CrawJac

iTrader: (12)

Hello all,

My question is what type or maintenance do you do and when?

Follow up question, how do you keep track of your schedule? Pen and paper or something more complex?

I am just getting into RC and have picked up a 1/8 TLR 8ight E 3.0 4WD Buggy and a 1/10 B5M 2WD Buggy for racing on an outdoor clay track so any tips and/or suggestions will be appreciated.

jbrow1

iTrader: (28)

Depends how much you run them. If you race once a week with a little bit of practice the morning of the race, then just go over them the day before. If you're turning laps every day, then you may want to keep a log of how much time you're putting on each car and what/when you last wrenched on it. I would figure your average lap time, then convert the time to laps, and keep track of laps. That's how I do it anyway. I run 40-50 laps a day though all timed and logged into a spreadsheet. This helps me figure out what intervals things need to be looked at. When you start doing that many laps, you also get to be able to feel and hear things like a shock or diff that needs attention.

I suggest a gear diff for the ae 1/10 buggy. I run em in all my cars, love them to death! I go 100-150 laps in between re-fills. Things are amazing. I ran ball diffs for over a decade, I know how to set em up and make em last. But for me, a gear diff just means less maintenance and are basically worry free.

If you're just getting into RC, spend your time driving. Up on a drivers stand, driving slow and with enough control that you don't flip over. If you do flip over, go get your own car. Nothing makes you stop crashing like chasing your own car all the time.

I would drive the 2wh buggy most in the beginning. It will teach you how to drive. The big buggy will teach you all the bad habits a 2 wheel buggy can't do. Then you will drive the buggy and wonder why it sucks on the track, or worse, breaks all the time. Learn to dance first (2wh), then move on to football (1/8).

bds81175

iTrader: (20)

This ^^^^ is a GREAT reply. Very well said. I can't stand gear diffs in 2wd but they are definitely lower maintenance.

2stroketim

X2

PACaSteel

Depends on how serious you are about the hobby. If you are running at club level a couple of times a month and have fun running with people your own level, go over the car and clean it after each race and fix up what seems to be loose or broken.

If you want to bark with the big dogs, get into their habits and tear the car down kit form every race, clean it, lube it, adjust it, measure and set it. Replace any worn or broken parts. Many of the top racers replace key parts after every race day. Keep a notebook of every change, every race, the results, and driving impressions. With practice and good tools you can completely rebuild the car in 3 or 4 hours. Good maintanence takes some time, but it is a hobby.

As with any new subject, it is always best to "Find Thy Self a Teacher." Talk to the racers you respect and trust. Usually they are more than glad to help you with critical parts and setting and be glad to show you what need to know.