New E-Speed parts for the X-5 (and XX4)

[Darren Boyle]

X-Factory have announced today several new parts to be released under Ellis's E-Speed range, they are all designed to fit the X-5 (but will all also fit the XX4)

The parts are as follows -
ES003 - Carbon fibre rear camber link brace - X5/XX4........£4.95
ES004 - Carbon fibre rear shock tower brace - X5/XX4........£8.95
ES005 - Carbon fibre front shock tower brace - X5/XX4.........£8.95
ES006 - Carbon fibre steering rack with hardware - X5/XX4.........£11.95

plus they are doing a complete "carbon fibre upgrade parts set" combining all the above parts to save a few quid which is -

ES007 - Carbon fibre full brace and steering rack set - 4 pc - X5/XX4....£29.95

Stock is being shipped from the states later today and should start to arrive with us around the start of next week onwards

To see the parts and pre-order them have a look at the Preview section on our shop website

[super__dan]

Though I've not got mine yet these are sure to be quality. The tower braces are something I currently run and really improve the tower strength significantly for very little additional weight.

The steering too feels great. I've never run this and the old one back to back on the same day, but I put the new steering on before Talywain and the car's felt great everywhere ever since!

[SHY]

Sounds great DMS!

Why no word about it on www.4wdrc.com yet?

[Chrislong]

These items are sure to put a lot of additional strength into the front and rear towers. Dan and I have made up some of the camber link braces which are not ideal, but neither of us have broken the rear tower here since - these new parts will look the business too.

Ofcause there have been Fibrelyte versions of the tower braces in the past, and this is what we have been using. The new parts from X-factory are redesigned and fit very well. So certainly are a better alternative.

The steering rack is to give more high speed steering and it certainly does, but it seems to make the steering more consistent throughout without being too much.

[SHY]

Chazz says "Seven new products in one week" - anything else of interest apart from what's mentioned above?

Ordered :D Your customer service is top notch btw!

[Darren Boyle]

SHY

Yep there are seven new items from X-Factory, we have the our new partsf rom E-Speed plus the "pack" of all four together which makes 5 new items

On top of this we have the "Big Blue" pit towel, not like a normal towel that covers your pit table but a super absorbant cloth ideal for building shocks, mopping up lubes, polishing the bdoy with etc. These are VERY high quality not just a "bit if rag" (thats 6 new items)

Lastly we have the DDP Tire cleaning fluid, designed to clean up the mold releases residue found on tyres (especially the US tyes - Proline/Losi) and allows the tyre to stick to the wheel really well.

All the above are on their way, not being announced on 4wdrc or X-Factory until the weeknd to allow Chazz chance to ship to all his dealers so we already have stock on the ay once the announcement is made, we of course could not keep it so quiet and have done our bit to rpomotoe the new parts here in the UK to generate interest.

P.S. SHY you have an email on the way regards the order you just placed

[Paul_Sinclair]

Thought I would update the thread as the announcements are hitting:

http://www.xfactoryrc.com/news_07_29_08.htm
http://www.oople.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12738
http://www.redrc.net/2008/07/x-factory-e-speed-option-parts/

:D

[DaveG28]

Though I've not got mine yet these are sure to be quality. The tower braces are something I currently run and really improve the tower strength significantly for very little additional weight.

The steering too feels great. I've never run this and the old one back to back on the same day, but I put the new steering on before Talywain and the car's felt great everywhere ever since!

Looked at fitting the tower braces last night, for those already using them are you using longer threaded ball studs or does enough thread on the standard size still make it into the camber mount to stop them pulling out?

[Chrislong]

Hi Dave,
I recommend always to use the longest threaded ballstud possible. The thread should not stick out the back of the hole on the front shock tower overwise it catches on the steering.

[super__dan]

Yes to the above, I use a Lunsford one that just has a hint of the back end of the ball stud at the back, no danger of it catching though.

[bigred5765]

we use a ball stud just long enough to get a very small nut on the back, it does need a slight grind to clear the steering, but never had a total fail yet,

[U.S.CAT3K]

It likely isn't a problem on the X5, but the E-speed rack has clearance issues on the XX4. To get around grinding away at the chassis, I shortened the rack bushings by the thickness of two Losi ballstud washers, which raised the rack up and out of the way, slightly sanded the lower front portion of the rack, and used short-neck ballstuds on the rack as well as three washers on the long-neck steering block ballstuds in order to keep bumpsteer in check. I also had to shave the steering ballcups on the rack end for clearance with the suspension compressed because of the short-neck ballstuds on the rack. Haven't tried it yet, but the rack now swings unobstructed.

