NitroBobby

my LHS has a cool indoor track. its a high banked carpet oval that reminds me of a mini-bristol. anyway, its a small track and after talking with the owner i found out that they race the mini sliders and the rc18t on it. i wanted to get some input from you guys on which car is a better deal. i like them both and i'll probably end up with which ever has a larger racing group at the LHS. if both groups have similar numbers racing them, then the choice becomes a little more difficult. the mini slider seems newer so i imagine that there aren't as many after market parts yet. but it is a losi vehicle so i don't think that the parts will be far off (if not already here...). i started looking at the 18t(r) as well and it seems like a great little car. so please post any information that you might have on the pros and cons of these kits. i would appreciate any input you might have. thanks in advance for you support!!!!

p.s. i am looking to race in the stock class. the only real mods are foam tires and a different body. oh and the sliders use a different motor too (baja i think).

Frozen72

RC18T FTW

bigairlife

xray m18t. Better steering than rc18t, better handling and a little more durable. But if you can only race a team associated rc18t, or lose mini slider, then get the rc18t. It's 4wd and is faster and has better tires for racing stock than the slider...

rc-junky007

i say rc18t because of the support and that tey are quick and reliable (for me)

i say get mip superdifs steering link ib 1400s and a reedy stump puller 19t motor

oh yea and the rpm parts such as thebumper a-arms and shock towers they are themost durable stuff out there and if you break them they will replace the part for free

also get foam tires

rc-junky007

i say rc18t because of the support and that tey are quick and reliable (for me)

i say get mip superdifs, steering link, and ib 1400s

oh yea and the rpm parts such as the bumper, a-arms, and shock towers they are themost durable stuff out there and if you break a part they replace it for free

bigairlife

double post?

calvino

heck, RC18T FTW, if it cant turn tight enough, take out the front dogbones, or loosen the diffs, I say it ROCKS[8D], heck, the double post was to show he def wants you to get it

Gex_61

I will say that both are great and capable cars even if you were to race them against each other. If you were to buy all the hopups for both of them, the overall cost would come out about the same. The mini-slider is basically a stretched mini-t, so there are tons of hopups available for both.

One of the major downfalls of the rc18 is its lack of steering. I think the rc18's steering is great; the problem I'm talking about is due to it being 4wd. With the front wheels spinning, it has a bad push in the corners. You can only work with it so much by changing setup. It just isn't as good in the corners as a 2wd is. 2wd is generally harder to drive, but it has better turning capabilities, especially on a high bite surface.

I have been racing an rc18 for a while now and have it just about dialed in. This is one of the main reasons I am switching to the mini-t/slider. I feel like I can't go much faster with the rc18 setup. I want to challenge myself at driving and see if I can get some faster lap times. Also, most of the cars I drive are already 2wd and I'm a huge Losi fan. I have not tried the mini-slider yet.

At our dirt oval nationals, Ron Rossetti qualified 2nd with his mini-slider. He out qualified many Vendetta’s and rc18’s including mine. Nic Case got tq with his rc18, but only because he has unlimited resources and sponsorship…lol, and maybe because he was the only one using a 1/10 brushless system (anything is legal in Open Mini). I finished in 2nd in the 55 lap main, a half lap behind him with my 2c lipo and mamba 8k. He passed me with 8 laps to go. I have no doubt I would have beaten him if I had a 3c lipo. With the track glued, I was already near top speed exiting the corners.



Of course your track is completely different than mine. I’m sure you would be happy with either car. You decide. Talk to the people at your track.

Beomagi

I don't know much about 4wd's push in corners - I don't race, so I haven't noticed much difference as far as that goes.

My mini-t was simply putting together hopups. The steering is perfect, compared to my other mini - except my rc18r which uses an upside down version of xray's steering. Using an hs81mg, standard servo saver instead of the crappy one, and rigid aluminum steering assembly, this car feels like a racer. The hs55 karbonite which fits the mini-t directly should be fine.

My rc18t which was also built of hopups, even with the hs65, alu chassis and steering, dp draglnik and metal clip (still crappy) saver, It's just nowhere near as capable on turning. It's far better when in grass or dirt, but I still hate the servo saver. feels not only weak, but there's slop that only more accurate machining can get rid of. It's lightyears better than stock, Just not as clean.

On my rc18r I has to completely re engineer the steering I didn't like.

If you're racing an oval, from the sound of it (again I don't race!) you need speed, and accurate turning? The mini slider can give you that - without a doubt, it's transmission is far smoother than the rc18s, and therefore, less drag. If you want a more versatile car, I'd recommend the rc18t, but if you're JUST looking at going around the track consider a minit/slider.

novakmaxx

rc18t.

maybelater29

My Feedback: (1)

If they are different classes pick the one you like. If you race the mini slider class then you get a mini slider. If you are racing in the 18t class get the Xray M18T. It is the same class as the RC18T only much better car.

calvino

hey, if you guys say the steering is such a joke, loosen up the front diff, that helps a TON, since it makes it stable down the straights, yet, it can turn like a 2wd on the corners[8D]

Gex_61

Tight front/Loose rear
For adjusting on a 4wd car you want to tighten the front differential, and loosen the rear differential. Having the rear loose will help it turn in the corners. Having the front tight will keep it stable. The front will pull the rear around.

Loose front/Tight rear
Having the front loose wont make it a 2wd car. It will still be connected to the drive system and will still have a differential up front. 2wd cars don't have front differentials, the tires spin independently and have no contact with the other tires. If anything, the front tires on a 2wd car create drag. They need to be pushed by the rear tires and this is why the steering is so good. Having the rear tight is never good on any car for any reason. It will make the car push. BUT... on a 2wd car, think about it, the rear diff is the only thing driving the car. It needs to be tight enough to where it wont slip, but as loose as you can get it so that it will turn good in the corners.

