[pfuetze]

I got rid off all the parts that i did not like from Kyosho. The spring chassis is overengineered from my point of view, with the adjustable magnet and all the screws - it wants to much. The main problem for ME, as i´m driving on a wood track is the high center of gravity caused by the angled up motor. That may be necessary, but it works against the clock on the woodie. The long motor shaft with the long pinion - i can´t find a reason for this, but i don´t like the handling of cars with so much weight on the front axle. Personal thing again.

So i started on a scratchbuilt chassis. No springs, no screws, no fancy things. Motor glued in with hot glue. To get no play in the rear axle, i added some brass tube bearings, fit the DSlot axle like a glove. The motor has just the right punch when running on 14.5V, the standard DSlot gearing works great on my track. These are the smoothest gears i´ve ever run! The wheels are so nice and the flatened ended axle work great, too. This gives not only torque resistance, but you can remove the wheels and put them back on and they will be in the same position. Important thing for trued tires!
The only aftermarket part added, are the K&D tires. Best combination with the flat latex of my wood track.

All in all, i simply love 99% of the DSlot parts. What i would wish for - for running no magnet on a wood track - from Kyosho:
- horizontal motor position
- body mounting with screws on the side on the body. The current system makes it impossible to get the nose of the cars down and you have to bend the body quite wide (for my feelings) to get the chassis out of the body
- shorter motor axle and pinion the get the CoG more to the back of the car.

All in all, Kyosho offers a really great base for a fast slot car! The most impressive thing for me are the body details, wheel details and the smoothest 1/43rd gearing on earth.

cheers,
Peter

p.s. for all out there that did not get one by now - try it!

 

[loosesalute]

Great work & excellent pictures Peter... I told you they were good!

Cheers
Kev.

 

[Lloyd.L]

Great work Peter, that's much better! I hope Kyosho watches these threads.

Regards, Lloyd

 

[Schackel]

Peter proved it - the only reallynecessary thing from Kyosho are the bodies. Combine them with something useful, like Peter did, and you have what it ought to be - a slotcar.

An impressive demonstration of "what could be, if ..." I´ts a pity that Kyosho obviousoly didn´t charge SLOTRACERS with the development of their models - otherwise they would look and work as logical and useful as his conversions.
And could be much cheaper......

Roland

 

[Lloyd.L]

Even though that motor is ok on the big tracks, cars with the smaller cans are much nicer to drive on most tracks, look at the current proxys! So that leaves wheels, axles and gears!

As Shackel said, if Kyosho had asked slotracers they could have saved a lot of money and even taken firms like Carrera on as regards price!

Regards, Lloyd

 

[masmojo]

Peter, Something to be learned from what you've said for sure and I am glad you framed it positively! I agree that the largish motor angled up does have a negative effect on the handling, If Kyosho did one thing and redesigned the motor pod to be lighter, more compact and take the smaller canned motor the postives would be manyfold.

I also agree that the front body clip is the first thing that should go! I can see where it is obviously going to hamper the production of cars with short overhands in the very near future (already has with the 917). An adjustable side screw mount like you mention would be ideal, I am using a similar set up on my Proxy entry as you will soon see!

Quite the production line you have there!

Kyosho, even with these 'issues' still has the best 1/43 slot car going and I think with a few tweeks they can really set this hobby on it's ear.

 

[Schackel]

QUOTE (masmojo @ 13 Jun 2012, 22:20) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>..........Kyosho, even with these 'issues' still has the best 1/43 slot car going and I think with a few tweeks they can really set this hobby on it's ear.

This can´t be more than a subjective opinion.

Sorry but up to today I´m not able to see what is this "best".
As long as I have to do such correction jobs like I have to, to get a Dslot car looking realistic, asthetical correct and get it really runnning well, I can´t say - being pure in heart - this would be the "best".
One could also say that all the screws only are there to make it easier to cover or correct the basic flaws we have to buy these models with.
"Best" also is a matter of personal claim, I think.

Best magnets ? (What is "best" - strongest, smallest, lightest ? )
Best motor ? ( what is "best" - highest rpm, highest power, smallest dimensions, ?)
Best chassis ( what is "best" - most screws, most springs, highest number of desirable but not really necessary parts that "look good and representative" ? )
Best body (what is "best" - most details, lowest weight, impressive interior ? )

And so on....

In my opinion the best slotcar is the one that looks, works AND runs best on the track without any tweaking, but especially without any traction magnet.

And I dare to doubt that Dslot would still be this "best" in that case .

