98tahoeboy

iTrader: (16)

The places these other guys our listing are correct I am a team driver I just get them through desoto racing or Serpent America.

rdlkgliders

iTrader: (21)

Has anyone tried the ball diff on asphalt or other ? How did it work ?

orcadigital

iTrader: (61)

I had a little less success then Danny, but still had a great time. He qualified 4th, myself 6th in the A-Main. I stripped a spur near the end of the 3rd qualifier when I was on a pretty hot run (would have put me in 3rd), and my mental facilities left me and I started hitting things. The main was a bit brutal, as I got pummelled around the track quite a bit by the other drivers. I was faster then about half the field, but kept getting flipped or spun into walls by other drivers. Finished 6th.

Car was quite solid, though as I ran into at our local track, traction is amazing initially, and then I lose rear end grip 2-4 min into the run. I assume I am overworking the tires, but not quite sure what to do about it. I am running near to box setup, with -2* front and rear camber, stock 3.0 rear block, 0* front toe. My front shocks are on the 3rd hole and currently running pink HPI springs. Rears are all the way laid down, with the softest HPI springs. Danny is running a more even setup on his shocks (both around the mid hole, little stiffer springs, but same rough difference front to back), and is not having the same issues. I find that having the rear shocks laid down is the only way I can get rear end bite at all.

Unfortunately, it is only the second outing for the car, and have not had much time to play with it, or learn to drive a TC in general. I have been doing VTA, with some minor 12th scale and recently WGT driving.

Tossed in a pic of mine just for giggles. Not as fancy as Danny's, but since he did better, I guess that is ok.

Grant

RasCalDK

Try letting the additive stay a bit longer on the tires, that tends to be the problem with losing grip. Could also be the wrong additive, for the surface you're running on.

Do you use the 1.2mm rear sway-bar?
And do you use full length rear camber links?
How thick is the geardiff oil?
Do you run with the screw, going through the topdeck into the motormount? If then try running without.

These to things do surprisingly much on the car..
Don't use too much steering lock, you can run as low as 65%, but adjust to your needs.

cwoods34

iTrader: (10)

I'm not sure running the rear shocks laid all the way down with such a soft spring is a good idea. I would try the 3 or 4 hole with a 1.2 swaybar. I actually gained rear traction standing my shocks up to the 5 hole on some layouts.

RasCalDK

I have to agree on that.

JamesReilly

iTrader: (59)

Guess what I found in the updated instructions for the S411 TE, steering rack install with the arms flipped. LOL.

Cwoods - Glad to hear you guys decieded to go with the Serpent, I knew you would like it.

PS, I agree with the last posts sometimes laying the shocks down feels better at first then as the race does on develops into a more loose condition and standing them up locks it in more.
Removing the screw in the top deck helps a ton, look for my eariler post about using a set screw so that you dont have a issue with stripping a spur ( i know some dont have a issue ) I've lately really liked the one piece mount with the top deck cut in half right where that screw does. I don't think I would change it back.

orcadigital

iTrader: (61)

First off, I appreciate all of the insight!

I have let the additive sit for up to 30 min, and it makes no difference from that to 6 min (1 heat previous). I am using SXT, which is the only thing permitted on our track. Danny uses the same. Tracks are ozite carpet, medium grip.

No rear sway bar, 1.4 front, per the recommendation of a Tamiya and Xray driver. Camber links are stock, which I would describe as medium length, inner hole on the outside, inner hole in the inside. Diff oil is 1200wt (stock). I have 800 and 2000 as options as well. Danny was running half 1k, half 2k, and was pleased with the results. Comparing brand to brand though is tough. V1 motor mount, all top deck screws in. Steering expo is at 60%, end points are just before the knuckle hits the c-hub.

I am pretty sure it is not a good idea, as I assume that it is part of the cause of my tires overheating. I have tried running up several holes (several options, several runs), and all it does is make the back end loose at the beginning (undriveably so if more then 2 holes up from the bottom). I can try the swaybar, but not sure, as my car seems to be reacting differently from Danny's.

