New, but not.

[TeknoJ]

Hello.

I'm Kelly... and short course rc rules.

I started racing in the mid 1980's and have been an RC car enthusiast ever since. My first car was the Tamiya Frog. At the age of 14, I saved every cent I had to get it... complete with stick radio & all.

I saw the birth of the RC10 gold pan and every little thing since. Of course, the RC 10 changed the scene as we all know, but I know as a racer that you're only as good as your driving. Don't matter how much money you got if you can't drive... as I've watched (and done it too) a grasshopper roast an RC 10.

A car, is a car these days (almost). All are about the same lineage echoing back to when Associated dropped a bomb on the hobby. Set it up right, address any weak points... drive well... and you can win any race.

In my height, I had 20 cars. (in the 90's... that was a lot) Life took over, family, kids, etc... and they all disappeared over time.

2 yrs back, my now son-in-law says "hey, you should drive RC cars" and shows me his. It was a mildly modified slash. He had no idea I'd been into it since before he was born.

Then for Chistmas, he drops a slash unassembled kit on my table. I grinned at him as if to say "don't feed my old addiction" because I knew what happens when you get all in.

It sat on my kitchen table for weeks as I remembered back when Traxxas came on the scene. I glared at it in passing. I didn't like it. I was an Associated guy through & through and when Losi came along, (an associated's spawn) just copying associated I already knew where it was all headed.

Well... luck has it that I'm in a position to do just that... and get all in... again.

Moving forward, Now in my 50's with an empty nest, and a 100 foot x 80 foot back yard.... (and a friend's idea) I've built a full on pro course in my own back yard and gotten back into it. It's a true dirt course, configurable, watered, maintained & all. I have a roller to make it flat, and just like any pro course.

While some might giggle, my weapon of choice is the Slash. I have 5 of them, and the 4wd.

Why? Because it's the most durable thing known and parts are readily available any time one wants... at any hobby store.

As I mentioned, I remember when Traxxas came out, I was around 20. As an avid Associated racer with my own custom "mid" 2wd RC10 with that stealth tranny... (far before the "b" things came out with it mind you)... I scoffed at it thinking "gosh, just another wannabe" but... they did change the scene.

The short course thing wouldn't exist without em.

So that's what I run and have absolute fun with it. I like the bit of realism & charm they have.

I don't race any more due to the egos involved and sheer stupidity among most of them, but, I'm happy to say that the dirt I raced on 30 years ago is still in use to this day at Eaton's intermountain RC track here in SLC utah although my track is bigger.

It's strange to stand on their track honestly... it still smells the same.

It's neat also that after all that time and a hobby I loved, has come back around in my life. My daughter and her husband are killer drivers with their own trucks. Imagine sharing your childhood hobby with your kid & them liking it after they grew up.

Anyway... that's an intro.

On to business...

With the SEA of parts out there now... made by every kind of person and/or sketchy company... I'll have a few questions on durability if anything on specific items, and to share just the silly fun that is. I just like a solid car. The slash (and yes the associated SC) are golden and I don't need convincing that they're not. I run stock chassis on the slash for looks (and you don't get high-centered) all that often on parts/track hardware as well. Don't get me wrong, sure... the high CG can give a small handicap, but not much if setup is right. I've killed low cg cars with my stock chassis... then drove over them.

Time to talk Driveshafts... let's hear it. What driveshafts are the best, in any opinion, for the slash 2wd in a 2s or 3s setting. Currently, I'm testing the Traxxas units (some 84 bucks) and the MIP cheap ones. Never mind the Xduty ones, I can't see breaking those monsters... ever. (MIP's been around as long as I've been doing this.)

Findings so far: Traxxas units bind up in the shaft spines at times (initially) in the telescoping areas, mods are needed to the gear cover to work letting yet more dirt in, and hit the upper control link making you change geometry. But... they do work just fine. Quite fine actually. Once they "wear in" they're super.. MIP: 08106... other than a 1MM shave of the lower arm... Flawless so far, making sure you run the rubber stoppers in the shocks so not as to grind into the shaft with the dogbone cups... and half the price at my shop at 40 bucks. (just like all their stuff... thus far... bullet proof.)

