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- Team CRC Generation Xi - Mark Ament - Build -
Front End
I've seen this countless times, and probably even done it back in my younger days.. Putting two different caster blocks in your front end because you were too careless to examine each angle. This should be a common sense thing now, but when opening the package, pull all the blocks and line them up in pairs in a row noting the angle between them. The picture below shows the difference between them, so you’re not running a 5* and a 10* on your front end.
With the new changes to the front end, I truly think its a good step for CRC. Coming from the cheap aluminum axel that we all known to strip by the hour, the new 1/8th axel provides (what is seems to be) a much sturdier structure with better quality. Also to note that finding bearings won't be such a hassle now when it comes to replacing them. Other than that, the front end is composed of less pieces in general as you can see below, which in my eyes equals less possibly for error such a tweak.
This is a general tip for building a kit, but for the people that blow it off, you might as well throw your kit away. With 1/12 being soo dependent on being free, its crucial for free front end travel. Since i didn’t have a reamer for the proper size, a drill bit attached to a dremel works well. Please note that there’s a fine line between tight and sloppy when doing this, so be patient and don't go to town with it.
I think i might be the only one that doesn't like running the standard CRC links that come with the kit, but for the 99% of you that do, this works wonders. Starting out with a body reamer, i like to ream out the link holes 1 rotation, very gently. This opens up the inner hole, freeing up the links a tad. After this, i use a 82* countersink (doesn’t matter what angle) and clear the tips and bottoms of the holes so it doesn’t interfere with the lip of the balls. Please note to do this after you've threaded the screws into the links, clamping them together, providing a much truer circle to work with.
Rear End
CRC's new spur gear is including in this kit, which i wasn't expecting. Using 16 3/32" balls instead of the usual 12 1/8th that's been the norms since the dawn of time, the kit provides a 80 tooth spur, completing the rear axle. The only downfall in this i see would being able to find those size diff balls at a LHS, or even the gears itself. Picture below shows old vs. new.
The new Team Tamale/Speed Merchant pod seemed so dope, I just knew I had to give it a try. After receiving it, I was kind of let down, or maybe a lot. First, the new CRC top brace connecting both pods is technically needed to complete it (which i don't have). That really didn’t bother me, but after piecing it together and examine the bottom, the machine work isn't done to perfection. Not sure if they had the metric countersink of 90* instead of the proper 82*, but the lip of all the flat heads aren't flush, at all. Other than that, there were still come carbon edgings still not trimmed attached on the inner diameter of the holes. I know this may seem small, but when paying almost $100 for a couple piece of aluminum and carbon fiber, I expected great things. But I do them props for the idea itself, just looking at it I know it'll save anyone who buys it valuable time at the track. I guess I'll have to test it to see. Picture below shows the XI pod vs. the Tamale pod, which is very different in sizing.
Here's the finished product, equipped with a standard size SpeedZone pack. Seeing how tight spacing is already, I think it'd be pointless to run the inline setup without the new Shorty pack. Other than that, here are something’s I’ve noticed during the build:
Shorter shock length from bottom to top plate than found in pervious cars
Longer chassis (4mm maybe)
Very nice Carbon quality
A special gift if you bought one of the first batches
Please note:
The shock and side links pictured above aren't including in the kit. CRC provides the Encore shock, Instead of the Hot Bodies shock, and regular links instead of the AE links shown above*
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