I repeat what I wrote - it´s a pity that such a distinctive firm like Kyosho is not able to do something similar as Peter and others are able to show here: simple but not least because of this simplicity
very effective 43rd scale slotcars in any way.
No. KYOSHO had to invent slotracing yet another time, being sure to find enough admirers instantaneously who buy everything as long as it is "new" and has a "name" instead of ignoring it and showing them this way that it could be done better, more efficiently and cheaper.
It´s not more than my opinion. But I think this kind of "dependance" from a product or a name will not bring slotracing forward even one little step. It is the way Peter and other scratchbuilders go that brings 43rd scale slotracing forward.
So "Thank you Kyosho for one more product instead of devlopment" - Not more.

Roland

 

[mudchukka]

Thanks for a great post Peter

The cars look great on the track nice and low.

Mudchukka

 

[masmojo]

Roland, Sorry it was a rather simplistic statement on my part, but hardly subjective especially since realistically there is only one other company producing something called 1/43 Slot cars! Can anybody really Make a convicing arguments for Carrera? and I don't include Technitoys (or whatever name they are going by these days) even though technically they may still be selling cars.

Maybe, it's just a language difference? Certainly as we have discussed the Kyosho's are not perfect. And, Just as certainly there are those of us out there who can build cars that are superior in many ways, but overall I don't think any of us can produce a total package that surpases what Kyosho is doing.

Did Kyosho overshoot the mark with D-slot, yes maybe it is a bit too overcomplicated, but I cannot skewer them for overshooting the mark, when so many have come up embarassingly short. It should be noted that the simple chassis that Peter is producing here, although it works great on his track, it may not work as well as the D-slot chassis on a sectional track or one running magnets!?

I agree that the the ideal car is one that handles well with No magnets and unfortunately Kyosho has designed this car to run primarily with magnets!? This though is not a problem unique to D-slot or 1/43 for that matter. It's been a primary complaint of mine for 15 years in 1/32 as well! Kyosho obviously was highly influenced by the current state of the art in 1/32 and while they rightly thought to bring those concepts to 1/43, maybe their translation was a little too letter perfect.

I for one offered as a 1/43 enthusiast to TEST their cars and assist in the developement process, Peter and/or a half dozen other guys here would have been ideal for just such a task as well. While Kyosho did it seems, work with some slot enthusiasts, apparently they were all 1/32 guys and testing was done on 1/32 scale tracks! In my estimation this explains allot of why they are the way they are.

Still, As I said these are the top of the heap and I for one am happy to get as many as I can and I will hope they only improve!

In the back of my mind, I am thinking that Kyosho may already be making changes and this may explain why the Mazda's and Porsche Carrera's are somewhat delayed!

 

[mudchukka]

Mazda and Porsches will be in UK in 2 weeks time ! fingered crossed.

Mudchukka

 

[Schackel]

QUOTE (masmojo @ 14 Jun 2012, 22:56) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>... hardly subjective especially since realistically there is only one other company producing something called 1/43 Slot cars! Can anybody really Make a convicing arguments for Carrera?

So far I agree with you completely, Mas.

.....but overall I don't think any of us can produce a total package that surpases what Kyosho is doing.

Well, in my opinion it is and stays a matter of what is necessary, useful and fits the REAL requirements of what it is being produced as - a slotcar.

Did Kyosho overshoot the mark with D-slot, yes maybe it is a bit too overcomplicated, but I cannot skewer them for overshooting the mark, when so many have come up embarassingly short. It should be noted that the simple chassis that Peter is producing here, although it works great on his track, it may not work as well as the D-slot chassis on a sectional track or one running magnets!?

Nevertheless your argument doesn´t justify what Kyosho does. It might be vice versa as well - Kyosho chassis work well on a sectional track but not as well on Peter´s track. There are always different approaches.


I agree that the the ideal car is one that handles well with No magnets and unfortunately Kyosho has designed this car to run primarily with magnets!? This though is not a problem unique to D-slot or 1/43 for that matter. It's been a primary complaint of mine for 15 years in 1/32 as well! Kyosho obviously was highly influenced by the current state of the art in 1/32 and while they rightly thought to bring those concepts to 1/43, maybe their translation was a little too letter perfect.

Of course I do not forget that every homerace slotcar producer does his job primarily for the average user, a kid at his birthday, someone curious of what that is etc. etc. No one in the "carpet race scene" produces for slotracers. Especially not in 43rd scale.

I for one offered as a 1/43 enthusiast to TEST their cars and assist in the developement process, Peter and/or a half dozen other guys here would have been ideal for just such a task as well. While Kyosho did it seems, work with some slot enthusiasts, apparently they were all 1/32 guys and testing was done on 1/32 scale tracks! In my estimation this explains allot of why they are the way they are.

Right.

Still, As I said these are the top of the heap and I for one am happy to get as many as I can and I will hope they only improve!

In the back of my mind, I am thinking that Kyosho may already be making changes and this may explain why the Mazda's and Porsche Carrera's are somewhat delayed!

Let´s stay optimistic. And who doesn´t want the cars ( just like me...) should be honest and serious enough to accept the high quality of the bodies at least. And THIS I do in any case.

Roland