11LikesThey say you can't teach an old dog new tricks...
01-13-2020, 02:37 PM
#1
They say you can't teach an old dog new tricks...
Greetings RcTech universe...
I've been around this forum for...just over 17 years (a shock to think about in my view), and after a few false starts, at 37 almost 38 years old, this spring I am going to finally go for my rookie stripes and race at a new facility here in the 757. I have decided to take on the Stock Slash class and I have a question...
how many battery packs (regardless of style) would I need to get through a raceday? I'm looking at prerace practice, qualifying and the main. Please be easy on this old dog because I've been mostly an observer all these years
I've been around this forum for...just over 17 years (a shock to think about in my view), and after a few false starts, at 37 almost 38 years old, this spring I am going to finally go for my rookie stripes and race at a new facility here in the 757. I have decided to take on the Stock Slash class and I have a question...
how many battery packs (regardless of style) would I need to get through a raceday? I'm looking at prerace practice, qualifying and the main. Please be easy on this old dog because I've been mostly an observer all these years
01-13-2020, 03:55 PM
#2
2.. I always keep 2 per race vehicle.
01-13-2020, 04:12 PM
#3
Tech Prophet
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I didn’t get into hobby till 40. 47 before crossed into the race side.
2 works good. Can rotate between rounds. Or use one for practice.
Once you get a routine down, one can work.
2 works good. Can rotate between rounds. Or use one for practice.
Once you get a routine down, one can work.
01-13-2020, 06:01 PM
#4
Tech Prophet
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One suggestion. Set yourself a budget for the truck. Parts are going to break. But upgrade might make the next thing to break cost more. I’ve read some crazy post about what people have spent running the spec class.
01-13-2020, 06:10 PM
#5
Good idea Billy. According to one of the track owners it will be the Titan 550 motor instead of the Velineon brushless motor for the class which should take away one potential source of consternation. I'll ask more questions as we get closer to opening
01-13-2020, 06:20 PM
#6
Tech Prophet
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Just remember to breath during that first race. I was more worried about breaking someone else vehicle in my first few races on road. Carpet buggy felt oddly normal, other then the jumps. It’s a smaller track so speed are reasonable and jumps aren’t really big.
01-14-2020, 05:25 PM
#7
Number of batteries really depends on time between races. If the race has lots of entries and your only racing every hour or more, then 1 battery is fine. I typically race anywhere from 2 to 7 classes, depending on the track and only use 1 battery per vehicle because I never have an issue recharging between uses. But I also have at least 3 chargers or one quad charger.
But if there's only a few people and you're running every 15-20 mins, you might need 2.
But if there's only a few people and you're running every 15-20 mins, you might need 2.
01-14-2020, 05:55 PM
#8
Tech Regular
I run 2 cars and my son runs 1 and we just have 1 battery per car, and 2 chargers. A round generally takes about an hour so there is plenty of time to top batteries up between races. It gets busy for me with race then marshall, and since my son is only 6 he runs open where the parents marshall. And he can't help with charging either. I wish I had a quad charger, but would still be fine with 1 battery per car.
Its different for onroad as we have time to practice first and I find I run a battery for that which I don't have time to charge before racing starts, so a spare battery for onroad is useful for me
Its different for onroad as we have time to practice first and I find I run a battery for that which I don't have time to charge before racing starts, so a spare battery for onroad is useful for me
01-15-2020, 12:40 PM
#9
Greetings RcTech universe...
