Set up questions

[Rocket R/C]

This is created for any questions on general car setup or construction. Everybody has different ideas on how these things work, so throw it out there and lets discuss it.

Thanks for visiting!

[jody391]

Hello sorry its taken so long to get online been alittle preoccupied! i do think we should consentrate on personal set up, like my dad said years ago ( stop changing more than one thing at once because you then dont know which change did what or worked!) d**n true i learnt that real early, i see so many people peeing around with their cars when if they just tweeked things alittle at a time, (less is more!) things would be better.

[Rocket R/C]

Well hello Jody! Nice to have you on board!

You (and your dad) are right on with making one small change at a time. How many times have you made a change that went too far, or made two changes that cancelled each other out?? I know I have done both too many times!

What I really think needs to happen is to educate people on the results of certain changes from a theory point of view. Instead of saying...... put this spring on.... or tighten that nut a little.... we should be discussing what a stiffer or softer spring will do, or what tightening the nut does..... then more racers would be able to make the decision by themselves. No two race cars are identical, but the changes we all make will all have similar results.

This could be an education for everyone!

I think where we could start is rear stagger, where to start, and what situations it should be increased or decreased..... I bet everyone has different ideas on this one! Throw them out there.

[trevortennant]

The main aspect of rear stagger is making certain you have quantifiable results. You must be able to measure accurately the diameter of the tires. Usually if the grip is good you need more stagger difference. If the grip is poor little or no stagger is needed. The achieve the tyre diameters you need a quality tire truer that can reproduce the diameter you need. Something like the Hudy or Top Cad machines with suitable stock wheel arbor.

[Rocket R/C]

The actual meaning of stagger is what Tom Tilley does on the way home after he leaves the pub.

I got caught at the worlds with running about 4 mil and the track changed mid day. I needed about 8 mil. I hate getting caught like that. The track made a major change between the 2nd and 3rd rounds and I didnt have enough experience on that track to tell. The big question I had was that how do you guys tell when that happens?? Also I was sort of tricked into thinking I had enough because the car was loose coming out, but that was something other than stagger.

Just curious how you guys tell when the grip comes up. Also how much does stagger help on corner entry? I use it more to dial in from the center out. Any thoughts?

[jody391]

I use genarally a large new jap 40 on the outside front all the time this gives the front end stability if you run a smaller one the car dives into the corner causing over steer, this in effect is simular to running a smaller or larger inside rear tyre as the cross corner effecthappens, if i need more front end out of the corner i put a larger inside front on the car this allows me to put the power down alot earlier and drive it out the corner, if the car does not roll round the corner fast enough then i increase the amount of stagger untill it does, if the car needs to turn in faster i tighten the inside rear dampner nut letting the cars rear end drift into the corner.
If yo still require more turn out of the corner i tighten the outside rear dampner nut this again lets the car drift but you have to be carefull of over steer!, OF COURSE ALL THIS changes when you run different tyre more grip with an se medium on the inside rear then you require more grip on the front then you start all over again!!!!!!!.
In my mind their are the guys/gals who like to drive with low stagger2 or 3mm and drive the car with the front and those who use high stagger 7 or 10mm (my kind of steering) this of course is faster if you can drive it!!!!.
I do also think people need to measure their front beams from centre of kingpin to centre of kingpin im this measurement is between 157-160mm this is fine optimum is 159mm (then you dont have issues of putting the car in the scruteneering box!) if the measurement is smaller then the car will be twitchy! this is because the norrower the front track is the twichier the car is, the wider it is the stabbler, this is a main problem with alot of cars!!!!!!