Don't buy a car in the rain, the bodywork always looks better when it's wet, plus, the chances are you will forget to check something by rushing to get out of the rain.
Stand at the front, or the back of the car, and look along the body line. You will be able to see if it has had any body damage as the light reflecting off the side of the car will show the dents or replaced panels.
Check around the window rubbers for over spray, a sure fire way to see if a car as been touched up.
Check the gaps between the panels to make sure they are even on both sides of the car. Bonnet to wing etc. This is a good indication as to whether the car has been in an accident and had panels replaced.
Take a fridge magnet with you and check the bodywork for filler. The magnet will stick to the metal, but will fall off if it meets body filler.
Have a look at the interior of the car, does the wear inside the car look in keeping with the mileage. If the car looks like its done 100,000 and the clock says 25,000. Then you know its been round the clock, or even worse clocked. Check the steering wheel, and accelerator pedal rubber for excessive wear, the clutch and brake pedal rubbers can be replaced, but the accelerator pedal is a lot harder to change, and will give a truer indication of mileage.
Check underneath the car for any oil or water leaks, also check the floor where the car has been standing for the same.
Check the tires for uneven wear, if the tires are worn more on one side than the other its an indication that the car may have been in an accident and the chassis is twisted. It could also be the tracking or wheel balancing. Either way its not a good sign.
Drive the car, (with the radio off) and check for any knocks or strange noises. Check the steering for vibration, or pulling to one side, its an indication again that the car may have been in an accident and the chassis is twisted. Make sure you drive the car in all gears to check the gearbox.
Try a 3 point turn in the car, that will check the reverse gear, and if you put the steering on full lock you will be able to check the wheel bearings and steering rack (your looking for clunking sounds or creaking).
When the engine is now hot check the oil, if it is milky there is water getting in somewhere, which could indicate a head gasket. (very Costly). The oil should be filled to between the 2 marks on the dipstick. If the oil is brand new beware, not many people will change the oil on a car the day before they sell it unless they are trying to hide something. Also check the water reservoir for signs of oil, not a good sign.
Last of all, check the paperwork. Make sure the registration document is in the sellers name. They may be a trader trying to pose as a private seller. Check the MOT to make sure its current. Check the service history to make sure it matches the vehicle being sold. Also you may want to check the engine and chassis number to see if it matches what is on the registration document. You will find that information on a small metal plate located under the bonnet. If the plate is missing be suspicious.
It's also a good idea to get the car HPI checked. This will tell you if the car has been stolen, been in an and accident, or is on finance. It costs around £40 but well worth it.
If you follow these rules when buying a used car you wont go far wrong. If you can't be bothered to go through the hassle, then buy your car from a trader, he or she will have already done all these checks to cover himself before he or she purchases the car. I would not buy a car without doing these checks first.
Big RC Cars Are Big on Fun and Excitement
There are some really big RC cars on the market these days and they add to the excitement of racing as their sheer size helps then race over rougher conditions than the smaller cars. With huge knobbly tires and long travel suspension these big RC cars can be raced through mud, over sand and through long grass. With the long suspension travel and big diameter soft tires they can also jump over big humps without doing any damage and can land from great heights and continue racing. Many of these big RC cars are over one and a half feet long and are wider enough to corner at high speeds without tipping over. To get these Big RC cars to perform they need powerful engines and that is exactly what they are powered with as the new generation of engines produce more power than ever. Some of these big cars are even powered by two engines for enormous power and most of the cars are four-wheel drive for added traction.
There are also a number of really aggressive RC trucks that look enormous compared to the vehicles that were offered just a few years ago. The big RC cars have a very wide track and the mechanicals are set low in the chassis for a lower center of gravity. This lower center of gravity helps with the stability of the vehicle particularly when cornering. The big soft tires give so much traction that the gears in the differentials and gearboxes have had to be upgraded to handle the power from the twin engines. Lighter gears can be prone to damage when there is too much traction and too much power applied on surfaces such as grass where the wheels won’t spin. Fortunately there are many parts that can be replaced relatively easily and at little expense.
There are also a number of really aggressive RC trucks that look enormous compared to the vehicles that were offered just a few years ago. The big RC cars have a very wide track and the mechanicals are set low in the chassis for a lower center of gravity. This lower center of gravity helps with the stability of the vehicle particularly when cornering. The big soft tires give so much traction that the gears in the differentials and gearboxes have had to be upgraded to handle the power from the twin engines. Lighter gears can be prone to damage when there is too much traction and too much power applied on surfaces such as grass where the wheels won’t spin. Fortunately there are many parts that can be replaced relatively easily and at little expense.
Reverse Gears: Functions and the Evolution of New Technology
Gears are an integral component of most mechanical devices that are in use today. Gears have wide ranging functions, but they are used for transmitting motion between two shafts. Moreover, they provide torque to a device that a fast spinning small motor cannot provide. Another important feature of gears is that they give direction to the process of rotation. This article provides information about just these types of gears, specifically reverse gears.
A pair of gears, one present on the counter shaft and the other on the output shaft are used to implement the process of ‘reverse’. As opposed to forward gears that are meshed together, there is some amount of space between the reverse gears. Another point of differentiation from forward gears is that reverse gears are joined to their shafts. There is no free rotation around the shaft. There might develop a scenario when a small gear that is known as the reverse idler is slid between the two gears. The function of this gear also called the idler gear is to mesh the two gears together. This enables it to change the direction of the rotation, but it does not hamper the gear ration in any way.
The method of working of reverse gears is not as complex as it seems. When the reverse gear is selected, the gear teeth of these gears are meshed. There is absolutely no aid from the mechanism that seeks to synchronize these gears. This is one of the primary reasons why the output shaft must now move, once a reverse is selected. That mean a car must be stopped when you want to select the reverse gear. Many automobiles have a mechanism wherein the input shaft also stops spinning when reverse gears are selected. This decreases the grinding that accompanies the selection of reverse when there is an inertial spinning of the input shaft.
Car companies do not necessarily uses the same reverse technologies across all makes. Advanced technologies make possible the use of sophisticated reverse gears in modern cars. Of course, these cars come with a hefty price tag. But, more often than not a mechanism is used which stop the transmission of the input shaft. If this is not done the vehicle produces a whining sound. This is why all car manufacturers use the idler that, as aforementioned, can be inserted between the two gears. This procedure reduces the accompanying noise to a great extent and in the service manual of many companies; you can find a mention of this system as a “noise reduction system”.
A new kind of reverse technology has entered the market in the recent times, called ‘spur reverse technology’. This technology has made a few improvements to the one that have been listed above. But, it has compromised on a few aspects like, robustness, engagements, and noise. But it has found acceptability because there is limited driving that takes place in reverse.
A pair of gears, one present on the counter shaft and the other on the output shaft are used to implement the process of ‘reverse’. As opposed to forward gears that are meshed together, there is some amount of space between the reverse gears. Another point of differentiation from forward gears is that reverse gears are joined to their shafts. There is no free rotation around the shaft. There might develop a scenario when a small gear that is known as the reverse idler is slid between the two gears. The function of this gear also called the idler gear is to mesh the two gears together. This enables it to change the direction of the rotation, but it does not hamper the gear ration in any way.
The method of working of reverse gears is not as complex as it seems. When the reverse gear is selected, the gear teeth of these gears are meshed. There is absolutely no aid from the mechanism that seeks to synchronize these gears. This is one of the primary reasons why the output shaft must now move, once a reverse is selected. That mean a car must be stopped when you want to select the reverse gear. Many automobiles have a mechanism wherein the input shaft also stops spinning when reverse gears are selected. This decreases the grinding that accompanies the selection of reverse when there is an inertial spinning of the input shaft.
Car companies do not necessarily uses the same reverse technologies across all makes. Advanced technologies make possible the use of sophisticated reverse gears in modern cars. Of course, these cars come with a hefty price tag. But, more often than not a mechanism is used which stop the transmission of the input shaft. If this is not done the vehicle produces a whining sound. This is why all car manufacturers use the idler that, as aforementioned, can be inserted between the two gears. This procedure reduces the accompanying noise to a great extent and in the service manual of many companies; you can find a mention of this system as a “noise reduction system”.
A new kind of reverse technology has entered the market in the recent times, called ‘spur reverse technology’. This technology has made a few improvements to the one that have been listed above. But, it has compromised on a few aspects like, robustness, engagements, and noise. But it has found acceptability because there is limited driving that takes place in reverse.
Gears Gear-Up Your Machines
Gears are one of the most basic transmission devices. If you are not a mechanical engineer, you will be amazed by the extent to which gears affect our daily life.
There are two basic functions that gears perform.
First, they make power travel from one part of a machine to another. For instance, when you are pedaling a bicycle, it is the arrangement of gears that causes the transmission of power from your leg movement to the rotation of the wheels. Likewise with most other forms of gear based machines.
Second, gears act as reducers. Thereby, they reduce the output speed but increase the torque. To understand this, once again consider the example of a bicycle. If you are climbing up a slope, you move to a smaller gear. This reduces the speed at which the cycle moves, but it increases the power generated by the rotation of the wheels. Hence, on the whole cycling-up the slope becomes easier. A similar example could be considered for a stick-shift car, whereby, you climb up steep slopes in a lower gear.
And to think that in their simplest form, gears are nothing but an interlinked pair of toothed wheels. But, gears can get more complicated. For instance, we could have a chain of gears when gear-one rotates gear-two, which rotates gear-three and so on. Likewise, we could have a situation where one of the toothed element is a cylinder, while the other is a disc. Also, again going back to the example of the cycle, we could have the two gears separated by some distance, but interlinked by a chain, or other transmitting device.
There are two basic functions that gears perform.
First, they make power travel from one part of a machine to another. For instance, when you are pedaling a bicycle, it is the arrangement of gears that causes the transmission of power from your leg movement to the rotation of the wheels. Likewise with most other forms of gear based machines.
Second, gears act as reducers. Thereby, they reduce the output speed but increase the torque. To understand this, once again consider the example of a bicycle. If you are climbing up a slope, you move to a smaller gear. This reduces the speed at which the cycle moves, but it increases the power generated by the rotation of the wheels. Hence, on the whole cycling-up the slope becomes easier. A similar example could be considered for a stick-shift car, whereby, you climb up steep slopes in a lower gear.
And to think that in their simplest form, gears are nothing but an interlinked pair of toothed wheels. But, gears can get more complicated. For instance, we could have a chain of gears when gear-one rotates gear-two, which rotates gear-three and so on. Likewise, we could have a situation where one of the toothed element is a cylinder, while the other is a disc. Also, again going back to the example of the cycle, we could have the two gears separated by some distance, but interlinked by a chain, or other transmitting device.
High Performance Car Transmissions
A transmission or gearbox is the system of gears that transmits mechanical power from the engine which ends at the wheels to produce higher torque/speeds.
The difference between Automatic Transmissions and Manual Gear boxes is that Automatic Transmissions change gear ratios automatically as the vehicle moves therefore not giving the driver control over when to shift gears, Where as the Manual Gearbox allows the driver to shift gears according to their needs whether it be high for high torque or high speeds.
Transmissions provide a major speed-power conversion known as gear reduction (in speed) to a higher torque by using gear sets. The cars transmission provides different speed-power ratios. Performance car transmissions must match the power output of the engine for the vehicle to perform at its peak and to reduce the risk of engine damage from over revving the engine.
All transmissions have different gear ratios and several gears to provide for high and low speed torque.
Low gears are used to give the car higher torque at low speeds and high gears increase the speed but have a lower torque therefore the more gears that the Transmission/Gearbox has the higher the speeds that can be gained. So by changing the gear ratios in the transmission/gearboxes you can maximize the power output and acceleration at any given speed. So you can now you can see the importance of the Transmission /Gearbox optimization has on high performance cars.
The difference between Automatic Transmissions and Manual Gear boxes is that Automatic Transmissions change gear ratios automatically as the vehicle moves therefore not giving the driver control over when to shift gears, Where as the Manual Gearbox allows the driver to shift gears according to their needs whether it be high for high torque or high speeds.
Transmissions provide a major speed-power conversion known as gear reduction (in speed) to a higher torque by using gear sets. The cars transmission provides different speed-power ratios. Performance car transmissions must match the power output of the engine for the vehicle to perform at its peak and to reduce the risk of engine damage from over revving the engine.
All transmissions have different gear ratios and several gears to provide for high and low speed torque.
Low gears are used to give the car higher torque at low speeds and high gears increase the speed but have a lower torque therefore the more gears that the Transmission/Gearbox has the higher the speeds that can be gained. So by changing the gear ratios in the transmission/gearboxes you can maximize the power output and acceleration at any given speed. So you can now you can see the importance of the Transmission /Gearbox optimization has on high performance cars.
Green Living
I recently took delivery of my new car, a Honda Civic Hybrid, and was pleasantly surprised to find that it drove like a 2ltr car but in reality only had a 1300 cc engine.
For the uninitiated a hybrid car has a small engine and an electric motor in series. The gearbox is a CVT (continuously variable transmission) so no automatic gear changes are perceptible. In normal motoring the car uses the small engine; when you need more power, the electric motor assists the engine and conversely when less power is needed the car charges the batteries, equally when braking the energy is directed to the batteries as well.
The one feature which was initially unsettling was that the engine stops when at a standstill with the foot brake applied. Releasing the foot brake starts the engine again.
The dashboard has an additional dial which indicates the state of charge of the batteries and an indication of assist (using the stored power from the batteries) or charge (putting power back into the batteries.
Questions
Do the batteries need recharging?
No, they are automatically charged when the car is used.
Do the batteries make the boot very small?
No, the 150 volt batteries sit behind the rear seat so the boot is a normal size.
What MPG is available?
The car is new so 50 MPG is what I am getting now, but I am assured that this will increase as the car loosens up, although the published top MPG of 65+ I think is unrealistic.
What are the other advantages?
Exempt from the London Congestion charge, £18 road tax and low CO2 emissions.
Is the car reliable?
Honda comes top in the car reliability stakes.
For the uninitiated a hybrid car has a small engine and an electric motor in series. The gearbox is a CVT (continuously variable transmission) so no automatic gear changes are perceptible. In normal motoring the car uses the small engine; when you need more power, the electric motor assists the engine and conversely when less power is needed the car charges the batteries, equally when braking the energy is directed to the batteries as well.
The one feature which was initially unsettling was that the engine stops when at a standstill with the foot brake applied. Releasing the foot brake starts the engine again.
The dashboard has an additional dial which indicates the state of charge of the batteries and an indication of assist (using the stored power from the batteries) or charge (putting power back into the batteries.
Questions
Do the batteries need recharging?
No, they are automatically charged when the car is used.
Do the batteries make the boot very small?
No, the 150 volt batteries sit behind the rear seat so the boot is a normal size.
What MPG is available?
The car is new so 50 MPG is what I am getting now, but I am assured that this will increase as the car loosens up, although the published top MPG of 65+ I think is unrealistic.
What are the other advantages?
Exempt from the London Congestion charge, £18 road tax and low CO2 emissions.
Is the car reliable?
Honda comes top in the car reliability stakes.
An Introduction to Hybrid Cars
As more and more people catch on to the wave of the automotive future - the hybrid car, more and more questions arise regarding these efficient, but somewhat mysterious vehicles. But just how do they work, are they reliable enough, and are they capable of being the car of the future?
So what is a Hybrid Car?
A hybrid car is any car that combines two or more sources of power, such as gasoline and a rechargeable battery. A hybrid-electric vehicle (HEV) combines the power of a gas engine with an electric motor. These dual engine systems can be configured for different purposes such as increasing the car’s power and improving fuel economy.
Components of a Hybrid Car
Components of an Hybrid car may include:
- Battery
- Electric motor
- Internal combustion engine (ICE)
- Generator
- Power split device
The Technological Advances
Some of the technological advances in the hybrid car industry include:
- Regenerative braking: This feature actually recycles energy when the cars brakes are applied. The electric motor is designed to exert resistance to the car’s drive train, which then causes its wheels to slow down. Energy from the wheels is then used to fuel the electric motor, which acts as a generator, converting the energy that would otherwise be wasted while braking into electricity that is stored in the battery until needed.
- Automatic start and shut-off: This feature automatically shuts off the engine when the car has come to a stop, then restarts it when the accelerator is touched. This eliminates the need to waste energy by idling the engine.
- Electric motor drive: The hybrid’s electric motor gives the car the added power it needs when accelerating, passing, or climbing hills. With this extra assistance, a smaller, more fuel efficient engine can be used.
Quick Information on How Hybrid Car Work
An internal combustion engine is “fueled” by a hybrid’s electric generator, which acts as the starter, and is used when first switching the car on. Once the ICE is heated up, it automatically shuts itself off with the electric motor taking over. Some hybrids will stay in an all electric mode until the car reaches a certain speed, usually about 15 mph. If there are no sudden accelerations, and the driver slowly makes a gradual increase in speed, these hybrids can still use all electricity for its power, saving gas, energy and a reducing harmful emissions.
A computer within the hybrid is responsible for determining how much power is needed from the ICE and how much should be used from the electric engine, depending on how fast the car is going. The computer continues to decide whether or not the electric motor should be used, or the internal combustion engine the entire time the car is running. Signals are sent to a gearbox known as the power split device, which uses a series of intricate gears that connect both the gas and electric engines/motors together.
The electric portion of the hybrid draws its power from a set of nickel hydride batteries. The computer also constantly monitors the amount of charge in the battery, keeping it at no less than 40 percent of its full capacity, and never more than 60 percent. The purpose of this is to keep the battery lasting as long as possible, which is usually a couple hundred thousand miles.
So what is a Hybrid Car?
A hybrid car is any car that combines two or more sources of power, such as gasoline and a rechargeable battery. A hybrid-electric vehicle (HEV) combines the power of a gas engine with an electric motor. These dual engine systems can be configured for different purposes such as increasing the car’s power and improving fuel economy.
Components of a Hybrid Car
Components of an Hybrid car may include:
- Battery
- Electric motor
- Internal combustion engine (ICE)
- Generator
- Power split device
The Technological Advances
Some of the technological advances in the hybrid car industry include:
- Regenerative braking: This feature actually recycles energy when the cars brakes are applied. The electric motor is designed to exert resistance to the car’s drive train, which then causes its wheels to slow down. Energy from the wheels is then used to fuel the electric motor, which acts as a generator, converting the energy that would otherwise be wasted while braking into electricity that is stored in the battery until needed.
- Automatic start and shut-off: This feature automatically shuts off the engine when the car has come to a stop, then restarts it when the accelerator is touched. This eliminates the need to waste energy by idling the engine.