If I could make a couple of suggestions about the front tower brace, it would be nice if the opening where the body passes through was made slightly taller (would make getting the nose of the body through there easier) and spacers should be included to take up the gap between the rear of the tower and brace.

[Big E]

Good to know those things, as you say on the X5 there is no problem with the bits but I hadn't tried them on the XX4. You do have to add washers, 1 or 2, on the outer rod ends to adjust the bumpsteer as well though.

As to the tower brace I wanted them as strong as possible hence they come down a fair bit, to make it easier to get the shell in and out you just need to put a chamfer on the rear part of the tower where the shells touches and then it clears easy. To have gotten that machined though would have made it a lot more money.

Not sure what you mean about spacers for the gap at the rear of the tower though?? Where the tower attaches to the camber link positions you do need to just take a scalpel to the inner part to take the radius off where the ball joints would go as this stops the tower sitting fully flat on the camber part. This may have caused you the problems.

But points taken and we can look at adjustments for the next runs of the parts

E

It likely isn't a problem on the X5, but the E-speed rack has clearance issues on the XX4. To get around grinding away at the chassis, I shortened the rack bushings by the thickness of two Losi ballstud washers, which raised the rack up and out of the way, slightly sanded the lower front portion of the rack, and used short-neck ballstuds on the rack as well as three washers on the long-neck steering block ballstuds in order to keep bumpsteer in check. I also had to shave the steering ballcups on the rack end for clearance with the suspension compressed because of the short-neck ballstuds on the rack. Haven't tried it yet, but the rack now swings unobstructed.

If I could make a couple of suggestions about the front tower brace, it would be nice if the opening where the body passes through was made slightly taller (would make getting the nose of the body through there easier) and spacers should be included to take up the gap between the rear of the tower and brace.

[U.S.CAT3K]

Yup, I ended up chamfering the back of the opening in the front tower while I was prepping the parts....fits great now and still looks sturdier than the Penguin brace I had on there :D

I did remove that small bit of plastic around the ballstud area of the tower, but the issue is that if the brace is bolted to the camber link holes before it's bolted to the shock mount area of the tower, there's a small gap at the upper end of the tower due to the difference in placement between the upper shock mount and camber link mounts that can't be taken up by the brace because it's not thick enough; if the brace was 6mm, there would likely not be a problem. I just didn't feel comfortable preloading the tower by screwing the works together without the washers given how weak they're supposed to be.

Sorry for the long-winded explanation...hope it makes sense and thanks for the response, Ellis :thumbsup:

[SHY]

It likely isn't a problem on the X5, but the E-speed rack has clearance issues on the XX4. To get around grinding away at the chassis, I shortened the rack bushings by the thickness of two Losi ballstud washers, which raised the rack up and out of the way, slightly sanded the lower front portion of the rack, and used short-neck ballstuds on the rack as well as three washers on the long-neck steering block ballstuds in order to keep bumpsteer in check. I also had to shave the steering ballcups on the rack end for clearance with the suspension compressed because of the short-neck ballstuds on the rack. Haven't tried it yet, but the rack now swings unobstructed.

I noticed this problem also! Perfect fit to the X-5 though. Can you post some pics of your XX4 mods? (Grinding the chassis would not be a viable solution I agree)

[SHY]

Explanation with pics:
www.ymr.no/10ortip2.htm

[DaveG28]

What is the best way of mounting the steering rack in the X5 to not have any bump steer?

eg any washers on either the rack or the ballstuds? Or is all good as standard?

Just being lazy!! :thumbsup:

[Big E]

You have to raise the balljoint on the outer end, knuckle arm, to remove the bumpsteer, about 2-3mm will sort it.

But you can run some if you want, I often actually set mine to bump steer out :woot:

[U.S.CAT3K]

Very nice write-up, SHY.....reminds me that I really need to get a half-decent camera! I also ended up shortening the rack screws for the same reason you mentioned and sanded a bit more from the front of the rack so I wouldn't have to alter the chassis. Looks like there's enough "meat" there so durability shouldn't be an issue :thumbsup:

[SHY]

Thx! :)

A camera is always nice to have!