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Shaft drive TC... Why so few...

Shaft drive TC... Why so few...

Old 09-29-2014, 12:27 PM
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Default Shaft drive TC... Why so few...

So I know that spec racing is king in the US and mod mostly in the rest if the world. But there is still plenty of 13.5 spec going on around the world, and with the US market pretty much all spec 17.5/21.5/25.5... Why hasn't one of the big names made a shaft drive kit.

I am not including Tamiya on this BC although they just released the EVO 6, I consider TRF there racing brand.

The Awseomatix is proving to be very popular even with its high price tag and unorthodox suspension design. I know that the shaft isnt the only thing maiking it a better car, but it certainly helps.

The industry got away from shaft due to the torque steer created by the heavy, large armatures that brushed motors had. But with todays motors, unless your running a very low turn mod, the torque spin effect is all but eliminated. I believe an more affordable shaft drive, with a more conventional suspension would sell like crazy here in the US and probably everwhere else.

Am I the only one who thinks this way? So where is Xray, Associated, VBC, ARC, TRF, and at this point even TLR because the market is prime for them to make a come back. Come guys get some real R&D going and stop throwing BS features like ball bearing supported swaybars, new motormounts, and suspension ideas that have actually been around since th early 90's.
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Old 09-29-2014, 12:37 PM
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Its still very hard to cornerweight a shaft drive car as you can't get enough of the weight close enough to the centreline.

I'd personally like to see a TC with a shaft offset down the side and battery down the middle, a bit like a shaft driven JRXS Type R.
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Old 09-29-2014, 12:45 PM
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I dont see how as you can put the battery just a mm or two away from the shaft, and you could set the internal ratio so that you can use smaller pinion and spurs to get the motor closer in. Also with the motor being logitudinal, the weight wont be hanging out as far as with a transverse belt drive.
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Old 09-29-2014, 12:45 PM
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if you have a winning car, and haven't been beaten enough to need a redesign, why would you?

I'm all for shaft cars, my favorites were the tc3 and ntc3, but they arent even close to durable by todays standards.
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Old 09-29-2014, 12:51 PM
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Originally Posted by academygaz
Its still very hard to cornerweight a shaft drive car as you can't get enough of the weight close enough to the centreline.

I'd personally like to see a TC with a shaft offset down the side and battery down the middle, a bit like a shaft driven JRXS Type R.
My personal experience has been the exact opposite.

With a longitudinal motor mounting position possible on shaft cars, the mass is far closer to the center line than with a traditional style belt TC. What this has meant for me, at least, is that I can get the Awesomatix to statically balance L/R very easily. However with my Yokomo, I need either a much lighter (I.E. Lower MAH) battery or a ton of weight on the motor side.
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Old 09-29-2014, 12:55 PM
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Why??? Because if you don't someone esle will. Also, if going by your own statement, why does any company make changes, especially small BS ones like ball bearing swaybars and a bumper brace... thats right to sell more parts.
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Old 09-29-2014, 01:19 PM
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Why?, because it will always be compared to the awesomatix. Not unless someone can develop a car that is equal to or better at a lower price, the shaft market is closed off. You can thank awesomatix for making the hurdle so high

Even TC in general, companies are rehashing old ideas and bringing them out in cycles just long enough that many won't notice. Or offer upgrades/changes that does squat to lower lap times.
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Old 09-29-2014, 01:28 PM
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Originally Posted by S.Stew
My personal experience has been the exact opposite.

With a longitudinal motor mounting position possible on shaft cars, the mass is far closer to the center line than with a traditional style belt TC. What this has meant for me, at least, is that I can get the Awesomatix to statically balance L/R very easily. However with my Yokomo, I need either a much lighter (I.E. Lower MAH) battery or a ton of weight on the motor side.
I find that many batteries today are getting heavier and heavier, almost back to subC days. Back then the belts were on the opposite side to cope with the off balance caused by the weight of the old Nimhs. Then lipos came along and the belt had to be flipped over because they were too light. Now we have heavy batteries once again, but the layout has not changed... will we see a re-emergence of the old belt layout as a new fad?
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Old 09-29-2014, 01:33 PM
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I think because the North American TC market is so small, the major manufacturers don't care about spec racing. Every TC car I have ever bought always comes with a Spur Gear sized for mod in the kit. In mod the shaft doesn't seem to have an advantage.
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Old 09-29-2014, 01:36 PM
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Oh God, this thread is total Bert-bait.

Hey, I'd like to see more SD cars out there. Just for having more options. That said I've driven my share of both and I always feel the BD car just suits me better. It's just a bit smoother and easier to drive. If I ran hi-grip carpet I might gravitate towards an Awesomatix... but low-to-medium grip asphalt is what I have access to and the BD car just works better for me.
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Old 09-29-2014, 01:39 PM
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if shaft cars had an advantage over belt cars, then there would be alot more of them. most of the big touring companies probably have an shaft driven prototype made at some time, and testet against the belt version.. and looking on the results made, the awesomatix hasnt been dominating anything, its up there with the best, bust its not better than anything.
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Old 09-29-2014, 01:57 PM
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Originally Posted by nf_ekt
Oh God, this thread is total Bert-bait.
Oh $hit i hadn't thought of that........................
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Old 09-29-2014, 06:01 PM
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YOU JUST MADE MY DAY BUDDY !!!! LOL !!!!!!
I was just upgrading my tc4 today, and I got it down to 1374grams....The tc4 is still KING of the shafties: it's affordable, and needs to be re-released...lol... Watchout belt cars !!! BERT is back....ahahah..:..
Originally Posted by nf_ekt
Oh God, this thread is total Bert-bait.

Hey, I'd like to see more SD cars out there. Just for having more options. That said I've driven my share of both and I always feel the BD car just suits me better. It's just a bit smoother and easier to drive. If I ran hi-grip carpet I might gravitate towards an Awesomatix... but low-to-medium grip asphalt is what I have access to and the BD car just works better for me.
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Old 09-29-2014, 08:09 PM
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I agree that the TC4 is a great car that has stood the test of time. I loved my HPI Pro4, but parts that werent interchangable with the TCX/TCXX were getting very hard to find. Even on Ebay.

Both those cars could go toe to toe with the newest of cars with only minor changes.

TC4: amodern material chassis and towers. Metric hardware (only because its the only standard hardware car left around). And gear diffs.

Pro4: Lower shock towers and short shocks, updated lipo chassis similar to exotek, and gear diffs.

The US market may small, but I promise you, its Xrays bread and butter right now. Im sure thy sell plenty of kits elswere in the world, but without the US, they wouldnt be anywhere near as large as they are now. There is just too much competition outside of the US. Also the US is almost entirely a spec market. It makes it much easier to target.

As far as money into R&D, with cheap 3D printing available now, creating parts for testing should be much less expensive and time consuming than before.
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Old 09-29-2014, 08:18 PM
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TC4 has been re-released....for some time now..
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