- Electric motor drive: The hybrid’s electric motor gives the car the added power it needs when accelerating, passing, or climbing hills. With this extra assistance, a smaller, more fuel efficient engine can be used.
Quick Information on How Hybrid Car Work
An internal combustion engine is “fueled” by a hybrid’s electric generator, which acts as the starter, and is used when first switching the car on. Once the ICE is heated up, it automatically shuts itself off with the electric motor taking over. Some hybrids will stay in an all electric mode until the car reaches a certain speed, usually about 15 mph. If there are no sudden accelerations, and the driver slowly makes a gradual increase in speed, these hybrids can still use all electricity for its power, saving gas, energy and a reducing harmful emissions.
A computer within the hybrid is responsible for determining how much power is needed from the ICE and how much should be used from the electric engine, depending on how fast the car is going. The computer continues to decide whether or not the electric motor should be used, or the internal combustion engine the entire time the car is running. Signals are sent to a gearbox known as the power split device, which uses a series of intricate gears that connect both the gas and electric engines/motors together.
The electric portion of the hybrid draws its power from a set of nickel hydride batteries. The computer also constantly monitors the amount of charge in the battery, keeping it at no less than 40 percent of its full capacity, and never more than 60 percent. The purpose of this is to keep the battery lasting as long as possible, which is usually a couple hundred thousand miles.
Upgrade Your Airsoft Gun with Airsoft Parts
Planning a Make-over?
You can outfit your airsoft gun inside and out. Whether you want better performance or parts replacement, you can get the right airsoft parts. The convenience of shopping for airsoft parts online makes it also easier for you to compare prices, and avail of discounted offers.
Majority of airsoft parts are manufactured in China, Taiwan, and Japan. The airsoft parts cater to all makes and designs of airsoft firearms; so getting one for your airsoft model will be fast and trouble-free. You will only have to be sure of what you want for your airsoft gun.
Before giving your airsoft rifle or handgun a make-over, have a ready plan: when to upgrade, what to upgrade, and how much you are going to spend. When doing the upgrading yourself have all airsoft parts ready. If you are not sure about your competence, get a pro to help you, or show you how it is done.
What Are These Airsoft Parts?
There are airsoft parts for internal and external upgrades. For internal upgrades, there are gearboxes and parts, cylinder pistons, and piston heads, bushings, gears and gear sets, springs and guides, nozzles, hop up rubber sets, motor barrels, inner barrels and other internal parts. For externals you can choose metal parts, optics, silencers, flash hiders, and much more.
Viewing those airsoft parts online can give you a better idea about overhauling your airsoft gun. If you are keen on replacing parts of your Tokyo Marui AK47, start with the gearbox. Perhaps you are aware that the limitations of the velocity of Japanese made airsoft guns are legal in nature not a flaw in design.
The gearbox is large enough to accommodate a bigger 8.4 volt battery. With a speed of 285 fps, your gun’s magazine will be tough enough to hold 68 bbs. Since this gun can switch from semi to full automatic, you will now have a powerful gun after you upgrade the gearbox. In most cases, before you do any upgrading you must have the complete airosoft parts.
Do-It-Yourself
You will need a Systema/Areal1000 metal bushings, hop up bucking, Guarder 50% ball bearings, Guarder Shim and Shim Set. You will be working on springs so get a PDI 150% Spring if you want more speed and velocity. You will be using several screwdrivers, which you can buy from the local hardware.
Go over instructional manuals carefully, and be sure you remove the battery before any disassembling. It will be practical to have ready containers for the tiny screws and bolts.
Upgrade Your Look
If you have done your airsoft rifle a service with airsoft parts, how about getting the latest protective gear for yourself? The vest, SWAT helmet, goggles and sunglasses, arm and leg holsters, and combat boots will give you the protection and appropriate look in your next battle.
You should also update yourself on the local regulations on airsoft firearms, and ensure that you store your guns out of the reach of children.
You can outfit your airsoft gun inside and out. Whether you want better performance or parts replacement, you can get the right airsoft parts. The convenience of shopping for airsoft parts online makes it also easier for you to compare prices, and avail of discounted offers.
Majority of airsoft parts are manufactured in China, Taiwan, and Japan. The airsoft parts cater to all makes and designs of airsoft firearms; so getting one for your airsoft model will be fast and trouble-free. You will only have to be sure of what you want for your airsoft gun.
Before giving your airsoft rifle or handgun a make-over, have a ready plan: when to upgrade, what to upgrade, and how much you are going to spend. When doing the upgrading yourself have all airsoft parts ready. If you are not sure about your competence, get a pro to help you, or show you how it is done.
What Are These Airsoft Parts?
There are airsoft parts for internal and external upgrades. For internal upgrades, there are gearboxes and parts, cylinder pistons, and piston heads, bushings, gears and gear sets, springs and guides, nozzles, hop up rubber sets, motor barrels, inner barrels and other internal parts. For externals you can choose metal parts, optics, silencers, flash hiders, and much more.
Viewing those airsoft parts online can give you a better idea about overhauling your airsoft gun. If you are keen on replacing parts of your Tokyo Marui AK47, start with the gearbox. Perhaps you are aware that the limitations of the velocity of Japanese made airsoft guns are legal in nature not a flaw in design.
The gearbox is large enough to accommodate a bigger 8.4 volt battery. With a speed of 285 fps, your gun’s magazine will be tough enough to hold 68 bbs. Since this gun can switch from semi to full automatic, you will now have a powerful gun after you upgrade the gearbox. In most cases, before you do any upgrading you must have the complete airosoft parts.
Do-It-Yourself
You will need a Systema/Areal1000 metal bushings, hop up bucking, Guarder 50% ball bearings, Guarder Shim and Shim Set. You will be working on springs so get a PDI 150% Spring if you want more speed and velocity. You will be using several screwdrivers, which you can buy from the local hardware.
Go over instructional manuals carefully, and be sure you remove the battery before any disassembling. It will be practical to have ready containers for the tiny screws and bolts.
Upgrade Your Look
If you have done your airsoft rifle a service with airsoft parts, how about getting the latest protective gear for yourself? The vest, SWAT helmet, goggles and sunglasses, arm and leg holsters, and combat boots will give you the protection and appropriate look in your next battle.
You should also update yourself on the local regulations on airsoft firearms, and ensure that you store your guns out of the reach of children.
Gray Market Tractors, What You Should Know and Check Before You Purchase
Before you begin to actually look at tractors you should know exactly what you are looking for.
Consider the following questions when shopping for a tractor.
What size of tractor do you need?
What are you going to be using you tractor for?
How often will the tractor be used?
Is the tractor going to be used to produce income? Of course, money is often a consideration when shopping for a tractor. Consider talking to people that own tractors and get their opinions. Be an informed shopper and don't let anyone rush you. Below are some other things to consider before you begin shopping for a tractor.
Tractor Size
This is obviously the most commonly asked questions regarding a tractor purchase. The average compact tractor consumer owns a 1-5 acre piece of property and uses the small compact diesel mostly for mowing The other tractor consumers usually have between 10-30 acres and needs about a 30 horsepower to complete the necessary tasks.
What are you going to use the tractor for?, is of course, the most important question to answer. Is it just for mowing or will you be using a loader or backhoe on it? Will you be working on rocky or uneven ground?
Dollars & Sense
You should definitely shop around, however, don't forget that if you are comparing the prices of different makes and models of tractor it can sometimes be much like comparing apples to oranges. As with anything else, some makes and models are made better than others. A few more dollars upfront in price for a better quality of tractor makes more 'sense' than having to pay the cost of constant repairs and maintenance.
Different Makes and Models of Tractors
If at all possible, one of the best things you can do to make your life easier, is to purchase a tractor that is easy to get parts for. There are many foreign makes and models that are exact matches to domestic tractors. With that in mind, you can get a parts book for U.S. made tractor and purchase the corresponding part numbers that way. Some parts dealers don't like to sell parts for a gray market tractor. In fact, dealers of some brands of tractors are being told by a higher authority that they cannot willingly sell parts for gray market tractors.
Diesel Engines
Make sure you get a tractor with a diesel engine. Diesel engines have better performance and usually last longer than gas engines. Implements also work better on diesel engine tractors.
Horsepower
Approximately how many horsepower will you need? One horsepower (hp) is the amount of energy required to lift 550 pounds, one foot, in one second. In a tractor the energy is produced from torque and engine speed. A 100 hp tractor is one with a maximum of 100 horsepower available at the power-takeoff (PTO) outlet. PTO
Nearly all Japanese tractor manufacturers include the power take off (PTO) horsepower (hp) in their model numbers; however, they do not include the engine (fly) hp. The first two numbers of the model number is where you find the PTO hp. The PTO hp is important because it is telling you the equipment working power of the tractor. It tells you what horsepower that equipment requiring a PTO will get from the tractor. Click here for a more in depth explanation of PTO.
Cylinders
Consider getting a three or four cylinder tractor. Three and four cylinder tractors are generally newer tractors and run quieter and smoother than the two cylinder models. Transmissions
There are several different types of transmissions for tractors. If you are not knowledgeable about tractor transmissions, it would be a good idea if you familiarize yourself with the different types listed below, so that when you go out to shop for a tractor you will well informed. Manual transmissions on tractors were made to be shifted while the tractor is not in motion. This will cause a grinding noise due to the fact the two gears that are trying to mesh are rotating at different speeds. Manual shift transmissions are known for their durability, however, they are not considered to be very user friendly. The sliding gear and the collar shift are two of the more common transmissions.
Synchro Shift transmissions are basically collar shift transmissions (a type of manual transmission, see above). The difference is the added synchronizers, which makes it so that the gears don't grind if you are trying to shift while the tractor is in motion. Some synchro shift transmissions only have one pair of synchronized gears, while others have all speeds synchronized, including forward and reverse. The synchronization of forward and reverse is called the shuttle shift. This synchro shift is a dependable transmission, however, just like with automobiles, the more 'tricky' the tranny is, and the more chance there is of something going wrong or breaking.
A Power Shift transmission is an option well worth considering. Not those standard shift transmissions won't work just fine; however, often power shift is a nice little luxury, depending on what you are going to be using the tractor for. With a power shift transmission you can choose different speeds while the tractor is in motion, without needing to use the clutch pedal.
Hydrostatic transmissions operate in a closed loop, the flow of the pump is reversed, which in turn causes the tractor to reverse directions. The hydrostatic transmission is considered to be very dependable and is able to defend itself against 'operator difficulty'. Because this is transmission is controlled by a foot pedal, when you take your foot off of the pedal the tractor will stop, this is a nice safety feature. Hydrostatic is considered the best selection for such things as large mowing jobs because it allows for easy direction change and continual, unchanging speed.
Implement Adaptability
You will want a tractor with a Category 1, 3-point hitch and standard rotation PTO shafts. Most imported compact tractors are equipped with these items; however, there are a few that are not.
Implement Availability
Before you purchase a a tractor, make sure that good quality implements are available for it. It is a good idea to try to find a tractor with as many model-specific attachments as possible. These include things such as loaders and backhoes, which have custom-fitted mounts that are not interchangeable with other makes and models of tractor. You can often save money if you purchase the implements at the same time you purchase the tractor and some implements can be very expensive to add on at a later time.
Parts Manuals
Sometime parts manuals can be very hard to acquire. Make sure there is one available for the tractor you choose. Ask how much the manual is, sometimes the cost can be over $100.00 dollars.
Warranty
Find out what kind of a warranty comes with the tractor. Find out what it covers and for how long. Below is a checklist that you can print and take with you when you are out shopping for a tractor. Just check things off and take notes as you check over the prospective tractor.
Yes, it's a very long checklist, but well worth your time if you want to get a good quality tractor at a fair price.
Some things on the checklist may not pertain to the type of tractor you are looking for; however, we believe that most folks will find the majority of information here to be very helpful.
Your goal is to ensure that the tractor you purchase is all that the seller says it is and doesn't have any hidden problems. Make sure you know what you are looking for. Know what options you must have on the tractor and which ones you might be willing to compromise on or be able to add later.
Tractor Buyer's Checklist
Make_____________________________ Model _____________________ Year _________ Hours
On Meter________ Asking Price $____________
Seller's Name _____________________________ Phone ______________
Tractor Location _______________________________________________
Yes/No Notes Visual Exterior Inspection
Does the overall appearance of the tractor look as if it has been cared for?
Why is the tractor for sale?
Is the paint faded?
Is the sheet metal straight?
Are there a lot of 'dings' in the tractor?
Are there any decaying rubber or plastic components?
Are there any structural cracks? Look closely for hairline cracks.
Is there anything that looks like a 'makeshift' repair job?
Are the tires in good condition with good tread left on them?
Is there a calcium mixture added to the tires for better stability?
Is there still good tread left on the tires?
Is the seat in good condition?
Does it have a standard 3-point hitch?
Are there any puddles of fluid under the tractor?
Are there any oil spots on the ground around the wheels?
Engine Inspection
Is the engine warm?
Are there oil and/or fuel on the engine?
Can you see any seals leaking?
Is there oil around the rear axles, near the rear wheel?
Is there oil around the PTO seals?
Are there oil leaks around the output shaft seals gearboxes? (4WD
Is the engine oil at or near the full mark?
Is the front axle dipstick at or near the full mark? (4WD)
Does the oil look clean? Black is ok for diesel engines.
Are there creamy white droplets near the top of the dipstick?
Are all the filters U.S. made?
Is the air filter intact?
Does the air filter have any tears or holes in it?
Is the fuel filter clean?
Is the fan belt tight and in good shape?
Does the air inlet tube have any cracks or holes in it?
Is the water in the radiator dark green? This is a good thing.
Does the radiator water have a milky looking scum to it?
Is there flaking or discolored paint around the radiator cap?
Is there moisture along the bottom of the radiator?
Is there any slop in the steering linkages?
Did you closely look over the tractor a second time to make sure you didn't miss anything?
Running Engine Inspection
Does the oil pressure register when you just turn the key?
Start the tractor. Does it start easily?
Does the oil pressure light go off or the oil gauge go up to about 30-80 psi?
Do all of the other lights go off?
Is the voltage meter (if it has one) charging a full 13.5-14.5 volts
Did you rock the steering wheel from left to right? Do this with the engine running if the
tractor has power steering.
Does the PTO spin in all gears?
Does the 3-point hitch work properly?
Does the tractor continue to smoke after it warms up?
Driving The Tractor (This is the fun part)
Does the tractor work through all of the gears?
Does the power shift feel 'weak' when shifting?
Is there any slippage when you quickly accelerate into high gear?
Does the 4WD engage properly?
Does the clutch slip?
Do the brakes work well?
Did you check the brakes by pushing one pedal at a time in low gear?
Does the tractor make any clunking noises from inside the engine?
Does the charging system work properly?
Do the wheels wobble at all?
Hydraulics
Are the control levers in good shape and not flopping around?
Are the pivot pins badly worn?
Does any oil seep out of the extended spools (control valves)?
Are the hydraulic couplers capped?
Does the hydraulics work correctly?
Post Driving Inspection
Did the temp gauge ever get above the recommended temperature?
Did the temp light ever come on while you were driving it?
Did the tractor overheat?
Did the tractor run well even after it got hot?
Do you see any new leaks from the radiator?
Do you see any new oil and or fluid leaks?
Did you see excess smoke when you removed the oil cap?
Did you closely look over the tractor a third time to make sure you didn't miss anything?
I Hope this has been a lot of information that you where looking for and you will use this information to your advantage and be safe with it.
Consider the following questions when shopping for a tractor.
What size of tractor do you need?
What are you going to be using you tractor for?
How often will the tractor be used?
Is the tractor going to be used to produce income? Of course, money is often a consideration when shopping for a tractor. Consider talking to people that own tractors and get their opinions. Be an informed shopper and don't let anyone rush you. Below are some other things to consider before you begin shopping for a tractor.
Tractor Size
This is obviously the most commonly asked questions regarding a tractor purchase. The average compact tractor consumer owns a 1-5 acre piece of property and uses the small compact diesel mostly for mowing The other tractor consumers usually have between 10-30 acres and needs about a 30 horsepower to complete the necessary tasks.
What are you going to use the tractor for?, is of course, the most important question to answer. Is it just for mowing or will you be using a loader or backhoe on it? Will you be working on rocky or uneven ground?
Dollars & Sense
You should definitely shop around, however, don't forget that if you are comparing the prices of different makes and models of tractor it can sometimes be much like comparing apples to oranges. As with anything else, some makes and models are made better than others. A few more dollars upfront in price for a better quality of tractor makes more 'sense' than having to pay the cost of constant repairs and maintenance.
Different Makes and Models of Tractors
If at all possible, one of the best things you can do to make your life easier, is to purchase a tractor that is easy to get parts for. There are many foreign makes and models that are exact matches to domestic tractors. With that in mind, you can get a parts book for U.S. made tractor and purchase the corresponding part numbers that way. Some parts dealers don't like to sell parts for a gray market tractor. In fact, dealers of some brands of tractors are being told by a higher authority that they cannot willingly sell parts for gray market tractors.
Diesel Engines
Make sure you get a tractor with a diesel engine. Diesel engines have better performance and usually last longer than gas engines. Implements also work better on diesel engine tractors.
Horsepower
Approximately how many horsepower will you need? One horsepower (hp) is the amount of energy required to lift 550 pounds, one foot, in one second. In a tractor the energy is produced from torque and engine speed. A 100 hp tractor is one with a maximum of 100 horsepower available at the power-takeoff (PTO) outlet. PTO
Nearly all Japanese tractor manufacturers include the power take off (PTO) horsepower (hp) in their model numbers; however, they do not include the engine (fly) hp. The first two numbers of the model number is where you find the PTO hp. The PTO hp is important because it is telling you the equipment working power of the tractor. It tells you what horsepower that equipment requiring a PTO will get from the tractor. Click here for a more in depth explanation of PTO.
Cylinders
Consider getting a three or four cylinder tractor. Three and four cylinder tractors are generally newer tractors and run quieter and smoother than the two cylinder models. Transmissions
There are several different types of transmissions for tractors. If you are not knowledgeable about tractor transmissions, it would be a good idea if you familiarize yourself with the different types listed below, so that when you go out to shop for a tractor you will well informed. Manual transmissions on tractors were made to be shifted while the tractor is not in motion. This will cause a grinding noise due to the fact the two gears that are trying to mesh are rotating at different speeds. Manual shift transmissions are known for their durability, however, they are not considered to be very user friendly. The sliding gear and the collar shift are two of the more common transmissions.
