jiml

iTrader: (3)

Trinity had the right idea but the car was too cheap. It broke way too easy. They tried it with a 1/10 pan car too.

2 of my favorite cars I've owned were an M-04L and an F-103. Racing the mini with the Staten Island guys was great!

Marcos.J

iTrader: (239)

what you need help knitting??

muahdib4

Then it really wouldn't be 'spec' racing. You'd have exactly what we have today in Stock, 19T and Mod. All open to any manufacturers chassis but they still have to make weight.

UltegraSTI

iTrader: (20)

well at club race 2day, couple guys tried it, and 1 raced with it. just a tick slower but very good show. and the tires and motor were grateful for the ease in abuse. when's the last time ur cobalt came off the track w/no sink or fan and was colder than a brushless in a 2wd buggy?

all these folks in here, who are obviously very into the hobby enuff to know bout this and comment on it, biatchin bout how they tried or just think 4cell stock is too slow....you know what, it IS a little. ITS STOCK! Go jump up a motor since ur far advanced in your skills over newer folks or those w/o battery deals.

all the folks passin thru the hobbytown who came to the back where the track is commented on how hard it loox to drive, how fast they go, how much practice you'd need, and oh again...how difficult it looked. hmm, u think their pickin up a car for a gift??

-ult

robk

iTrader: (22)

The EXCOMM should be commended for taking the conservative option in this case. Not only will they see what happens in the other IFMAR blocks, they also have the option to run exhibition classes (HINT HINT) at the nationals to see how things run with 4 cell.

SWTour

iTrader: (9)

There is a huge "USED" R/C Car market within the guys who actually race. I know several guys who thrive on buying last months USED version of a car, instead of buying it when it's the BRAND NEW "gotta have" car.

These are guys who love to race, but don't have the budget to run the TOP Tier stuff. These guys buy used at a HUGE discount over a NEW price...and sell off the stuff they've been running even cheaper.

With a little help, that 3rd hand stuff is great Beginner stuff...especially if the guy selling it has a stock pile of spare parts (Since a 2 year old car has been obsoleted 3 or 4 times already)

Now...something that could work for a "Newbie" class idea is instead of "SPEC" car Only type rules...encourage "USED CARS" and limit the racer to just ONE 4 cell Battery Pack. ( I say 4 cell...to make the cars easy to handle for the new guy) One Pack of 4200's in a 4 cell unmatched can be found NEW for under $40.00, and used $20.00 - 35.00.

Run SHORT qualifying races for this class, and require batteries to be recharged for the mains...not changed. (afterall, qualifying is only to set your main lineup position) Run longer mains ( 6-8 minutes would be pretty good)

You'll find equipment will last plenty long...battery won't be an issue, and if the driver has the "SKILLS" and want's to go fast...he moves up to a faster class and jumps into "The GOOD STUFF"

Bob-Stormer

iTrader: (8)

A very logical decision.

Bob-Stormer

iTrader: (8)

Ran myself some 5-cell mod.

Well, I didn't mind it at all. In fact, on a short track, it was super fast and a pleasure to drive. Everybody that saw it thought it was a "BULLET" of a 6 cell car... The general consesus was that I was a liar, everybody guessed I was running 6 cells and 3 winds even lower than I was.

Track size 40x60, traction, not very high, but good. Ran it with a 10t in a CP can in a T2'007

I think it took "just enough" of the edge off, to make the car more settled and behaved. I felt more like I was driving the car, than "hanging on" to it. I liked it. I'll do it again.

Bob-Stormer

iTrader: (8)

I took a brand new racer to the track this weekend. Kid is a snowboarder, and not even a video gamer. I set up one of my cars for him, and entered him in the club race. The car was a car I had setup for 6 cell stock on a BIG track, 48x100. No gearing changes and dropped in a 4cell pack, for a 40x60 track. I thought it was perfect. It's still more power than he'll be able to use for a long time. I actually enjoyed driving it, and thought it would be fun to be in a heat full of them, to see what would happen with some good drivers.

OLD 3300 packs and they ran 8 minute qualifiers and mains, no problems making time, AT ALL.

