This would be the last practice race for me before the Platinum Battle on the 29th. I used this race to tryout different tires and pick the ones that work best for the big race :) I would be also working on my lines for the hairpin, step-up tabletop, and triple.
Super Stock Truck
For round 1, I was experimenting with Panther Switch 2.0's. These tires had too much wheelspin, leading to slower laptimes. The front end didn't seem to steer as well either, pushing some in the sweepers. I finished last with a 14:00.
For round 2, I went back to my trusty Panther Stingers, which always worked well in Stock. I also increased the power setting on my ESC, as I noticed Robert spraying his "secret sauce" on the racing groove, so I gambled that the traction would be better for this round. The Stingers did work a little better, as I was barely able to make it over the line for the 15th lap, finishing 3rd with a 15:20.
For the main, I tried running Holeshots, as it was the tire of choice for everyone else. I was pulling wheelies with these tires during practice on Saturday :) However, the truck was still pushing in the sweepers. Which has a big impact on lap times, as there are a lot of sweepers on this layout. I barely hung on to 4th, finishing with a 14:02. I really don't like the new roll center settings I have on the front end, and I changed them back to my old settings for the race next weekend.
It's also worth mentioning that every race I was battling with little Andy Castro. He's this young kid that comes up from TJ with his parents to race. He's pretty quick and drives clean (unlike others, Casey B). Keep an eye out for him at the big races in the coming years.
Super Stock 4wd
For round 1, I would be trying out my Panther Bobcats/Switch 2.0's. These tires worked great on the old layout when the track was bone dry and swept. While they felt ok, my lap times were slow, in the mid 19's to 20's. I also had what started out as a good start, only to get taken out by Tyler and got stuck on the wrong side of the pipe. I finished dead last with a 15:00.
For round 2, I tried out a weird tire combination that I had only been using during practice days, Blockhead fronts with Square Fuzzie rears. I also turned up my power setting on the ESC, to profile 2. I was able to turn a couple of low 19's, but the rear end was a still sliding around some, making it difficult to drive fast. I didn't go any faster with a 15:01, but at least I didn't finish last.
I qualified horrible! I was seated in the 9th spot :( I decided to quit testing tires and put on my Holeshots that I was saving for the Platinum race. During warm up these tires felt dialed! Hopefully I can make some time on the cars in front of me. I was able to keep up with them and was in a 4 car fight for 5th!? But, I landed short a few times on the step-up table top and triple, because I began shortening up my approach to catch up to the cars in front. I could only make it about 90% of the time, and that other 10% when I ended up on my lid, dropped me back down the order. I managed to finish in 7th with a decent 16:12.
I need to be able to clear these jumps consistently if I'm going to turn a fast time on Saturday! To be able to clear these jumps with a short approach, I tightened up my slipper, increased the power profile in my ESC, and need to run the right tires.
Well that's it. No more practice for me. Next race will be the one. I will be in San Diego with my family for Thanksgiving, but will drive back up to OCRC on Saturday for the Platinum Battle. The cars are ready. Just need to glue up more tires, in case I need to run new rubber. Wish me luck!
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Uggh!
Driving at 125% and still finishing in the bottom half of the field sucks! As does not getting one good start :( I guess tonight was not my night :( I bet it didn't help that I wasn't running the ideal tires anyway... My 4wd felt good when I had the right tires on there, but my Truck was slower. I guess the changes I made to the front didn't help, so I'll be going back to my old setup for next weekend. I also tried higher power profiles in my ESC's in both the truck and 4wd. I'll probably go back to my old profile in the truck and up 1 more power profile in the 4wd. More to come later.... I'll probably post the race recap later this week, since I need to work on the cars before I head to San Diego for Thanksgiving.
Some setup notes:
4wd- ESC power profile 3, tighten slipper 1/8, Holeshots, gear up?
Truck- 25° caster blocks, inner front camber link positions, lower rear ball stub 1 washer, rear hub carrier middle position, loosen diff 1/16th, tighten slipper 1/4, Holeshots
Some setup notes:
4wd- ESC power profile 3, tighten slipper 1/8, Holeshots, gear up?
Truck- 25° caster blocks, inner front camber link positions, lower rear ball stub 1 washer, rear hub carrier middle position, loosen diff 1/16th, tighten slipper 1/4, Holeshots
Saturday, November 22, 2008
4PK shakedown
I headed out to OCRC to shakedown my new 4PK radio and learn how to take the new triple where the huge double was last week. I would also only use my lipos during practice because I wanted the punch to feel the same as when I would be racing.
It took me 2 runs to get used to the feel of the 4PK. It's easier to hold than my M8 since its lighter, and the trigger/wheel feel about the same. The timer worked great, except for the fact that I kept running after time was up. I just had to get one more clean lap! LOL! The only problem I had was with my finger slipping off the trigger when I applied the brakes. This was especially un-nerving when it happened during braking at the end of the straight with a wall in front of me! I fixed the problem by putting a short piece of fuel tubing over the brake side of the trigger. This kept the tip of my finger from slipping off when I hit the brakes :) It also worked great! No glitching or shutdowns :) It was invisible to my driving, as it should be :)
I also ran my lipos for all my practice runs, instead of using my NiMh batteries. The NiMH just don't have the punch I need to clear the step-up table top and triple. I was also able take three 5-7 minute practice runs on one charge! And the 3rd run on the pack still had the same punch as the 1st run :) I only recharged my Reedy 5000 mah pack, as I need it ready to run for practice tomorrow. I put back in about 3200 mah, so I can safely run four 5-7 minute runs on this pack and still stay above the 80% capacity use rule. I use this rule with my helicopter lipo batteries. To keep them healthy and keep from over discharging them, only use 80% of the pack's rated capacity. So for a 5000 mah pack, you shouldn't be putting back in more than 4000 mah. Of course, if you change motors or gearing this will change how much capacity you use up in a 5-7 minute run.
