Hellfire good or bad ?

[Jimbo777]

I race 1/8 rallycross - looking to buy a truck - like the look of this one is it any good?
Thanks
Jim

[Gasaxe]

Hi there, run one Sunday at the 8-10 (round 10). The car was straight out the box, including the kit tyre. Run it in to HPI running in sheet, 4 tanks of fuel (seems strange to run an engine in on just 4 tanks of fuel, but there you go) . Anyway in the heats we only managed 7th fastest, but with a little adjustments to the droop and mixture, we were running 3rd, a good 3rd at that. Unfortunatly with about 3 mins to go a pipe had come adrift on the track and we hit the end of it, putting us out of the final. The brakages were one shock top and a broken bottom suspension mount, considering we were at full chat at impact, it survived with little damage. As for buying one its to early to tell but our first impressions of the car are good.......... Lets see how HPI are with the back up for this car, as we all know spares at Mirage are not the best, will keep ya posted if interested.

[Gasaxe]

Just to keep you posted, on my HPI Hell-Fire. Got the parts to repair the car within 3 days and took it out to Telford round 11 of the 8-10. Found the truggie had major understeer. with a change of ackerman, front droop and the kick up settings, I managed to get 2nd on the grid for the final. Due to a major take out on the first bend and getting stuck in the fencing,I managed 3rd in the A final.

The engine is a sound piece of equipment, able to OUT RUN the standard OS .30s down the straight, but it does lack bottom end punch.

This truggie is well worth 450 quid I paid, well worth the money with no go faster bits needed

[mr4man]

can you post your setup sheet please or the adjustments uve made to stop the understeer

[Neil McRae]

Just to keep you posted, on my HPI Hell-Fire. Got the parts to repair the car within 3 days and took it out to Telford round 11 of the 8-10. Found the truggie had major understeer. with a change of ackerman, front droop and the kick up settings, I managed to get 2nd on the grid for the final. Due to a major take out on the first bend and getting stuck in the fencing,I managed 3rd in the A final.

The engine is a sound piece of equipment, able to OUT RUN the standard OS .30s down the straight, but it does lack bottom end punch.

This truggie is well worth 450 quid I paid, well worth the money with no go faster bits needed
Sorry but there is no way that it could even come close to the OS30, that engine must have been mis-tuned. I've got 2x Hellfire 1 with K46HO/stockpipe and the other with the OS 30VG/JP2 same setup and the OS30 spanks the HO without much effort. I also have a Vspec in both my LSP-R and X1-CRT and it even spanks the K46HO. I was over taking Hellfires with ease at the final round of EMORC. Check the bearings on the K46HO, both the outer and inner have some serious issues.

Regards,
Neil.

[Gasaxe]

Well so far two meetings and no engine problems, as for power I would ask the other 9 drivers in the A final. What gearing you running in your hell fires and do you suffer from understeer ?????????? The only problem with the HellFire, we have come across is understeer.

Mr4man.........We put max droop on the front.

Changed the ackerman by putting the steering rod end in the rearward holes in the steering plate (Hellfire manual section 4-12) and redjust the tracking so you get slight toe out.

Adjusted the front inboard angle from 0 degrees to 2.0 degrees (Hellfire manual section 4-14) all you do is turn the Eccentric bushes 180 degrees

Lastly we put 3000 weight in the back diff

We still have a little more work to do on the "fire" but its getting there, hope this info is useful to you

[Neil McRae]

Stock gearing, two brand new trucks - identical setups. OS30 is the winner. Not doubting what you experienced just indicating that its not what i'm experiencing. JP2 on the HO also makes a significant difference to its output at the bottom end. OS30 is much more economical also -> 10 mins a tank.

Yes I know how to set the truck up :D - you should also look at changing the shock pistons (they are mixed) and springs (they are also mixed) this helps alot with the nose dropping. Also watch out for the braces at the front-rear bending- the Countersunk holes with a lack of chassis keying have weakened that part considerably. I have had replacements made out of T7075 without the countersinking, or you can double the brace up. Can't link to a guide of where this is done unfortunately.

