nice one, certainly full of shinny blue bits!!!

*pfft* I can see your problem right there. You won't get much traction without tyres... :o

:) Nice car, just a nice amount of blue.

Unknowledgable websites? I hope you mean Radiocontrolzone and not Tamiyaclub.

Elliott.

Hello.
 

Hi.

This is the first time that i writte in this forum. I'm from Bilbao, in the Basque country so forgive my bad English.
I always race with tamiya cars. The last 2 years I raced with one DF-02 but this summer i bought my DF-03, directly with sleeper, one-way, turnbluckes, 5 Star carbon shock towers. I also use DF-02 shafts and GMP shocks. I only raced once with the car and I should say that it was incredible, very handle, smooth aceleration. In the same level of the Losi XXX4 or the CAT 3000 of one friend.
My question is the next?. Which is the behavior of 3Racing's carbon chasis over the track? Is better that the stock plastic chasis?.
Now I'm in your country for a couple of weeks, in Cranfield.

Bye :rolleyes:

Hi Eotz,
I've not raced my DF-03 since I fitted the carbon chassis (and I'm working late shift this week so I can't go this week! :mad:) but I had a quick rip round the car park the other day and it does seem to make a slight difference to the handling. It makes the car a bit lighter as well. I've made up an under tray for mine which protects the electrics from getting any water in them, I could do with getting some better ones vacformed up :) The only problem I had with the carbon chassis (apart from having to take a hacksaw to it because my Trakpower battery didn't fit! :rolleyes:) is that the way they've retained the battery door restricts the space you have for fitting the speed controller and receiver. I had trouble finding somewhere for a mini Spektrum receiver and a Quantum speed controller! :o Apart from that it's a very nice bit of kit. I'd recommend taking the screws out and threadlocking them, as the chassis is assembled from the factory.
-Steve

That is a surprise. I thought it would come as a kit.

I don't see what is wrong with the kit chassis. But then I haven't tried the cf chassis.

I work with a guy from the Basque country. Great guy, he loves his home region.

Elliott.

How does the motor temp go with the new chassis?

Also, all 3Racing chassis's come assembled, but DO need dismantling and reasembly, even if it is just peace of mind.

Race report... :)
I haven't raced the DF for about 4 weeks (took it apart to re-design it Pred stylee, but never got round to designing the front end properly or getting the parts made up :rolleyes:) so I was down in the bottom heat with the other inexperienced/slow drivers. The track was quite a twisty one this time, with a crossover jump in a kind of snail shape, through an S chicane, up 2 ramps at 90 degrees to each other, over a crossover bridge, then a 270 degree turn down 2 more ramps and under the bridge. I managed to get a good line through there during practice and used that line while racing. The track where I race is in a small village hall with a polished wooden floor, the track is laid out using large shipping ropes (about 3" diameter) and tyres, and the crossover and jumps made of wooden ramps. Average lap times were about 16 seconds.
In the first race I was still getting the hang of driving the car again, I'd rebuilt it with the 3 racing chassis, 50 weight shock oil rather than 70 weight previously, and rebuilt both diffs. It had zero camber on the back and about -2 on the front, can't remember what the front toe was. I managed to get 16 laps, 2nd place but only on lap times, 1st got 16 as well, 3rd got 15. Not bad seeing as I sat on the line on the start for a second to let the others past then whizzed round them in their customary pile up in the first corner! :D I got the fastest lap time of the race but I can't remember exactly what it was, but it was about a second quicker than anyone else.
The second race didn't go to plan, one of the ball joints on the top of the steering knuckle unwound itself about 2 minutes in. I thought it had just come off and asked a marshal to pop it back on but he told me it was broken so I went back to the pits. I fixed it about 2 seconds before the end of the race... :rolleyes:
The third race was pretty good again. I got 2nd again, but someone had spilt shock oil on the main straight so it was a bit hairy. I got 15 laps that time, again the 1st place guy got the same number of laps and just pipped me on lap times but my fastest lap time was quicker than him. :D
After the race the guy who runs the club (Alan) and one of the regular A finalist drivers (Ollie) came over and said they were impressed with how well the car was going and how much grip it had, which made me chuffed as I'm nowhere near as good at driving as either of them. :) I was about the only person to constantly get the line over the crossover right in my race, and the supposedly "better" drivers in the next heat were often getting it wrong :rolleyes: In fact in the first race the 2nd heat guys (who I marshalled) the 1st place guy only got 1 more lap than me, and the 2nd place guy got 1 less lap! Properly happy.
Anyway sorry to waffle on, but it was quite a good race meet. The car's going better than ever now, and is actually doing what I want it to do. I think my driving cound do with some improvement but the car's going well now so I can concentrate on improving my driving without worrying about the car doing something silly. It's almost a pity I've got a 501 on the way as that'll effectively make the 03 obsolete. I'll probably alternate them, race the 501 one week and the 03 the next, and see which is better for indoors. ;) Next time I'll try and borrow my mate's camcorder and get some video footage of the racing and some stills of the track so you can see what it's like (if you're interested, that is... :p)
-Steve

It seems no one has tried KM's Dark Impact kit.

All the comments I've seen about it agree that it's taking away the DF-03's main feature of a centrally mounted battery which is part of what makes it handle so well. If you put the KM chassis conversion on a DF-03 it would basically turn it into a shaft drive version of a TRF501 :) I was thinking about it, but I'd have to re-wire all my batteries. Ooh, hold on, my TRF501 uses saddle pack batteries... ;)
-Steve

plus the KM-RC is about twice the price of the 3racing one.

