wriffwraff

chrobar, here's the amainhobbies link for the .21 axe rossi mamba. http://www.amainhobbies.com/product_...ducts_id/10094.

axe rossi also manufacturers a sport engine which is less expensive than the mamba if budget is of concern. aside from that they offer a "ceo modded " version of the mamba. they also manufacture or offer the " cobra " engine which is a " long stroke " version of the mamba. my wishlist is the " x1 evolution " version of the cobra. it's really cool looking and boasts 3.23 HP [X(] i'm saving for that engine, cos' i would really like to have that engine on my shelf, just for race days, you know?

here's a couple of links regarding axe rossi engines if you care to review the company company history: http://www.axemotor.it/index1.htm. or their online store: http://shop.vendio.com/RossiEnginesUSA/category/8/

oh well, perhaps you've seen this vid before, but anyways, here's a link of me doing a test run. you know, if you want to hear the .21 mamba engine. i was running a tad bit rich with a jp3 pipe. http://s244.photobucket.com/albums/g...t=SANY0168.flv

one other thing... it's funny how most of the guys from 06' and 07' have bounced from this thread. i was looking back at the earlier pages thinking, " where'd everybody go? " i'm still here b/c of the expense. i mean, i have to keep upgrading and fiddling around with my cen matrix ready to run truggy b/c of the cost to buy and maintain another one. plus, something is telling me to wait to see what's up with the summer/fall 08' or 09' releases. in particular the mugen. i've had my eye on that one from the beginning, but as a newbie i just wanted a decent rtr to get a feel for the hobby. hey, and the cen matrix rtr truggy does that, and then some. i really like this truck and the versatility of this sport

man, another novel... excuse me forum-ites. i'm between gigs this winter, so i get carried away, i suppose. i apologize for the diary

chrobar

Yeah wriff, I was eyeing the mugen, among others in the beginning, too. The reason I didn't go with it is because it would expensive as hell for a kit, with all the other things needed.
I mean, I got the whole Matrix RTR for $430, and thats as much as the "cheap" mugen standard kit, without engine, radio...etc. But I'm not looking back because I'm loving my CEN, and I love being the only guy at the track with a CEN. And plus, with what other company can you be sponsored so easily? Obviously, the truggy has some very minor problems that anyone with a brain can fix easily. The truck ran perfectly fine stock, and I actually might have liked it better. But anyway, this was CEN's first truggy, and like ALL OTHER BRANDS, they're bound to have a few kinks. So in theory, you should be comparing the Matrix to a mugen MSR a long time ago...
Later
TOm

chickenfart

I have to say, I've finally given up on the TR and am now in losi territory, I forgot how much of a POC the TR is to work on until I got my new truck, I know why they say you get what you pay for. I still have a soft spot for cen, but I'm not going near thier stuff again until I can see that they are rectifying these small problems, a small price tag will only hold you up for so long before you need to invest in the quality of your product to keep people interested and coming back.

pooldoc

Sorry to hear you think the TR is a POC, you talk about rectifying small problems. Has Losi fixed the servo eating tendency on their RTR kit? And have they fixed the premature wear 8t's experience. Upgraded chassis braces, battery tray stiffeners all seem to be needed to make the truck last. But I suppose that doesn't count cuz it's a Losi.
A couple of my buddy's run Losi 8's and T's, they have all fried numerous servos, not just T/B either. At this point their rides look good sitting in the backs of their trucks, while they have moved on to other kits. And why do you see so many used Losi 8 B's and T's for sale?
The saying people living in glass houses should't throw stones comes to mind. Pooldoc

The Real Dogman

vvvvvvvvvvvYeah!! What He Said!!!vvvvvvvvvvv

wriffwraff

hey, hope i didn't cause anything here with my earlier pining about the mugen truggy. i've had my cen truggy for just over a year now and as a " newbie ", and in the beginning, i posted some " interesting " feedback here online regarding the cen truggy. however, i have since come to realize that most of my experience was rooted in my " newness " to the sport sure the cen truggy has some issues, however, from what i've gathered from others owners of other brands, all of these truggies have issues. for example, just last week a guy at the local hobby store stated that he was extremely challenged by the front diff on his mugen truggy. having said that, the cen ready to run truggy is a good entry level truck. hey, and if you care to spend more time and more money, you can upgrade to the FRE edition or simply just purchase the factory race edition from the start and upgrade it. it's like anything... it's about how far you care to go. the fast folk have a " anytruck, anytime, anywhere " type of attitude and discipline. shoot, a guy driving what appeared to be a tenth scale electric truck, smoked me the last time i was at the track [X(] it was too funny, as he quietly passed by my throaty, ferocious fuel spewing truggy [:-] so yeah, almost a year later now, my delighted but sometimes bruised ego has come to realize that it's all about the driver, not the truck.

