Originally Posted by
IndyRC_Racer
One of the rules for TCS Euro-Truck racing is that you CANNOT add any additional weight to the car as ballast...
My understanding of this rule is that a heavier Euro-Truck can in some instances improve handling and/or acceleration. Since you are prohibited from adding ballast, you could use a heavier battery to help balance a car or improve mechanical grip. I could see extra weight helping at facilities with very low grip carpet or places that don't allow traction additives.
There are no rules preventing anyone from running a heavier battery, but there can be a point where any advantage gained by weight will be lost due to having to move/accelerate a heavy car. Some examples might be additional motor heat, additional tire wear or loss in battery performance due to having to accelerate a heavier vehicle
I would suspect that someone at a previous TCS event had an excessive amount of ballast added to their vehicle that was either a perceived or real advantage. While this is a good use of "thinking outside the box", it does goes against what I feel is the "spirit" of this type of racing. Since this class is welcome to all level of racers, you don't want to create a perception for novices that there is a need to spend extra money or time trying to circumvent rules to gain additional performance.
I will emphasize that there is nothing preventing any facility or club from running a Semi-Truck based class using whatever rules make sense for them. I am sure there are some clubs that have opened up this type of class to any touring car chassis, any Tamiya hop-ups, or any electronics which would include faster motors. But for TCS Racing the current set of rules work surprisingly well.
At our local outdoor asphalt track we started a "Super Euro Truck" class. But we didn't want it to get out of control, so we took the lead from the folks running "Box Stock" (TCS) and modified trucks in Europe and came up with our own rule set for the Super Euro Truck class. It's been a blast! The trucks really move and the costs have been kept down.
Super Euro Truck Class:
TAM 53068 ($24.00) - Tamiya "Sport-Tuned" motor (23T motor rated at 18,300 RPMs. Stock "Torque-Tuned" is a 25T rated at 16,000 RPMs)
TAM 54026 ($16.50) - Tamiya blue aluminum center shaft and out drive shafts (must have with the added RPMs and open gearing)
TAM 53619 ($25.99) - Tamiya oil filled shocks (optional Tamiya springs allowed @ $15) (makes a HUGE difference handling)
TAM 53163 ($14.49) - Tamiya on-road tuned spring set (or TAM 53440 spring set) (not necessary, just another tuning option)
TAM 53666 ($10.50) - Tamiya aluminum motor mount (not necessary)
TAM 53662 ($8.29) - Tamiya turnbuckle tie rod kit (not necessary, just another tuning option)
TAM 53569 ($24.99) - Tamiya aluminum wheel hexes (not necessary)
TAM 53673 ($15.50) - Tamiya 2* rear toe-in uprights (not necessary, just another tuning option)
Open Gearing: Tamiya options only with OEM plastic or optional aluminum mount.
TAM 53665 $10.50) - Tamiya 55T & 58T spur gears (or the stock 61T)
TAM 50356 ($7.79) - Tamiya 20T & 21T pinion
TAM 50357 ($7.79) - Tamiya 22T & 23T pinion
TAM 50477 ($7.79) - Tamiya 24T & 25T pinion
TAM 54228 ($7.79) - Tamiya 26T & 27T pinion
TAM 54229 ($7.79) - Tamiya 28T & 29T pinion (can't use the 29T)
* with the Sport-Tuned motor and USGT tires most guys are running 25/58 or 25/55 on the large outdoor asphalt track we run on
Tamiya bodies, MonTech and Bittydesigns Truck bodies
Gravity R/C USGT Tires ($24.99) (or you can run the OEM Euro Truck tires)
OEM Tamiya or HobbyWing 1060 ESC only.
Shimming is allowed to take out slop in drive train.
ProTek 100C HV LiPo Stick pack
Last Thursday night we ran on-road. In qualifying the fastest lap times:
Stock Euro Truck class - 20.381
Super Euro Truck class - 18.555
In the mains:
Stock Euro Truck class - 20.164
Super Euro Truck class - 18.341