Since I raced on this layout last weekend, I was already familiar with it, but a new jump was put in, the triple on the left side of the track. This jump changed my line through this area. I would need to go over the double before the triple wider and slower, so that I can take the turn prior to the triple wider, thus giving me the run I need to clear the triple. If I take this turn a little tighter, it becomes hit/miss on clearing the triple. It does make the layout more challenging though. There was also more traction this time around. I guess the rubber is getting laid down now :)
I was also trying out some different roll centers on the front end of my truck. I moved the mounting positions of the camber links to the outside hole on the shock tower and outside hole on the hub carrier. I also switched over to 30° caster blocks and moved the rear hub carrier forward to increase rear traction. With all these changes, the truck felt slightly more stable, and hopefully my lap times will decrease a bit :)
Anyhoo, time to get some sleep for racing tomorrow! It'll be my final practice race before the Platinum Battle!
It took me 2 runs to get used to the feel of the 4PK. It's easier to hold than my M8 since its lighter, and the trigger/wheel feel about the same. The timer worked great, except for the fact that I kept running after time was up. I just had to get one more clean lap! LOL! The only problem I had was with my finger slipping off the trigger when I applied the brakes. This was especially un-nerving when it happened during braking at the end of the straight with a wall in front of me! I fixed the problem by putting a short piece of fuel tubing over the brake side of the trigger. This kept the tip of my finger from slipping off when I hit the brakes :) It also worked great! No glitching or shutdowns :) It was invisible to my driving, as it should be :)
I also ran my lipos for all my practice runs, instead of using my NiMh batteries. The NiMH just don't have the punch I need to clear the step-up table top and triple. I was also able take three 5-7 minute practice runs on one charge! And the 3rd run on the pack still had the same punch as the 1st run :) I only recharged my Reedy 5000 mah pack, as I need it ready to run for practice tomorrow. I put back in about 3200 mah, so I can safely run four 5-7 minute runs on this pack and still stay above the 80% capacity use rule. I use this rule with my helicopter lipo batteries. To keep them healthy and keep from over discharging them, only use 80% of the pack's rated capacity. So for a 5000 mah pack, you shouldn't be putting back in more than 4000 mah. Of course, if you change motors or gearing this will change how much capacity you use up in a 5-7 minute run.
Since I raced on this layout last weekend, I was already familiar with it, but a new jump was put in, the triple on the left side of the track. This jump changed my line through this area. I would need to go over the double before the triple wider and slower, so that I can take the turn prior to the triple wider, thus giving me the run I need to clear the triple. If I take this turn a little tighter, it becomes hit/miss on clearing the triple. It does make the layout more challenging though. There was also more traction this time around. I guess the rubber is getting laid down now :)
I was also trying out some different roll centers on the front end of my truck. I moved the mounting positions of the camber links to the outside hole on the shock tower and outside hole on the hub carrier. I also switched over to 30° caster blocks and moved the rear hub carrier forward to increase rear traction. With all these changes, the truck felt slightly more stable, and hopefully my lap times will decrease a bit :)
Anyhoo, time to get some sleep for racing tomorrow! It'll be my final practice race before the Platinum Battle!
Friday, November 21, 2008
I caved!
I wasn't planning to install my 4PK receiver's into my cars, until after the Platinum Battle race, but I got my extra receivers last night and installed one in my B44! LOL! That radio is just too cool to not use! Throttle curves, steering speeds, expo, ABS, backlit display, 7 color power led! My favorite feature is the built in timer. You can set it to time up, down, and laps. It also has an audible alarm and vibrates the handle to tell you when you hit a preset limit. This will come in really helpful during practice to make sure that I don't run too long and overheat the motor. Did I also mention that it will record your lap times and calculate your average lap time? You still have to hit a button on the handle when you cross the line though :( I plan to test the "radio/driving" part of the 4PK tomorrow during practice :)
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
New toys!
I picked up a Futaba 4PK 2.4GHz radio and an Associated Factory Team B4!
I don't want to install the 4PK just yet, as I'm not sure if I want to use it at the Platinum race. I may wait until afterwards. I want to keep as many unknowns out of that race as possible.
I also picked up a B4 to use during the 2009 JBRL series. I plan to run this and my truck in the stock classes.
I don't want to install the 4PK just yet, as I'm not sure if I want to use it at the Platinum race. I may wait until afterwards. I want to keep as many unknowns out of that race as possible.
I also picked up a B4 to use during the 2009 JBRL series. I plan to run this and my truck in the stock classes.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Practice Race #1 for Platinum Battle
I raced Super Stock Truck and 4wd Sunday night as practice for the Platinum Battle race. I wanted to see how I fared against the competition, get motor temps in competition for my gearing, and race on the layout for the big race.
Super Stock Truck
Based on my practice runs Saturday, I decided to lower the height of the inner ball stud of the rear camber links to help the rear end hook up better on power. I didn't want to loosen the slipper, as I need it tight to clear the step-up table top. There's no point in making big changes anyway, as the traction level is going to go up as more races are run.
The turnout was extremely light, but everyone was fast. Joesph Smalley, Robert Black, and Andy Castro. That was it. I would consider these races as controlled practice for the Platinum Battle. For round 1, the track had no traction at all. I had no steering and no bite coming off the corners. Smalley was in another zip code by the halfway point of the race. I held 2nd for about half the race, but Robert made a clean pass to the inside of me though the keyhole turn going into the whoops section. I just tried to hold it together after that, trying not to slide around too much. I finished the race with a 15:14 in 3rd.
For round 2, I put Buggy Grip on all my tires hoping to get more bite. It helped a bit, making it easier to drive, but still not hooked up. Smalley and Robert had a good race going at the front (so I heard) and I was running in 3rd trying my best to keep up. I don't know what my time was, as the computer crashed and the times from round 2 were lost. I probably turned 15 laps though.
In the main, I would be starting 3rd of 4. Andy made a clean pass on me after the step-up table top on the start, then passed Robert for 2nd going over the center table top. I had a good race going with Robert and we traded 3rd place a couple of times. He even made an awesome inside pass on me at the end of the straight! I finished in 4th with a 15:20.
