Driving Slump Need Tips Could Radio Play Into It?
#1
Driving Slump Need Tips Could Radio Play Into It?
I recently advanced to intermediate 17.5 buggy and initially was doing ok but now for the last month or so am finding myself at the back of the pack and making silly mistakes that affect other drivers, I feel I'm more in the way and pulling over often or not holding back and not driving as clean as I should. My driving has really fallen off. I find it difficult to really get the speed of the other drivers. Confidence is lacking. I did however drive a few other drivers cars and felt I could really push them harder. I don't think it's a setup issue but one thing in common is the radios they use (Sanwa). I currently use a KoPropo EX2 and initally felt really connected to the car but when I drove cars with M12 and I think Mt44 or similar, the cars just felt better and I felt I could push them further than my current rig. I drive TLR 22 4.0's now in both stock and mod. And drove two TLR cars and a B6. One of the TLR cars did have some setup issues but the other TLR and B6 really inspired confidence. So in a nutshell two questions.
1. When in a slump and racing is beginning not to be fun what did you do?
2. Has a radio change helped you?
Thanks
1. When in a slump and racing is beginning not to be fun what did you do?
2. Has a radio change helped you?
Thanks
#2
Tech Master
iTrader: (4)
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Formerly Portland TX, Now Amarillo
Posts: 1,239
Trader Rating: 4 (100%+)
Practice practice and more practice. Work with the radio you have and adjust endpoints, expo and subtrims to get your car where you feel comfortable with acceleration and braking. If you are touching the brakes and the car is stepping out, that is something you can tune in with any decent radio. Grabbing someone else’s car, they may have that all tuned in already. Remember people drive different so radios will all be dialed in differently. I run very very little brake on high traction surface and when I let someone drive my car. I have to warn them about that and they usually all still complain.
#3
Tech Master
iTrader: (32)
Yeah, you have a quality radio so I doubt thats the issue. BUT, you can have radio setting that can slow you down. As mentioned above. And servo speed. It does sound more like a set up issue and practice time. Tired motor? Tires? shock oil? One of the guys using the same car that felt better...Let him drive yours and see what he thinks. Learning all the nuances of suspension set up takes time,experience, trial and error, talking to others and a certain amount of frustration,lol Make one change at a time. Dont make multiple changes cause then you dont know what changed what in handling.
#6
Tech Master
iTrader: (204)
Sounds like your lacking the "FUN" as you jumped up a class and could be that they have just gotten a little bit better, as I hate to pull over for people but will adjust my line so they can make a clean pass, I generally try to go out and pass the next car ahead of me on the track, it makes me want to look for them and attempt to pass them, if I screw it up, I will wait for them and try again, and honestly everyone drives differently and expects different things out of their cars, as my son will be a lot harder pushing my vehicles over what he does with his, and their is no magic radio setting that will make it better as it's track time with your car.
#7
Tech Master
iTrader: (32)
Try playing follow the leader during practice,or even during a race. Follow a faster drivers line and try to keep up. It can show you better lines, where your set up can be lacking,(pushing too much,tires wont grab,etc), gearing,shock oils. And its actually fun as long as you dont plow into the guy in front,lol
By the way, as you find yourself getting better at this you will hang closer and make the guy nervous and when he bobbles, your there for the pass. Until that point,just hang with him for learning. Sometimes kids games have benefits as adults.....
By the way, as you find yourself getting better at this you will hang closer and make the guy nervous and when he bobbles, your there for the pass. Until that point,just hang with him for learning. Sometimes kids games have benefits as adults.....
#8
Personally I figure you already had your EPA figured out? For me I hate expo adjustment. Makes me feel disconnected from the car. On my 4PX I use the response feature. Sometimes as little as one click makes the car feel smoother. I know the M12 has a similar adjustment. I know K.O. make quality products. Maybe look through your manual and see if there are some features your not using that could be utilized. Practice does make perfect, try different things with your Tx(as they said one at a time) and see what they do for you. Good luck, relax and have fun.
