Originally Posted by Andy Murray

Thanks to everyone offering the nice comments, it's really nice to see people appreciating our efforts! (I'm one of the Schumacher design engineers)
I'll try and offer some thoughts on some of the points:

Hex Lightweight Spool and Hex 1 nut wheel design:
We really wanted to try and maximise the performance potential. Its also important to innovate and keep the class moving forwards. With any luck, other manufacturers will follow on with this and bring an easier age to 1/12 racing in future.

It gives 3 main advantage, its lighter, so improved unsprung mass for cornering improvements and rotating mass, for speed. The wheel flex is improved and provides more equal flex and consistency going into each part of each corner. Its also much quicker and simpler to change tyres.
**The Jt3-38USR and JT2-38USF is a USA spec foam control tyre, although I appreciate some racing with specific brand control tyres will force an axle change to the traditional wheel fitment.

If you don't like the change its fine, there's many options available:
-Run what you have for the axle already.
-Get the eclipse 4 diff set U8171 or specifically bagged for the eclipse 4 traditional wheels spool set U8178 (coming soon).
-Stick with your eclipse 3/ other car / rear axle design

Gigaplex+Erhard: C/F chassis is likely to work better for low traction outdoor tracks, the flexibility and higher centre of gravity tend to create or feel like they create more grip.
We had to release the car with the best suited most common spec. That means medium and high traction conditions for 1/12 racing.
-Gigaplex, this car doesn't have a differential to set, again solid rear axles are becoming the most common/ standard for 1/12 racing, more often than not, so we wanted to include it. *F1 only: For your pain with F1 class diff's I feel your pain. Soon the Icon f1 diff will get a cheap update part which setting tension means only loosening 1 wheel. *
-Dan/Robert, thanks, we agree it carries lots of DNA from the Eclipse 3.. Having said that I think from a picture or distance it probably looks more similar than actually is. I think Robert covers it quite well, although theres probably some further differences maybe not so obvious such as:
-the new damper tubes x3 are big bore, more durable but also improved handling consistency and particularly handling in bumpy conditions. They are shorter, and no heavier. So the weight is positioned better.
-For these shorter dampers rear carbon parts are changed to adjust the damper positions, including the chassis to perfect the centre damper length.
-The front kingpin is improved in 3 ways over the eclipse 3 part. It can be fitted to an eclipse 3. The damping lasts longer and is improved as the oil output holes are re pitched and are always now within the hub, at all bump and droop positions. This also prevents excess oil squirting out when damping refreshed. There is a small diameter lip added to the base to prevent the hub carrier sticking when on full droop. The surface finish is also vastly improved for a much smoother suspension action.
-Front flex is adjusted to offer slightly more, and therefore less initial 'twitchiness' with better mid corner steering. This is via both the slightly amended top decks, and front lower beam profile. This lower beam also benefits from nicer fitting sockets secure by o ring rather than glue.
-The mass damper is now compatible in the front end unlike the Eclipse 3 chassis/ front end.
-Although the pod was robust and quite tweak free in the old model, the Eclipse 4 is now even more reliable and less likely to tweak with a new pod base design.
-Various other changes to bring the kit spec in line with most commonly used team driver parts such as the 1.5 camber strap, alloy chassis as standard and chassis location to fit an optional ~1gram 25mm fan mount facing the speed control in the centre of the car.
-New bumper plate to cater for slide in spacers such as MT020034 (montech) for easier front ride height adjustment.
Some of these things are not so obvious when looking at the car at a glance in the images. Yes you could pick and choose which parts you think are worthwhile to you, and update your eclipse 3, just there are maybe more parts than it appears at a glance.

If you got this far, thanks for reading my essay..

Originally Posted by liljohn1064

I've never had a problem with a Schumacher pan car diff. Which I believe they invented.

Originally Posted by Airwave

Was talking about 2WD buggies... You needed a doctorate to make it work correctly... But that's the past.

By the way, I really love to see innovations, but I can't see why hexagons are an innovation. For me it just means that we will have to buy adapters to run most of the races.

Originally Posted by Airwave

Was talking about 2WD buggies... You needed a doctorate to make it work correctly... But that's the past.

By the way, I really love to see innovations, but I can't see why hexagons are an innovation. For me it just means that we will have to buy adapters to run most of the races.

Originally Posted by gigaplex

Your comment literally said pancar diffs. How are we supposed to know you were talking about completely different vehicles?

Originally Posted by Erhard

By definition, it is an innovation, as it is new in this class. What you mean is "improvement" or "advantage". And it is an Improvement also for sure. So what remains is an advantage - well if you can use it is also that. And you can use it, but not always.
Anyhow -
At least - Schumacher is offering it - others not (yet). Others may follow and the handout tyre in events may also. If not - no disadvantage, just use a 3 hole adapter/axle. What is so horrable about an adapter buy? It just is really small money compared to the cost of a race weekend or event.
I have a little hope the 3 hole system disappears, its unconvenient (and heavier). OK-you cannot use a diff with those tyres. On the other hand, when you need a diff, you would use different tyres. So I see no need to buy certain tyres in 2 versions (hexagon/3hole). This means no problem at all but the advantagges mentioned, thanks to the innovation.

Best regards, Erhard

Originally Posted by Airwave

Serioulsy if you don't want to use your medium talents to decrypt my messages, just tell me! More seriously, english is not my mothertongue, but now when I read my message again, I understand where I introduced the confusion, Sorry.



Honestly I'm not even sure to properly understand what you typed. It is an innovation because this is new, ok. It is an improvement, that I don't understand why... What was the problem with the 3-screws fixation? And finally how can it be an advantage? How would it benefit the driver?
But my main issue there is the fact that you consider "normal" that people will buy adapters, because there price will be reasonable compared to the common race costs... If it is the case, why haven't you considered to include them in the kit? Finally that's a lot of parts which are not in the kit, for the same price as the E3...

Originally Posted by abailey21

Can I ask, with possibly wanting to get back into on road after an 11 year hiatus.

Why the center dampener tube over the center shock? I remember them being more work, constantly wiping and re-lubing. I’m sure this has been addressed before but I’m just curious beyond the cost perspective.

Originally Posted by patorz31

It's to lower the CG.

Originally Posted by Airwave

Honestly I'm not even sure to properly understand what you typed. It is an innovation because this is new, ok. It is an improvement, that I don't understand why... What was the problem with the 3-screws fixation? And finally how can it be an advantage? How would it benefit the driver?...............