Secrets to RC
08-07-2008, 11:46 AM
#76
Here's a good one:
Anyone can buy the same equipment as the good guys. But the reason the good guys can drive soo fast is because they build it very carefully. They make sure everything is smooth, from the gearing to the suspension. If something isnt smooth, you're losing valuable time.
An example of this is two people building a brand new kit. One person builds it in a hurry, and the other takes 12 hours, and get it built "perfectly".
The crumby car is gonna be Crunchy, inconsistent, and Awful. But the Good car is going to be smooth and consistent. Wanna guess who will win?
I like to very lightly grease all hinge pins, just to make them smooth, and not too much to atract dirt.
I'm very picky about the transmision of any car. If its noisy, i call it trash. I keep it well oiled, and replace bearings if they get crunchy.
just some things...
Anyone can buy the same equipment as the good guys. But the reason the good guys can drive soo fast is because they build it very carefully. They make sure everything is smooth, from the gearing to the suspension. If something isnt smooth, you're losing valuable time.
An example of this is two people building a brand new kit. One person builds it in a hurry, and the other takes 12 hours, and get it built "perfectly".
The crumby car is gonna be Crunchy, inconsistent, and Awful. But the Good car is going to be smooth and consistent. Wanna guess who will win?
I like to very lightly grease all hinge pins, just to make them smooth, and not too much to atract dirt.
I'm very picky about the transmision of any car. If its noisy, i call it trash. I keep it well oiled, and replace bearings if they get crunchy.
just some things...
08-07-2008, 04:11 PM
#78
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: r.i.p Chiquita - 1993-2008 - "best dog in the world"
Posts: 164
08-07-2008, 06:54 PM
#81
Here are few tips I don't think I saw in the thread yet.
1. Take the time to properly setup your car. Pay particular attention to your steering setup. Make sure your cars turning radius is the same left and right. Many things can affect this like, toe adjustment, radio settings, ect.
2. Check other setting like camber, droop and ride height.
3. After every run or race, look over your car for any screws that may have backed out. Check all of them because the one screw you didn't check will be the one that come out and ends your race prematurely.
4. Just got out and have fun with it!!!
1. Take the time to properly setup your car. Pay particular attention to your steering setup. Make sure your cars turning radius is the same left and right. Many things can affect this like, toe adjustment, radio settings, ect.
2. Check other setting like camber, droop and ride height.
3. After every run or race, look over your car for any screws that may have backed out. Check all of them because the one screw you didn't check will be the one that come out and ends your race prematurely.
4. Just got out and have fun with it!!!
08-08-2008, 12:29 PM
#84
for me, keeping all the bearings in good order is the most challenging and rewarding. then after that, staying on top of shock maintenance, then diff maintenance.
above all the technical things the most super-not-so-secret is to drive a good line slowly until you can control the car and add throttle from there.
everyone says it, but slow is fast.
above all the technical things the most super-not-so-secret is to drive a good line slowly until you can control the car and add throttle from there.
everyone says it, but slow is fast.
08-09-2008, 01:28 AM
#85
Tech Apprentice
1. maintenance. also learn what is the easy way to get to the frequently broken bits on your car.
2. practise. whilst obviously learning lines on your track is a bonus watch the faster guys, see what lines they are using and what pace they are hitting a section and start hitting the lines nice and slowly to get consitent laps in.
3. battery connectors. i personally use orions version of the corally connector but always point begineers in the direction of deans as you cant connect them up wrong so they are as such fool proof even tho they arnt the nicest of connectors to use.
4. cvd tip use a short lenth of heatshrink over the pin area to stop the pin falling out if the screw comes loose (much easier for maintenance) and a good quality vibration proof threadlock on the grub screw as it will hold for racing but come apart easily for maintenance.
5. and the biggest tip of all is.......... if you arnt sure about doing something ask one of the top drivers at your track. as a sponsored driver myself it is my duty to the company i drive for to help people with any questions they have and i have lost count of the amount of times i have rebuilt diffs,cvd's, replaced wishbones etc and not only to do the work but to teach as i do it so that a noob learns what is being done to the car, obviously if im upto my arms in a rebuild it is probably not the best time to ask but i always do my best to be approachable and helpfull. also if you are a noob the top guys often have to marshall your heat so will possibly have a few pointers as to different lines or setups for you to make your day a lot easier
6. nearly forgot. above all else, HAVE FUN, its a hobby, the social side of nationals in the uk is really good with loads of people camping and having a laugh, i have met so many new friends from racing it is unbelivable,
2. practise. whilst obviously learning lines on your track is a bonus watch the faster guys, see what lines they are using and what pace they are hitting a section and start hitting the lines nice and slowly to get consitent laps in.
3. battery connectors. i personally use orions version of the corally connector but always point begineers in the direction of deans as you cant connect them up wrong so they are as such fool proof even tho they arnt the nicest of connectors to use.
4. cvd tip use a short lenth of heatshrink over the pin area to stop the pin falling out if the screw comes loose (much easier for maintenance) and a good quality vibration proof threadlock on the grub screw as it will hold for racing but come apart easily for maintenance.
5. and the biggest tip of all is.......... if you arnt sure about doing something ask one of the top drivers at your track. as a sponsored driver myself it is my duty to the company i drive for to help people with any questions they have and i have lost count of the amount of times i have rebuilt diffs,cvd's, replaced wishbones etc and not only to do the work but to teach as i do it so that a noob learns what is being done to the car, obviously if im upto my arms in a rebuild it is probably not the best time to ask but i always do my best to be approachable and helpfull. also if you are a noob the top guys often have to marshall your heat so will possibly have a few pointers as to different lines or setups for you to make your day a lot easier
6. nearly forgot. above all else, HAVE FUN, its a hobby, the social side of nationals in the uk is really good with loads of people camping and having a laugh, i have met so many new friends from racing it is unbelivable,
Last edited by niggs98; 08-16-2008 at 01:16 AM.
08-16-2008, 12:23 AM
#87
Cleaning my car a lot seems to help me. I feel better about a clean car. Cleaning also gives you a good opportunity to spot anything that may be loose, missing, cracked, snapped, etc.
08-16-2008, 11:35 AM
#89
Tech Apprentice
Dont drive point to point... goin wide sometimes is fast
08-16-2008, 07:20 PM
#90
I say talk to the locals nobody knows how to set up for a track better then the people how race it all the time. See what tires they are running. Its good to talk to people and share advise. after all it is a hobby and common intrest. It is not a good race unless everybody is fast!!