Site Jester's Nova Review

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Jeremy

Jeremy

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tacoma wa
SJ's nova clutch shoes review

Site Jester's review on the Nova Clutch shoes. And Mugen 1.0 springs



I recived my shoes today, and springs. Quality is Awesome, no burs or anything. The first thing I noticed was how perfect the machining was.
clutchShoes3Medium.jpg


Installation... I highly recommend the mugen pilot nut. This pilot nut has a deeper grove cut in it, This helps the springs stay in place, saving headaches down the road. You can also use the hpi brand pilot nut. I am using the stock hpi 3 shoe flywheel, with the nova shoes and mugen 1.0 springs.
30_2.jpg


The springs are ALLOT stiffer then the stock hpi springs, (this is a good thing). So it will take a little while to install these shoes. Take your time putting them on because you can tweak them out if your too forceful. It took me 8 min to install the shoes. They fit perfect and the clutch bell fits and spins fine, thanks in part by the mugen pilot nut.
MUGC0708.jpg


Testing... The motor Iam running is a surefire .32 running a 49/16 gear combo. Also running my 2 speed. I will start the first test with NO weights on the shoes. Weights being the little grub screws.

(see pic for locations of weights and I will be numbering the holes 1,2,3.. One starting from after the flywheel pin. or (pivot pin)
swim_015new1.jpg


I tested every weight 2 tanks.

NO WEIGHTS... Clutch engages from a higher rpm . and really pulls the truck along. very little slipping and helps the top end speed. Wheelies very easy.
1 LONGER WEIGHT... (#1 adjustment hole ) ..Not much difference. truck pulls hard and instant wheelies
(#2 adjustment hole ) .. little less engagement .. truck pulls hard at higher rpm
(#3 adjustment hole).. starting to get clutch slippage off the line. and the shoes engage at lower rpm. I even stripped a spur gear on this last run. (first time in more then a gallon). it was 90* outside today and I might of had the gear mesh a little off.. But I could hear the shoes engaging at low rpm and truck was moving forward at idle.

1 LONGER WEIGHT AND 1 SMALLER WEIGHT...

(longer weight on adjustment hole 2 and smaller weight on adjustment hole 3)

Clutch engages at a few low rpm. I had to adjust the idle screw so my engine would hardly idle, just so the clutch wouldn't engaged and keep the truck still. In fact the I had a hard time keeping the surefire to idle at that low of rpm. But I managed to keep it running and the truck pulls hard but, off the line was the clutch would slip and lost some wheelies .



1 LONGER WEIGHT AND 1 SMALLER WEIGHT...
(smaller weight on adjustment hole 2 and smaller weight on adjustment hole 3)
I had to adjust my idle the rpm was to low to keep the engine running. I could also hear the clutch shoes rubbing on the clutch bell at idle . I lost the punch off the line that I had with no weights. I didn't test this much because my shoes were rubbing on the clutch bell to badly. And I didn't wanna wear out the shoes or my clutch bell.

IN CONCLUSION... I bashed these shoes hard 1 gallon on them so far. The shoes look great very little wear on them. None at all really still haven't had to remove any burs from the shoes. I did have to replace my clutch bell bearings once tho. (but they were used for a long time before the Nova shoes review) Bottom line is this ..
These shoes are AWESOME !!! they take your engine to a different level. I would recommend NO WEIGHTS !!!!! my surefire seemed to come alive with no weights. I like how the engine wouldn't move at idle and, had a nice punch off the line. The truck would wheelie way easy tho so you might have to adjust your gearing to help combat this. I started the review running 49/16 combo. And now Iam running 49/18. Just to help keep the front end down. I can't believe how just a set of Nova shoes and mugen 1.0 springs helped. I will NEVER run the stock Teflon shoes again.

I would just like to think Hop and Mega for letting me do the review on these shoes, I hope you got some good info from what I have done. I pulled the engine probably 25 times. I wore out my motor plate and engine mount. I would like to thank Hop again for sending me Brand New Nova engine mount, for my troubles ...

