Serpent Viper 977-e – 1/8 scale electric onroad car

Serpent Viper 977-e – 1/8 scale electric onroad car

September 11th, 2014

Matt

Serpent has released the Viper 977-e.

Key features

Carbon fiber chassis 5mm and top plate 2.5mm
Carbon fiber battery bolder / protectors, fully adjustable fits most 3S LIPO batteries
Lipo packs mount on each side off center, very low and super balanced
2 belt system with 5mm belts
large pullies and ballraced belt tensioners
Aluminum 7075 T6 motorholder in center, easy to change motor
Aluminum fan-holder to mount 2 small or one larger fan
14T motorpully / 48T spur ratio
Viper 977 front and rear suspension and shocks
Race-ready weight around 2600 to 2650 grams

Features:

Although the Viper 977-e is based on the Viper 977, it has a lot of features that make it a dedicated electric racing car:

2 belt system with 5mm wide belts for optimized effectivity. Both belts have ballraced belt tensioners.
5mm stiff carbon fibre chassis in perfect symmetrical shape for even flex and weight distribution.
Countersunk holes, chamfered edges for more cornering, ground clearance. All screws from the bottom are with 2.5mm allen size.
2.5mm carbon fibre top-deck to create a strong and stiff connection between the front and rearend of the car . The servo is mounted in the center of the car and can hold large and low profile servo’s. The center offers also space fo the receiver which can be glued to the small plate/ clips.
Strong carbon fiber battery holders, which can be easily adjusted to fit most popular 2S or 3S battery packs. The batteries can be moved more to the front or the back with the flexible mounting system. This can be used to change the balance of the car, to create more steering or grip. The low and central position of the batteries create the lowest and best possible CG.
Strong carbon fibre speedo plate, which fits most popular speedo’s well. The plate with speedo attached can be easily removed.
Smart machined aluminum motor holder in 8mm very durable unit, which can stand the enormous power of the brushless motors. It is also connected to the rear bearingblocks to create a stiff, yet flexible construction. The gearmesh is easily adjusted from the bottom of the car. The kit includes a 14T pinion, other pinions are available as options.
Middle shaft holder in 7075 T6 aluminum to hold and support the mid-shaft and spur (14T/48T). This makes changing a spur gear a fast and easy affair.

Of course the 977E has most other features in common with the 977:

The strong aerodynamic shaped composite bumper comes from the 977 . The upward edges make it more stable, so these wont touch the surface under impact or with high temperatures. The durable alu front bodyposts are excentric , to allow moving the body to front or back a few mm to optimize steering / downforce. The steeringblock , which can be mounted left or right, offers a system to change the axle position more to front or back giving a “trailing” or “leading” steering, and the ability to change the kingpin inclination and offset.

The spring-steel steering-rods are fastened to the aluminum steering plates, which mount to the new steering blocks. Optional carbon fibre disks can be mounted on the side of the steeringblocks to stiffen the assembly and for aerodynamic reasons.

The steering block is right and left the same, and features an aluminum plate to connect the steering rods, 2 options for Ackermann.

The long durable front lower wishbones, are mounted super low in the car, and feature a semi covered “leg” for the inner suspension pin and the pivot link for the front anti-roll bar system, its also has an extension for the down-stop screw . The lower arms hold the lower alu shock mount plate, which allows a further out and higher mounting point for the front shocks. The strong upper arms can be used left and right. The front lower arms connect to the alu front bracket on very low nylon holders. The kit includes 2 versions, low and superlow. This system also enables you to replace a front driveshafts very quick and easy.

The longer upper arms are mounted between the anodized aluminum top brackets, which also hold the suspension pin inserts to allow camber-change adjustments with 3 possible inserts . Below the alu top-brackets spacers can be used to change angle or height. Caster spacers are used as simple clips on the upper pivot pins. Same clips are also used on the lower pins to change wheelbase.

