XRAY 808

Team XRAY's 1/8th scale 4WD nitro off-road buggy

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Manufacturer: XRAY Model Racing Cars
Scale: 1:8
Power: Nitro
Surface: Off-Road
Vehicle: Buggy
Part Number: 350003
Release Date: 2/7/2008
Quick Link: http://www.XRAY808.com

The XRAY 808. The ultimate vehicle concept molded and shaped into an extraordinary engineering masterpiece by the artisans at XRAY. Superior as ever... yet all new. The 808 throws down a challenge for you to drive it... race it... win with it. Answer the call... take the challenge. Experience a new form of fascination, undreamed-of driving enjoyment... performance and dynamic ability you can count on. Experience the all-new XRAY 808.

Since 2004 when XRAY released the first 1/8 off-road car, the XRAY XB8 platform has enjoyed great success both on and off the track. Praised by the RC press and media, as well as customers themselves, the XB8 platform has been the recipient of several Car-of-the-Year awards. Along with numerous National titles around the world - including the most prestigious European Champion title - the XB8 has been one of the world's most successful off-road cars.

Chassis

The all-new chassis was completely redesigned following the all-new weight distribution and centerline placement of internal parts for improved side-to-side weight balance. To obtain better stability, the chassis was elongated and along with the new suspension concept the front of the chassis is angled 10°.

The chassis is CNC-machined from high-quality Swiss 3mm 7075 T6 hard-anodized aluminum, and is strategically machined in low-stress areas to make it as light as possible without affecting strength or rigidity. The chassis is hard anodized at XRAY's own in-house fully robotic hardcoating line, ensuring a perfect hardcoated surface.

Non-essential material below the engine, fuel tank, and diffs was removed to allow for the lightest weight and lowest possible center of gravity.

The downstop setscrew area was greatly reinforced. All screw holes on the bottom of the chassis are countersunk, allowing for a very smooth chassis underside with no protruding screw heads.

Strong composite side guards help protect the internal components.

Suspension Arms

Suspension arms are one of the most important parts of any RC model car, as they directly influence the handling and racing characteristics of the car. The 808 suspension arms are all-new and the final design is the result of long-term tests of different designs and layouts. Length, thickness, flexibility, geometry of suspension points and materials used... these are all the concepts and details that had to be thoroughly reviewed to create the optimum suspension arms.

Based on excessive knowledge gained from the previous XB8 cars, several different suspension arm designs were tested in both virtual reality and in-car to find the final best design. The exclusive composite mixture used for suspension arms is a perfect balance between reliability and performance. The suspension arm itself is rigid enough to provide a responsive feel, yet soft enough to survive extra-long main events.

The design of the arms was particularly well thought out to allow the use of identical suspension arms left/right at each end of the car, thus reducing your spare part needs and making servicing much quicker and easier.

The arm design was developed with "dirty" racing in mind... racing in heavy mud and rain. The smart design allows for the very quick and easy addition of mud protectors to both suspension arms. The arms feature openings at the bottom and side to allow mud protectors to be easily mounted to the arms. Mud protectors are available as options.

Suspension Holders

The composite suspension holders are the lightest solution to keep weight as low as possible. The composite suspension holders also allow for suspension flex which is necessary to keep the car forgiving and easy-to-drive. The no-compromise design and special composite mixture used for the holders ensure that they are able to withstand abusive impacts and big jumps while keeping the geometry unchanged.

Suspension geometry is fully optimized and integrated into the suspension holders, so say goodbye to being lost with setups. The suspension geometry has been optimized to ensure the best handling characteristics at typical tracks and standard racing conditions. The suspension holders feature preset 3° rear toe-in, 2° rear anti-squat, and 10° front kick-up. Both front and rear arms allow the use of wheelbase shims for quick and easy wheelbase adjustment.

For extreme high-competition racing conditions or for advanced off-road racers, optional alu suspension holders are available to allow fine suspension tuning.

Hardened 4mm and 3mm hinge pins are mounted through the suspension holders and locked with self-locking nuts. This suspension holder concept ensures that suspension pins will never come out during racing and moreover it ensures that the play between the arms and suspension holders will not change. The suspension holder concept reinforces the holding of the arms and in any crashes prevents the pin or arm from becoming disconnected.

Increased Steering

The new suspension arms and suspension geometry give increased steering, influenced by the different characteristics of Ackermann.

The angle of the tires during steering does not change as much as it does on the standard C-hub or pivot-ball suspension. Even when the suspension moves up or down the suspension ensures constant steering for easier, more precise and predictable handling into and in corners, and especially ensures fluent drive through the corners mainly on bumpy tracks.

Shocktowers and shocks were accordingly redesigned to complement with the new suspension geometry.