I've been around this forum for...just over 17 years (a shock to think about in my view), and after a few false starts, at 37 almost 38 years old, this spring I am going to finally go for my rookie stripes and race at a new facility here in the 757. I have decided to take on the Stock Slash class and I have a question...
how many battery packs (regardless of style) would I need to get through a raceday? I'm looking at prerace practice, qualifying and the main. Please be easy on this old dog because I've been mostly an observer all these years
I've been around this forum for...just over 17 years (a shock to think about in my view), and after a few false starts, at 37 almost 38 years old, this spring I am going to finally go for my rookie stripes and race at a new facility here in the 757. I have decided to take on the Stock Slash class and I have a question...
how many battery packs (regardless of style) would I need to get through a raceday? I'm looking at prerace practice, qualifying and the main. Please be easy on this old dog because I've been mostly an observer all these years
Next thing, confirm what are the rules for the class you are going to run in as far as what is allowed for any modifications, electronic changes, etc.
If they allow you to use your own radio, don't be cheap, get a decent radio that has Exponential and End Point adjustments. An excellent radio for that would be the Futaba 3PV. I'd even spring to combine it with the futaba R204GFE receiver that doesn't use any antennas. In this class if you are allowed to use your own radio, it can be an advantage, sometimes a big one to use a radio where you can adjust exponential on it. It can also lead to less frustrating drive experience.
Next, its not a bad idea to take it completely apart and rebuild it even if new. The person putting it together most likely doesn't have the same attention to detail you have. You can also get a chance to familiarize yourself with the vehicle, how it goes together, etc. It would also be a good time at that point to drop on a setup that works for your area. Ask other drivers what they do, confirm its legal, and give that a look. Common things I could see would be shock fluids and maybe diff fluid.
After all that, I would suggest looking on youtube and do a motor break-in, usually the water-dip method from what I am seeing, and relube the bushings.
Finally, if there are parts that are allowed to be upgraded / added for durability, get those. I can see metal gears for the servo (or just buy the metal gear servo that is legal) be one.
One more thing, for our Slash spec class here, tire prep can be handy. A lot of new guys seem to show up with tires that are hard as rocks and not been cleaned at all, so dried out. Hit them with some concentrated simple green works generally well. If carpet running some use tire sauce like SXT 3.0 compound. Ask around your local track.
This may all seem like a lot, but in general its not and should get you on point pretty quick.
Outside of that, have fun, and since you are in a spec class, you don't have to worry about running too far with upgrades on the slash when another vehicle made for racing would be long run cheaper. Enjoy the car
01-15-2020, 04:44 PM
#10
Greetings RcTech universe...
I've been around this forum for...just over 17 years (a shock to think about in my view), and after a few false starts, at 37 almost 38 years old, this spring I am going to finally go for my rookie stripes and race at a new facility here in the 757. I have decided to take on the Stock Slash class and I have a question...
how many battery packs (regardless of style) would I need to get through a raceday? I'm looking at prerace practice, qualifying and the main. Please be easy on this old dog because I've been mostly an observer all these years
I've been around this forum for...just over 17 years (a shock to think about in my view), and after a few false starts, at 37 almost 38 years old, this spring I am going to finally go for my rookie stripes and race at a new facility here in the 757. I have decided to take on the Stock Slash class and I have a question...
how many battery packs (regardless of style) would I need to get through a raceday? I'm looking at prerace practice, qualifying and the main. Please be easy on this old dog because I've been mostly an observer all these years
Two batteries. I am a firm believer in redundancy. Even if you don't need the second pack routinely, it is good having a back-up. Rotate them race to race to keep them active. Classic racing rule, "If it can go wrong, it will go wrong". Cheers, Regards and Good Luck. 'AC'
01-16-2020, 02:20 PM
#11
First thing welcome to RC Racing!
Next thing, confirm what are the rules for the class you are going to run in as far as what is allowed for any modifications, electronic changes, etc.
If they allow you to use your own radio, don't be cheap, get a decent radio that has Exponential and End Point adjustments. An excellent radio for that would be the Futaba 3PV. I'd even spring to combine it with the futaba R204GFE receiver that doesn't use any antennas. In this class if you are allowed to use your own radio, it can be an advantage, sometimes a big one to use a radio where you can adjust exponential on it. It can also lead to less frustrating drive experience.