He got 1/2-1 lap better every time he went out. Although he actually went slower in the mains because he was crashing WAY to much when the pressure of the mains got him. More importantly, he had fun, DID NOT break the car, and is interested in trying it again. ..."perfect"...

I would recommend this HIGHLY for the new guys. and am gonna push it a bit to see what our club thinks. I've got tons of old 3300's as do most of you, that aren't seeing any track time... How'd you like to be a noob with a FREE pack of batterys? I think it'll work perfectly from what I experienced this weekend.

SWTour

iTrader: (9)

Bob,

We took ours out today..(it's an OLD HPI Pro2) but struggled w/ our Oval car today...so the TC took the back seat..and the 4 cell never got ran.

(Did play w/ the TC on the Oval w/ a 6 cell - 10t combo though..that could be a FUN class too) ...can drive those SOOO much deeper in the corner than a pan car.

Advil

iTrader: (19)

Hi Bob,

Try this with your newbie, put a six cell pack (stick) in the car and also put in a Johnson motor. See how he does with that.

Bob-Stormer

iTrader: (8)

Good idea, I may give that a shot.

What I like about the 4-cell stuff, as opposed to 6-cell is taking 4 ounces out of the car, which has a major effect in crash survivability.

And for 1/12 scale, maybe 4-cell stock on a johnson / Mabuchi. There's another one I haven't tried. Actually, I'm liking that a lot. I'm gonna put one of those together for somebody to try this next weekend.

Advil

iTrader: (19)

The reason I mentioned it was becuase when I ran the Salinas Club we have all of our novices use a 5 degree motor(we even provided them if they did not have one). When they were ready to step up all they needed was a stock motor. It worked out great and everyone had a great time. Unfortunately the 5 degree motor is no longer available.....oh well...

DerekB

Again, there is no question that 4/5-cell will work, will be slower, motors will be cooler.

The question or rational behind the change is flawed. We're trying to change the industry standard for somebody that really doesn't exist, to cater to product that needs to be updated to the current decade.

If you're a track, start a beginner class with the 540-cans, 6-cell will be fine. Slow and beginner perfect.

If you are faster with 5-cells...run 5-cells, hell run 4-cells, but there is a standard in this industry. It's 6-cell stick packs, and EVERYTHING is catered to that standard. Changing that for to appease Factory guys who can't run mod, or the one track in Europe is silly.

The bigger picture here isn't answering the question of will slower cars be easier to drive...the answer is yes. Of course you'll break less if you go 10mph instead of 25mph. Of course if you can't handle modified you'll be faster with a 19-turn...or maybe even stock.

Those aren't really a reason to change anything. 6-cells are the industry standard. It's like switching to E85 in every gas station tomorrow, knowing that the entire country still can only run on regular gas.

If these things are "better" racing figures that out. Racing allows you to find what makes you the fastest, and if you're not fast it could just be that you're not that good. And that is OKAY. Not everybody wins, that's life. Not everybody can drive a modified sedan, or be in the C-Main. If you're slower...you're in the lower mains. Not everybody can be that good. For some reason our society feels it has to lower it's expectations to the level of the "slow."

You can have a class for the "slow" just don't change something that isn't broke because we feel like "slow" people have to win something. They did, its called the F-Main.


Also, racers should support the companies that make products that don't blow up and reward the companies that produce it. Not let rules be made so we can have sub-par product work "right now" and in 2-years when the spec of everything drops to "just make it" with 4-cell we're in the same situation.


Bottom line is if we were going to change something, it should have been to a higher voltage system, which draws less amps. This would allow things to work. If companies can't keep their fastest motors from blowing up, or blowing up their speedo....guess what should NOT have been released? The stuff that doesn't work.

fred kellner

iTrader: (25)

Derek that post is a bunch of rubbish. Bob Stormer who was against going to 4-5 cell tried it and liked it.

The purpose of going to 4-5 cell is to lower the cost of racing and help the first time racer.

If you want to spend $400 for a speed control that won't thermal in mod go ahead, but of course you don't run mod so it doesn't matter.

I know everyone can see that racing is dying and something needs to be done to decrease the costs involved.

I think going to 4-5 cells is the future and we shouldn't have to wait until 2008 for it to happen while the amount of racers continues to decline.