Redcat RER37050 Problems: Drivetrain Troubleshooting Guide
By Redcat Racing | Published: 2026-10-31
Category: Tips & Care
Is the RER37050 center drive shaft set causing vibration, clicking, or power loss on your MT18? Use this symptom-to-fix guide to diagnose and decide when to replace it.
Quick answer
Most RER37050 problems show up as vibration, clicking under acceleration, or uneven power to the wheels. Check the shaft for bends, worn ends, and loose set screws first; if the metal is deformed or the ends are rounded, replace the set rather than trying to straighten it.
Why the center drive shaft is a wear item on the MT18
The RER37050 set is a metal center drive shaft assembly for the MT18. Metal resists twisting better than plastic, but it still wears at the ends and can bend after a hard impact. Because the shaft spins at high speed, even a small bend turns into a noticeable vibration that can loosen nearby screws.
Before you blame the shaft, rule out the cheap and common causes: a loose slipper clutch, a worn bearing, or debris wrapped around the shaft. Those produce similar noises and cost less to fix.
When replacement beats repair
Straightening a bent metal shaft is a temporary fix at best; the metal is already weakened and will bend again. If the ends that seat into the drive cups are rounded or the shaft wobbles on a flat surface, fit a new RER37050 set.
If the shaft looks straight and the ends are clean, look elsewhere first. Worn drive cups, a loose motor mount, or a bad bearing can mimic a shaft problem, and replacing the shaft will not cure them.
Symptom, cause, and fix
- Vibration that rises with speed: Likely cause: a bent shaft or a shaft that is not seated squarely in the drive cups. Remove the set, roll it on a flat surface, and check for a wobble. If it is bent, fit a new RER37050 set; if it is straight, reseat it and tighten the set screws. A shaft that rolls flat but still vibrates points to a worn bearing or drive cup, not the shaft.
- Clicking or ticking under acceleration: Likely cause: rounded shaft ends or worn drive cups. Inspect the ends of the shaft and the inside of the cups. If the shaft ends are rounded, replace the set. If the cups are worn, replace the cups first. Clicking that continues after a new shaft usually means the drive cups are the worn part.
- Power reaches the wheels unevenly: Likely cause: a loose set screw or a shaft that has slipped. Tighten the set screws and check that the shaft is fully engaged in both cups. If the shaft spins freely at one end, the end is stripped and the set needs replacing. Use threadlocker on set screws to stop them backing out again.
- Shaft still noisy after replacement: Stop replacing driveline parts and check the motor mount, slipper clutch, and bearings. If the noise remains with a new RER37050 fitted, the problem is elsewhere in the drivetrain. Replace one part at a time and test after each change so you know what fixed it.
Part facts
- RER37050: Genuine Redcat Racing replacement part for MT18 vehicles, supplied as one complete metal center drive shaft set. A complete set means you replace both sides of the center driveline at once, so you are not matching a new shaft to a worn one.
RER37050
