62LikesLet's talk modified 1/12
08-22-2016, 02:18 PM
#227
08-22-2016, 02:48 PM
#228
This has been an interesting thread from the beginning, many good points have been posted.
To me, the big issue is that we have multiple problems in RC in general, starting with low turnouts at most tracks. It seems, kids have other things to do now and fewer show interest in our sport/hobby. The problems are many and even harder to figure out what the biggest issue is. We all see it differently across the countries because we have differing issues.
In Mod 1/12th, the cars are so fast you need practice to gain control of it, what if you have no permanent tracks in your ENTIRE state? Then what? Tires are a big concern, lots of choices and a belief that someone has something that you don't have or can't buy doesn't help. The corner speeds are kinda insane, be honest, watching the worlds videos didn't even look that cool to me and I raced at an IFMAR Worlds before. I think I would have had a much better time watching that race, in person then racing in it. That's sad.
In case your wondering I have owned RC Cars since 1980.
Steve
To me, the big issue is that we have multiple problems in RC in general, starting with low turnouts at most tracks. It seems, kids have other things to do now and fewer show interest in our sport/hobby. The problems are many and even harder to figure out what the biggest issue is. We all see it differently across the countries because we have differing issues.
In Mod 1/12th, the cars are so fast you need practice to gain control of it, what if you have no permanent tracks in your ENTIRE state? Then what? Tires are a big concern, lots of choices and a belief that someone has something that you don't have or can't buy doesn't help. The corner speeds are kinda insane, be honest, watching the worlds videos didn't even look that cool to me and I raced at an IFMAR Worlds before. I think I would have had a much better time watching that race, in person then racing in it. That's sad.
In case your wondering I have owned RC Cars since 1980.
Steve
08-22-2016, 03:05 PM
#229
Tech Master
iTrader: (6)
The cost of attending the worlds is pretty extreme, easpcially if one doesn't live in the host country. And if a manufacturer is going to send a whole team, then that extreme cost becomes even more so. Perhaps even more problematic, at least for the 1/12th scale worlds, it has become almost common place for one or two of the teams to bring very special tires that are only made available to their own team drivers and for those exclusive tires to yield a distinct performance advantage. Whether said tire advantage is actually true or not is not so much the point because the general perception is often that the 1/12th scale worlds have often been won by those who have exclusive access to superior performing tires, while the rest of the field has little chance of overcoming the winner's clear tire advantage. So it is not all that hard to understand why individuals and/or companies have been tending to shy away from making the huge investment required to participate in the world championships only to find upon arrival that there is yet another special must have tire that is unavailable to them. It makes perfect sense that the major nitro races and also the electric sedans are typically run on spec tires, often with strict limits on the number of sets that each participant can use during the event. Such tire control rules eliminate even the perception that the major races are being won by those with exclusive access to superior tires. It is likely that interest in and participation at future 1/12th scale worlds will continue to wain until such time as the longstanding tradition of tire controversy is eliminated by the simple adoption of tire control rules, comparable to what is already being done for most every other form of RC racing championship event.
08-22-2016, 03:17 PM
#230
That's the point, isn't it? Smaller battery caps would force people to run lower amp draw motors (ie. slower) or else risk dumping.
08-22-2016, 07:48 PM
#231
Tech Initiate
I don't know the history behind this but why is 1/12 scale haven't adapted spec tires seeing the success it has with touring cars...any reason?
08-22-2016, 07:57 PM
#232
Tech Initiate
Back in 2005,06 and 2007 on longisland ny...12 scale was our dominent class 40 +entries with few sedans....at the time were touring was still racing on foam.
When the 360 v2 track opened ..everyone was running the rubber sedans with now only few 12 scale....what changed?....the ease of spec rubber tires maybe?
When the 360 v2 track opened ..everyone was running the rubber sedans with now only few 12 scale....what changed?....the ease of spec rubber tires maybe?
08-22-2016, 07:58 PM
#233
I am a total total new B to 1/12th scale. Been building touring cars for over a decade, racing them for 2 years. The tire situation is the most bewildering part of 1/12th. I'm happy that there is a spec for stock, purp stripes (where I'll be starting out here in Seattle). That takes away the voodoo from this mysterious class. I love the mystique and that is what is drawing me in...but that mystique is based on the speed...I am in awe of our local mod guys and I aspire to getting to that level. Control tire is the answer in my opinion, however naive it may be.
Leave motors alone, batteries alone. Make class about tuning chassis and roll out like tc.
08-22-2016, 11:13 PM
#234
Heh. I just run whatever the hobbyshop is selling most of the time. For ozite hd it was a mix of crc green/blue or blue blue. Ive heard with black carpet people are running pink family tires so i think it makes it easier still if that is the case. Tires will be harder and should last longer.
Ive run the wgt spec tires in mod with good success. On ozite hd i needed a shofter rear tire like a green but lilac fronts worked very nicely.
Pick tires you can practice with cheaply and get comfortable with, and just mess with car setup. 12th scale not hard to learn but does require more attention to small details than touring cars.
Ive run the wgt spec tires in mod with good success. On ozite hd i needed a shofter rear tire like a green but lilac fronts worked very nicely.
Pick tires you can practice with cheaply and get comfortable with, and just mess with car setup. 12th scale not hard to learn but does require more attention to small details than touring cars.
08-24-2016, 05:07 AM
#235
Tech Master
iTrader: (1)
It is worth noting that back in 1/12's hay day, there was basically 1-2 foams - Green and Yellow. Those were your options.
I think I posted a pic on FB of my tires from Cleveland 2yrs ago when the spec tire argument started for 17.5 - 3 sets for TC Mod, 2 sets for WGT and 8-10 sets each for the 1/12 classes I ran (24-30 sets in total). The more scary part is with the switch to this new carpet, I've struggled and packed enough of each Ulti compound to use in every class at the Birds trying to find something to help my cars. JS, JM, JH, XS, XM, XH, YS, YM, YH, Z, ZS... I know I easily carried 140-180 sets of tires to the Snowbirds.
My only fear is that by all accounts, WGT should be more successful than it is given the low tire usage and low maintenence. Which leads me to (not to de-rail the thread)... Why 235mm?? Loads of people have WGT cars, why not just make a body like those instead of adding another class that died in the early 2000's?? Why did it die? "Cars were too fast and only the pros could drive them at those speeds." Sound familiar?? The history is there to try and learn from our past mistakes....
Last edited by Josh Cyrul; 08-24-2016 at 05:28 AM. Reason: More info...
