Does overdrive in RC Crawlers actually work? - pros and cons of overdrive gearing for rock crawling

[@Egsise]

Finally someone who can do side by side tests. I have kept my crawlers stock and their performance just keeps getting better and better. Or maybe my skills just improve the more I drive, silly idea isn't it?!

[@RCReviewChannel]

Big subject for sure since overdrive is so popular these days. Most folks do a bunch of mods though when installing overdrive so it's hard to evaluate the effect of just overdrive. It's key to isolate just overdrive's effect so folks can make an informed decision about it. Agree or disagree with the effects of overdrive? How do you know its effects and what situations does it help and what situations does it harm performance?

[@deliriousruis4170]

33% is too much od. 22% is optimal. Helps you steer way tighter and back wheels still help you climp steep hills without back flip. Building comp trucks helps finding the optimal setups. U dont need od at all when u just go safaring.

[@Harvey600]

Though I don’t have much crawling experience, listening to what you found in the test, I engineer brain thinks that 33% od would give an advantage in something like a cheater rig, but, on a trail truck, it’s not worth the expense. I’m building an Elements builders kit 2, I’ve gone 5% to begin with, I haven’t had a rig with od on it before, so I want to see what a small amount gives me, rather than going 12% straight away. Thanks for the test and results.

[@cburns117]

Well, I just got my underdrive gear for my rear diff on my TRX4 Sport yesterday. I was watching this for some positive affirmation, but here comes Francis with the honesty bomb! Great video

[@twisterzman]

Interesting, due to so many who claim it's such an advantage. My trail trucks obviously don't need/ want it, my "closer to comp " class 2 truck seems to not need it as well, but...I found shock and obvious tire choice makes a bigger difference. Thanks for the comparison.. You proved that driver technique is the best "mod" you can make to your truck. 😉

[@yiarkungfu]

I was just getting ready to overdrive my belly dragger, you saved me some bucks and trouble. Thanks Francis

[@shushstunes]

Hi I have a element rc enduro and have seen several KZbin videos where people have laid their rear shock down in a diagonal position for more rear suspension travel. I would love to see you test different suspension configurations to see what improvements can be obtained for better crawling Thanks

[@ryurc3033]

Just one thing I've learned from my own shock testing, sometimes giving up a touch of flex for stability is better than all out max articulation.

[@FredrikOlesen]

Agree, you Can make to much flex And droop☺️

[@Roadnuts86]

I’ve only run overdrive in my two Element trucks. My Sendero runs the optional 12% and my Trailrunner runs 6%. I find, on most of the obstacles I tackle, that overdrive helps me noticeably. I’m glad I have it and have no intentions of going back. I really notice it when climbing and having a sharp turn at the top, it really pulls me up and over. Also, when sidehilling, I’ve found it helps pull the truck to safety in my experience. Overall, I think some overdrive is good, but maybe too much is a detriment?

[@RCReviewChannel]

Pull the truck to safety. I like that. Having a little slide in the rear helps pivot the truck up towards the hill.

[@sr20detized]

The lighter the rig, and the more front biased the weight of the rig, the more OD will be a benefit. I don't see the benefit beyond 10% or so in trail, light crawling rigs. You'll definitely notice the benefits in comp oriented rigs. In a heavier rig you're basically adding "in motion" dig. You would never administer dig in a climb but with a heavier rig that is exactly what you're doing with all that weight transfer when it gets steep. Just a little OD to keep those front tires dug in is what you want in a trail rig. Great demo.

[@badgermanderthal6905]

I really liked the instructional nature of this video. You tested and then explained the results and even some driving theory, hints. Do more of this. It makes the video longer. So what. We're watching you to become better at this ourselves. Thanks for the quality content.

[@swerv512]

I'm looking at a few transmission options options right now for a trx4 portal- based LCG rig. Now I'm really scratching my head... or is it now clear which style of transmission to buy?!. This video shattered all of my very limited crawling knowledge. I guess I need to do the research myself. Thank you for continuing your unbiased reviews and research to help us all get a better idea of what and when things work.