Synchro Shift transmissions are basically collar shift transmissions (a type of manual transmission, see above). The difference is the added synchronizers, which makes it so that the gears don't grind if you are trying to shift while the tractor is in motion. Some synchro shift transmissions only have one pair of synchronized gears, while others have all speeds synchronized, including forward and reverse. The synchronization of forward and reverse is called the shuttle shift. This synchro shift is a dependable transmission, however, just like with automobiles, the more 'tricky' the tranny is, and the more chance there is of something going wrong or breaking.
A Power Shift transmission is an option well worth considering. Not those standard shift transmissions won't work just fine; however, often power shift is a nice little luxury, depending on what you are going to be using the tractor for. With a power shift transmission you can choose different speeds while the tractor is in motion, without needing to use the clutch pedal.
Hydrostatic transmissions operate in a closed loop, the flow of the pump is reversed, which in turn causes the tractor to reverse directions. The hydrostatic transmission is considered to be very dependable and is able to defend itself against 'operator difficulty'. Because this is transmission is controlled by a foot pedal, when you take your foot off of the pedal the tractor will stop, this is a nice safety feature. Hydrostatic is considered the best selection for such things as large mowing jobs because it allows for easy direction change and continual, unchanging speed.
Implement Adaptability
You will want a tractor with a Category 1, 3-point hitch and standard rotation PTO shafts. Most imported compact tractors are equipped with these items; however, there are a few that are not.
Implement Availability
Before you purchase a a tractor, make sure that good quality implements are available for it. It is a good idea to try to find a tractor with as many model-specific attachments as possible. These include things such as loaders and backhoes, which have custom-fitted mounts that are not interchangeable with other makes and models of tractor. You can often save money if you purchase the implements at the same time you purchase the tractor and some implements can be very expensive to add on at a later time.
Parts Manuals
Sometime parts manuals can be very hard to acquire. Make sure there is one available for the tractor you choose. Ask how much the manual is, sometimes the cost can be over $100.00 dollars.
Warranty
Find out what kind of a warranty comes with the tractor. Find out what it covers and for how long. Below is a checklist that you can print and take with you when you are out shopping for a tractor. Just check things off and take notes as you check over the prospective tractor.
Yes, it's a very long checklist, but well worth your time if you want to get a good quality tractor at a fair price.
Some things on the checklist may not pertain to the type of tractor you are looking for; however, we believe that most folks will find the majority of information here to be very helpful.
Your goal is to ensure that the tractor you purchase is all that the seller says it is and doesn't have any hidden problems. Make sure you know what you are looking for. Know what options you must have on the tractor and which ones you might be willing to compromise on or be able to add later.
Tractor Buyer's Checklist
Make_____________________________ Model _____________________ Year _________ Hours
On Meter________ Asking Price $____________
Seller's Name _____________________________ Phone ______________
Tractor Location _______________________________________________
Yes/No Notes Visual Exterior Inspection
Does the overall appearance of the tractor look as if it has been cared for?
Why is the tractor for sale?
Is the paint faded?
Is the sheet metal straight?
Are there a lot of 'dings' in the tractor?
Are there any decaying rubber or plastic components?
Are there any structural cracks? Look closely for hairline cracks.
Is there anything that looks like a 'makeshift' repair job?
Are the tires in good condition with good tread left on them?
Is there a calcium mixture added to the tires for better stability?
Is there still good tread left on the tires?
Is the seat in good condition?
Does it have a standard 3-point hitch?
Are there any puddles of fluid under the tractor?
Are there any oil spots on the ground around the wheels?
Engine Inspection
Is the engine warm?
Are there oil and/or fuel on the engine?
Can you see any seals leaking?
Is there oil around the rear axles, near the rear wheel?
Is there oil around the PTO seals?
Are there oil leaks around the output shaft seals gearboxes? (4WD
Is the engine oil at or near the full mark?
Is the front axle dipstick at or near the full mark? (4WD)
Does the oil look clean? Black is ok for diesel engines.
Are there creamy white droplets near the top of the dipstick?
Are all the filters U.S. made?
Is the air filter intact?
Does the air filter have any tears or holes in it?
Is the fuel filter clean?
Is the fan belt tight and in good shape?
Does the air inlet tube have any cracks or holes in it?
Is the water in the radiator dark green? This is a good thing.
Does the radiator water have a milky looking scum to it?
Is there flaking or discolored paint around the radiator cap?
Is there moisture along the bottom of the radiator?
Is there any slop in the steering linkages?
Did you closely look over the tractor a second time to make sure you didn't miss anything?
Running Engine Inspection
Does the oil pressure register when you just turn the key?
Start the tractor. Does it start easily?
Does the oil pressure light go off or the oil gauge go up to about 30-80 psi?
Do all of the other lights go off?
Is the voltage meter (if it has one) charging a full 13.5-14.5 volts
Did you rock the steering wheel from left to right? Do this with the engine running if the
tractor has power steering.
Does the PTO spin in all gears?
Does the 3-point hitch work properly?
Does the tractor continue to smoke after it warms up?
Driving The Tractor (This is the fun part)
Does the tractor work through all of the gears?
Does the power shift feel 'weak' when shifting?
Is there any slippage when you quickly accelerate into high gear?
Does the 4WD engage properly?
Does the clutch slip?
Do the brakes work well?
Did you check the brakes by pushing one pedal at a time in low gear?
Does the tractor make any clunking noises from inside the engine?
Does the charging system work properly?
Do the wheels wobble at all?
Hydraulics
Are the control levers in good shape and not flopping around?
Are the pivot pins badly worn?
Does any oil seep out of the extended spools (control valves)?
Are the hydraulic couplers capped?
Does the hydraulics work correctly?
Post Driving Inspection
Did the temp gauge ever get above the recommended temperature?
Did the temp light ever come on while you were driving it?
Did the tractor overheat?
Did the tractor run well even after it got hot?
Do you see any new leaks from the radiator?
Do you see any new oil and or fluid leaks?
Did you see excess smoke when you removed the oil cap?
Did you closely look over the tractor a third time to make sure you didn't miss anything?
I Hope this has been a lot of information that you where looking for and you will use this information to your advantage and be safe with it.
Used Cars - Second Hand Cars - Tips For Buying
Don't buy a car in the rain, the bodywork always looks better when it's wet, plus, the chances are you will forget to check something by rushing to get out of the rain.
Stand at the front, or the back of the car, and look along the body line. You will be able to see if it has had any body damage as the light reflecting off the side of the car will show the dents or replaced panels.
Check around the window rubbers for over spray, a sure fire way to see if a car as been touched up.
Check the gaps between the panels to make sure they are even on both sides of the car. Bonnet to wing etc. This is a good indication as to whether the car has been in an accident and had panels replaced.
Take a fridge magnet with you and check the bodywork for filler. The magnet will stick to the metal, but will fall off if it meets body filler.
Have a look at the interior of the car, does the wear inside the car look in keeping with the mileage. If the car looks like its done 100,000 and the clock says 25,000. Then you know its been round the clock, or even worse clocked. Check the steering wheel, and accelerator pedal rubber for excessive wear, the clutch and brake pedal rubbers can be replaced, but the accelerator pedal is a lot harder to change, and will give a truer indication of mileage.
Check underneath the car for any oil or water leaks, also check the floor where the car has been standing for the same.
Check the tires for uneven wear, if the tires are worn more on one side than the other its an indication that the car may have been in an accident and the chassis is twisted. It could also be the tracking or wheel balancing. Either way its not a good sign.
Drive the car, (with the radio off) and check for any knocks or strange noises. Check the steering for vibration, or pulling to one side, its an indication again that the car may have been in an accident and the chassis is twisted. Make sure you drive the car in all gears to check the gearbox.
Try a 3 point turn in the car, that will check the reverse gear, and if you put the steering on full lock you will be able to check the wheel bearings and steering rack (your looking for clunking sounds or creaking).
When the engine is now hot check the oil, if it is milky there is water getting in somewhere, which could indicate a head gasket. (very Costly). The oil should be filled to between the 2 marks on the dipstick. If the oil is brand new beware, not many people will change the oil on a car the day before they sell it unless they are trying to hide something. Also check the water reservoir for signs of oil, not a good sign.
Last of all, check the paperwork. Make sure the registration document is in the sellers name. They may be a trader trying to pose as a private seller. Check the MOT to make sure its current. Check the service history to make sure it matches the vehicle being sold. Also you may want to check the engine and chassis number to see if it matches what is on the registration document. You will find that information on a small metal plate located under the bonnet. If the plate is missing be suspicious.
It's also a good idea to get the car HPI checked. This will tell you if the car has been stolen, been in an and accident, or is on finance. It costs around £40 but well worth it.
Stand at the front, or the back of the car, and look along the body line. You will be able to see if it has had any body damage as the light reflecting off the side of the car will show the dents or replaced panels.
Check around the window rubbers for over spray, a sure fire way to see if a car as been touched up.
Check the gaps between the panels to make sure they are even on both sides of the car. Bonnet to wing etc. This is a good indication as to whether the car has been in an accident and had panels replaced.
Take a fridge magnet with you and check the bodywork for filler. The magnet will stick to the metal, but will fall off if it meets body filler.
Have a look at the interior of the car, does the wear inside the car look in keeping with the mileage. If the car looks like its done 100,000 and the clock says 25,000. Then you know its been round the clock, or even worse clocked. Check the steering wheel, and accelerator pedal rubber for excessive wear, the clutch and brake pedal rubbers can be replaced, but the accelerator pedal is a lot harder to change, and will give a truer indication of mileage.
Check underneath the car for any oil or water leaks, also check the floor where the car has been standing for the same.
Check the tires for uneven wear, if the tires are worn more on one side than the other its an indication that the car may have been in an accident and the chassis is twisted. It could also be the tracking or wheel balancing. Either way its not a good sign.
Drive the car, (with the radio off) and check for any knocks or strange noises. Check the steering for vibration, or pulling to one side, its an indication again that the car may have been in an accident and the chassis is twisted. Make sure you drive the car in all gears to check the gearbox.
Try a 3 point turn in the car, that will check the reverse gear, and if you put the steering on full lock you will be able to check the wheel bearings and steering rack (your looking for clunking sounds or creaking).
When the engine is now hot check the oil, if it is milky there is water getting in somewhere, which could indicate a head gasket. (very Costly). The oil should be filled to between the 2 marks on the dipstick. If the oil is brand new beware, not many people will change the oil on a car the day before they sell it unless they are trying to hide something. Also check the water reservoir for signs of oil, not a good sign.
Last of all, check the paperwork. Make sure the registration document is in the sellers name. They may be a trader trying to pose as a private seller. Check the MOT to make sure its current. Check the service history to make sure it matches the vehicle being sold. Also you may want to check the engine and chassis number to see if it matches what is on the registration document. You will find that information on a small metal plate located under the bonnet. If the plate is missing be suspicious.
It's also a good idea to get the car HPI checked. This will tell you if the car has been stolen, been in an and accident, or is on finance. It costs around £40 but well worth it.
BOC To Supply Gases and Technical Support To Hawk Corporation
BOC (NYSE:BOX) and Hawk Corporation (NYSE:HWK) have signed a multi-year contract for the supply of gases, equipment, technical support and consulting services at eight of Hawk's 16 world wide facilities.
Hawk manufactures specialized components used in a variety of end markets including industrial, commercial, and aerospace applications.
Under the agreement, which has an estimated total lifetime value of more than US $3 million, BOC will supply Hawk with liquid hydrogen, liquid nitrogen, three nitrogen on-site production units, cylinder gases and technical solutions and consultative services to Hawk's Precision Components and Wellman Products divisions.
Bob Conrad, vice president, purchasing, Hawk, said, "BOC has the technical capability and global reach that we are looking for in a supply partner. This agreement will enable us to consolidate our supplier base, reduce our gases spend and raise our technical expertise."
Scott Kallman, vice president and general manager for BOC's Eastern region, said, "We are looking forward to working with Hawk in the future. Plans are already under way to implement our patented sinter hardening technology, and we have begun discussions on the possibility of conducting joint research in this and other powdered metal areas."
Hawk Corporation is a leading worldwide supplier of highly engineered products. Its friction products group is a leading supplier of friction materials for brakes, clutches and transmissions used in airplanes, trucks, construction equipment, farm equipment and recreational vehicles. Through its precision components group, the company is a leading supplier of powder metal and metal injection molded components for industrial applications, including pump, motor and transmission elements, gears, pistons and anti-lock sensor rings. The Company's performance automotive group manufactures clutches and gearboxes for motorsport applications and performance automotive markets. The Company's motor group designs and manufactures die-cast aluminum rotors for fractional and subfractional electric motors used in appliances, business equipment and HVAC systems. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Hawk has approximately 1,680 employees and 16 manufacturing sites in five countries.
Hawk manufactures specialized components used in a variety of end markets including industrial, commercial, and aerospace applications.
Under the agreement, which has an estimated total lifetime value of more than US $3 million, BOC will supply Hawk with liquid hydrogen, liquid nitrogen, three nitrogen on-site production units, cylinder gases and technical solutions and consultative services to Hawk's Precision Components and Wellman Products divisions.
Bob Conrad, vice president, purchasing, Hawk, said, "BOC has the technical capability and global reach that we are looking for in a supply partner. This agreement will enable us to consolidate our supplier base, reduce our gases spend and raise our technical expertise."
Scott Kallman, vice president and general manager for BOC's Eastern region, said, "We are looking forward to working with Hawk in the future. Plans are already under way to implement our patented sinter hardening technology, and we have begun discussions on the possibility of conducting joint research in this and other powdered metal areas."
Hawk Corporation is a leading worldwide supplier of highly engineered products. Its friction products group is a leading supplier of friction materials for brakes, clutches and transmissions used in airplanes, trucks, construction equipment, farm equipment and recreational vehicles. Through its precision components group, the company is a leading supplier of powder metal and metal injection molded components for industrial applications, including pump, motor and transmission elements, gears, pistons and anti-lock sensor rings. The Company's performance automotive group manufactures clutches and gearboxes for motorsport applications and performance automotive markets. The Company's motor group designs and manufactures die-cast aluminum rotors for fractional and subfractional electric motors used in appliances, business equipment and HVAC systems. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Hawk has approximately 1,680 employees and 16 manufacturing sites in five countries.
ChevronTexaco Global Lubricants Introduces New Turbine Oil For Gas, Steam and Combined Cycle Turbines
ChevronTexaco Global Lubricants, a leading provider of industrial lubricants and reliability solutions, today introduced a new turbine oil formulated to properly lubricate and protect against the harsh conditions found in turbines and gearboxes. The new product, which will be marketed as both Chevron GST 2300 and Texaco Regal Premium EP, is a premium performance turbine lubricant designed for gas, steam and combined cycle turbines, with or without loaded gearboxes. The product's performance characteristics allow it to maintain consistent viscosity, effective sludge control and eliminate the need for separate turbine and gearbox oils.
"In field trials, turbines running our new oil ran twice as long as those using a conventional lubricant," said Katherine Johnson, Industrial Specialist, ChevronTexaco Global Lubricants. "The product exceeds all critical OEM specifications for gas, steam, and highly-loaded gear turbines. It also has an RBOT value of 2300 minutes. No other non-synthetic turbine oil available today can make that claim. When you combine our new turbine oil with ChevronTexaco Global Lubricant's line of industrial heat transfer fluids, coolants and solutions, you create a complete offering for the power generation market that few, if any, can match."
Chevron GST 2300 and Texaco Regal Premium EP Benefits of Chevron GST 2300 and Texaco Regal Premium ED include the excellent water separability characteristics, which allow the oil to maintain a high film strength coating on critical wear points of bearings and gear reducers and assure rapid removal of water contamination. The corrosion inhibition feature protects turbine shafts, gears and lubrication system parts from corrosion and rusting and the foam inhibition element prevents sump overflow.
Additional product benefits include:
-- Superior oxidation stability for long service at elevated
temperatures
-- Protection from sludge and varnish formation
-- Simplified inventory: One lubricant for gearboxes and turbines
-- High viscosity index assuring minimum viscosity change with
temperature variations
-- Quick air release minimizing the possibility of pump
cavitation in systems with high circulation rates and small
reservoirs
-- Formulated with ISOSYN base stocks
The new turbine oil, available in ISO 32 and 46, can be obtained through ChevronTexaco marketers in North America by May 2004.
Chevron GST 2300 and Texaco Regal Premium EP ISO 32 .
Chevron GST 2300 and Texaco Regal Premium EP are not recommended for aeroderivative gas turbines, for this application ChevronTexaco Global Lubricants recommends Chevron Synthetic Turbine Oil SGT and Texaco Regal SGT 22.
About ChevronTexaco Global Lubricants
ChevronTexaco Global Lubricants (CTGL) is a leader in providing lubrication products and solutions to retail consumers, and commercial and industrial customers. Headquartered in San Ramon, Calif., CTGL is ranked among the top three global marketers of lubricants, and together with its many affiliates worldwide, is active in 186 countries through 4,000 employees. Its worldwide presence enables the company to be a local provider of superior service with global resources. CTGL is a division of a wholly owned subsidiary of ChevronTexaco Corporation (NYSE:CVX).
CTGL markets a full line of lubrication and coolant products under the Chevron, Texaco and Caltex brand names. Select brands include Superla(R), Havoline(R), Delo(R), Ursa(R), Revtex(R) and Texaco Xpress Lube(R). The company has patented technology in advanced lubricants products and new generation base oil technology, as well as in more diverse areas such as coolants and crop protection.
"In field trials, turbines running our new oil ran twice as long as those using a conventional lubricant," said Katherine Johnson, Industrial Specialist, ChevronTexaco Global Lubricants. "The product exceeds all critical OEM specifications for gas, steam, and highly-loaded gear turbines. It also has an RBOT value of 2300 minutes. No other non-synthetic turbine oil available today can make that claim. When you combine our new turbine oil with ChevronTexaco Global Lubricant's line of industrial heat transfer fluids, coolants and solutions, you create a complete offering for the power generation market that few, if any, can match."
Chevron GST 2300 and Texaco Regal Premium EP Benefits of Chevron GST 2300 and Texaco Regal Premium ED include the excellent water separability characteristics, which allow the oil to maintain a high film strength coating on critical wear points of bearings and gear reducers and assure rapid removal of water contamination. The corrosion inhibition feature protects turbine shafts, gears and lubrication system parts from corrosion and rusting and the foam inhibition element prevents sump overflow.
