stevephone101

hi dan were you able to get and test this new clutch system on your car the serpent i just got one and
want to try out but got no manual on how to put it together and i dont want to damage it if you know please let
me know with pics or something thanks in advance i have a serpent 3.1

invrtd

iTrader: (29)

I just wish since the GT cars have developed into purpose built onroad cars we could use what ever clutch we want. I know GT was developed to keep cost down, but at the end of the day no one is saving money. Anyone know where to get this clutch in the USA?

UrabusDenis

I must say I strongly disagree, it must be buggy clutch. And it should strictly stay that way. Why this need to push it into a gray zone, what's the problem with buggy clutches anyway? Why would you want to change them? I've used stock buggy clutches on the hardest setting for years now, and I've never felt as being at a disadvantage or that the car can't handle it. The Serpent clutch is great, the Alpha 4-shoe clutch is even better, and I bet all standard buggy clutches will do the job at the hardest setting, 3 shoe or 4 shoe. They last a considerable amount of time, when they're worn replace them and you have the exact same clutch as before.

Please don't take this as an attack on yourself, but a lot of guys think this way, and I am afraid of the consenquences that thinking might have. Some think "if this is a proper onroad class why shouldn't we use Lola wedge bodies", others say "this is a proper onroad class now why can't I have a belt car", I even hear guys wanting to switch to foam tires. If you add all of that up, don't you see where it ends up? What would be the point of it anyway, if you want an ugly wedge foam belt car with Centax just go run 1/8 or 1/10.

Keep GT just as it is: shaft driven, kickup (I don't care if it's stupid, keep it), buggy clutch, GT body and rubber tires. It's an awesome class, let's keep it this way and let it grow.

invrtd

iTrader: (29)

I can live with the clutch but kick up has to go. I have owned 3 GT cars from 3 different manufactures. All had caster issues. Serpent was the first to fix it with caster blocks and correct a and b blocks. Mugen, I had to modify the the front of the car. HB is my current car and I had to flip the b block and dremel it with 6 degree caster blocks to get the caster out. All the caster was destroying my front tires. With the caster reduced, my front tires wear evenly and I have lots of steering.

For the average guy trying to get into onroad, GT is a good way but it should come ready out of the box without having to buy other parts and modify things. I think the serpent car is that way now. Also, the new IGT8 is ready ready to go too. I don't mind tinkering and developing cars. I enjoy the challenge. But for the new guy, I think it isn't the best idea.

blis

Losi (or perhaps werks, not sure ) made them years ago, I have one. They are half way between a conventional 3 shoe and a centax. There's very little in it and it's not a PUSH clutch like a centax. It radiates outward on a ramp.

wkloppen

Maybe lets get the terminology right first although most of us understand what's meant I guess. The buggy clutch so to speak is in my physical world the radial type and the centax is the axial type. For a very simple reason: The buggy shoes move in a radial way while the centax shoe is moving in an axial way. My personal opinion: Clutch should be free. The problem most people have is that they can only think in boxes,..in what they know,..in what they are used to...in other words they are afraid of change. You only have to look at the function of what the clutch actually has to do in order to understand that the discussion is pretty useless. ...oh yeah ..then there is the cost argument..thats a joke in my opinion if you compare that to all other costs RC racing is bringing you........

reg

willem

grs_link

Roelof

For a part it is not easy to tell manufacturers that they have to build a car, motors etc by a blue print design. With such a setup of rules manufacturers and drivers will stay away.
For a part that the guys making the rules can not think or are informed about everything to keep any gaps in the rules closed.
For the last part, you do not want to have a rulebook of a thousend pages with as result a 1 hour technical inspection on a car and engine.

(0000000000)

iTrader: (2)

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iTrader: (2)

I have mixed feelings. Centax is cool. But doesn't this clutch provide an un-fair & un-equal advantage?

Roelof

This is no centax clutch. This is just a normal clutch with just a different spring system.
But it will be interesting to see if this step by Xray will change the rules where these clutches are not alowed/

Pit-racer

iTrader: (4)

I was told it is IFMAR legal

GIMAR 4 CARBON SHOES AXIAL SPRING GT CLUTCH

Werks

iTrader: (3)

It's amazing how "old" can become "NEW!" again. Picture above was taken in 2004, 15 years ago lol!

1/8 IC Fan

iTrader: (102)

That is very true, many of us ran them in Italy during the Rallye Game days in about 05/06'. Granted different than GT, but Close.

RB_Racer

Am i right in thinking that these newer clutches like the Werks and Xray you can adjust performance by adjusting compression on the spring like a centex?