Bracket

I think we do realize that most of it comes down to skill, but when we see that the guys who are winning also have all of these modifications (light drivetrain, certified motor, expensive battery, fast charging) on their cars, we can't help but think, "maybe it's because of that." It feels like it's not a fair race.

oPAULo

iTrader: (10)

Funny Trackside was mentioned. That's where I was last weekend.
Had an absolute blast running stock class but for me it still comes back to weight and money.
I'm leaving a lot on the table at 100 grams over. I know my driving has a LONG way to go but that 100 grams would always be scratching at the back of my mind. Heck it is right now! Titanium. Aluminum pucks. Lightweight servo. Lightweight speed control. 3 gear tranny. Lightweight body. Lightweight wing. Lightweight chassis. Lightweight motor plate. Carbon fiber everything.....guh.

Anyone want to buy a kidney? LOL!

bounce

iTrader: (9)

If you think because you are 100 grams over min weight and that is what is hurting you then you need to seriously relook at why you are in this hobby. The best thing that you can do is spend a practice day at the track with a buddy that is faster than you and follow him around the track. I have run stock or 17.5 pretty much the entire 15 years that I have raced RC (other than the 2 years I ran Nitro) and to me that is the most fun I can have racing now i do have the "racers wallet" opinion but also have the money to spend. Am i winning or top 3 each time I'm on the track no, but i am having fun and that is why i am doing it.

rcgod

iTrader: (32)

Randy Pike, do you think running a mod rotor in a 17.5 is an advantage? If so, is there any easy way to tech that?

mx836

iTrader: (15)

I just bought (2) 3racing Cactus buggies partially assembled in a box (one brand new) and a boat load of spares off a facebook RC sale page for $100 shipped. Upgrades for this car are practically free compared to the other mfg's. Bought a used Team Powers Actinium 17.5t motor for $35 shipped off the forum here. Bought a nano-tech 4600 90c shorty pack off the forum here for $25 shipped. Bought a used LRP Flow Works Team off the forum here for $60 shipped. Savox 1251mg servo I took out of one of my other cars. (Usually $30-$40 used).

So for around $250 I built this budget buggy because I like something different and the "challenge" of modifying a cheaper car to compete at a higher level, although I currently have numerous top level buggies that I've spent way too much money on. Throw in another $100 for body, tires, random goodies and I have only $350 into this car with battery, new body, new tires, (no radio, receiver, charger included as if you are into RC, you already have these items). With one night tuning a bit of steering into this car, I took it to the new years trophy race at one of the LHS. I tq'd and finished third with what I would assume was the cheapest car on the track. People could not get enough of it and thought it was the fastest stock buggy there.

Moral of the story is, if you don't have a ton of money to buy the latest, greatest, lightest, fastest, strongest, prettiest toy car and components, buy used!! Do your research on here or elsewhere to find what people are raving about and buy it used. I can't think of one time when I bought used off of here or ebay and got something other than what I expected. PayPal is your friend if that ever does happen. I know you don't get any type of warranty buying used, but when a new LRP Flow is $160 and the used one that looks pretty much new is $60, it's a no brainer. Never had a LRP product fail so I don't know how the warranty stuff works anyway.

Cain

iTrader: (268)

my only question on the box stock thing is if the next iteration of a box stock car actually is the previous one with the hopups added in, how is that addressed? does it become allowed for the previous version? Kind of like B5M Light, B5M Champion Edition, etc?

all in all though glad to see some people trying things to keep stuff fair as possible.

Randy_Pike

iTrader: (6)

Absolutely! Is it easy to tech? Yes in most cases, no in some.

Your idea of "easy" maybe different than mine. But a mod rotor should be easy to tech by simply removing it from the can, and measuring it with calipers.

Randy_Pike

iTrader: (6)

Yes, if you started with a b5m lite you're then allowed to build up to the B5m CE.

Cain

iTrader: (268)

Cool. Will have to look for some vids of the action!

oPAULo

iTrader: (10)

I'm in it because my son and I have a BLAST racing RC cars. We both have a passion for it.
100 grams over would hurt anybody. It's simple power to weight ratio.
Would 100 grams put me in the top 3? HELL NO!
Would 100 grams put me in the A-main? Maybe on a slow night.
Would 100 grams gain me 1 or 2 spots? I'm confident it would.
Would 100 grams make me KNOW it's my driving and setup and not being 100 grams over? Absolutely!



Almost everything I have is 2nd hand. We have all we can afford. It's part of the reason I'm 100 grams over! LOL!

If it was just 1,600 grams I'd be "dialed".

My son and I have been racing for exactly one year so we're both still very new to it all. This thread has been extremely informative for me. Thanks for all the replies everyone. I'm still too new to really have a valid opinion. I'm just stating what's on my mind and where I'm at as a new racer looking in from the outside. We do all we can with what we have and are having a helluva good time doing it.

rcus3r

Well, over 300 post later (this and the previous thread), and there is still no magic bullet for the 17.5 conundrum. There is no single answer to address all the concerns about racing this class. Solutions are participation, track, and RD specific. And that is that.

All else being equal… THERE IS NO SUCH THING IN 17.5!

Short of the track supplying all the buggies, identical configuration and electronics, locked up until a practice or race day, and picking your vehicle randomly each race, there is no solution that will make everyone happy. And even then, I can see some complaining that they got the slowest rig of the fleet. Besides, this would doubtlessly turn off lot of people from racing this fun class.

As many stated, this have evolved far beyond an entry RC class. Perhaps it never was, don't know, haven't been at it for that long. To some $pending their way to an advantage is acceptable. To others simply racing this fun class is all that is needed.

The day I start complaining about something that may or may not be the case, is the day I stop running 17.5. For me, running mod is just as much fun, just as challenging, minus the drama. And depending on the track layout and the type of day I am having, the lap times can be identical.

That said, still entertaining to read all this. Some good points brought up.

rcgod

iTrader: (32)

I meant easy enough that it can be done in tech at a club race when blinky and weight are checked. I didn't think so but I wanted to verify.

Back in the brushed days, didn't spec motors have a groove or some other identifying mark on the rotor to make them easy to tech? I thought at some point they did. Anyways, it would make teching motors easier if stock rotors were marked or a different color than mod.

Davidka

iTrader: (85)

You're drunk on the kool aid. If you did 5x runs with your car @ minimum legal and another 5 at +100g, I'd bet my car that your results would not correlate to the weight difference. I can guarantee that several of the cars in the 17.5 A-main this weekend (we had an F-main) were over minimum

jslider

iTrader: (10)

Would you make the same bet that you could assemble those cars again for less than 5-6 hundred dollars or were they 1000 dollar cars and maybe not all but bet you 8 of the 10 were.

oPAULo

iTrader: (10)

I was in the D and actually really happy with my results! I beat quite a few!
I'm not experienced enough to know what difference 100 grams makes. I was at the Horizon race where EVERYONE got weighed and saw a few have to run back to the pits and add weight. Saw some bring weight to the scale and add it right there so I just assumed it's a big deal and makes a big difference.

I'd still have that 100 grams on my mind though. I just would. I raced carts for years and weight was a BIG deal.