Additional product benefits include:
-- Superior oxidation stability for long service at elevated
temperatures
-- Protection from sludge and varnish formation
-- Simplified inventory: One lubricant for gearboxes and turbines
-- High viscosity index assuring minimum viscosity change with
temperature variations
-- Quick air release minimizing the possibility of pump
cavitation in systems with high circulation rates and small
reservoirs
-- Formulated with ISOSYN base stocks
The new turbine oil, available in ISO 32 and 46, can be obtained through ChevronTexaco marketers in North America by May 2004.
Chevron GST 2300 and Texaco Regal Premium EP ISO 32 .
Chevron GST 2300 and Texaco Regal Premium EP are not recommended for aeroderivative gas turbines, for this application ChevronTexaco Global Lubricants recommends Chevron Synthetic Turbine Oil SGT and Texaco Regal SGT 22.
About ChevronTexaco Global Lubricants
ChevronTexaco Global Lubricants (CTGL) is a leader in providing lubrication products and solutions to retail consumers, and commercial and industrial customers. Headquartered in San Ramon, Calif., CTGL is ranked among the top three global marketers of lubricants, and together with its many affiliates worldwide, is active in 186 countries through 4,000 employees. Its worldwide presence enables the company to be a local provider of superior service with global resources. CTGL is a division of a wholly owned subsidiary of ChevronTexaco Corporation (NYSE:CVX).
CTGL markets a full line of lubrication and coolant products under the Chevron, Texaco and Caltex brand names. Select brands include Superla(R), Havoline(R), Delo(R), Ursa(R), Revtex(R) and Texaco Xpress Lube(R). The company has patented technology in advanced lubricants products and new generation base oil technology, as well as in more diverse areas such as coolants and crop protection.
New utility vehicle from Kubota - utility equipment
Kubota Tractor Corp., Torrance, Calif., has announced the development of its first utility vehicle, the RTV900. Designed for general purpose, worksite, turf and recreational applications, the new unity vehicle is available in four configurations and incorporates the same technology used on the company's tractors, which have been sold in the U.S. for more than 30 years.
Kubota entered the utility vehicle market based on the growing trends of utility vehicles and the resources it already had to produce the vehicles, said James Burnside, product manager at Kubota. "We are going to grow this business. This is going to be big growth for Kubota this year."
After three years in development, Kubota began production on the vehicles in Gainesville, Ga. Full production was slated to begin in January.
While the company may have aimed for commonality between its new utility vehicle and its tractors in many areas, Burnside said the Kubota D902 diesel engine was designed specifically for the RTV900 utility vehicle. The three-cylinder, OHV, liquid-cooled engine has an 898 cc displacement on a bore and stroke of 2.83 in. x 2.90 in. and is rated 21.6 hp. The engine features a half float valve cover with a rubber ring gasket to seal and isolate vibration and reduce noise throughout the crankcase, the company said. Engine cooling is provided by a Denso radiator.
Kubota entered the utility vehicle market based on the growing trends of utility vehicles and the resources it already had to produce the vehicles, said James Burnside, product manager at Kubota. "We are going to grow this business. This is going to be big growth for Kubota this year."
After three years in development, Kubota began production on the vehicles in Gainesville, Ga. Full production was slated to begin in January.
While the company may have aimed for commonality between its new utility vehicle and its tractors in many areas, Burnside said the Kubota D902 diesel engine was designed specifically for the RTV900 utility vehicle. The three-cylinder, OHV, liquid-cooled engine has an 898 cc displacement on a bore and stroke of 2.83 in. x 2.90 in. and is rated 21.6 hp. The engine features a half float valve cover with a rubber ring gasket to seal and isolate vibration and reduce noise throughout the crankcase, the company said. Engine cooling is provided by a Denso radiator.
American Gear Manufacturers Association
The American Gear Manufacturers Association (AGMA) will sponsor an exhibit pavilion for its members at the 2008 IFPE--International Exposition for Power Transmission. AGMA will also promote the show as an IFPE 2008 supporting organization. IFPE 2008 will be held March 11-15, 2008, at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nev., and will be North America's largest exposition and technical conference for hydraulic, pneumatic, electrical and mechanical power transmission components, systems and controls.
Steep incline pump drive highlights expanded Funk programs - Mechanical Powertrain Component Supplement - Funk Manufacturing
The launch of a new hydraulic pump drive for steep incline applications highlights an expanded marketing program for Funk Mfg. Funk, Coffeyville, Kan., manufactures a variety of powertrain components, including transmissions, gearboxes and hydraulic pump drives, and is responsible for the marketing of axles manufactured by the Power Systems Group of Deere & Co., Funk's parent company. Funk also signed a North American sales agreement with England's International Transmissions Ltd. (see August 1998, Diesel Progress).
The new pump drive for steep incline use is part of Funk's 56000 series, and is similar in design to the existing five pump drives in that range. The new drive carries a rating to 950 hp (2000 lb.ft. at 2500 rpm) and can drive up to five hydraulic pumps. Target markets include trenchers, drill rigs and trash compactors.
The new steep incline configuration includes pressure lubrication, as well as a lowered sump case that is designed to eliminate gear contact with the oil in a horizontal position and reduces contact with the oil in side tilt applications up to 30 [degrees].
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Continuous operation in extreme side tilt applications in normal gearbox configurations can immerse one or more gears totally in oil, causing heating and gear damage because of the churning of the oil, Funk said. The new pump drive design includes a lube pump that supplies oil to all gear meshes, splines and bearings at all times, through internal lines drilled into the pump drive casting. Thus there are no external lines to leak or break, Funk said.
A pressure switch is also part of the new configuration, and can be wired to a panel light to warn the operator of low lube oil pressure in the drive. Further, the new hydraulic pump drive also includes high-contact ratio spur gears for quieter operation and ease of service and cylindrical roller bearings are also used, eliminating the need to shim the beatings.
The new pump drive configuration is also the first of what is expected to be an expanded emphasis on pump drives for Funk. According to Jim Huffman, sales manager, part of that program is increased emphasis on distributor pump drive sales and packaging. This is being done, said Huffman, as Funk distributors are doing more and more work with smaller equipment manufacturers.
The Funk distributors, totaling 22 worldwide, keep unsealed pump drives in stock, as well as gear ratio sets, power take-offs, a range of inputs, clutches, pump adapters and plates that allow them to essentially "build" a pump drive for a specific customer application. There are also 27 service dealers worldwide that support Funk's OEM direct programs.
Some distributors are packaging the Funk pump drives with Deere engines as a complete hydraulic power unit, while others are packaging hydraulic pumps with the pump drives, giving the equipment manufacturer a full hydraulic drive package.
As detailed in August, Funk is now the exclusive sales agent of International Transmissions Ltd., for the Americas. This adds a complementary range of transmissions and axles to Funk's axle and transmission range.
The new pump drive for steep incline use is part of Funk's 56000 series, and is similar in design to the existing five pump drives in that range. The new drive carries a rating to 950 hp (2000 lb.ft. at 2500 rpm) and can drive up to five hydraulic pumps. Target markets include trenchers, drill rigs and trash compactors.
The new steep incline configuration includes pressure lubrication, as well as a lowered sump case that is designed to eliminate gear contact with the oil in a horizontal position and reduces contact with the oil in side tilt applications up to 30 [degrees].
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Continuous operation in extreme side tilt applications in normal gearbox configurations can immerse one or more gears totally in oil, causing heating and gear damage because of the churning of the oil, Funk said. The new pump drive design includes a lube pump that supplies oil to all gear meshes, splines and bearings at all times, through internal lines drilled into the pump drive casting. Thus there are no external lines to leak or break, Funk said.
A pressure switch is also part of the new configuration, and can be wired to a panel light to warn the operator of low lube oil pressure in the drive. Further, the new hydraulic pump drive also includes high-contact ratio spur gears for quieter operation and ease of service and cylindrical roller bearings are also used, eliminating the need to shim the beatings.
The new pump drive configuration is also the first of what is expected to be an expanded emphasis on pump drives for Funk. According to Jim Huffman, sales manager, part of that program is increased emphasis on distributor pump drive sales and packaging. This is being done, said Huffman, as Funk distributors are doing more and more work with smaller equipment manufacturers.
The Funk distributors, totaling 22 worldwide, keep unsealed pump drives in stock, as well as gear ratio sets, power take-offs, a range of inputs, clutches, pump adapters and plates that allow them to essentially "build" a pump drive for a specific customer application. There are also 27 service dealers worldwide that support Funk's OEM direct programs.
Some distributors are packaging the Funk pump drives with Deere engines as a complete hydraulic power unit, while others are packaging hydraulic pumps with the pump drives, giving the equipment manufacturer a full hydraulic drive package.
As detailed in August, Funk is now the exclusive sales agent of International Transmissions Ltd., for the Americas. This adds a complementary range of transmissions and axles to Funk's axle and transmission range.
Sorry, I'd rather have a Honda
Two years ago I celebrated the centenary of Rolls-Royce by driving a Silver Ghost, the first of the marque to go into series- production. The example exhibited at the Motor Show in November 1906 was dubbed the 40/50' by then 12 cars had been tested to destruction and the 13th, painted and plated in silver, seemed so magnificent that mere numbers would no longer do and it became the Silver Ghost.
Motoring correspondents of its day wrote of riding in the Ghost as being wafted through the air, as though the wheels were not in contact with the ground, in total silence, at speeds quite unimaginable. Autocar magazine in 1907 was responsible for the myth that "one's auditory nerves" heard nothing louder than the dashboard clock.
Were they blind, deaf and comprehensively insensate? To drive an early Ghost now - cosseted, adored and venerated for a century - is to be deafened by the racket, and to have one's teeth so loosened by the juddering, that the sane man must prefer to travel in a horse- drawn cart.
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During the many years of its manufacture, the suspension of the Ghost was revised, refined and improved, yet it obstinately remained a creature familiar to any charioteer of Julius Caesar's day' and even when the Ghost was replaced by the Phantom I in 1925, the old chassis soldiered on for four more years, carrying the new engine.
The engine may well have been the smoothest, quietest and most flexible of its day, and there can be no doubting its reliability, but in truth it looks and sounds like a barrel-organ built for the Black Dyke Mills Band. It is a big six of 7,036cc, producing 50bhp at 1,500rpm - hardly enough for sparkling performance when bodies by the great coachbuilders of the day brought the on-the-road weight to the best part of three tonnes. That weight was an essential part of keeping the wheels in contact with the road and smoothing out the bounce.
In 1909 the capacity was increased to 7,428cc and by 1911 power had risen to 58bhp. Right at the end of its lifespan, in 1925, it had been persuaded to give 85bhp. By then it had been mated to a variety of three-and four-speed gearboxes with ratios that always made it possible to drive in top gear and no other - a signal advantage to drivers who could not master the business of double- declutching for a silent change.
The British public, restrained by an early speed-limit of 20mph, were less interested in speed than in a car's ability to do everything required of it in top gear. Double declutching to match the rotating speeds of the gears was virtually impossible for most private owners who, if confronted by a hill, were inclined to stop, select the gear in which the car might climb it and stay in it rather than risk the crash of gear-grinding on the move.
Rolls-Royce offered reassurance with a very early Ghost driven from Bexhill to Glasgow in top, and in 1911 this feat was capped by a car driven from London to Edinburgh and back, followed by a speed trial at Brook lands in which the car, nicknamed The Sluggard, roared round the circuit at 78.26mph.
A 15,000-mile road trial to and forth between London and Glasgow without a forced stop further substantiated the car's claim to be reliable. Then a single-seater Ghost circled Brook-lands at 101mph. When in India a Ghost, deprived of tools and with its bonnet locked so that its oil and water could not be topped up, climbed six mountain passes in a row, the car became the favoured marque of nawabs and maharajahs.
The first advertisement for the Ghost then asked the question: "Is this the best car in the world?'" The second unhesitatingly stated that it was. We have believed it ever since.
Was it ever true? Response in Britain to the Ghost was so ecstatic that R-R dropped all other models to concentrate on it and production rose to seven cars a week. I am content to believe that it was, in its first incarnation, the best-made car in the world, the most scrupulously considered in every tiny detail, that the tolerances were such that nothing could ever bend, distort or sheer.
But if the legend meant that the Ghost's engine, gearbox, brakes and suspension were so far in advance of the engineering of the day that they required nothing but a little tinkering to keep R-R ahead of all its rivals, then it was a downright lie.
Royce was a perfectionist rather than an innovator, content to make better what had already been made before. It was Rolls, killed in a flying accident in 1910, who determined that their cars should be big and powerful, that their bodies should all be built by the great coach-builders - exclusive, inventive and expensive independent craftsmen - and it was Rolls who drove the marque into the headlines and high society.
Motoring correspondents of its day wrote of riding in the Ghost as being wafted through the air, as though the wheels were not in contact with the ground, in total silence, at speeds quite unimaginable. Autocar magazine in 1907 was responsible for the myth that "one's auditory nerves" heard nothing louder than the dashboard clock.
Were they blind, deaf and comprehensively insensate? To drive an early Ghost now - cosseted, adored and venerated for a century - is to be deafened by the racket, and to have one's teeth so loosened by the juddering, that the sane man must prefer to travel in a horse- drawn cart.
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During the many years of its manufacture, the suspension of the Ghost was revised, refined and improved, yet it obstinately remained a creature familiar to any charioteer of Julius Caesar's day' and even when the Ghost was replaced by the Phantom I in 1925, the old chassis soldiered on for four more years, carrying the new engine.
The engine may well have been the smoothest, quietest and most flexible of its day, and there can be no doubting its reliability, but in truth it looks and sounds like a barrel-organ built for the Black Dyke Mills Band. It is a big six of 7,036cc, producing 50bhp at 1,500rpm - hardly enough for sparkling performance when bodies by the great coachbuilders of the day brought the on-the-road weight to the best part of three tonnes. That weight was an essential part of keeping the wheels in contact with the road and smoothing out the bounce.
In 1909 the capacity was increased to 7,428cc and by 1911 power had risen to 58bhp. Right at the end of its lifespan, in 1925, it had been persuaded to give 85bhp. By then it had been mated to a variety of three-and four-speed gearboxes with ratios that always made it possible to drive in top gear and no other - a signal advantage to drivers who could not master the business of double- declutching for a silent change.
The British public, restrained by an early speed-limit of 20mph, were less interested in speed than in a car's ability to do everything required of it in top gear. Double declutching to match the rotating speeds of the gears was virtually impossible for most private owners who, if confronted by a hill, were inclined to stop, select the gear in which the car might climb it and stay in it rather than risk the crash of gear-grinding on the move.
Rolls-Royce offered reassurance with a very early Ghost driven from Bexhill to Glasgow in top, and in 1911 this feat was capped by a car driven from London to Edinburgh and back, followed by a speed trial at Brook lands in which the car, nicknamed The Sluggard, roared round the circuit at 78.26mph.
A 15,000-mile road trial to and forth between London and Glasgow without a forced stop further substantiated the car's claim to be reliable. Then a single-seater Ghost circled Brook-lands at 101mph. When in India a Ghost, deprived of tools and with its bonnet locked so that its oil and water could not be topped up, climbed six mountain passes in a row, the car became the favoured marque of nawabs and maharajahs.
The first advertisement for the Ghost then asked the question: "Is this the best car in the world?'" The second unhesitatingly stated that it was. We have believed it ever since.
Was it ever true? Response in Britain to the Ghost was so ecstatic that R-R dropped all other models to concentrate on it and production rose to seven cars a week. I am content to believe that it was, in its first incarnation, the best-made car in the world, the most scrupulously considered in every tiny detail, that the tolerances were such that nothing could ever bend, distort or sheer.
But if the legend meant that the Ghost's engine, gearbox, brakes and suspension were so far in advance of the engineering of the day that they required nothing but a little tinkering to keep R-R ahead of all its rivals, then it was a downright lie.
Royce was a perfectionist rather than an innovator, content to make better what had already been made before. It was Rolls, killed in a flying accident in 1910, who determined that their cars should be big and powerful, that their bodies should all be built by the great coach-builders - exclusive, inventive and expensive independent craftsmen - and it was Rolls who drove the marque into the headlines and high society.
Machining Center
The Cincinnati Gear Company, full service manufacturer of gears and gearboxes worldwide, has added a new machining center to its manufacturing equipment. The T-30 Horizontal Machining Center will be used to machine housings and component gears up to 40 in. by 40 in. With the acquisition of the T-30, Cincinnati Gear manufactures more parts in less time, thus increasing production, the company said. As a palletized machine, the T-30 can work on one piece while the operator sets up a second, third or fourth. Additionally, the T-30 is equipped with inspection capabilities to ensure quality products to the customer. The T-30 is a fully automatic machine, including tool selection and positioning, cutting feeds selection, spindle speeds and coolant control. The T-30's 90 tool positioner for milling, drilling, tapping, boring and reaming can be changed automatically during just one handling or the work piece, saving additional time and energy
Mugen Prime 12 RTR
Mugen's shaft-drive tourer takes on the ready-to-runs by Peter Vieira
The ready-to-run RC kits available today are the best ever; in addition to generally excellent factory assembly, many RTRs now include painted and trimmed bodies, fuel bottles, batteries and other accessories that make it easier than ever to go directly from the hobby shop to the track with barely a pit stop to plug in the antenna tube. That's convenient, but every step the factory does for you increases the cost of the kit and homogenizes the car just a little more. There are hobbyists out there who might be looking for an RTR that's not quite as finished so they can say, I built it," not just, I bought it," and even save a few bucks in the process.
Mugen's* new Prime 12 RTR is just such a kit. The chassis is ready to roll, with installed radio gear and glued-on tires, but its Andy's body (your choice of an Accord or a Stratus) isn't painted, so you can give your Prime 12 a unique look, and there are fewer frills to increase the kit's cost. Has Mugen made the right calls to maintain RTR convenience while cutting the cost of entry, or will the Prime 12 RTR leave you wishing for more? Here's what I found out.
The ready-to-run RC kits available today are the best ever; in addition to generally excellent factory assembly, many RTRs now include painted and trimmed bodies, fuel bottles, batteries and other accessories that make it easier than ever to go directly from the hobby shop to the track with barely a pit stop to plug in the antenna tube. That's convenient, but every step the factory does for you increases the cost of the kit and homogenizes the car just a little more. There are hobbyists out there who might be looking for an RTR that's not quite as finished so they can say, I built it," not just, I bought it," and even save a few bucks in the process.
