ADVIL: On high bite smooth carpet (foams), use the foam compensators. This helps the rebound effect, and makes them faster. (relative shock shaft speed) If you are on asphalt (rubber tires), dont use them, unless it is really smooth. Removing the foam compensators for parkinglot/asphalt really helps the car hook up. You usually have a softer setup on asphalt, which gives you more suspension travel in and out of corners, having the foam compensators in the bladder caps restricts shock action, making the car feel as if it didnt have as much traction as it could. Of course, if you run very little droop, (6 front, 5 back) then this will not matter much except for the compression cycle of your shocks. I never run more than 3 on the front and 2 on the rear for droop, i use other tuning to control chassis weight distribution. I just use droop screws to give me a MAX, not as a tuning aid.
LancerEvoV: Alot is to be said for the BMI chassis. But honestly, a stock graphite chassis milled for battery spacing works awesome. There are alot of guys that run the BMI chassis, and it is a sweet setup. I have seen them on both TC3's and Xrays... the chassis is impressive. Unless you are looking for something different looking than stock, the performance gains are negligible, excluding personal preference. Some people love a super stiff car, but, my TC3 (to me) feels just as stiff as a BMI TC3 (torsional flex), and the electronics are protected by inevitable hits from the side. As far as me, personally, when Barry Baker/Mike Blackstock adds one to his TC3, then ill see the need for it. If he is as fast as he is with a stock chassis, then all of us can be... well... if we had his skill.
JohnBull: I like the steering setup on that car, simple is the motto. What kind of mods are you/your son running, and if so, are you using a dyno to keep track of motor information? I have recently started extensive dyno work with Ti/Pt based mods, Fantom wrapped arms. I cant seem to justify using an 8 turn, i keep coming back to my 10 turn motors. Not for efficiency or runtime reasons, but the car seems to respond better (with my driving style) with a higher wind and a little more gear... versus a lower wind and less gear. Just looking for input to see if i am the only one on this track.
- DaveW