Are there any others that some here might know of? I'm just looking for things that don't fail.

Finally... Having tested many things recently I will say that the HPI (Toyo tires) thingamabob SC truck, is junk. Do not buy one. Fast as crap out of the box, silly fast... for about 20 minutes... but the rest is garbage. In under 20 minutes... (using 2S alone) ball joints popped and just didn't want to hang on, servo stripped... then the ESC went weird. The truck literally limps home on its knees asking to be set on fire because you put it on an actual track. Good for street use for about 1 hour until that diff gives the finger and craps the bed due to HPI overpowering it. Truck will actually parachute on dry land at full speed... making it... uncontrollable. It's too light and/or... too much lift on the poor thing. I will however give a nod to the copy job they did on the frame. That dual rail thing... was done by AYK some 4 decades ago. (look up AYK pro radiant) It's nothing new... and the radiant ruled. I had one.

The only thing usable in that kit, is that meaty Flux motor. That thing rips. Body's pretty too. Maybe they should just make bodies. That'd be swell.

Anyway, hi.

Who's got input on driveshafts?

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Impressive

 

[kawood100]

I just use the HD Traxxas drive shafts but I think you can upgrade to the driveshafts from a tekno. Not 100% sure what parts you need but I think it's 30-40 bucks

Thanks. I'll give that a shot. I just want a solid thing. Honestly I prefer the dog bone combined with the C-cvd thingy. In the old days, the dog bone never broke.. although you'd lose it if something else gave up. This new way works really well. These Tekno ones are like the MIP (cheaper version they have but the pin is captured by the oversized bearing. Drawback, you bust a tekno carrier, you need a tekno carrier and bearing. I'll still try it because I love trying new things and breaking them.

Tiny note: The MIP Xduty shafts... sure they look strong, but have a fatal flaw. The Hex, affixes to their axle using a set screw. There's no hole for a standard pin. Thus... you tighten the wheel... and no matter how tight you have that set screw... the hex will move in and pinch the bearings making it... a flaw. temporary fix, a slight drilled hole in the axle for the set screw so it doesn't move in... but it's a test. The design "SHOULD" have had a standard pin, just like all others. Fail... Xduty. So far, the MIP cheap version, is the current badass.

 

[TeknoJ]

So what’s the next one you’re getting @kawood100 ??
Love the track, welcome back. I look forward to more of your posts.

 

[BruceRC]

Welcome! That track is !

 

[kawood100]

So what’s the next one you’re getting @kawood100 ??
Love the track, welcome back. I look forward to more of your posts.

Getting? Nothing. On the other hand, "Making"... is a few neat things. 1st, Stay tuned on how to make a back-slash correctly. (I'll make a new post about this mid, all about it soon... oh, and how many things you must murder to do it this way. Also to show why most people's attempts don't work...(e.g. sketchy performance) one can't just spin the ass end around... the geometry is wrong if you do.) I did it in the 90's with an RC10 and it ruled the track for years (far before the RC10B whatevers went MID mind you)... so I'm doing it with a slash.

2nd, last pics... I'm gonna make bodies that have never been done because I just want a little "something" unique. That's all. I'll post about that too after I've got the mold of the first prototype done. (she's a mash up of... um... some cars.... should be snazzy with 2 versions: The short course coupe, and the Wagon (think chevy nomad here))

Yep.

 

[TeknoJ]

Getting? Nothing. On the other hand, "Making"... is a few neat things. 1st, Stay tuned on how to make a back-slash correctly. (I'll make a new post about this mid, all about it soon... oh, and how many things you must murder to do it this way.) I did it in the 90's with an RC10 and it ruled the track for years (far before the RC10B whatevers went MID mind you)... so I'm doing it with a slash.

