Acme Tech Vanguard

by A. Kuhon (a_kuhon@yahoo.com)

Vanguard is a 1/10th scale EP touring car. The unit that I've got comes complete as Ready to Run. The pack consists of: the car, esc, motor, body (Alfa Romeo touring) with Sanwa radio system (remote, receiver and servo).

THE CAR 

Chassis
The chassis made of flex-nylon. It's the same material as Kyosho V-One R series. It has lower deck, upper deck, front and rear damper stay / shock tower, as we have seen in common touring competition cars (Tamiya TA/TB/TRF-series, Xray, etc).

 

Drive train 
It'a a shaft driven car made of lightweight-strong alloy.

Bearing 
It also comes with ball bearing install on every parts. Those have 3 different size.

Damper shock
The damper shock made of aluminum, which can be adjusted, for the ride height of the unit. It comes with the medium spring.

Battery Holder
The battery holder placement is line-up with the shaft on one side of lower deck. It can be used with side-by-side packs or stickpacks type battery. 

Arm
Front upper arms look the same design as Kyosho V-one R. It has pivot ball mechanism to adjust the camber, turnbuckle tie-rod to adjust the toe-in/out, and small pin to adjust caster angle. In front of the unit, before the foam bumper, there are droops screw (next to bumper stay screw) to adjust suspension droop. Not a normal placement like I used to know, but it works. The placement of damper shock can be adjusted, too. The front shaft still use dogbone, not the universal shaft. 

Rear arms look the same as Kyosho PureTen FW-05R. It has adjustable turnbuckle upper arm for the camber and pivot ball to set the toe-in/out. There are 2 droop screws on lower rear arm.

Stabilizer / sway bar
The stabilizer only exists on the rear wheels. 

Bulkhead and gear box.
The bulkhead made of flex-nylon, the same as the chassis but the gearbox more looks like Teflon material (I'm not sure).

Differential
It's steel ball differential with 12 balls on the center and 10 balls on the screw. Very responsive and light. It places on both front and rear.

Wheels and tires
Wheel rims design use multi-spokes (not 5 or 6 spokes rim) with slick-type tires.

Spur and the pinion.
The spur and pinion use 48 type. The pinion has 22 teeth and the spur has 


THE ELECTRONIC

Speed Controller
It capable of using the motor up to 13T. The design and spec. almost the same as the Futaba MC330CR with reverse disable function (reverse can be activated or de-activated)

Motor
The motor that comes with the unit is stock motor with inner brush. Based on the manual, it's 15T motor with high torque.

THE RADIO SYSTEM
It comes with standard Sanwa Blazer Sport without steering / EPA dual rate. It's a very basic remote control with AM frequency. It comes with 1 unit of 3kg servo and receiver.

THE EXPERIENCE
Straight form the box, this car is very attractive in term of speed and handling. Although to get better grip on tight turn you have to set the camber, toe-in and out and perhaps replace the standard tires since they're a bit loose (less grip for high temperature asphalt).

Be sure to check the differential as it might a bit loose after several runs. And I think it's still normal. The pinion can be replaced with AV pinion from Tamiya (I can change it up to 18 teeth). I haven't tried any 48-pinion type. I still haven't replaced the standard spur but I think it can be replace with Tamiya spur that fit with AV pinion.

So far, this is the best car for touring class. But for racing competition, some parts have to be replaced since the weight seems too heavy.

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