The Lightning 2 Pro Evo is the culmination of a design effort between international 1/8th rallycross buggy racers and designers over the past several years. It features top-level racing features combined with a friendly, easy to use foundation that is durable and engineered to last! Experienced racers know that 'To finish first, first you must finish', and the latest Hot Bodies rallycross buggy is designed to work well in all conditions and be tough enough to take the punishment of today's biggest rallycross challenges!
The HB off-road team, recently joined by US Off-Road star Travis Amezcua, is always trying the latest tweaks and options in Off-Road racing.Tthey are committed to providing the best support in the form of option parts and designer feedback for the Hot Bodies Lightning buggy series, so that you stay on the track and at the front! With drivers like US National 1/8th Buggy Champion Travis Amezcua, Atsushi Hara, Andy Moore, Marc Rheinard and others on the track for you, you can be assured of the latest and most up to date help for your racing efforts!
The Lightning 2 Pro Evo 1/8th rallycross buggy is a ready-built, race-proven design that was borne from a championship winner.
The chassis comes without electrics or engine, ready for your preferred gear to fit right in and get out to the track!
The Lightning 2 Pro Evo was designed to be an evolutionary step forward for the Championship-winning Lightning 2 Pro. Hot Bodies designers carefully developed a chassis platform that has proven its durability and speed. They chose to stick with what they know that works and added fine improvements requested by team drivers to further boost the performance of the car.
To accomplish this, they've improved every aspect of the Lightning 2 Pro in little ways that might not be apparent at first glance.
Starting with what they know works well, the chassis design, the HB designers now use a 3mm thick 7075 T6 aluminium chassis as the backbone of the Lightning 2 Pro Evo. It features milled-out areas under the engine and fuel tank to reduce weight in non-critical areas. On the bottom under the engine, cooling fins are cut into the chassis to make use of the air that flows under the chassis.
What's so special about 7075 T6 aluminium? This is the aluminium that is called 'aircraft grade'; it is stronger in respects than 6061-T6 aluminium which is normally used for RC cars. 7075-T6 has a higher yield strength, a higher tensile strength and it is also harder than 6061-T6 aluminium alloy.
The sides of the chassis are bent up to provide increased fore-and-aft stiffness, helping the Lightning 2 Pro Evo perform great on smooth surfaces. Giving the chassis even more stiffness are the front and rear machined 7075 T6 aluminium chassis braces, which lock into position on the front and rear bulkheads and give the car the bulk of its stiffness.
A new heatsink engine mount is used to mount the engine to the chassis. Machined from a solid blocks of aluminium, it is also finned to provide extra cooling for the engine. The purple anodizing adds a touch of style to the chassis! Underneath the chassis, cooling fins are machined into the chassis for more cooling.
Tough plastic stone guards protect the sides of the chassis and the components from crash damage, and they also keep out stones that could damage the drive gears. A 'bash guard' protects the exhaust tip of the tuned pipe. A spring-loaded pipe mount is provided to securely mount the included pipe, or any pipe you might use.
Instead of heavy aluminium, woven graphite is used for the radio tray and the middle deck. At 2.5mm thick, it provides significant stiffness to the chassis overall and it gives the servos a strong mounting position and prevents the middle bulkhead from moving while the buggy is on a rough track. A laydown steering servo position gives you a low centre of gravity (CG) and a standup throttle/brake servo avoids complicated, imprecise and excess linkage to the engine and brakes.
For the rest of the radio equipment, a fully sealed radio box is provided next to the engine. With the included rubber switch cover, it is very water-resistant and protects the receiver and battery pack in just about any condition. It is one of the most secure radio boxes in off-road racing!
A 125cc fuel tank is used to give the Lightning 2 Pro Evo long runtimes and plenty of laps on the track between pit stops. The splash guard fits securely under the bodyshell and prevents any fuel from getting onto your servos. With a stone internal filter, internal baffles and overflow routing to the ground below the chassis, it's one of the best fuel tanks you can find and a great example of all the little touches that our designers have put into the car. Staying out for even just one lap longer can be the competitive advantage!
For racing, you can use a normal club transponder or a personal transponder, with a sturdy mount attached to the radio tray.
Just like you'd expect on a racing machine, the Lightning 2 Pro Evo uses only hex screws throughout, so you can be sure you won't have to deal with stripped heads on race day.
The most visible parts of the suspension system on the Lightning 2 Pro Evo are the new 4mm thick, 7075 T6 aluminium shock towers and the long-stroke shocks at all four corners, but there's much more to be found if you look a little closer at the car.
