Locking the front diff - how'd you go?

[CoolRunning]

I've just ordered lockers for my Rock Rey (front and centre) and am thinking very hard about a locker for the front of the Yeti too.

We don't run on asphalt and apart from some grass like ovals doing high speed runs and drag races stick to dirt and rocky stuff; BMX tracks and mild jumping too. Drifting around BMX tracks really; not against the clock and just Yeti vs Rock Rey for all the above.

I've read plenty of horror stories about a locked front Yeti destroying dog bones and universals from Axial and VP etc and even snapping the input for the centre dog bone shaft.

I would love some honest feedback as our trucks apart from racing in a straight line and racing around a loose gravel BMX track basically trail and 'rock race' up and down rocky hills and stuff that these trucks were designed for. Having them be able to climb over rocks and logs etc and up loose hills much more effectively would be better than nth degree high speed handling in all honestly.

If the handling isn't 'that' compromised (i.e. it doesn't roll over the moment you try to turn at speed) and it doesn't break when basically just run in the dirt, I'll get an Axial locker and give it a go.

Let me know any parts that have proven solid.

The truck has dog bones which have been bulletproof on 3S thus far (they look really old and even have valleys ground out of them but are perfectly straight) and it has HD gears and stock bulkhead. Alum carriers and knuckles and rack.

 

[33m]

My stock kit CV front axle snapped after I put a 23T pinion on my yeti. I have the Axial locker in the front. I've installed dluxfab.com front axles and it's been fine since. I did have to re-tighten the grub screws once, but they've been tight since.

 

[Wieser]

I have the Axial locker, stock rtr 3150kv motor and Mamba Max Pro on 3s.
So handling wise its quite a bit different. Turning radius is larger, it rolls over a little more often and its a bit harder to control in general. With that said ... for me absolutly worth it Its just pure fun to blast around in rough terrain and on hills with a fully locked Yeti.
But u can literally feel that its a lot harder not only on the drivetrain but on the hole vehicle. The dogbones did not hold up long, they bend and a spare set i had laying around also bend in a very shot time. Had no problems with them while driving an open diff. I am now using cheap GPM CVDs (Partnumber EX295SBK ) and they are holding up perfectily fine since around 10 packs. Very happy and for the money worth a try. I tried the Incision VDIs when my diff was still open and can absolutly not recommend them. Had problems with loose crosspins.
One more tip: Check your motor temps! My motor got a little bit hotter when going locked and i geared down a little bit.
To summon it up: Go for it!

 

[DavidH]

I've never locked mine, but shortly after purchasing it last summer I filled the front diff with a non-Newtonian viscoelastic liquid silicone fluid, which allows for a bit of movement, but virtually locks up if the wheels start to spin.

I only run 3s, and still have the RTR gears in the front, and the dogbones never gave out. I did switch to universals at the end of the year as the dogbones were a bit notchy at full droop.

I do note that this stuff can result in the lifting of the inside wheels (or a tumble) in high-speed cornering, but the ability to crawl with it is too good to give it up.

I did try some Team associated 100K-500K fluid, and it had the expected results of better handling, while compromising the truck's crawling abilities.

It depends on how you use the truck, and personal preference.

 

[PileDriver]

I'm just not sure why you would own a yeti with the front and rear locked??? I would think a Wraith or Bomber would be better maybe?

 

[CoolRunning]

Cheers guys!

We already have a Bomber and the Yeti whilst it isn't going to replace the Bomber as the bouncer/crawler, it would be useful to have the Yeti get up slopes 'better'. Basically with less major deviation off the intended line and without all the wheel spin and having to have a big go all the time at anything compared to the Bomber. I now have a locker in the centre diff of my Rock Rey and I am very impressed with it. It has naturally worsened the turning circle and the cornering but it's made a major difference to how predictable the truck is and how it hooks up. I am thinking about doing the front when I have some time as I got two lockers and I expect the handling to again get worse but with far better hook up.

In all honesty, we run solely on dirt and grass and would benefit more from grip than from handling as high speed turning is the thing we do the least with the trucks. They are our fast trailing trucks but we do like to try to crawl them around a bit as trails require sometimes careful, more precise driving and unfortunately they are currently pretty awful at the slow stuff.

I'm still not 100% on the destructive element of the mod but I'll look at picking up some quality CVDs and see how it holds together.

 

[Rumpelhardt]

I used this in mine. Gravity Pro Shop Team Gravity Rc | RC Racing I thought about locking mine but that would have greatly aggravated the one big issue I have with the Yeti and that is turning radius.
My Yeti is probably my favorite RC other than that.

 

[RustyUs]

....I did try some Team associated 100K-500K fluid, and it had the expected results of better handling, while compromising the truck's crawling abilities.

It depends on how you use the truck, and personal preference.

I used this in mine. Gravity Pro Shop Team Gravity Rc | RC Racing I thought about locking mine but that would have greatly aggravated the one big issue I have with the Yeti and that is turning radius.
My Yeti is probably my favorite RC other than that.

You guys said it all.

I got the Yeti in hopes of not having to buy separate monster, short course, or trail trucks. The IFS rock racer does a lot of things good. If I'm leaning more towards a crawling/trail type of terrain, I'd think (maybe) about investing in 2 speed option, and possible lock the front end. If I'm looking for moderate to high speed action; dabble in some "trickier" terrain, then I'd stuff the front end with some thick attitude "thumbsup".

 

[Rumpelhardt]

I have a SSD 2 speed in mine and that is part of why I like it so much. It is was much more capable than my stock Wraith in rough terrain even with the open front diff mostly because of the Yeti having much more power and better tires while being able to handle faster speeds almost as well as the Traxxas Slash 4x4 it replaced.