I just recently got the tsunami uw, everytime I take it out I seem to break something. Just yesterday I had it out trying to do a little fine tuning and I stripped the teeth off of 2nd gear. I know your supposed to check the gear mesh everytime you take it out, but I don't know how you can see the gear mesh without taking the gas tank out or almost disassembling most of the car. I can't see the gear mesh at all. I know this is probably a stupid question but some help would be appreciated.

That makes 2 of us. I don't even know what gear mesh is lol.... Nevermind how to adjust it.

hope this helps

Down load the quick start quide and the tuning form. They should help you out allot

http://shopping.netsuite.com/c.849850/site/support.html

That's a great idea with the paper. I'll do that when I get my replacement parts in. But what about keeping an eye on the mesh from time to time? Is there anyway to actually see the gears while they're still in the truck? My gas tank and the trans housing covers most of the gears. You can't see where the clutch bell and spur gears meet without taking the gas tank out.

i know some might say something but what I do is holdthe spur gear, then move the clutchbell with your fingers. It should only move a tiny bit. If there is alot of play, the mesh is too loose. If you cant move the clutchbell at all, then the mesh is too tight and that will strip a gear also. I personally dont bother with the paper.

Huh. alright well anythings better than taking half the car apart just to check something. Another funny thing that happened was when I noticed the teeth on the 2nd gear were stripped I also noticed that both gears were very loose. I could wiggle both of them from under the chasis, but when I took the transmission out, they weren't loose anymore. I don't know what that's about.

Just take a knife and carve out that 'overhang' on the transmission case. Then you can see the mesh. I'm not sure what value that overhang has anyway - since a pebble would never get stuck in there given the rotation direction of the two gears. So it's not to keep debris out.

But yeah I also do the 'feel' test without paper. I aim for the smallest amount of play I can achieve, but not zero. Make sure when you check that you rotate the entire spur gear at least one full rotation to make sure it doesn't bind anywhere. And do those engine bolts up tight - if you hit a bump and the engine moves, then bye-bye spur!

I do the same,but do it in reverse-I hold the clutchbell and rock the spur from under the car.When done I roll the car on the ground,if the mesh is to tight here is where you will see it-it will bind and makes noise
DOUG

its best if i take the gas tank out, u get a clear view of it..

Well that's easier said than done. The screws that hold it in have a little nut on the ends that's virtually impossible to get to while the motor is in place. I think while I've got most of my truck apart already, I'll replace the screws with the nuts with a wider thread screw that I can take on and off from just the top. That way when I want to take a look all I'll have to do is unscrw 2 screws and take it out. Well the handle might be in the way but I'll figure a way around that.

just un screw the top plate and take the whole assmbly off like shown in the picture above, and as long as ur motor mounts don't break or screws on the bottom that hold the engine does not come loose, it should not strip again.. but always check over and over and over again the engine mount screws on the bottom and the engine mount screws on the top.. they always come loose, even with blue lock tight.. trust me i have been through at least 15 spur gears , with my 2 volcanos.. and just order 4 more..

Well I got my parts in today and got my truck back together. I went ahead and took the stock screws out that hold the gas tank in and I remounted the gas tank on top of the upper plate and used two wide thread screws to hold it in place. I also used the rubber gaskets that were on the stock screws and nuts and put them between the gas tank mounting holes and the upper plate mounting holes to help with vibration. It holds alot better then the way it was stock, plus it's nothing to take the tank off now. I can take it off and check the gear mesh in just a few seconds. So I guess what I'm saying is I answered and solved my own problem....huh.....that doesn't happen everyday......lol.....

I did the feel test and it seems to work ok.