ORB FF210
 

Gave the FF210 its maiden run tonight. Track was very very wet due to the severe rain we just had, but the FF210 turned and steered very very well. The nose kept very composed during jumps - was expecting the car to nosedive heavily due to the weight up at the front, but this was not the case.

Unfortunately, mechanical issues ( my fault ) cut the testing short, but so far, the FF210 is very impressive in the wet. :)

Looking good Kenny 👌🏻

Lol you're everywhere Mr Peakey. ;)

Yep everywhere 😂

Gave a ORB some proper practice time at Eden Park Raceway this weekend and it handled admirably. The local drivers gave it a go and were quite impressed with the handling. The downside being that it was totally sunny and dry so we could not see the FF210 in all it's glory. Eden Park Raceway is a very nice old school off road track so it pushed the FF210 out to tackle astro, bumps and tarmac .......... all in all, a very successful 3 hours practice session !

*photos courtesy of Vincent from Eden Park Raceway*

Some more action shots from Sunday :)

Looking great Kenny, thanks for sharing! :thumbsup:

So, time for me to share some cool news (that is, if you haven't seen it on Facebook):

1. A personal best in 2WD at the Kampenhout GP: I qualified 14th and finished 4th overall in the B-finals as well! The conditions were wet, the grip was low, the field tightly packed... an exciting day of racing!

http://i1067.photobucket.com/albums/...psyhmkegtv.jpg

http://i1067.photobucket.com/albums/...psxnrfvmzl.jpg


2. One week later, a solid performance on a grass track, at the annual event that MAC Vlijmen organises nearby the permanent track. 3rd Overall, behind winner Bruno Heremans (X-Factory) and runner up Arjan van de Graaf!

http://i1067.photobucket.com/albums/...psszxvkc0v.jpg

http://i1067.photobucket.com/albums/...psbypiuqem.jpg

3. Last but not least, RC Car Action have posted an interview with me online, with talk about FWD buggies! (Link)

Really great job !!! Congrats !!! :thumbsup:

Lee Martin, UK & European 2WD/4WD Champion trying out my FF210 at SHRCCC ......... This guy truly is the best driver out there! (maybe apart from Paul on the FF210 ;) )

https://youtu.be/-lQiYGjhCbc

Thanks Philippe, and thanks Kenny for posting the vid! :thumbsup:

In the meantime I also have some news for (potential) FF210 owners, with regard to converting to 12mm hex and with regard to compatibility with the DEX210V3 kit.

There already was a #7082 Rear Axle Conversion for 12mm hex axles; however I found it is not only compatible with Associated B5-series axles, but in fact the DEX210V3's 12mm hex front axles are also a straight fit.

http://i1067.photobucket.com/albums/...pspg9as5gf.jpg

http://i1067.photobucket.com/albums/...psybm7dwao.jpg

Using the narrowest setting (1.5mm spacer on the inside of the axle, the 'STD' setting in the picture below), the car will be 4mm wider in total compared to using the Associated axles (91406).

http://i1067.photobucket.com/albums/...psdpbd0axb.png

The car's stability will increase - particularly for high grip - and at the same time it stays within the 250mm required by regulations. I have already been running 2mm spacers (per side) on the rear for a while with the Associated axles, so I have experience with its positive effect on the handling :) So you can achieve the widening effect with the Associated axles; the DEX210V3 axles just add another option to the list when converting to 12mm hex.

With regard to the front end, the FF210 uses the DEX210V1/V2's axles. The DEX210V3's 12mm hexes are not compatible with these as standard: they are too narrow. Spacers are not an option because of the way the hex is constructed. I stick to my advice to use the Associated B5(M) hexes with a 0.5mm shim between the bearing and hex (image below).

http://i1067.photobucket.com/albums/...psqk48jpke.jpg

As for the multi-axle CVD system of the DEX210V3: It is not compatible with the standard FF210 C-hubs and steering arms. I am looking into designing a version that is compatible with the multi-axles, however I cannot guarantee success at this point. On a positive note, the V3 kit I received recently contained all V2 goodies bar the bodyshell, so as was suggested in an earlier post, the first batch V3 kits have the necessary donor parts inside to build the FF210 :)

It's been a while, but there is some exciting news to share about the FF210! :thumbsup:

1. Early last year, the FF210 was featured in the Japanese magazine 'RC World', and the article was featured once more in the 'Top 100 of 2016!'

http://i1067.photobucket.com/albums/...psvwsckafv.jpg


2. As already posted on Facebook, some new upgrades were developed over the last months to further improve performance. First off are aluminium-filled sidepods to reduce flex, increasing stability and inspiring more confidence particularly in high-grip conditions.
http://i1067.photobucket.com/albums/...psyyk4qcav.jpg