[@danweiss4928]

This is why testing is so important. I am a firm believer of testing before I claim something helps!!

[@RCReviewChannel]

Yeah having a switchable overdrive really allowed the A/B testing on same conditions/time

[@loum7008]

Thanks for the test!!! Maybe 33% is just too much. I have over/under 27% in my TRX4 Sport and really do love it. You have a bunch of hours on your TRX4 sport. I bet if you swapped out the overdrive you'd miss it. Hey thanks again for all your content. Greatly appreciated!!!

[@gamingstokr7299]

Great video here. Really shed some light on something I've heard so many praise. Definitely a pass for me now. Not enough situations where it provides a clear advantage over the number of situations where it actually hurts.

[@RCReviewChannel]

Exactly. Everyone recommends it but few actually where it helps and where it harms performance.

[@sitlos.]

Really appreciate ur honesty Francis. Always keep that no matter what. It’s what makes ur channel one of the best. Great video.

[@RCReviewChannel]

I try. Live and learn and share.

[@mgscheue]

It does make sense. The coefficient of static friction is always greater than the kinetic coefficient and, with overdrive, assuming all the tires are in contact with the surface, some of them are always going to be slipping, so less grip.

[@shuster1921]

Wait,,, What?!,,, ;-)

[@brianellison3525]

On my sharp rocks with my lcg rig, the od helps for sure. I waited for about 4 months for my gear set to come in, and immediately was able to get the front end to pull itself up and over a crest I hadn't been able to get a start on before. The turn radius benefits alone were worth it. A bit of drag back there, and I'm turning on the inside tire radius very consistently. I think for an extreme crawler it's a must.

[@RCReviewChannel]

Yup, ledge climbs with high traction and tight steering are its contributions

[@JoeOvercoat]

I applaud the premise of the video. Please do make more in this format. Perhaps questioning the idea that more articulation is always better (I would say especially on snow but I think you’d have to drive a little bit to get to some but you could do that).

[@mickd8188]

That's the beauty of the the Phoenix and Vfd twin.... you have all the options including dig at the touch of a button to flick through and try while getting the line done... All my other rigs are generally 6% to 11% with dig which is a pretty good balance of performance for a wide range of terrain and driving. Cheers 👍

[@RCReviewChannel]

Thanks for sharing. 12% seems to be a good balance without too much downside.

[@joenames670]

I think it all depends on the type of rocks, here in Vegas our Red rocks have this sand paper texture and over drive shows improvements in climbing. Was testing it out with my vs410 phoenix as well.

[@RCReviewChannel]

Correct. In high traction situations, overdrive has a chance to help in the steep ledges.

[@kycrawlers22]

Your description /definition of what Overdrive does and how it helps is spot on and makes perfect sense to me brother. Thanks for the review/testing and video! Have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, and see you in 22' !!!

[@scale6039]

Great review, puts me thinking if I really want overdrive in my crawler. Espacially for were I ride. Thanx 👍

[@RCReviewChannel]

Exactly. That's my intent is to make sure folks understand the dynamics and are able to make the right decision for them, instead of just following the hot trends.

[@79Blazer]

I give you a lot of credit for using that nice truck. That is a very nice body on the Phoenix and it already has scratches. Enjoy it!

[@RCReviewChannel]

Thank you. It took a lot of hits since I had to keep driving at the limits.

[@bluecollarbarbell4370]

Good information, I makes me rethink overdrive. Thanks

[@krisbahler8264]

Awesome review thankyou! Just as Logan from Western Desert Wheelers says, 'keep the rubber side down', that and applying drag racing methodology, it's all about the traction that comes from great geometry

[@RCReviewChannel]

Great tip! Traction is always king. And weight distribution!

[@MThompsonjr115]

Great video! I've always been of the opinion that when you have little to no grip, OD is not as beneficial, and as you found it's worse in some cases. In a high grip situation, it does have some advantages. I think you make a good point, vehicle positioning. I think it is much more important than anything else.