Zero Kingpin Steering Blocks

The super-lightweight composite zero kingpin steering blocks are a genuine innovation in design and functionality. Each block features an inset steel bushing that is molded into the steering block itself, ensuring a wobble-free and ultra-tight steering block assembly.

This enables the kingpin screws to be firmly held in the steel threaded bushing while the end of the screw is self-locked in composite to prevent the screws from loosening during racing. The molded-in steel bushings allow the steering blocks to turn freely ensuring precise steering reaction. The super-tiny steering blocks are molded from a lightweight yet very strong and durable composite material.

The new-concept steering block is taken from 1/10 electric off-road cars, providing zero kingpin steering - the steering block rotates in an absolute vertical position so that the angle does not change. The new steering block gives a better steering radius which greatly improves the handling and makes the car even easier to drive on all tracks and provides more steering into corners. The steering block features one optimized Ackermann position.

The tiny size of the steering blocks was achieved by using new lighter ball-bearings. The inner bearing (13x19) carries a heavier load where the CVD drive shaft outdrive rotates... while the outer bearing (8x14) is newer & lighter than previously used to reduce unsprung weight. The two ball-bearings are further away from each other which provides more stability to the mounting and holding of the wheel axle.

Caster Blocks

Each 1-piece caster block is very lightweight and with the new zero kingpin suspension geometry the car is equipped with one optimum preset 10° caster block. The optimized caster angle is integrated and non-adjustable. The angle of the caster block + the 10° angle of the front of the chassis with the suspension holders = total 20° caster of the car.

Rear Uprights

The new uprights were designed to have a smaller design with less weight. The lower roll center position has been optimized to 1 position while the upper roll center positions still feature 3 different roll center positions.

The tiny size of the upright was achieved by using new lighter ball-bearings. The inner bearing (13x19) carries a heavier load where the CVD drive shaft outdrive rotates... while the outer bearing (8x14) is newer & lighter than previously used to reduce unsprung weight. The two ball-bearings are further away from each other which provides more stability to the mounting and holding of the wheel axle.

The outer suspension pin on which the rear upright sits features 2 shims which allow for additional wheelbase adjustment.

Chassis Braces

The front and rear braces have significant influence on chassis stiffness and chassis flex and as such have great impact on car handling under different grip conditions. The 808 features the well-proven and optimally stiff composite braces for front and rear. These braces are more than up to the task... strong enough to hold the car together after heavy jumps or crashes to avoid tweak or breaking, yet still flexible enough to generate the needed grip.

Shocktowers

The front and rear shocktowers are all-new. The shocktowers are CNC-machined from premium extra-robust 3.5mm (rear) and 4mm (front) thick high-grade graphite reducing significantly the weight. The shocktowers featured optimized shock positions and roll center positions.

Improved Weight Balance

One of the most significant improvements in the handling of the 808 is the improved weight balance. With the new longer chassis and new suspension concept (which is not overly-sensitive on weight load) this allowed the engine and central differential to be moved more forward. The more forward weight placement along with the new suspension concept greatly improves the balance of the car in jumps on- and off-power, and driving through the corners it allows for greater rotation of the car which results in increased cornering speed.

Centralized Design

With the narrow chassis design, all the internal parts of the car were repositioned. The engine was placed as close to the centerline as possible while still keeping the center drivetrain in the most effective locations. To balance the weight of the engine, muffler, and fuel tank, the center differential was placed more to the right with the electronics strategically placed in a curved shape around the central differential... all help to keep the weight as close to the center as possible. The all-new centralized design provides improved side-to-side balance.

All-New Drivetrain

Everything is new in the 808 drivetrain: all-new CVD drive shafts through the all-new drivetrain layout; new direct central shaft connection to the pinion gears; and all new ratios.

Since drivetrain weight and design have significant influence on the handling and performance of the car, the drivetrain was completely redesigned and greatly improved. The new ultra-lightweight drivetrain gives reduced rotating weight and increased performance. All drivetrain parts - drive shafts, diffs, brakes, outdrives - are ultra lightweight, strategically weight-reduced, and are manufactured from premium high-quality world-renowned HUDY Spring Steel™.

Direct Central Shafts Connection

The central drive shafts have an all-new design and concept, a genuine XRAY innovation. To transfer power from the engine, both central drive shafts are directly connected to the pinion gears in the front and rear gearboxes. This allows direct transfer of power without any kinetic losses, as well as increasing the lifespan of the shafts thanks to the elimination of connecting parts. The drive shaft is inserted through the diff housing opening (with Labyrinth Dust Covers™ on the diff housings to keep the dirt outside) and with a pin connects directly to the pinion. The connecting pin sits in a ball-bearing to guarantee that the connecting pin will never fall out... and removing the risk of having the central drive shafts become disconnected.

