newcomer with a question

[griemar]

Actually I have 2 questions.

1) I just purchased a RC10 GT2RS Stadium Truck. I used Traxxas Top Fuel 10% to break in the engine. Actually I ran about 6 to 8 tanks of this through it. Performance was rather lacking still so I moved up to Traxxas Top Fuel 33%. HUGE difference now. The truck launches nicely and runs MUCH smoother. Now for the question. Is 33% ok for this truck? I have a AE.15 in it and have seen a few ppl say that it's not good to run anything over 20% in it.

2) High speed turns. Granted, the truck is only about 6 hrs old now, but the stock tires do not grip at all for any kind of high speed turning. Is there any way I can improve turning and stop the front from sliding until i can get out for new/better tires?

Thanks in advance.

 

[person123]

1) STOP USING 33% NITRO!!!!!! Use 20%. Anything higher than 20% will reduce the life of your engine (it will stop working sooner, and then you need to buy a new one). Anything below 20% will not have enough power. Also, using 20% makes buying glowplugs easier because as long as it is between 45 and 80 degrees F, you will use a "medium" to "medium-cold" glowplug. I would pick up traxxas 20% fuel (dont go with another brand since you have already used traxxas fuel in the engine [it is not good to use different %'s or brands of fuel in one engine]) and "re-break-in" the engine. This could potentially "get" the engine used to the 20% fuel.

2) as for the steering.......it is a 2wd truck and most of the weight is in the back for more traction. Of course, this sacrifices steering, but steering wouldn't matter if you couldn't move forward or hold a turn. With 2wd trucks, you just have to either let off the throttle (or brake) and then turn, or crank the wheels and punch it. Turning at full throttle is nearly impossible because of the weight distribution, and the fact that the front end wants to pull up. Different tires will help depending on what surface you run on, and generally a softer, stickier tire will provide better traction/response; but it will also wear out faster.

 

[griemar]

1) STOP USING 33% NITRO!!!!!! Use 20%. Anything higher than 20% will reduce the life of your engine (it will stop working sooner, and then you need to buy a new one). Anything below 20% will not have enough power. Also, using 20% makes buying glowplugs easier because as long as it is between 45 and 80 degrees F, you will use a "medium" to "medium-cold" glowplug. I would pick up traxxas 20% fuel (dont go with another brand since you have already used traxxas fuel in the engine [it is not good to use different %'s or brands of fuel in one engine]) and "re-break-in" the engine. This could potentially "get" the engine used to the 20% fuel.

ok, then I am seriously in a bind then. I got the truck for dual purposes. I like bashing around here at the house. But on the weekends I like to run the tracks around here. 20% would surely be great for bashing, but to stay competitive at the track, 33% is pretty much the standard here. If I lower the % and run 20, wouldn't the folks at the track have an advantage over me?

 

[person123]

One thing you will find out is that driving skill is more important than sheer speed. Plus, the very short engine lifespan is not worth the minimal increase in speed from more nitro content. Like I said, anything over 20% nitro will overwork your engine, and also make it a little harder to tune (I think). The reason you see the pro racers in the magazines using above 20% nitro is because they get free racing equipment from their sponsors; free fuel, free engines, etc. They replace their engines every couple of races (some every race). Also, at the level they are competing at, any slight advantage will make a HUGE difference.

The nitro guy at my lhs races rc10gts (the old ones) and he actually sold me one of his trucks because I wanted to start racing. He wins offroad races, and dirt oval races with his different gt's and he uses old-school, nothing special O.S. .12 engines with odonnel or trinity monster horsepower 20% fuel. He is racing against guys with new losi trucks (which I guess handle better overall) who use the highest nitro content they can find. They go through 3 engines in one season of racing, and he has been using one of his engines for 3 YEARS and it is still going strong! Oh, and he also runs his trucks at 200 degrees F; no higher or lower.

Anyway, just start using 20% fuel. Use the same fuel every time you run your truck, and dont get caught up with what other racers tell you or are using. Most of the time, they can afford to spend $300 a week on one rc vehicle. And I've seen a few racers give out advice that they know will give them an advantage over you on the racetrack.

 

[psunitro]

Well, I will dissagree with you some here. If you go to 20%( I would), you DONT have to stick with Traxxas. You CAN run different fuels(brands) in a single motor, buy yes, you will have to completely retune it. You dont have to "re-break-in" the mill.Just RETUNE.Not sure how a mill "gets" used to a nitro % or brand.
I will agree 20% is just fine for ST's and .12-.15's in general. you CAN run a higher nitro % but I dont think you will see the benifits. Running a highr nitro % will lower the temps, but I dont think it is worth it. Just get a quality,brand name fuel. And I TRY to stick with it, but like I said, you CAN switch brands, but you will have to completely retune.

As for steering, p123 is right on. It is driving skill in 2WD ST.tires play a HUGE role in this as well, but go to the AE site, get a base set-up, and drive the track as often as you can.

 

[ricer55]

i agree with psunitro. The steering thing is hard to get used to, but once you get it down 2wd st's will out steer anything on the track.

About the fuel, i would drop traxxas asap!!! go with O'Donnel or trinity. Also everybody goes through engines, to get the most out of your engine you have to put a lot of stress on it. Thats why a lot of racers go through so many engines. It's just part of the hobby.

 

[person123]

to get the most out of your engine you have to put a lot of stress on it. Thats why a lot of racers go through so many engines. It's just part of the hobby.

I take it you mean to get the most speed? What I am saying is that there is not enough differance in speed/power/etc to justify the extra wear on your engine. I'm saying that driving skill and a well tuned engine on 20% will win more races than 30% fuel.

As far as not using different nitro contents and different brands of fuel in one engine, I am just going by what the guy at my lhs said (he has gone through over 30 engines in the hobby and he has learned a lot as far as break-in, tuning, fuel, etc. He is to the point where he doesn't follow any manuals or any such thing relating to engines).

 

[griemar]

Thanks a bunch everyone! Next week when pay day rolls around I'll be getting some 20% for sure. As for the tires, I went with Pro-Line Hole Shot 2.2" M3's for track running and the Pro-Line Road Rage II 2.2" for bashing around here in the parking lot. I'm just hoping that the re-tune goes as easy as the original did.

 

[person123]

good luck

 

[nitromaxx3.3]

what does the glow plug have to do with anything?

 

[CharliesTheMan]

for the re tune, if you're not really experienced in tuning an engine by feel, you can just reset the needles to the factory settings and tune from there. I hope you would have a temp gun by now, but if you don't have one, get off the computer and go buy one now. It will make your life a lot easier and may save an engine. I think for the brand of fuel, see what the LHS carries and then make your choice from there. It's nice to be able to go across town and buy fuel early Saturday morning when you realize that you're running low, as opposed to ordering all your fuel and haveing to be out of commision for a week because you didn't think to order more fuel ahead of time.