#9
first and foremost, say out loud, "i race toy cars" and repeat this chant, till you realize the irony of being bummed out!!!!... second, spend time with setting up your expo/throttle/steering curves, play with the esc too, and just get it in tune with your reflexes, take the car and just run it on pavement and feel it out, pay attention to the reaction in your input... i think getting that connection dialed between the car and you is more important than a super dialed setup, if you can react and anticipate what the car is gonna do, you can drive around a car thats kinda off... but nobody really has the perfect answer, you just have to put in the time to feel out what works, good equipment helps to a point, but you have to know what your looking for to take advantage of it, so i say experiment with what you have before you jump to spending money
#11
Could it be an upkeep issue with the car? Bearings gone bad, bent shock shafts or hinge pins, or even chassis? Something not easily noticeable with plain sight, but affecting how the car handles.
#12
Tech Addict
iTrader: (1)
I recently advanced to intermediate 17.5 buggy and initially was doing ok but now for the last month or so am finding myself at the back of the pack and making silly mistakes that affect other drivers, I feel I'm more in the way and pulling over often or not holding back and not driving as clean as I should. My driving has really fallen off. I find it difficult to really get the speed of the other drivers. Confidence is lacking. I did however drive a few other drivers cars and felt I could really push them harder. I don't think it's a setup issue but one thing in common is the radios they use (Sanwa). I currently use a KoPropo EX2 and initally felt really connected to the car but when I drove cars with M12 and I think Mt44 or similar, the cars just felt better and I felt I could push them further than my current rig. I drive TLR 22 4.0's now in both stock and mod. And drove two TLR cars and a B6. One of the TLR cars did have some setup issues but the other TLR and B6 really inspired confidence. So in a nutshell two questions.
1. When in a slump and racing is beginning not to be fun what did you do?
2. Has a radio change helped you?
Thanks
1. When in a slump and racing is beginning not to be fun what did you do?
2. Has a radio change helped you?
Thanks
If I were you, I would assume that it isn't the radio. The radio is the least likely culprit. Unless you are glitching, you aren't going to notice any difference in radio. They use basically the same transmitting protocols. (I know, the marketing dept. hasn't gotten the memo yet!)
On my Futaba 4pk, I have spring adjustments on throttle and steering to change the feel of the radio. If your radio has that, turn up the spring tension. I think it helps me sense how hard I'm accelerating.
Have you kept results from races? Check your lap times. It's one thing if you're behind because the other guys are just faster, but it's something else if your lap times dropped off.
Instead of you driving someone else's car, ask them to drive your car. They can tell you what they think, if it's okay, or if there is something odd happening.
#13
You just moved up a class. You are going to have to up your game, and get better at every aspect of racing. Your biggest gains are going to be how well you drive your car and how well you prepare it. Some people will tell you that you need to spend a bunch of money upgrading your car, but you need to be a very good driver to be held back by a properly assembled modern car.
Watch the fast guys to see their lines. Then when you practice, really focus on keeping your car on the line. Even if you have to slow down a bit. Find a pace where you can practice an entire battery pack without crashing. Look at your lap times and have a target lap time in mind when you practice. Keeping in mind that track conditions (including the number of people on the track) will have an impact on lap times. Then when you can run consistently at that pace, try to go a little faster.
Make sure your car is built well, and that you check it often for things that are bent, broken, loose, or missing. Fortunately, when you crash less your car stays together better. Also make sure you are on the right tires. Finally, whenever you put a setup on your car (kit or otherwise), make sure that everything is what the setup calls for. Even a few minor deviations can drastically impact how the car is gonna handle.
Watch the fast guys to see their lines. Then when you practice, really focus on keeping your car on the line. Even if you have to slow down a bit. Find a pace where you can practice an entire battery pack without crashing. Look at your lap times and have a target lap time in mind when you practice. Keeping in mind that track conditions (including the number of people on the track) will have an impact on lap times. Then when you can run consistently at that pace, try to go a little faster.
Make sure your car is built well, and that you check it often for things that are bent, broken, loose, or missing. Fortunately, when you crash less your car stays together better. Also make sure you are on the right tires. Finally, whenever you put a setup on your car (kit or otherwise), make sure that everything is what the setup calls for. Even a few minor deviations can drastically impact how the car is gonna handle.