I probably should've run my Stingers or Switches instead of Holeshots, but I'm saving those tires for... the big race! I did start running a better line into the step-up table top towards the end of the race. I was able to brake and rotate the truck to line up for the jump, instead of rounding the turn and punching the gas. The "brake and rotate" method seemed faster, but only my lap and race times will tell me the truth. I'll probably tighten my slipper a little to get more punch, so I can clear this jump with a shorter take-off too.
Super Stock 4wd
During practice my car felt good (compared to my truck anyway). I could clear the step-up table top with the right approach every time :) With the right tires and a tighter slipper, I bet I could clear it with a short take-off.
In round 1, I got an excellent start off the line, and moved up from 5th to 2nd by the center table top. But I made a mistake in the sweeper after the whoops, allowing the cars behind to catch up, and I got sandwiched between 2 cars, going into the small double to the left of the stand. I got the worst of it and rolled. I spent the rest of race trying to catch back up to the leaders, but made a bobble here and there, and wasn't able to close the gap. I finished in 4th with a 15:00.
On the start for round 2, I bounced off another car in the hairpin and got stuffed into the pipe at the end of the straight and the whole field goes by me. I work my way back up to 4th and battle for position with Adam. I finished the race in 4th, but don't remember my time, as the times from round 2 were lost.
For the main I would be starting 4th out of 8 cars. I finally got a clean start and held my position for the first few laps, right behind the top 3 cars. After the whoops, I was able to make a clean pass on Alex and moved into 3rd. I traded 3rd with Alex a few times during the race. At one point I thought I bounced off him and stuffed him into the pipe after the whoops, so I waited for him to be marshaled, but Jeremy said "I don't know why Angelito is waiting, I guess he wants to battle with Alex?", so I took off again. LOL! I finished the race in 3rd with a 16:13.
After the race I talked to Alex and his dad and apologized for bumping him into the pipe. They both thought I wasn't at fault, thus didn't need to wait for him. They just considered it racing :)
Only one more practice race before the Platinum Battle! I'm not sure what I want to do with the setup on my T4. I was thinking about trying out the shock settings I wrote about in my last post or just changing the roll center on front of my truck for next weekend. But I may just wait until the bite comes back up on the track and leave my settings alone. I guess I'll decide after practice next weekend. Whatever settings I leave the track with next Sunday will be the ones I run for the Platinum race. On a brighter note, my B44 was working good even in the lower traction conditions! I just need to run the ideal tires and tighten slipper a little and I think it'll be dialed in! I'll probably also gear up another tooth on both cars as the motor temps were in the 150's for the B44 and 160's for the T4. I'll just need to keep on eye on them next weekend.
Super Stock Truck
Based on my practice runs Saturday, I decided to lower the height of the inner ball stud of the rear camber links to help the rear end hook up better on power. I didn't want to loosen the slipper, as I need it tight to clear the step-up table top. There's no point in making big changes anyway, as the traction level is going to go up as more races are run.
The turnout was extremely light, but everyone was fast. Joesph Smalley, Robert Black, and Andy Castro. That was it. I would consider these races as controlled practice for the Platinum Battle. For round 1, the track had no traction at all. I had no steering and no bite coming off the corners. Smalley was in another zip code by the halfway point of the race. I held 2nd for about half the race, but Robert made a clean pass to the inside of me though the keyhole turn going into the whoops section. I just tried to hold it together after that, trying not to slide around too much. I finished the race with a 15:14 in 3rd.
For round 2, I put Buggy Grip on all my tires hoping to get more bite. It helped a bit, making it easier to drive, but still not hooked up. Smalley and Robert had a good race going at the front (so I heard) and I was running in 3rd trying my best to keep up. I don't know what my time was, as the computer crashed and the times from round 2 were lost. I probably turned 15 laps though.
In the main, I would be starting 3rd of 4. Andy made a clean pass on me after the step-up table top on the start, then passed Robert for 2nd going over the center table top. I had a good race going with Robert and we traded 3rd place a couple of times. He even made an awesome inside pass on me at the end of the straight! I finished in 4th with a 15:20.
I probably should've run my Stingers or Switches instead of Holeshots, but I'm saving those tires for... the big race! I did start running a better line into the step-up table top towards the end of the race. I was able to brake and rotate the truck to line up for the jump, instead of rounding the turn and punching the gas. The "brake and rotate" method seemed faster, but only my lap and race times will tell me the truth. I'll probably tighten my slipper a little to get more punch, so I can clear this jump with a shorter take-off too.
Super Stock 4wd
During practice my car felt good (compared to my truck anyway). I could clear the step-up table top with the right approach every time :) With the right tires and a tighter slipper, I bet I could clear it with a short take-off.
In round 1, I got an excellent start off the line, and moved up from 5th to 2nd by the center table top. But I made a mistake in the sweeper after the whoops, allowing the cars behind to catch up, and I got sandwiched between 2 cars, going into the small double to the left of the stand. I got the worst of it and rolled. I spent the rest of race trying to catch back up to the leaders, but made a bobble here and there, and wasn't able to close the gap. I finished in 4th with a 15:00.
On the start for round 2, I bounced off another car in the hairpin and got stuffed into the pipe at the end of the straight and the whole field goes by me. I work my way back up to 4th and battle for position with Adam. I finished the race in 4th, but don't remember my time, as the times from round 2 were lost.
For the main I would be starting 4th out of 8 cars. I finally got a clean start and held my position for the first few laps, right behind the top 3 cars. After the whoops, I was able to make a clean pass on Alex and moved into 3rd. I traded 3rd with Alex a few times during the race. At one point I thought I bounced off him and stuffed him into the pipe after the whoops, so I waited for him to be marshaled, but Jeremy said "I don't know why Angelito is waiting, I guess he wants to battle with Alex?", so I took off again. LOL! I finished the race in 3rd with a 16:13.