NOVA CLUTCH ON THE STOCK HPI .25......................................................

Nove clutch on stock .25 engine ......

The test will be done the same was as I did it on the surefire. It will be just on the stock hpi.25 motor .

NO WEIGHTS... Iam really surprised how just changing the clutch shoes, to the nova's brought the engine to life.
w/ no weights the motor need to rev pretty high for the clutch to engauges giving the motor a really good kick once it engauges. wheelies really easy with a 49/16 cb and spur gear combo. (never did before) the engine has only like a gallon and a half on it. So its still a decent little motor. at half throttle it picks the front end up(no wheelies) clutch doesn't slip at all
and pulls the truck hard..

1 longer weight .. #1 adjustment hole ... Not really seeing a difference . Still pulls hard. and helps the engine accelerate good still and no slipping of the clutch that I can tell. still wheelies nice.
#2 adjustment hole ... engine doesn't rev as high before clutch engages. holds rpm well
#3 adjustment hole .. the clutch still doesn't slip and doesn't yet engauge like the surefire did. revs a little less before clutch engages but accelerates good off the line.

There was really NO need to try all the weights on the different Holes like on the surefire review.. Because (for me) I found the best settings. (NO WEIGHTS).. I love how the clutch engages with no weighs and just the mugen 1.0 springs.
Has a nice little rev before BAMMMMMMM. Your off and rippin

Bottom line is .. A NOVA clutch and mugen 1.0 springs WILL do wonders for ANY engine... Best bang for your buck IMO !!!





THANKS FOR READING !!!
SITE JESTER (Jeremy)
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I have a little more work on the nova review for the .25 engine .. should have that in a week or so . then its on to the mip clutch set up
 
Added the Nova clutch reviw for the stock .25 engine have a look
 
I hope these clutch shoes work well SJ. I just bought a set. I'm holding you responsible if they don't.

Only jk. I have read before they work well. Hopefully they make my s25 liven up a bit before it gets tossed.
 
wow! if it makes that big of a difference I'm in to! lol especially when your talking about a cheap upgrade like that!! great review!!! where exactly did u purchase them?
 
I got them off ebay. http://myworld.ebay.com/nova-rc/ They haven't arrived yet and don't know if I got the best price either. They seemed to be priced at all different prices. I don't understand why as they all seem to be the same. I payed $14 but looking on there now there is a set for $13.
 
great review sj! i hope you get lots of running out of them.
4x4
 
Site Jester - I have been running this cluch for a couple of months now. I've run it in front of the Nitro Star .28 engine that comes with the XSS kit and a STS 30. Next I'm going to try it in front of a RB 928 - picked it up today! I've been using the same Mugen springs, too.

This next little bit all ya'all should check out ...

I noticed that the tail on the Mugen springs will not stay down in the groove in the HPI clutch nut. With the tail sticking up out of the groove, it keeps the adjacent clutch shoe from sitting down as flush as it is supposed to. Basically, the spring's tail pushes the shoe next to it out a bit. I think that this will cause the clutch to engage too rapidly, causing the engine to bogg. I hope this makes sense to everyone.

The Mugen nut you used looks like it will solve the problem. I stopped by my LHS to try to pick one up, but all the Mugen nuts they had were a bit taller than the one pictured in your first post. They would throw the clutch bell/clutch shoe/spur gear alignment all out of whack.

The only other option is to cut the tail off of the springs with a Dremel tool and a cut off wheel. I'd rather not do that! The cut could be done quickly, minimizing the effects that heat would have on the springs, but I think it might still have a negative effect on the springs, making them weaker. The weaker springs would allow the clutch to engage too quickly ... back to Square One, lol.

