Hot Bodies TCX
01-02-2011, 05:59 PM
#1697
My TCX maiden drive ended in dissappointment
I did a comparison from my old RS4 Pro car to the newly / Christmas acquired TCX.
I took my trusty "old" and vintage HPI RS4 Pro out to my local hobby store/track. My intention was to use the same motor, speed control, tires and gearing in both the RS4 Pro and the TCX and see what comes of it. I used the stock setup of the TCX as per the instructions EXCEPT the shock locations. For that, I used what all the pros seem to agree on, #3 setting for both front and rear. I would have loved to set it up using the "base standard setup" of the pros but Hot Bodies, of course, didn't provide us with those same parts in the standard kit. How really annoying. Just to note, I don't know of any manufacturer who does do this.
So I get a lot of laps in my RS4 and was confident that I could get a comparison between the two. I probably had 250 laps or so with it. Most of them were timed. Of course, I grazed a wall or two now and then, but it didn't break anything. I ran ball diffs front and rear and full-time AWD (i.e. - removed one way clutch).
So I switch out the electronics and tires and put them into the TCX. The gearing was the same. I ran the standard spool in the front and the ball diff in the rear. My initial impressions were that it ran quieter and that the car definitely felt a lot more stable. However, the RS4 had more steering. I would assume that the ball diff in the RS4 helped with this. While the spool in the TCX helped with stability, I think it gave some away in steering. I would have loved to have been able to do timed laps with the TCX as well but... the freakin hub broke after a very soft tap at the 5th lap!
I was very surprised how brittle this part was considering that I grazed the wall much harder and with more frequency with the RS4 Pro and broke nothing! In fact, in roughly 13 years of owning and racing the RS4 Pro, I don't believe I have ever broken a hub.
So far, my gripes with the kit are the following:
1) For $460, did not include parts that would be considered the "base setup" of the pros: 3 hole shock piston, shims/spacers, pink front springs, toe blocks, 40 wt shock oil. In fact, for that money it should have included a body, wheels/tires and at least the standard basic tools (1.5 mm and 2 mm allen wrench, cross wrench and turn buckle wrench. I mean, how much could these have been to throw in?). There is some serious markup in this kit.
2) Forwards and backwards play on all 4 shock mounts.
3) Play on the steering. I thought that the play in my RS4 Pro was excessive. I was wrong when the the TCX seems worse).
4) Play in the steering knuckles and C hub carriers. I don't know if other cars (TC6, Photon, Xray, Tamiya, etc.) have the same issue.
5) Brittle steering hubs
6) Putting a pinion gear on is a major PITA
7) The inside servo mount is awfully close to the belt. If I got to run the car long enough, I am betting there would have been some evident belt rubbing there.
So I have this same issue... No one seems to stock the #73507 - CARBON GRAPHITE BLOCK AND HUB SET.
But as luck would have it, I bought some spare parts for the RS4 Pro that I thought "might" fit the RS4 Pro. These were the HPI 85092 - hub and knuckle set for the HPI Sprint 2... It DID NOT fit the RS4 Pro... But it's a direct fit for the TCX!!! Here's a link to the part.
http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...I=HPIC8592&P=K
I took my trusty "old" and vintage HPI RS4 Pro out to my local hobby store/track. My intention was to use the same motor, speed control, tires and gearing in both the RS4 Pro and the TCX and see what comes of it. I used the stock setup of the TCX as per the instructions EXCEPT the shock locations. For that, I used what all the pros seem to agree on, #3 setting for both front and rear. I would have loved to set it up using the "base standard setup" of the pros but Hot Bodies, of course, didn't provide us with those same parts in the standard kit. How really annoying. Just to note, I don't know of any manufacturer who does do this.
So I get a lot of laps in my RS4 and was confident that I could get a comparison between the two. I probably had 250 laps or so with it. Most of them were timed. Of course, I grazed a wall or two now and then, but it didn't break anything. I ran ball diffs front and rear and full-time AWD (i.e. - removed one way clutch).
So I switch out the electronics and tires and put them into the TCX. The gearing was the same. I ran the standard spool in the front and the ball diff in the rear. My initial impressions were that it ran quieter and that the car definitely felt a lot more stable. However, the RS4 had more steering. I would assume that the ball diff in the RS4 helped with this. While the spool in the TCX helped with stability, I think it gave some away in steering. I would have loved to have been able to do timed laps with the TCX as well but... the freakin hub broke after a very soft tap at the 5th lap!
I was very surprised how brittle this part was considering that I grazed the wall much harder and with more frequency with the RS4 Pro and broke nothing! In fact, in roughly 13 years of owning and racing the RS4 Pro, I don't believe I have ever broken a hub.
