XRAY NT1’26: three carbon front shock towers to tune chassis flex

Photo: XRAY (source)

A few weeks away from the IFMAR 1/10 Nitro Touring Car World Championship, XRAY is expanding the tuning options of the NT1’26 with new carbon front shock towers. CNC-machined from 2.5 mm material, they turn front end flex into a genuine setup variable, on a par with a spring or an anti-roll bar.

Front flex on the NT1’26 becomes a setup option in its own right

On a 1/10 nitro touring car, the stiffness of the front shock tower dictates how the chassis absorbs loads and feeds grip to the front end. A very rigid plate gives sharp but nervous steering; a softer plate lets the structure work and smooths the response. XRAY now offers three distinct levels for the NT1’26: the original version, a soft flex variant and a medium flex variant, covering everything from a very high-grip track to a cold or dusty surface.

A Wave pattern to soften without losing precision

Both new parts are recognisable by their wave-shaped cutouts, hence the Wave name. The open pattern removes material in the least loaded areas to increase longitudinal flex, while keeping the required stiffness around the shock mounts. The result claimed by XRAY is a more forgiving car, with extra mid-corner steering and less tendency to break away as grip builds up.

Multiple shock positions and aluminium bulkhead compatibility

Each tower keeps the platform’s multiple upper shock mounting positions, which still allows the driver to play with shock angle and leverage before even swapping plates. The parts also fit the aluminium bulkheads of the NT1’26, the most common configuration in top-level racing.

Availability

These shock towers are sold individually as options and are reaching the brand’s usual European dealers, among them Wartelle Shop, RC Team, Aigoin Racing and Absolute Hobbyz. A release timed right before the class’s world event, where the NT1’26 will be one of the best represented chassis.