Do you have a part number for that Mugen nut? Or know what car it came from?
 
great review, thanks for the info and all the hard work. How do you like the Nova motor plate?

thanks,

John
 
Will these shoes work with the stock springs? Just asking cause I can get the mungen springs easy and was going to but if the springs require that nut I would rather run the stock springs until I can find that nut.
 
Wister said:
great review, thanks for the info and all the hard work. How do you like the Nova motor plate?

thanks,

John
Click to expand...

I have the Nova Engine Mount

SavageMountMedium.jpg


I love it.... It way stronger then stock, Also it gives your more adjustment,.
Thats nice b/c I can run taller gears w/o the mesh being to tight


THANKS AGAIN }{oPLong FOR THE MOUNT
 
MTBikerTim said:
Will these shoes work with the stock springs? Just asking cause I can get the mungen springs easy and was going to but if the springs require that nut I would rather run the stock springs until I can find that nut.
Click to expand...



They will work.... BUT Don't use the stock springs. There way too weak. iT will cause your shoes to drag and then wear out the clutch.

Plus you wont get all the power you get (instantly) like you would w/ the mugen springs .. I love the "snap" and throttle response they give the savay
 
Hi,

I have been thinking about your review on the ALU shoes. from how I understand this you found in your testing that the more weight in the shoe the more thy slipped and the later they came out. Is this correct?

I would have thought that more weight in the shoe would throw the shoes out earlier and they would grip better which would make it easier to wheelie. seems like the added weight would act aaginst the springs. I find this really ineresting and useful, I would have probably added the weight and went with it.

thanks,

John
 
Yea .. allot of people who run the weights .. do this b/c they are racers, and want to fine tune there rig..

Your are correct.. The more weight I added the more they slipped.. I liked how NO weights feel and still running no weights .. seem to make the clutch last longer also
 
I know what your saying, but I like the way rthis setting sounds, I like the instant wheelies and get up and go, I will probably try both the number 1 and nmber 2 config but probably number 1 just because of the less wear on the clutch bell factor.

I still have a way's to go on the stock shooes, I hope anyway. Will it be ovious when they will need replaced? A better qestion would be will it hurt to let them go till it wont move any more or is there a chance it will break something else? I am probably going to replace all the bearings (even the clutch bearings) with ceramic ones as they go out, at least once to see how well they hold up.

thanks
 
I would change my stock shoes and bearings every 2 gallons

Whether they looked like they need it or not .. it's more preventive maintenance
 
I got to be getting close on the RTR, buy that went fast I am suprised they have to be changed that fast. I haven't run it hard but it is the one that's all metal so it is heavier that has to wear those shooes fast. Thing is I don't care too much about that bell, it is the cheap one. I will pull the motor and have a look see what they look like.

thanks for the info, I wouldn't have dreamed they would go that fast. how about the ALU shoes, how long (many gallons) do you run them? or do you know yet.
 
Well... stock shoes will last ALLOT longer then 2 gallons . I just like to change them sooner .. You have to think about the springs also they can become weak and cause the shoes to drag..


Not sure yet about the alloy shoes , I really need to look at my nova's and check them out . and "debur" them
 
kool review SJ
i am now thinking bout geting some coz my stock shoes are getting worn down
do u know were i can get some of da same shoes and springs off da internet and also prices
thanx rex_hvn
 
rex_hvn said:
kool review SJ
i am now thinking bout geting some coz my stock shoes are getting worn down
do u know were i can get some of da same shoes and springs off da internet and also prices
thanx rex_hvn
Click to expand...



Pm ]-[0pa]0ng.. he can get you a set you will need mugen springs and I recommend a mugen nut also
 
rex_hvn said:
kool review SJ
i am now thinking bout geting some coz my stock shoes are getting worn down
do u know were i can get some of da same shoes and springs off da internet and also prices
thanx rex_hvn
Click to expand...

Go to the nova link from this forum. Buying from the nova ebay site is more expensive, I just picked up 2 sets and saved 5$ in shipping.
 
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