Which Rules to RC cars have to be designed to?

[Danny McGee]

A fairly simple question. Are there any particular rules that an RC should be designed within? Feel free to have a huge discussion about all the rules and possible things that you wouldnt mind seeing in a car design

Danny

[Chris Doughty]

Danny, I would asume BRCA rules? read your handbook

[Danny McGee]

Originally Posted by DoughtyUK.net

Danny, I would asume BRCA rules? read your handbook

ok smart arse. But if im at uni and dont have a rule book in front of me

[Chrislong]

No doubt you are thinking of a design "Outside of the box", then I can state the obvious: (limits detailed on BRCA.org)

Width
No Sharp edges
Weight
4 wheels
Resembles a buggy of somesort (loosely)


In terms of outside the box idea's, the rules are down to interpretation, and for any "grey areas" id strongly recommend a call or email to Paul Worsley mate.

[ben]

Slim chassis
Loads of carbon fibre.

[AmiSMB]

Do not forget a lot of shiny CNC aluminium parts anodised in blue, purple or red as well!!!

[terry.sc]

Originally Posted by Danny McGee

ok smart arse. But if im at uni and dont have a rule book in front of me

Try downloading it from the BRCA website http://www.brca.org/BRCA/library/BRC...07%20proof.pdf

[Lee]

I think it would be good to see something revolutionary like taking an x6 or an s2 and moving the motor behind the tower

[Bathy]

Originally Posted by Danny McGee

A fairly simple question. Are there any particular rules that an RC should be designed within? Feel free to have a huge discussion about all the rules and possible things that you wouldnt mind seeing in a car design

Danny

I wanna see an off road 'three wheeled' car... please

[SlowOne]

Sorry for trying to give a sensible answer...

For Off-Road, there is a common set of Construction Rules from BRCA, through EFRA to IFMAR (unlike TC, where there are probably four sets of Construction Rules!! ) so the dimensions and drivetrain restrictions are quite clear.

What's more difficult, is the suspension design Rules - those factors that dictate what makes the best suspension design to control the contact patch of the tyre against the ground. For track cars, these design Rules are different to Rally cars, and then they vary again if you are using aerodynamics to generate downforce (like F1) or aerodynamics to control yaw and flight (like WRC).

I'm not sure what you want to do with these 'Rules' when you know what they are, so be aware that just because you know what the Rules are, doesn't mean you can design a car. Excellent car designs aren't derived from what the Rules say, they're derived from what the Rules don't say - thinking outside the 'box', or 'Rules', as Lee says - that generates the 'revolution'.

You won't remember Colin Chapman, although you may have heard of him. He founded Lotus, and had a long history of innovation in motorsport, some of which brought him into conflict with the authorities. His innovative 'twin body' Lotus 88 finally drained the fight out of him when it was banned, and from there on Lotus went downhill. When you read about Chapman (and the Wikipedia entry is a great place to start) remember two of his mottos - "If a part isn't doing two jobs in the car, get rid of it." - and "Simplicate, then add lightness." Look at every innovation he brought to racing cars, and you will find one, or both of these embodied in the idea.

Designing a car is 95% inspiration and 5% perspiration. If you have the mind for it, it can be very rewarding. If you just want to play at it, expect limited success! HTH

[Kev B]

Only thing to be aware of is 2wd cars must drive the rear wheels, Front wheel drive cars run in the 4wd class!

[jimmy]

Is that a new rule? it never used to exist - two driven wheels on the same axle - front or rear I thought it was. Front wheel drive is a joke anyway.

[Kev B]

Think this rule has always been in there since i started racing a long time ago. Thing the Kyosho maxium FF back in the 90's caused this one!

[terry.sc]

Originally Posted by jimmy

Is that a new rule? it never used to exist - two driven wheels on the same axle - front or rear I thought it was. Front wheel drive is a joke anyway.

It's been an IFMAR rule since 1987. That year the worlds was on a low grip surface and with tyre technology at the time mean grip was low no matter what you did. Petermann built a special fwd chassis based on CAT parts that showed the potential of fwd cars on low grip surfaces, so the rule was introduced so racers didn't have to have a fwd and rwd car to compete at the worlds depending on the surface.

Anywhere else apart from the worlds you can use fwd chassis, fwd is allowed under BRCA rules.

BTW the Maxxum FF didn't appear until 1989.
And under BRCA rules you can have as many wheels as you like, and for that matter as many motors you like, but you can only use 6 EB approved cells to power it.