[tDI_Fahrer]

Hi guys...

Together with one of my race-buddies I bought a new Fly Alfa 147.
I have the red one, he has the white one... the third race-buddie will wait untill the new version comes out and races my SCX Seat Leon in our "Hot Hatch Cup" for the moment...

We raced it a while last night... (on mondays we race endurances) and both Alfa's had trouble with the front wheels... in fact... only with the right front wheel... so we both had to give up our race... and the Leon won both the races...

The first 50 laps my Alfa drove great... I love how the car drives... it's pretty fast on the straights and you can go late on the brakes with it... (like the Leon)... The white one drove not that good... (or was it the driving style? I had a 7.0 on my track, the white one had a 7.7). But in lap 60 the car slowed down very much... and after a good checkup we saw the right front wheel was much looser then the left one... and it hit the fender constantly...

We checked the white Alfa on that... and it was also the right front wheel that was rubbing against the fender... and the left one was in place... just like mine...

Strange ha? Do you guys have the same problems? If it was only my 147 that has the right wheel trouble, I would try to fix it without making a fuss about it... But I think it's strange both our Alfa's have the same flaw...

So, do you guys have the same problems? And if yes... what did you do to fix it?

Two pictures of my Italian beauty...

Greetz

G.

 

[Difflock]

Has your track got a lot of left hand bends in it? It sounds like the 147 is possibly putting more weight on the right side which would increase wear on the axle.

There's an old saying "If it's got t***, tyres or transoms, it's trouble!"

Perhaps Gaugemaster Controls (Aaron) could help you? Bring the problem to his attention and he may be able to sort it out.

Mark.

 

[tDI_Fahrer]

No... left and right corners are quite equal...

When it came straight out of the box... the right wheel was already a little looser... but i didn't mind, because fly's intend to have such things...

I'm just wondering if other 147's have the same problem...

I will mail Aaron about it though...

G.

 

[sprint]

We have many 147 at our club; out of the box they had a tendency to deslot ; we have substituted front tyres with smaller ones (Gom ultra thin), and unscrewed the body; now they race extremely well and are a joy to see!

Ciao

 

[tDI_Fahrer]

@ Sprint:

I planned to switch tyres too...

But is it normal the wheels can move up and down so much?

G.

 

[Difflock]

If the wheels are on stub axles, then yes they can move around a lot!

Mark.

 

[jonny s]

Yep! I`d prefer to fit Pink Kar skinnies as they have no grip at the front end. The Gom versions grip too much and are great for 4WD but I don`t want any grip at the front end of a rear wheel drive car.

 

[sprint]

Yes, also my front axles move up and down, but they don't rub on the body;
I thought Gom's tyres were the smallest, but if jonny s says Pink Kar, I have to try them!

; unfortunately here in Italy I cannot get them in a simple way, but I have already began my search

ciao

 

[Gaugemaster Controls]

Hmmmm, this is an interesting one. My first thought are simply wear, but that does seem a bit excessive for such a short racing duration. Is the problem the stub axle or the chassis I wonder?

I have only had good reports so far on both these models even though I have had loads of reports telling me the red one races faster than the white one (Bizarre or what!!) I am yet to come across any other problems. However, I will monitor the situation and if more like this come to light I will have a chat to Fly themselves.

Cheers,
Aaron

 

[jonny s]

Sprint mate, if you struggle and cannot find them then e mail me your address and I`ll send you some. Pink Kar are slightly smaller but it`s the fact that they are hard and do not grip as opposed to the softer Gom that do make the front of the car dig in. Not good

No problem for me to send you some tyres

 

[Difflock]

Sprint - you could always paint the front tyres with nail varnish

Aaron - is this the final proof that red cars go faster?

Mark.

 

[sprint]

I have painted the front wheels, but my club fellows think it is not legal and fair

(perhaps because this idea is mine and not theirs); thank you jonny, my pleasure is also in the search ( many years ago I bought an old model plane diesel engine in India!), but if I could not find them I will e-mail to you.
ciao

 

[tDI_Fahrer]

QUOTE (Gaugemaster Controls @ 16 Mar 2004, 23:40)Hmmmm, this is an interesting one. My first thought are simply wear, but that does seem a bit excessive for such a short racing duration. Is the problem the stub axle or the chassis I wonder?

Cheers,
Aaron
Aaron,

It isn't wear at all... I've bought my 147 on friday 12-03 and I raced it first on monday 15-03... and we discovered the problem after 50 laps...

Yes indeed... maybe it's the axle that is to small, or the whole in the chassis to big... but anyways... I know that front-motor - rear-drive fly cars have loose front wheels... but the difference between the right wheel and the left one is to big to be normal...

Strangly enough has the white 147 (bought on same day, and raced it first on monday too) has exactly the same problem...

G.

 

[tDI_Fahrer]

So a little question for other Alfa 147 owners...

Is the left wheel less loose then the right one?

Thanks

G.

 

[Mo55man]

Of course red cars go faster, just look at the current F1 scene.

 

[Swissracer]

QUOTE I have had loads of reports telling me the red one races faster than the white one (Bizarre or what!!)

Ok - I swapped bodies on my Alfas...

Result?

The red one was STILL faster!

Go figure.. Must be some automatic response that Red cars are driven faster. I eve nfitted two scale fluffy dice to the windscreen of the white one but it made no difference.

 

[Difflock]

QUOTE (Swissracer @ 17 Mar 2004, 14:37)Go figure.. Must be some automatic response that Red cars are driven faster. I eve nfitted two scale fluffy dice to the windscreen of the white one but it made no difference.

That's because it's an Alfa and not a Ford Capri!!

On the subject of wobbly front wheels, I'm just pondering what to do with the ones on my FLY Corvette C5R (Paginas Amarillas No.12) which I picked up for a bargain price at Pendleslot. NOt only are the C5R's fronts on stub axles, but the stubs themselves are on pivots so the wheels can travel up and down in an arc. On their upper limit they rub on the arches. I'll probably fit a pair of GOM lo-pros to gain clearance and glue the pivots in the "up" position.

Mark.

 

[Intergrali]

arch scrub diff? have you trimmed the stub axles?

 

[tDI_Fahrer]

QUOTE (Intergrali @ 17 Mar 2004, 16:49)arch scrub diff? have you trimmed the stub axles?
What do you mean by that?

I haven't done anything with the axles...

I just switched the axles and the wheels...
And now it's the left wheel that is very loose...
I think one of the axles is thinner than the other one...
So it has more room to move in the "axle hole"...

Think that is my problem...

G.

 

[Difflock]

Sorry tDi, Inte was referring to my similar problem with the Corvette, didn't mean to take over your thread

Mark.