Sunday November 11, 2007

SCX has had the PRO kits out for some time now, but I never got around to getting one. I enjoy standard models for the most part, and so this release took a back seat so to speak to other models on my wish list. I finally have one in my hands and time for me to see what makes this model tick.

The model comes in an impressive box that is foam lined. Quite attractive approach and you could easily add a second car in here once you build the first. Under the foam is a nice booklet that explains the concept of the PRO series and some technical instructions on how to maintain the car, driving techniques, etc. The problem with mine is that this Driving & Maintenance guide is marked RALLY on the front and does not discuss the model in the box. I have been told this was a simple mistake so no harm done. Also in the introduction is explains how the adjustments you can make are highlighted in red. However the manual is all black and white. In any event, having a guide like this is a neat idea for those just starting in the hobby.

Inside the foam you see the complete assembled chassis, body, extra braid, spare guide and "brake" disc, spare motor pod, optional antennas and body mounting screws. Some spare screws also included. Everything is nicely laid out and easy enough to figure out. This really is not a kit in my eyes as assembly is really nothing more than a couple screws holding the body in place.

NOTE: This is a NON-magnet model.

A small item that I liked is the included Allen wrench! This might seem like a small item to some of you, but for me it is important. Not every enthusiast has these smaller wrenches, especially newcomers. Of course most veterans do have one and they are easily acquired, but this small addition was very welcomed and makes sense. Why offer a model such as this without the most important tool needed to maintain it? SCX scores bonus points:)

Components

The first item I looked at was the body. It is a lightweight affair (17 grams) (Standard SCX Audi is 22 grams) made from SBC plastic. The scale detail level is very good and I was happy to see this. Other companies that market "Pro" series of models have sometimes been lacking in the scale department and I am glad to see SCX keep the detail. The interior is simplified but our driver has excellent markings on him that just adds to the appeal even more. Adding the included antennas would increase scale detail even more but mine will stay in the bag for now.

Next we have the heart of this model: The Chassis. Starting up front we see the guide that is held in place with a screw. The fit was decent with almost zero slop but I would have liked to see a little more depth in the blade. There is an extra screw just for this guide included in case you lose this one.

The solid steel front axle is equipped with aluminum wheels and both were round and true. The interesting part is that the front axle height can be adjusted to suit different track conditions and of course overall balance.

BONUS: The adjustment screws are accessible from the underside of the chassis. Other kits such as Spirit force you to remove the axle and then adjust. This can be frustrating at times so SCX gets a big thumbs up for placing these screws where they should be to allow easy and quick adjustments.

Now we are on to the motor and motor pod assembly. The motor is the SCX PRO SPEED that has a rating of 19,600 RPMS @ 12 volts or 23,000 @ 14 volts. Since I do not believe in any voltage higher than 12 we will see how this motor reacts. It is equipped with a 10 tooth pinion that turns the 26 tooth crown gear.

The rear axle is again 3/32 steel and the 26 tooth crown gear seems durable enough. The fit of the gear on the axle is very good and SCX makes other gears available to change things if you see fit. Since it is 3/32nd in size other gears made for this size such as Slot.it could also be used. The axle fits perfectly inside the iron/copper bushings and these bushings are seated very firmly in the pod with no signs of spinning under load.

The pod itself can be used as a free-floating assembly. 1 small Allen screw holds the pod in the chassis using a strap across the front. The other 2 screws in the rear can be adjusted to set the amount of float you want. I do not like a great deal of body roll on my models so tightened the 2 rear screws until the pod still shifted back and forth freely, but pod roll was virtually eliminated.

The extra pod that comes with this car is designed to fit other brands of motors. I give SCX another big thumbs up for this. They realize what market they are targeting with this model and that some enthusiasts will want to change power-plants. It simply adds to the adjustment level of the car and most of you will appreciate it. Motors in sizes such as the NC range from NINCO will fit nicely but if you use shorter can motors such as the Falcon or Lightning II you will need to install screws in the front.

To use Slot.it or other type Mabuchi motors you will most likely need the adaptor that Slot.it has as the can end has no holes for screws. Some motors do have mounting holes such as some Scale Auto and other brands, but I would just get an adaptor so you can mix and match a little easier. This adaptor is a part I think could have been included with the model. It would only compliment the extra motor pod for what is intended for.

Finally we come to the little "brake shoe" in the rear. The idea here is that when you let off the throttle that the floating pod will shift backwards (or car body and chassis goes forward) and the brake shoe will make contact with the crown gear, thus increasing the brake effect. Although the design here appears very clever, testing will reveal just how well it works. The pad is a very soft rubber or silicone and it grips the gear very well.

Box Stock Testing

Before we head to the track, there some quick lubrication points to address. First, add a light drop of oil to each end of the motor.

Then do the same for the rear bushings. You will need to check these areas from time to time making sure these are clean and have some light lubricant.

After installing the body with the 2 screws provided I want to take a quick look at what we have. Although I appreciate and understand why SCX has used the smaller wheels, I just do not like the appearance. The prototype uses 13.5" x 18" on the fronts with the rear at 14.5" x 18" with tire sizes also different with the fronts being 33/65-18 and rear 37/71-18. So although there is a slight difference in size, they still fill up the wheel wells.