speaking of trucks, here's another proud pic

chrobar

Well anyway, I didn't want to discourage anyone with a CEN. CEN is working very quickly and helpfully to fix any problems people have with the truck. I mean, they upgraded the RTR engine, put cross pins in all of their race cars, made updated front arms to solve the CVD problem easily if you didn't already by putting some 17mm hubs on there, the front knuckles have been upgraded and shaved down from the factory, a new CNC wing mount or chassis stiffener has been produced, and heck, they're coming out with a new line of Matrix cars with Big bore shocks, along with plenty of other new goodies. And if anyone forgot, BCE is making a kick a** chassis for the Matrix that proved itself in the ROAR Nats. And if that's not enough, Gene Hickerson has made some high quality aluminum parts for the front upper arms, steering ackerman, and more. Now I ask you, what other RC company has taken this much time and effort to keep everyone satisfied? And along with all of that..CEN's customer service is second to none! So, that is why I'm so pleased with my truck, and CEN most importantly, and I don't care if anyone tried to bash this company, because they don't know what they're talking about.
That's all I have to say

xxx4 and 2 more

any info where I can find the wing mount and stiffener/

chrobar

Yeah, I think it's on the CEN website, it's actually quite cheap.
http://www.cenracing.com/newproduct/mxs42.html
That's the info about it
http://www.cenracingdirect.com/index...OD&ProdID=3935
That's where to buy it.

chrobar

Well I went ahead and ordered a pair of CNC knuckles. They are shaved down from the factory and come with steel bushings. I'll tell y'all how it goes.
Tom

*FULL-REVS*

when you say made updated front arms to solve the CVD problem... does that solve the issue of the front shafts popping out on big jumps etc?

pooldoc

Yes, that was the purpose of the front arm update.

*FULL-REVS*

fantastic!!! just about at my wicks end with spitting shafts.... thanks alot

*FULL-REVS*

ya havent got a part number or a link for the upper arms hop up.... had a look round and cant find anything....

chrobar

Just e-mail customer service, ken@cenracing, or andrew@cenracing, and they can set you up. I talked to Ken about the arms and he says that it's kind of a random chance that you will get the new arms. But still, try to talk to him and see what happens.
If you want another easy way to get out of the CVD problem, just change to 17mm hubs..this way you can shim the CVD farther back into the cup. It's what I did, and it works fine..and if you are looking to race, 17mm hubs are the way to go..
Tom

chrobar

Oh also, I'm talking about the lower front arms...I hope that was a typo on your part. If it wasn't then we need to clarify things..

*FULL-REVS*

damn it!!! i just bought 23mm prolines [:@] so wont change to the 17mm hex for a while yet... i dont know if its the upper or lower i just read somewhere that there is a hop up "arm" to stop the drive shafts being spat out of the front diff on big impacts.... so anything i can do to stop this happening will be of help would be nice just to buy a off the shelf item though thanks for your help....

chrobar

Ok, well you can take A LOT of approaches to it. The most beneficial would be to go to 17mm. But since you already got 23mm wheels, don't worry about it until you wear out the tires.
1) Try and contact the people I told you about, that will probably be the smartest thing to do.
2) Do some kind of mods yourself like grinding down the 23mm hubs so that the hole the pin goes through is closer to the edge..(this way you can shim the hubs similarly like the 17mm ones and get the same result)
3) You can drill new holes in the arm that are a little closer to the diff, thus pushing the CVD farther into the diff, which is your goal ultimately.
4) You can probably think of a new idea to mod things, too. One thing that I was kind of curious about was if you can get longer CVDs. You can look around on the net and check out specs.
5) An idea I just remembered would be to limit the uptravel on the shocks. It's sooooo easy, just put a small length of fuel tubing on the shock shaft..because you know the reason the CVD is falling out is because the arm moves so far up that it pulls the CVD out. This is definitely the easiest and cheapest fix...do it.
Tom

*FULL-REVS*

thanks Tom,

i as looking at doing some of the mods like you said... i just feel drilling that close to the factory holes will cause me grief later on... and i still need the full travel of my suspention as my local track is very bumby and has quite big jumps.... im going to have a play with it tonight so ill let ya know what i come up with and see if you agree thanks again Tom...

mx757

revs, try changing your preload a bit to help with hard landings. if you make it so the springs are already compressed more it effectively stiffens up the suspension and makes it handle big hits better.

blade i sent you an email. hope to hear back soon.

trarena

FullRevs, where in NZ are you? I have started racing my Cen truggy in Auckland. Would be nice to not be the only one out there!

*FULL-REVS*

LOL im at the other end of th island in Wellington will be coming up your way for nationals at the end of april though do you run at the track sponsered by rc bandit?

trarena

Yep, I was there today actually running my new motor in. Also run at the ARCCC track where the N. Islands will be held in April. Are you entering?

*FULL-REVS*

yeah a few of us are entering from down here just cant decide if i want to run buggy or truggy.... or both as this will be my first big event im thinking about just running one class just to get a feel for the whole national racing thing....

chrobar

Here's a few pics of the steering on my truck. I'm just using the CNC knuckles, and there is a huge difference in the steering. I set more than 50% more out of the EPAs form the stock form.