It's been a while since I last posted anything about these parts, and I think it's time to update you on this little project
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h2...e/IMGP6845.jpg
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h2...e/IMGP6846.jpg
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h2...e/IMGP6848.jpg
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h2...e/IMGP6849.jpg
I've driven four events with the shock tower:
- BNK* Charleroi (Indoor Astroturf, quite unforgiving and quite an unforgiving track when it comes to damage to your car).
- EOS Dortmund (Carpet, very high speed, so any mistake results in hard hits).
- BNK* Kampenhout (Outdoor Astroturf, quick, flat track).
- Club Race Vlijmen (Outdoor Clay, quite mild and forgiving on the car).
*BNK is the 'National' championship of Belgium and the Netherlands combined.
So it's seen three and a bit race weekends, with two unforgiving tracks on which the car got a huge beating. The front shock tower held up well though: I'm still on my first set of printed blocks and the first plate. I did notice what seemed like hairline cracks on the outside layer of the tower just above the upper mounting holes of the tower to the chassis... but I'm not sure. As a precaution I dipped it in glue to prevent the cracks from growing if they were there. The 3D printed blocks show some dents, scratches and dirt but there are no cracks, the threads for the ball studs are still good and it's good to go for more racing
There are some small changes I'd make:
- Carbon material instead of CSC to add a little strength (CSC=Carbon outer layers with glass center layers).
- Slightly higher cross brace frame in the center of the tower (so the body doesn't need slight modding to fit).
- Give the 3D print blocks a chamfered edge on the outside (note the first picture, you'll see white chamfered spots - it is to allow full droop with the turnbuckles on the inside with thinner spacers than the kit setting).
These are all pretty small changes though, it works very well.
Actually, I think it doesn't need aluminium blocks - As demand for the TRF201 (let alone aftermarket parts) is relatively low I will not be looking into making alu blocks. If there is demand though I can look into stocking the parts for the tower+printed blocks.