There have been a large number of issues reported back to mirage and HPI with the engine, I've seen pictures of atleast 4 failures, pity as the K46 was a classic engine in the Savage adn I was looking forward to the HO. Put the Vspec into the Hellfire and it really is on fire (even Thad Garner, top HPI driver in the US uses the Vspec).

Cheers,
Neil.

[boarder]

Sorry but there is no way that it could even come close to the OS30, that engine must have been mis-tuned.

Regards,
Neil.

Hello
i can vouch for Mr Crypt as i was there in same final.i wouldnt go as far to say was quicker than 30 but it was definetley up there with them.and the adjustments you made Mr Crypt definetley improved its handling as it went a whole lot better than it did at ledbury
But i think the results would have been different if my engine hadnt have cut twice in the final :D :D :D
ill be taking a spare engine to roddington so there will be no failures next time.
you have been warned lol
byeeee

[Gasaxe]

"hehe" some competition at last.......... Sorry to say we will be Monster trucking at the finals, but after that its Truggies all the way

[savagemachine]

Hello
i can vouch for Mr Crypt as i was there in same final.i wouldnt go as far to say was quicker than 30 but it was definetley up there with them.and the adjustments you made Mr Crypt definetley improved its handling as it went a whole lot better than it did at ledbury
But i think the results would have been different if my engine hadnt have cut twice in the final :D :D :D
ill be taking a spare engine to roddington so there will be no failures next time.
you have been warned lol
byeeee

Oh Boarder we should be all in for a good day then on the 12th March at Roddington glad to see you up there with the guys and enjoying yourself as this is what it is all about.

Mr Crypt what can i say about that hellfire does it go like sh** of a shovel down that straight and the steering issue i am sure you will find a way round that slight problem

See you guys on the 12th March

Savagemachine :D

[mr4man]

hi my hellfire has had to have a picco fitted now as the k4.6ho, has main bearing faliure after 1 tank!
when fitting the picco i had to space the engine mounts up away from the purple brace and this contacted with the crankcase.

ive found mine is much quicker and easier to drive with the alloy clutch and 14t bell.
I think the stock damping is too light for uk tracks especially grass the truck seems to have far too much axis weight transfer and will rear up under power.
im thinking of going to 30 or 35 wt all round.
running max rear anti squat improves this also
ive changed to 30k in the centre , and will change to 10k front 3k rear.
the truck standard has too much front brake changing the bias improves handling no end.


what tyres were you running @ telford.

[MaD2ko0l]

hi my hellfire has had to have a picco fitted now as the k4.6ho, has main bearing faliure after 1 tank!

i have had very bad luck with picco's in the past and me personally dont rate them, but everyoen to themselves.....as for this bearing problem i am yet to see any problems and thy way it was running on sunday i am yet to notice and problems.


when fitting the picco i had to space the engine mounts up away from the purple brace and this contacted with the crankcase.

yeah i heard about that purple brace gettin in the way, nothign a dremal wont cure ;-) btw what picco u put in????


what tyres were you running @ telford.

the whole truck was standard apart from the spektrum and the servos, so i can saftly say that the tyres were standard as you get them out of the kit....minus the dirt :-)

[mr4man]

picco p3 .26 engine.
i know im just waiting for my os 30 to turn up. :D
try the truck on belted crimefighters or hong nor brick pins what a difference.

[MaD2ko0l]

try the truck on belted crimefighters or hong nor brick pins what a difference.

what sort of a difference will/shoudl i notice????

[mr4man]

a lot more turn in, more grip due to the tire not ballooning so much.
i also found the car more responsive due to firmer inserts

[Gasaxe]

What sort of track are the Crimefighters good on.....???????? and in what weather conditions

[mr4man]

dry conditions grass, worn grass astro and clay
in the wet mulchers, bow ties and hong nor brick pins are better.
brick pins give massive grip roll in dry.

ive changed mine to 30wt all round and its night and day better.
the damping now complements the springing, as standard the damping is far too light for the springing.

[Neil McRae]

yup don't use crimefighters if there is any dampness, and file the hellfire tyres in the round file under your desk :D

[big-chris]

i like my truck , but i have to agree on the tyres , the kit ones are shocking
chris