So far, my gripes with the kit are the following:
1) For $460, did not include parts that would be considered the "base setup" of the pros: 3 hole shock piston, shims/spacers, pink front springs, toe blocks, 40 wt shock oil. In fact, for that money it should have included a body, wheels/tires and at least the standard basic tools (1.5 mm and 2 mm allen wrench, cross wrench and turn buckle wrench. I mean, how much could these have been to throw in?). There is some serious markup in this kit.
2) Forwards and backwards play on all 4 shock mounts.
3) Play on the steering. I thought that the play in my RS4 Pro was excessive. I was wrong when the the TCX seems worse).
4) Play in the steering knuckles and C hub carriers. I don't know if other cars (TC6, Photon, Xray, Tamiya, etc.) have the same issue.
5) Brittle steering hubs
6) Putting a pinion gear on is a major PITA
7) The inside servo mount is awfully close to the belt. If I got to run the car long enough, I am betting there would have been some evident belt rubbing there.
ok, looking into getting a TCX but evry were i look there seems to be difficult getting spareparts. Suspension arms, castor blocks steering knuckles and so on i out of tock evrywere. I need it shipped to europe, even A-main and stormer is out...
Has HPI/HB a parts problem at the moment?..
Has HPI/HB a parts problem at the moment?..
But as luck would have it, I bought some spare parts for the RS4 Pro that I thought "might" fit the RS4 Pro. These were the HPI 85092 - hub and knuckle set for the HPI Sprint 2... It DID NOT fit the RS4 Pro... But it's a direct fit for the TCX!!! Here's a link to the part.
http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...I=HPIC8592&P=K
The rest of mine are on the way and then my car will be "finished"
01-02-2011, 06:48 PM
#1701
TY,
You can use them, but changes the ackerman, run between 0-1mm instead of 4mm to 5mm with the kit items.
M3Armand,
For pinon fitting, flip the layshaft over, so the screw heads are on the side of the motor, this moves the spur outwards so you have clearence for your driver to tighten the grub screw...
You can use them, but changes the ackerman, run between 0-1mm instead of 4mm to 5mm with the kit items.
M3Armand,
For pinon fitting, flip the layshaft over, so the screw heads are on the side of the motor, this moves the spur outwards so you have clearence for your driver to tighten the grub screw...
01-02-2011, 07:03 PM
#1702
Well this was my day today the broken one happened durring practise
the bent one happened during the 3rd heat which I was on a tq pace dont know if it would held up but I didnt find out
the bent one happened during the 3rd heat which I was on a tq pace dont know if it would held up but I didnt find out
01-02-2011, 08:04 PM
#1706
http://hotbodiesonline.com/products/en/68734.html
01-02-2011, 09:32 PM
#1707
I was online earlier and saw them at HB and at Stormers...
http://hotbodiesonline.com/products/en/68734.html
http://hotbodiesonline.com/products/en/68734.html
01-02-2011, 10:14 PM
#1708
Tech Elite
iTrader: (102)
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Far away from Covid19 but close to 20
Posts: 4,129
Trader Rating: 102 (100%+)
Photon parts
well after going thru a total of six (6) front bones I just put on the top photon bones....not the absolute best fit but i can see how it works.
also put on the photon pivot ball setup...took about 90% percent of the slop away from the front end...
by the best thing for the car...
so much easier now to setup the front toe....it was almost impossible before.
also put on the photon pivot ball setup...took about 90% percent of the slop away from the front end...
by the best thing for the car...
so much easier now to setup the front toe....it was almost impossible before.
01-02-2011, 10:49 PM
#1710
Tech Elite
iTrader: (102)
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Far away from Covid19 but close to 20
Posts: 4,129
Trader Rating: 102 (100%+)
46mm
i think the weak part on the dog bones is not the shaft itself..but the part where the pin and coupler sits it usually warp and deforms ...once warped then it will start to bind inside the axle.....then just starts to make the car steer more to one side...due to the binding.
My last bone lasted 1 a pack...
i think it's the material they using for the part..
the rest of the car is rock solid..
broke two arms....no other parts....
fixed the arm breaking by cutting the axle down so it doesn't go past the wheel.. and put a Parma TC5 bumper.
i sized up a TC6 spool but the holes did not line for the pulley...needed to much chopping on the pulley to work for my taste. did not try the TC5's
My last bone lasted 1 a pack...
i think it's the material they using for the part..
the rest of the car is rock solid..
broke two arms....no other parts....
fixed the arm breaking by cutting the axle down so it doesn't go past the wheel.. and put a Parma TC5 bumper.
i sized up a TC6 spool but the holes did not line for the pulley...needed to much chopping on the pulley to work for my taste. did not try the TC5's