November 8, 2018

New in the Pits – JConcepts

Two new items from JConcepts here at the World Championships in Perth, Australia with the first being the new prototype Silencer 1.5 body shell. Still a prototype and only in use by the brand’s Mugen & HB team drivers, the new design incorporates the cab section from the popular Finnisher body merged with the rear end from the Silencer. The addition of a more forward mounted mid car aero scoop completes the package providing additional downforce.

Also making its debut here in Australia is the Blocker. Taking its design cues from the company’s successful Stalker tires, JConcepts have managed to add an additional 8 rows of 13 pins for improved wear. Impossible to distinguish between the two tires without placing them side by side, feedback from Ryan Maifield and David Ronnefalk has been positive with both reporting very smooth steering feel and awesome wear.

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November 7, 2018

New in the Pits – Sweep Racing & Pro-Line

Korean tire manufacturer are here in Perth with their new ‘Whips’ buggy tires for their team driver and customers to use. Designed on new V6 carcass which features a more rounded contact surface and sidewall for better handling in bumpy conditions. Sporting two different type pins, the mid size pins are best suited for low grip or slippery surface track while the more spaced out square pins provide better forward and side bite. Available now in gold, yellow, silver, blue and red compounds.

Pro-Line have brought with them their new S4 super soft long wear compound to Australia. With the S compound set to replace the American company’s X compound line up, the S4 completes the new S lineup and will be made available for all their different 1/8th offroad thread patterns.

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November 7, 2018

Chassis Focus – Jared Tebo

Chassis – Kyosho MP9 TKI4
Engine – MX B2R
Fuel – MX Dirt 25
Tires – AKA Double Down
Radio/Servo – KO Propo EXIIRR/KO Propo
Body – Kyosho Lightweight

Remarks – Jared described his MP9 as ‘pretty much my base set-up’, adding ‘there is nothing really new’ on the car compared to how he has run it all year.

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November 7, 2018

Chassis Focus – Davide Ongaro

Chassis – Team Associated RC8 B3.1
Engine – LRP ZZ.21c Davide Ongaro Edition
Fuel – RunnerTime
Tires – AKA Double Down
Radio/Servo – Sanwa/Sanwa
Body – JConcepts Silencer

Remarks – Top Seed for qualifying here in Perth, Davide’s car is loaded with a range of optionals from various companies.  The car has 5mm rear shock standoffs from Italian brand Fastrace who have also supplied the carbon battery box he is running.  The rear chassis brace mount comes from Ruddog, Team Associated’s German distributor, while Davide has used a titanium screw set from T-Works. The car also features JConcepts upgraded turnbuckles and pivot ball adjustment spacers.

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November 7, 2018

Chassis Focus – Dakotah Phend

Chassis – TLR 8ight X
Engine – Picco V1
Fuel – RunnerTime
Tires – AKA Catapult
Radio/Servo – Spektrum DX6R/Spektrum
Body – TLR

Remarks – The main feature of Dakotah’s 8ight X is a new preproduction carbon centre diff brace.  Set for release shortly, it offers a 10g weight saving and also helps the throttle servo to run cooler.  Elsewhere on the car it, he is using an optional front top plate, carbon inserts in the front and rear arms and the 3.5mm shock shaft conversion.

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November 7, 2018

Chassis Focus – Ty Tessmann

Chassis – Xray XB8 2018
Engine – OS Speed B21 02 Ty2
Fuel – VP Pro Tessmann 25
Tires – Pro-Line Buckshot
Radio/Servo – Airtronics/MKS
Body – Xray Highspeed

Remarks – Posting a TQ run in the second round of qualifying, the main feature on Ty’s Xray are a new hub design that allows the use of a bigger bearing to ‘improve long term durability’.  The car also features harder plastics which the former World Champion says makes the car ‘feel more precise and predictable’.

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