Here ya go...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...c/IMG_1535.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...c/IMG_1538.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v246/ScMc/bc.png

oooh shiny, can't stop staring.

are these aluminum bulks quick access like the x bulkheads?

They have a front and back case like the quick access bulks but Im not sure if the front case comes out exactly the same as stock.

Im kinda doing a mock-up build right now just to make sure everything fits right and i know the correct order to put everything together in.

Then im gonna tear it all down to grease stuff, threadlock metal on metal and CA metal on plastic as i build it again from the ground up.

I can let you know how much of a pain they are to take out when i tear it down but I dunno when that will be exactly. Hopefuly another GH aluminum bulk user will chime in with an answer for ya.

Not quite as easy to get into as the X bulks. You have to remove the pin brace bolts on the bumper side, remove the 2 bolts that hold on the plastic skid plate closest to the bumper, remove the shock tower bolts and the 2 smaller ones below them. I like to pull the upper arm pins out.

These are sturdy parts, iff you shim the diffs correctly the only reason you will have to remove them is to change diff fluid.

Update
 

Up to about 30 runs now on the Vorza cups. I noticed the ring gear side bearing had some lateral play between the inner and outer sleeves on the front diff, so I swapped it out. While I was in there I decided to degrease the internals and give them a close inspection. I compared the used internals to some new ones and there was no discernible difference, even at the highest magnification my camera would allow. Guess that lithium grease works WELL!

There was a very slight amount of scoring inside the cup from the spider gear shims spinning, but not enough to warrant replacing the cup. I also noticed a small chip in one of the slots (probably from an air bubble getting into the mold during manufacturing. Just for kicks I replaced the grease with some STP Oil Treatment before I sealed it back up . . . curious how that will do.

http://i1116.photobucket.com/albums/...n/IMG_2886.jpg

http://i1116.photobucket.com/albums/...n/IMG_2884.jpg

Gear on Left is new, gear on right has ~30 runs
http://i1116.photobucket.com/albums/...n/IMG_2882.jpg
Gear on Left is new, gear on right has ~30 runs
http://i1116.photobucket.com/albums/...n/IMG_2881.jpg

Final Update till something breaks
 

Took the rear diffs apart, and they are in excellent condition as well. Only difference, is no small chip in the slot. :yipi:

Went ahead and replaced the grease with STP Oil Treatment in these as well.

thanks for the detailed images Jason!!!

Gives me a lot more confidence that they will hold up to the 9s power in my alloy bulks!

So surprised that there seems like there is no wear...
I guess if it all works correctly and installed properly, there really shouldnt be any serious wear

Lube
 

I'm surprised to. I think it's all about what lube you run in them, and of coarse proper shimming. I know there are those that disagree with this, but I think grease and thinner diff oil, is much kinder to the gears than diff locking oil. Issue with thinner oil is it sneaks past the o-rings quicker. However, diff oil is a necessity if you need to tune your truck for racing or partially lock your diffs for climbing.

Grease is a win win for me because it keeps the gears happy and doesn't leak out. I'm curious how the STP stuff will work out . . . who knows, I might even like it better. :oops:

I recently tore my diffs apart again and filled the rear/front with 30k/50k about 3/4 full in the diff cup. Then put a nice glob of STP oil treatment in them to fill up the the rest of the space. This stuff is a lot thicker/goopier than i thought. Hopefully it treats the gears well!

I was tightening one of the diffs when near the end i heard a little crack.. My torque-o-meter tells me I wasnt using excessive force.. The stock cup is just straight up weak and made out of soft material.. (aluminum is soft in general but HPI's is like butter) So needless to say, there goes my extra diff cup I had on hand. Will be purchasing the Vorza cups very soon.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...c/IMG_1660.jpg



Question: So the stock diff internals drop straight into the vorza flux diff case.. literally no difference in shimming or anything?

Thanks

ljoncp, The stock spider gears, cross pins, shims, etc. are a direct drop in. The Vorza cups are actually a hair smaller inside than the stock cups, so you may need to sand a few thousands off the length of the cross pins. Do a test fit first ofcoarse.

This has nothing to do with useing the Vorza cups, but I have recently started to shim my spider gears (both the 2 large ones and 4 small ones with an extra washer). You will have to experiment with this to get the perfect fit. You may be able to fit an extra washer behind all 6 gears, and you may only be able to fit one be hind just the 4 small ones. The idea is to get the mesh as tight as possible without any noticable extra friction. You won't be able to tell for sure if the mesh is right until you have screwed it back together (2 screws should be sufficient for doing the test fit).

I am blown away by how long my diffs are lasting! I run the truck for at least 2 packs almost every day, and although I am a sensable driver I don't baby this truck by any stretch of the imagination. I used to go through diff cups, bearings, and spiders like crazy!

So are the diff gears you have HPI87193?

I never noticed before, but I'm pretty sure they are the same as the HotBodies hardened steel internals. Would make sense since they both fit the Vorza cup, and HotBodies and HPI are more or less the same company.

Good to know, as I bet the HPI gears are more readily available since almost every LHS keeps Savage stuff in stock.

Yes; 87193. As for the Hardbodies, others have noted that they are slightly thicker gears than the stock Savage Flux ones.

http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...1&I=LXJLH6&P=K