After the race I talked to Alex and his dad and apologized for bumping him into the pipe. They both thought I wasn't at fault, thus didn't need to wait for him. They just considered it racing :)
Only one more practice race before the Platinum Battle! I'm not sure what I want to do with the setup on my T4. I was thinking about trying out the shock settings I wrote about in my last post or just changing the roll center on front of my truck for next weekend. But I may just wait until the bite comes back up on the track and leave my settings alone. I guess I'll decide after practice next weekend. Whatever settings I leave the track with next Sunday will be the ones I run for the Platinum race. On a brighter note, my B44 was working good even in the lower traction conditions! I just need to run the ideal tires and tighten slipper a little and I think it'll be dialed in! I'll probably also gear up another tooth on both cars as the motor temps were in the 150's for the B44 and 160's for the T4. I'll just need to keep on eye on them next weekend.
Saturday, November 15, 2008
A sliping and a sliding!
I went out for practice at OCRC today to get a feel for the new layout. Wow! Talk about no grip! The dirt had no traction at all :( Probably because all the dirt got turned over for the rebuild, thus getting rid of all the rubber and syrup that has been put down over the last 2 months. I sure hope that as the track gets run in, the traction will come back up to the level I'm used to. Hopefully in time for the Platinum Battle race in 2 weeks.
The layout is more of a "flowing" style vs the "supercross" style track, like the last layout. There is really only 1 big jump on the track (the step-up table top in front of the LiveRC camera). The rest of the track is mainly flat, with alot of fast sweepers, a whoops section, and 2 sets of doubles (one that's easy to clear and another that nearly impossible). There's also a medium table top in the middle of the track, but it's so easy to clear, that its a non-issue. The last layout has 3 big jumps and a hill, and the lanes went back and forth in front of the driver's stand, supercross style. This new layout will require more "line" driving through the sweepers, kinda like on-road, but without the grip :(
Since I was working on learning the layout, I didn't want to make any setup changes to my T4 or B44. I just wanted to work on my lines and get a feel for how each car handled. But, my T4 was suffering from a lack of both front and rear grip :( It didn't turn in and rotate like I wanted and it was hard to get on the gas :( I tried old R3 Edges, M3 Blades, and a new set of M3 Edges on the front. The new M3 Edges provided the most steering. While on the rear I tried a set of older Stingers and Holeshots. The Holeshots worked the best, but it was still hard to put the power down. I plan to play around with the roll centers on the front and rear tomorrow, as a lower ball stud height or shorter camber link length is supposed to work better in low traction conditions.
My B44 worked pretty well! (love that 4wd!) I was trying out a different tire combination, Blockheads up front and Square Fuzzies on the rear. The rear felt ok, but the front pushed a little on power in the sweepers. I think I'll go back to my Inside Jobs on all 4 corners for racing tomorrow.
Well, I've got a feel for the layout now. Time to whittle away at the lap times :)
Some other random thoughts. I love LiPo batteries! At first I was running NiMh in my truck for practice (like I normally do). But I didn't have the punch I needed to down-side the step-up table top. I switched to my Reedly LiPo for my last run. Ah! That's where my acceleration went! It was now easier to down-side the step-up table top :) And I charged this battery more than 24 hours ago! I need to pick up another LiPo for my truck, so I can run LiPo during practice, and stop using my NiMh's.
Track piping. While the white PVC pipe that OCRC was using will shear off an A-arm if you hit it at the right angle, you were able to "bounce" off of it if you touched at a shallow angle. The black corrugated pipe that's on the track now, seems to suck you in if you touch it at all. Since it flexes, it turns your car, and you end up stuck on the pipe. Personally, I prefer the PVC pipe, since if you touch it at least you can keep going. With the black pipe, you need to drive extremely tidy and not touch the pipe, as you'll probably end up stuck.
Anyhoo.... Time to get some sleep and rest up for tomorrow's racing :)
The layout is more of a "flowing" style vs the "supercross" style track, like the last layout. There is really only 1 big jump on the track (the step-up table top in front of the LiveRC camera). The rest of the track is mainly flat, with alot of fast sweepers, a whoops section, and 2 sets of doubles (one that's easy to clear and another that nearly impossible). There's also a medium table top in the middle of the track, but it's so easy to clear, that its a non-issue. The last layout has 3 big jumps and a hill, and the lanes went back and forth in front of the driver's stand, supercross style. This new layout will require more "line" driving through the sweepers, kinda like on-road, but without the grip :(
Since I was working on learning the layout, I didn't want to make any setup changes to my T4 or B44. I just wanted to work on my lines and get a feel for how each car handled. But, my T4 was suffering from a lack of both front and rear grip :( It didn't turn in and rotate like I wanted and it was hard to get on the gas :( I tried old R3 Edges, M3 Blades, and a new set of M3 Edges on the front. The new M3 Edges provided the most steering. While on the rear I tried a set of older Stingers and Holeshots. The Holeshots worked the best, but it was still hard to put the power down. I plan to play around with the roll centers on the front and rear tomorrow, as a lower ball stud height or shorter camber link length is supposed to work better in low traction conditions.
My B44 worked pretty well! (love that 4wd!) I was trying out a different tire combination, Blockheads up front and Square Fuzzies on the rear. The rear felt ok, but the front pushed a little on power in the sweepers. I think I'll go back to my Inside Jobs on all 4 corners for racing tomorrow.
Well, I've got a feel for the layout now. Time to whittle away at the lap times :)
Some other random thoughts. I love LiPo batteries! At first I was running NiMh in my truck for practice (like I normally do). But I didn't have the punch I needed to down-side the step-up table top. I switched to my Reedly LiPo for my last run. Ah! That's where my acceleration went! It was now easier to down-side the step-up table top :) And I charged this battery more than 24 hours ago! I need to pick up another LiPo for my truck, so I can run LiPo during practice, and stop using my NiMh's.
