New from PSM Racing are these steering balls that are designed to not allow the ball joint to pop off in the event of a crash or just from hard racing. Coming in anodised blue, grey or silver, they have been made from high grade aluminium and are suitable for the Hobao Hyper 8.5 and 9. Sold in a set of 2 and supplied with the screws.
Source: PSM [psm-racing.com]
New from O.S Engines, is the pro modified version of the .21 VZ-B V-Spec, which sports special enhancements for exceptional performance. Every upgrade to the engine is done by hand in the U.S. by a skilled technician, and all for the aspiring racer who wants a performance advantage over the competition running stock. The upgrades include a hand selected and matched piston and liner, a drilled out cylinder head for lighter weight and better cooling, the engine gets a ceramic rear bearing, while a special coating on the lightened crankshaft prevents wear and finally tungsten weights in the crankshaft improve balance at higher RPMs.
Click here to see the specifications
New for the Slash and Slayer, Traxxas’ new race-team replica bodies are fully licensed for authentic good looks. The new available body styles include Rick Huseman’s Fabtech and the Amsoil trucks of Scott Douglas and Mike Oberg and all the major decals and graphics are factory applied to duplicate the signature style of short-course racing’s top drivers, and additional decals are included to finish off your replica shell as a Pro 2WD or Pro 4WD machine. The bodies are pre-trimmed for speedy installation with just a reamer; mounting dimples make it easy to select the correct post locations for both cars.
Click here to see the other shell
Edit RC have released some new items to help improve the performance of your Hot Bodies D4 or D4 WCE. First up is this lightweight WCE slipper hub set, which has been made from light and tough 7075 aluminium alloy. This slipper set will not only improve performance but will last the lifetime of your car. Also new is this lightweight Titanium layshaft that has been made from lightweight high-grade titanium, which is super strong and 40% lighter than the standard item.
Click here to see the layshaft
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNSU6PJoIP0[/youtube]
Shown for the first time at the Toy Fair in Germany earlier this month, this video was on show at the LRP booth and shows both the company’s new 1/8th scale brushless system and the S8BXe. Shot on a cold day in Germany, the video shows the capabilities of the new Vector 8 X12 motor and the super small, by 1/8th BL standards, SPX 8 Speed controller. The product is still in testing and what was shown at the fair, and is in use in the video, are not the final versions. Expect a mid August release for the S8BXe, which may or may not be the same release date for the electronics too, as well as a truggy version following soon after.
The video can also be downloaded from the LRP site here.
This week sees the best buggy and truggy racers in the US, as well as some competitors from Europe, come together for ‘The Dirt’ Nitro Challenge, which takes place on the large and incredibly technical Nitro Pit in Wittmann, Arizona. Team Associated are reporting from the event and have already spotted the new JConcepts Hi-Flow RC8 body shell as used by Ryan Maifield. Also on show for the first time were the new Revolver truggy tire from Pro-Line, who also have a new molded foam insert and new lightweight wheels. Associated themselves are debuting new Factory Team blue anodised shock towers on their RC8.
Click here for more photos and a video from truggy practice
Following on from our coverage of GRP at the toy fair, the Italian company has released complete details of the new updates in their product line for 2009. They now offer a bigger buggy wheel, now 83mm in diameter compare to 79mm, which improves the stiffness, while the weight has actually been reduced from 40 grams to 31 grams, a saving of 21%. A well as a new super soft compound in all their tires, GRP have also released an updated Cubic pattern to improve traction and lateral grip thanks to a new tire structure and new design and positioning of the pins. As we mentioned in our fair coverage, there is the new worked black insert which is more resistant to crushing, abrasion and heat than the orange molded version. Finally the company’s tuned engine line has received some small updates, including new internal crankcase workings, a new industrial natural diamond treatment on the crankshaft, better lubricated conrods, updated carburetor and a new rear cover. They also offer a Scuderia version of each engine which has been run in at the factory using a very specific fuel.
Click here to see the other products
Kyosho have announced the release of an optional TCD (Traction Control Differential) gear set for the Inferno MP9. The TCD gear set is designed to provide more balanced power delivery under acceleration by reducing differential action. Each of the TCD components are designed to create more friction when power is applied, which effectively increases power delivery to the wheels that have the most traction, unlike a standard differential where power is directed towards those that have less traction. An added benefit of the TCD gear set is that, when off power, it allows more differential action than a standard diff, which maximizes traction and steering response in corner entry. The TCD gear set is recommended for high-traction conditions and for tracks that have medium to high-speed, large radius corners. The TCD gear set can be used in the front differential for increased on-power steering; in the center differential for better rotation and acceleration out of tight corners, or in both positions. The gear set is not recommended for use in low-traction conditions.
Click here to see the full gear set
