Sunday, July 22, 2012

Upgrades, tuning, tires, and practice

I want to touch on the subject of some upgrades that I have done the last few weeks. Some are hop up parts some are just helpful little tricks I have picked up from RobKs blog, info that I have learned from Robert during our trips to Houston, and of course the forums and the Houston guys.

I of course went back to 200mm a few weeks ago and that was a step in the right direction. From there I got new tires. Last year I had run the F3 mediums and softs with the R3 softs. They worked OK, but once we got wind of the H1 Hard rears in F103 size, we nabbed some sets, and there is no looking back. So #1 is the right tires, as it normally is. The fronts are still the F3 softs or mediums, the softs worked well for me last week outside on asphalt and this week indoor on carpet. The same tires did not work for Doug last week, his X1 was undrivable with softs up front but a switch to the mediums hooked him up well and he was able to go from 3 DNFs in the qualifiers to bumping from the B to the A main.

Another little trick that I learned last year and had forgotten was from RobKs blog. Caster for the 103 frontend. Simple little mod, most of you probably know. Add a spacer or 2 under the front mounting screw of the front end. 1 or 2 will do, I put about 1.5 mm under and it settled my car down, but still had good turn in. Robert reminded me of it, as I had forgotten that while I was running the narrow car. Bang, car was instantly better. 2 laps, and .5 second/lap.

Of course there are the other mods I did earlier; removing 104 bottom plate/diffuser, and changing the side shock to a dampener tube.

Yesterday, I got a CRC shorty pack and I adjusted ride height to 4mm front/4.5 back, put the side shock with 30wt back in place of the tube. The shock I firmly believe is better. At least in my situation, and at least yesterday. I noticed my car was diving into the hi speed sweeper. Talked with Robert, he was testing oils in his side shocks, and different side springs. We were having same issue and I made the switch. Not only did I not get the "dive" going into the sweeper, I was able to keep the throttle pegged all the way through it. Plus I was at full throttle a lot more during the entire lap, instead of pussyfooting through the infield. I was hooked up, front was grabbing well, but I still had just enough rear rotation to "steer with the rear" around the hairpins. Stable and fast in the straight away and the turns. Best my car has ever been. Robert and Doug both drove it as well, and they said the same thing. I can not wait for next weeks race.

I dont know what effects the shorty pack had on my car. I made several changes, but I cant help but think that the shorty has a lot to do with it.

I have a new speedo now too. I fried my Edge, and haven't sent it back in yet for a replacement. I bought a Brushless Hobbies LT4 120 amp speedo. Heres the LINK. The Houston guys turned me on to this esc. $60. Programmable, boost, all that stuff. Comes pre-programmed in blinky and is what I will use. From what I have read, its one of the smoothest esc's out there. I have it in the F1 now, the GTB2 will go into the 1/12 and when I get the Edge back, it will go into the WGT. WGT car is way good now too. Battery forward, just like the F1.

Full report next week, I am looking forward to trying out this speedo. Should be a great weekend again. And then Austin 2 weeks after that for the Texas EOS. Great Summer!

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