[@jasonbickford4283]

I've recently done some suspension tuning on my rig. During this tuning I've realized that overdrive really hurt the vertical climb ability. It causes the back tires to lose grip.

[@steveblackbird]

Really appreciate your review Francis. I for one was going to overdrive my modded SCX10 but after watching this I think I'll keep it as it is. Very firm believer that with a bit of shock tuning, exceptional tires and getting the weight as far forward bias as you can will help more. Oh and experience with a bit patience goes a long way too lol. Cheers!

[@Xtra.MED1A]

Same here

[@rcbashnz3096]

I run in the forest, so dirt and tree roots, I have found the phoenix overdrive very situational, the 6% is good all round, but a few places the 33 can drag it over the top where the 6 can't, just about finding what it can and can't do, trial and error, part of the fun

[@RCReviewChannel]

True. Great to have the switching options. The key though is explaining where it helps, where it doesn't and where it harms performance.

[@mikebird8290]

I DIDN'T REALLY SEE MUCH DIFFERENCE. I THOUGHT IT WOULD HELP MORE. THIS WAS VERY INTERESTING THANKYOU SIR.✌️

[@RCReviewChannel]

shocked us too.

[@pwrofgrayskull]

Excellent test, great job. Thanks for sharing and keep up the good work! I was a bit surprised by the results as I have never tried UD or OD on my rigs, but everyone seems to shout OD&UD everything! 👍✌️

[@JasonNosajasoNosaj]

Francis, in sea of KZbin product promoting hypemen, I appreciate how you objectively test products head to head so we, the viewers, can get the best performance

[@RCReviewChannel]

I appreciate that! Everywhere in youtube, no rc car has any weaknesses. All 'the best' BS. It's very sad to see and that's why I started this channel.

[@richardemmons835]

It's really about getting weight added if you add overdrive if you get more weight forward or add forward weight the beautiful thing happens when the two are added together 🤙

[@RCReviewChannel]

Yeah, overdrive has a better chance of contributing if the vehicle is already optimized for low, forward weight. And good traction is needed too. Overdrive may help throttle bump techniques too.

[@BlackUnitAdventureSport]

Thanks for info Sir... I was about to do OD set up on my RGT TRACER but after watching this I think I keep tat set up and Tuning from its original factory default...

[@Andy_Yates]

I'm still fairly new to RC crawling so take this with a grain of salt. In my Sendero HD, I went with a bowhouseRC skid + SCX aluminum dig transmission off Amazon. Pretty much immediately, I was appreciating being able to climb and reposition the front tires without losing the rear tire placement. The Sendero has a pretty good turning radius and steering angle, but I found myself not making turns well on a gated comp course and being frustrated by that. I am definitely looking forward to getting to another comp and trying their gates with the dig feature. A couple times I also liked having the dig for controlled decent off a steep rock. I was using the factory 6%, and I didn't notice the loss of the overdrive, only the benefits I gained from the the dig transmission having 4WD / front-wheel drive / dig. All that being said, I still think I'd like to own a VS4-10 Phoenix 😁

[@TerraQuestRC]

I too was having some doubts and maybe it is really only of value in rare situations, which then leaves a question of is it worth the cost. I think the real problem with it is that the front is actually dragging the rear and can cause the front to lose traction faster. I would like to see an option to switch from four wheel to front wheel drive, like dig.. just not locking up the rear. In fact I am waiting for the rest of my parts to build the Phoenix, I am going to give that a try.. not dig but front drive only.

[@jonlaird5082]

1 thing I learned with overdrive from first hand experience is it can and will damage motors. In my tf2 I ran the a&m garage transfercase mount which gave me about 40% od and I ended up melting my HH crawlmaster expert motor. Not sure on brushless motor but on a brushed motor,it definitely will damage it when pushed hard.

[@DSMOffRoad]

Well done. I’ve found the same results myself and prefer very little overdrive.

