KF low grip conversion
 

KF low grip set

http://www.redrc.net/2014/04/schumac...onversion-set/

Hi

How come Schumacher have not just released a complete low grip KF kit to replace the SV2 or is this grip level getting a little to specialised.

Where does the line stop or will we be seeing kits for "hardly any grip", "low to medium grip", "quite a lot of grip", "high grip", "absolutely mega high you have never seen before grip" conversions available shortly.

"Wanting to use you Cougar KF all year round now becomes possible with this low grip conversion set"

Mind you having a few more ace looking Schumacher cars on the shelf, now they are switching over to the all black scheme is something to enjoy.

regards

I get the feeling Schumacher are still finding out about the KF chassis and are possibly surprised at the cars popularity and how quick it can be driven in conditions it shouldn't be able to.
Perhaps this will spell the end of the SV chassis as it doesn't make sense to have three 2wd cars in the line up when the KF can handle mid to high grip and the KR for low grip. Perhaps there will be an updated KF coming out later on this year or next with the new type chassis so that owners can change the car to how they want.

I agree with you, hence the reason why Schumacher haven't released a new SV2 inline with the rest of there new "black themed" car.

I've just bought a KF myself to use all year around so might try out this new conversion once I've driven the buggy stock.

Has anyone got any more feedback on this low grip conversion? I'm interested to hear how it is going on grass?

I'm just about to build one - I only ever race on astro but happy to do a back to back comparison with the standard kf if people want once it's built?

Cool, that'd be great if you could thanks.

Having just got my KF, I'll be running it mostly standard to start with apart from alloy rear blocks & a shorty conversion.

Do you know if the low grip conversion chassis is the same thickness? I'm aware it has two sets of motor mount holes, one to move the motor further to the rear & one in the standard position.

I've heard its thinner than the kit chassis.

As soon as I pick it up from the post office I'll be able to measure it.

The aim is to build it with all the same settings (camber, ride height, oils, etc) as my current KF and then see how it drives with the obvious difference being shorties and the motor slung back.

From that point forward I'll then tweak for wet conditions.

The huge popularity of the KF kit I believe has led Schumacher to put extra development focus on the KF, allowing it to be a more allround car.

I built up a new kit with the low grip chassis for the oople series at Stotfold this weekend, I had both my cars running and back to backed both, the track was slippy at first and the low grip car was better as expected, I tried both again when the track dried and decided on the low grip for the rest of the meeting - which remained dry and very high grip.

The low traction car has a less twitchy front end and a little easier to drive on some of these very high grip types of astro I think..

Good thing is you can keep the same chassis and just move the gearbox etc back and forward.

Thanks for this, good hearing some feedback. I plan on using my KF as an allround car too.

Just got it from the PO. Measured the thickness - original chassis 2.68mm, low grip is 2.63mm. So basically as near as damn it

Nice little package really, interesting thing is that the original, shorty lipo conversion and the low grip belts are all different numbers of teeth. I had assumed the shorty and the low grip would be the same but apparently not

The build starts imminently.

Thats due to the motor being moved back 21mm.

I've settled on running the low grip conversion my self, as James says - the car just feels abit easier to drive. The rear end does not rotate as quick as the standard KF, and just seems a better balanced car for an outdoor track.

In wet conditions, the car has alot of drive and decent side bite - I was very surprised as initially I did not believe the car would go as well as it did.

I made zero changes from running in the dry and wet, just changed to the correct tyres and in both instances the car went well - very ideal.

I just wish the rear alloy upper trans would hurry up :(

Spoke to schumacher today - they reckon 3-4 weeks away so I'm going to take mine off the "dry" car

And ball diffs ! U4199 another 2-3 weeks away! :(

Can you buy a complete car kit with the new chassis or just the conversion kit.

James/paul take it then if you are running the low grip layout, do you have to run shorty, or are you running the low grip kit by in normal layout?

I'm sure they will comment but as far as I can see from both the instructions and the actual build, standard lipos won't fit

I dont see the point in have a convertion for the KF and also buy more batteries which have to be charged just incase you change the set up. The KF was designed for high grip so why mess with it. I love my KF and I love my SV2 lets leave it at that.

If schumacher are not carful they will turn the KF into the SX3, a very nice car but a pig to set up which will put people off. Simple is best and thats what has made the SV2, K1 and KF so popular.

Dont get me wrong I also love my SX3 and K1 but i do prefer the K1. as its simple.

Got to be honest in the damp at oOple stotfold I ran my sv2 in the damp, won my heat, in the dry I ran my kf, in one round there was spots of rain,many rushed to swap tyres to damps, I switched on sv2, looked at sky and decided it was passing, swapped back to dry kf as cars doing warm up lap, won the heat..... I'm staying with the two I have.

