CraigM

iTrader: (34)

what a malformed opinion. It's not the big things that make the difference, it's the little things. Compare r40 to the current crop of NT1, MTX4R, Vone RRR, and 720 (tho there aren't many 720s down here in oz) and there are miles of changes. Yes they all run 3 belts but the new cars are light years ahead design wise. The steering and front suspension geometry of the newer cars is a huge step forward, both in symmetry and simplicity, interchangeable ackerman plates a massive improvement in tunability. The 3 bearing clutches and bulletproof thrust bearings make the HPI flange/bronze thrust look pitiful, and the multidiffs up front add yet another dimension of tuning options out of the box. How about ease of removing the engine in newer cars, no need to remove the chassis brace like the r40, and xray ups the ante with their mesh system. The internal drive ratios and rotating masses are all lower than the R40 too. Then there is the material quality of the new cars which is another area where they have taken a step forward, and lets not forget the move away from those grubby phillipshead wood screws.

now, i'm not saying the r40 is any slower, i still won plenty of races, but compared to the quality and ease of setup i have with my mugen the difference is night and day

rosko

wow at least one person agrees with me. had mugen mtx4 and nt1 ran an nt1 at the byrons in 2007.

CraigM

iTrader: (34)

I'm not really agreeing with you, just saying the new cars are a big step forward in regards to geometry and servicability. The R40 canbe just as quick as any other car, I just think it's easier to be quicker for most people with either a mtx4r, 720, nt1, or V1RRR

Rapid Roy

Just a quick update to my last race a couple of weeks ago. My R40 had a fresh rebuild and upgrade to 05 Hara specs. My 1st race in over a year. The track was really slick. I ended switching to a set of old 33r's which I soaked in Paragon. I also changed the rear diff back to the 2 gear with only grease. The car was very well behaved with my base setup. I did increase the ride height to 6.5 mm f/r and increased the droop to 4mm or so f/r. After that, I called it good and raced.

I managed 18 laps in both qualifiers and 19 laps in the main. I finally got the 2 speed to shift in the main. I placed 2nd in the main. The winner turned 20 laps. Its funny to say, but I think the slick track actualy helped my driving since I had to be so careful applying throttle. 19 laps is a personal best for me, so I was pretty happy with the outcome.

On a seperate note, I raced against 5 NTC3's. Not a great nitro turnout, I know, but I thought I'd be racing against newer cars. Mine was the most up to date chassis on the track. Kind of weird. We got together a few times durring the racing and the R40 always pushed the other cars around. I had one car bump me 1/3 of the way down the straight and he spun out while I only veered a bit to one side.

I really like the car much better in this last version. Very balanced and easy to set up. I'm not saying that the car is perfect, but it's the car I have and it works well for me. How about a Hot Bodies R50??? I'll bend the ears of the HPI guys at our challenge next month and report back.

jscamry

iTrader: (5)

good to hear that the race went well!! I have an stock original R40, I was thinking about converting my r40 to 05 Hara specs. How much did it cost you to convert it?

Rapid Roy

It cost me around $190 to convert, but I already had the hollow shafts, CF f/r shock towers, 4 gear rear diff, front one way, steering bearings, and alum threaded shocks. I bought the chassis, tank, upper deck, servo mounts, LW 2 speed, and CF side brace.

The bare minimum you would need is the chassis, upper deck, servo mounts, 2 speed, CF rear shock tower (HPI brand only), and hollow shafts. Oh yea, your going to need a 5 cell aaa hump pack for power. I shopped for almost a year on Ebay to do this. If you can find a used Hara on ebay and sell yours, it will be a much better deal. You might want to check out ArtificialI's car. I know he had it for sale, but it doesn't sound like he sold it yet.

Rapid Roy

BTW here is the complete upgrade list.
Chassis upgrades
#73110 New R40 Hara Edition Upper Deck (Woven Graphite)
New woven graphite upper deck repositions the electronic components for a lower center of gravity, increasing overall chassis performance.

#73925 New R40 Hara Edition Chassis
The new chassis works with the new upper deck to achieve optimum weight distribution. This also allows the receiver battery to be mounted directly to the chassis for a lower CG and quicker steering response.