Track piping. While the white PVC pipe that OCRC was using will shear off an A-arm if you hit it at the right angle, you were able to "bounce" off of it if you touched at a shallow angle. The black corrugated pipe that's on the track now, seems to suck you in if you touch it at all. Since it flexes, it turns your car, and you end up stuck on the pipe. Personally, I prefer the PVC pipe, since if you touch it at least you can keep going. With the black pipe, you need to drive extremely tidy and not touch the pipe, as you'll probably end up stuck.
Anyhoo.... Time to get some sleep and rest up for tomorrow's racing :)
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Rebuild time!
I wanted to look over my T4 and B44 for any items that needed attention to get them ready for testing and racing over the next 2 weekends and ultimately for the Platinum Battle race. The T4 was in fairly good shape, but the rear shocks were leaking and needed a rebuild. So, I would rebuild those and install my LRP 13.5 for Super Stock racing on Sunday. I had originally planned to switch my front shock oil over to 35wt, but when looking at Mayfield and Cavalieri's setup sheets on RC10.com, the bottom of the shock is mounted on the inside hole on the arm, changing the leverage on the shock, which is probably why they use 35wt oil. Also, they are using the #3 piston with a smaller hole than the #2, that I have currently installed. Using the inside hole on the arm also requires using more travel limiters on the shock shaft, to keep the droop the same, meaning I'd have to take the shock apart to try this setup, when I originally just wanted to change the oil over to 35wt. I think I'll leave the front shock setup alone for now and try this setting when I need to take the shock apart for a rebuild. My truck has been working well anyway with my current setting :)
I hate rebuilding shocks :( Bleeding them sucks! Sometimes I get it right on the 1st try and other times it seems impossible to get right :( I had both happen to me rebuilding the T4's rear shocks. One I was able to bleed right on the 1st try, while the other took forever! It kept having too much oil or air! I just couldn't hit the sweet spot. Then I stripped the molded shock cap :( I finally got it right after what seemed like a million attempts and buttoned the truck back up.
My B44 looks good! Nothing leaking and the diffs feel alright. I'll probably just clean it up and make sure everything is tight and gear it up a tooth, since the motor temps are still on the low side.
I can't wait to head out to OCRC on Saturday and try the new layout. From watching the racing on Live RC last night, it looks like a fast time will be in the 15-16 lap window, with fast lap times in the low 20's to high 19's. I wonder what times I will run and who will be the 1st to turn a 16 lap run and sub 20 second lap?
I hate rebuilding shocks :( Bleeding them sucks! Sometimes I get it right on the 1st try and other times it seems impossible to get right :( I had both happen to me rebuilding the T4's rear shocks. One I was able to bleed right on the 1st try, while the other took forever! It kept having too much oil or air! I just couldn't hit the sweet spot. Then I stripped the molded shock cap :( I finally got it right after what seemed like a million attempts and buttoned the truck back up.
My B44 looks good! Nothing leaking and the diffs feel alright. I'll probably just clean it up and make sure everything is tight and gear it up a tooth, since the motor temps are still on the low side.
I can't wait to head out to OCRC on Saturday and try the new layout. From watching the racing on Live RC last night, it looks like a fast time will be in the 15-16 lap window, with fast lap times in the low 20's to high 19's. I wonder what times I will run and who will be the 1st to turn a 16 lap run and sub 20 second lap?
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Platinum Battle layout is in!
The new layout at OCRC for the Platinum Battle race is in! It runs in the same direction as the last layout, clockwise. It looks sick! They also changed the pipe from the car breaker white PVC to the black corrugated pipe that is used at Hot Rod's. You saw it here 1st! In fact, Robert is running laps on the track right now as I type!
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Will my winning streak continue?
I made the journey out to OCRC for my weekly fix of RC racing action! I was originally just going to run my T4, but Jeremy mentioned to me that they were trying to get a 4wd Super Stock class together and he asked me if I wanted to run it. I figured what the heck, I'll run it, since I had my B44 with me, and it was already setup for Super Stock, because I was testing my new 13.5 motor. I put more effort into Stock Truck though, as I had a streak to keep going :)
Stock Truck
Qualify was tough as I had to start mid pack both rounds (5th in the round 1 and 6th in round 2) and had to work my way up to the front. I also kept having problems with Casey Becica. In round 1 I was running in 3rd place right behind 1st and 2nd. We were the only 3 trucks to make it over the line for the 16th lap. While going through the whoops and into the wagon wheel, Casey having finished his race, jumps the Surf City Berm and nearly lands on top of my truck, while I'm in the middle of racing for position! At least after letting him know we were still racing, he backed off. In round 2, he crashes right in front of me in the finish line turn on the start, and I have no where to go, so I rear end him and 3 of us get stuck. Then as we come on the straight, he runs into the back of me, spinning me out, and I nearly get hit by another truck. I wasn't his only victim though, as several other drivers were telling Casey to clean up his driving and stop running into people. I still managed to finish in the the top 3 though. I finished round 1 with a 16:20 in 3rd and round 2 with a 15:08 in 3rd again. Mike Fisk (the TQ from last week) won both rounds of qualifying and TQ'd with a 16:13.
I decided to switch to my Panther Stingers for the main, as the the track was drying out fast and our race would be later in the round this time. I also applied Buggy Grip to all 4 tires for extra traction in the dry. During warm up I had a ton of grip! :) Before the main started, Jeremy announced that because of all the hacking that went on during the 2nd round, he would be immediately issuing a penalty for any intentional contact between trucks. He said he wasn't going to name names, but then told Casey to clean up his driving! LOL!!
