Originally Posted by monkeyracing

LATC3: Here are a couple of items that you may find helpful, all lovingly typed out using proper grammar. (sort of)

These are general rules that I found can make a car a bit easier to drive, on most surfaces.

Tires: The rule of thumb is to have a little more grip on the front tires than the rears. I usually run type A slicks up front, and s grip radials at the rear. Another rule (that I don't really follow) is to have the tire inserts harder up front than in the rear tires. I have found that I can run hard inserts at all 4 corners without any problems. The difference in grip between front and rear is more critical.

Toe: Most will suggest having a very slight toe out in the front, with a little toe in at the rear, about 1.5 degrees is usual. I run almost neutral toe at the front wheels, and 1.5 in at the rear. I've found that too much toe out at the front wheels can make the car twitchy. The grippier tires up front will compensate for the lack of toe on turn in. The added bonus is that you get a little less drag having your front wheels straight.

Dampers: There are loads of opinions on what works and what makes a difference. The general school of thought is harder springs up front, with softer springs at the rear. Shock oil isn't terribly critical, but it can make a subtle difference in the way the car handles, especially at turn in. Again, stiffer at the front, softer at the rear.

Limiting travel in the dampers is probably more important than what weight of oil you use, however. A couple of O-rings inside, under the piston, and one outside, on the shock shaft can help a lot. The O-rings inside limit droop, and the O-ring outside, if your car is setup in typical fashion, will be just enough to keep your car from bottoming out. Hitting bottom on your chassis is an absolute no-no. If you bottom out, you lose traction and control.

In any case, these are things that I've found that have helped me. They may not be right, and I can't guarantee any of it will work for you. I know guys running totally stock minis that kick my butt on a weekly basis. Some of those guys are even running the stock kit tires. (show-offy bastards!) I suppose then that these tips just make the car a little easier to drive if you're as lame as I am at RC driving.

Jim