Graphite shock towers
Shock towers machined from 3mm high quality woven graphite for strength and weight savings. Extra shock mounting holes and camber link positions are provided for extended tuning range.
#73089 Front Shock Tower A (Woven Graphite)
#73090 Rear Shock Tower A (Woven Graphite)

Lightweight transmission parts
#33401 R40 Lightweight 2 Speed Shaft

#33402 R40 Lightweight Middle Shaft
Lightweight 2 Speed Shaft and Lightweight Middle Shaft decrease drivetrain weight for quick acceleration.

#87173 Lightweight 2 Speed Transmission Set (0.8M)
Lightweight 2 Speed Transmission Set is lighter, which delivers increased acceleration and a reduction in the overall car weight for faster lap times. Also features a finer gear pitch for increased efficiency and quicker acceleration, and hard anodized alloy clutch bell gears for extended gear life. The gear ratios have also been revised for more punch and higher top speed.

Steering upgrade
#33403 R40 Steering Upgrade Set (Bearings)
Bearing Set for extra smooth steering response.

#75067 New R40 Hara Edition Aluminum Servo Mount
Aluminum servo mount provides a rigid mount for the steering servo, increasing steering precision.

Drive train upgrades
#75026 Front One-Way Differential 36T
Front One-Way Differential for quicker steering and acceleration.

#33406 Diff Gear Set (R40 4 Bevel Gear)
4 bevel gears make the car more stable under hard acceleration. The 4 bevel gear set-up also increases durability.

#33407 Aluminum Hex Hub Clamp Type (6mm/4pcs.)
Precision 6mm machined aluminum hex hubs to decrease hub deflection. Also prevents the drive pin from falling out during car maintenance.

More options
#72170 Threaded Aluminum Shock Set (45-56mm)
Threaded Aluminum Shock Set for extra durability and finer tuning options.

#87241 New R40 Hara Edition Fuel Tank
New optimized fuel tank shape provides a lower center of gravity for improved handling, also includes an fuel overflow channel.

#38202 Aluminum Antenna Holder (Purple Anodized)
Purple anodized aluminum antenna holder for increased durability.

fastharry™

iTrader: (4)

Nice..I sell a brand new HARA for 225......and HPI announces a challenge series 1 month later...and I have people emailing me do I still have the car......

Rapid Roy

LOL, I would have bought you car when you had it at $275 or so, but I had already bought all of the parts except the servo mounts. I had to buy those directly from HPI for $20! Ouch!

LORD SHADO

Available from HPI Racing is a complete Diff Gear Set for the R40 nitro sedan. This set has the 4 bevel gear modification, which makes the car more stable under hard acceleration. The 4 bevel gear set-up also increases durability and extends service intervals.

my dif are leaking never ran this car had for six months . rear dif hara rear dif
brand new never touch the street yet. first 2 months no leaking ,now i got oil coming out . are the seals breaking down? never ran motor in car yet all new.

Rapid Roy

Oil seeping or leaking out is pretty common. You can use silicone sealant or shoe goo to seal it up. My front diff used to leak a lot. I replaced the gasket with one from a rebuild kit I had and noticed that the new gasket was thicker. Since then, no leaks at all.

LORD SHADO

im waiting till it warm up here before running . all the oil did not leak out. i think air trap in side with oil to the top was to much pressure in side . i turn the dif wheels good feel. no more leaking after wipping up over flow? it jest strange after 6 months it leaks?

Rapid Roy

Just picked up the spool plug for the front diff and wanted to know how to change my setup to compensate for the loss of turn in. The only thing I can think of is a bit of toe out and maybe softer springs for the front. I'm a bit rusty on my setup stuff. Any comments or suggestions?

CraigM

iTrader: (34)

Start by adding more rear droop to let more weight shift forward off power, I also run double the rear droop on the front. I wouldnt touch your springs or toe because these affect more than just turn in. If droop doesn't give you enough steering reduce the front track and/or add castor. You can also change the ackerman but from memory the R40 only has the option of changing the ball location on the hub which personally I wouldn't change. You can also try running less camber on the front to give more immediate bite but this will lessen mid corner front grip.

personally I'd put the spool in and see how it handles, if you lose bite then add rear droop and you should be fine

Rapid Roy

Thanks! I'll just drop it in and give it a spin. I'm already a bit loose in the back when turning in so it might be just right. Traction is low, so I'm hoping I'll be able to get a bit more power down when exiting the turn. I'm also hoping it will give me just a bit more punch out of the hole with the reduction in rotating mass. I'm almost maxed out on rear droop already. I'll have to check and see if I have any adjustment left.