Radio control touring cars are high tech, fast, fun and some say the pinnacle of on-road racing. Being 4WD they can take corners at high speeds, pushing the envelope on lower and lower lap times with every circuit. Well, 3Racing may be on to the next big thing when it comes to these on-road machines with their FF2014, a high end front wheel drive touring car. While the concept of a front wheel drive vehicle is not new at all (just look at all the Tamiya Mini platform has to offer), the way that 3Racing has delivered the FF2104 is.
AT A GLANCE
WHO MAKES IT: 3Racing
WHO IT’S FOR: Intermediate to Advanced Drivers
HOW MUCH: $249.99 (prices may vary)
BUILD TYPE: Kit
PROS & CONS
+ Innovative front transmission design
+ Built-in motor cooling fan mount
+ Trick pink anodizing on the aluminum components
+ Centrally located motor and battery
+ Super smooth shocks
+ Great fit and finish of components
+ Easy-to-follow instructions make it easy to build
– Limited parts support in the US
– Difficult to find a body that fits well when using the motor cooling fan mount
Author’s Opinion: The FF2014 is a near complete redesign from the original Sakura FF. The outstanding adjustability, durability and unique design make it quick, fun to drive and eye-catching to onlookers. Those interested in on-road action, or who want to try something new should really give the FF2014 a strong look.
Star rating (1-5) = 4
FACTS
– The double deck carbon fiber chassis is almost perfectly symmetrical from left to right and features strategically placed cut-outs on the bottom plate to help generate flex to improve traction. The long narrow upper deck has an X type shape and attaches to the bulkheads with four pink anodized aluminum screws at the front and four at the rear. The wide foam front bumper is sandwiched between two plastic support mounts and does a phenomenal job keeping all of the front suspension components safe as well as helping the body maintain form in front-end collisions.
– The threaded shock bodies are machined of 7075 aluminum and are then hard PTFE coated to keep them smooth and consistent run after run. The gold shock shafts are Titanium Nitride coated to add to the smoothness of the suspension. Front and rear sway bars work hand in hand with the shocks and help in reducing body roll to aid in consistent cornering. The shock towers are made from carbon fiber with the front being 3mm thick and the rear being 3.5mm thick. There are many, many mounting holes ont eh towers for the shocks to tune the FF2014 to any track.
– The FF2014 is designed to utilize a low profile steering servo. To secure the Savox SC-1252MG servo I had on hand a pink anodized aluminum mount is employed. Standard dual bellcrank steering system with an upper carbon fiber brace attaches to the main chassis plate and rides on ball bearings for smooth side to side action.
– The heart of the front centrally mounted gear reduction transmission is the gear differential. 3Racing includes some seriously thick diff fluid to fill it with for some very deliberate diff action. The gear reduction design operates flawlessly and makes for some snappy acceleration.
– The layout of the FF2014 is clean and simple. The battery is located down the centerline of the chassis, is held in place by the upper deck and can be moved forward or backward to aid in tuning. I mounted a Scorpion Vanguard S3-140 ESC to the left hand side of the chassis while the steering servo and receiver are on the right side. Up front, I mounted a quick Scorpion RS-3420 13.5T Motor. Right above the motor is an integrated cooling fan mount to help keep the motor operating efficiently. As for a fan, I went with a 3Racing 30mm x 30mm x 10mm High Speed Cooling Fan.
ITEMS NEEDED
– Low profile steering servo
– Brushless speed controller
– 540 sized brushless motor
– 2S LiPo battery pack
– Body
– Radio system
– Tires
ITEMS USED
– Spektrum DX4R Pro Transmitter
– Scorpion Vanguard S3-140 ESC
– Scorpion RS-3420 13.5T Motor
– Scorpion 2S, 6500mAh, 65C LiPo Battery Pack
–Check out our reviews of these three Scorpion items here-
– HPI Alfa Romeo 8C Body painted by Bradley Fine Line Design
– Savox SC-1252MG Steering Servo
– Muchmore Racing Absolute V 28° Mounted Tire/Wheel
ON THE TRACK
STEERING Understeer Neutral Oversteer
Right off the bat I loved how the steering felt on the FF2014. I was able to put the car anywhere I wanted it, no matter the situation. Entering corners I was able to stay on power for the most part and I was able to grab for the throttle exiting the corners almost immediately too. While some vehicles with steering this responsive might be characterized as twitchy the FF2014 was not. In fact, I felt like I had complete control every line I tried around the track.
ACCELERATION Poor Fair Good Very Good Excellent
From a dead stop the FF2014 takes off smoothly and tracks straight as an arrow. Through the infield when I was on and off the throttle quite often the FF2014 has a proportional power band that made it very easy to drive. Even though I was running a 13.5-turn Scorpion motor it felt as if it were several turns lower because of how much top speed there was by the time I reached the end of the straight-a-way.
BRAKING Poor Fair Good Very Good Excellent
Because the back end of the FF2014 is so lite I thought the back end might come around and change places with the front when I needed to get the brake hard but this was not the case. When reaching for the brake in a hurry the FF2014 would stop on a dime. Through the infield, where I would just need blips of the brake here and there had a near perfect feel that just slowed the FF2014 enough to make navigating the on road carpet track effortless.
SUSPENSION Poor Fair Good Very Good Excellent
Because the vast majority of the weight on the FF2014 is centrally located there was very little body roll as the car made its way through the infield of the test track at R/C Madness. Not only did the FF2014 cut through the infield like a champ
DURABILITY Poor Fair Good Very Good Excellent
The durability on the FF2014 was not tested all that much because I was able to keep it off the boards for the most part during testing. So, other than a few very minor scuffs on the HPI Alfa body the FF2014 sill looked brand new at the end of testing.
SPECS & TUNING OPTIONS
DIMENSIONS
Length: 382mm
Width: 185mm
Wheelbase: 257mm
Body, wheels and tires
Body: Not included
Wheels: Not included
Wheel adapter type: 12mm hex
Tires: Not included
Suspension
Type: 4-wheel independent
Shock positions: (F) 5-tower, 2-arm, (R) 10-tower, 2-arm
Camber: Adjustable turnbuckles
Roll: Washers
Wheelbase: Fixed
Ride height: Threaded shocks and droop screws
Steering
Type: Dual bellcrank
Toe: Adjustable turnbuckles
Chassis
Type: Flat
Material: Carbon Fiber
Drivetrain
Type: FWD
Transmission: Gear
Differential: Gear diff
Clutch Type: N/A
Gear ratio: Optional pinion gears
Bearings: Full set of shielded
THE LAST WORD
There are many tracks in Asia already running FWD touring car classes on a regular basis and there have even been national events for them. After getting a chance to wheel the FF2014 around the carpet track at R/C Madness I quickly realized why this is a growing class in Asia and can easily see FWD touring cars gain popularity in the United States. The FF2014 is quick, durable and corners like nothing else I have ever driven. If you love touring car racing or more broadly on road racing in general this is a vehicle that you need to check out.
LINKS
3Racing, www.3racing.com
Spektrum, www.spektrumrc.com
Savox, www.savoxusa.com
Scorpion, www.scorpion-team.com
HPI, www.hpiracing.com
Muchmore Racing – www.muchmoreracing.net
