Slot.it Maserati

[HomeRacingWorld]

Video removed. Sample model a clear defect. New review from myself as well as members inbound.

[dinglebery]

Nice video - thanks for doing an honest review! I can see at 5:20 how the chassis seems warped compared to the body in the rear passenger side. Would love to know what's the cause!

[HomeRacingWorld]

Thanks, appreciate the feedback.

IMHO, the chassis warping is simply a trait of design. Manufactures keep designing things in this quest for lightness. "Lighter the better" seems to be what some enthusiasts preach. In some cases, yes, many cars benefit from this.

But it can go too far. These chassis are so thin, they don't stand much of a chance in transit. From the factory and then the boat ride from China. Then maybe another boat ride to our shores and others. Perhaps air freight.

They are subject to major temp changes on this journey. Without proper reinforcement?? Well, it's gonna warp. The answer from manufactures is that the body and the mounting to the base "should" help keep the chassis straight.
But when the BODY is now thinner and lighter, it too is subject.

And in the end, what do most of us do? We ADD weight anyway

[chappyman66]

Thanks for the second set of front wheels, I guess?

Pretty disappointing for Slot.It.

[steeveew]

That's a bummer, mine will be here Friday.



Steve

[Scatman]

Will be interesting to see if your car will have the same issues

[dinglebery]

Yeah, would be nice to know!

[steeveew]

Delay in the mail,hopefully Monday


Steve

[F1Fan]

This car is the first Slot.It model from a different factory in China and maybe this contributed to these teething troubles. The car was also almost a year later than expected for the same reason. The reason for the aluminium wheels under the case, as per Maurizio:

"Our GT3 must have, like all Slot.it, metal rear wheels. In this particular model, however, the rims are completely dark and painting aluminum is a delicate operation, especially due to the risk of painting the axle hole We therefore decided to mount the car with black plastic wheels by adding the aluminum wheels under the base of the car. "

I am looking forward to receiving my version of this car soon.

[Ragtopman]

Thx so much for the honest review! Always enjoy them no matter the outcome.

[HomeRacingWorld]

Well that is an interesting reason. Nothing a black magic marker cannot fix in a few seconds, or at least that is how I do it. Yet, at least you have an official reason thank you

With assembly, I can understand new factory issues.

But not so much for the antennae and front tire/wheel rubbing. We have had tire contact with front headlight assemblies before, but that was normally just excess flash molding. This is a bit further than that.

I really look forward to all the feedback from others who purchase the model. That is what makes a good forum.

[HomeRacingWorld]

After speaking with Maurizio this morning, he assures me this must be a bad sample. I am sending it to him directly for his inspection.

Like I said, love my Slot.it. Thumbs way up to Maurizio for standing behind his products

[HomeRacingWorld]

With that said, I have left the video long enough for him to use. After which, a new review will be done as a new model is en route.

[dinglebery]

Let's hope the whole batch isn't like this one!

[HO RacePro]

Chassis will warp due to molded-in stress, which happens during the injection-molding process. It all has to do with how the plastic 'freezes' -- cools down from hot and molten to cool and solid. It not only has to do with how the part is designed, but also how the mold is designed and how the molding process is set up and run.

One of the sins that causes warping is trying to produce the parts too fast. The mold has channels cut into it where cooling water circulates. That is to cool the molten plastic quickly and evenly so it turns solid inside the mold. If you eject the part from the mold too quickly the skin of the part may be solid but the interior may still be rubbery or actually molten. You lose control of the final part shape and dimensions.

Another cause of warping is running the mold too cold -- again, trying to get out the most parts per hour. The plastic is setting up while it is still being pushed into the mold. That sets up stress inside the part which, once the part is ejected from the mold, pulls and twists the part out of shape.

Short version, efforts to speed up production (time is money!) can result in inferior, warped parts. Poor part and mold design can do that too, by preventing the part from cooling evenly even if the injection process is run properly.

There are ways to fix a warped chassis. I'll let somebody else contribute that.

Ed Bianchi

[F1Fan]

This is very interesting to a nerd like me, thanks for sharing. Maurizio mentions in an interview that this car was the first Slot.It from another (new) factory in China and that there were many delays and back & forth between them and him. Maybe some of this "newness" translated into these teething troubles. Warp Slot.it chassis = Easy fix! If the DNA is good, the car will be fast, and Slot.It has good DNA!

[LegOutOfBed]

I didn't see the video review. But my Maserati was fine out of the box, so I set it up in the usual way for our local club wood tracks, and it is running similar lap times to the other "go-to" models from NSR and ScaleAuto
I was pleased it came as sidewinder, with a 23k motor, because it is 'component-ready' - I only have to tune it, and fit good tyres, but not change any pod, motor or wheels.

- Until now the ScaleAuto Mercedes R series, but set up as sidewinder had proved the car to beat, usually taking out the podiums ahead of similarly motored NSR sidewinder models.
It has the same pod, motor and gearing as I have put in my ScaleAuto mercedes models, so is perfect for me.

I look forward to the new review Harry. I would like to hear how it compares from the box against other GT3 cars you have reviewed.

[HomeRacingWorld]

Great report sir, thank you. Good that you had no issues.

Here is the link to the video on my Youtube Channel in case you need it. Original Video Here

As far as warping...all of that is solid true. But not the only cause. Extreme temp changes can and does cause it.

And the fix is hot water most times with magnets pinning it down. Even Slot.it has a video showing this method. If heat can fix it...heat can certainly cause it

[Rleog]

I have a white kit and have assembled enough of the body to check clearances. Front tires do not contact the front light assemblies and wheels/tires align with the wheel wells adequately.

[LegOutOfBed]

Oh Harry - one thing I picked up from a review elsewhere before I opened mine up - was the new guide. It isn't available as a spare yet, but I really like it - the grub screws are in the front of the guide and clamp against the braid and wire.
For mine I have the grubs clamping against the braid, then the braid against the tinned motor wires. I think this system solves the issue of grubs cutting wire, on one hand, or eyelets popping out in the old days
Just looked at that video link - Yeah, see that wheel alignment issue - so I scurried out to to the garage and grabbed my car to check... Mine seems okay.

The back is clearly aligned okay, the front looks a bit backward - but that is just because of the angle of the phone camera lens shooting from close up on my desk.. so that really is weird, as they should all be identical stamps off of the moulds.....
Twisting during cooling out of the injection mould couldn't have caused that one.....

Just don't anyone tell Maurizio it has NSR ultragrips on it. For this class we use the softest, fattest, gooey tyre we can get our sticky little beaks on. That means Ultras at 16 shore, or Sideways Hi-grip soft wides at 18 shore.

[puts in plug for a big Slot.it tyre for 17mm hubs of about 12mm wide, 15 A-shore in low and high profile options] ...... Yes please sir M.

Ooops, Edit #2 - my fronts are original tyres, glued and trued, front raised to get guide with soft braid full depth. Mine are clear - but not a lot of gap.