XT8-09 TRUGGY

By Colin Long

Fighting back the muddy

condition, yet still keeping a
level profile at speed

When Less
Equals More

Xray revise and refine

the lighter, sleeker
XT8-09 Truggy

he Xray XT8 has proved itself to be an extremely capable

truggy, as the design comes straight from the award winning and
European Champion buggy, the Xray XB8. Crafted and designed
by the hands of Hudy Juraj for top level racing, the XT8 is race
proven and competes with the very best at the highest level.
Whilst the XT8 has DNA from the XB8, Xray havent just done a direct
copy and stuck on longer suspension arms, oh no, as the XT8 is very
much a truggy, and optimised for it. The drive train has been perfected
with a gear ratio particularly suited to the larger wheels and tyres used.
The suspension has been designed for the additional travel and strength
needed. The C of G and overall weight have both been kept as low as
possible making this a very race tuned beast that just wants to hit the
track, hard.

When you are trackside at big race meetings or Nationals you will
notice the top sponsored drivers sitting under their logo emblazoned
gazebos. They arent just there for show you know, and its the feedback
they give to the manufacturer that helps them tweak and alter their
models to keep them bang up to date and fix any possible shortcomings.
You, as a customer, get the proceeds of this work in either factory
upgrades or higher spec updated versions of the model. Xray have done
just that with the 2009 spec XT8-09 even though its hard to think how
they could have improved the original, but they have and there are over
20 improvements. These are aimed at improving reliability, strength,
handling and weight reduction.

ABOVE: High quality parts used throughout the diff assembly

for extra reliability over extended periods

ABOVE: No leakage from suitably filled diffs, I waited a week

just to check. Perfect

64 WWW.RADIORACECAR.COM 11/09

Hand me downs

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BELOW: Hudy spring steel diff out
drives. The shorter bevelled edge
version is for the front

BELOW: Hudy spring steel CVJs

used throughout for increase
driveline efficiency

LEFT: Ali
wheel hubs
look like they
have been
left out for
the mice.
Weighing just
4 grams each
you can see
the high level
of attention
being paid
to weight
reduction

LEFT: The
XT8 09
version
replaces
several
previously
aluminium
parts with
lighter
graphite parts

Kit quality

This is the first Xray kit I have built, and although Ive had friends
constantly bleating about the quality of the kits and how it can save you
money in the long run because they are stronger and the parts last longer
it never really sunk in until I saw one first hand, up close and in detail. So
it would seem that the higher initial asking price is often repaid over the
lifespan of the model, and having now experienced the quality I can quite
believe it! From the moment you open the box you will be happy that your
hard earned money has been well spent.
The instructions are really high quality with easy to follow guides and
very clear information. You will get many seasoned racers purchasing this
type of kit, yet Xray have included the sort of information you just dont
tend to get any more, perfect if you are new to all this. For example, you
are shown clearly how to build the shocks and how to remove the trapped
air. They mention that you only need to half fill the diffs with the indicated
diff oils, great information Ive never been given before. The order of
build is perfect, the pre-labelled parts packs are easy to reference to the
instructions and you are never left with bits all over the place awaiting
that particular section of the manual. If you finish that section of the build
and have bits left, you have screwed up and had best recheck your work.
To the rear of the manual you have a great set-up guide with loads
of handling information, to the extent that this manual would be handy

even if you dont own this particular model, just for the basic geometry
theory and the effect certain changes have on a vehicle! There is a
supplementary slip detailing the changes to the build for the 09 spec,
which affects the shocks, front turnbuckles and shock towers. Its nothing
complicated, but well worth a flick through prior to the build.

Whats with the 09 version?

So whats new for the XT8-09, what goodies have Xray chosen to add
to an already great racing truggy?
All together there are over twenty individual parts making up the
improvements to the XT8-09. The chassis has been worked on to provide
a solid platform for which to mount the components, weight distribution
has been improved to help handling and the 3 mm thick Swiss 7075 T6
aluminium is hard coated to resist the knocks and scrapes it will have to
endure on the race track. The driveline is now complete with the super
strong Hudy spring steel, which has enabled the driveshafts and out
drives to be reduced in thickness because of the sheer strength of these
special steels used. This of course reduces weight and as its in the drive
train the inertia and momentum is reduced giving more instant power
reaction, which affects both acceleration and braking equally.
The XT8 had Swiss 7075 T6 CNC machined shock towers, steering plate,

The Xray XT8-09 gives you the

confidence and ability to hold a tight line
through a corner

11/09 WWW.RADIORACECAR.COM 65

XT8-09 TRUGGY

Above: Braced to perfection, the plastic braces still allow the

chassis to move enough to aid traction when the racing gets
rough
Above: Look, no E-clip! Hub pin is captured using a washer and
screw

