Krawlin

I have an OFNA Mutilator and it has quite the appetite for clutch bearings. Wondering if anyone else has this problem with their Mutilator or 9.5 Violater (Since that is what the Mutilator is based off of). I have tried every mesh setting possible, different brands of bearings, all kinds of stuff, and I still cant get a set of clutch bearings to last me more than maybe 15 tanks if that. I was thinking of getting these aluminum braces for the Mutilator/9.5 Violater, but have been wondering if they would do anything for it over the plastic chassis braces - http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXCWZ1&P=7 - because those aluminum braces only have 1 screw point to the chassis, where as the plastic braces have 2 screw points to the chassis. And the main thing that is frying the clutch bearings in my Mutilator is not so much the twisting lengthwise of the chassis, like from corners, but the chassis bowing up and down causing the teeth of the spur to push on the clutch bell and thus the bearings and putting forces on them that they weren't meant to handle, thus destroying them. So I am thinking of getting those aluminum chassis braces if alot of people here on the forums think they will do some good, and I also plan on ordering some aluminum posts for the radio tray in hopes that it will help just a bit in stiffening up the chassis. Thanks for any help. (And yes I know this is the buggy forum, but since the Mutilator is based off a buggy chassis/design, I figured it would be alright to post in here.)

rclynx

Making sure the clutch is in the right place by shimming it and check all your clearances and if your a hot runner go to a ceramic bearing. Some one who runs an engine at 260 degrees is going to use many more bearings than someone running at 200 [:-] even the springs on the clutch can make a difference because some of the race springs cause a lot more slippage and heat the bell to over 400 degrees (ouch) just got to search that problem out

Krawlin

I never really thought to check the temp of my clutch bell, I will have to do that next time I run it.

adam-69

If theres grease or gunk on your clutch bell or shoes then it will cause slippage and extra heat which will murder bearings.

What shoes are you running?

Krawlin

Here are some pictures (see attachments) of the clutch bell after a hard run. The front clutch bearings outer race, cage, and balls are gone, and it let the bell slide forward a bit past the screw. My mesh is set pretty loose, so I don't understand why the bearings keep getting eaten up, except for the possibility of too much heat.


So since it uses stock black carbon shoes and the OFNA 1.1 "gold" springs - (springs - http://www.nitrohouse.com/catalog/pr...oducts_id=8665 ) - (shoes - http://www.nitrohouse.com/catalog/pr...oducts_id=8591 )

So would this setup provide a very similar feel in the clutch - These sliver OFNA aluminum shoes - http://www.nitrohouse.com/catalog/pr...oducts_id=8594 ~~~~~ With these OFNA 1.0 springs - http://www.nitrohouse.com/catalog/pr...ducts_id=17282

Or should I just stick to the springs that those aluminum clutch shoes come with?

apereira

Could your engine idle be too high?

rclynx

Stick with stock till you solve your problem, with what little I can see it looks like you have a serious shimming problem. With the gear off the teeth toward the bell is going to cause some serious torque problems. Get that spur gear centered on the bell gear. Could be what your problem is [&o]

Krawlin

Over in the truggy forum, they were saying it was the result of too much heat, which was frying the bearings. In those pictures, the outer race of the bearing came out and the clutch bell slid forward. But is it possible to shim the center diff so the spur sits closer to the front of the clutch bell teeth rather than toward the back of the teeth?

rclynx

There are 4 locations that can be shimmed or moved to align, center diff, clutch bell, Fly wheel and the motor mount. There is never a good reason to have the gears out of mesh [:@]

Krawlin

So I would assume having the spur teeth contact the clutch bells teeth as dead center as possible? Because currently its just behind center, not sure if that could be causing the kind of clutch bearing failure in the pics (where the front bearings entire outer race falls out)

rclynx

Gears are all ground with a certain ammount of pitch and if your off center of that pitch your pushing the gear one way or the other. So even if centering the gears doesn't take care of all the problem it is contributing to the problem.........Got to start some where and thats the best spot

Good Luck RC'en