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Schumacher Mi10 Build Log - Part I: The Next Evolution
The brand-new Schumacher Mi10 has officially arrived! As the evolution of its predecessor, the Mi10 can be bought either as a carbon fiber kit or with a steel chassis. For my first build, I am going with the steel version. However I also ordered alu chassis to have them ready if needed. All to simplify your choice and save you some
Here is how it all goes together!
First Impressions: Goodbye Black, Hello Grey!
First off, the traditional black anodization is gone. Now, it is a somewhat greyish metallic finish which looks absolutely neat and premium in person!
Chassis & Bulkhead Redesign
The Steel Chassis: Weighing in at 167g, the form of the chassis has a more radius-curved shape and features entirely different cut-outs than its older brother.
Revised Bulkheads: The bulkheads (6.7g) are revised to accommodate the new shock mounting system, where you can now choose whether you want the shocks mounted inboard or outboard on the wishbone.
Rear Toe-Link: The ball joint for the rear toe-link has been moved to a horizontal position. Because of these updates, the front and rear bulkheads are nowadays different parts, albeit still the same left and right.
Transmission & Center Line Focus
The transmission is the same free rolling one as on the Mi9, but the center pulley now has its axle milled on the center bulkhead piece (16.6g).
This specific piece is also quite a bit thinner than before, which allows both the motor and the battery to sit noticeably closer to the centerline of the chassis for optimized weight distribution!
The center pulley is still made out of premium aluminum, but now comes equipped with metric-sized ball bearings.
Suspension Geometry Tweaks
The upper inner link mounts have a slightly different geometry compared to the Mi9 (where they were identical front and back). On the Mi10, you have a noticeably wider stance between the joints in the front, whereas in the back, they are now positioned closer together.
Schumacher Mi10 Build Log - Part II: Suspension & Clever Engineering
Well, you've seen the chassis center parts coming together nicely. Now, it's time to dive into the suspension!
New A-Arms & Toughened Hubs
The A-Arms feature a brand-new design on the Mi10 compared to the Mi9 to accept the new inboard-mounted shocks. But don't worry—as an option, you can still mount them outboard just like on the Mi9! The Hubs are completely new for this year's edition. Not only did Schumacher opt for flanged bearings, but they also put a blind nut on the inside of the upper link mount. This will for sure make them much tougher and help them withstand a crash better! (Bonus: You can easily upgrade your Mi9 to use these parts).
Aluminum Upgrades: The steering arms and toe control arms are now made of aluminum, finished in that nice new greyish color. Even the shock mounts, which were previously plastic, are aluminum now.
Shocks, Links & A Pro-Tip
The upper links are basically the same on both cars, and so are the shocks. However, this time I did a little tweaking:
The Fix: I used two shims on the shocks. I've had some issues with air getting into them previously, so this should probably sort that out!
Assembly: I always use a bit of O-ring grease before putting them into the housing. Also, pay close attention to the direction the balls go into each ball cup!
Springs: The kit comes with yellow springs for the front and black for the rear, but I swapped them around on purpose on my builds.
Electronics & Weight Placement
This year, I installed the latest Aerox LP2S steering servo, which is a direct fit onto the chassis—so there is absolutely no need for a separate mounting part!
I also added the 20g front weight that goes abeam the servo under the belt, as I already know these cars are lightweight out of the box.
The New Anti-Roll Bars: Pure Genius?
The anti-roll bars are a completely new design, and they are incredibly cleverly done!
Setup is incredibly simple: you just turn a screw on the spring-preloaded mountings. When you unturn the screw, the complete mount follows right along upwards. How fast it actually takes to swap the sway bar itself when you need a different thickness is another question though!
What's your take on the new anti-roll bar design?
Schumacher is really pushing the envelope with these small, smart adjustments.
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