For ultimate adjustability the front shock tower features 10 shock mounting holes, and the rear has 9 holes, giving you plenty of options when setting up the car for that perfect run. Both shock towers are also milled in non-critical areas to reduce the weight of the aluminium and lower the centre of gravity.
The front and rear suspension arms use intelligent design to reduce weight yet provide the most support for the tires as they soak up bumps and landings. Integrated webbing provides strength and multiple shock mount positions give you more setup options. Advanced racers will use the included droop screws to limit the suspension travel.
To allow you to adjust the roll centre easily, additional camber link mounts are available on the rear upright and the rear shock tower. For the front axle spacers can be added under the front camber link.
The heavy duty front uprights feature a wide splash guard to keep water, mud and grit away from the universal joint at the front axle.
The suspension is made super-strong with the use of 7075 T6 aluminium steering knuckles and rear uprights, included as standard - rarely seen on kits in the Lightning 2 Pro Evo's price range. This gives you a bit of extra insurance that your car will make it through a weekend of tough racing (or that extra-long A Final) without breakdowns or calls for spares!
The steering knuckles feature optional steering link mounts so you can experiment with advanced steering angles.
The rear uprights are already prepared for fitting a rear wheel scraper to remove mud from the inside of the wheel, eliminating power loss and excess weight.
For optional adjustments Edit RC rear hubs are available with different toe-in settings.
Edit 1 degree rear hubs, Edit 2 degree rear hubs, Edit 3 degree rear hubs!
Keeping the suspension arms in place are 7075 T6 aluminium hinge pin braces. Not only are they extra-strong and light, they use a small set screw to hold the hinge pins in place. This prevents the hinge pins from rotating inside the brace, and ensures the plastic suspension arm is the only part that moves. Plastic rubbing over polished steel will not bind up, whereas the hinge pins turning inside the aluminium braces would eventually create unwanted suspension slop. The inner hinge pins are made from extremely tough carbon steel, so they won't be very easy to bend, in even the most severe crash.
All outer hinge pins are secured in place by a nylon lock nut â€" no unreliable and e-clips.
Real serious racers will appreciate the optional HB or Edit hinge pin braces with different toe-in settings:
0 degree
1.5 degree
2.0 degree
2.5 degree
3.0 degree
Tuneable swaybars front and rear give you increased tuning options on smooth circuits.
Steel turnbuckles front and rear provide a quick way to change wheel camber, and are also very durable and crash-resistant. The Lightning 2 Pro Evo uses heavy duty ball ends to protect against crash damage and extend the time between rebuilds.
The steering system features a standard bellcrank design with multiple Ackerman positions. This gives you the opportunity to try different steering geometries for various track setups. The steel turnbuckle linkage connects to an adjustable servo saver which protects the servo during a crash.
Another hidden feature of the Lightning 2 Pro Evo are the angled rod ends, which give you maximum steering angle for those tight circuits when you need all the steering you can get!
Finally, we come to the shock absorbers. Some of the best in the business, these shocks take your racing terrain seriously! The main shock body is made from tough CNC-machined aluminium, and the shock shafts are stainless steel for reduced wear on the o-rings and extra durability on the track. Rubber shock boots keep dirt and mud off the shock shafts so the seals last a long time. Inside the shock body, a rubber diaphragm acts as a strong shock bladder to help seal the top shock cap and maintain consistent volume. Ride height adjustment is kept simple with snap-on ride height clips. Settings are easy to reproduce and won't change even during a long run.
The Lightning 2 Pro Evo can fit big-block engines in sizes ranging from .21 to .32 - there isn't much more power you can fit into this beast! For your freedom of choice an engine doesn't come with the kit, however all the linkage and attachments needed are supplied in your kit box. The engine sits on a strong one-piece billet aluminium engine mount, and the flywheel, clutch shoes and clutch bell are all provided. For optimum performance, a 3-shoe clutch is used, as well as a hardened steel clutchbell.
To get the most power out of your chosen engine, we even provide a tube rear exhaust manifold with attachment hardware, plus a dual chamber tuned pipe and spring-loaded mount! Of course you can use your own exhaust system, but if you just want to get running quick, this extra hardware is definitely a plus! The stone guard also features a 'bash guard' to protect the exhaust tip from getting bend in crashes or gathering mud and muck - there's nothing worse than having a bit of dirt end a good race!
