I just recently got an X-ray and have had no major issues. But I have read about some on this forum wanted to leave my feedback on refinements and suggested changes. Some of this feedback just provides questions to which your designers might be able to find ideas to a solution. But some of the feedback are solutions that I would love to see implemented now! hehe
First in the industry:
1. Use quadrings instead of orings for the shock seals. These would work in the diffs also. They have less friction and seal better.
http://www.afmusa.com/doc_generator.asp?doc_id=3251
2. It's an extra step and PIA to clean out the screws to remove the radio tray. Creating a radio box/tray that comes off from the top eliminates this issue. The radio box mounts to posts or small blocks above the chassis. The post/blocks mount to the chassis. The blocks/posts can be weighted to provide your weight balance with a lower CG, while keeping the higher radio box lighter. If you really want to get anal you can have different weight mounting blocks to match different battery/receiver/servo combos. (I also agree with the previous suggestions on radio box refinement)
3. It seems the trend is to move more weight forward. So would moving the rear shocks forward help without creating any major chassis changes? Why are the shocks mount in the rear anyway? It would make more sense to protect them by mounting them in front of the rear shock tower and in front of the rear arms.
4. Is there enough drivetrain efficiency loss to warrant using a thrust bearing on the front/rear diff ring or the small pinion gear in the gearbox? Thrust bearings could be added to take on the side loads. This could also solve the gearbox bearing issues I am reading about. Currently all the bearings in the gearbox are mainly made for axial loads. Smaller bearings could be used if they only had axial loads. Furthermore it would offset the weight and cost of adding thrust bearings with no loss in reliability.
Maintenance/Tuning refinements:
We don't need to re-invent the wheel just pull designs that work and incorporate them. Consumers could care less where the idea came from as long as its the best solution.
1. On the shock o-ring issues: Are the o-rings really silicon? Silicon orings swells with silicon oil and will change size and feel over time. Try a different material. Experiment with chemraz rubber if it can be found with a softer material. Chemrez is chemical resistant and won't swell. If that doesn't work, there better materials that are compatible with silicon oil.
2. Rubber boots for all cvds to reduce maintenance and wear. (make them chemical resistant for maintenance)
3. Lines on the chassis to line up the motor mount at the proper angle (ala Losi)
4. Clunk tank with overspill lip and drain
5. Is it confirmed that the wear on the front gearbox bearings is due side load on the bearing when the dogbone shaft gets pushed forward into the bearing during chassis flex? If this is true, more clearance is needed to prevent this during flex, or stiffen the front end brace.
"A thinker sees his own actions as experiments and questions--as attempts to find out something. Success and failure, are for him, answers above all." Good luck on the 2010 808!