Mugen's* new Prime 12 RTR is just such a kit. The chassis is ready to roll, with installed radio gear and glued-on tires, but its Andy's body (your choice of an Accord or a Stratus) isn't painted, so you can give your Prime 12 a unique look, and there are fewer frills to increase the kit's cost. Has Mugen made the right calls to maintain RTR convenience while cutting the cost of entry, or will the Prime 12 RTR leave you wishing for more? Here's what I found out.
Tamiya TB evolution: Tamiya takes its shaft chassis from basic to ballistic
Tamiya takes its shaft chassis from basic to ballistic by Greg Vogel
If you've been into the hobby a while, you'll remember that, with the TA series, Tamiya' pioneered touring cars and their shaft-drive technology. As belt-drive cars became popular, Tamiya responded with the TA-03 and its latest top-of-the-line competition tourer, the TA-04 Pro. Tamiya never gave up on shafts, however, and the system remains the drive train of choice for its 4WD vehicles. This is evident in the company's latest (and very competitive) super-scale nitro car, the TGR and the wellestablished TGX, TG-10, TL-01 and TB-01 platforms. The TB-01 is particularly interesting; it was initially offered as a rally car, but dedicated Tamiyaphiles soon discovered it had real racing potential, and Tamiya now offers a full line of race-oriented hop-ups for it.
It seems Tamiya wasn't satisfied with merely hopping up the TB-01 and has designed an all-new car-- the TB Evolution-around its shaft-drive system. The limited-release Evo is much more than a TB-01 with some optional parts; it has some TGR in its bloodline and obviously seems competitive. But as good as a car looks, the racetrack is always the real test. So let's check it out.
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KIT FEATURES
Chassis. The TB Evo has a double-deck chassis with both plates cut from woven carbon-fiber. The lower chassis plate is slotted to hold all 6 cells low on the right side, and molded battery cups with a carbonfiber hold-down strap keep the cells in place (there are also small slots for strapping tape if you want to save weight by omitting the battery hold-down). The left side of the chassis is home to the motor and all the electronics, and the area under the motor has been cut away, so the motor sits almost flush with the chassis' bottom. Even the gearboxes get the low-- CG treatment; small openings allow them to poke through the chassis and, of course, the holes on the bottom plate have been countersunk.
The top deck spans the chassis' length, and it's bolted to the front and rear bulkheads, the motor mount, the steering posts and an aluminum center post. By bolting the plate to these areas, Tamiya provides a very rigid platform with almost no noticeable flexing.
A foam bumper is captured between an upper and a lower plate. This prevents the bumper from folding over in a crash and allows it to do its job.
* Drive train. Although the Evo is shaft-driven like its TB-01 precursor, the drive train is almost totally new. The rear end is equipped with a ball differential like the one used on the TG-10, but a lightweight plastic bevel-diff gear replaces the TG-10's cast-- aluminum gear. To reduce rotating mass, the differential halves are made of light machined aluminum instead of cast aluminum. A plastic bevel pinion is mated with the diff inside the gear case, which is borrowed from the TGR. Up front, a torque splitter (also known as a one-way diff) is used in place of a conventional diff. It's built into a TB-01 cliff case held in another TGR gearbox. The TGR case is unique in that its halves aren't bolted together; instead, a ring slides over the area that encloses the bevel pinion gear bearings and prevents the case from splitting. To hold the case's outdrive portions together, they are wedged between the bulkheads.
An aluminum shaft with a steel rear tip sends power to the front and rear gearboxes. The steel tip is on the spur gear end where the pin slides through the shaft to hold the gear; the steel construction prevents the pin from stretching the hole. The spur is a 0.4 module (metric 64-pitch) and a kit-specific part; no standard gear adapter is offered, so only Tamiya spur gears and metric pinions can be used. I'm glad to say Tamiya has you covered: three 88-tooth and three 72-tooth spurs are supplied.
The drive assembly runs on rubber-sealed ball bearings, and universal axles drive the front and rear wheels. The axles aren't drilled for Tamiya's usual crosspins; instead, they are splined for metal drive hexes.
The motor plate is machined from lightweight aluminum that's anodized in a light gray and has a washer plate that the motor screws go through to hold the motor. Although the plate looks badass, it's very hard to reach the screws unless you have a ballhex driver. Even with the ball driver, it's hard to get to the screws after the car has been assembled. Tamiya supplies a black heatsink to cool the motor, and a 35-tooth pinion is also standard equipment.
* Suspension. The Evo's chassis is wider than the standard TB-01's, and its arms are longer than the standard car's, too. The arms run deeper into the wheels to improve the car's stability and handling; they are very stiff and have a matte finish that looks more raceworthy than the shiny gloss of other Tamiya kits' parts. Believe it or not, I had to drill holes in the arms for down-stop screws. I don't think I've ever had to do any hand-fitting on a Tamiya car before. You'll find stout rear hubs, hub carriers and steering knuckles at the ends of the arms, but you won't find any screw-in hinge pins. Like Tamiya's previous pro-car offerings, the Evo uses E-clip hinge pins to hold the suspension pieces together.
If you've been into the hobby a while, you'll remember that, with the TA series, Tamiya' pioneered touring cars and their shaft-drive technology. As belt-drive cars became popular, Tamiya responded with the TA-03 and its latest top-of-the-line competition tourer, the TA-04 Pro. Tamiya never gave up on shafts, however, and the system remains the drive train of choice for its 4WD vehicles. This is evident in the company's latest (and very competitive) super-scale nitro car, the TGR and the wellestablished TGX, TG-10, TL-01 and TB-01 platforms. The TB-01 is particularly interesting; it was initially offered as a rally car, but dedicated Tamiyaphiles soon discovered it had real racing potential, and Tamiya now offers a full line of race-oriented hop-ups for it.
It seems Tamiya wasn't satisfied with merely hopping up the TB-01 and has designed an all-new car-- the TB Evolution-around its shaft-drive system. The limited-release Evo is much more than a TB-01 with some optional parts; it has some TGR in its bloodline and obviously seems competitive. But as good as a car looks, the racetrack is always the real test. So let's check it out.
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KIT FEATURES
Chassis. The TB Evo has a double-deck chassis with both plates cut from woven carbon-fiber. The lower chassis plate is slotted to hold all 6 cells low on the right side, and molded battery cups with a carbonfiber hold-down strap keep the cells in place (there are also small slots for strapping tape if you want to save weight by omitting the battery hold-down). The left side of the chassis is home to the motor and all the electronics, and the area under the motor has been cut away, so the motor sits almost flush with the chassis' bottom. Even the gearboxes get the low-- CG treatment; small openings allow them to poke through the chassis and, of course, the holes on the bottom plate have been countersunk.
The top deck spans the chassis' length, and it's bolted to the front and rear bulkheads, the motor mount, the steering posts and an aluminum center post. By bolting the plate to these areas, Tamiya provides a very rigid platform with almost no noticeable flexing.
A foam bumper is captured between an upper and a lower plate. This prevents the bumper from folding over in a crash and allows it to do its job.
* Drive train. Although the Evo is shaft-driven like its TB-01 precursor, the drive train is almost totally new. The rear end is equipped with a ball differential like the one used on the TG-10, but a lightweight plastic bevel-diff gear replaces the TG-10's cast-- aluminum gear. To reduce rotating mass, the differential halves are made of light machined aluminum instead of cast aluminum. A plastic bevel pinion is mated with the diff inside the gear case, which is borrowed from the TGR. Up front, a torque splitter (also known as a one-way diff) is used in place of a conventional diff. It's built into a TB-01 cliff case held in another TGR gearbox. The TGR case is unique in that its halves aren't bolted together; instead, a ring slides over the area that encloses the bevel pinion gear bearings and prevents the case from splitting. To hold the case's outdrive portions together, they are wedged between the bulkheads.
An aluminum shaft with a steel rear tip sends power to the front and rear gearboxes. The steel tip is on the spur gear end where the pin slides through the shaft to hold the gear; the steel construction prevents the pin from stretching the hole. The spur is a 0.4 module (metric 64-pitch) and a kit-specific part; no standard gear adapter is offered, so only Tamiya spur gears and metric pinions can be used. I'm glad to say Tamiya has you covered: three 88-tooth and three 72-tooth spurs are supplied.
The drive assembly runs on rubber-sealed ball bearings, and universal axles drive the front and rear wheels. The axles aren't drilled for Tamiya's usual crosspins; instead, they are splined for metal drive hexes.
The motor plate is machined from lightweight aluminum that's anodized in a light gray and has a washer plate that the motor screws go through to hold the motor. Although the plate looks badass, it's very hard to reach the screws unless you have a ballhex driver. Even with the ball driver, it's hard to get to the screws after the car has been assembled. Tamiya supplies a black heatsink to cool the motor, and a 35-tooth pinion is also standard equipment.
* Suspension. The Evo's chassis is wider than the standard TB-01's, and its arms are longer than the standard car's, too. The arms run deeper into the wheels to improve the car's stability and handling; they are very stiff and have a matte finish that looks more raceworthy than the shiny gloss of other Tamiya kits' parts. Believe it or not, I had to drill holes in the arms for down-stop screws. I don't think I've ever had to do any hand-fitting on a Tamiya car before. You'll find stout rear hubs, hub carriers and steering knuckles at the ends of the arms, but you won't find any screw-in hinge pins. Like Tamiya's previous pro-car offerings, the Evo uses E-clip hinge pins to hold the suspension pieces together.
Machine tool basics: Part 2
This second installment of our series looks at key machine-tool elements and addresses the tool, the toolholder, and machine control.
The cutting action in a machine tool when milling and drilling involves the spindle, toolholder, and tools.
Spindle Design
Spindles, which secure the tool and its holder, are key in determining machine tool accuracy. In early machine tools, the spindles were simple bearing-- mounted shafts driven by a constant-speed electric motor, achieving different speeds through belts and gears. Operators changed spindle speed by shifting gears or moving belts to and from various pulleys.
As drive motors achieved higher torque and were designed to operate at variable speeds, belt and gear-driven systems began to wane in popularity, but both are still used. Stronger, longer-wearing, quieter belt and gear-- drive designs have been developed. Variable-speed direct drive, or integral-- motor spindles have replaced geared spindles for high-speed applications. At the same time, spindles with planetary gear systems, much like a car's automatic transmission, are now used to provide a wide torque output.
Three important variables in spindle design are the type of bearing, bearing placement, and drive motor.
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Spindle bearings. Spindles have from one to four sets of bearings. The most common bearing configuration on a spindle is one pair back to back in front, and a floating pair or single unit in back. The configuration depends largely upon the balance between axial and radial load, or whether there is an integral, belt, or gear drive.
Although most bearings use steel balls, hybrid bearings with ceramic balls and steel races are gaining favor. Ceramic balls are about 60% lighter than steel units, and so have less inertia and cause less wear. The lighter weight allows spindle shafts to turn from 30 to 50% faster. Ceramic balls are also significantly more expensive than steel.
There are other alternatives to ball bearings depending on the application, performance specifications, and the allowable cost.
Air bearings are used for light, very high-- speed loads such as small drills and high-precision polishing. Air spindles, which operate at 250,000 rpm, carry small tools, just several millimeters in diameter, and do light cuts. They can be used on hardened steels and can produce a mirror finish, eliminating EDM in some cases.
Magnetic bearings suspend the spindle shaft in a frictionless magnetic field, and are used at speeds of more than 40,000 rpm. The main problems are control, complexity, and cost. In the more distant future, superconducting bearings may be practical.
For slower, high-precision operations, hydrodynamic and hydrostatic bearings, can be used. Speed is limited due to fluid shear to slower speeds, such as are employed in some precision grinding operations.
Bearing placement. Most bearings used in spindles employ angular contact, which is the angle between the ball-to-face contact line and a plane through the ball centers perpendicular to the bearing axis. It is usually 12 to 25 deg. The smaller the contact angle, the greater the radial load-carrying ability. The greater the contact angle, the greater the axial load. Thus, choosing the correct bearing is a compromise. For example, in drilling, a very high vertical load operation might require an angle of 25 deg, while milling can be carried out at 15 deg.
The amount of preload placed on the bearing during assembly is important, particularly at speeds over 3000 rpm. At these speeds, temperature becomes an issue, and it is important that there is enough preload to compensate for thermal expansion. Preload settings are based on a combination of maximum speed and maximum cutting forces, plus the type of bearing.
Proper sealing of the bearing is essential when reliability and maintainability are important. Many spindle failures are the result of coolant, moisture, or other materials getting into the bearing. Foreign fluids degrade the lubricant, and solids can spall the raceway and bearings. Sealing problems reportedly cause more than half of the field problems encountered. Machine wrecks are the other major cause of spindles not getting to their design life.
Motor evolution. Motor technology has come a long way, particularly in the ability to get more horsepower from a smaller package. Initially, spindle motors were simple induction motors used with gearboxes and drive belts. Later there was a shift to dc units that delivered more torque. Then, in the 1980s, there was a transition to ac for many applications. The ac motors offered higher performance, higher speed, and fewer wearing parts, and don't employ electromechanical commutation. Ratings range from 5 to 15 hp. These motors can run at a fixed torque with a wide constant-horsepower range.
The cutting action in a machine tool when milling and drilling involves the spindle, toolholder, and tools.
Spindle Design
Spindles, which secure the tool and its holder, are key in determining machine tool accuracy. In early machine tools, the spindles were simple bearing-- mounted shafts driven by a constant-speed electric motor, achieving different speeds through belts and gears. Operators changed spindle speed by shifting gears or moving belts to and from various pulleys.
As drive motors achieved higher torque and were designed to operate at variable speeds, belt and gear-driven systems began to wane in popularity, but both are still used. Stronger, longer-wearing, quieter belt and gear-- drive designs have been developed. Variable-speed direct drive, or integral-- motor spindles have replaced geared spindles for high-speed applications. At the same time, spindles with planetary gear systems, much like a car's automatic transmission, are now used to provide a wide torque output.
Three important variables in spindle design are the type of bearing, bearing placement, and drive motor.
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Spindle bearings. Spindles have from one to four sets of bearings. The most common bearing configuration on a spindle is one pair back to back in front, and a floating pair or single unit in back. The configuration depends largely upon the balance between axial and radial load, or whether there is an integral, belt, or gear drive.
Although most bearings use steel balls, hybrid bearings with ceramic balls and steel races are gaining favor. Ceramic balls are about 60% lighter than steel units, and so have less inertia and cause less wear. The lighter weight allows spindle shafts to turn from 30 to 50% faster. Ceramic balls are also significantly more expensive than steel.
There are other alternatives to ball bearings depending on the application, performance specifications, and the allowable cost.
Air bearings are used for light, very high-- speed loads such as small drills and high-precision polishing. Air spindles, which operate at 250,000 rpm, carry small tools, just several millimeters in diameter, and do light cuts. They can be used on hardened steels and can produce a mirror finish, eliminating EDM in some cases.
Magnetic bearings suspend the spindle shaft in a frictionless magnetic field, and are used at speeds of more than 40,000 rpm. The main problems are control, complexity, and cost. In the more distant future, superconducting bearings may be practical.
For slower, high-precision operations, hydrodynamic and hydrostatic bearings, can be used. Speed is limited due to fluid shear to slower speeds, such as are employed in some precision grinding operations.
Bearing placement. Most bearings used in spindles employ angular contact, which is the angle between the ball-to-face contact line and a plane through the ball centers perpendicular to the bearing axis. It is usually 12 to 25 deg. The smaller the contact angle, the greater the radial load-carrying ability. The greater the contact angle, the greater the axial load. Thus, choosing the correct bearing is a compromise. For example, in drilling, a very high vertical load operation might require an angle of 25 deg, while milling can be carried out at 15 deg.
The amount of preload placed on the bearing during assembly is important, particularly at speeds over 3000 rpm. At these speeds, temperature becomes an issue, and it is important that there is enough preload to compensate for thermal expansion. Preload settings are based on a combination of maximum speed and maximum cutting forces, plus the type of bearing.
Proper sealing of the bearing is essential when reliability and maintainability are important. Many spindle failures are the result of coolant, moisture, or other materials getting into the bearing. Foreign fluids degrade the lubricant, and solids can spall the raceway and bearings. Sealing problems reportedly cause more than half of the field problems encountered. Machine wrecks are the other major cause of spindles not getting to their design life.
Motor evolution. Motor technology has come a long way, particularly in the ability to get more horsepower from a smaller package. Initially, spindle motors were simple induction motors used with gearboxes and drive belts. Later there was a shift to dc units that delivered more torque. Then, in the 1980s, there was a transition to ac for many applications. The ac motors offered higher performance, higher speed, and fewer wearing parts, and don't employ electromechanical commutation. Ratings range from 5 to 15 hp. These motors can run at a fixed torque with a wide constant-horsepower range.
New Speed Reducer/Increaser Launched - Rj Link International Inc - Brief Article
Rj Link International Inc. has introduced a new off-highway gearbox that will expand the Rockford, Ill., manufacturer's range of off-highway powertrain components. Founded in 1993, Link manufactures standard and custom gearboxes and components for a variety of off-highway uses, as well as having a contract machining business primarily used by a number of construction equipment manufacturers.
The product range includes engine-mounted and freestanding speed reducers and increasers, as well as hydraulic pump drives, transfer cases, multiple speed gearboxes and right angle drives.
The newest addition to Rj Link line is the model D144 gearbox. The box, which can be used either as reducer or increaser, has an input capacity of 600 hp at 1800 rpm and ratios of 1.2:1 through 3.0:1 in either engine or anti-engine rotation. The D144 is targeted at uses such as mud pumps, rock crushers, tub grinders, wood chippers, air and/or gas compressors and generator sets.
The D144 gearbox has a cast iron housing and uses hardened helical gears and tapered roller bearings. According to Rod Link, president of Rj Link, one of the key design features of the D144 is the use of helical gears that are splined to shafts. This means no keyways and reduced noise and heat, while adding strength and durability to the design, he said.
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The gearbox is designed to be direct mounted to a diesel engine via an integral bell housing, though it can also be adapted for remote or independent mounting. The input shaft can be configured for a mechanical clutch, air clutch or a flywheel coupling. The standard output shaft is 4 in. x 9 in. long, with other styles available.
The launch of the D144 continues a recent move by Rj Link to expand the standard product side of the business, which works in parallel with the company's custom gearbox business, products typically built on a proprietary basis for a specific equipment manufacturer.