[@jbrc1322]

Cool scientific video. I always had a feeling that high OD was actually hindering certain situations, and it is very apparent now with this platform. However... I must credit OD for making me a better driver due to the disadvantages it poses in certain situations. I believe with the right throttle control and wheel speed, any obstacle can be overcome with high OD vs. low OD. On the other side of the coin, the tighter turning radius can only be achieved with the high OD and that isn't something to write off especially in comp situations where every reverse counts. One last point that didn't get touched on is the way OD essentially acts as a mechanical suck down winch and helps the rig sit lower in most situations whilst in forward motion. This does have the opposite effect when reversing, but with that tighter turning, you shouldn't really need to reverse much, right? In conclusion, for the dedicated trail rig 0%-20% and for the dedicated rock rig 15%-40% works for me.

[@RCReviewChannel]

Good feedback. With a low CG vehicle with great balance and forward weight, I believe one can throttle blip and power punch a little more consistently. Less chance of looping out with a nice brushless bump. I could not demonstrate it consistently in this test video but will keep trying

[@danielkonrad1444]

Thats exactly how it is👍

[@UpperLeftRC]

I came to the same conclusion as you did last week in my video when I tried overdrive in my scx24 crawler, it’s just causing the vehicle “as a whole” to loose traction when it shouldn’t 😄👍🏻

[@RCReviewChannel]

Exactly. Nobody mentions the loss of traction but it is the true reality of overdrive.

[@chadzigler]

i got vanquish hurtz v2 with dig, trx4 bronco, modified. swapped axles, gear box, gear box plate to scx10 mounted to trx4 chassis with 4 nuts, 2 on each side cause traxxas chassis is wider than scx10 chassis. drilled holes in the trx4 chassis by usin scx10 chassis to match the holes. shortened the driveshafts, adjusted the links, since i didn't want to use dig, and i wanted a selectable 2wd/4wd, i turned the transmission around so be free wheel in the front until i switch it to 4wd. took a while to get it set on the end points for the servo since i burnt up 2 servos and positioned the servo horn after powerin it. i did went back trx4 portals when first set of scx10 axles went bad but it didn't have free wheel on front until i pressed down the front suspension, went from 90mm to 110mm to 120mm adjusted links to lift it back to 90mm inclosed shocks, coil springs inside this time. better but still catchin. bought another set of scx10 axles, free wheel in the front, drivin in rear wheel drive til kicked in 4wd, fully locked axles. just wanna do something different besides bein a rock crawler, i use a $80 radiolink rc6gs controller. push of a button, 2wd or 4wd on the fly. a lot of work there. if traxxas had that type of set up with their own transmission, added a servo to engage and disengage the front drive shaft, be awesome. videos of one modified but no servo, manually switch. too much work i seen, even though my set up was a lot of work lol second rock crawler be stock with upgraded esc, servo and a trailer to haul it on and be the modified trx4 bronco haulin it around. get a trailer long enough to carry extra batteries, parts, tires and haul the other truck at once. or get 2 trailer combo videos of my truck on my channel

[@RCReviewChannel]

Wow. So much detailed work. Great job.

[@mgscheue]

Yay, physics! Well-done.

[@EverydayMinimalist]

Overdrive on the vs410 is great for a “2nd” gear. However the rear axles have to be locked into neutral. That’s about it lol

[@RCReviewChannel]

Great advice. A lil more speed!

[@missourircadventures1730]

As always another great review, that answered alot of questions I've had about making my rig od, thanks a bunch👍👍

[@RCReviewChannel]

We're always learning and trying to break down stuff into usable aspects.

[@jcautodesign]

Now, test the dig function in similar situations in freewheel and rear locked vs the overdrive. Dig can't be used in a sorcca comp, when switchable overdrive can, but for crawling outside of comps, it would be nice to see the difference side by side with the same vehicle.

[@RCReviewChannel]

It is soooo hard to use the dig function to help a difficult climb. More often it's a distraction and leads to failure. Avoids 3-point turns, that's fur sure.

