completely
seat against the hub. It bottoms out in the differential leaving a
1/8th gap between the hub and the axle flange. Could the axle be
rubbing against the spider gear shaft? It did not before I took it out
on the track Saturday.
I think I need a new differential. Anyone got a Bugeye 1:44 diff
they would like to sell because it is taking up too much room in the
garage?
Mike MacLean-60 Sprite
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