#14
Tech Apprentice
I recently advanced to intermediate 17.5 buggy and initially was doing ok but now for the last month or so am finding myself at the back of the pack and making silly mistakes that affect other drivers, I feel I'm more in the way and pulling over often or not holding back and not driving as clean as I should. My driving has really fallen off. I find it difficult to really get the speed of the other drivers. Confidence is lacking. I did however drive a few other drivers cars and felt I could really push them harder. I don't think it's a setup issue but one thing in common is the radios they use (Sanwa). I currently use a KoPropo EX2 and initally felt really connected to the car but when I drove cars with M12 and I think Mt44 or similar, the cars just felt better and I felt I could push them further than my current rig. I drive TLR 22 4.0's now in both stock and mod. And drove two TLR cars and a B6. One of the TLR cars did have some setup issues but the other TLR and B6 really inspired confidence. So in a nutshell two questions.
1. When in a slump and racing is beginning not to be fun what did you do?
2. Has a radio change helped you?
Thanks
1. When in a slump and racing is beginning not to be fun what did you do?
2. Has a radio change helped you?
Thanks
#15
Tech Master
iTrader: (35)
Hideeho
I understand the "slump" feel. I had it when I was driving an Agama. I really liked the buggy. I felt I had made large strides in my skill, but could not get better lap times. I ran that buggy for 2 years with the last year trying fruitlessly to improve lap times. I did go from 3-4 seconds off & very inconsistent lap times to 1-2 seconds off & consistent lap times. I just felt like I was not improving. I ended up selling the Agama & buying a Mugen MBX7 when it came out. That instantly took me out of the slump & made it fun again. Your situation is probably very similar except you feel the radio is holding you back. It is probably a mental thing, but a new radio just might make a big difference for you.
On a related note...
In any thread it is discussed in you will always find people who claim there is no way you can tell the difference between this radio speed & that radio speed, but I absolutely, unequivocally can tell the difference. I went from a spectrum DSM DX3 (11ms latency) to a DSM2 DX4R (5.5ms latency) to a FH4T Sanwa/Airtronics MT-4 (3ms latency) & have driven another buggy set up almost identical to mine with a MT-12 (1.8ms +/- latency) can feel the difference between each & every one. After 5-7 laps I unconsciously adjust my speed to match the radio & can't really the difference in the faster stuff anymore. If you ever go from a DSM (11ms latency like in an AE RTR what ever) to an MT-12 I promise you will turn into the pipe on the inside a few times on the 1st few laps & if you the other way you will miss the apex a few times by a large margin.
To sum up, it may not make an actual difference in speed (KO does make a good radio...), but the mental part is VERY arguably MUCH more important than the actual speed. Changing your radio there for has the possibility of making you faster, but don't expect to change ANY piece of equipment & suddenly be able race with the Ryans (Cavalieri, Lutz, & Maifield).
I understand the "slump" feel. I had it when I was driving an Agama. I really liked the buggy. I felt I had made large strides in my skill, but could not get better lap times. I ran that buggy for 2 years with the last year trying fruitlessly to improve lap times. I did go from 3-4 seconds off & very inconsistent lap times to 1-2 seconds off & consistent lap times. I just felt like I was not improving. I ended up selling the Agama & buying a Mugen MBX7 when it came out. That instantly took me out of the slump & made it fun again. Your situation is probably very similar except you feel the radio is holding you back. It is probably a mental thing, but a new radio just might make a big difference for you.
On a related note...
In any thread it is discussed in you will always find people who claim there is no way you can tell the difference between this radio speed & that radio speed, but I absolutely, unequivocally can tell the difference. I went from a spectrum DSM DX3 (11ms latency) to a DSM2 DX4R (5.5ms latency) to a FH4T Sanwa/Airtronics MT-4 (3ms latency) & have driven another buggy set up almost identical to mine with a MT-12 (1.8ms +/- latency) can feel the difference between each & every one. After 5-7 laps I unconsciously adjust my speed to match the radio & can't really the difference in the faster stuff anymore. If you ever go from a DSM (11ms latency like in an AE RTR what ever) to an MT-12 I promise you will turn into the pipe on the inside a few times on the 1st few laps & if you the other way you will miss the apex a few times by a large margin.
To sum up, it may not make an actual difference in speed (KO does make a good radio...), but the mental part is VERY arguably MUCH more important than the actual speed. Changing your radio there for has the possibility of making you faster, but don't expect to change ANY piece of equipment & suddenly be able race with the Ryans (Cavalieri, Lutz, & Maifield).