[@joshrichie9833]

33% is to much i wouldn't go more than 15% and it helps going down when things get weird the front pulls the truck out of a tip over or forward flip over better

[@shannoncold]

Great test! Thanks for the effort. I still want the Phoenix for Christmas if i can find one.....

[@RCReviewChannel]

Good luck! We just saw that it's still out of stock.

[@byronwins1034]

I did the overdrive in the front but not sure I’m gonna do the under drive in the rear in my trx4. But the front certainly made a difference in my truck.

[@NikkiNexo777]

I did the same on my TRX4 sport. Overdrive in the front, stock in the rear. A forward weight bias and it climbs like a goat..

[@byronwins1034]

@@NikkiNexo777 ya they are awesome! I now have two complete and the third is just about a roller.

[@Furadi]

Love this. Any amount of repeated testing will show you that OD can't benefit you if you don't have traction. Why everyone aims for 30% is beyond me.

[@RCReviewChannel]

Exactly, exactly. And now I see how harmful it can be when traction is low or when one doesn't have the best tires.

[@jeffsrcchannel2191]

Not for me, but another must watch video as always :) Have a great Christmas and New Years Team RC Review and thanks.

[@loganyoutube4818]

I would think rock bouncers and fast hill climbs is where overdrive would really shine maybe you could test that next

[@davidsimpson363]

really appreciate your reviews. this is really helpful and aligns with what I've experienced too.

[@RCReviewChannel]

Glad it was helpful!

[@gpaull2]

We don’t have grippy sandstone where I live. We have loose dirt, roots, moss, etc. My friends without overdrive clearly have more traction and easily get up hills that struggle on with my VRD Carbon with 33% overdrive. It’s like applying the rear brakes.

[@ka4172]

Would be nice to test how shiftabel lockers can help in difficult situations.With a open rear your truck never roll over on the steepest hills you can turn tighter with a open rear.I have several situations cant get out because the locked axels push the truck straight in to the obstacle.With open the lockers the truck can get out of a ditch where locked axels doesent allowed climb out. Try you will be surprised what possibel. An open axel can also turn one wheel with double the speed because of the differential effect this sometimes help me on extreme slippery surfaces. Try you would be surprised what sometimes possibel.It doesent matter if you cant get out with locked axel why not try with open axels ? It cant get more worse than stuck ,

[@D.C.Johnson]

This is good information 👏. Potentially could inform the hobby in new ways moving forward. Innovation relies on fundamentals and application provides confirmation.

[@RCReviewChannel]

Thank you. Some learning is very helpful with this complex upgrade tech. Best to understand what they do and what they're good at instead of blindly following the trends.

[@petejones6827]

so what im getting is it helps in LCG build where you are maxing out your climb angle

[@nathanstrong4359]

Just switched back to stock diffs. I’ve seen too many times my rig loses traction. Thinking about it, OD doesn’t really make much sense and I feel I just sort of bought into the gear hype instead of truly running the best stuff for what I want to do.

[@Gibsonlife573]

I think a lot of guys run overdrive to be able to turn sharper and then and also helps suck your front wheels down sometimes you know or lay your tire over on its side and use the sidewall or there's certain strategies in overdrive really help but I can definitely see by this that it is not that great

[@kdoeone]

I really enjoy this channel. This and rc everyday. Just awesome. No trying to be what ever the other guy is doing. (Drugs) This is nice and calm. Informative. I have wanted a over drive for my D110. It really needs help, rc4wd is nice but lacks articulation.

[@RCReviewChannel]

Wow, thanks!

[@CasperRc81]

We don’t have those traction issues in Az a lot of our rock is break over edges etc. I can’t stand a vehicle in Az without dramatic OD. my trx4 defender which I lightened back half into a truck and cut about 1” up into the doors easing the sliders about 10mm into the body I drive without. Why? Because with my 55t motor and the Lowest pinion gear 9t maybe I can unlock the rear diff and loose traction. The steering trumps all rc’s radius stock. I have a custom rig that has the og scx10 front axle with the gear overdriven from stock and huge jump in rear with the ar44 rear axle. Think my ratio is 2:52-1 front something like that and the rear ar44 is 3:75-1. My wheel base is 11” that’s why. We have good traction here. Our traction sucks when on river rock type rocks and we use a lot of side wall pressure to pull through lines like V-notches. We should be in the habit of lining up your rear tires for the climb instead of your front like if you were pulling a v notch in the middle of a turn. Your reviews are great happy holidays and God bless you and your family.

