Choosing your equipment

[Plex]

Should I start with a buggy or a truck?

You should probably start with a truck. Here are some factors to think about:
� Choose a class that's popular with local racers. If nobody races trucks, don't pick a truck, because you won't have anybody to race with.
� Choose something that appeals to you. Watch a race and decide for yourself what looks most exciting.
� Trucks are easier to drive. That's because with their greater weight and larger tires, they are more stable and react a little more slowly in the turns. Their handling is a better match to normal human reaction times. Trucks turn faster lap times than buggies on some tracks, slower on others. Trucks are faster on typical outdoor tracks with bumps and ruts that upset a buggy; buggies shine on smooth, groomed indoor tracks.
� Trucks work a lot better than buggies on grass. Grass fields are a convenient place to learn driving before you start to race and also a great place to practice between races.
Truck is the most popular class in the USA, and more and more newcomers are starting with trucks.
If you are making this choice in early 1997 here's another factor to complicate your decision: The popularity of four-wheel-drive buggies is expected to increase explosively in 1997 (see the answer to the next question.) If four-wheel-drive takes off, some other class is bound to decline in popularity; I expect that class to be two-wheel drive buggies, not trucks.



What about four-wheel-drive buggies?


Four-wheel-drive buggies are fast and fun, but they aren't raced much in the USA.
Some will say that Kyosho, Schumacher, Tenth Technology as well engineer no four-wheel-drive buggy as the two-wheel-drive buggies, but the current four-wheel-drives, and Yokomo are quite good. Engineering quality is not the problem.
Four-wheel-drive buggies were fairly popular here until trucks came along and displaced them. Trucks have several advantages that caused them to take over:
� No American company produces four-wheel-drive buggies; so four-wheel-drive buggies are more expensive in the USA than two-wheel-drive buggies and trucks. Parts for four-wheel-drive buggies are more difficult to obtain.
� American companies (Losi and Associated) dominate the competition two-wheel-drive buggy market in the USA. To keep their costs down, manufacturers tend to share many parts (e.g. shocks, bulkheads, motor mounts, rear axles, out drives, steering linkage) between trucks and buggies. All the basic hardware (nuts and bolts) is common. The imported four-wheel-drive buggies don't share any parts with the popular two-wheel-drive buggies. And the imports are metric, so even basic hardware and tools are different from what you've invested in for two-wheel-drive.
� Four-wheel-drive is more complex to build and set up, and more work to maintain.
� You can use the same batteries in trucks and buggies; most four-wheel-drive buggies require different batteries -- a three-and-three saddle-pack configuration.
Things are changing, however. Team Losi released the XX-4 four-wheel-drive buggy in April 1997. The XX-4 contains significant innovations including a fully sealed drive train to reduce maintenance and a forward-mounted motor to make the buggy more stable. The XX-4 should trigger a revival of the four-wheel-drive buggy class in the USA.
Stay tuned for further developments. Four-wheel-drive sedan racing on pavement is very popular, and Losi could adapt the XX-4 drive train to the pavement, just as Tamiya and Yokomo did with their four-wheel-drive off-road vehicles.



Should I race what I've already got?


You may already have an off-road buggy or truck, but not a competitive racer. Perhaps you have a Super Blackfoot or an MT-10M or a Rustler. Should you race it?
Absolutely! You can use an entry-level vehicle to get your first racing experience. As a beginner your main objectives are to stay on the track, finish the race, and have fun. You can do this with an entry-level buggy or truck.
But don't get caught in the trap of adding expensive upgrades to an entry-level vehicle. No amount of upgrading can overcome the design limitations in the chassis, suspension, and transmission of such a vehicle. You will spend a lot of money and end up with something that is unreliable and uncompetitive.
Race your entry-level vehicle as is, except for a tire upgrade if needed for your track. After awhile, if you decide you want to continue racing, get yourself a kit that's race-bred.
The only entry-level vehicles worth upgrading are the ones derived from today's competitive racers. Entry-level trucks in this class include the bushing XXX-Spec Truck kits from Team Losi and the bushing RC10T3 Basic kits from Team Associated. It is not worth upgrading older designs such as the Team Losi Jr-T and Team Associated bushing RC10T.
How should I buy my equipment?
You can save a lot of money on major pieces of equipment by buying them used, either from someone getting out of the hobby or from someone upgrading his equipment. You can generally get good used equipment for half the price you would pay for new equipment.
Buying used is risky if you are inexperienced. If you've an experienced friend, that's a big help. Generally you should insist on trying before buying, especially when it comes to electronic equipment. In buying a used car or truck, pay special attention to the condition of the ball bearings, especially the big expensive ones on the output shafts of the transmission ("out drives").
The best place to look for used racing equipment is at the track, since that's where the racers are. Some tracks have bulletin boards of for-sale notices; if there is a hobby shop at the track, the shop may sell used equipment on consignment. You can also just walk around the pits and ask people if they have equipment for sale. Be warned that some tracks don't allow used equipment sales on the premises, because they feel that sales of used equipment will reduce their business. If the track is associated with a shop, ask to be sure.
After exhausting whatever used equipment opportunities you decide to explore, make a list of everything else you need. (The answer to the next question will help you in drafting your list.)
If your local shop
� Puts on races, lends financial support to a club that puts on races, sells parts at races, or
� Has a knowledgeable staff (most likely, active racers) who help you learn new techniques and solve problems,
Then you have a vital interest in seeing that shop succeed. Take your list to the shop and negotiate the best package deal you can. By all means use mail order prices for comparison, but don't expect your hobby dealer to match them to the dollar.
If you don't have a local shop, or your local shop doesn't deserve your business, then go with phone/mail order. I think you should bias your purchases toward shops that support racing in their vicinity and have knowledgeable staff to help you.


What do I need to get started?


As a beginner you should pick a car that allows you to get the maximum support from local racers. Select something that other people are running -- people you think will help you. Hang around your track, observing and asking questions, and you'll quickly draw conclusions about who will be helpful.
At many tracks in the US you will find strong Associated and Losi camps. Associated Electrics and Team Losi are the US manufacturers of R/C electric off-road racing cars and trucks. They both make fine products and many shops stock parts for their cars and trucks.

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