Xray NT1’15 200mm nitro on-road kit

Xray officially introduce the all-new NT1 2015 Spec 1/10th 200mm nitro on-road kit. As explained by Martin Hudy in our exclusive interview and making-off feature, the car builds on a redesigned backbone in the form of aluminium front and rear bulkheads and a new main chassis plate. The 2015 Spec car makes use of 7075-T6 aluminium bulkheads, layshaft holders and suspension mounts to adapt to the latest set of rules that see harder and larger diameter “hand out” tyres used at many races.

The new all-aluminum chassis and bulkhead assembly retains the proven suspension geometry but optimises the flex characteristics to gain maximum traction and steering from the tyres. This is helped by the super-narrow main chassis plate with bevelled edges and airflow cut-outs to help with engine cooling.

Also new for the 2015 car are redesigned aluminium 2-speed bulkheads that are now separate from the rear transmission mounts to give proper flex characteristics, again to add traction and side-bite with harder tyres. A newly designed 7075-T6 aluminium middle shaft mount offers reduced weight and easier access to the front belt and pulley for faster maintenance.

Part of the new drivetrain housing are also all-new upper clamps for the alloy bulkheads. For extra roll centre adjustment possibilities, the rear graphite roll centre bridge with six camber link mounting points can be removed and the rear linkage can be mounted directly to the upper clamps which improves cornering speed and steering in high-traction conditions.

Both the front and rear upper clamps feature integrated belt-tension adjustment using adjustable bearing eccentric holders, eliminating the need for a separate belt tensioner. All ball-bearings also turn in composite hubs to reduce friction and improve drivetrain efficiency.

All suspension mounts on the NT1 attach to the chassis and, except for the RR holder, are of a split design to increase traction and make the car easier to drive. The all-new front upper arm holders were designed to work with the new aluminium bulkheads. Each upper front arm holder is mounted to the bulkhead via a single screw and to the radio plate with only two screws and by doing so the front suspension has optimised flex for improved in-corner steering and better steering response. Additional flex characteristics can be achieved by using the integrated Multi-Flex system that allows for fine-tuning using or leaving away mounting screws. Along with the new suspension mounts also come redesigned upper arms that utilise a mounting screw for the upper arm suspension pins.

Another new part on the suspension side of things are redesigned front steering knuckles with a separate carbon fibre Ackermann plate. The plate is mounted lower compared to previous steering block design, which allows the steering linkage to be moved lower to gain more bumpsteer. The bump steer setting can be easily changed by adding or removing shims and an optional graphite Ackermann plate allows to dial in more in-corner steering.

Part of the 2015 package is also a redesigned upper deck with the possibility to adjust the flex characteristic using different bushings on for the servo saver post. Additional Multi-Flex setting in the front and rear of the radio plate further enhance the ability to fine-tune the flex characteristics to your liking. Furthermore a rear stiffener link was designed to connect the radio plate and the rear 2-speed bulkhead, again in a wake to allow for maximised flex adjustment capability.

Moving to the rear end the 2015 NT1 features new, smaller rear uprights with optimised wheel bearing fitment, two upper camper link positions and the possibility to mount optional 2-piece carbon fibre aero discs.

The NT1’15 also incorporates a vast amount of smaller details such as a new wobble-free anti-roll bar system with a design that allows to run wire or blade-type anti-roll bars up front. The brake system features a new Hudy spring steel brake cam and specially glued high-grip pads for fading-free operation. The fuel tank can be lowered when using low-profile LiPo battery packs for a lower centre of gravity and the all-aluminium long-travel shock absorbers with Delrin pistons maximise the traction available from the tyres. Also part of the kit is a quick-set 2-piece engine mount for easy and accurate gear mesh adjustment and front CV and rear dogbone driveshafts make for an efficient power supply. The front diff can be run as a gear diff or solid axle right out of the kit and the package is rounded out by Xray’s 3-shoe XCA centrifugal-axial clutch.

All-new 2015 features:
– New chassis
– New aluminium bulkheads
– New aluminium rear 2-speed shaft bulkheads
– New aluminium middle shaft holder
– New aluminium upper clamps
– New aluminium suspension mounts
– New aluminium front upper arm holders
– New front upper arm
– New steering blocks
– New improved caster adjustment range
– New improved bump steer adjustment range
– New rear uprights
– New radio plate
– New radio plate flex system
– New radio flex adjustment bushing
– New rear stiffener link
– New graphite shock towers
– New graphite roll-center bridge
– New front & rear anti-roll bar ball-bearing mounting system
– New rear anti-roll bar adjustment system
– New rear anti-roll bar wire
– New brake cam post
– New composite front bumper upper holder
– New improved caster adjustment range

Source: Xray [teamxray.com]