I need help with practice
11-06-2014, 12:34 PM
#16
try to make sure your car is in good shape and set up so that parts out of the way. Here is something I did for a kid that his dad had me helping him at the shop on driving. He started out struggling and I feel like he made big progress by this point.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=scxNm1U_5bI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=scxNm1U_5bI
11-06-2014, 12:47 PM
#19
I see what you are saying as well but, pros set ups are just that. PROs set ups, something that we are not. I tried using pros set ups for my cars in the beginning. They didnt work for me, granted some may feel otherwise. I have been playing with RC cars for over 20 years, my old Futaba Magnum radio didnt have any of that stuff. I found so much more speed in just trying different things and experimenting. Asking questions like "what can I do to increase rear traction?" instead of "What should my set up be?"
Those things can definitely be helpful, but I have seen so many new races get caught up in "pros set-up" and radio adjustments that they are not making any real improvements till I tell them to adjust their driving instead of their radios. I would rather learn core driving control than to cover up bad driving with electronic devices.
At least the OP here gets to read both sides of the fence and make a decision for himself.
Those things can definitely be helpful, but I have seen so many new races get caught up in "pros set-up" and radio adjustments that they are not making any real improvements till I tell them to adjust their driving instead of their radios. I would rather learn core driving control than to cover up bad driving with electronic devices.
At least the OP here gets to read both sides of the fence and make a decision for himself.
I started with a Magnum Jr myself. Nothing but trims
Your way isn't wrong and my way might not be right. To each their own.
try to make sure your car is in good shape and set up so that parts out of the way. Here is something I did for a kid that his dad had me helping him at the shop on driving. He started out struggling and I feel like he made big progress by this point.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=scxNm1U_5bI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=scxNm1U_5bI
11-06-2014, 12:56 PM
#20
I wasn't saying to just use the setup. Saying even the pro's use expo. When I help beginners at the track, it's the first thing I suggest as they all are very twitchy on steering. In my experience, EPA and expo help a newcomer tremendously. Of course knowing when to dial it back is necessary to take the next step.
I started with a Magnum Jr myself. Nothing but trims
Your way isn't wrong and my way might not be right. To each their own.
I started with a Magnum Jr myself. Nothing but trims
Your way isn't wrong and my way might not be right. To each their own.
11-06-2014, 03:21 PM
#21
Here's where it gets interesting. I've prior RC experience but that was 25+ years ago. I wanted to get back into it so I searched Craigslist and found a guy selling his entire race setup. I've got all the tools, batteries, charging gear, etc... The car is a Losi SCTE 2.0 with an HW SCT PRO coupled to a 47kv with MT4 radio.
GROSSLY OVERPOWERED for my skill.
It's optimized to his race spec on indoor clay and he said it would feel right at home at my local indoor clay track.
I will check out VRC but I'm in a Mac household. I suppose I could run a Windows partition for the game.
Great tips so far, all.
GROSSLY OVERPOWERED for my skill.
It's optimized to his race spec on indoor clay and he said it would feel right at home at my local indoor clay track.
I will check out VRC but I'm in a Mac household. I suppose I could run a Windows partition for the game.
Great tips so far, all.
11-06-2014, 04:28 PM
#22
I believe strong fundamentals are what makes a great racer. I used to race mountain bikes and lots of guys bought the latest and greatest but it didn't help them because they didn't have a strong core foundation of basic handling skills. What 1/4 is saying is pretty much my approach when I teach advise people about mountain biking. Forget the technology, concentrate on the fundamentals.
In this case, throttle control, braking, smooth steering... pretty much everything you guys talked about earlier. It's probably going to be a more frustrating but I think I'll be better off in the long run. Then I can appreciate the technology like expo steering and such.
In this case, throttle control, braking, smooth steering... pretty much everything you guys talked about earlier. It's probably going to be a more frustrating but I think I'll be better off in the long run. Then I can appreciate the technology like expo steering and such.
11-06-2014, 04:29 PM
#23
SDRC. Next time I go I'll try and strike up some conversation with someone. Everyone seems to have their own group and it's a bit intimidating from a beginner standpoint.
11-07-2014, 06:29 AM
#24
I believe strong fundamentals are what makes a great racer. I used to race mountain bikes and lots of guys bought the latest and greatest but it didn't help them because they didn't have a strong core foundation of basic handling skills. What 1/4 is saying is pretty much my approach when I teach advise people about mountain biking. Forget the technology, concentrate on the fundamentals.
In this case, throttle control, braking, smooth steering... pretty much everything you guys talked about earlier. It's probably going to be a more frustrating but I think I'll be better off in the long run. Then I can appreciate the technology like expo steering and such.
In this case, throttle control, braking, smooth steering... pretty much everything you guys talked about earlier. It's probably going to be a more frustrating but I think I'll be better off in the long run. Then I can appreciate the technology like expo steering and such.
