Are setup stations worth it???
06-01-2011, 08:56 AM
#17
Tech Regular
iTrader: (3)
I love my setup station, but I don't use it at the track. I use it after every clean up and rebuild as it helps the car to be consistent. I use rpm gauge, losi ride hight gauge, and digital calipers at the track. I would buy those 3 and a tire balancer before a set up station.
06-01-2011, 10:53 AM
#18
I love my setup station, but I don't use it at the track. I use it after every clean up and rebuild as it helps the car to be consistent. I use rpm gauge, losi ride hight gauge, and digital calipers at the track. I would buy those 3 and a tire balancer before a set up station.
06-01-2011, 11:00 AM
#19
06-01-2011, 11:14 AM
#20
Tech Adept
got a hudy setup station..but used only on a newly build car about 3 times. The camber gauge, blocks, ride height gauge and a good digital calipers are most often used.
I often mount the tires that i want to run and set the ride height from there. Toe out at the front, i sorta eye ball it and i am off.
The question is how to you set toe out for the front using the Hudy station - every time the servo centers, it's a different 0...it does not return to 0 on the hudy transparent measurement ruler..so how the heck does one measure toe out if I can't zero it everytime?
as for the camber, i use the hudy setup station for the camber. mount the tires, run the track and adjust for an even tire wear all round.
a nice to have...imho
I often mount the tires that i want to run and set the ride height from there. Toe out at the front, i sorta eye ball it and i am off.
The question is how to you set toe out for the front using the Hudy station - every time the servo centers, it's a different 0...it does not return to 0 on the hudy transparent measurement ruler..so how the heck does one measure toe out if I can't zero it everytime?
as for the camber, i use the hudy setup station for the camber. mount the tires, run the track and adjust for an even tire wear all round.
a nice to have...imho
06-01-2011, 11:33 AM
#21
For offroad, setting toe out on the front is the one thing it does that is a bit difficult to do using other tools.
I have noticed that camber adjustments seem to differ when using a setup station versus a camber gauge. Normally it is about 2 degrees off. So when using the station if I want -2 deg camber I set it at -4 deg using the setup station.
As for brand type, the hudy is a work of art and tough as nails. I have had mine ran over by a car and it was unharmed although the box was toast.
I wouldn't say the setup station is mandatory but is great "peace of mind".
I have noticed that camber adjustments seem to differ when using a setup station versus a camber gauge. Normally it is about 2 degrees off. So when using the station if I want -2 deg camber I set it at -4 deg using the setup station.
As for brand type, the hudy is a work of art and tough as nails. I have had mine ran over by a car and it was unharmed although the box was toast.
I wouldn't say the setup station is mandatory but is great "peace of mind".
I was wondering if i was the only one who noticed that haha.
06-01-2011, 04:05 PM
#24
06-01-2011, 08:15 PM
#26
got a hudy setup station..but used only on a newly build car about 3 times. The camber gauge, blocks, ride height gauge and a good digital calipers are most often used.
I often mount the tires that i want to run and set the ride height from there. Toe out at the front, i sorta eye ball it and i am off.
The question is how to you set toe out for the front using the Hudy station - every time the servo centers, it's a different 0...it does not return to 0 on the hudy transparent measurement ruler..so how the heck does one measure toe out if I can't zero it everytime?
as for the camber, i use the hudy setup station for the camber. mount the tires, run the track and adjust for an even tire wear all round.
a nice to have...imho
I often mount the tires that i want to run and set the ride height from there. Toe out at the front, i sorta eye ball it and i am off.
The question is how to you set toe out for the front using the Hudy station - every time the servo centers, it's a different 0...it does not return to 0 on the hudy transparent measurement ruler..so how the heck does one measure toe out if I can't zero it everytime?
as for the camber, i use the hudy setup station for the camber. mount the tires, run the track and adjust for an even tire wear all round.
a nice to have...imho
06-01-2011, 08:44 PM
#27
Is a setup station worth owning,
I think so. Helps, like others have said, during the first build of a kit. After that point it's up to the owner, how often to use it. It's a tool that helps, but isn't cheap to get. If you know someone that will let you use theirs or will put your buggy or truggy in theirs, you can get by with out having to actually buy one yourself. Or, you could always go in on a setup station that you and a friend you always race with to help keep the cost down.
What I have found is that the station allows me to get a accurate setup when the kit is new and then as parts start to wear in, I have a visual aid to see what the warn parts are actually doing or not doing on the setup. Then I can adjust my settings if need be to compensate for the wear of the parts.
After the first build setup station treatment, I will take the measurments of all the links, camber and toe, on both sides to see if they are close to being the same. All things being equal, they should be. After that I write down all the measurments and keep them as a reference, so if I'm at the track and in a hurry I can use my calipers to do a quick check or set to get me back or as closely back to the setup I am running. Has helped me many times at the track and many people I race with.
Good tool to own, but isn't the first tool I'd go out and buy right off the bat.