For more fitting options the range of Edit RC pipes and manifolds offers plenty of choice!
Further protecting the engine is a large foam air filter, which uses an angled rubber neck to divert air into the carburettor. The large surface area of the air filter traps dust, dirt and other contaminants that would otherwise ruin your engine's internals.
The heavy duty hardened steel clutchbell and spur gear resist damage from track debris such as rocks and small stones.
The centre diff features a 4-gear design for durability, hardened metal internal gears for longevity, sealed construction for low maintenance and they can also be tuned with a variety of diff oils and greases!
The braking system features vented discs and sintered metal pads for extremely long life, plus independently adjustable front and rear brakes. This allows advanced racers to fine-tune the brake bias of the car for example to 50/50 front/rear brake pressure, 60/40, 40/60 or any combination of front/rear brake. Knurled nuts make brake adjustment very easy and simple.
The front & rear diffs again features a 4-gear design for durability, hardened metal internal gears for longevity, sealed construction for low maintenance and they can also be tuned with a variety of diff oils and greases!
The centre driveshafts use universal joints for minimal power loss and maximum strength.
The front and rear diffs again spin long, tough steel universal joints, driving the wheel axles into action on huge aluminium 17mm hex adapters. Rear universal dogbones are a rarity on kits at this price range, and are just one of many hidden features of the Lightning 2 Pro Evo!
For extra efficiency and long runtimes, the entire drivetrain, from the spur gear to the wheel axles, spins on rubber-shielded ball bearings. You get maximum performance with minimal maintenance!
7075 T6 aluminium hex adapters are lightweight, extra strong and won't warp or bend out of shape - they are the perfect hex adapter for 1/8th off-road! The 17mm size is the standard wheel hex size for all rallycross racers, so you'll be able to fit a variety of wheels and tyres to the Lightning 2 Pro Evo for easy compatibility and quick tyre changes.
All the power and grunt you get from the engine through the drivetrain is for nothing if you can't depend on the wheels and tyres you've got installed, and with the Lightning 2 Pro Evo you get the best all-around tyres you can find! The rubber tyres and inserts provided with the Lightning 2 Pro Evo are securely mounted on tough high-impact nylon racing wheels, giving you a stable platform for running and racing anywhere! The tyres are especially suited for low grass or loose dirt, but are competent on all surfaces.
The polycarbonate bodyshell provided with the Lightning 2 Pro Evo is supplied clear, ready for your custom paint job. A clear overspray film helps you get that fresh off the showroom look when you're finished, and a pre-cut Hot Bodies decal sheet provides the finishing touch!
The tough black plastic wing attaches with body clips so you can easily remove it when you have to, and it stays in place on the track. It is made from flexible nylon so it won't snap or crack under pressure when you need it most! The mount is securely attached to the rear shock tower and also allows you to adjust the wing's angle of attack, so you get all the downforce you want, exactly when you need it.
Length: 510mm
Width: 305mm front, 310mm rear
Wheelbase: 324mm
Weight: Bare Chassis approx. 2.87kg, running weight varies with equipment used
Chassis: 3mm 7075-T6 aircraft aluminium; 3mm woven graphite radio tray and middle bulkhead
Suspension: Four-Wheel Independent, variable anti-squat and front kick-up
Turnbuckles: Fully equipped, steel with heavy duty ball cups
Drive Train: Shaft 4WD, fully enclosed, Front & Rear sealed gear diffs
Drive Ratio: 3.31
Tyre Type: HBC8032 Notch soft racing tyre
Gear Pitch: 0.8 Module
Wheel Size: standard rallycross size
Wheel Hubs: 17mm wheel hex
Kit/RTR: Pre-built kit, requires installation of radio gear and engine (not included)
Shock Type: Hard-anodized 7075-T6 aircraft aluminium
Shock Towers: 4mm 7075-T6 aircraft aluminium
Bodyshell: Clear Polycarbonate with adjustable nylon Wing
Ball Bearings: Complete, 20 bearings in drivetrain
The Lightning 2 Pro Evo is a well-built, ultra durable and extremely competent 1/8th scale rallycross racer that is suitable for anyone from the beginning basher and fun runner to the top-level expert racer. It's the perfect kit for anyone looking for a racer, a basher, a second kit or upgrade!
The Lightning 2 Pro Evo - it's struck once again!
LIGHTNING 2 PRO EVO KIT WITH COMPREHENSIVE INSTRUCTIONS MANUAL Specification may be subject to change |