CVD Driveshafts

The new CVD drive shafts are lighter yet still are the strongest that a buggy can be equipped with. All four CVD drive shafts are manufactured from exclusive HUDY Spring Steel™, the unique self-developed highest-strength material.

The CVD wheel axle is carried in the steering block and rear upright more safely thanks to the greater distance between both ball-bearings. Additionally, the CVD assembly is very secure and safe due to the connecting pin (which connects the shaft to wheel axle) being located within a ball-bearing, thus ensuring that the pin will never fell out... thus preventing drive shaft disconnections.

The wheel axle part of the CVD is additionally hand ground for maximum precision to ensure a perfect precise fit in both suspension ball-bearings... guaranteeing a perfect wobble-free fit and rotation.

Diff Housings

The chassis features rigid front and rear diff housings on which all suspension parts are mounted. With the new central drive shaft design concept, both housings were redesigned to include Labyrinth Dust Covers™ for the central shaft bearings to keep dirt out. With the new design of the diff housings, internal areas are significantly reduced.

Easy access to both front and rear differentials makes maintenance super easy.

Differentials

Rubber-sealed composite differential housings are manually precision ground after the molding process to guarantee a perfect fit with no vibration. Differential gears are made from pressed steel, heat treated, and machined for ultra-precision and smooth operation.

Diff outdrives are made from premium HUDY Spring Steel™ and the central diff outdrives are individually ground for highest precision. The diff outdrives are specially-hardened to increase the lifespan, and the diff outdrive area which is inserted into ball-bearing is additionally ground to ensure a very tight fit and precise rotation. The openings of the diff outdrives were designed to keep the drive shafts in the diff outdrives even during maximum suspension downtravel.

Wheel Axles

Wheel axles and wheel nuts are made from lightweight yet super-strong aircraft aluminum, hard-anodized for increased lifespan and low wear. The new suspension is slightly narrower which enables the use of optional offset wheel axles for fine-tuning your setup for particular racing conditions.

Diff Gears & Drivetrain Ratio

The main diff gears are all manufactured on a precision manual gear machine from HUDY Gear Steel... a material that was specially formulated and developed for use in gears. All the gears are hardened to provide the longest possible lifespan.

A wide range of different gears - spur gear, clutchbell, crown gear - is available for perfect setup and adjustment for particular racing conditions.

Clutchbells are available in sizes of 15T, 16T, and 17T.
Spur gears are available in a range of 41T, 42T, and 43T.

The drivetrain ratio is all-new for the 808, allowing for more aggressive acceleration, aggressive yet easier handling.

Front and rear differentials features 43T crown gears with 10T pinions making a 4.3:1 primary ratio.
The central differential features 42T spur gear with a 16T clutchbell, making a 11.29 internal ratio.
The final ratio of the 808 is in the range of 10.37-12.33.

Center Differential Access

Access to the center differential is super easy by releasing the upper deck with only four screws. The lower center diff housing is sized to accommodate optional spur gears and the stands were lowered by 2.5mm to keep the weight as low as possible and to allow smaller central diff gears to be used. The center diff housing stands hold the effective brake system.

Radio Tray

With the no-compromise performance design in mind, the previously-used aluminum radio tray was replaced by a lightweight graphite radio tray. The radio tray is CNC-machined from premium high-grade graphite material which ensures great strength while remaining very light. The front area above the steering servo features an opening for even more weight reduction.

The graphite radio tray features a laydown steering servo and upright throttle/brake servo arrangement; both servos have been moved towards the chassis centerline. Heavy-duty steering horns are included to withstand the abuse from long mains.

1-piece Electronics Assembly

The 1-piece electronics assembly is very compact and can be quickly & easily removed for very comfortable servicing and cleaning. You need only to release only a few screws from the bottom of the chassis to remove the entire electronics assembly from the car.

The large molded radio box features a very clean design and layout that places the weight in key areas for proper balancing. The batteries are placed on the centerline of the chassis and the lightweight receiver is placed on the side. The very easy-to-access radio box is mounted on the side of the radio plate and is releasing by only a few screws.

For racers not using a radio switch, a handy molded cover is included to help guarantee a leak-free radio box. The tight antenna tube holder ensures that the antenna tube stays attached even if the car flips.

The radio box was redesigned to fit to the new chassis and the battery cover was redesigned to hold the batteries better.

Steering System

With the new centralized design concept, the steering stands were narrowed and placed as close to the center as possible using very lightweight aluminum standoffs. The very narrow steering plate is precision-machined from high-grade graphite, thus reducing unnecessary weight. The steering plate features several different Ackermann settings for precision steering setup.