Next, its not a bad idea to take it completely apart and rebuild it even if new. The person putting it together most likely doesn't have the same attention to detail you have. You can also get a chance to familiarize yourself with the vehicle, how it goes together, etc. It would also be a good time at that point to drop on a setup that works for your area. Ask other drivers what they do, confirm its legal, and give that a look. Common things I could see would be shock fluids and maybe diff fluid.
After all that, I would suggest looking on youtube and do a motor break-in, usually the water-dip method from what I am seeing, and relube the bushings.
Finally, if there are parts that are allowed to be upgraded / added for durability, get those. I can see metal gears for the servo (or just buy the metal gear servo that is legal) be one.
One more thing, for our Slash spec class here, tire prep can be handy. A lot of new guys seem to show up with tires that are hard as rocks and not been cleaned at all, so dried out. Hit them with some concentrated simple green works generally well. If carpet running some use tire sauce like SXT 3.0 compound. Ask around your local track.
This may all seem like a lot, but in general its not and should get you on point pretty quick.
Outside of that, have fun, and since you are in a spec class, you don't have to worry about running too far with upgrades on the slash when another vehicle made for racing would be long run cheaper. Enjoy the car
Next thing, confirm what are the rules for the class you are going to run in as far as what is allowed for any modifications, electronic changes, etc.
If they allow you to use your own radio, don't be cheap, get a decent radio that has Exponential and End Point adjustments. An excellent radio for that would be the Futaba 3PV. I'd even spring to combine it with the futaba R204GFE receiver that doesn't use any antennas. In this class if you are allowed to use your own radio, it can be an advantage, sometimes a big one to use a radio where you can adjust exponential on it. It can also lead to less frustrating drive experience.
Next, its not a bad idea to take it completely apart and rebuild it even if new. The person putting it together most likely doesn't have the same attention to detail you have. You can also get a chance to familiarize yourself with the vehicle, how it goes together, etc. It would also be a good time at that point to drop on a setup that works for your area. Ask other drivers what they do, confirm its legal, and give that a look. Common things I could see would be shock fluids and maybe diff fluid.
After all that, I would suggest looking on youtube and do a motor break-in, usually the water-dip method from what I am seeing, and relube the bushings.
Finally, if there are parts that are allowed to be upgraded / added for durability, get those. I can see metal gears for the servo (or just buy the metal gear servo that is legal) be one.
One more thing, for our Slash spec class here, tire prep can be handy. A lot of new guys seem to show up with tires that are hard as rocks and not been cleaned at all, so dried out. Hit them with some concentrated simple green works generally well. If carpet running some use tire sauce like SXT 3.0 compound. Ask around your local track.
This may all seem like a lot, but in general its not and should get you on point pretty quick.
Outside of that, have fun, and since you are in a spec class, you don't have to worry about running too far with upgrades on the slash when another vehicle made for racing would be long run cheaper. Enjoy the car
01-17-2020, 08:19 AM
#12
thanks for the insight. I'll probably get a tool set along with everything else and definitely will be keeping an eye out for the official rules as well. More than likely my first few trips to the track will be to practice and get a feel for the car before I strap a transponder in.
03-20-2020, 09:02 AM
#13
Thought I'd update you guys on my progress.
I ended up getting a used Associated RC10T5M at the recommendation of one of the regulars at the track I have been visiting and I've been turning laps. If all goes well I will be making my on track race debut March 28
I ended up getting a used Associated RC10T5M at the recommendation of one of the regulars at the track I have been visiting and I've been turning laps. If all goes well I will be making my on track race debut March 28
03-21-2020, 07:43 AM
#15
Now you’re going in the right direction. One thing I’ll say is don’t get caught up in having the fastest equipment. Just learn to drive and drive it smart. You might just surprise yourself on how faster you are when you’re driving smart, and not hard. Once you’re a great driver, then you go buy the fast stuff. Also you only need 1 battery per vehicle. Don’t waste your money on having a “backup pack”