I think so. Helps, like others have said, during the first build of a kit. After that point it's up to the owner, how often to use it. It's a tool that helps, but isn't cheap to get. If you know someone that will let you use theirs or will put your buggy or truggy in theirs, you can get by with out having to actually buy one yourself. Or, you could always go in on a setup station that you and a friend you always race with to help keep the cost down.
What I have found is that the station allows me to get a accurate setup when the kit is new and then as parts start to wear in, I have a visual aid to see what the warn parts are actually doing or not doing on the setup. Then I can adjust my settings if need be to compensate for the wear of the parts.
After the first build setup station treatment, I will take the measurments of all the links, camber and toe, on both sides to see if they are close to being the same. All things being equal, they should be. After that I write down all the measurments and keep them as a reference, so if I'm at the track and in a hurry I can use my calipers to do a quick check or set to get me back or as closely back to the setup I am running. Has helped me many times at the track and many people I race with.
Good tool to own, but isn't the first tool I'd go out and buy right off the bat.
06-02-2011, 08:36 AM
#28
I guess this would be a good place to explain how I use my setup station and other tools, and how it helps. Just the way I do it, and it has made me alot better at the track.
Fist I take my shocks off and make sure they are equal length useing the digital calipers with springs off. i do this compressed and at full length. I also check the oils and such while off and decide if the need changeing and make sure no bent shafts or such. I then check rebound and put springs back on and set to the side.
Next I take the chassis. I work all 4 corners with shocks off to make sure the suspention travels free working it through full travel. I look it over for loose screws and worn parts and replace as needed. I then place it on a truggy rim and make sure it is level by messureing several points with losi ride height guage. I then messure to droop by going from center of hub to the table with calipers makeing sure it is equal on each side and useing droop screw to adjust if needed. I then put shocks back on and recheck as a warped arm can change this setting.
Now I put is on the setup station and work the suspention a few time by pushing it down. Now I start checking angles. I start at the rear as the factory toe is set, but I still check it to make sure as i have seen the plate wear out before. I check my camber and such as well as ride height. Note, this is not final ride hight. While ago I wrote down the hight by useing my standard with wheels on and seing what it messured on the station. The station helps get everything equal wich is very hard to do with a rpm guage when messureing one side at a time. Also, the rpm is inconsistent with tires on as the tires are never perfect on the rim. You can check this by putting the rpm guage againt the standup on the station. Mine reads the same, but is always a little off when I put on tires later.
Next i move to front and work trough same way. Every time I adjust anything I work the suspention again and spot the messurement I have already done quickly. The Toe is the only difference here. Like i said before, I make sure on side is on zero by turning the steering by hand and slide the top plate over and check the degree. I then devide that number in half, and that will give you the toe on each side. Set the other side on zero and recheck. Work the front suspention and double check both side one list time.
Last, I find what tires I think will work at next outing and ballance them. Ill put them on and see how the car feels. I check ride height again and adjust. I then take the wheels back off an set the car on its stand so no wieght is on the tires or suspention.
Lastly, when i get home from a race or practice, I toss it on the station to see where everything ended up if I made any if I made any adjustments at the track.
Fist I take my shocks off and make sure they are equal length useing the digital calipers with springs off. i do this compressed and at full length. I also check the oils and such while off and decide if the need changeing and make sure no bent shafts or such. I then check rebound and put springs back on and set to the side.
Next I take the chassis. I work all 4 corners with shocks off to make sure the suspention travels free working it through full travel. I look it over for loose screws and worn parts and replace as needed. I then place it on a truggy rim and make sure it is level by messureing several points with losi ride height guage. I then messure to droop by going from center of hub to the table with calipers makeing sure it is equal on each side and useing droop screw to adjust if needed. I then put shocks back on and recheck as a warped arm can change this setting.
Now I put is on the setup station and work the suspention a few time by pushing it down. Now I start checking angles. I start at the rear as the factory toe is set, but I still check it to make sure as i have seen the plate wear out before. I check my camber and such as well as ride height. Note, this is not final ride hight. While ago I wrote down the hight by useing my standard with wheels on and seing what it messured on the station. The station helps get everything equal wich is very hard to do with a rpm guage when messureing one side at a time. Also, the rpm is inconsistent with tires on as the tires are never perfect on the rim. You can check this by putting the rpm guage againt the standup on the station. Mine reads the same, but is always a little off when I put on tires later.
Next i move to front and work trough same way. Every time I adjust anything I work the suspention again and spot the messurement I have already done quickly. The Toe is the only difference here. Like i said before, I make sure on side is on zero by turning the steering by hand and slide the top plate over and check the degree. I then devide that number in half, and that will give you the toe on each side. Set the other side on zero and recheck. Work the front suspention and double check both side one list time.
Last, I find what tires I think will work at next outing and ballance them. Ill put them on and see how the car feels. I check ride height again and adjust. I then take the wheels back off an set the car on its stand so no wieght is on the tires or suspention.
