9/18/09 A-Arm V2 updated... I swear this is it. :P

Definitely want to use the v2 double A-arm. It makes the car much more consistent versus the first version. I think the only difference is the plastic ball joint but I could be wrong. The new v2 double a-arm is so smooth that it makes the car very consistent. Imagine having an initial turn-in running white springs on a PN 20 slicks. :)

I did my testing today with my Futaba 3PK. The test was my stock car with the stock front end vs double A-arm. The stock front end was only capable of consistent 9.2-9.4 with a best lap of 9.1 at FPR's track while the double A-arm that I was running was capable of 9.0-9.1 at almost 1-2 mins. Yes, I was running this car and dropping 9.0 and 9.1 only, for almost 2 mins and with a best lap of 8.90 (here and there) which is by far the fastest lap on the track. What I'm saying is that this thing is amazingly consistent and fast. I can't believe I didn't even bother giving this  second version a try...

Switching from double a-arm, a noticeable initial turn in and on-power steering is gained. Straight away goes straight just like how it would if you were running stock front end. Adjustment is very easy, you can just eye ball the droop, camber and it's ready to go. Only thing is that, the front end is now much heavier but I think it's also good for that initial turn in/off power steering.

Does new driver need this front end? No, not really. Stock is very, very competitive. Installation? go to PN's website to download. Mine took probably a good 20 mins.

Update: 09.05.2009
Well, here we go. I've only been running this double a-arm v2 front end for a few days. This frontend is just amazingly fast. Off-power steering and On-power steering is there when you need it even with PN20's but after running the car for a straight 5 mins race, you can tell that the car is not as consistent anymore. My previous review was only for couple of mins and it was very, very impressinve. Also our track layout now is a bit bigger (24x 15 tiles) with an off power right-hander turn and instant, on-power throtte through the chicane.

During the qual and race the a-arm feels like it has a mind of its own. Almost like an awd cars but not as bad, unpredictable after few laps. I was honestly dropping hot laps but towards the middle of the race, the car starts to "wander" on the sweeper, chicane and mid corner. Tonights race, the a-arm setup was doing 10.2 and with my stock front-end, the car was only capable of doing 10.6. That much of a difference! However, the stock front end was consistent all the way through the entire 8 mins race unlike the a-arm front-end, it was only consistent within few laps. There has to be a way to get this front end running consistent because the initial and onpower steering is great!

Update: 09.09.2009
I was going to give up on it but as you all know, kyosho is coming out with MR03 and MR03 has double A-Arm suspension. This tells me to move forward with the a-arm. I found out that my SC430 body (only body I use to race 2wd cars) doesn't work with this A-arm as it gives it more steering (too much) that when I come into a chicane the rearend washes out. Kind of like pulling an e-brake of a car... I don't like how this feels so I decided to try different body. A body that's flatter (lower stance), less body roll and stable. So I chose my AWD's body... '2007 NSX. I also, use 1 degree lower arm and green springs. With this set-up the car is more predictable and very consistent than my sc430 however, with the given steering from the a-arm, you want to use rear tires with radial for side bite... more update later. Stay tuned.

Update: 09.11.2009
Headache... I have been working on this a-arm for quite sometime now and like I said before it is very fast but its very inconsistency... man! I'm tired of fighting the steering. It reminds me of an AWD that doesnt track straight. For those of you that don't know, I haven't touch my awd since March. I just like how this 2wd is so predictable. It makes following and holding your line so much easier vs awd cars.

I tested these to work w/ the a-arm:
0, 1 degree camber (lower arm)
Yellow/purple/green/white/red springs
 4.5 limiter/cup
Toe In: PN v2 toe 0, .5 and 1.0: kyosho 0, #2 and #4.
Soft and Med PN H-plate
Soft top/bottom dds springs
PN20 slick tires front
PN6 deg rear radials
Reflex Racing 4 groove
Kyosho 20 slicks
PN 94-98 v2 motor pod with the cups turn all 4 ways.
SC430 body
'07 NSX body
-10 dual rate on the radio
-15 steering curve on the radio

All of those items mentioned above did made my car almost two tenths faster than regular frontend but didn't fix the "wander" I get on the straightaway, sweeper, etc...
The current fastest lap on the track is, 9.99 and I was only able to reach this time one time and this was with the a-arm. The stock frontend is only capable of doing mid 10.1 but it'll do it 33 out of 30 laps unlike the a-arm, it's constantly jumping from 10.0-10.6 and this is while I'm fully focused on the car. Anyway I think I'm done with this test. Who want's to buy my A-arm? Hit me up. lol...

Update: 09.18.2009

Ok, ok so I lied. :P I didn't really stop testing this A-Arm. As a matter of fact, I started testing it again on the 12th. I just couldn't leave this product alone. I still have the frontend in my car as of today and I have no plans on removing it. Right now, my car is very consistent and I'm not talking about 2-5 mins consistency but I'm talking about 20 mins of practice. This car can put my laps times to a consistent 10.0-10.1 with a best lap of 9.9 back to back. i would say at least 7-10 laps then I'll do a 10.2 and then it'll go back to 10.0, etc... It's pretty darn good and I'm very impressed with Philip's double A-Arm.

What was the root cause of inconsistency? Well there's few things but namely it was more of dent I put on the arm while installing the knuckle pin. The dent or let's say the "aluminum burr" that was rubbing on the delrin ball was causing it to lock the steering quite often... Also, rear tires wearing down, wrong tire combination and when using a brand new set of PN6, it rubs on my SC430 rear fender body...

I was able to square things out and finalized my set-up which was the first set-up I was using in the first place. The set-up works very well in two tracks that I recently went to.

The set-up:
"0" lower arm
1 deg camber/.89 camber gain
white springs
4.5 limiter
0 caster
+1 toe PN v2
plastic front body clip (lighter since the A-Arm is so heavy)
#2 cups on the rear PN 94mm pod v2 (the highest setup. make sure to level the front and rear)
PN disk v2
PN damper disk post (must be PN and atm and pn size are not the same)
PN SSG Hard H-Plate
20-30 wt. damper oil (depends on the traction)
ATM soft bottom springs (green)
ATM hard top springs (blue)
No top shocks
PN delrin "0" offset narrow front
PN delrin +1 offset wide rear
PN 20 slicks front
PN 6 radials rear (must use this tire)
FYI... this is on an atomic USA motor

I will take few pictures tonight and will post it here. Ok, that is it folks. Again, thank you for reading! 

 

Click here for Pictures.