Rod Link said the company pursues applications up to about 1000 hp. Other gearboxes manufactured by Rj Link are used in applications such as construction equipment brooms, grain handling equipment, orchard sprayers, air compressors, truck-mounted pump drives, concrete saws, snowblowers and snow grooming equipment. All are manufactured at Rj Link's 15,000 sq.ft. facility, which was recently ISO 9001 certified. The plant features vertical and horizontal CNC machining centers, CNC lathes, CNC gear hobbing, gear shaping and horizontal broaching capability, which allows the company to handle single piece prototype, as well as higher volume machining operations, Rod Link said.
Among the other standard products in the Rj Link line is the model D101, an aluminum case gearbox that has an input capacity of 240 hp at 1000 rpm with a 1.8:1 ratio, or 215 hp at 1000 rpm with a 4.0:1 ratio. Hardened helical gears and tapered roller bearings are used.
The model D105 has input capacities of 425 hp and 375 hp at 1800 rpm with 1.2:1 and 3.0:1 ratios respectively as either a speed increaser or reducer. The D106 is a two-speed gearbox, with standard ratios from 1.0:1 and 4.0:1, and input capacities of 55 hp or 190 hp at 1000 rpm. Both the D105 and D106 gearboxes have cast iron housings. The D119 is a cast iron drop-box with an input capacity of 375 hp at 1800 rpm and 1:1 standard ratios.
The D131 is a cast iron split-shaft transfer case with 1:1 ratios and an input capacity of 500 lip at 1800 rpm with 1500 lb.ft. torque to the top shaft and 1500 lb.ft. on the straight through drive.
Among the more specialized boxes Rj Link has designed and manufactured is a proprietary planetary drive with an input capacity of 600 lip at 1800 rpm, that uses hardened spur gears and has available ratios of 5:1 and 6:1.
The product range includes engine-mounted and freestanding speed reducers and increasers, as well as hydraulic pump drives, transfer cases, multiple speed gearboxes and right angle drives.
The newest addition to Rj Link line is the model D144 gearbox. The box, which can be used either as reducer or increaser, has an input capacity of 600 hp at 1800 rpm and ratios of 1.2:1 through 3.0:1 in either engine or anti-engine rotation. The D144 is targeted at uses such as mud pumps, rock crushers, tub grinders, wood chippers, air and/or gas compressors and generator sets.
The D144 gearbox has a cast iron housing and uses hardened helical gears and tapered roller bearings. According to Rod Link, president of Rj Link, one of the key design features of the D144 is the use of helical gears that are splined to shafts. This means no keyways and reduced noise and heat, while adding strength and durability to the design, he said.
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The gearbox is designed to be direct mounted to a diesel engine via an integral bell housing, though it can also be adapted for remote or independent mounting. The input shaft can be configured for a mechanical clutch, air clutch or a flywheel coupling. The standard output shaft is 4 in. x 9 in. long, with other styles available.
The launch of the D144 continues a recent move by Rj Link to expand the standard product side of the business, which works in parallel with the company's custom gearbox business, products typically built on a proprietary basis for a specific equipment manufacturer.
Rod Link said the company pursues applications up to about 1000 hp. Other gearboxes manufactured by Rj Link are used in applications such as construction equipment brooms, grain handling equipment, orchard sprayers, air compressors, truck-mounted pump drives, concrete saws, snowblowers and snow grooming equipment. All are manufactured at Rj Link's 15,000 sq.ft. facility, which was recently ISO 9001 certified. The plant features vertical and horizontal CNC machining centers, CNC lathes, CNC gear hobbing, gear shaping and horizontal broaching capability, which allows the company to handle single piece prototype, as well as higher volume machining operations, Rod Link said.
Among the other standard products in the Rj Link line is the model D101, an aluminum case gearbox that has an input capacity of 240 hp at 1000 rpm with a 1.8:1 ratio, or 215 hp at 1000 rpm with a 4.0:1 ratio. Hardened helical gears and tapered roller bearings are used.
The model D105 has input capacities of 425 hp and 375 hp at 1800 rpm with 1.2:1 and 3.0:1 ratios respectively as either a speed increaser or reducer. The D106 is a two-speed gearbox, with standard ratios from 1.0:1 and 4.0:1, and input capacities of 55 hp or 190 hp at 1000 rpm. Both the D105 and D106 gearboxes have cast iron housings. The D119 is a cast iron drop-box with an input capacity of 375 hp at 1800 rpm and 1:1 standard ratios.
The D131 is a cast iron split-shaft transfer case with 1:1 ratios and an input capacity of 500 lip at 1800 rpm with 1500 lb.ft. torque to the top shaft and 1500 lb.ft. on the straight through drive.
Among the more specialized boxes Rj Link has designed and manufactured is a proprietary planetary drive with an input capacity of 600 lip at 1800 rpm, that uses hardened spur gears and has available ratios of 5:1 and 6:1.
Tamiya Avante
The year was 1988, and the hottest car, on the market was the Tamiya Avante. Four-wheel-drive offroad was booming, and Tamiya introduced its technological master- " piece with the hope that it would take the world by storm. For many, the Avante was the ultimate car-the pinnacle of RC tech when buggies reigned supreme.
Now, 13 years after the original Avante was reviewed in the September 1988 issue of Radio Control Car Action, we look back at a car that was ahead of its time. JP's Hobbies and Raceway in Ansonia, CT, has a pristine Avante on display. and they let me borrow it for a flashback to the years before Chain-drive was still popular for four wheelers back, in 88, that the Avante used an advanced shaft-drive system with the motor mounted parallel to the drive train. The front and rear gearboxes are equipped with scaled gear cliffs, and the spur gear features a ball differential; this makes the Av ante a triple cliff car. The front and rear gearboxes are fairly elaborate and use a combination of straight-cut and beveled gears.
Shooting the Avante really took us back in time, and we found ourselves getting nostalgic for the good old days-even though RC stuff is a lot better now! It's nice to look back, but don't get stuck in a time warp. You know you're stuck in 1988 when ... Your "digital" charger has a 15-minute timer.
You just over-charged your SCE pack. The only "TC" you know about is the guy who flew the helicopter on "Magnum PI."
You put belt drive on your RC10 ... ... after you dialed in the A&L trailing arms.
Not any more flashback fodder? Log onto cccaraction.com, and share it with the est of us old folks.
QUICK-RELEASE WHEELS
The Avante's hubcaps are actually integral mounting nuts. Pop-up tabs are used to unscrew the hubcap and remove the wheel. When the tabs are flipped down, they fit into the rim to prevent the hubcap from backing out.
HI-CAP DAMPERS
The Avante's aluminum-body, double-0-ring shocks are as smooth as any modern units and are precisely machined, There's nothing dated about them at all!
THROW-BACK ELECTRONICS
This is Avante sports gear straight from '88. Check out the pager-size receiver and extra-long antenna-nice. The Futaba ESC and the Trinity Monster Horse Power motor are classics,
FIBERGLASS CHASSIS
The arrowhead-shaped top deck looks pretty, but the main chassis is little more than a straight slab of fiberglass. The rear transmission sits on top of the lower deck, but the front tranny is actually a structural chassis component that is cantilevered off the front of the lower deck. The Avante accepted 6- or 7-cell packs and held the battery very close to the main chassis' centerline. A plastic retainer held in place by a body clip kept the pack in place.
MULTI-LINK SUSPENSION
What looks like a big mess is actually a 3-link suspension that had just as much adjustability in the front as in the rear: camber and toe-in were infinitely adjustable via thick aluminum turnbuckles. Note the spidery, cast steering hubs, universal-joint axles and the tiny pivoting castings that are joined by a urethane bushing. The pivoting castings allowed the front suspension to flex back in a crash rather than bend or break. The laydown shock position did not require a shock tower; instead, short standoffs held the shocks and, like the rear shocks. were braced by a threaded rod.
TRIPLE-BELLCRANK STEERING
The Avante's unconventional steering-servo placement called for an equally unconventional linkage. It worked; the extra bellcrank eliminated the need for an extra-long wire link at the servo, and the rigid aluminum bracket operated the primary bell
cranks smoothly with equal throw in both directions.
ROBOTECH BODY
The Avante's body is a good example of Japanese "sci-fi deco" at its best. The curvaceous shell looks ready to go into hyperspace with its dual "intakes" and uncaged bubble cockpit. A separate undertray is clipped beneath the chassis. Removing both pieces was a hassle; three clips hold the undertray, and the main body could be peeled off only after two body clips and both suspension braces were popped off.
`CHOCOLATE-CHIP" SPIKED TIRES
Back in 1988, soft compound tires did not exist hard, plasticky tires and spiky knobs ruled the day. The Avante wore spikes that were shaped like chocolate chips and hooked up fairly well on loose surfaces.
Tamiya cars were (and are) notable for their high-quality molding, detailed manuals and great box art, but the vintage machines had a little something extra that made them uniquely Tamiya: wacky wing slogans. Here are some of the classics; they probably seemed like a good idea in Japanese, but it's all in the translation ....
AVANTE-Being Nuts is Neat!
HORNET-Anytime Baby!
VANQUISH-Up and Away!
GRASSHOPPER 2-I'm Hopping Mad!
STRIKER-Get Rough!
FALCON-Born to be Wild!
FROG-No Guts, No Glory
EGRESS-Way Out Running
SUPER CHAMP-Go for It!
MAD CAP-Never Give Up
TERRA SCORCHER-Flying High
ASTUTE-Awesome!
Tamiya re-released the Wild Willy and XR-311, and the Bruiser came back briefly as the Mountaineer. Is there any hope for an Avante comeback? Chances are slim; none of its parts still exist as components of current Tamiya vehicles, and it would be very expensive to bring back all those molded and cast parts. If you want an Avante, check out eBay. But if you would settle for a Manta Ray-the historic 4WD tub-chassis buggy that gave life to the TA01 touring car and the entire touring car boom-- you're in luck; Tamiya plans to rerelease the Manta Ray as an Expert Built ready-to-run! E
Now, 13 years after the original Avante was reviewed in the September 1988 issue of Radio Control Car Action, we look back at a car that was ahead of its time. JP's Hobbies and Raceway in Ansonia, CT, has a pristine Avante on display. and they let me borrow it for a flashback to the years before Chain-drive was still popular for four wheelers back, in 88, that the Avante used an advanced shaft-drive system with the motor mounted parallel to the drive train. The front and rear gearboxes are equipped with scaled gear cliffs, and the spur gear features a ball differential; this makes the Av ante a triple cliff car. The front and rear gearboxes are fairly elaborate and use a combination of straight-cut and beveled gears.
Shooting the Avante really took us back in time, and we found ourselves getting nostalgic for the good old days-even though RC stuff is a lot better now! It's nice to look back, but don't get stuck in a time warp. You know you're stuck in 1988 when ... Your "digital" charger has a 15-minute timer.
You just over-charged your SCE pack. The only "TC" you know about is the guy who flew the helicopter on "Magnum PI."
You put belt drive on your RC10 ... ... after you dialed in the A&L trailing arms.
Not any more flashback fodder? Log onto cccaraction.com, and share it with the est of us old folks.
QUICK-RELEASE WHEELS
The Avante's hubcaps are actually integral mounting nuts. Pop-up tabs are used to unscrew the hubcap and remove the wheel. When the tabs are flipped down, they fit into the rim to prevent the hubcap from backing out.
HI-CAP DAMPERS
The Avante's aluminum-body, double-0-ring shocks are as smooth as any modern units and are precisely machined, There's nothing dated about them at all!
THROW-BACK ELECTRONICS
This is Avante sports gear straight from '88. Check out the pager-size receiver and extra-long antenna-nice. The Futaba ESC and the Trinity Monster Horse Power motor are classics,
FIBERGLASS CHASSIS
The arrowhead-shaped top deck looks pretty, but the main chassis is little more than a straight slab of fiberglass. The rear transmission sits on top of the lower deck, but the front tranny is actually a structural chassis component that is cantilevered off the front of the lower deck. The Avante accepted 6- or 7-cell packs and held the battery very close to the main chassis' centerline. A plastic retainer held in place by a body clip kept the pack in place.
MULTI-LINK SUSPENSION
What looks like a big mess is actually a 3-link suspension that had just as much adjustability in the front as in the rear: camber and toe-in were infinitely adjustable via thick aluminum turnbuckles. Note the spidery, cast steering hubs, universal-joint axles and the tiny pivoting castings that are joined by a urethane bushing. The pivoting castings allowed the front suspension to flex back in a crash rather than bend or break. The laydown shock position did not require a shock tower; instead, short standoffs held the shocks and, like the rear shocks. were braced by a threaded rod.
TRIPLE-BELLCRANK STEERING
The Avante's unconventional steering-servo placement called for an equally unconventional linkage. It worked; the extra bellcrank eliminated the need for an extra-long wire link at the servo, and the rigid aluminum bracket operated the primary bell
cranks smoothly with equal throw in both directions.
ROBOTECH BODY
The Avante's body is a good example of Japanese "sci-fi deco" at its best. The curvaceous shell looks ready to go into hyperspace with its dual "intakes" and uncaged bubble cockpit. A separate undertray is clipped beneath the chassis. Removing both pieces was a hassle; three clips hold the undertray, and the main body could be peeled off only after two body clips and both suspension braces were popped off.
`CHOCOLATE-CHIP" SPIKED TIRES
Back in 1988, soft compound tires did not exist hard, plasticky tires and spiky knobs ruled the day. The Avante wore spikes that were shaped like chocolate chips and hooked up fairly well on loose surfaces.
Tamiya cars were (and are) notable for their high-quality molding, detailed manuals and great box art, but the vintage machines had a little something extra that made them uniquely Tamiya: wacky wing slogans. Here are some of the classics; they probably seemed like a good idea in Japanese, but it's all in the translation ....
AVANTE-Being Nuts is Neat!
HORNET-Anytime Baby!
VANQUISH-Up and Away!
GRASSHOPPER 2-I'm Hopping Mad!
STRIKER-Get Rough!
FALCON-Born to be Wild!
FROG-No Guts, No Glory
EGRESS-Way Out Running
SUPER CHAMP-Go for It!
MAD CAP-Never Give Up
TERRA SCORCHER-Flying High
ASTUTE-Awesome!
Tamiya re-released the Wild Willy and XR-311, and the Bruiser came back briefly as the Mountaineer. Is there any hope for an Avante comeback? Chances are slim; none of its parts still exist as components of current Tamiya vehicles, and it would be very expensive to bring back all those molded and cast parts. If you want an Avante, check out eBay. But if you would settle for a Manta Ray-the historic 4WD tub-chassis buggy that gave life to the TA01 touring car and the entire touring car boom-- you're in luck; Tamiya plans to rerelease the Manta Ray as an Expert Built ready-to-run! E
Tamiya TGR
Tamiya is well known for designing innovative and true-to-scale RC vehicles, but lately, its engineering efforts have seemed to be focused more on the competitive end of the RC spectrum. As a result, Tamiya recently released several vehicles that not only look good, but they have the necessary ingredients for serious competition, too. The subject of this Track Test-the Tamiya TGR-happens to be one of them. One look at its low-slung, black-on-black chassis is all it takes to realize that this new, super-class entry is designed to do one thing: intimidate the competition. As an editor of Radio Control Car Action, however, I've learned never to judge a book by its cover, so off to the track I went. Does the Tamiya TGR have what it takes to be a predator in the growing super touring class? Let's find out. Chassis. The TGR's narrow, 2.Smm-thick duralumin chassis resembles the chassis plates that are used on 1/8-scale, .21-powered on-road vehicles. It places the weight of all the drive-train components and onboard electronics closer to the chassis centerline for improved handling. The screwholes are completely countersunk, so all the screws can be mounted flush with the chassis, and openings under the front and rear diff cases, the fuel tank, engine, swaybars and 2-speed allow these components to be mounted with the lowest possible center of gravity (CG).
The long and narrow, 2mm-thick graphite upper deck is mounted on the front and rear suspension assemblies and neatly houses the onboard electronics. Graphite is lighter and more rigid than aluminum and plastic, and that makes it a welcome addition to any racecar. A racing-style front bumper with a urethane body protector and a molded transponder mount are also on the list of hot features.
* Drive train. The TGR's shaft-drive system is similar to the drive train used on the TGX-Mk. 1, but the TGR has lighter, more compact diff cases and smaller, cast-alloy ring gears that allow the diffs to be mounted lower on the chassis. In addition, both the front and rear diffs-and the rest of the drive train-are offset 7mm to the right side of the chassis to allow the engine and fuel tank to be mounted as close as possible to the chassis centerline.
The cast-alloy internal bevel and spider gears inside the diffs have large teeth that look as though they should be able to handle plenty of horsepower. Tamiya supplies a thick grease to slow down the diff action, and it's so effective that I'm going to order more of it to use on my other gear-diff-equipped cars.
A single lightweight aluminum propeller shaft joins the two gearboxes and provides full-time 4WD. A newly designed, adjustable 2-speed transmission is attached to the rear gearbox and is joined to the front by the main propeller shaft. Instead of using a locking "fingers"-type centrifugal shifting system, which is common on many other 2-speed-equipped vehicles, Tamiya adopted an adjustable 2-shoe centrifugal clutch system to engage the shift point. The Tamiya 2-speed transmission shifts very smoothly and should require less maintenance than conventional 2-speed systems.
The TGR features the same disc brake system as is found on the TGX-Mk.1. Two cam-actuated steel brake pads pinch the 3mm-thick fiber-composite disc brake that's keyed to the 2-speed transmission's drive hub. Regardless of which servo you use, this braking system should provide smooth, controlled braking without fading. Front and rear steel dogbones and serrated axles with aluminum hex hubs complete the drive train (no more drive pins; way to go, Tamiya!). I was a little bummed that the TGR doesn't include universal axles for the front, but this is made up for by the fact that the entire drive train-including the wheels-spins on Tamiya's high-quality rubber-sealed bearings.
e Suspension. The TGR features an all-new racing suspension that includes extra-long front and rear lower suspension arms and unique molded, telescoping upper links. The lower suspension arms capture the front "C" carriers and rear hub carriers for added strength, and the entire suspension pivots smoothly on stainless-steel hinge pins. Setscrews threaded into the lower front and rear suspension arms allow down-stop travel adjustment. The two-piece molded upper links have corresponding male and female halves that are joined with threaded rods. The downside to this system is that you have to unfasten one end of the molded upper links to make camber adjustments, but the molded upper links are more rigid than standard camber links, and that makes up for the slight inconvenience.