The rear wheels I can understand because the pod floats back and forth and if it had the correct size wheel and tire you would obviously have tire to body rub. The fronts however are stationary and can be adjusted to the ideal tri-pod effect. It is this small wheel up front that takes away from an otherwise decent scale effort. Scale accuracy and high performance can co-exist quite easily and perhaps SCX can look at this and make some changes, at least with the front wheels.

Being Objective

On the other hand, I need to focus on who and what this model is targeted to. This model is designed to be raced in club level competitions and not simply for the average home racer or fine scale enthusiast. SCX of course produces models for the more scale home racers so I really should not complain. If I have to have more scale detail then I can simply limit my purchases to these models or change the wheels on this one. And at speed on the track it certainly doesn't offend. In the end only you can be the judge and with that said we can move on.

On recent new releases SCX has added lights to increase realism but this is a non-lighted model. Again, I cannot criticize SCX for this due to what type of model they are producing. Most club racers would simply discard the lights and associated circuit boards to save weight and simplify maintenance. You could however add them to this model using a variety of kits on the market.

As we already stated this is a non-magnet model. If you must have magnet to enjoy your hobby there is some room inside to add them. We appreciate light magnet models at times but given the tracks this car will spend most of its time on, ours will stay non-magnet.

Track Time
Artin Plastic Track - Aftermarket Power @ 12 Volts - PARMA 25 OHM Control

Before I comment I want to quote a section on the Driver's manual that I found very interesting:

"The car's race personality remains to be perfected. You will need to train seriously, studying the car's movements, getting the hang of it, trying things out, in order to give it a touch of your own personality. Because this is not a toy, but a small competition machine - and this is how it should be seen."

I appreciate that level of enthusiasm from SCX, and with this model they are giving good advice. The car has excellent acceleration & braking. The extra braking effect of the brake shoe however is not something I am sure I fully appreciate. At the setting out of the box, when you came into a corner after a long straight and hit the brakes, the car would simply lock up and skid a few inches. This hard braking action was difficult for me to control. It would have the car going into the corners at different angles and although I did get better with time, this setting was too much for me.

The motor itself has standard braking that worked fine so adding to it takes some time to adjust yourself to. I tried adjusting the brake shoe to where it would just slightly touch but I could virtually not get it back any further. I adjusted the motor pod screws to reduce the free-play and this helped a good amount. Now things seemed smoother for me and lap times averaged in the 5.5 second ranges.

This is not bad for a non magnet model, but there is more tuning that can be done. One item that I felt could use improvement were the tires. Although they were true enough after sanding, this compound seems to be on the harder side and this made the car a slippery affair in the tighter corners. Still, the model functions and although it is not the quietest model given all the movement of the pod and body, it still is a smooth and snappy slot car to pilot.

Wood Track Testing
3 Lane MDF Routed Wood - Flat Latex Surface
Copper Tape Conductivity - Aftermarket Power @ 12 Volts PARMA 25 OHM Control

It was on our new 3 lane wood track where I truly wanted to see this car in action. After cleaning the tires we started our testing and very soon we discovered just how nicely balanced this model is. It was precise through the esses and you could push it deep into our downhill approach to the corners. Again the tires here worked well at the start but the slightest amount of dust rendered them very slippery. A few more passes over the tape to clean them and things were much improved. Lap times were a 5.4 second average in each lane except the outside where we could actually push out a 5.3.

It was here that we truly enjoyed this car. We slightly adjusted the pod float to tighten it up and backed off the body mount screws another 1/4 turn. The body now had just the slightest amount of float and then we began to really push this model. We cracked 5.2 second averages easily and practice will just make things better. I took down some older Audi models from SCX and we wanted to see how they would compare to this PRO version. Although the PRO car has much more power, on our smaller track (4 foot by 16) it could not really take advantage of it. The PRO car still dominated however due to a more refined balance and overall smoothness. Still, we had an incredible amount of fun racing against it and it appears SCX has constructed a very nice slot car.

Final Thoughts

This model has a lot going for it for this class of racing. It has a wide range of adjustability that will allow you to tune it to almost any track condition. The scale detail level is not the best but still acceptable for me due to it's excellent overall control. The weak area such as the tires I think SCX should look at replacing with a higher grade of silicone. These tires will be the first thing many dedicated club racers will replace and a model designed for this level of racing should simply be equipped with them.

Cost is constantly becoming more and more of an issue for the average enthusiasts. I checked several dealers and this model at the time of this writing can be purchased between $59.95 to $69.95. Comparing it to several other brands of models in the ready to run market I feel it is a decent price for what you are getting. Aluminum wheels are a big bonus and the additional pod, spare brake shoe and extra screws help support my feelings. The high quality axles and gear set also increased the value for me.

For my style of simple home racing on smaller layouts, the model does not fit in with the rest of my collection...but perhaps this is a good thing? I think any racer who has a larger club layout where this model can stretch its legs should be pleased. We visit many tracks that are larger than ours and I think this is where we will come to enjoy this model to its full potential. It certainly is a good platform to start with and I am looking forward in trying new motor and tire combinations. If this style of racing appeals to you and you have a larger layout at your disposal, adding this model to your stable might be a smart investment.

- Harry

As always feel free to contact me about this article or just the hobby in general at harry@homeracingworld.com, or better yet drop into our Message Forum and share your thoughts with other enthusiasts!

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