The dual steering system rides on lightly-oiled ball-bearings, providing super-smooth and super-fast steering action. The strong servo saver spring makes sure that steering will be very precise in all conditions, but is still soft enough to ensure that energy will not be transferred to the servo even in heavy crashes. The strength of the servo saver can be easily adjusted through a adjustment collar; the collar is hard-anodized to prevent thread stripping in to dusty conditions.

HUDY Spring Steel™ Steering Turnbuckles

All turnbuckles in the 808 are manufactured from special HUDY Spring Steel™ material for turnbuckles, resulting in stronger turnbuckles with a tougher core. A handy turnbuckle tool is included.

With the narrow steering plate and narrow steering stands, the turnbuckles were properly resized and elongated. The relief steering ball-joints to provide a better fit into the wheels.

Newly-redesigned Big-Bore Shocks

Off-road performance depends very highly on perfectly-working shock absorbers. As such, all components and pieces of the 808 shocks were completely redesigned to obtain the best possible performance: shock bodies; pistons; shock cap; membranes; lower shock collar; rubber boots; internal shape; alu cap; springs.

The most significant improvement is the bore of the shocks, which was increased to allow for a higher volume of oil to flow for improved damping characteristics. The new big-bore shock pistons were designed and manufactured with a special molding process to ensure optimum tolerance and roundness of the pistons so that they move freely and very precisely inside the shock body.

The front and rear shocks can be mounted in multiple positions on the shocktowers and arms; these positions were thoroughly tested and analyzed both in virtual reality as well on the tracks to offer the widest possible range of shock positions. This guarantees sufficient suspension travel and best setup for either flat European-style tracks or large bumpy US-style tracks.

Shock Parts

The oversized big-bore shocks feature 18.5mm outside diameter shock bodies, externally threaded with an adjustable collar for downstops adjustment. The shock bodies are hardcoated, and features a new 1-piece alu shock cap.

The large 15.3mm inner diameter of the shock bodies ensures proper and consistent shock oil flow through the perfectly-round pistons which move very precisely inside the smoothly-finished interior of the shock body. The result is more consistent damping characteristics of the shocks.

The new big-bore pistons are manufactured from well-proven specially-formulated composite material to provide smoother action and durability. The well-proven molding production process is used to ensure perfect roundness of the pistons after production, so that the pistons will move perfectly inside the shock bodies for identical shock action in all four shocks.

The new shock membranes are now wider to fit the new big-bore shocks. The material has been also improved to guarantee the same damping characteristics from the beginning of the race to the end even after excessive overloads.

The lower shock assembly ensures that the shock rod will move very freely inside the shock body but at the same time will minimize oil leakage and keeping the dirt away. Two shock O-rings - manufactured from a superior silicone compound to allow ultra-free movement of the shock rod while still maintaining a tight seal - are installed in the lower part of the shock body and are secured with composite shims. The entire lower shock assembly is secured with the new lower aluminum shock cap which makes assembly/disassembly quick and easy. The aluminum lower cap features an internal protective "dust foam" which keeps the dirt out.

The shock shafts are thick and robust to ensure they will handle any abusive racing conditions and big jumps. The 3.5mm thick shock shafts are precisely machined from special high-tensile steel and afterwards are ground for a super-smooth surface to ensure very free and smooth movement of the shock shafts in the shock bodies.

Clutch System

The flywheel is CNC-machined from high-quality Swiss 7075 T6 aluminum. The clutch features three (3) lightweight 1.71g aluminum shoes and a set of hard clutch shoe springs. HUDY Spring Steel™ clutch nut is included, along with necessary shims and hardware. The flywheel brass collar is not included and is available with every engine supplier or optionally from XRAY.

Oversized Clutch Bearings

The 808 clutchbell features unique oversized ball-bearings designed and engineered by XRAY. Replacing the standard 5x10 bearings with balls of only size 1.3 mm, the oversized 808 clutch bearings are 5x12 with balls of size 2.0 mm and with extra-thick bearing walls. This translates to higher load carrying capabilities which will increase the life of the bearings and reduce the risk of clutch bearing failure during long final runs. The bearings come with special high-temperature resistant grease to ensure proper lubrication during high-revving engine operations and long runs.

Engine Mounts

High-grade CNC-machined aluminum engine mounts are machined from lightweight alloy and help to dissipate engine heat. The engine mounts are easily adjustable from the bottom of the chassis to obtain proper gear mesh.

The engine mount is all newly designed, it is longer and goes up to the front engine bearing which provides higher reinforcement of the chassis in the longitudinal direction and in jumps will minimize the bending of the chassis between the clutchbell and spur gear.