Tamiya's excellent aluminum-body, oil-filled shocks with double O-ring seals, silicone diaphragms and Teflon pistons and shaft guides are standard issue. The shocks are black-anodized to match the rest of the car's components, and they provide exceptionally smooth performance. The front shocks snap onto ball joints that are installed on the suspension arms and front bulkhead. The rear shocks are also attached to the suspension arms with ball joints, but the upper portions are attached to a graphite shock tower. To provide more progressive damping, all four shocks are mounted in a laydown position, and stiff front and medium rear springs are included to balance out the car's handling. Also included are front and rear ball-and-cup swaybars that can be adjusted to reduce body roll and divert traction to the front or rear as necessary
The long and narrow, 2mm-thick graphite upper deck is mounted on the front and rear suspension assemblies and neatly houses the onboard electronics. Graphite is lighter and more rigid than aluminum and plastic, and that makes it a welcome addition to any racecar. A racing-style front bumper with a urethane body protector and a molded transponder mount are also on the list of hot features.
* Drive train. The TGR's shaft-drive system is similar to the drive train used on the TGX-Mk. 1, but the TGR has lighter, more compact diff cases and smaller, cast-alloy ring gears that allow the diffs to be mounted lower on the chassis. In addition, both the front and rear diffs-and the rest of the drive train-are offset 7mm to the right side of the chassis to allow the engine and fuel tank to be mounted as close as possible to the chassis centerline.
The cast-alloy internal bevel and spider gears inside the diffs have large teeth that look as though they should be able to handle plenty of horsepower. Tamiya supplies a thick grease to slow down the diff action, and it's so effective that I'm going to order more of it to use on my other gear-diff-equipped cars.
A single lightweight aluminum propeller shaft joins the two gearboxes and provides full-time 4WD. A newly designed, adjustable 2-speed transmission is attached to the rear gearbox and is joined to the front by the main propeller shaft. Instead of using a locking "fingers"-type centrifugal shifting system, which is common on many other 2-speed-equipped vehicles, Tamiya adopted an adjustable 2-shoe centrifugal clutch system to engage the shift point. The Tamiya 2-speed transmission shifts very smoothly and should require less maintenance than conventional 2-speed systems.
The TGR features the same disc brake system as is found on the TGX-Mk.1. Two cam-actuated steel brake pads pinch the 3mm-thick fiber-composite disc brake that's keyed to the 2-speed transmission's drive hub. Regardless of which servo you use, this braking system should provide smooth, controlled braking without fading. Front and rear steel dogbones and serrated axles with aluminum hex hubs complete the drive train (no more drive pins; way to go, Tamiya!). I was a little bummed that the TGR doesn't include universal axles for the front, but this is made up for by the fact that the entire drive train-including the wheels-spins on Tamiya's high-quality rubber-sealed bearings.
e Suspension. The TGR features an all-new racing suspension that includes extra-long front and rear lower suspension arms and unique molded, telescoping upper links. The lower suspension arms capture the front "C" carriers and rear hub carriers for added strength, and the entire suspension pivots smoothly on stainless-steel hinge pins. Setscrews threaded into the lower front and rear suspension arms allow down-stop travel adjustment. The two-piece molded upper links have corresponding male and female halves that are joined with threaded rods. The downside to this system is that you have to unfasten one end of the molded upper links to make camber adjustments, but the molded upper links are more rigid than standard camber links, and that makes up for the slight inconvenience.
Tamiya's excellent aluminum-body, oil-filled shocks with double O-ring seals, silicone diaphragms and Teflon pistons and shaft guides are standard issue. The shocks are black-anodized to match the rest of the car's components, and they provide exceptionally smooth performance. The front shocks snap onto ball joints that are installed on the suspension arms and front bulkhead. The rear shocks are also attached to the suspension arms with ball joints, but the upper portions are attached to a graphite shock tower. To provide more progressive damping, all four shocks are mounted in a laydown position, and stiff front and medium rear springs are included to balance out the car's handling. Also included are front and rear ball-and-cup swaybars that can be adjusted to reduce body roll and divert traction to the front or rear as necessary
GS Racing Storm RTR: Ready to run...with surprising specs
GS Racing isn't the first company to release a ready-to-run 1/8-scale buggy, but the new Storm RTR package just might be the best finished. best equipped available today. In addition to a fully painted and trimmed body, a feature-laden chassis and a pull-start engine, the Storm includes JR Racing's XR3 digital-display FM radio gear.. complete with a high-torque "Premium Race" Z550 steering servo. And while it is an almost certain winner as a play buggy, the Storm looks very raceable as well. Since the Storm is "RTR.," finding out just how raceable it is is only a jug of fuel, some AA batteries and a charged glow-starter away.
Kyosho wild Dodge Ram and Baja Beetle QRC trucks
Sometimes you don't realize history has been made-until it repeats_ W1,91- Case in point: the Kyosho QRC Field Beetle, released in 1997. When the Be was introduced th rly five ago, everyone recognized the significance of its Quick Reverse Clutch (QRC) transmission that permitted it to back up under nitro power. That was history. But it wasn't until Traxxas released the T-Maxx that the Field Beetle's other drive-train features could be fully appreciated. Its front and rear gearboxes were suspended beneath the chassis and joined via shafts to a reversing center transmission that was bolted to the top of the chassis but passed through it to meet the drive shafts below-in essence, the same layout as Traxxas uses sc capably on its Maxx trucks. The differences in technica details between the Maxx trucks and Kyosho's QRC machine are myriad, but the broad strokes are the same.
Now Kyosho has released an updated version of the QRC truck chassis that, ironically, takes a page from the Traxxas design book. A disc brake has been added to the formerly brakeless drive train, and an electric starter replaces the Kyosho GSI5R engine's pull-starter. The GS15R itself is another upgrade, as the original Field Beetle included a smaller-displacement GS-liX powerplant. The revised QRC-equipped trucks are offered with Baja Beetle and "Wild" Dodge Ram-style shells, and with Ram-fin Kevin Hetmanski's help, I built and tested both.
Now Kyosho has released an updated version of the QRC truck chassis that, ironically, takes a page from the Traxxas design book. A disc brake has been added to the formerly brakeless drive train, and an electric starter replaces the Kyosho GSI5R engine's pull-starter. The GS15R itself is another upgrade, as the original Field Beetle included a smaller-displacement GS-liX powerplant. The revised QRC-equipped trucks are offered with Baja Beetle and "Wild" Dodge Ram-style shells, and with Ram-fin Kevin Hetmanski's help, I built and tested both.
Megatech Nitro Razor XT
Fast, fully loaded and RTR
It used to be a foregone conclusion that the typical buyer of a ready-to-run nitro car knew only enough about RC to know that he wanted his car nitro-powered and factory-assembled, and since any other technical details would be lost on that buyer, all the more reason to make the kit an inexpensive "stripper" model.
Times change. Today's RTR buyer is more savvy than ever and realizes that there's more to nitro-powered cars than an engine and four wheels. Nowadays ., the typical RTR buyer wants it all: tuned pipe, aluminum shocks, 2-speed tranny-the works. With that in mind, Megatech has released a new version of its nitro Razor, dubbed the Razor XT. In addition to a painted, trimmed and decaled body and installed Hitec radio gear, the XT is brimming with high-end features. The shortlist includes a .16 engine, polished aluminum tuned pipe, threaded aluminum shocks, front and rear swaybars, 2-speed transmission and full bearings. With standard equipment like that, it's clear Megatech believes "RTR" doesn't have to mean "entry level." Now let's fire it up and see whether the Razor XT looks as good on asphalt as it does on paper.
It used to be a foregone conclusion that the typical buyer of a ready-to-run nitro car knew only enough about RC to know that he wanted his car nitro-powered and factory-assembled, and since any other technical details would be lost on that buyer, all the more reason to make the kit an inexpensive "stripper" model.
Times change. Today's RTR buyer is more savvy than ever and realizes that there's more to nitro-powered cars than an engine and four wheels. Nowadays ., the typical RTR buyer wants it all: tuned pipe, aluminum shocks, 2-speed tranny-the works. With that in mind, Megatech has released a new version of its nitro Razor, dubbed the Razor XT. In addition to a painted, trimmed and decaled body and installed Hitec radio gear, the XT is brimming with high-end features. The shortlist includes a .16 engine, polished aluminum tuned pipe, threaded aluminum shocks, front and rear swaybars, 2-speed transmission and full bearings. With standard equipment like that, it's clear Megatech believes "RTR" doesn't have to mean "entry level." Now let's fire it up and see whether the Razor XT looks as good on asphalt as it does on paper.
HPI Nitro RS4 3 type SS
THE ALL-NEW, SHAFT-DRIVEN NITRO RS4 3 DEBUTED AS AN RTR (see the June 2002 issue of RC Car Action for the review), but HPI hasn't forgotten us do-it-yourself types. Whether you like to build your own so you know the job was done right, or you plan to make some mods along the way, or you just like to build, you'll be glad to know that you can now assemble a Nitro 3 from the ground up. You'll also be glad to know that the kit car isn't "just" a Nitro RS4 3; it's a "Type SS," which means you get the new Nitro Star 12R SS engine (good for more than lhp, says HPI), a smooth-flowing, round-port manifold, 2-speed transmission and steel turnbuckles-a combination that adds up to more tunability, more power and more speed. Exactly how much more? Well, that's why we test carsCHASSIS. HPI has been building its nitro cars on 2.5mm purple-anodized chassis for a while now, and the SS is the latest. The chassis sides are radiused for extra strength, and the underside is fully countersunk, as expected. An elaborate molded enclosure for the receiver battery with a separate cover for the receiver itself fills the left side of the chassis, and it's also home to the externally mounted steering and throttle servos. The receiver cover is screwed down, but battery access is gained by removing a single body clip. Two more body clips secure the entire radio-tray assembly, and this makes it easy to remove all the electronics without reaching for a single tool.
DRIVE TRAIN. The Type SS shares its essential shaft-drive parts with the RS4 MT and Super Nitro Rally, so you know they're tough. The front and rear gear diffs each house two spider gears, and their cast metal ring gears are spun by chunky bevel pinions with deeply meshing teeth. The front diff has the additional feature of a stiff spring between the spider gears. The spring forces the gears against the outsides of the diff case, which adds resistance to the diffs action and reduces its tendency to "unload" when a wheel breaks traction. Plastic gearboxes surround the diff and pinion gears to prevent any nasty parking-lot stuff from reaching the parts, and steel dogbones join the diffs to the 2-speed transmission in the chassis' center. Steel 'bones are also used to link the stub axles to the drive train, and all of the parts spin on a combination of rubber-seated and metal-shielded ball bearings.
The Type SS's 2-speed transmission shifts centrifugally via a spring-loaded steel drive dog that engages a hardened drive pin. Two drive-dog springs are included to match the transmission's shift-rpm range to the type of engine being used; since the Type SS includes a high-output race engine, the stiffer of the two springs is used. To further tune the transmission's shift point, spring preload is externally adjustable via a setscrew.
Unpadded steel caliper plates squeeze a single plastic brake disc to slow the Type SS. A fiber disc is available as an option, but HPI makes the most of the stock disc by giving it a thick, 4mm cross-section and molding it of very hard plastic.
SUSPENSION/STEERING. The Nitro RS4 3 borrows its suspension parts from the well-proven RS4 2, which means you get a lower H-arm/upper camber link setup. But instead of using non-adjustable plastic camber links (such as those on the RS4 3 RTR), the Type SS includes steel turnbuckle linkages for fast camber adjustments without disassembly. The steering tie rods are also turnbuckles, so toe-in is just as easy to adjust. In addition to changing camber-link length, there are two inboard and two outboard camber-link positions to choose from for the front end, and two inboard and four outboard locations in the rear. Other suspension geometry changes can be made by swapping included parts; the stock steering hub carriers provide io degrees of caster but can be replaced with 8-- degree parts, and the kit's standard rear uprights, which deliver 2 degrees of rear toe, can be swapped for 1-degree versions.
Plastic-body shocks suspend the car and are filled with "no. 300" shock oil, which is equivalent to 30WT silicone fluid. Only one set of shock pistons is provided, but it's doubtful the Type SS's target buyers will miss the tuning option of extra pistons; I didn't. Purple-anodized collars and plastic eyelets cap the bodies, which do not use internal bladders, and progressive-rate springs do the actual shock-absorbing; clip-on spacers are used to set ride height.
ENGINE AND ACCESSORIES. The Type SS gets its name from its engine-the new Nitro Star 12R SS. Thanks to its blacked-out case and purple-anodized heat-sink head with natural-aluminum accents, the engine is a looker, but it's what's inside that counts. Thanks to porting described as "aggressive," HPI claims the 12R SS unloads more than 1hp when its 2-needle, rotary carburetor is opened. The sleeve is special, too; it's coated with nickel-silicon carbide, an extra-hard material that shouldn't be confused with plain nickel. This new coating is harder than chrome, less hazardous to the environment to produce, and very slippery. It's already popular in full-scale racing applications; you can find nickel-silicon-carbide coatings on the pistons of super cars and racing motorcycles. It's serious stuff. The exhaust system is also a critical part of the power package. The Type SS includes the same composite-plastic, dual-chamber tuned pipe as the RTR Nitro 3, but a free-flowing tubular exhaust manifold replaces the RTR's square-cornered, cast header
DRIVE TRAIN. The Type SS shares its essential shaft-drive parts with the RS4 MT and Super Nitro Rally, so you know they're tough. The front and rear gear diffs each house two spider gears, and their cast metal ring gears are spun by chunky bevel pinions with deeply meshing teeth. The front diff has the additional feature of a stiff spring between the spider gears. The spring forces the gears against the outsides of the diff case, which adds resistance to the diffs action and reduces its tendency to "unload" when a wheel breaks traction. Plastic gearboxes surround the diff and pinion gears to prevent any nasty parking-lot stuff from reaching the parts, and steel dogbones join the diffs to the 2-speed transmission in the chassis' center. Steel 'bones are also used to link the stub axles to the drive train, and all of the parts spin on a combination of rubber-seated and metal-shielded ball bearings.
The Type SS's 2-speed transmission shifts centrifugally via a spring-loaded steel drive dog that engages a hardened drive pin. Two drive-dog springs are included to match the transmission's shift-rpm range to the type of engine being used; since the Type SS includes a high-output race engine, the stiffer of the two springs is used. To further tune the transmission's shift point, spring preload is externally adjustable via a setscrew.
Unpadded steel caliper plates squeeze a single plastic brake disc to slow the Type SS. A fiber disc is available as an option, but HPI makes the most of the stock disc by giving it a thick, 4mm cross-section and molding it of very hard plastic.
SUSPENSION/STEERING. The Nitro RS4 3 borrows its suspension parts from the well-proven RS4 2, which means you get a lower H-arm/upper camber link setup. But instead of using non-adjustable plastic camber links (such as those on the RS4 3 RTR), the Type SS includes steel turnbuckle linkages for fast camber adjustments without disassembly. The steering tie rods are also turnbuckles, so toe-in is just as easy to adjust. In addition to changing camber-link length, there are two inboard and two outboard camber-link positions to choose from for the front end, and two inboard and four outboard locations in the rear. Other suspension geometry changes can be made by swapping included parts; the stock steering hub carriers provide io degrees of caster but can be replaced with 8-- degree parts, and the kit's standard rear uprights, which deliver 2 degrees of rear toe, can be swapped for 1-degree versions.
Plastic-body shocks suspend the car and are filled with "no. 300" shock oil, which is equivalent to 30WT silicone fluid. Only one set of shock pistons is provided, but it's doubtful the Type SS's target buyers will miss the tuning option of extra pistons; I didn't. Purple-anodized collars and plastic eyelets cap the bodies, which do not use internal bladders, and progressive-rate springs do the actual shock-absorbing; clip-on spacers are used to set ride height.
ENGINE AND ACCESSORIES. The Type SS gets its name from its engine-the new Nitro Star 12R SS. Thanks to its blacked-out case and purple-anodized heat-sink head with natural-aluminum accents, the engine is a looker, but it's what's inside that counts. Thanks to porting described as "aggressive," HPI claims the 12R SS unloads more than 1hp when its 2-needle, rotary carburetor is opened. The sleeve is special, too; it's coated with nickel-silicon carbide, an extra-hard material that shouldn't be confused with plain nickel. This new coating is harder than chrome, less hazardous to the environment to produce, and very slippery. It's already popular in full-scale racing applications; you can find nickel-silicon-carbide coatings on the pistons of super cars and racing motorcycles. It's serious stuff. The exhaust system is also a critical part of the power package. The Type SS includes the same composite-plastic, dual-chamber tuned pipe as the RTR Nitro 3, but a free-flowing tubular exhaust manifold replaces the RTR's square-cornered, cast header
Feel of the Road - owners of manual transmission cars
Those who buy the Mercedes-Benz SLK roadster with a five-speed transmission will drop more than $40,000 for the privilege.
Driving a manual transmission car has always been an interactive experience, what with one hand on the wheel, the other on the stick, and both feet alternating between the clutch and gas pedals. But increasing traffic congestion and the popularity of automatic transmissions have made operating a manual gearbox relatively rare. Today, only 17 percent of U.S. adults own a car equipped with a standard transmission, and automakers increasingly regard the fans of stick shifts as a niche market - "hard-core driving enthusiasts," in the words of Art Garner, public relations manager for Honda.
But something more demographically fundamental is at work as well. Whereas cost-conscious Americans used to buy stick shifts lured by lower price tags and cheaper gas mileage, today's owners tend to be affluent, married, and college-educated men over 45 years old, who are drawn to the old-fashioned way of heel-and-toe downshifting. Consumer research shows that driving a stick shift reflects a preoccupation with authenticity and the unrefined (like coarse bread and hemp clothes) that provides its own cachet in our plastic, materialistic age.
Manual transmission owners are more likely than average Americans to do their own financial planning, engage in solo leisure pursuits (such as backpacking, jogging, and skiing), and cook from scratch. Supermarket surveys indicate that they'd rather buy products that require more effort to serve: whole-bean coffee rather than instant brands; pita over sliced white bread; high-maintenance Brie cheese instead of an easy-to-cut slab of Velveeta. The owners of manual transmission cars tend to make their own bread and pasta. "These people don't look at a car as an appliance but as something that engages them in the act of driving," says Joe Lawrence, BMW's product and price planning manager for North America. "There is some subtle signaling to others that says, 'I would rather drive the car than have the car drive me.'" It wasn't always this way. After the arrival of automatic Hydramatic and Dynaflow transmissions in the 1940s, stick shifts became the passion of two smaller consumer segments: Adults who couldn't afford the fancier automatics, and young people who thought popping the clutch at the start of a squealing takeoff was a desired benefit of car ownership. These younger motorists were more influenced by the desire to emulate the drivers of British sports cars, who'd moved from three speeds on the column to four or five speeds on the floor. The image of the owner of a manual transmission car changed from staid family man to gutsy loner who appreciated howling along isolated roads while downshifting the engine in a blast of exhaust.
