Somebody else driving your builds?

[Coelacanth]

I should've been a bit more clear about this topic; I didn't really mean to ask "Would you let just anybody drive your car?" but rather, "Would you be interested in letting an experienced racer or driver drive your car to see how it performed to its limits?" Of course none of us would let any old Tom, Dick or Harry take the wheel of a car you'd spent hours building. I think some of you are more replying to the topic rather than reading the first post.

[Mr. ED]

Ofcourse yes. I tried to get a friend to take the wheel on my car but I only ever see him at big races where there's little time for playing around. Every time there was practise he was either driving one of his own participating cars, or working on them. He drives tops in the French competition and I'd really like to get some advise of him. Maybe in 3 weeks

One Belgian topdriver took the wheel on a previous build : 2wd buggy based on a traxxas gearbox converted to mid moter. He said it ran surprisingly well but I should go 4th gear. Pretty hard to execute well. He also told me to get stiffer servo saver on the servo and that helped really well

But even a lower ranked racer can tell you lots: another buddy who ran my ultimate revenge told me that part of my wavy straightlines were due to the delay on my radio system, and I can't control the car on jumps well for the same reason. While I was driving he also watched me rather than the car and said Is hould keep my fingers on the steering joystick rather than letting it flip back to neutral. All good tips for issues I did not recognize myself; being used to them and blaming them on my own poor driving and old servos, packs, moters,...

[GAMMACRUSH]

My bad. I would feel grateful for any input they gave me if I was at a track. I think if anyone was serious and had skill I would be down to let them pick almost any car from my collection and go to somewhere like vonats as long as I got it back, but most of mine are setup to bash and the limits are probably very low. I used to always hear about good drivers helping other drivers with their set ups and on the flipside people asking for help too, and that was always touted at the tracks I went to pretty much everyone helps each other, and I always read stories like that in magazines.

I have some rc cars I got from sponsored drivers that I'd say already hit their personal best limit (the cars I mean). I want those ones to stay untouched with the same settings and all that... actually I can't say that because I gave my next door neighbor's nephew a green Reedy Supersonic that came out of a B2 and we dropped it directly into his XTM Xcellerator. He's testing it for me. Its fast.

[LowClassCC]

"Would you be interested in letting an experienced racer or driver drive your car to see how it performed to its limits?"

in that case i would still have to decline, but it would be for different reasons. mostly because i know my vehicles already out perform my skills and that my skills will never get much better than they already are. so there is no need to show me what will never be able o do on the track with the car. seasoned pro or average club racer, both would just show me i suck as a driver.

[Tomas Karlsson]

I often let some friends drives my racecars, especially when they perform like shit so i can have inputs on what i need to change.

[Mad Racer]

Well for me I do all my own building, Modifications, Testing & set ups from scratch.

I have been racing since 85 with only a short break in the 90's. I spend many hrs setting a car up. I have a Base set up that i like after all the yrs of competition you get to know what you like. If I'm building a new modern buggy i use the same roll centers and pick up points . I use to build to the instructions but always end back to my base set up than go from there.

I have spent countless hrs in research on the net of what does what. Vintage runners that I run that aren't adjustable but you can see where the pick ups are. Shock tuning ( Pistons, Oils, Pack, Rebound, Spring Rates) Caster, camber, With silver can motors I dyno them . I than do my own testing in my back yard practice track for gearing ( Roughly than fine tune at the track.) Turn in, On & off power steering and the shocks. Than play with tire compounds if there is nothing more left in the chassis.

I do test a lot of other peoples cars and tell them where i think it could be improved. As for others testing mine I'm quite happy to give them the radio if they are as good if not better than me so I can get some good feedback. Pushing a buggy to it's limit is a finely tuned skill in itself . Pushing beyond it's limit anyone can do with no finesse . To push a buggy with in it's limit is the key than fine tune. There is never a totally 100% handling buggy in off road. There maybe one section it's not happy with but every where else it's great. A good driver will be able to compensate that . Than the buggy is 100% for the rest of the track. A good opponent should see this while he is behind you and if his buggy is stronger there he will go through

So I am picky who test my cars....

[Coelacanth]

I have spent countless hrs in research on the net of what does what. Vintage runners that I run that aren't adjustable but you can see where the pick ups are. Shock tuning ( Pistons, Oils, Pack, Rebound, Spring Rates) Caster, camber, With silver can motors I dyno them . I than do my own testing in my back yard practice track for gearing ( Roughly than fine tune at the track.) Turn in, On & off power steering and the shocks. Than play with tire compounds if there is nothing more left in the chassis.

If you lived in western Canada, I'd probably have you test-drive CYANide & Barney and get your setup tips.