Posted: 5/11/10
Axial's much anticipated release of the new XR10 kit has been well received in the R/C rock crawling community so far. I know there are a lot of loyal customers and hardcore enthusiasts just waiting to get a better look into this new kit. Well, over the next couple weeks I will be posting up some detailed pictures of various features that this kit has to offer. We also want to give people an inside look at the development and the R&D process associated with this particular kit.Today, I'm going to start with one of the most critical areas, axle housings. Axle housing are the back bone of any rig that crawls in harsh terrain. If the housings aren't up to par, then your chances of doing well at a big competition are already compromised. Rather than doing chunky metal housings that act like a grappling hook as you try to drive over the rocks. We went with a low profile plastic housing that slides over rocks nicer then anything I have personally seen to date.
Here's a little sneak peek inside the new XR10 rear axle housing. Notice this is a finished production axle housing, but we are currently revising this particular part to ensure it is the absolute best it can be. However, you can still see all the webbing (1) that has been integrated for strength. Also notice the double shear lower link and shock mounting points (2).
Here is another view showing the complex interior of these housings.
A few detailed shots of a front C hub, knuckle and oversized universals. Details worth mentioning, aluminum drag link arm for strength (1), angled kingpins for less tire scrub and more responsive steering (2), double shear knuckle arms (3), clockable C's (4) and burly universals with zero backlash (5).
Here's a shot of the completed assembly (45° of steering out of the box). You can also see the knuckle arms pull double duty as a steering stop once they contact the axle C at full lock.
That covers the axle housings, and front steering components for now. Keep an eye out for more XR10 Snapshots in the near future.