But as urban roads became congested, more and more drivers chose the comfort and convenience of automatic transmissions. Nowadays, in paved-over America, there are fewer lonely roads, and the car owners who used to grind their gears have grown up to appreciate the no-fuss comfort of sport-utility vehicles with soft suspensions and cushy rides. Today's consumers who've turned to manual transmissions want to add an aspect of entertainment to their driving. As Baby Boomers reach their 50s, some are purchasing stick shifts as a nostalgic consumption experience, hoping to relive memories of their first, cheap, manual gearboxes - and willing to pay for it. Those who buy the Mercedes-Benz SLK roadster with a five-speed transmission will drop more than $40,000 for the privilege.
As shown in the attached map, based on consumer behavior in the nation's 211 media markets, the highest concentration of manual transmission owners are found in Boomer-filled metros like Boston, Denver, and Washington, D.C., as well as college towns such as Madison, Wisconsin; Charlottesville, Virginia; and Lafayette, Indiana. Western states also boast a greater share of stick-shifters thanks to the recent influx of educated and mobile Americans who've moved there in search of higher paying jobs in new industries. "It's an intelligence thing," notes Lawrence, a former product manager for BMW's 3 series. "A manual driver out on a date may prompt someone to say, 'Wow, this is a cultured guy.'"
A disproportionate number of such motorists also live in the North due to weather conditions: Stick shifts provide increased traction on icy roads. By contrast, fewer are found in the rural South because of the confluence of mild temperatures, lower education levels, and relatively modest incomes that depress purchase rates for all cars. And manual transmission owners are almost as scarce in coastal cities like New York, Miami, and Los Angeles, which are home to recent immigrants who perhaps lack the money and driving permits necessary for car ownership.
Of course, the owners of manual transmission cars spend their time doing more than driving their vehicles from home to office. These motorists exhibit relatively low rates for publications such as Soap Opera Weekly, that deal with a sedentary activity like watching television, or for acting as armchair athletes who read magazines like Sport. As for music on the radio, their tastes are eclectic: Classical, golden oldies, and modern rock are all enjoyed at relatively high rates. No doubt Toyota paid attention to the market's preference for modern rock when it scored its "I'm Too Sexy" spot for its Camry brand, juxtaposing a hip motorist's dream driving experience with the more usual, mundane reality. The audio features a breathy male singer whispering over the grinding of gears and a funky alternative rock beat: "I'm too sexy ... I'm too sexy for the car wash ... I'm too sexy for the grocery store ... I'm too sexy for the dry cleaners
Driving a manual transmission car has always been an interactive experience, what with one hand on the wheel, the other on the stick, and both feet alternating between the clutch and gas pedals. But increasing traffic congestion and the popularity of automatic transmissions have made operating a manual gearbox relatively rare. Today, only 17 percent of U.S. adults own a car equipped with a standard transmission, and automakers increasingly regard the fans of stick shifts as a niche market - "hard-core driving enthusiasts," in the words of Art Garner, public relations manager for Honda.
But something more demographically fundamental is at work as well. Whereas cost-conscious Americans used to buy stick shifts lured by lower price tags and cheaper gas mileage, today's owners tend to be affluent, married, and college-educated men over 45 years old, who are drawn to the old-fashioned way of heel-and-toe downshifting. Consumer research shows that driving a stick shift reflects a preoccupation with authenticity and the unrefined (like coarse bread and hemp clothes) that provides its own cachet in our plastic, materialistic age.
Manual transmission owners are more likely than average Americans to do their own financial planning, engage in solo leisure pursuits (such as backpacking, jogging, and skiing), and cook from scratch. Supermarket surveys indicate that they'd rather buy products that require more effort to serve: whole-bean coffee rather than instant brands; pita over sliced white bread; high-maintenance Brie cheese instead of an easy-to-cut slab of Velveeta. The owners of manual transmission cars tend to make their own bread and pasta. "These people don't look at a car as an appliance but as something that engages them in the act of driving," says Joe Lawrence, BMW's product and price planning manager for North America. "There is some subtle signaling to others that says, 'I would rather drive the car than have the car drive me.'" It wasn't always this way. After the arrival of automatic Hydramatic and Dynaflow transmissions in the 1940s, stick shifts became the passion of two smaller consumer segments: Adults who couldn't afford the fancier automatics, and young people who thought popping the clutch at the start of a squealing takeoff was a desired benefit of car ownership. These younger motorists were more influenced by the desire to emulate the drivers of British sports cars, who'd moved from three speeds on the column to four or five speeds on the floor. The image of the owner of a manual transmission car changed from staid family man to gutsy loner who appreciated howling along isolated roads while downshifting the engine in a blast of exhaust.
But as urban roads became congested, more and more drivers chose the comfort and convenience of automatic transmissions. Nowadays, in paved-over America, there are fewer lonely roads, and the car owners who used to grind their gears have grown up to appreciate the no-fuss comfort of sport-utility vehicles with soft suspensions and cushy rides. Today's consumers who've turned to manual transmissions want to add an aspect of entertainment to their driving. As Baby Boomers reach their 50s, some are purchasing stick shifts as a nostalgic consumption experience, hoping to relive memories of their first, cheap, manual gearboxes - and willing to pay for it. Those who buy the Mercedes-Benz SLK roadster with a five-speed transmission will drop more than $40,000 for the privilege.
As shown in the attached map, based on consumer behavior in the nation's 211 media markets, the highest concentration of manual transmission owners are found in Boomer-filled metros like Boston, Denver, and Washington, D.C., as well as college towns such as Madison, Wisconsin; Charlottesville, Virginia; and Lafayette, Indiana. Western states also boast a greater share of stick-shifters thanks to the recent influx of educated and mobile Americans who've moved there in search of higher paying jobs in new industries. "It's an intelligence thing," notes Lawrence, a former product manager for BMW's 3 series. "A manual driver out on a date may prompt someone to say, 'Wow, this is a cultured guy.'"
A disproportionate number of such motorists also live in the North due to weather conditions: Stick shifts provide increased traction on icy roads. By contrast, fewer are found in the rural South because of the confluence of mild temperatures, lower education levels, and relatively modest incomes that depress purchase rates for all cars. And manual transmission owners are almost as scarce in coastal cities like New York, Miami, and Los Angeles, which are home to recent immigrants who perhaps lack the money and driving permits necessary for car ownership.
Of course, the owners of manual transmission cars spend their time doing more than driving their vehicles from home to office. These motorists exhibit relatively low rates for publications such as Soap Opera Weekly, that deal with a sedentary activity like watching television, or for acting as armchair athletes who read magazines like Sport. As for music on the radio, their tastes are eclectic: Classical, golden oldies, and modern rock are all enjoyed at relatively high rates. No doubt Toyota paid attention to the market's preference for modern rock when it scored its "I'm Too Sexy" spot for its Camry brand, juxtaposing a hip motorist's dream driving experience with the more usual, mundane reality. The audio features a breathy male singer whispering over the grinding of gears and a funky alternative rock beat: "I'm too sexy ... I'm too sexy for the car wash ... I'm too sexy for the grocery store ... I'm too sexy for the dry cleaners
Feel of the Road
Motorists who drive a stick-shift car are purists at heart. Driving a manual transmission car has always been an interactive experience, what with one hand on the wheel, the other on the stick, and both feet alternating between the clutch and gas pedals. But increasing traffic congestion and the popularity of automatic transmissions have made operating a manual gearbox relatively rare. Today, only 17 percent of U.S. adults own a car equipped with a standard transmission, and automakers increasingly regard the fans of stick shifts as a niche market - "hard-core driving enthusiasts," in the words of Art Garner, public relations manager for Honda.
But something more demographically fundamental is at work as well. Whereas cost-conscious Americans used to buy stick shifts lured by lower price tags and cheaper gas mileage, today's owners tend to be affluent, married, and college-educated men over 45 years old, who are drawn to the old-fashioned way of heel-and-toe downshifting. Consumer research shows that driving a stick shift reflects a preoccupation with authenticity and the unrefined (like coarse bread and hemp clothes) that provides its own cachet in our plastic, materialistic age.
Manual transmission owners are more likely than average Americans to do their own financial planning, engage in solo leisure pursuits (such as backpacking, jogging, and skiing), and cook from scratch. Supermarket surveys indicate that they'd rather buy products that require more effort to serve: whole-bean coffee rather than instant brands; pita over sliced white bread; high-maintenance Brie cheese instead of an easy-to-cut slab of Velveeta. The owners of manual transmission cars tend to make their own bread and pasta. "These people don't look at a car as an appliance but as something that engages them in the act of driving," says Joe Lawrence, BMW's product and price planning manager for North America. "There is some subtle signaling to others that says, `I would rather drive the car than have the car drive me.'" It wasn't always this way. After the arrival of automatic Hydramatic and Dynaflow transmissions in the 1940s, stick shifts became the passion of two smaller consumer segments: Adults who couldn't afford the fancier automatics, and young people who thought popping the clutch at the start of a squealing takeoff was a desired benefit of car ownership. These younger motorists were more influenced by the desire to emulate the drivers of British sports cars, who'd moved from three speeds on the column to four or five speeds on the floor. The image of the owner of a manual transmission car changed from staid family man to gutsy loner who appreciated howling along isolated roads while downshifting the engine in a blast of exhaust.
But as urban roads became congested, more and more drivers chose the comfort and convenience of automatic transmissions. Nowadays, in paved-over America, there are fewer lonely roads, and the car owners who used to grind their gears have grown up to appreciate the no-fuss comfort of sport-utility vehicles with soft suspensions and cushy rides. Today's consumers who've turned to manual transmissions want to add an aspect of entertainment to their driving. As Baby Boomers reach their 50s, some are purchasing stick shifts as a nostalgic consumption experience, hoping to relive memories of their first, cheap, manual gearboxes - and willing to pay for it. Those who buy the Mercedes-Benz SLK roadster with a five-speed transmission will drop more than $40,000 for the privilege.
As shown in the attached map, based on consumer behavior in the nation's 211 media markets, the highest concentration of manual transmission owners are found in Boomer-filled metros like Boston, Denver, and Washington, D.C., as well as college towns such as Madison, Wisconsin; Charlottesville, Virginia; and Lafayette, Indiana. Western states also boast a greater share of stick-shifters thanks to the recent influx of educated and mobile Americans who've moved there in search of higher paying jobs in new industries. "It's an intelligence thing," notes Lawrence, a former product manager for BMW's 3 series. "A manual driver out on a date may prompt someone to say, `Wow, this is a cultured guy.'"
A disproportionate number of such motorists also live in the North due to weather conditions: Stick shifts provide increased traction on icy roads. By contrast, fewer are found in the rural South because of the confluence of mild temperatures, lower education levels, and relatively modest incomes that depress purchase rates for all cars. And manual transmission owners are almost as scarce in coastal cities like New York, Miami, and Los Angeles, which are home to recent immigrants who perhaps lack the money and driving permits necessary for car ownership.
Of course, the owners of manual transmission cars spend their time doing more than driving their vehicles from home to office. These motorists exhibit relatively low rates for publications such as Soap Opera Weekly, that deal with a sedentary activity like watching television, or for acting as armchair athletes who read magazines like Sport. As for music on the radio, their tastes are eclectic: Classical, golden oldies, and modern rock are all enjoyed at relatively high rates. No doubt Toyota paid attention to the market's preference for modern rock when it scored its "I'm Too Sexy" spot for its Camry brand, juxtaposing a hip motorist's dream driving experience with the more usual, mundane reality. The audio features a breathy male singer whispering over the grinding of gears and a funky alternative rock beat: "I'm too sexy . . . I'm too sexy for the car wash . . . I'm too sexy for the grocery store . . . I'm too sexy for the dry cleaners
But something more demographically fundamental is at work as well. Whereas cost-conscious Americans used to buy stick shifts lured by lower price tags and cheaper gas mileage, today's owners tend to be affluent, married, and college-educated men over 45 years old, who are drawn to the old-fashioned way of heel-and-toe downshifting. Consumer research shows that driving a stick shift reflects a preoccupation with authenticity and the unrefined (like coarse bread and hemp clothes) that provides its own cachet in our plastic, materialistic age.
Manual transmission owners are more likely than average Americans to do their own financial planning, engage in solo leisure pursuits (such as backpacking, jogging, and skiing), and cook from scratch. Supermarket surveys indicate that they'd rather buy products that require more effort to serve: whole-bean coffee rather than instant brands; pita over sliced white bread; high-maintenance Brie cheese instead of an easy-to-cut slab of Velveeta. The owners of manual transmission cars tend to make their own bread and pasta. "These people don't look at a car as an appliance but as something that engages them in the act of driving," says Joe Lawrence, BMW's product and price planning manager for North America. "There is some subtle signaling to others that says, `I would rather drive the car than have the car drive me.'" It wasn't always this way. After the arrival of automatic Hydramatic and Dynaflow transmissions in the 1940s, stick shifts became the passion of two smaller consumer segments: Adults who couldn't afford the fancier automatics, and young people who thought popping the clutch at the start of a squealing takeoff was a desired benefit of car ownership. These younger motorists were more influenced by the desire to emulate the drivers of British sports cars, who'd moved from three speeds on the column to four or five speeds on the floor. The image of the owner of a manual transmission car changed from staid family man to gutsy loner who appreciated howling along isolated roads while downshifting the engine in a blast of exhaust.
But as urban roads became congested, more and more drivers chose the comfort and convenience of automatic transmissions. Nowadays, in paved-over America, there are fewer lonely roads, and the car owners who used to grind their gears have grown up to appreciate the no-fuss comfort of sport-utility vehicles with soft suspensions and cushy rides. Today's consumers who've turned to manual transmissions want to add an aspect of entertainment to their driving. As Baby Boomers reach their 50s, some are purchasing stick shifts as a nostalgic consumption experience, hoping to relive memories of their first, cheap, manual gearboxes - and willing to pay for it. Those who buy the Mercedes-Benz SLK roadster with a five-speed transmission will drop more than $40,000 for the privilege.
As shown in the attached map, based on consumer behavior in the nation's 211 media markets, the highest concentration of manual transmission owners are found in Boomer-filled metros like Boston, Denver, and Washington, D.C., as well as college towns such as Madison, Wisconsin; Charlottesville, Virginia; and Lafayette, Indiana. Western states also boast a greater share of stick-shifters thanks to the recent influx of educated and mobile Americans who've moved there in search of higher paying jobs in new industries. "It's an intelligence thing," notes Lawrence, a former product manager for BMW's 3 series. "A manual driver out on a date may prompt someone to say, `Wow, this is a cultured guy.'"
A disproportionate number of such motorists also live in the North due to weather conditions: Stick shifts provide increased traction on icy roads. By contrast, fewer are found in the rural South because of the confluence of mild temperatures, lower education levels, and relatively modest incomes that depress purchase rates for all cars. And manual transmission owners are almost as scarce in coastal cities like New York, Miami, and Los Angeles, which are home to recent immigrants who perhaps lack the money and driving permits necessary for car ownership.
Of course, the owners of manual transmission cars spend their time doing more than driving their vehicles from home to office. These motorists exhibit relatively low rates for publications such as Soap Opera Weekly, that deal with a sedentary activity like watching television, or for acting as armchair athletes who read magazines like Sport. As for music on the radio, their tastes are eclectic: Classical, golden oldies, and modern rock are all enjoyed at relatively high rates. No doubt Toyota paid attention to the market's preference for modern rock when it scored its "I'm Too Sexy" spot for its Camry brand, juxtaposing a hip motorist's dream driving experience with the more usual, mundane reality. The audio features a breathy male singer whispering over the grinding of gears and a funky alternative rock beat: "I'm too sexy . . . I'm too sexy for the car wash . . . I'm too sexy for the grocery store . . . I'm too sexy for the dry cleaners
Viking Pump - debuts in-line gear reducers - Brief Article
Caption: Viking Pump has expanded its gear reducer product line to include a new series of in-line gear reducers compatible with any positive displacement pump or other equipment needing speed reduction. The company says the new gear reducers have the input and output shaft on the same center line for easy alignment and maximum space savings. All gear reducers in die new series offer double reduction high efficiency and low noise levels. The gear reducers are available in ten different sizes. In addition to the new series of in-line gear reducers, Viking has offered parallel shaft single-reduction gear reducers for in ore than 40 years For further information an the new in-line gear reducers,
Gear-Tooth Sensors include integrated filter capacitor
AC-coupled, Hall-effect gear-tooth sensors, Models A1421LK, A1422LK, and A1423LK feature monolithic integrated circuits that switch in response to changing differential magnetic fields created by moving ring magnet or by ferrous target when back-biased with magnet. On-board regulator permits operation with supply voltages of 4.0-26.5 V. Units are suited for speed, position, and timing applications such as transmission and engine management.
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Improvements include integrated capacitor, smaller package size
Worcester, MA - June 8, 2005 - Allegro MicroSystems, Inc. announces the release of the A1421LK, A1422LK, and A1423LK, improved additions to Allegro's family of AC-coupled Hall-effect gear-tooth sensors. Improvements include a smaller package size and an integrated filter capacitor to provide additional reliability to the system solution.
The A1421LK, A1422LK, and A1423LK are AC-coupled Hall-effect gear-tooth sensors with monolithic integrated circuits that switch in response to changing differential magnetic fields created by a moving ring magnet or by a ferrous target when back-biased with a magnet. These devices are ideal for use in speed, position and timing applications such as transmission and engine management. This family of devices also includes an integrated filter capacitor so a high-accuracy analog solution can be achieved without additional external components, thus improving reliability for the final sensing solution.
********************
Improvements include integrated capacitor, smaller package size
Worcester, MA - June 8, 2005 - Allegro MicroSystems, Inc. announces the release of the A1421LK, A1422LK, and A1423LK, improved additions to Allegro's family of AC-coupled Hall-effect gear-tooth sensors. Improvements include a smaller package size and an integrated filter capacitor to provide additional reliability to the system solution.
The A1421LK, A1422LK, and A1423LK are AC-coupled Hall-effect gear-tooth sensors with monolithic integrated circuits that switch in response to changing differential magnetic fields created by a moving ring magnet or by a ferrous target when back-biased with a magnet. These devices are ideal for use in speed, position and timing applications such as transmission and engine management. This family of devices also includes an integrated filter capacitor so a high-accuracy analog solution can be achieved without additional external components, thus improving reliability for the final sensing solution.
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