2 speed shifting problems (SSD)

[theTman]

I got an SSD 2 speed kit for my bomber and I installed it without issue. I greased everything including the hex shaft the shifting thingy slides on, but did not pack the case with grease.

I know it is really hard to shift without the transmission spinning, but even when I have it spinning I have a lot of shifting trouble. I have the shift linkage as straight and parallel to the shift fork shaft as possible fyi. I can shift it by hand, but when using the servo it is so stiff the servo mount starts flexing before I can shift completely, and the tranny even twists in its mountings some as well. I know about end point settings and have adjusted those. I am thinking either I need to find a way to stop the shift fork link from rotating and absorbing some of the servo travel (I wonder if it is binding up the works too), reinforce the mountings somehow, or my kit just has too tight a fit between the hex shaft and the sliding part and is requiring too much force to shift.

Has anyone else had this trouble? Any ideas on how to fix it?

Update: I swapped out the ball joints in the shifting linkage rod ends in favor of some straight plastic pieces to help limit the twisting of the shift linkage. I also realized that while my linkage was running parallel to the shift rod horizontally, vertically it was angled downward and pushing down on the shift shaft causing binding. I used some spacers and washers to level things out. It was still having trouble shifting, but less than before. I then also realized the roll cage would probably lend strength to the skid plate to resist twisting so I put it back on. The tranny still doesn't shift right most of the time, but I can switch back and forth between gears and get one or the other to eventually catch. I hope the parts just need to break in and that it will get smoother. I will leave it as is for now. I have a servo saver on my shift servo, and I also am using the rtr steering servo for shifting so if it breaks it isn't a big deal. I have 2 or 3 servos lying around to take it's place if it dies.

 

[xmikedentx]

Here's how mine looks, as far as the view from the top. I had to make a shorter link to get mine to work, but it shifts standing still, and on the gas.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Snowboard3r411]

Have you tried a shorter linkage or throw?

 

[theTman]

Made a shorter link from one of those long grub screws that the bomber uses to mount the shocks to the tube frame. I got it squared away mostly. Shifts perfect when spinning most of the time, but almost never if not spinning. Having the whole chassis together helped a lot by eliminating flex that was messing with the shifting motion. Also got my end points dialed in. It feels like it is getting better with use so maybe it just needs to break in now.

 

[txbart]

The SSD 2 speed could really use a shift lever like the Axial set. That being said, the plastics tree containing the shift lever is seperately available. IIRC, The only mod that needs to be done is to widen the hole on the little nub that threads onto the shift fork so that it can thread on to the SSD shift fork. The Axial fork uses 2.5mm threads, I believe, while the SSD unit uses 3mm threads. The instructions for the Axial 2speed Kit are online at Axials website, & should offer some clarity to what I'm trying to say.

 

[SSD]

It will only fully shift if the slots line up inside so when it's not spinning it's unlikely that the slot will always be in the right spot.

This is true of any two speed, not just the SSD one.

 

[DenisLM]

I use the Axial 2 speed and when the gears are stopped and not aligned it don't work, but in movement always work not problems.
Also make sure to use a weak or very loose servo saver.

 

[TheRage43]

The SSD 2 speed could really use a shift lever like the Axial set. That being said, the plastics tree containing the shift lever is seperately available. IIRC, The only mod that needs to be done is to widen the hole on the little nub that threads onto the shift fork so that it can thread on to the SSD shift fork. The Axial fork uses 2.5mm threads, I believe, while the SSD unit uses 3mm threads. The instructions for the Axial 2speed Kit are online at Axials website, & should offer some clarity to what I'm trying to say.

This^

The SSD kit seems higher quality than the Axial kit, and is almost half the price. The Axial parts tree with the shift lever is like $10 on ebay or w/e. I use the SSD with the axial lever on 2 bombers and both are flawless. Make sure you use a servo saver (bomber RTR even comes with one in the spare parts) and always shift with the trans spinning.