Multi-axle steering arms, enabling the use of the DEX210V3's axles and increasing the steering angles by 5 degrees to reduce cornering radius and improve performance in tight tracks & sections.
http://i1067.photobucket.com/albums/...ps9yrp49jw.png


LWB (+8mm) rear suspension arms, increasing stability and performance particularly in high-grip conditions and flowing tracks.
http://i1067.photobucket.com/albums/...pslfzhdoh9.png


3. Some running changes will be introduced into new kits and spare parts. The front & rear bulkheads are updated with the goal to make the car easier to work on. In addition, by using M3 nuts to thread the screws into instead of into the plastic itself, there no longer is a risk of stripping threads.
http://i1067.photobucket.com/albums/...psanelwfry.png

http://i1067.photobucket.com/albums/...psdfsrzy1f.png

http://i1067.photobucket.com/albums/...psjyh91fli.png


4. Last but not least, in the last months there have been several successes with the FF210, amongst which scoring wins at the second and third round of the MAC Vlijmen Winter Championship.

http://i1067.photobucket.com/albums/...ps69euu6el.jpg

For those that don't have facebook or haven't seen the post: Last weekend I've qualified 5th and ended 6th in the finals at the Kampenhout GP! :thumbsup:

http://i1067.photobucket.com/albums/...psi0owkoip.jpg

http://i1067.photobucket.com/albums/...ps0dwwzsjv.jpg

http://i1067.photobucket.com/albums/...pskcgpwtgf.jpg

http://i1067.photobucket.com/albums/...psmdzcucx5.jpg

The wet conditions made for a very slippery track, as can be seen from this video footage of A-final heat 2:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TlW6OXr1LM4

I never would have thought to be in the A-final at the GP, so I'm over the moon with this result! The car was dialled and hands-down this is the best, cleanest drive I've ever done! The enthusiasm from the public and ORB's customers made this happen; I can't imagine where the project would be without it!

I been looking at getting one of this buggy for some time but now that the dex210 is no longer being made it has me worry about getting one. But on another note great racing results.

Thanks for your kind words :) I understand your concern, and admittedy with the 'on-and-off' parts support over the last year (or two) it's also hard to estimate how many parts are actually still around.

That said, I know of alternative shocks and driveshafts, so with a cheap donor car (new 210v3's have been selling for under 100GBP) and stocking in on gears, outdrives and a spare gear casing it will be possible to run the car for some time to come - and of course ORB Racing will keep up support for the FF210! :) It will also give me some much needed time to look into alternative donor cars.

We have looked at parts compatibility for the FF210 and compiled a list with compatible parts and 'must-stock' items to keep your buggy running.

First off, the compatible parts. Please keep in mind we have done our best to check the parts fit from 3D models and, where opportunities arose, on the car. However, these alternatives have not been tried and tested on the track.

Therefore, WE DO NOT GUARANTUEE THE REPLACEMENT PARTS' PERFORMANCE, LONGEVITY OR FIT (WITHOUT MODIFICATION).

Driveshafts: Use a combination of:
- B5M CVA Kit (91440);
- Hexes (91441);
- CVA Wheel/Hex Pins (91436);
- 6x13x4mm Ball bearings. Note the specified ball bearing has a bigger inner diameter than DEX210, but is narrower than the B5M wheel bearing.
- Note the dogbone end of the 91440 driveshaft fits a little tight on the side of the diff screw/thrust bearing of the (ball diff) outdrive. Use a dremel to shave off a little material from the dogbone head or inside the outdrive as needed to make the driveshaft move in and out of the outdrive without friction.

Shocks: Use a combination of:
- Durango shock tower screws (TD708013)
- B5/B6 shock bushings (91445)
- B6 kit shocks (23/27.5mm big bores), OR;
- B5M shocks (23/31mm big bores) with 3mm limiters in the long shocks
- Note the Durango shock nut fits on the Associated shock bodies to make your Durango springs fit neatly.
- Other brands of shocks may fit; keep in mind that the extended length is key to the car's performance because of its droop setting; also check the car can still bottom out to prevent damage when landing jumps.

Suspension pivot balls (front suspension):
- Use TRF/Tamiya 5mm suspension balls (50994) or an aftermarket pivot ball that fits (Exotek, 3Racing & more).

Have you also found non-Durango parts that fit? Please share your findings!

Based on the parts compatibility we found so far, our advice for FF210 customers is to stock at least the following Durango parts:
- Gear Casing (Type B)
- Long ball diff outdrives
- Main Gear
- Idler Gear Set
- RR Hanger (HRC, Type B)
- O-rings (if you keep using Durango shocks)

https://scontent-frt3-2.xx.fbcdn.net...c4&oe=5A279406