Mr.Maim

iTrader: (36)

Quick background: I traded my gaming PC for an Associated TC3 (yeah, it's old, but I'm a noob so I don't know any better, call it a Training Car) a ton of spares, radio, three motors, ESC, and batteries about six months ago. Goofed around with it (build/teardown/rebuild) for a few months, and then decided that I really wanted to get into racing.


So, I've been practicing for the past six weeks at the local track (SRS in Scottsdale, Arizona) and learning quite a bit about bodies, suspension tuning and weight distribution, electronics, etc. etc. etc. But it seems that no matter what I do, I'm always crashing and breaking. I mean, a LOT. Always the front end. Front arms. Front “C” hubs. Front steering blocks. Long ball end screws. 440x11/23 screws. Front inner hinge pins. I know the part numbers by heart. I buy the LHSs out and re-order in advance, but I still have to order online just to keep up. It’s not uncommon for me to break FIVE TIMES while trying to get through a single practice session. It’s getting monotonous.


Then today something occurred to me as I was watching several other racers (the really fast ones) practicing this afternoon: what, exactly is the focal point of someone who is driving an R/C car on a track? It doesn't seem to me that it is the car itself, rather several feet (if not further) in front of the vehicle. Considering that when I am driving my 1:1 scale car, I'm looking at least 100 yards ahead when driving 25mph, wouldn't it be the same with scale cars, to look ahead of the vehicle? Is that what you're supposed to do? I can't imagine that the Nitro and Mod drivers are looking at their cars' nose when ripping down a straight approaching a right sweeper at 40+ m.p.h. Do they look ahead and into the approaching turns?


I don't know... I'm just trying to figure out what the problem is here because I'm really starting to get discouraged with my (lack of) progress and all the breaking.

Any answer to the above question, or any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!

XNXIXTXRXOX

Im not a competive racer but i tend to look at the front bumber to about 3 feet ahead.

nitrodude

iTrader: (8)

Are you learning the track layout? I mean, can you remember by heart which turn is coming next? Because you can train yourself to look ahead, but if you dont rmember how the turn thats coming up looks, or where you need to put the car to go tru it, then it doesnt help to look ahead. If you been doind it for only 6 weeks, you're going to break. One thing you can try is putting a slower motor on the car, that allows you to learn a layout, and it wont overpower your current skiils. One problem I had when I started was going to deep into a turn, slower is faster, if you go too fast into a turn you WILL crash.

Another thing I did was trying to keep up with the faster guys, it teaches you the faster line around the track, and it makes you push the car to go a little faster without running into them. Sometimes I would come out ahead of them in practice and try to keep them behind me, that thought me alot about drivng.

Z.Hallett

turn down your dual rate. this is how much throw your front wheels have. this makes the car easier to drive b/c it wont dive into a turn. also look about 3 ft. in front of the car.

-Zac

Mr.Maim

iTrader: (36)

Thanks XNXIXTXRXOX and Z.Hallett, it seemed like the really good drivers were not quite looking at their cars but not totally away from them either, so three feet seems about right. Time to re-train the brain. Luckily I have not been doing this long enough to have ingrained any bad habits yet.

Nitrodude: I know the track very well, but am still learning how to drive and more importantly where to drive, so in a sense I guess I could say that I don't know the track very well at all. Say, 50 runs from full charge to dump. Currently, I'm running a 16x2 which is WAY slower than the 6x1 that was bolted in when I got the car (I drove it for two seconds then promptly removed it when I found out how fast it was) but maybe you're right. Maybe it's still too fast for starting out. The track is tight and technical with a few fast areas that are technical nonetheless, so I guess if you take speed plus velocity, then subtract skill and experience... you get broken parts. If I'm not moving as fast and I hit, I'd probably be less likely to break something, right. Sounds logical.

I think I'll drop in the 27x2 that I picked up a few weeks ago in preperation for Stock Class racing and practice with that. My logic behind practicing with a faster motor was that I'd get better with a faster motor, then when I'd race the 27-turn, it'd be easier and I'd be more relaxed. Flawed thinking.

I'll hit the track Monday and post my results here. Thanks everyone for your tips, and more importantly: your time!

nitrodude

iTrader: (8)

About practicing with a faster motor than what you will race, there is some logic to it. I started racing nitros in a very small track, and still run them exclucibly(sp?), a few of my friends raced electrics as wel,l and from time to time they let me raced one of their extra EP Stock class cars and it was way easier to drive fast. But, and its a big BUT, you first have to learn what I call Throttle Disiplien. When we start racing we think its all WOT all the time, but the fast guys know when and where to slow down. I mean look at F1, they have hugh carvon disc brakes, like I said before, slow is fast. Something some one told me when I was startting to race, Slow in Fast out.

BuggyKing

iTrader: (17)

I do competitve racing. I completely focus on driving the track. What I do is I try and practice on the track, and learn the lines of the track. Then I can make the necessary adjustment and changes if I need to before I race.
Try and not to get nervous. Stay relaxed when driving if you can.

ProudSavageOwnr

get a wireless camera and a monitor and pretend its a video game!

i aint realy quite sure wer ur suppose to look when driving a car on a track but wen im bashing out on the street i pretty much look at the car and infront of it........

and also i have realised that when i drive a car that is realy slow.....like 20-30kph i tend to crash ALOT than when im driving my savage that goes around 80kph or my rc18t that goes about 100kph

also.......complete all the licences in as many gran turismo games as u can.....you will learn ALOT! and i mean alot..my 1st racing game on ps1 was gran turismo 2 and i learnt pretty much everything from that games....how to enter and exit corners,weight distribution,etc etc

xxx-ntad2 racer

iTrader: (24)

i tend to see it as a natural thing. as you get better and better you really don't tend to think about how far you are looking ahead, you just do it. but otherwise, 3 feet is good.

N3twrkM4n

I 'scan' the area around my car/truck and never really focus on what is behind it. I've had good success off-roading with that policy but I haven't been in any official races.

SubyJad

I am a complete rookie (never race) at racing R/C cars on a track but I do have regular track experience with my real car.
Someone posted about learning the track. That's probably the #1 thing to do, followed by slow in fast out. I am guessing racing an R/C is same as a real car in terms of dynamics, I would find out what you can do to an R/C to adjust and to match it to your driving style and preference.
From years of racing, I can say making adjustements to your car to suit your driving after you master the basics of racing.
Learn the terminoligy - that is huge. It makes your understanding of a course/racing much better, and it really really aids you when you need help from the more experienced racers. Correct terminoligy helps you identify and describe what you are car is suffering and they can more easily help you by knowing.

I hope to be doing some R/C racing myself in the futre. Just picked up my first nitro car. I figured even if I break it, it still less expensive then one day on the track in my real car

Z.Hallett

also never dwell on whats behind your car, if you do you will blow a corner. if a guy is fast enough to lap you, he can(or certainly should be able to) pass you. if not dont worry about it. when i focuson whats behind my car, i blow corners by missing my braking points and turining in too late.

look infront of your never behind it.

-Zac

nitrodude

iTrader: (8)

At the beginning you will know how focused you are when you get off the driving stand and your eyes hurt from not blinking. Took me some time to start blinking.

flameoutgarrett

iTrader: (10)

check out this thread....might help you out

looks like it is helping out others

Platinum_Racing

I usually look about 1 to 2 car lengths ahead of my car. During jumps (Off-Road) I look at my car, and while sliding I tend to aim my vision tangent to the car's line of travel.

When in a pack of cars I tend to tighten up my view towards my car, just incase someone heads into me or I start to head into someone else.