[@wayneg3127]

I remember that friends of mine years ago , decades in fact, used to run the front axles in an overdrive gear but this was used exclusively for heavy duty mudding trucks, I mean deep ass mud. So I would imagine it should work for scale vehicles as well.......in mud.

[@Thepreppersbunkeroutdoors]

Im VERY surprised at your results. I swapped my trailwalker from the 6% to 12%- i maybe should swap back and check to see if it actually helped as much as i thought.

[@RCReviewChannel]

Same here since we assumed overdrive was magic. But then, so many of our zero overdrive cars clear the same tough lines. So this A/B switching helped us understand..

[@maddan_78]

would be interesting to see a true zero overdrive vs something higher.. cause i feel that even a slightly faster rotation on the front can help prevent the back bogging in and pull the front a little better than without

[@RCReviewChannel]

Yes, 0% and 27% for the Phoenix Portal would have been ideal. Really turn it off and have something not as high as 33%

[@MadDan78]

@@RCReviewChannel yea I think 33 is probably too much Bit like adding weight.. some is good.. but too much has a negative effect Doesn't mean adding weight is bad.. .just not too much of it

[@sabarslax]

Love your chanel ! awesome stuff !!! thanks for all the help

[@jasond1245]

I've never thought od was worth it reason I don't have it in any of my trucks.

[@qrisemrc]

It was interesting to watch the test video. I'll have to try setting up overdrive.👍

[@RCReviewChannel]

Yeah, we've done the test several times and those results are repeatable

[@paint444]

I have an moa crawler so can dial in any overdrive I like. Crawling at its non overdrive limit..when I try the exact same with overdrive....absolutely no chance. Taction is everything crawling...so surely overdrive has to make one axle skid..whether climbing side hilling or descending...you need Traction!

[@DTW-bx2vy]

Overdrive / underdrive makes climbing slightly better but it certainly makes the steering radius far worse. Steering radius, proper weight distribution, & tires are the most important factors in a crawler rig & I would never take away steering radius just to be able to climb only a small bit better.

[@RCReviewChannel]

Overdrive/underdrive improves steering radius for sure. The reason is it drags the rear tires a little bit as the front wheels are spinning faster than the rear. This is more true the bigger the speed difference. At the extremeis DIG where the rear wheels don't spin and that steering radius is as tight as can be. For climbing, it sometimes help, but only when there's a lot of traction on hand. Slipping the rear tires is not a great help in already slippery conditions.

[@RS-sv3bl]

Great test. Very helpful

[@RadRaf]

First! I enjoy your videos sir! keep em coming!

[@laxm8162]

Hi, I am a beginner to RCs but I am getting hooked to it fast and I like your videos! I was wondering if overdrive could help if you put additional weight on the front...in fact make the truck a bit too much front heavy? That may also increase traction on the front. What do you think about that?

[@EXPIOWA]

I agree with your assessment. But will take it even farther. OD is generally worthless. It creates a partial bind situation. With experience you realize keeping your rig bind free is more beneficial. Knowing how to manage binding situations is high level crawling. If you don't know what I am talking about you will later when you level up. 😉 Don't worry about it. OD causes continuous strain on components and run hotter. Shorter battery life is another fun side effect. If you are at the rocks with me and start bragging about your overdrive, I will say, "Cool". Then proceed to drive around you.

[@RCReviewChannel]

Thank you for sharing your insight and experience with us.