LEFT: You may

want to do this
bit first, gluing
your brake
pads onto their
backing plates
can seriously
slow you down

upper deck, radio and centre diff plate and while there was nothing wrong
with these parts, the 09 version sees them replaced with much lighter
graphite parts. These have similar strength properties, but at a fraction
of the weight. As the shock towers are amongst the highest part of the
truggy any weight saving here will have an instant effect on the handling.
The plastic front upper arms have been replaced with Hudy spring steel
turnbuckles, again reducing weight, but also improving strength at the

Above: Ultra smooth steering, with a firm servo saver built in

same time. Hudy spring steel is used throughout the model providing the
very best quality you can get.
The wheel hubs could be mistaken for a new brand of cheese as the
hard coated aluminium components weigh in at just 4 grams each, having
been drilled as much as possible to reduce weight in the driveline. They
have a +5 mm offset and will accept all the most common truggy wheels.
The shocks have now got an even bigger bore size for an excellent quality
feel, very smooth once built. Im not a fan of building shocks, but have to
say these were very straightforward.
The fiddly G-clip that keeps the piston shaft rubbers in place has been
replaced by a screw on aluminium cap which makes shock construction
and rebuilding much less fiddly and removed the hunt around on the
grass looking for the clip as it flicked away during a rebuild.
The engine is treated to a new seat, now sitting on extended aluminium
mounts, running almost the entire length of the engine to act as a chassis
brace to lessen flex which could otherwise place a huge strain on your
clutch bearings. The fuel tank has had a new pressure cap added, giving a
better fit due to a one-piece, specially profiled lid seal. Finally your clutch
now comes with hard clutch springs to push power up the rev range by
delaying the bite point that little bit further for a more immediate bottom
end punch out of slow corners.

The build

Above: Even the centre diff

brake assembly was treated to a
graphite deck

66 WWW.RADIORACECAR.COM 11/09

As Ive said, the manual is very clearly laid out, and as long as you follow
the step-by-step guide the build will be very straightforward. This kit
almost fell together, all the parts were there, even a small spares pack
was included with an assortment of screws, grubs and a spare E-clip. The
total build time is going to be around 4-6 hours so do it over a few nights.
You start by building all the diffs, just be sure to take note as the front
out drives differ from the rear; the front versions are a little longer and
have a rounded edge. The kit comes with 7,000 weight oil for the front
and rear, and 10,000 weight for the centre to prevent all the energy being
diverted to the front axle when the back end bites into the track, so this is
going to give the truggy a neutral setting.

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BELOW: Another cracking paint job
by TelsShells, giving me a simple
but instantly recognisable track
presence

ABOVE: Excellent big bore threaded ali shocks include an over boot to
keep the shaft and seals clean no matter what the weather
I built the diffs a week before I got to construct the rest of the model
which gave me the opportunity to look for leaks, but I can tell you that they
were sealed better than a ducks bottom. And thats tight! You are provided
with ample shims when building the diff housings and the instructions
invite you to use them as you need to obtain the best gear mesh all the
information you need is clearly laid out in the manual.
Once you have the diff housings completed you get to mount the arms.
The lower pivot pins are held in place with E-clips, although thankfully they
are only used here. The outer hub pivot pins are attached more cleverly
with a washer secured with a screw stopping the pin from sliding out. Id
have liked to see quick release diffs for the 09 version, as this really helps
when tuning on race day. The Xray XT8 09 model is fully ball raced as you
would expect, and the only part missing bearings was the brake assembly.
I measured the bushing and its a non-standard bearing size so it will need
a slight redesign to be ball raced if you so desired. The front and rear
towers are braced to the chassis with arched plastic which you may have
thought would have been updated to graphite, but from what Ive read
that would have reduced the necessary chassis flex and upset the handling
characteristics.

ABOVE: The shocks

were easy to build and
maintain, and just
soak up the bumps on
the track

BELOW: Bling bling, almost too good to use. The longer

engine mount reduces chassis flex around the engine

BELOW: Radio tray is

removed with just seven
screws, PT holder acts as
wire tidy

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XT8-09 TRUGGY

I built the new

XT8-09 with
all my current
power plant and
radio gear so I
could feel the
improvements of
a decent chassis,
and it was more
than obvious
straight away

When building the centre brake housing you will

need to glue the brake pads on to the shoes with
a thin CA adhesive, so watch carefully with the
orientation here, once glued you wont get them
off again. I personally cant see why they are not
glued from the factory; its an annoying part of
the build and can hold you up. You may want to
break open that bag and do them first so they
have dried firmly once you get to that stage. You
are then invited to install the engine and fuel tank
along with the side guards. You will need to make
a small cut out on the side guard to attach the
exhaust outlet protector, but this can be done neatly
with a craft knife or Dremel.
The radio tray can be removed quickly from the XT809 with just seven screws, which is great for cleaning in and
around your precious servos. The cabling is kept tidy and is held
in place by the transponder mount, which will hold both PTs and
handout transponders. The radio box is large with two access
lids, one for the stick type battery pack and the other for the
receiver. There is lots of space inside so be sure to pack out the
space with some foam to prevent damage to the components
within once your truggy starts to rock and roll on the race track.
The lexan bodyshell arrives clear and will need cutting and
spraying. I was lucky enough to have mine sprayed by TelsShells
and to great effect. I wanted a simple design with a noticeable
difference from the front to the rear as this speeds up recovery
after an accident as you can instantly spot your direction even
if you are right at the back of the track. The shell covers the
bodywork well and managed to keep much of the internals clean
by deflecting most of the flying debris thrown up by the front
wheels and other truggies on track with me. I had no problems
with the build throughout, the kit and instructions are of very
high quality and make you feel very confident about your
purchase.

