I don't have any pictures of the car, but it was raced with limited success in the European LeMans Series. I believe last year was it's final season.

Ascari
 

First time.
 

Rough first outing. Funny, really. I thought I was all ready to go after getting my tires cut to the desired diameter. I used a set of TRC (Mike D. - I know you suggested Jaco, but I'd already bought the TRC's by then.) Well, larger bearings for the front axles are needed, then the "inline" front axles because tires don't work with stock front axles and bearings, longer screws to connect the rear wheels to the hubs, and 1/4 nut driver. Washers had to be added to the right rear to space the wheel away from the chasis so it wouldn't rub. Also, I had problems with ride height. Even before hitting the track the ride height was too low, and that's with no spacers. After getting everything together, I run the car - very twitchy!!! I expected it to react more quickly than a TC, but I think that it was excessive. The inline front axle setup may have exaggerated things some. I'm giving up the TRC's and set it up again like suggested with Jaco tires.

Any ideas on why the ride height was so low?

Thanks,

John R.

Re: First time.
 

What car, front end, rear pod plates and rear axle spacers do you have? What size did you cut the tires too? What was the measured ride height?

A 12th scale actually isnt very twitchy if it is set up properly. they just dont have the ineratia of a sedan so they can move easier, but they should not be nervious.

as far as the ascari body.... the real car is defunct and does not run, the team is gone, so the licence is no more. protoform didnt have to pay for any rights so thats why they chose that name. I think the body is very LOOSELY based upon the LMP 675 MG/LOLA. as far as cutting it out, besides it being illegal, i dont think it handles as well, or at least this is what i was told by some of their team drivers.

louis: no clue on roll-out (sorry). the reason i suggest a 19 turn is because they are basically stock motors on steriods (the spec ones with laydown brushes, not the regular mods). if you have both try out both, however i dont think a 12 turn can spool up fast enough for that track, but who knows. try it. i would start like a 20/100 pinion/spur.

Thanks anyway, I haven't got a 19 turn so I'll give the 12 a go and see how it runs. I'm going to get some pinions between 20-25.

Mike D.
 

I have a 12L3 that's all stock except servo mount. I cut the tires to your suggested 44m front and 49mm rear. Ride height was at best 3.02mm. Couldn't get it to 3.5. It seems that using the TRC tires and all the adjustments needed to run them got me far away from your recommended setup for that car at Mimi's.

John R.

Mike D,
Have you run your IRS Rugrat on carpet yet?
Can you share your feelings regarding the car as a T-Plate or Side Spring car?
Also, do you have any carpet setups, using the AE stock front suspension?
Thanks
Dave

Fiddle Fadel,

Look at pp. 117 for setup advice Mike D. gave me for AE. Some information may be specific to the carpet track in our area. Hope this helps.

John R.

Re: Mike D.
 

John - I used to run a 12L3 and I don't remember having those problems. I think you said before that you ran inline front axles. Those will make the car very twitchy but they also make your front ride height 1-2mm lower. Are you using the standard #1,2,3 rear axle spacers? There is an optional #4 rear axle spacer that will raise the rear ride height more. I am also using the IRS rear pod plates that raise the rear ride height 2.25 mm vs the stock asc plates.

Mike D.,

Yeah, I did use the inline axles. Now it makes sense. The only reason I tried those was to use the TRC tires I had already bought. The manual states explicitly that they will make the car turn in more aggressively. Also, with the front being so low I changed the rear height spacers which threw stuff off. Another thing I tried was the inserts that reduces rear chasis roll which also makes the car more responsive, thinking that it shouldn't be that bad, because without it the rear seemed to (by hand) travel a lot side-to-side. I think I'll be fine with your original suggestions. Going to Mimi's sometime this weekend to try it again.

Thanks,

John R.

I only have a spring car, but a roll limiter will make the car act and re act more.

thicker damper fluid will take away the twitchy better than anything else. I think I know what you are talking about, it takes the slightest imput and does that and more.

more or thicker damper disk lube will take that right away.

Are you running the .063 or .075 Tbar?

I have a carpet knife, and the damper tube fluid makes a big difference just like anything else in a 1/12.

If you have plenty of steering, set your car so the front is slightly higer than the rear. Stiffer king pin springs will take away some of the re action, and like you said trailing axles.

Time behind the wheel is your best friend.

David root Enjoy your 1/12!

David R. -

I'm using the .075 T-bar. I was thinking of adding more AE diff. lube to the discs. At some point I'll try the damper tubes . . . I thought I'd make the basic kit my starting point before venturing out. Really want to drive a stock motor well first so I won't just be in the way of the other racers. Even if I'm a "back marker" at first, I'll be able to drive a line and make space when others pass. =)

John R.

Fiddle Fadel - Yeah, I have run the IRS Rugrat on carpet alot. I ran a 12L3 for about 4 or 5 years and found that the IRS car steered better and has more rear bite on turn exit. I used to run a Carpet Knife a looooong time ago, but I found it easier to setup and drive a t-bar car. No one car has a superior advantage, it comes down what is more comfortable to drive. The following is my carpet setup on my IRS Rugrat:

Trailing front axles (stock kit parts), reactive front end, castor shims - one front and one back, 18 or 20 springs depending on traction,.063 t-bar(modified) and .078 t-bar(stock), tweak screws, 30 wt in the shock with silver(associated) spring and medium ball stud front and rear, batteries back, Losi thick hydra fluid in the IRS damper tubes, 3-4mm ride height front and rear, Jaco purple front and pink or white rear(mod) and grey rear(stock), 4mm of tire stagger (ie 43mm front/47mm rear, 44mm front/48mm rear, etc)

Hey Mike D.,

Is that 4mm tire stagger generalized or what you use for your IRS?

John R.