'91 Composite Craft/RPM Worlds build

[Brocklee]

I made some improvements to the front end (aka truck bulkhead) setup. I made and installed a heavier brace bar and installed a few small sections of nose tube brace in the bulkhead recesses to provide support. If this fails to hold up I may go the aluminum bulkhead route or have one made out of a material such as delrin. I just worry about snapping the upper deck if I get in a crash.



I raced it last Sunday and it held up really well, no problems other than the chronic ball cup disconnect (when I hit something of course). Nobody can seem to pop them back on but they sure pop off easily enough! I will be changing to the captured ball end links soon.
The car ran really well but I still cannot seem to really turn fast. Tuning is something that comes slowly to me as I don't have really good enough driving skills to know what the car is doing. So... I had one of the better drivers take it a few laps around. It was squirrly for him as well. Obviously everybody is different in setup preference so he was reluctant to say what he thought about it's set up. I feel lost seting this car up but I do feel that the front suspension needs some help. It doesnt feel smooth, almost binding when I push down on the front end. If I activate each arm by itself, off the ground, it feels smooth. I'll be looking into that soon.

If you would like to learn a suspension tuning process that I find really helpful look at this thread http://www.rctech.net/forum/electric-off-road/519561-tune-camber-links.html. It's really long so I would only read the posts from fredswain and take notes you can look at while you're at the track. The main idea behind this thread is making your cars suspension as balanced as possible. Oh and bye the way the car looks awesome, I've always wanted one of the 89 and 91 worlds stealth chassis

[vsefiream]

Some new updates, I converted to the bigger (1/2") bearing RPM rear hubs, a new set of 3/16" CVDs (I thought I ordered shiney but missed the fine print! ), Brand new rere motor plate, RPM motor guard, GT axles, B4 wheels and PinPoint tires. I FINALLY got the Dubro HD ball ends installed. I am so happy with them and the front end is set up nice now! Very little bump steer if any and ackerman is almost nill!
I have to figure out what ESC I am going to use in this car but I want something a little more adjustable than the XL5. Any suggestions on a good brushed ESC that won't break the bank?

I took pics with my OIN car:

[vsefiream]

I've been working on this car a bit more to refine it before the fall season. Most of my updates have been on facebook so I thought it was time to update this thread.
I have decided to share the electronics between my two runners. The CC/RPM car is used mainly indoors during the Fall through Spring season where the OIN car is used outdoors from the Spring through Fall so sharing electronics is not a big deal. I mounted the Hobby Wing ESC and brushless 17.5 motor in the CC/RPM car and went racing. I've had it to the track twice so far this season. The first time out was just a few weeks ago and it was a mess. I broke a white steering arm in the first heat due to the increased load the DuBro ball joints add. They do not pop off so that energy is just transfered down the line. I swapped both of the white steering arms to black arms. I still had a lot of over steer and then an issue with my sensor cable in the second heat which made the car nearly impossible to race. I was lucky enough to get my hands on another cable for free from a fellow racer at the track. In all the last heat was Ok but between my driving and the squirrley-ness of the car I didn't do so well.
I made a few more improvements last week. I came across a spektrum servo in a car I just picked up. It was a high torque metal geared unit so it went right into my CC/RPM car along with a servo arm instead of a servo saver. This tightened the steering right up! I also added a rear body mount for this beat up old body. I plan on getting a nice body done up for this car next spring so the current body has to make it until then. I also cut open a vent over the ESC for the fan. Lastly I rebuilt the front shocks with 20wt silicone oil as I thought they felt tight and not as smooth as they could be. The pistons are #2 so the thinner oil made them a bit softer and proper bleeding made them smoother. In all the car felt a lot tighter but still had over steer at the track. I brought three additional sets of tires to test with. All of them were softer compound some minipins some mini blocks similar to hole shots. Nothing worked better than the pin points!! They were all like racing on ice compared to the pinpoints. A guy pitting across from me gave me a few tips to increase rear grip, so I put the pin points back on, stiffened up the front, layed the front shocks inboard at the top and loosened up the rear springs all the way. I also added a little toe in to make it a bit less darty. The car sat with the front about 1/2" higher than the rear and the on track difference was huge. I was able to turn and I was able to make second place in the first heat of Novice class (I still suck at driving don't forget!). Second heat was even better, I took the win in Novice and took the leap into 2wd buggy for the main, heck I had better lap times than a B4 that was struggling in 2wd buggy class anyhow! I started the C main in 2wd buggy, the first couple laps were slow and smooth, the 17.5 is a bit slow for this class, I was quickly lapped, I wasn't able to make a couple of the doubles either. When the leaders came around, I lost my groove, I ran into an imoveable object of some sort and broke one of the black steering arms! I was out after three laps! However the night was a hugh success in my book. I was actually able to get decent and consistant laps times. I think with a little more practice and some tunning I may get better yet!! Before the night ended I was talking motors with a couple guys at the track when one of them handed me a 13.5 Trackstar motor. This is the same guy who hooked me up with the free sensor cable! I asked what he wanted for the motor and he took $10!! Now I'm loaded with a 13.5!! I'll have to watch my speed but I need the power for some of the jumps.

[Peakey]

Some new updates, I converted to the bigger (1/2") bearing RPM rear hubs, a new set of 3/16" CVDs (I thought I ordered shiney but missed the fine print! ), Brand new rere motor plate, RPM motor guard, GT axles, B4 wheels and PinPoint tires. I FINALLY got the Dubro HD ball ends installed. I am so happy with them and the front end is set up nice now! Very little bump steer if any and ackerman is almost nill!
I have to figure out what ESC I am going to use in this car but I want something a little more adjustable than the XL5. Any suggestions on a good brushed ESC that won't break the bank?


I took pics with my OIN car:

Can I ask what turnbuckles your using, are they the worlds, team or stealth car ones that lundsford have on there site or am I being a complete retard not knowing this lol