Use too much expo, the reaction will be sluggish and you may not be able to hit the line you want. Don't use enough or any expo, and you may be twitchy out there. There's a happy medium here.
Sometimes slowing the servo speed down helps. It's like changing to a slower servo without having to buy a new one.
EPA limits on the motor should be thought of as using the right size motor rather than an overpowered one for you. Would it really be any different if you went and bought a new 4000kv to learn as opposed to the 4700kv at 80%? Until you are driving clean lines, lack of speed isn't your problem.
As mentioned earlier, there's different ways to do this but just remember all of the tools at your disposal now. When I first started, many of these weren't available.
11-07-2014, 08:36 AM
#25
The servo that came on the car is the fastest servo I've ever seen. I used a Magnum Jr. for my last car with the stock Futaba servo, that's the speed I'm used to. I adjusted the Speed on the to radio make it more manageable, for now. Is there a benefit on an offroad car to have such high servo speed?
11-07-2014, 05:43 PM
#26
At a much more advanced driving level, you can flick the front wheels while you're in the air, sometimes a couple times in rapid succession, to adjust the angle of the car while it is flying to setup a quicker entry into a corner just after a jump. Similar to hitting the brake or throttle mid-air to bring the nose up/down. You can also, with a SC truck and a fast enough servo, often counter-steer into a traction roll to prevent that from happening even after you see the inside wheels off the ground.
12-14-2014, 09:13 PM
#27
As long as your are willing to gut it out, I think it's a good approach. I disagree that using it will create bad habits or mask bad driving. Everything comes at a cost. I suggest you read the radio manual and learn what its capable of even if you never use it. Same with the Speed Control.
Use too much expo, the reaction will be sluggish and you may not be able to hit the line you want. Don't use enough or any expo, and you may be twitchy out there. There's a happy medium here.
Sometimes slowing the servo speed down helps. It's like changing to a slower servo without having to buy a new one.
EPA limits on the motor should be thought of as using the right size motor rather than an overpowered one for you. Would it really be any different if you went and bought a new 4000kv to learn as opposed to the 4700kv at 80%? Until you are driving clean lines, lack of speed isn't your problem.
As mentioned earlier, there's different ways to do this but just remember all of the tools at your disposal now. When I first started, many of these weren't available.
Use too much expo, the reaction will be sluggish and you may not be able to hit the line you want. Don't use enough or any expo, and you may be twitchy out there. There's a happy medium here.
Sometimes slowing the servo speed down helps. It's like changing to a slower servo without having to buy a new one.
EPA limits on the motor should be thought of as using the right size motor rather than an overpowered one for you. Would it really be any different if you went and bought a new 4000kv to learn as opposed to the 4700kv at 80%? Until you are driving clean lines, lack of speed isn't your problem.
As mentioned earlier, there's different ways to do this but just remember all of the tools at your disposal now. When I first started, many of these weren't available.
12-19-2014, 07:03 AM
#28
Tech Adept
iTrader: (5)
I disagree. I would recommend driving with the throttle epa at a low setting. Then when you feel comfortable, this could be 2 laps or 2 weeks, move it up 10%. Repeat the process until you learn throttle control. I use this technique with my son on most of the cars he races. His 2wd SCT is set at 50%. I move it to 70% when I drive it.
I also use EPA on the throttle for slick tracks. I TQed a local 4wd SCT race with my EPA at 60%. The other guys would gain on me in the straight but I could corner so much fast, it more than made up for it.
I also use EPA on the throttle for slick tracks. I TQed a local 4wd SCT race with my EPA at 60%. The other guys would gain on me in the straight but I could corner so much fast, it more than made up for it.
I personally do not believe in using EPA or expo for beginners. You have all the expo and EPA you need right in the tip of your finger. Are you gonna be able to change you EPA or expo in the middle of a race if you decide it needs changing? If you learn throttle control without the use of bandaids now, I feel it will benefit you more in the long run, especially when track conditions change during the course of a race night. Later if you feel the need you can then use expo to adjust the car as needed. I myself still consider myself a rookie. I have only started racing in august, but in that short time I have been anle to get a LOT of practice, almost every day for a month before the first race and that first race I got TQ, have made the A-main every race day and have even gotten a few podiums.
Let us help you out as much as we can by telling us your car, electronics and even set up. Also what do you feel the car is doing or what it needs and maybe we can even help steer you in the right direction for a set up.
Let us help you out as much as we can by telling us your car, electronics and even set up. Also what do you feel the car is doing or what it needs and maybe we can even help steer you in the right direction for a set up.
12-19-2014, 07:08 AM
#29
Tech Adept
iTrader: (5)
If you are a novice. I would recommend looking and asking what the other racers are using for tires and run those. I am blessed enough to live near Barry Pettit of team Mugen. He runs AKA and I like AKA so I usually just go over and ask what he is running, especially if we have traveled to a race.
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