For the main, I would be starting in 4th out of 9 trucks. On the start, I went to the inside of the finish line turn and moved into 3rd. Then, I took 2nd going though the leap of faith jump and into the hairpin turn after the step up jump. Next, I take the lead at the end of the straight going over double! Jeremy calls Mike in lead, then realizes I had moved all the way from 4th to 1st on the 1st lap of the race and announces that I'm in the lead! I checked out and was gone! I opened up a straightaway lead, but my pace slowed a little bit in the middle of the race, allowing 2nd to close to a within half a straight, so I picked the pace back up. Casey who had taken me out twice in qualifying, now gave me ample room and slowed when I was lapping him (I guess he learned his lesson?), but I was still very careful around his truck. Everyone else gave me a ton of room when lapping them :) I almost lapped the TQ Mike, as I came up behind him on the last few laps. I won with a 16:07, and fast lap of 19.032! My winning streak continues! COOL! That's 3 weeks in a row now :)
4wd Super Stock
I ran 4wd Super Stock to work on my gearing for my new Orion Vortex 13.5 motor. It was temping around 140°F and could probably take more gear, but I ran it under-geared to save the rotor magnet. I was also trying my Inside Job tires on the dry track. Our race was the last race of the round so by the time we were up, the track was bone dry and dusty. Normally just the tips of the spikes get coated with dirt, but since the dirt was so dusty, the entire tire was coated with dust. They hooked up, but I still prefer my Panther Bobcats and Switches in the dry. However, when the Inside Job's were treated with Buggy Grip, they had so much traction on the dry dirt, that my slipper was slipping out of every turn on the track! During practice on Saturday, this didn't happen at all, and the only change was treating the tires! Even with the problems with my slipper, I managed to win the race with a 17:18.
For round 2, Danny S was hooked up and checked out early! He beat my TQ time from round 1 by 10 seconds. I did have a good race with Carlo for 2nd though. We battled for a most of the race, but he made a mistake, and I took the position. I finished the race in 2nd with a 17:22.
For the main, it was more of the same as in round 2. Danny checked out early turning blistering laps. I was able to keep up with him for the 1st minute or so, but made a bobble here and there and he pulled away. I also had to fight off Tyler for 2nd. He was right on my tail for the middle part of the race, but wrecked, giving me the breathing room I needed to keep 2nd. I finished the race in 2nd with a 17:18.
For next weekend I plan to install my LRP 13.5 motor into my T4 and run Super Stock Truck and start practicing for the Platinum Battle race. The new layout for this race will be put in on Monday, so if anybody racing on Wednesday, get some pictures or video of the new layout! :) I also need to rebuild the rear shocks on the T4, change the oil over to 35/30, mount up some new front and rear tires, and change the rear shock oil in the B44 over to 30wt!
Stock Truck
Qualify was tough as I had to start mid pack both rounds (5th in the round 1 and 6th in round 2) and had to work my way up to the front. I also kept having problems with Casey Becica. In round 1 I was running in 3rd place right behind 1st and 2nd. We were the only 3 trucks to make it over the line for the 16th lap. While going through the whoops and into the wagon wheel, Casey having finished his race, jumps the Surf City Berm and nearly lands on top of my truck, while I'm in the middle of racing for position! At least after letting him know we were still racing, he backed off. In round 2, he crashes right in front of me in the finish line turn on the start, and I have no where to go, so I rear end him and 3 of us get stuck. Then as we come on the straight, he runs into the back of me, spinning me out, and I nearly get hit by another truck. I wasn't his only victim though, as several other drivers were telling Casey to clean up his driving and stop running into people. I still managed to finish in the the top 3 though. I finished round 1 with a 16:20 in 3rd and round 2 with a 15:08 in 3rd again. Mike Fisk (the TQ from last week) won both rounds of qualifying and TQ'd with a 16:13.
I decided to switch to my Panther Stingers for the main, as the the track was drying out fast and our race would be later in the round this time. I also applied Buggy Grip to all 4 tires for extra traction in the dry. During warm up I had a ton of grip! :) Before the main started, Jeremy announced that because of all the hacking that went on during the 2nd round, he would be immediately issuing a penalty for any intentional contact between trucks. He said he wasn't going to name names, but then told Casey to clean up his driving! LOL!!
For the main, I would be starting in 4th out of 9 trucks. On the start, I went to the inside of the finish line turn and moved into 3rd. Then, I took 2nd going though the leap of faith jump and into the hairpin turn after the step up jump. Next, I take the lead at the end of the straight going over double! Jeremy calls Mike in lead, then realizes I had moved all the way from 4th to 1st on the 1st lap of the race and announces that I'm in the lead! I checked out and was gone! I opened up a straightaway lead, but my pace slowed a little bit in the middle of the race, allowing 2nd to close to a within half a straight, so I picked the pace back up. Casey who had taken me out twice in qualifying, now gave me ample room and slowed when I was lapping him (I guess he learned his lesson?), but I was still very careful around his truck. Everyone else gave me a ton of room when lapping them :) I almost lapped the TQ Mike, as I came up behind him on the last few laps. I won with a 16:07, and fast lap of 19.032! My winning streak continues! COOL! That's 3 weeks in a row now :)
4wd Super Stock
I ran 4wd Super Stock to work on my gearing for my new Orion Vortex 13.5 motor. It was temping around 140°F and could probably take more gear, but I ran it under-geared to save the rotor magnet. I was also trying my Inside Job tires on the dry track. Our race was the last race of the round so by the time we were up, the track was bone dry and dusty. Normally just the tips of the spikes get coated with dirt, but since the dirt was so dusty, the entire tire was coated with dust. They hooked up, but I still prefer my Panther Bobcats and Switches in the dry. However, when the Inside Job's were treated with Buggy Grip, they had so much traction on the dry dirt, that my slipper was slipping out of every turn on the track! During practice on Saturday, this didn't happen at all, and the only change was treating the tires! Even with the problems with my slipper, I managed to win the race with a 17:18.
For round 2, Danny S was hooked up and checked out early! He beat my TQ time from round 1 by 10 seconds. I did have a good race with Carlo for 2nd though. We battled for a most of the race, but he made a mistake, and I took the position. I finished the race in 2nd with a 17:22.
