Speedyjay

iTrader: (1)

Whats wrong with PVC pipe??

Most all the tracks around here use it, it can be bent and curved into many shapes with a propane torch. Taken down and stored away with just a little more effort.

Or why not resilant channel steel studs (the steel studs shaped like a "V" with tails on the ends)/Or 6" track studs? They would work well too

timmay70

iTrader: (5)

Since you asked, producing product for retail and setting prices is a difficult task. Other companies that I worked for (non-rc) set the price target for products that we developed at 40% of the final market price. This gave our re-sellers and us as a company the remaining 60% for profit. Most of the sales were direct to customer. It was also a much different industry, as the equipment also required a sales person to fly in and install...

I am sure that the hobby industry is also pretty simular with price mark-ups. Keep in mind the costs that these companies have to re-coup with each mold made to produce parts ($15k+) and the parts bagging, which with RC runs being much smaller, is more than likely not automated.. Labor is also more expensive.

For most kits sold today to be priced pretty close to what they were over 15 years ago (my gold pan RC10 with bearings cost me $235 new), and the more premium chassis priced at their current price level, I think we are doing quite well.

xtrememadness

iTrader: (2)

thanx for the input guys. i like the pvc and downspout ideas the only thing is how do we keep it from moving on a parking lot surface?

timmay70

iTrader: (5)

Old window weights, sandbags, bricks/cinderblocks.... all stratigically located.

SWTour

iTrader: (9)

..timmay, exactly...but one of the things I like about the downspout is that unlike actual rain gutter and road roads, it doesn't seem to move quite as bad if the joining piece is at least 1 ft. long, sliding 6 inches into each side...and fastened w/ screws.

On CARPET these work GREAT with velcro on the bottom...and just stick them to the carpet.

Here's a picture of the downspout type material in use on Carpet...

STOCKTON CARPET TRACK IMAGE

Using it on asphalt is just about as easy...

InspGadgt

I know some of you are not fans of the RoadRail system but for my race these are the best solution since they take so little room to store and transport. So for those of us who do like them and anyone interested...I recieved an e-mail from Hyper Hobbies yesterday! And they are back in business! Now I can get the replacement parts we need badly. After 3+ years of racing (maybe 4+, can't remember) our track is pretty beat up.

trailranger

PVC pipes are bad for 1/12 cars!!!

Skiddins

I went to two race series here in the UK last winter, one used the PCV stuff almost exactly like the downpipe pictured in the post above, the other runs RoadRails.

While the Downpipe racing is on a slightly smaller area with slightly tighter corners etc, there was MUCH less damage to cars at the venue using RoadRails.

If I had to choose, it's a no brainer, RoadRails please!

The problem with any flat sided 'rails' is that if a wheel even faintly brushes it, the rubber tries to 'grip' the sides which in turn tries to make the vehicle steer into it as well as putting a massive strain on the transmission.

Skiddins

InspGadgt

Well most people have a problem when cars launch over the rails into another lane and I can understand that...but with some care in layout design that can be minimized. I also like the new CRC system but it looks to be better suited to a semi-permanent to permanent track solution. Our track has to be ultra portable as we set up and take down the track every race day in a LHS parking lot. For that nothing beats RoadRails with their ability to stack up into a small storage space.

AdrianM

iTrader: (4)

In Florida the sun damages the Road Rails and makes them very brittle over a the course of just a few months. We use 2.5" PVC pipe here and it lasts for years. We either stake it into the asphalt or for those who do not want to poke holes in thier expensive asphalt, back it with cement blocks in areas where cars wont hit them. This is nice because the pipes can move and absorbe crash energy. This equals fewer broken cars.

InspGadgt

The sun here in Hawaii is pretty intense too...but most of the race we did with our rails was done at night so we didn't have that problem yet. I really don't like using PVC...the underside of the pipe really grabs the front wheel and rips front suspensions apart if the pipes are real secure. I don't have the luxury of dragging around a bunch of cinder blocks or staking into the asphault either.

wyd

iTrader: (51)

Any fence company can get you pvc 2x4's or 2x3's to use for gaurd rail. My local shop did this and pretty much is identical to what CRC is selling now for gaurdrail. Fence company is way cheaper. My local shop bought the piping needed thru me since I work for a fence company.

If you can get someone to post pics from Hobbytown in Frederick Maryland with the new layout it will have the new piping. They call the it The Colisium and have a thread in The Where to Race thread.

vtl1180ny

Roadrails can be very dangerous if not used correctly...

adamge

iTrader: (1)

ROFLMAO

kcobra

iTrader: (11)

I thought the road rails were pretty good for our club racing track. They do cut down on breakage for the average weekend racer quite a bit (especially in sedan). As others have said, some thought in track design can minimize cars going into other lanes when using Road Rails.

They were also pretty cool when someone (me) would cut the corner of the sweeper a tad to close and launch the pan car into the wall on the opposite side of the lane. I broke a couple t-bars doing that. The launch was cool enough that I didn't really mind the broken t-bar. I would have screwed up just as much or more hitting a solid 2x4.

Anyways, I've got the small track pack from our defunct RC club. Used one winter season so it's in good condition. If anyone wants it I'll sell it for $250 if you can pick it up in the St. Louis area. I paid $590 shipped when new.