Race time

I had no time to test drive the XT8-09 before its baptism of

fire in the Truggy Nationals. Im a monster truck racing covert so
racing a truggy has been a learning curve. My previous truggy
was a very dated design and was coming to the end of its life.
I have never found racing a truggy easy and of late have been
going backwards in the championship rather than climbing the
table. Its been a mixture of my driving skills, but also reliability
from an aging truggy. The Xray XT8-09 was loaded up with
exactly the same engine, radio gear and servos I had been

68 WWW.RADIORACECAR.COM 11/09

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The alloy clutch gives a strong
bite allowing for good drive
from the corners

running previously to help me appreciate just

how much better the XT8 could be. Apart from
going around in a small circle in my garden the
truggy had no run time, nor had I had the chance
to work on the set-up, so this race test was going
to be raw in the extreme.
My first outing in heat one got off to a decent
start, only hampered by my steering. The truggy
was so much more responsive I was simply not
able to judge the turn-in point. It really does
respond incredibly well to direction change,
so much so that it took me by surprise. With
that mastered it was time to push harder, and I
found that the XT8 simply loved the jumps, and
for the first time I felt really confident to start
attacking them all, and knowing the Xray was
strong gave me the confidence to push it even
harder. The set-up was as good as I needed, just
a few steering servo trims to get the straight line
running perfect.
About half way through my heat I started to
pass other drivers, which was something that
I havent experienced for a good while. My
confidence started coming back and I simply
couldnt wait for heat two where I would be dialled
in and ready to pounce. However, an engine
failure rather ruined it for me. Luckily another
engine was ready to go, but heat three was more
about getting the engine settled in. I was gutted,
finally a top truggy in my hands which hadnt
missed a beat, but let down by my first complete
engine failure! So as you would expect I was in
the last final, not an uncommon place to be fair.
However, I simply knew the Xray was capable of
so much more in my hands and I aimed to prove it
in my 20-minute final.
No luck again though, an engine cut on the line
meant a pit lane start was needed. This went well
though and Id passed many crashed truggies
by the third corner and crossed the line 5th of
the 16 truggies in my final. I held position for a
few laps and then started to push for the 4th
bump up position. Push I certainly could, I started
to hold a consistent line and could feel myself

attacking the track in a way I never could before.

Then halfway through the final, of which I simply
knew I could and would have bumped, the XT8
slowed showing signs of failing drive. Rather than
overheat the engine my pitman rushed out on
track to rescue the stricken truggy.
On investigation the pin in the CVJ had come
out. Another was also loose, but the grub screw
was still very secure with Loctite on both. So how
had they come loose? Well after a chat with some
Xray guys they advised when building, to screw
the grub right through before inserting the pin.
This will ensure the grub was not just tight within
the fixing, but able to fully clamp the pin. It would
be helpful if the pin was flat spotted to remove
the problem altogether, but its a point to take
care when building.
Checking the rest of the truggy over, everything
else was perfect. The truggy held up well to
everything that I had chucked at it. Its not in the
hands of a pro, it was in the hands of the sort of
racer that runs a truggy week on week at clubs
around the country. Ive had many models of all
types and classes, but never an Xray. Its of the
very highest quality, from the instructions to the
finished kit. If you are thinking of updating your
truggy to one of the 2nd or 3rd generation you
simply cant go wrong with this. If its your first,
then you are buying a faster lap time right away.
With a top driver at the helm and top kit installed
this is a championship winner for sure. In the
average Clubmans hands (mine) it will reignite
your love of racing. I was losing interest in the
truggy class having had a run of bad luck so far,
with a bunch of reliability problems trackside, but
after the time I had with the XT8-09 I just want
to get racing again as soon as possible to finally
prove to myself just what Im capable of with a
decent truggy at my disposal. RRCi

QUICK SPEC
Class: 4WD 1/8th Nitro Truggy
Type: Self-assembly Chassis Kit
Manufacturer: Xray
Price: 469.99 RRP

Required to complete

Radio gear
Servos
Engine
Exhaust
Fuel
Battery pack

Dislikes

Could do with quicker access diffs

CVD pivot pins come loose

Likes

Quality manual
Ease of construction
Parts quality and strength
Great handing
Hudy steel parts
Superb big bore shocks
Supplied fuel filter and tube clips

CONTACT

RCDisco.com
and www.teamxray.com
or call Greg Hill on his business mobile
07989 225502

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