RC10T - Dirt Setup questions :)

[Lonestar]

Hi Folks,

I'm rebuilding a Team Truck for vintage racing (here: http://www.rc10talk.com/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=38275)... There is a thread on a 10T carpet setup, but none for old-school dirt racing (read: not onroad with jumps, ruts, dirt, and very little grip!). I figured out I could ask my Q's here as they would get more visibility, plus a separate thread would be useful as a one-stop-shop for the 10T dirt setup

looking through the site for a starting point, there is Pavidis' 94 winterchamp winning setup here: http://www.rc10talk.com/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=37824 - Can we use this as a discussion starting point, maybe?

Hydraulics:
I'm puzzled by the piston setup: #3 pistons front seem to be a pack-heavy setup for a 2wd, be it truck or buggy, at least that's what I remember from my small-bore days. Is this because of the more laid-down shocks on Pavidis' car, or the low-grip performance of the rubber coumpound bitd?

Springs
Also, Blue springs all around: are we talking these for the fronts? (I have the full buggy set, but not trucks): http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LX2887&P=7 - and again, how would this be "adapted" to the lesser shock angle from the tower?

Any thoughts on the kit shock spring? My car has silver front and gold rears, but I'm not sure they are the silvers-golds that correspond to the modern spring ratings...

Others:
I keep reading about stock steering bellcranks performance issue... but really, what is so wrong about them?

Thanks a lot everyone!
Paul

[jwscab]

the original bellcranks being longer than the buggy set had different response, so from what I've read on here, this leads to a twitchier front end that calms down using the short bellcranks.

[RC10th]

#3 piston is quite firm but if the track is smooth should be ok. He also has the shocks in the inner arm hole which has more leverage, so the #3/#2 is probably to compensate. If you mount the shocks outward or if the track is bumpy I'd go #2/#1.

Generally you want the rear spring softer then the front, 1 - 2 spring rates softer. I've always found with stadium trucks laying the rears over (inside tower) and having the front in the middle to outer hole a good starting point. I would try Silver Front/Green Rear, maybe Blue/Silver if traction was high and the track smooth. High grip carpet I ran Gold/Blue.

Standard bellcranks are terrible to say the least, if you look at Pavidis's truck it doesn't even have them. Replacing them will be one of the best things you could do.

[kaiser]

stock bellcranks always loosened up on my truck. hated them.
I run a composite craft set now, no issues.

I run blue/silver on my truck, high bite, smooth track.

edit: added link to an old discussion with some good stuff:

http://www.rc10talk.com/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=28227

[Lonestar]

Thanks folks, very useful (as usual).

I'm just done rebuilding the shocks with stock #1's F/R and the stock (actually gold) springs... I'll bench-test that first, knowing that I likely need to rebuildit all anyways (springs on order...).

Traction is going to be low, and track not so smooth I think. Vintage cars on a vintage-style track!

Paul

[RC10th]

#1 front is too light, especially with a gold spring.

low grip and bumpy I would run,

#2/#1
35/30
Silver/green

[Lonestar]

#1 front is too light

Yes, I understand that Still I'll bench-test it before swapping pistons, if only to get a better feel for the change!

Re "my" gold springs, I'm kinda thinking they might not be the same "golds" as those sold in modern packs, really.... anyways!

Thanks everyone... more parts on order



Paul