[@RomekRolnik]

The gears ratio difference is too big, 25% overdrive it is maximum in my opinion for stock model because it’s start to dancing side to side like on a muddy uphill if it’s more than 25%. In my rig I got 20% overdrive and it’s optimal ratio for me, rear axle needn’t to be dragged by a front one like we could see here with more than 30% overdrive. My opinion about overdrive is positive, 1.)it’s help a lot for climbing purpose but if you know how to play with gear ratio. 36% is a way to much for stock car like this 2.) positive thing is stability on rocky climbs. With overdriven front axle, model completely stopped to jumping and losing contact between tires and rocks and that’s the most important thing in overdrive I think. 3.) over 30% of overdrive at the front gonna work as hell but you need also distribute weight of all car like 75% -80% at the front with low gravity center. Than it’s a killer BTW You have one of the best RC channels on KZbin man and for sure best one about RC crawling. You using the same crawling track, same hills and obstacles with bunch of different rigs. That’s help a lot, showing differences between different models. Great comparison, great episode and great job at all. Greetings from Poland 🇵🇱

[@adamb7426]

Interesting results.. Is that your bike with the trailer?

[@RCReviewChannel]

Yes. It's a Fezzari Wire Peak E-mountain bike. It has a Burley Coho XC trailer. I load the rc cars in the trailer and bike from home usually.

[@adamb7426]

@@RCReviewChannel Nice set up! 👍

[@joewright7745]

@@RCReviewChannel Nice, I've learnt two things today!! Not to bother with overdrive and to use my bike trailer to get multiple cars to my climbing spots..love this channel

[@OGPAPERBOY77]

Can you redo this video with the Ascent and the optional gears it has 🙏Thank you

[@mnmvuk]

Great review as usual! One of the things to keep in mind is all your tests were done on very familiar courses where, from experience, you already knew where the best lines were and you drove right to them. If you were on a new unfamiliar course where you don't yet know what the best line is, the 30% overdrive may have been able to steer your front end to better rock features to get tractions better than without the high ratio overdrive. This is similar to what I do with the lockers in my TX4 all the time and it can make a huge difference. I'd be curious to see your A/B test on a course that you've never run before to see if that's the case. Now, that said, all in all the Phoenix being able to turn this on and off makes it the best of both worlds, assuming you don't have outrageously heavy servos in there to offset the benefits.

[@RCReviewChannel]

In an unfamiliar course, the overdrive may help in line/ledge hunting but it will also hurt when traction is scarce. So i don't think it'll be an advantage . And when lines are random, it's hard to evaluate results since difficulty becomes so variable.

[@Furadi]

You would never ever gather data on unfamiliar lines. That would be kind of a waste of time and inconclusive.

[@667Gurba]

I was considering overdriving my TRX-4 Sport but this video made me reconsider. 😏

[@RCReviewChannel]

Yes, we did it to our trx4 but did added a bunch of portal brass at the same time too. So I've always been confused about the effect of just overdrive. Over the last year, we've had zero overdrive crawlers clear the same tough lines over and over.

[@667Gurba]

I have 2.2"/5.75" on my Sport so it rolls backwards a lot when climbing steep hills. I'm in the process of adding brass to the front hoping that will help. I mainly use my TRX-6 but the Sport is a fun drive so I want it to perform at it's best.

[@BarbarisII]

Say I want 20% more upfront, but I don't want to actually increase the speed. Could I put 20% underdrive in back? What are the comparisons between underdrive/ overdrive, an I on the right track?

[@gb25jr]

So I am new too this..which one do you choose? 12t- 33t or 10t-35t or 11t-34t? That's where I'm confused...some help would surely be appreciated..

[@hondafreak8613]

I think one con with overdrive. the constant difference in gear speed front to rear. Wonder if would wear out suspension end links and tires sooner. Especially on high traction surfaces.

[@RCReviewChannel]

Possibly. The known downside is it will wear out the drivetrain sooner, especially when many miles are put on it.

