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Are there advantages/disadvantages running an aluminum idler gear? Please post your opinions and/or experiences.

I recently just picked up an aluminum idler gear for a 2.6 trans on ebay. It can be used in my RC10 T4 brushless basher or in a shelf queen. My original thought was it would have an advantage of being stronger then the stock plastic idler gear in my T4 basher with a Hobbywing 4000kV brushless system. But this maybe unnecessary for a smooth well built trans, and could possibly cause increased friction or heat within the trans...?? Also, with a steel top shaft, aluminum idler and plastic gear differential, this could make the plastic gear diff the weak link in the trans. Thoughts..? I do keep the trans gears lightly greased and routinely maintenanced.

in my experience the steel topshaft wears the aluminum idler which then takes out the diff gear. You can try to keep them greased, but also beware that the grease makes the aluminum powder into abrasive toothpaste.

I concur, even the glass filled nylon tends to eat the aluminum over time.

I've run some crazy power through the stock T4 gearbox, never stripped a nylon gear, never greased the gears and ran the slipper basically locked down. Obviously just be smart and don't keep the throttle pegged when you land off a jump.

The hobbywing 4000kv is a 4 pole motor? That's a heavy motor with a lot of torque.

RC10th wrote: ↑Sun Mar 31, 2024 8:25 pm The hobbywing 4000kv is a 4 pole motor? That's a heavy motor with a lot of torque.

It is 4 pole and slightly heavier at 216g compared to the 211g Reedy 3300kV 4 pole motor that it came with.

What are thoughts regarding a hardened steel idler gear like the Robinson Racing idler? Just now noticed that one.

Anyways, I'll be keeping the stock nylon idler in the brushless T4 runner. The aluminum unit will be installed in one of the B4 or T4 shelfers.

I dislike aluminum gears. In my experience they wear down and then with shortened teeth they strip out the mating nylon gear.

GoMachV wrote: ↑Sun Mar 31, 2024 8:17 pm in my experience the steel topshaft wears the aluminum idler which then takes out the diff gear. You can try to keep them greased, but also beware that the grease makes the aluminum powder into abrasive toothpaste.

I guess it goes to say that the disadvantage is that you should be rebuilding your gear box often so that you don't make grinding paste from oil and aluminum oxide.

If every couple of run you disassemble, clean and re-grease the box it should not wear out much faster than a nylon gear.