Recommended 1/10th indoor TC racing equipment

[muay30]

Ive been into 1/10th indoor touring car racing for a while now and think its time to buy some better equipment.
I have a basic set up e.g car tt-01 and everything except the brushless system, basic nimh charger/batts. Can anyone whos been doing this a while adivse or recommend what things i could do with upgrading thats not too expensive e.g good servos for racing, batts, charger etc Any input and advice on this woule be much appriciated.

[sosidge]

So what class are you racing, what's your budget, and what do you intend to keep?

[muay30]

I am racing in c class at the moment, but each time i see a small improvment on my lap times so im figuring it may be time to get some better kit. My budget isnt much i cant really say exactly how much until i get some ideas on what i need.

[sosidge]

Originally Posted by muay30

I am racing in c class at the moment, but each time i see a small improvment on my lap times so im figuring it may be time to get some better kit. My budget isnt much i cant really say exactly how much until i get some ideas on what i need.

Sorry but that really doesn't help me give you an answer!

I have no idea what C Class is, and if you have no idea of budget and no idea what of your current gear is worth keeping, it is very hard for me to give you any guidance.

Updating your gear could cost anything from a couple of hundred up to well over a thousand!

[muay30]

Im pretty new to this so please bear with me. The 1/10th c stock car class is basically for all novice drivers. Im wanting to start by upgrading my servo, batts and charger, nothing too expensive but obviously nothing too cheapo. Hope this can help

[sosidge]

Well, I think you are probably best talking to the people trackside about what equipment they prefer.

If you want something that will last, and perform, you need to spend decent money.

Servos - look at the quality Japanese brands. I have been running Futaba for a while now. Performance of 0.10s/60deg speed and 6kg/cm torque is ideal for electric. Futaba S9551/BLS551 is a nice low profile servo. Or for a full size servo try the S9452/BLS451.

Cells - pretty much anything on the BRCA list is going to be decent. Despite the different labels they all come from only a handful of factories in China. Look at a 5000mAh+ and 30C+ pack, that is the most recent tech. Something like the Intellect IP packs. You might get away with only one pack, maybe two if charging time is too tight.

Charger - make sure it is LiPo compatible. In-built balancing is handy for peace of mind. Avoid the very cheap eBay chargers and their clones, there are concerns about their charging accuracy, they could overcharge cells. Bantam and Hyperion are two well respected brands.

[lochness42]

I'm using KoPropo servos but I got Savox servos for some of my cars now and I find them cheap but with great performance - good choice I belive.

[muay30]

Thanks everyone for your replys/advice. Im finding it all really helpful, Please keep it coming

[ghost2212]

Batterys

http://www.hobbycity.com/hobbycity/s...25C_Car_Lipoly

I have one and its great. Maybe buy two and then youll be sorted.

Charger

http://www.hobbycity.com/hobbycity/s...lancer/Charger

great charger and cheap as well with integrated balancer.

Servo

http://www.hobbycity.com/hobbycity/s....08sec_/_46.5g

I dont have one but it looks fast and has recieved good reviews

Motor/ESC

Many combinations here but it depends how fast you want to go

http://www.hobbycity.com/hobbycity/s...dProduct=10330

Maybe too fast for your liking

http://www.hobbycity.com/hobbycity/s...verse_programm.

that paired with

http://www.hobbycity.com/hobbycity/s...tor_13T_3000Kv

Should be a good brushless starter combo.

Post if you need any other help.

Brett

[muay30]

Thanks very much Bret, are these a reliable supplier? I noticed there based in the usa

[ghost2212]

Originally Posted by muay30

Thanks very much Bret, are these a reliable supplier? I noticed there based in the usa

They are actually based in hong kong and ive found them very reliable.
It sometimes takes about 2 weeks for stuff to get here but its worth that wait for the prices.

[Rocking Donkey]

I have found Bluebird Servos pretty good and they are much cheaper than some of the alternatives. I don't notice any performance difference between them and the much more expensive KO servos that I also use although I'm not racing at the highest level. The ones I use were less than £30 and are available from www.demonpowerproducts.co.uk . I have found this to be one of the best online model stores, Nick has always replied quickly to any questions, even when I was new to the hobby and didn't really know what I was doing.