[@petejones6827]

im wondering if i can put the overdrive gears in the rear also on my trx4m, heres my theory i have the crawler gears i love the slow crawl but it lacks in speed but i also dont want the trail gears cause it lacks in slow crawl i wish i could get a gear ration more in between them since i cant maybe i can just overdrive the front and rear 27% bringing my top speed up but not taking away too much low speed crawling

[@ludwigvanbeethoven6611]

Can you make a review about tamiya mercedes g320?

[@mikeashbaugh7773]

Very informative, thank you

[@timobierschenk4915]

Will it damage my 6x6 Truck when going straight in roads or will it only rub down ma tires?

[@why-be-normal7014]

So if u were going to be using traxxas tracks on the new bronco would overdrive gearing help with the tracks?

[@jrsantoyo9028]

30/8t out front and 33/8t on the rear. I'm running curries

[@oscarg439]

Can i run overdrive if i run on both trails and flat land constantly? Also will it help in snow?

[@eeatsvaz]

great research! thanks for sharing.

[@kubavapes4734]

I thing 33%overdrive needs little more weith on front axle to get more traction

[@kollinsendall1]

Is there any less resistance when running OD and you have a open rear differential? I just installed lockers on my trx sport and the rear didn’t look to drag as much at full throttle but I haven’t really checked.

[@BigO-fg1fn]

Guys would I go overdrive 27t in front and under drive 33t on AR44’s?

[@FoyeTroute]

Slight off topic question. Did you use the Burley trailer (test #5) to get the crawler out to your crawl spot? If so, does the crawler bounce around too much back there?

[@dennistolentino5275]

i idol,, i just want to know the ar44 overdrive is same the k44? this is compatible? thank you

[@jaycarbs859]

Love your videos man!🤙

[@RCReviewChannel]

I appreciate that!

[@markstopczynski5869]

I have 33% in my capra and if I loose traction climbing and engage the dig to try and get the front tires to grip the truck just goes crazy and is completely uncontrollable

[@RCReviewChannel]

DIG... that's the other hot trend that's really hard to use to improve climbing performance.

[@yiarkungfu]

I have 25 in my Capra and I’m not sure it helps. The digg helps when doing a tight turn at the top of a hill or at the bottom. The 3 speed dig helps when you can fully unlock the rear tires is helpful when descending. Some good A-B testing on the dig would be great.

[@nemdrc5386]

Really good vid. 👏🏼

[@RCReviewChannel]

Thank you. It's not easy to go against popular trends but we try to dig deeper.

[@motorbreathjz]

how does the overdrive work?? i dont see no mechanical moving parts to actuate them?

[@houstonrccrawlers6445]

Overdrive is better in comp build and rigs that are for pure rock crawling like gspeed build trx4 build and so forth in my opinion

[@RCReviewChannel]

Agree. The rig has to have the best low cg, forward balance for the Overdrive to help. And then for just steep climbs, overdrive is not that helpful as it loses traction. For ledge type technical climbs, it can help. Gotta have that sandpaper like grip though.

[@houstonrccrawlers6445]

@@RCReviewChannel yes sir high grip situation oh yeah she going up i run the ud in my rig and that seems to be a enough for what i crawl down here in texas

[@rcarty419]

Many of those climbs defiantly slippery looking rocks. But having the front spin 30 percent faster seems like working against each other. Sweet scientific video though. The industry is fo used on spending money to improve the vehicle!!! Which is Awsome but definitely not alway actually helpful or noticeably helpful technical crawling. Low cg, and grip of tires most important in all these scenarios. Unless bell getting hung up! You got best comparison videos out there. You outta look into some of the other things we buy to make our rigs better!!!! 👍👍👍✌️🍻

[@RCReviewChannel]

Thanks buddy. We may go to high traction places to further investigate. Throttle bumps/blips may be more effective with overdrive

[@grassfpv1876]

I had 30% od on my capra, and I took it off. I don't believe it helped, and on lines that have to be precise, it would drag the ass end off my line

[@lowclassrc]

Wonder how a light weight truck with 30% overdrive preforms

[@RCReviewChannel]

If it it's very low and forward balanced, and if there's a lot of grip, overdrive can help on ledgy climbs.