2nd, last pics... I'm gonna make bodies that have never been done because I just want a little "something" unique. That's all. I'll post about that too after I've got the mold of the first prototype done. (she's a mash up of... um... some cars.... should be snazzy with 2 versions: The short course coupe, and the Wagon (think chevy nomad here))

Yep.

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Yea buddy!

 

[kawood100]

Welcome to RCT

Best use of a back-yard I've seen lately. You and Smilinbri (member here) have great tracks.

Thanks. The idea was to make something that's not predictable AND able to change any time. The black barriers (flex water drainage pipe) all stake in with rebar hooks I made, with sections to pull off any course we like. They take the hits and don't dislodge. The outer white barriers are vinyl siding hooked to rebar pounded in the ground. It takes the hit of any car at 50mph and works really well. 13 of them made the outer edges of the track. If you do launch over them, the vines near the fences (the forest) save you every time often catching the truck softly! The inner "tires" are used go kart racing tires with the same rebar hooks in the ground. One can get over them if you have to but they won't wreck your car if you hit em. Jumps & such are placed in random areas making the driver actually have to drive, rather than practice on the same ole... predictable track and know the right setup.

Of course I love all tracks, but I just don't dig the expected thing. Meaning... oh look! A triple, now a double, now whoopties... now the expected bank... yawn. Make it different... make em drive. There's a fast way around every course if you can drive and the pure element of running with others makes it all worth it. Even with the venilion 2/3 s setup, here, the stock slash gearing makes it quite the rumble. (16/90) 17/86 in a 2s setup is about the fastest you could run here and control it. Do a 23/24 and 86... and you'll launch it right over the fence on 3 banks if you try. (points if you do too). Tires of choice here: Proline Gladiators, proline Trenchers and the badlands of course. Stock slash tires can work here if you cut off every other row of tread on some... but the track has to be just the right "wet" to work for that and clutch just right. (Gladiators are the best here.... just like "fuzzies" in the 90's) Stock slash rubber (any of them) is good for goofing off and some spec class of course, but here it's racing. Tires are everything.

 

[RustyUs]

Thanks. I'll give that a shot. I just want a solid thing. Honestly I prefer the dog bone combined with the C-cvd thingy. In the old days, the dog bone never broke.. although you'd lose it if something else gave up. This new way works really well. These Tekno ones are like the MIP (cheaper version they have but the pin is captured by the oversized bearing. Drawback, you bust a tekno carrier, you need a tekno carrier and bearing. I'll still try it because I love trying new things and breaking them.

Tiny note: The MIP Xduty shafts... sure they look strong, but have a fatal flaw. The Hex, affixes to their axle using a set screw. There's no hole for a standard pin. Thus... you tighten the wheel... and no matter how tight you have that set screw... the hex will move in and pinch the bearings making it... a flaw. temporary fix, a slight drilled hole in the axle for the set screw so it doesn't move in... but it's a test. The design "SHOULD" have had a standard pin, just like all others. Fail... Xduty. So far, the MIP cheap version, is the current badass.

You sparked my interest. I had to look for myself on those MIP axles. I see what you're saying about the set screw. Is it crazy to only rely on a set screw making the hex adaptor secure? Lots of forces going on there. With proper size and tip, I'm sure it would hold... for how long? I'd be using a red threadlocker most definitely.

I don't closely follow Traxxas

 

[kawood100]

You sparked my interest. I had to look for myself on those MIP axles. I see what you're saying about the set screw. Is it crazy to only rely on a set screw making the hex adaptor secure? Lots of forces going on there. With proper size and tip, I'm sure it would hold... for how long? I'd be using a red threadlocker most definitely.
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I don't closely follow Traxxas

I just figured it out. Thanks to you posting that imagery... (the kit, doesn't show exactly what to do...) The extra spacers are the way not to smash the bearings... like a crush tube in other types of wheels. My bad, it works. Still be nicer if they just did it in a standard way... BUT, this method does work so... yep.

 

[luke66]

Awesome track! SCTs are pretty sick, but Buggies are tops.