Lastly, when i get home from a race or practice, I toss it on the station to see where everything ended up if I made any if I made any adjustments at the track.
Last edited by morkendi; 06-02-2011 at 09:46 PM.
06-02-2011, 09:06 AM
#29
I guess this would be a good place to explain how I use my setup station and other tools, and how it helps. Just the way I do it, and it has made me alot better at the track.
Fist I take my shocks off and make sure they are equal length useing the digital calipers with springs off. i do this compressed and at full length. I also check the oils and such while off and decide if the need changeing and make sure no bent shafts or such. I then check rebound and put springs back on and set to the side.
Next I take the chassis. I work all 4 corners with shocks off to make sure the suspention travels free working it through full travel. I look it over for loose screws and worn parts and replace as needed. I then place it on a truggy rim and make sure it is level by messureing sever points with losi ride height guage. I then messure to droop by going from center of hub to the table with calipers makeing sure it is equal on each side and useing droop screw to adjust if needed. I then put shocks back on and recheck as a warped arm can change this setting.
Now I put is on the setup station and work the suspention a few time by pushing it down. Now I start checking angles. I start at the rear as the factory toe is set, but I still check it to make sure as i have seen the plate wear out before. I check my camber and such as well as ride height. Note, this is not final ride hight. While ago I wrote down the hight by useing my standard with wheels on and seing what it messured on the station. The station helps get everything equal wich is very hard to do with a rpm guage when messureing one side at a time. Also, the rpm is inconsistent with tires on as the tires are never perfect on the rim. You can check this by putting the rpm guage againt the standup on the station. Mine reads the same, but is always a little off when I put on tires later.
Next i move to front and work trough same way. Every time I adjust anything I work the suspention again and spot the messurement I have already done quickly. The Toe is the only difference here. Like i said before, I make sure on side is on zero by turning the steering by hand and slide the top plate over and check the degree. I then devide that number in half, and that will give you the toe on each side. Set the other side on zero and recheck. Work the front suspention and double check both side one list time.
Last, I find what tires I think will work at next outing and ballance them. Ill put them on and see how the car feels. I check ride height again and adjust. I then take the wheels back off an set the car on its stand so no wieght is on the tires or suspention.
Lastly, when i get home from a race or practice, I toss it on the station to see where everything ended up if I made any if I made any adjustments at the track.
Fist I take my shocks off and make sure they are equal length useing the digital calipers with springs off. i do this compressed and at full length. I also check the oils and such while off and decide if the need changeing and make sure no bent shafts or such. I then check rebound and put springs back on and set to the side.
Next I take the chassis. I work all 4 corners with shocks off to make sure the suspention travels free working it through full travel. I look it over for loose screws and worn parts and replace as needed. I then place it on a truggy rim and make sure it is level by messureing sever points with losi ride height guage. I then messure to droop by going from center of hub to the table with calipers makeing sure it is equal on each side and useing droop screw to adjust if needed. I then put shocks back on and recheck as a warped arm can change this setting.
Now I put is on the setup station and work the suspention a few time by pushing it down. Now I start checking angles. I start at the rear as the factory toe is set, but I still check it to make sure as i have seen the plate wear out before. I check my camber and such as well as ride height. Note, this is not final ride hight. While ago I wrote down the hight by useing my standard with wheels on and seing what it messured on the station. The station helps get everything equal wich is very hard to do with a rpm guage when messureing one side at a time. Also, the rpm is inconsistent with tires on as the tires are never perfect on the rim. You can check this by putting the rpm guage againt the standup on the station. Mine reads the same, but is always a little off when I put on tires later.
Next i move to front and work trough same way. Every time I adjust anything I work the suspention again and spot the messurement I have already done quickly. The Toe is the only difference here. Like i said before, I make sure on side is on zero by turning the steering by hand and slide the top plate over and check the degree. I then devide that number in half, and that will give you the toe on each side. Set the other side on zero and recheck. Work the front suspention and double check both side one list time.
Last, I find what tires I think will work at next outing and ballance them. Ill put them on and see how the car feels. I check ride height again and adjust. I then take the wheels back off an set the car on its stand so no wieght is on the tires or suspention.
Lastly, when i get home from a race or practice, I toss it on the station to see where everything ended up if I made any if I made any adjustments at the track.
Also, people saying that the toe does not center correctly with the radio on is due to 2 things. The first and main reason is a dead zone in the steering servo, all my digital servos seem to have 1 degree of dead zone. i compensate by spliting the difference half a degree each side. I am eventually going to get a servo programmer so i can get rid of it.
The second thing is camber adjustment, i have noticed when you change camber it affects the toe angles. For this reason i usually do camber then toe, if you do toe first then camber, your toe will change. I think it still changes camber if you do to first but not as much.
06-02-2011, 09:07 AM
#30
to morkendi, that was a great sumation of a setup walk through. Thank you!