Xpress MF1 Build Review and set up tips

The new aluminium outdrives look wonderful and ought to stand the check of time.

 The new designed motor mount and spur gear pully adapter cap is simply sensible, making spur gear modifications a lot simpler. This one the one bug bear on the FT1; you had to decide on your gearing rigorously to keep away from the diff from rubbing on the motor. So, the mid motor configuration is a welcomed blessing.

Now on to the all-new low profile higher bulkheads for the MF1, these present a decrease centre of gravity; similar to the AT1 and AT1S. The machining could be very exact and clear, so no dents or bits protruding. These are a factor of magnificence and look wonderful on the automotive and the adjustment is so much simpler on these that on the FT1. I did change the grub screws out for longer stainless-steel variations; it will accommodate extra shims if wanted. Use a tiny little bit of threadlock to carry them in!

Building the two-level rear flex adjustment was enjoyable, and I can see this being very useful within the dealing with of the automotive; particularly since 2WD touring vehicles are likely to take some time to get the warmth into the rear tyres; that is the place I really feel it will actually shine, particularly together with the brief shocks.

Building the entrance drive joints was once more very straight ahead, however simply bear in mind to string lock the m2 x 2mm holding the driveshaft protector in. As common taking time to ensure many of the free play is taken out of the bearings; while nonetheless permitting a smidgen quantity of motion.

I did use my compulsory, graphite steering block plates right here, once more taking care to be sure that this consists of the additional washers to match the unique hight of the plastic plates.

This package consists of the sturdy model of the suspension arms and C hubs, these take a whole lot of stick, particularly for tight indoor tracks when you occur to clip a nook. So, this was a really good addition to the package.

Having the composite physique help brace is a really welcome characteristic right here as nicely however do have a behavior of breaking when racing indoors; so, I want these would have come up with a stronger model or a distinct method of mounting, perhaps simply utilizing lengthy screws like another producers.

Once Important level to notice for the suspension. Make certain it falls properly underneath its personal weight. I needed to run a really small reamer by considered one of my suspension arms simply to ensure it was clean as silk for dropping by itself weight. If your suspension is clean, the dealing with goes to be clean.

Now on to the brand new anti-roll bars, these are mounted even decrease to the chassis for a greater impact and once more like all the things with this construct are very straightforward to construct and set up. 

The worst a part of any construct for me and that’s the shocks. Always messy (however that claims extra about me than the package to be honest). I went with the recommended inventory oil score and used my very own oil of choice equipped by RC Raceworx, right here within the U.Ok. as you typically discover totally different manufacturers of shock oils are barely totally different to one another, thereby giving totally different emotions on observe. I additionally vented the highest shock cap utilizing a 1mm piston drill to take away any rebound.

I exploit the low-profile lengthy journey shocks on my FT1, so I understand how they deal with.

Including the brand new spring-loaded battery mount within the package as commonplace, was a really good addition, these is one factor I all the time ended up shopping for with each new package; having it within the field was a godsend. I did should improve this to the Xpress Aluminium Anti-tweak battery (XP-10961), that is no reflection on the inventory components; identical to the physique help brace, these can break in a foul crash indoors. So, I made a decision to improve that simply in-case.

The entrance bumper with built-in weight is sweet and is mostly a should have for entrance wheel drive touring vehicles, however I did order the additional extra brass higher bumper plate (XP-10925) and the graphite higher bumper holder (XP-10243).

What I really like about Xpress vehicles is that they fight their finest to re-use components from different vehicles of their line ups the place they will and innovate somewhere else. This is nice for racers because it implies that we simply want a single set of spares; so, a whole lot of the components are interchangeable with my FT1, XM1 and FM1S.

This construct was a really relaxed and I actually loved it from the begin to the end, without having to purchase any additional instruments to get it setup. I used the standard gray Ride 1/10 belted 24mm tyres that I had on my FT1 to check with, as I understand how they carried out on that automotive. So that may be a very good check and are similar to the regulation wheels we should use within the BRCA Nationals.

I opted to make use of the identical Blitz MK9 shell I ran on my FT1 all season as that was a recognized issue however will probably be experimenting with different BRCA regulated shells over the approaching weeks.

This may have an effect on new builders to Xpress vehicles and clearly everybody races on totally different surfaces, indoors or outdoor. But it might have been good to incorporate a primary setup sheet with inventory values as a place to begin.

Overall, the construct went very easily and no main hiccups on my half, the standard of the machining is what I’d count on from Xpress and flawless. To summarise the one niggles, I had, just about what I’ve talked about on this article and these have been simply private.

To sum them up, it might have been good to have the inventory setup with droop, camber and so forth outlined within the setup sheet on the finish. Changing the design of the physique help brace to a single metallic bolt or related and adopting some kind on adjustment for the rear wing physique posts within the type of perhaps 0.5mm, 1.0mm and 1.5mm drugs that may very well be switched the wrong way up, to permit for changes of the rear physique.

These are the values of what I modified over inventory for the preliminary primarily based on a mix of what I used to run in my XQ10F and my FT1.

At the Track

So the primary race out I actually eager to see how the modifications to the rear flex adjustment impacts the automotive as it is a very addition.

Well, it didn’t disappoint! straight out of the field, it was on level and the dealing with was chic, very predictable and planted. I did discover the rear of the automotive stepped out just a few instances, however solely minor and that may be tweaked with setup modifications and if I’m trustworthy, at lot of that was attributed to me operating my FM1S and my MF1 on the identical evening at just about consecutive heats.

Within a lap or two I used to be on simply protecting tempo with one other common frontie drivers at our native membership who was driving one of the crucial used fwd touring vehicles within the BRCA nationals. So to say that with the ability to preserve tempo with an out of the package settings and to finest my very own private finest on the primary trip with the brand new MF1 was wonderful.

I will probably be operating the automotive within the inventory trim for the following few weeks or so and then step by step adjusting the rear flex utilizing the brand new adjustment mechanism. We additionally had just a few of the opposite Xpress UK crew members there, together with Team Manager and mentor (Nark Raddenbury), who additionally occurs to be the Chairman or our native membership as nicely, took the automotive our for just a few laps and was instantly impressed on the total package deal.

Here’s to hopefully a brilliant and sensible 12 months on the BRCA FWD Nationals, the place I 100% certain the MF1 will probably be hitting that podium spot many instances for the Xpress UK crew.