For the main, it was more of the same as in round 2. Danny checked out early turning blistering laps. I was able to keep up with him for the 1st minute or so, but made a bobble here and there and he pulled away. I also had to fight off Tyler for 2nd. He was right on my tail for the middle part of the race, but wrecked, giving me the breathing room I needed to keep 2nd. I finished the race in 2nd with a 17:18.
For next weekend I plan to install my LRP 13.5 motor into my T4 and run Super Stock Truck and start practicing for the Platinum Battle race. The new layout for this race will be put in on Monday, so if anybody racing on Wednesday, get some pictures or video of the new layout! :) I also need to rebuild the rear shocks on the T4, change the oil over to 35/30, mount up some new front and rear tires, and change the rear shock oil in the B44 over to 30wt!
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Practice day- Sort of...
I decided to head out for practice at OCRC today to take some video and pictures of my T4 and B44 in action and to let my brother try out my T4, since he was going to be in L.A. this weekend. I also tried out my new Orion Vortex 13.5 motor that I will be using at the Platinum Battle race later this month in my B44 and tested some Inside Job tires as well.
I started out with a 78/30 ratio on the Vortex, but the motor temp was still low at about 130°F after 7 min, so I geared up to a 32 on my 2nd run. This time the motor temp was still low at about 140°F. I can probably still go up 1-2 teeth safely :) The Inside Job's worked ok, but I still prefer the Holeshots. That's why I'm saving them for the big race :)
Anyhoo, checkout the vids that my brother took :)
Me driving my B44.
Me driving my T4.
My brother driving my T4.
I started out with a 78/30 ratio on the Vortex, but the motor temp was still low at about 130°F after 7 min, so I geared up to a 32 on my 2nd run. This time the motor temp was still low at about 140°F. I can probably still go up 1-2 teeth safely :) The Inside Job's worked ok, but I still prefer the Holeshots. That's why I'm saving them for the big race :)
Anyhoo, checkout the vids that my brother took :)
Me driving my B44.
Me driving my T4.
My brother driving my T4.
A few action shots of my B44 and T4.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Vintage RC Race Vids
Found some YouTube vids of the 1st IFMAR Off-Road Worlds!
Leg 1
Leg 2
Leg 3
1989 Off-Road Worlds- The 1st ever "Stealth" RC10 with a 3-gear transmission and 2.2 inch rear tire :)
Leg 1
Leg 2
Leg 3
1989 Off-Road Worlds- The 1st ever "Stealth" RC10 with a 3-gear transmission and 2.2 inch rear tire :)
Monday, November 3, 2008
New stuff on the way!
To run another Super Stock class I was going to need another 13.5 brushless motor. I already have an LRP, which I will be running in my Truck, so I picked up an Orion Vortex to run in my 4wd for the Platinum Battle race. My second choice was the Novak motor, but I didn't like the non-removable senor wire on it.
I also picked up a pair of Panther Truck Switch 2.0's for my dry track tires on my truck. I already run a set of these on my 4wd, and they worked great! I will test these against my Stingers and run the tire I like better during the Platinum Battle race.
Platinum Battle!
While racing Sunday night, I decided to sign up for the OCRC/Gyro Hobbies Platinum Battle! The winner of each Super Stock and Stock Slash class will win a 1 year Platinum membership to OCRC courtesy of Gyro Hobbies and receive discounts in the Gyro Hobbies shop! Essentially you will be "sponsored" by Gyro Hobbies and become a member of the Gyro Hobbies race team.
I entered the Super Stock Truck and 4wd classes to increase my chances of making the A-main. I've been driving really well lately and hopefully I can do well at this race :) Wish me luck!
Race info --> http://www.ocrcraceway.com/gyro_race.html
RC Tech thread -->http://www.rctech.net/forum/racing-forum/245643-ocrc-gyro-hobbies-platinum-battle-nov-29th.html
I entered the Super Stock Truck and 4wd classes to increase my chances of making the A-main. I've been driving really well lately and hopefully I can do well at this race :) Wish me luck!
Race info --> http://www.ocrcraceway.com/gyro_race.html
RC Tech thread -->http://www.rctech.net/forum/racing-forum/245643-ocrc-gyro-hobbies-platinum-battle-nov-29th.html
Sunday, November 2, 2008
2 Weeks In A Row!
Man! What a long night of club racing! The amount of entries for tonight was insane! 16 heats for a freaking club race! Boy! Did I pick the wrong night to run 1 class :( Lot's of waiting and watching races.
I decided to just run my T4 in Stock Truck tonight and give my B44 a break, as I did what I wanted to do with it anyway, win an A main :-) I ran the T4 for the first time last Sunday and did very well with it, so I thought I'd give it another go. Could I repeat my performance from last weekend?
It was nuts on the track during practice! There were about 15 or more cars on the track at one time, with the driver's skill ranging from complete beginner to seasoned racer. It was nearly impossible to get in 2 fast laps in a row without having to slow down for some reason. During my 1st run, someone ran into the back of my truck while launching off the "leap of faith" jump in the center of the track. The crash broke my rear body mount and put a nice big crack around the rear mounting holes. Thankfully this is not my good body :) The track was also very dry and somewhat dusty. Tire choice would be critical tonight, depending on how much water is put down between rounds and how fast the track dries out.
My race for the 1st round would be about halfway through (race 7!). Water was put down before qualifying started and the track looked to be holding the moisture ok, so I went with my Holeshots. I would be starting on the pole this race and I made the best of it! I took off on the start and checked out :) I built up about an 8 second lead and took the win with a 16:14. Fastest lap was a 19.897. My race time would've been faster had it not been for a spin I had coming onto the straight on my last lap. My Holeshots were a touch loose making the rear end slide around too much. I guess the track was drying out faster than I thought and I would need to make a tire change for the 2nd round. I was able to set the TQ though, as the winner of the 2nd heat of Stock Truck was a lap slower than my time :) Would I be able to TQ again?!