It does feel better at first, and then I lose the traction when the tires overheat. But currently, as least it feels better at first. Standing the shocks up, it feels awful from beginning to end. I have a last place main finish to show for it, as I was still tinkering, and was assured that would help. I have not tried the V2 mount (I have it) or the lose/removed topdeck screw. What is odd to me is how different my car handles then Danny's. Unknown on his car is if the top deck, or any of the plastics are different from stock. His shock oil is a little lighter in the front, but otherwise we are set almost the same, minus the shock position. When I mimic'd his setup, my car was undriveable.

JamesReilly

iTrader: (59)

Orcadigital,
Can you fill out a complete setup sheet if it is too big to post let me know and I can send you my email address. It will be a lot easier to see where we could help you, lets get a grip on your grip. LOL

There is three serpent cars at our track and they are all very close feeling when you make similar changes, so I'm sure that we can track down what is making it not the same as your buddies.

Thanks,
James

orcadigital

iTrader: (61)

Absolutely, have been out of town since the weekend of racing, and only had the car together for about a week before that, so still early on. Will get something together by this weekend, so I can do some laps saturday and try to work out the bugs.

It was interesting, my car has oodles more steering, which is precisely why I am overheating the tires, but at One Lug in AL this past weekend, the layout was very tight, and it helped me run some quick laps. The times just faded as rear traction did. I think the top time for the guy who won was an 8.5, and I turned an 8.7. Considering his years of racing, and tons of skill both behind the wheel and at wrenching on cars, I was thrilled to get that close. Consistency kills me as always, but there are some very strong glimmers in the potential of this car that make me very glad in my purchase of one.

Grant

cwoods34

iTrader: (10)

Still running the TC6, too...... Serpent for 17.5, TC6 for mod/asphalt! Love both of them too much

The 3.5* rear block may help. Try long links front and rear.... it help smooth the whole car out. Perhaps the setup is just to twitchy for your driving style?... I also had luck with running more droop in the front (2-2.5) than the rear, which I've never done with any other vehicle.

Johnny Wishbone

iTrader: (6)

You can't go buy what the Tamiya and Xray guys use, I know when I ran a X the rear bar was out, but on the S411 I will run the 1.2 or even the 1.4 bar, the later which help the car react on corner off and not roll as bad or flattens the car out. Without the rear bar the car feels sloppy loose in and out of the corners.

I would also look at a different body, like a Speed6, as the Stratus once was a good body but lacks overall stability compared to a 6, a LTC-R might be a good choice as well, but can be a little more aggressive in the front, so a proven body is the Speed6.

If your too soft in the back you'll just overheat the tires too soon and that will make it loose again.

What are you running for lower roll center shims? On the CRC carpet with SXT I would run a minimum of .5 but probably the 1mm shims front and back. Also I would run 1000cst in the diff, 2 gear.

The rear link (in/in on the holes) are going to make the car have a aggressive side bite, which will cause a heat issue again. I would try the long link, outside hole on the hub and inside hole on the bulkhead. For spacers from the rear inner link, outside hub and front inner, I like 3/3/4 or sometimes 4/3/4, but never seem to vary much from there.

Use the V2 rack and run the 2mm of ackerman.

The 2 pce motor mount just about always requires the setscrew in the center or you will do the spurs in. If you run the 1 pce mount this isn't a issue, although the 1 pce sometimes feels like it gives the car a torque steer feel sometimes. You can run the 2 pce with the setscrew and still have a modified stock top deck. I have modified one by cutting the rear center section along the long bar on the right side, still retaining the hole for the motor mount, being attached to the left side long bar. This still gives the flex you want and doesn't let the motor mount flex up which is what takes out the spur gear. I tested this mod for 2 race days now with no gear failures and a slightly more flexi car.

I really find that if everyone is running SXT on the track, to stay consistent you have to clean your tires in between runs. Your right that you'll feel no difference in the length of time it sits on the tire, but cleaning seems to make it the same every run. I use motor spray and wipe each tire, then put on the SXT, time not really a factor.

LOW ET

iTrader: (109)

you guys have any pictures of your painted blitz volt bodies?

smokefan

iTrader: (12)

Looking forward to running my serpent this weekend

Serpent Guy

i have a question about the rear diff

why are most people only running 2 gears instead of 4?

is it just the mass or is there another reason?