I've went away from using the ball diff and finding the gear diff is alot more to my liking, even in the wet. A good few at our club have went to this now.. however the ball diff is a good option to have in your box.

No, when i spoke to Tris this was not in the pipeline to do, maybe they may in the future, who knows.
However for £250 ( plenty of model shops are priced around this region) you get a very competitive car for mega high grip. Add £79.99 for the conversion and you have a superb all rounder for the outdoor environment.

Start out with shorties and you do not need to buy two types of cells, adding weight to the shortie gives the same desired effect of running saddles.

You have to run a shortie when in low grip mode, with the motor being shifted back 21mm something has to give and the shortie gives that clearance to do so.

I also have both cars, KF and SV2 and used either for each condition. However i much prefer having the one car, one set of electronics, and the option to convert that car to a high grip animal for the indoor season.

Something to bare in mind, at stotfold it is a singular surface, when the grip is high, 100% of the track is high. On a multi surface track like Kidderminster or Southport the KF is manageable. However the low grip conversion comes in to its element when you hit concrete, cobbles or tarmac - the car pushes slightly, whereas the KF will want to fishtail.


The main change to the car with the low grip conversion is removing weight from the front end, shorties are the counter effect of doing this as more space is needed at the rear of the car to house the motor / layshafts.

There are some very competitive prices for a BRCA legal shortie lipo at the moment, both LRP and intellect have fantastic prices.

Also to keep in mind, the current trend in 2wd offroad is the apparent need for two cars, one low grip, one high grip.

Put this in to numbers;

Set of electronics ( priced up my own equipment, LRP, sanwa, savox) excl batteries £335
KF £250
TTL £585

Set of electronics excl batteries £335
SV2 £195
TTL £530

To have both the KF and a SV2 it would total £1115

To buy the KF, with a low grip conversion, electronics, PLUS a shortie it would total £715.

A saving of £400 and you get a car that is able to work everywhere. No brainer??

Im running the low grip layout with shorty and ball diff. I tried it at RHR last night and prefer it there too so pretty sure it will become my main car now. The shorty in the standard layout is poor in my opinion, but with the new layout I think its excellent in high and low :)

only doing oople series and local rhr regionals so only southport to cope with ;-)

im lucky enough to have all my cars fully ready to go by flicking a switch and selecting the model, cost has been done!

cheers James that's what I was trying to ask/get the answer for

The build is done bar the shouting (alignment, electrics to go in, aerial tube) and the quality is again excellent on the build...

http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o...ps5oeoj7cv.jpg

I know it's a 21 mm move but it looks huge compared to the standard.

The only questions / comments I have are:

1) why does the instructions state that the way to change a battery is to remove the side pods? For those that are already using it have you dremeled away the side pod to give further access or just leaving cells in the car to charge (implications at BRCA event?) or what?

2) why have they not accommodated for the fact that the motor has moved back and put a 2nd hole ot access the motor positioning screw in the side pod? I guess it's reamer time right?

If I've been a numpty then please do say

A couple of other pics...

Showing the "lack" of aligned access...

http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o...psx0sg2mmz.jpg

Side view...

http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o...ps5yp9rnh4.jpg

So for those that are already running with this - any tips or advice?

Thanks

I agree but as I have all the cars above but no shorties, I stand to be out of pocket. If you look on oople u will see that I designed the KF well over 12 months ago. http://www.oople.com/forums/showthread.php?t=112797
I guess im going to have to go back to the drawing board and design it again so it can run saddles with the new chassis lol

Was Darrenbloomfield running the mmotor in the rearward position at Southport today?

looked like it from the picture of his car if you look in the side window

ran my low grip chassis today at mendip off road track was amazing loads of rear grip and steering and took the bump better then standard layout I felt

Anyone know what type of diff the top Schumacher guys were running in the kf at Southport national?

Ball with a few other bits :D

Anyone know what belt the low grip uses

117 tooth

So thats longer then kit ??

the low grip conversion uses a 103t belt, the shorty conversion uses the 117t belt

the set up is on the Schumacher site set ups etc, it was carrying 96 grams of extra weight under the battery and beside the motor , rear motor configuration as we'll

What modifications are needed to shell to the original shell are required? Im very tempted to get the kitbut there are no shells for the low grip anywhere. Is it a case of a cut a hole so the spur doesnt foul the shell, if so will it be ok to run it as it has an exposed spur? Has anyone cut their original shell, if so pics please :)

I warmed mine up and pushed my thumb into it to create a buldge where the spur is

Are you adding any weight anywhere with this configuration James?