Just got my DI. Picked it up for about £68 in a Shanghai model shop. Should I sell it and buy a 501 though???

N

Does it mean central stick batteries chassis is better control than saddle pack batteries chassis?

remains to be see, but generally in a 4WD you want the weight closer together (motor and cells) rather than spread along the length. The dark impact weight distribution should make for a stable car but slow the car down in the turns - I would guess ?
anyone?

Yes and no Jim, it will throw it's weight for and aft a little more, being that the weight is spread further along the longitudinal axis, but, with the weight also being centralised, it should be far more controlled in turn transitions, like a left right, as it isn't having to roll as much weight, saying that, it means nowt if you have your suspension set up like a pair of saggy pants...

true, true. I am excited to see how it does actually go.

It is actualy quite good, only thing I don't like at the mo, is how much it squats under acceleration, but without the bennefit of being able to raise the front of the rear wishbone a tad to stop it squatting.... bah, 3Racing should of listened to me!!!

I just got the KM Concept dark impact (df03) carbon chassis conversion kit this morning. All looks very fine indeed and the chassis is milled for wishbone droop and front gearbox height. This conversion looks even better than the previous ZX-5 one that I reviewed.

Jim, when you are done with it, let me know if it is a keeper for you or need to get shot...

Then how about the jumping performance of both batteries placement?

I think the 50aX will be more poised in flight.

Hi Guys,

Just a quick note to say that I received the KMRC DF-03 conversion kit today, they are now ready for shipping.

Will let you guys know how it performs.

Take it easy n have a good xmas.
Omen1975

Hello, Omen!

Finished the assembly of the kit yet? I'm very hopeful to know its performance!

In fact, I just wonder to know what's difference between belt-drive and shaft-drive. And about the performance, TRF501X and DF-03, which one is better?

Hi Kenny, Yes I have built the keen hawk kit with the KMRC chassis kit and hex screws, have not put electics in as yet, I been spending most of my time and $ getting my KMRC Lazer ZX5 sorted out ready for this season.

Just by looking at the built version of my KMRC DF03 kit, it looks very good, now I just have to put 101 upgrades on it :) eg. slipper, oneway, quality shocks ect ect. to be up to my standards. KMRC do have upgrades and have alot more coming, to see them visit www.km-rc.com email them and ask for a catologue.

Will let you know how the KMRC DF03 kit performs soon, but being a KMRC product I am sure it will be a well performing upgrade worth buying.

Im am very keen on the 501x for next race season though.

Take it easy
omen1975

Email to Wing Chan at www.km-rc.com, mention Damien from Australia put you on to him, might get discount :P

Just ordered mine, will be interesting to see how in compares to the 501.

Then do you have any photos about your car?
and what is 101 upgrades? Or what brand?

So easy??
HAA~ But I am just a small potato with my poor fingers and poor knowledge!!:rolleyes:

I will be upgrading my Keen Hawk later using a DF-03 Five Star slipper shaft and use an Associated B4 slipper setup, DF-03 Tamiya upgrade shocks, DF-03 3Racing Titanium turnbuckles and maybe a set of CVD's (universal drive shafts). I used hex type screws throughout my Keen Hawk.

I have also noticed on my KMRC built Keen Hawk that I will have to cut a small hole in the body shell above the servo horn as the servo saver mechanisim touches body so this modification will allow the body shell to sit in its normal lowered position.

I have also designed and made some plastic strips that double sided tape to the chassis along with some clear undertray protection sheet, this will allow me to throw away the clips that normally hold the shell on and use velcro instead. (pictures attached)

Hope this helps.
omen1975

That looks great!

Now then, what is this slipper shaft you mention ? I have tried to obtain the tamiya one and its apparently discontinued. the RW one is not available either. Help!

darn, I know he had some gears left but no shafts, if you ask him nicely, he might make another batch Jim!!

Blimey, I didn't know it (the Tamiya slipper) was discontinued. That explains why I've had trouble finding a replacement. IN the end I swapped the gear from the kit layshaft with the worn gear from the slipper - using a hammer!

Elliott.

Hi,

Five Star make a slipper shaft for the DF-03, part #FS-7039.

Hope this helps.

omen1975

Try

http://shopping.rcmodel.hk

They have the Tamiya slipper setup listed.

Hope this helps
omen1975

But there are no any stickers on the rear wing. Just leave it blank?

And only the keen hawk body will touch the servo mechanism but not the Dark Impact body, won't it?

Hi Kenny,

I usually leave my race car wings unpainted and just add a few stickers, the picture of my Keen Hawk is only the final built version and I have not done any paint or sticker work to it as yet.

As to the Dark Impacts body touching the servo mechanisim I am unsure, I am guessing that it would have the same problem and will need modifing.

Hope this has answered your question.
omen1975

The dark impact is a higher shell surely ? the keen hawk is a really crazy shape and very low.

The DI body is quite a tight fit. The servo doesn't get fouled on the body though.

I have an LRP IPC V7.1 on it's side stuck to the battery tunnel and there is a little bit of space.

Elliott.

I don't have any issue with the servo and the body touching, maybe your servo is exceptionaly high?

This is the KM RC conversion kit we are talking about here - which moved the location of the steering servo - thus placing it in an area which is fine for the dark impact, but the sleeker body of the Keen Hawk is lower in this new location. Not something KM could predict, the answer if you don't want to cut a hole in the shell or similar is to buy an impact shell.