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It took 18 days for TTech to reply to my email asking If I could exchange my faulty gearbox top, They were however friendly and helpfull, and the gearbox top they sent in exchange was spot on in all regards.
Im told phoning is best with TTech. |
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After the brief race day the car needed a good cleanup so I took the oportunity to check things. The chassis cells slots are sharp and act like a shaver, shaving a nice buildup of dirt into the car, but hey, it was terrible conditions so its fair enough.
Front wheel was very badly cracked all the way through, I didn't notice this until cleaning after the racing, could have been due to the very cold weather but still not good.
Shocks front and rear seemed to fair very well, there wasnt the usual filth all over the body and shaft since they arent in the spray of the tyres.
Pins in the driveshaft joints on all 4 corners were visibly worn, mainly from the looks of it by the sharp edges of the dogbones, it wasnt possible to remove the pins without tools. I am told the pins are meant to wear and be replaced instead of the other more expensive parts wearing. Aparently.
Gears in both gearboxes were in good order. It was obvious the steel pinions had thrown off a lot of tiny metal particles, which with the grease TTech advise you put on all the gears makes for a nice grinding paste, its advisable to strip the car after the first 1-2 races and clean it up, after that the gears should be worn in, I would guess they just aren't cleaned up properly at the factory. |
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Rear shocks still nice and clean. |
front wheel smashed. |
front drive pin, immovable! |
Conclusion
I think the X10 is an awesome looking car, no one can dispute that. Despite the general design being around for many years its still very unique and impressive.
I was personally unsure about the car until I drove it, The car is great on
the track, It's quick and handles, to my surprise, very well indeed even over the bumpy Bury Metro track. Its
not quite the same feeling as a "normal" buggy, and it looks like it
shouldn't work quite as well as it does with the minimal ground clearance
and constant scraping of the chassis along the floor. When it was first
released the predator was ground breaking and ahead of its time, others
have caught up now but I think its fair to say the x10 is far from being
left behind in performance terms.
I could not bring myself to recommend this car to everyone, Its a lovely
car in some ways, the design and the way it drives are unique, the list of
components is fantastic with its carbon, titanium, alloy and ceramic parts,
and of course it looks amazing. The car seems to be let down however by the
little details, the inconsistent quality, the poorly drilled holes, the
choice of materials in some areas, the fit of some parts and the rushed manual. This car could be better.
I know TTech have been working hard to resolve some of the Issues the car
has, with new parts appearing all the time, but it seems they will have a way to go to make the car as user
friendly as other cars in its class. If TTech can bring the quality up to
the levels the car truly deserves it would be an even better car for the
masses, for now I think you have to be enthusiastic about it to overlook its niggles and stick with
it to make it work for you, this is a pure racing car after all. It would
be all too easy to bash the car for its numerous little faults, but on the
track it performs.
My "verdict" ?.... Serious racers only need apply, for now.
UPDATE:
Having raced the car more during 2006 and seeing first hand the improvements, the X10 has come on a little since the initial review. The wheels are made from new material, the drive pins are hardened, the motor mount is improved, the gearbox pinion gears have strengthening sleeves, the spur gear is strengthend - the list goes on and on, and is all geared toward a stronger and more relaible car. Indeed, the gearbox internals are now guarenteed against breakage, such is TTechs confidence in the strength of these parts.
The improved X11 predator has also recently been announced which will push the design forward even more- still a serious racers car, but hopefully with an even wider appeal. Perhaps 2007 could be the year for the return of the Predator to the top spot in off-road competition.
Discuss the X10 in the Forum! |