For round 2, Jeremy decided to resort the heats by qualifying times, so that you would be grouped with drivers of similar ability, resulting in cleaner races and faster times for everyone. This round would not go so well for me though :(
I switched tires to my Panther Stingers, as these should work better than the Holeshots, since the track was pretty dry. They felt fine in warm up and during the race, but my lap times fell off to mostly low 20's with my fastest being a 20.013. I had to start this race in last place and it took me the entire race to get up to 2nd place. I also had a tough time getting around traffic and even had a marshal run in front of my truck while I was in mid-air going over the "leap of faith" jump, and I hit him square in the back! Jeremy even said "Oh no! Angelito gets taken out by a marshal!" :( I finished the race in 2nd with a 15:08, losing my TQ to the winner of the Amateur Stock Truck race?!? A "sandbagger" in the Amateur Stock Truck class turned a 16:08, beating the current TQ of Sportsman Stock Truck! Jeremy would be bumping him to our class as the new TQ!
For the main, I would be starting in 4th place, being bumped out of the TQ by the guy from Amateur Stock Truck and 2 others in my class. I would have to step up my game for the main now! I decided to gear up to a 33 pinion and treat my tires with Buggy Grip, as the Buggy Grip made a big difference on my 4wd when I had to run a dry track the other week. I also ended up starting in 3rd, since the 3rd qualifier went home early, as it was a very long night. I'm usually on my way home by 7:30-8 pm, and we were just getting on the track for our main at around 8:30! The top 3 had a great start, breaking away from the rest of the field! I was running in 3rd right behind the 2 leaders. On lap 3, the 2nd place truck entered the whoops slow, while I went wider and jumped into the whoops, giving me the inside line for the "wagon wheel" hairpin! I made the pass clean and set my sights on the leader. It took me a few laps to chase him down, but I was steadily gaining on him and finally made the pass on lap 6! I was right behind him going into the "leap of faith" jump. He took the jump slightly to the right and I took the jump to the left, setting me up for the inside of the hairpin after the step-up jump. It worked beautifully and I made the pass clean to the inside, taking the lead! After that I checked out, putting 8.5 seconds on 2nd place. Traffic was very courteous too, giving me ample room to lap them. Thanks guys! I ended up turning a blistering time of 16:03, with a fast lap of 19.5! Woohoo! 2 wins 2 weeks in a row!
I decided to just run my T4 in Stock Truck tonight and give my B44 a break, as I did what I wanted to do with it anyway, win an A main :-) I ran the T4 for the first time last Sunday and did very well with it, so I thought I'd give it another go. Could I repeat my performance from last weekend?
It was nuts on the track during practice! There were about 15 or more cars on the track at one time, with the driver's skill ranging from complete beginner to seasoned racer. It was nearly impossible to get in 2 fast laps in a row without having to slow down for some reason. During my 1st run, someone ran into the back of my truck while launching off the "leap of faith" jump in the center of the track. The crash broke my rear body mount and put a nice big crack around the rear mounting holes. Thankfully this is not my good body :) The track was also very dry and somewhat dusty. Tire choice would be critical tonight, depending on how much water is put down between rounds and how fast the track dries out.
My race for the 1st round would be about halfway through (race 7!). Water was put down before qualifying started and the track looked to be holding the moisture ok, so I went with my Holeshots. I would be starting on the pole this race and I made the best of it! I took off on the start and checked out :) I built up about an 8 second lead and took the win with a 16:14. Fastest lap was a 19.897. My race time would've been faster had it not been for a spin I had coming onto the straight on my last lap. My Holeshots were a touch loose making the rear end slide around too much. I guess the track was drying out faster than I thought and I would need to make a tire change for the 2nd round. I was able to set the TQ though, as the winner of the 2nd heat of Stock Truck was a lap slower than my time :) Would I be able to TQ again?!
For round 2, Jeremy decided to resort the heats by qualifying times, so that you would be grouped with drivers of similar ability, resulting in cleaner races and faster times for everyone. This round would not go so well for me though :(
I switched tires to my Panther Stingers, as these should work better than the Holeshots, since the track was pretty dry. They felt fine in warm up and during the race, but my lap times fell off to mostly low 20's with my fastest being a 20.013. I had to start this race in last place and it took me the entire race to get up to 2nd place. I also had a tough time getting around traffic and even had a marshal run in front of my truck while I was in mid-air going over the "leap of faith" jump, and I hit him square in the back! Jeremy even said "Oh no! Angelito gets taken out by a marshal!" :( I finished the race in 2nd with a 15:08, losing my TQ to the winner of the Amateur Stock Truck race?!? A "sandbagger" in the Amateur Stock Truck class turned a 16:08, beating the current TQ of Sportsman Stock Truck! Jeremy would be bumping him to our class as the new TQ!
For the main, I would be starting in 4th place, being bumped out of the TQ by the guy from Amateur Stock Truck and 2 others in my class. I would have to step up my game for the main now! I decided to gear up to a 33 pinion and treat my tires with Buggy Grip, as the Buggy Grip made a big difference on my 4wd when I had to run a dry track the other week. I also ended up starting in 3rd, since the 3rd qualifier went home early, as it was a very long night. I'm usually on my way home by 7:30-8 pm, and we were just getting on the track for our main at around 8:30! The top 3 had a great start, breaking away from the rest of the field! I was running in 3rd right behind the 2 leaders. On lap 3, the 2nd place truck entered the whoops slow, while I went wider and jumped into the whoops, giving me the inside line for the "wagon wheel" hairpin! I made the pass clean and set my sights on the leader. It took me a few laps to chase him down, but I was steadily gaining on him and finally made the pass on lap 6! I was right behind him going into the "leap of faith" jump. He took the jump slightly to the right and I took the jump to the left, setting me up for the inside of the hairpin after the step-up jump. It worked beautifully and I made the pass clean to the inside, taking the lead! After that I checked out, putting 8.5 seconds on 2nd place. Traffic was very courteous too, giving me ample room to lap them. Thanks guys! I ended up turning a blistering time of 16:03, with a fast lap of 19.5! Woohoo! 2 wins 2 weeks in a row!
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