The top mounted composite bracket gives extra stiffness to the front section, it holds the 3mm thick carbon fiber front shocktower and allow for the down-stop screws. The ballraced front anti-roll bar is a wire type, with very easy and fast open access on the front, captured in the alu front braces. The standard wire is 2.5mm and 2 other as options. The pivot balls link system directs the power to the bar in a smooth way and easy to adjust the tweak with the captured pivotball.

In the front the alu front axle with Japan-made one-way bearings features a free of play and supertrue pully assembly . Springsteel drivecups, strong, long and thin spring-steel driveshafts with CVD system, and ballraced springsteel wheelaxles with alu quick-change levers. The open front end design allows for very fast and easy removal of the front axle or parts.The springloaded servo-saver allows easy and fast Ackermann settings. The servo-saver features a top mounted insert which can be used in 3 positions. Another 2 Ackermann positions on the steering blocks.

The steering blocks and rear uprights connect to the arms with springsteel 8.5mm pivotballs , which run very smooth and well protected in nylon cups, and are easy to adjust with an allen tool. All the supertrue pullies have holes in the side flanges to allow dirt and dust to move out easier.The rear end construction with the alu brackets holds the rear axle. Its open design allows for ease of maintenance and cleaning, and needs very few screws to disassemble. Replacing a belt in case needed, is simple and very fast too. The excenter on the rear shaft allows for belt tensioning.

The ballraced rear anti-roll bar mount in steel adaptors, which run in nylon spacers in the alu holders as integral part of the rear brackets, with 2.5mm as standard wire and 2 other as options. The antiroll bar links to the rear lower arms with adjustable trackrod guidance. The solid rear axle with new lightweight 48T pulley in Serpent springsteel, 9mm wide with 4 slots for the pin.

The suspension bracket and rear plate hold the pins firmly and have composite roll-center inserts to allow for fast and precise changes. In the rear strong springsteel driveshafts , springsteel wheel-axles with alu quick-change levers and a springsteel rear axle. Very durable and lasting drivetrain .The long durable rear lower wishbones can be used left and right. The lower rear arm holds the low mounted link for the rear anti-roll bar and holds the alu mounting plate of the rear shocks, which allows a position which is very far to the rear and to the outside for best performance/ geometry. The lower arms also hold the easily accessible down-stop screws. Nylon clips are used on the lower rear pins to change wheelbase.

The durable composite uprights hold the ballraced spring steel wheelaxles, with aluminium quick change levers. The 8.5mm piotballs are used to adjust camber fast and easy with the smooth hex shaped plugs . The arms of the floating bodymount mount to the top of the uprights. On top of the upright spacers can be added under the pivotball to change rollcenter and camber change.

Optional carbon fiber disks can be mounted on the side of the uprights for aerodynamic reasons. The adjustable rear upper camber links mount to the rear carbon camber plate with 2 positions . The rear floating body mount is mounted on the up-rights with 2 arms and held in place by a carbon fiber steel guider. The 2 arms have 2 positions to choose from, depending on body In use. The end of the mount allow for mounting body-supports , with full threading to allow exact positioning. The system leads the available downforce direct onto to the uprights to the tires.

The kit features high speed ballbearings, mostly sealed ones with aeroshell lubrication or grease. All bearings in the car ( except for the servosaver and brakecam) are seated in nylon bushings to reduce vibrations and play. The shockabsorbers are the latest Serpent RCM units with membrames. The threaded houses with setting-nuts ( or-ring inside) makes ride height changes easy and precise. The front and rear shock are identical. The RCM shocks are very smooth, and easy to assemble and fill. The shocksprings are selected, matched, flatgrinded, colorcoded units. The kit does not include motor, batteries, speedo, radio-gear, body, tyres-wheels or electronics. The silicone shockoil is included.

The 977-e comes with a full color assembly manual as PDF download, reference guide and exploded views booklet all in one. Set-up sheets ( blank and default) are included seperately, and 2 decal sheets are included as well.

Set-up possibilities