Darren at DMS racing www.dms-racing.com will always give you good honest advice and help about the most suitable kit to buy. He is an active member of this forum and his shop sells a massive range of products.

Ben

[muay30]

Thanks again everyone for the great advice. Please Keep it coming

[DCM]

If you are running a TT-01, I would suggest, upgrading your car to be honest, as no matter how much you chuck at it, the TT-01 will always be the limiting factor. If you want to stay with the Tamiya brand, I suggest you take a look at the TB-03, really efficicient drivetrain, accepts normal TC spur gears, and uses the latest type of Tamiya Racing suspension. You may notice a big improvement in consistancy and driveability.

[emtee]

+1 for ditching the tt-01... Can I suggest any respected brand, but used? There are many cars suitable for the TC market, but I would always say stick with a major brand... I got a used Xray T2 2 years back and still can't fault it... Xray in particular are fond of re-vamping their range but the changes don't always seem to warrant the outlay, so there are some good value used deals around... check the "for sale" ads on here and on RCracechat... and there is always fleabay... you may get a FULL set-up at a good price...

[muay30]

Thanks once again guys, im finding all this info/adivice really helpful. What do you think of a Schumacher Mi2?

[Radish]

No experience of the Mi2 I'm afraid but as previously mentioned, XRAY or Corally RDX (non PHi) are good value and competitive at club level. Corally in particular can be picked up for good money. Look out for a car that comes with some spares. Also, what do other club members run as it can help if other people run the same car when it comes to setting up or if you break it!

[bodgit]

Got a trf415ms in sale section

[emtee]

Originally Posted by muay30

Thanks once again guys, im finding all this info/adivice really helpful. What do you think of a Schumacher Mi2?

From what I hear the mi2 is a good chassis(And English..!) but has been superceded by 3, 3.5 & now the 4. There has been a fair bit of time passed by since the mi2 was released so some of the technology may be a tad out of date... I know xray release every year and therefore technology from my '07 to the current '09 may be not significantly different... However, xray have released a T3 very recently which may mean some drivers selling-on 07/08/09 T2's at a good price and I would heartily recommend the T2 chassis (very tuff as old boot as they say...) and there are a boatload running them at my club...

p.s. How's the pit hauler doing BTW..?

[BagofSkill]

Well bud, having been there (quite a while ago, but still) if it's time to upgrade, I'd recomend the following:

1. Chassis: start with good foundations. See what's popular at your club because those people will normally help you. Xray T2 007 and 008's are around now and are a good start. Schumacher Mi3 or 3.5, Hot Bodies Cyclone, Associated TC5, Tamiya 415, or similar. You should be able to get one of these for between 100-150 quid, maybe more in great nick or with spares. If you go for an older car they might not be far off when set up right, but it will be harder because there are less people able to give you direct advice and it can get a bit hard to get parts for oldr cars (or serpents).

2. If your current servo is less than 6kg/0.15sec then upgrade. This will give you a bit more steering control, more cornering power and make the car feel better connected.

Where you go next depends on your situation... They can come in any order and it depends if you're looking for more speed, or if any of your current kit is giving you drama.

3. Li-Po battery(s) and charger. You can get these used but you'd better trust the guy you buy them off or new is good. anything 3600mAh and 20C or over is a good start. The turnigy charger above looks good. Demon also do a budget charger and RobotBirds in london do a great charger for 30 quid. It charges Li-Po and every other type so comes in handy for radio batts and anything else you ever need.

4. Brushless setup. This won't necessarily make you much faster than a 27T brushed motor, but does almost eliminate maintenance and is more consistent to drive.

5. Radio Transmiter: If you don't already have it good digital systems will give you neat bits like End Point Adjustment to make sure the steering servo is moving right and Exponential functions which can change the way the car feels to drive, particularly if the car is twitchy down the straight.


At the same time you have to consider what else you need to keep rolling, tyres, tools, set-up equipment, just see how you go.

HTH,
Chris.