Single stage soft foams or dual stage firms???
 

I got some new Losi silver step pins for my NT today, and now I'm presented with a dilema. Should I use my pro-line dual stage inserts which feel way stiffer or the stock losi foams which have always seemed to work well. My track is a very loose, and its pebbly now since its new, but there is a hard pack under the loose surface. I'm thinking since these PL 2 stages are so firm they wont allow the tires to hook up very well on the track, what do you guys think?

Firmer foams work better on smoother, faster tracks. Two-stage is rarely used on step-pin type tracks, but is common when using Taper Pins and T-2000's.

To give an even more generalized answer, try this: more dust or looser surface = softer foam. No dust = harder foam.

Another way to state it: Fewer, longer pins = softer foam. Many short pins = harder foam.

This is a general principle, and doesn't always work, but I think it's a good starting point.

Our home track, CRCRC, is sticky clay, hard packed, and watered to keep down the dust. We use pink Tapers and Dremel about 1/2 the tread off to start with. Trinity Bomb One foam (all gray) is a good starting point. On some other near-by tracks, Dirtburners in Detroit where the dirt has more sand in it and gets dustier, for example, we'll use full-tread pink Tapers, and here the slightly softer gray-and-white seems to work better. Longer pins & more dust = softer foam.

Can you go for that, Aaron??

The harder and faster the surface, the stiffer the foam needs to be to prevent the tire from rolling over. Two stage foams act like stiffer foam, but still allow the tire to flex through rough sections of the track (the Silver State track in Vegas is a prime example of the perfect time to use two-stage). Softer foams help more when the track gets rough.

A happy medium?