Doonagoowin

What are the pro's and con's of each system?
This is generally for the 4WD on-road cars.

Foxy

This has been discussed quite a few times. Try doing a search before you post your next question.

Shaft drive has some major disadvantages over belt, which is why you only see belt in professional competition.

With shaft drive, the engine is mounted perpendicular on the chassis, so the crankshaft rotates at a 90 degree angle to the direction of travel. This causes torque steer (a tendency to pull to the side under heavy acceleration). The engine is mounted this way so that it can directly drive the spur gear, which in turn drives the shafts. When the shafts transfer their power to the front and rear diffs, the power is forced through a 90 degree angle, at both ends of the car. This occurs where the bevel gear on the shaft meets the ring gear in the differential. Force and energy do not like being forced through angles and power is lost because of this. In a belt driven car, the engine is mounted on the chassis so that the direction of rotation is WITH the direction of travel (front to back), eliminating torque steer. Also because all the belts rotate front to back as well, the power never has to go through any right angles, it's a free flow through the drivetrain.

There are 2 advantages shaft has over belt: Belts give slightly, but not significantly, more friction than a shaft system, which is why a belt car doesn't roll as smoothly as a shaft car, but the advantages far outweigh this disadvantage. The other advantage shaft has, is durability. If you get a stone in the belt system, it will often significantly damage the belt or pulley. Belt cars shoud onnly be run on clean prepared surfaces, such as race tracks. Shafts do not have this problem.

Another advantage belt drive has, is the ability to quickly adjust overdrive ratio (the amount of drive sent to the front or rear wheels). This is mostly used when racing on foam tires, which are often deliberately of different diameters, due to the fact that foam tires generally wear faster on the rear of the car, but still need to be soft enough to provide good grip.

To make this post more concise, if racing at any decent level, you should use a belt car, all the pro cars are belt drive. If playing in car parks etc, you can use either, but I would recommend a shaft drive for its increased durability.

Hope that helps.

slayerphonics

Hmm, I always wondered what the advantage to belts where thanks for the info, I was looking at trying an onroad car, I will go belt for sure then.

Foxy

You're welcome bud, I do miss on road racing, I think I used to be pretty good at it, but I just don't feel like messing with nitro any more. Gas is so much easier and in a way more satisfying, and I don't think I have the aggression for competitive racing anymore anyway, it's a young man's game (don't get me wrong, I'm only 31, but nobody likes having their ass handed to them at a hobby they've been doing for 20 years, by a 13 year old. []), which is why I am selling my NT1 finally.

rc rock

you lose your reflexes as time goes by.........

TIGER76

yeah like foxy says belts are where its at for racing smoother power delivery out the turns only bad thing in belts is belt replacements which shouldnt be a problem when setup right.
Shaft is more suited to carpark bashing and drifting as the power is instant a closed propshaft is ideal too to stop stones getting in and damaging/scratching the prop.
Ive never had a problem with torque steer myself and only find it a problem on full size cars with alot of power.
So like said belts for racing,shaft for general bashing and drifting