Behind the Design of the Tekno RC EB410 - Part Three [VIDEO]

0 Sept. 8, 2017, 8:27 a.m.

By Aaron Waldron
LiveRC.com

Press release from Tekno RC:
www.teknorc.com

Tekno RC EB410 Behind the Design - Part Three

In parts one and two we detailed most of the features of the new EB410 and now it is time to look under the hood and see the whole picture. In part three of our series, we present the EB410’s unique chassis layout.

When the EB48 was first released, customers were immediately requesting a shrunken down 1/10 scale version of the vehicle. Unknown to most, we were already at work on the 1/10th scale counterpart. Unfortunately, it was not as easy as hitting the ‘shrink button’ and expecting everything to turn out right.

A core philosophy of the original EB48 was to position as much weight toward the front of the chassis in an effort to increase corner speed. The success of the EB48 over the years made it evident that if we followed the same design approach for the EB410, we could achieve similar results. After reviewing the past and present 4WD buggy models on the market and following the trends in track surfaces, we were questioning why most manufacturers were still positioning so much weight toward the rear of the vehicle.

To move the weight forward on a smaller 1/10th scale chassis would require a different approach than 1/8th scale since there is not as much chassis area to work with. Considering the battery would utilize the most space, we first needed to determine what battery types to support. With overwhelming acceptance from customers, manufactures, and the sanctioning bodies, it was a foregone conclusion to settle on a ‘shorty only’ layout for the project. This early decision opened up new possibilities in terms of chassis layout design.

After our team worked through several CAD iterations of the design, we still were not satisfied with where most of the components landed on the chassis. There was more optimization to be made toward the front of the vehicle. We thought if we could just move the bellcranks out of the way, everything could be placed exactly where we wanted. But how?

As noted in part two of our EB410 article series, reverse bellcrank systems have been widely adopted in 2WD vehicles to smooth the steering response and produce a more linear feel. Perhaps it was a natural evolution for 2WD that would never see the light of day in a 4WD shaft driven buggy due to spatial and mechanical limitations.

We kept trying though, eventually figuring out a way to squeeze a reverse bellcrank system into the available space around the front bulkhead and center driveshaft. We thought it was crazy at first and the idea was nearly scrapped, but it was the best solution to meet our design goals. Was it even possible to manufacture? Would it be durable enough? Would it perform on the track? We decided to push the envelope and the respective answers were ‘yes’, ‘yes’, and a lot more ‘yes’.

With the space at the front end of the chassis finally opened up, it was ready to be populated with electronics as evenly and tightly as possible. The steering servo and battery were placed first, dictating where the motor was to be positioned. After a quick check to make sure all of the popular ESC’s and RX’s would fit the remaining space in front of the motor, the basic layout was complete. All of the components closely neighbor one another allowing for the cleanest and most efficient wiring scheme on the market. This also means you will not have the needless weight of power or control wires running across the chassis.

Our design team then focused on making the user experience as friendly as possible. Installing and removing the battery is straightforward with a single thumb screw. The center differential can be removed with only four screws. There is nothing obstructing access to the steering servo, and the front and rear clips can be removed with a minimum amount of screws for easy cleaning. The rear chassis flex is adjustable using two brace options and there are provisions for raising the rear gearbox to suit different track conditions.

Taken as a whole, we have produced a simple, yet beautifully balanced layout optimized for modern track surfaces. We believe it is one of the most advanced 1/10th scale 4WD off-road buggy designs to come along in decades. All this backed by a company committed to vehicle performance, durability, and customer satisfaction.

What’s Next?

We hope you enjoyed reading our three-part series about our exciting new vehicle. The EB410 is now available for pre-order on our website and through our global network of dealers and distributors. The kits will be shipping in just a few short weeks. No doubt you will see many of them showing up at a track near you.