Originally Posted by
slowmotion36
I could use some adjustment tips for my F103. It's the newer lotus 99t version and the only things I have changed so far is to add ball bearings all throughout and I added heavier duty tie rods. I'm running outdoor on asphalt and when I go through wide corners at higher speeds I get chattering in the rear and when I have to go through the tighter corners I feel as if I need more steering because I really have to slow down alot. I 'm running the frp chassis and the short frp top plate. Factory foam tires. Factory plastic shock. I'm using a sidewinder esc and running in brushed mode. What do you reccomend for braking settings on the esc.
From what I have found in a year or so racing a 103 in Silvercan class the upgrades/adjustments kind of go like this:
99% of your speed will come from having the right tyres. Here in NZ we run Frewer Foams, but there are many suitable brands around the world, I would recommend getting something like the Exceed foams if you can as a starting point. (We run with no additives by the way)
Regardless, you want the softest rears you can get and the hardest fronts. I true mine down to around 58mm diameter.
A friend of mine here is a real Tamiya stalwart and he has been racing F1 for quite a while, refusing to use anything but Kit Foams. At big events he struggled to get into the A mains. He went to the Frewer foams, changed NOTHING else on the car and now is making every A main and challenging for the podium. Thas how important tyres are!
Get rid of the plastic shock, put in a touring car unit (TRF etc). I use 10wt Silicone damping oil and a yellow (soft spring here. Clean all the damping grease off the damper plates, and run them loose.
Use "O" rings on the T bar pivots, not the balls.
Front springs, you want the Tamiya black. You want a slight amount of Toe-out for nimble steering, not enough to make it wander all over the straights but just about.
Next step would be a 3 racing 103/109 front end, that way you can adjust camber and caster, I run between 1.5-2 degrees camber and anywhere from 4 to 6 degrees caster depending on where you want the steering.
I would then go to an upgraded Diff, with graphite axle.
Diff settings will have an effect on the steering of your car, I don't believe there is a hard and fast rule for this - the current National Champ here runs his diff so loose he can hardly get it off the line in a final, but it makes his car very stable in the turns.
I like mine tight as it makes the car more nervous and throttle sensitive in corners and this suits my style... Regardless what you MUST have is a silky smooth feeling diff when you rotate it on the bench, and it should take some effort to make the spur slip with your thumb. A quick test on the track is place your car down, and nail the throttle from a standstill. You should hear the diff slip no more than the first couple of feet max.
After that I would look at an aluminum motor mount for heat dissipation, and better weight distribution. On the weight subject, if you need to add any to get it up to minimum weight for your club then add it behind the axle low down on the pod. All your gear should be as far aft in the car as possible to aid rear traction.
Brakes should not really come into the equation for F1 as its all about maintaining speed, but occasionally you may need them for a late dive in a hairpin or to avoid a crashed car, go for the max you can run without it locking the car up and spinning it out, (I think mine are at about 60%)
Wings I use are 3 racing High downforce front and rear. If the track you run on is low grip you may not be able to run the high downforce front as it will make the car too loose in the rear though.
Gear it at around 3:1 for outdoors and enjoy!
PS - Sorry about pic quality, bad light and iphone