2wd cars are harder to drive and require more skill because the rear is pushing the front around. They do turn better.

Mr. Mugen

Well said!

Gex_61

I also want to talk about the effects of a cars length. Beomagi made me think of it when he was talking about the rc18r.

One of the fastest classes at our track is a 1/10 4wd late model class. The reason they are so fast is because of there length and weight. The rear end is so far behind that in the corners it breaks traction and the car slides through the corner sideways. A 1/10 car has enough weight so that it can stay stabble. A mini 4wd car doesn't have the weight or size to stay stabble and slide through the corner like this, so it wouldn't work the same. Someone used to race an rc18r at our track trying to get this effect. The rear end did want to slide around, but it would regain traction because of the lack of weight. This made the car very inconcistent to drive. This is why adding length to a 4wd mini is not a good idea.

Now, 2wd is different. 1/10 and 1/18 act very similar when you add length to them. I run in an expert truck class. There are certain rules for this class at my LHS. They didn't have much rule over how wide the car could be. So I took my xxx-t and put xxx-buggy arms on it. This shortend the width and made it like the 4wd sedans I just talked about. What it did was add stability. There is no way you can get a 2wd car this small, not even 1/10, to act like full size cars. They don't completely slide sideways, but you would be surprised, they do it a little. It mostly added stability. If I wanted to, I could whip that truck around and it would still endup facing ahead. If I were to do that with the wide xxx-t, it would loop around and who knows where it would end up facing. When I did this change, I did lose steering. Since a 2wd already turns so good, it can afford to lose a little steering.

This is where the mini-slider comes in. At 1/18 scale, the mini-t is even more unstable than it's 1/10 brother. The only thing Losi did to the mini-t was lengthen the chassis. They didn't put shorter a-arms on it like AE did with the rc18r. I would almost argue that the mini-slider is bigger than 1/18. It can get away with it though because the mini-t has a shorter stance than the rc18 or vendetta anyways.

That concludes my argument on why the mini-slider is the ultimate oval racer. Hopefully when I race it for the first time this Friday, it wont totaly suck.

NitroBobby

thanks for all of the replys. so most people are saying that the rc18t is a better choice, but it needs a little tuning. i'll look into it. like i said in the OP, i'm going to go and see which classes are run and which has the most interest. hopefully that will make my decision for me.
the classes are stock rc18r, lightly modified rc18t (foam tires and maybe a slightly better motor) and lightly modded sliders (again foams and motor upgrade).
i'll probably have a blast no matter which i end up with.
thanks again for the input.

Gex_61

With you just starting out and all, I'm sure you would be happy with either. I do think the rc18 has better electronics out of the box. Too bad losi skimped out on that. I hear the mini-baja and mini-slider have better electronics.

PS- I love your signature- what was is, is now was. Also, can you get pictures or the dimensions of your track? I want to see.

Gex_61

Thanks, if you ever hear someone say oval racing is nothing but driving in circles, you can lol.

Gex_61

Sorry, double post

rc-junky007

heck i say if you got the money get both!!! and race in both classes i have both and they each have their pros and cons

oh yea sry for the double post haha

Beomagi

um ok, I'm confused now - I thought oval racing WAS circles? or oval really.

Is it not like nascar?

and carpet racing is of course just low carpet no?

Gex_61

People who say that, are implying that it takes no skill to simply drive in a circle/oval. When in fact, a lot of skill and setup is required.

If Adam Drake had never raced oval before (I don't know, just useing him as an example), and came to my track one weekend, there is a very good chance that I would beat him. A guy who owned our LHS a few years ago gave the oval drivers crap. After handing out the oval trophies, he would start the offroad trophies by saying, "and now for the people who turn left and right". He obviously didn't race very much at his own track.

NitroBobby

yeah, i'd like to get both. eventually i will but i'll have to wait a month or two for the second. i may get the rc18r since i can race it bone stock. i could then pick up the suspension bits, foam tires, body mounts upgraded motor and the right body for the rc18t class when i want to "move up". so that's kind of a 2 in 1 deal.

i hope i didn't give the impression that i was new to r/c. i've been into nitro trucks for 9 years. i've got a heavily modded t-maxx, an original edition (also very modded) HPI nitro mt, a nitro rush, and an rs4 super nitro. i am new to electric cars (though i had a tamiya fox when i was 13) and to this type of racing.

i think you're right in making the assumption that i'd be happy with either of them. i'd be racing it, so of course i'd be happy. unless something about the slider jumps out at me when i see them race, i think the rc18 will be my choice.

thanks again for all of the responses.

p.s. i'll see if i can get some info on the track. but here is a link with a picture of most of it. it's kind of hard to gage the size, but the top of the track is about 4 feet high.
http://pinshophobbies.com/racing.htm

here are some more pictures: http://pinshophobbies.com/racepix.htm

calvino

ya got to remember, the 18T def doesn't come with a priprotary radio system, it is prety nice, throt adjust, throt sensitivity, steering adjust, steering sensitivity, steering rate adjust, 3 LED power meter.... sweet stuff[8D]

Gex_61

I assumed you were new to 1/18 electric and oval racing. I looked at your user name and have never seen it before.

That track does look pretty awesome. I wish I had something indoor and specifically for 1/18. I thought the track would be a little bigger. I know you said it was small, but that's as small as it gets. I was thinking maybe it was also used for 1/10. The website says they will have a dirt oval as well, looks like they have more room for that.

These are more detailed pictures- http://pinshophobbies.com/storepix.htm
Looks like you will need foam tires with the rc18 after all. (picture below) The sign says: only foams or losi slider tires allowed on track.

I hope the info I posted yesterday was at least interesting to read, I was really bored. I didn't even get to suspension or aerodynamics...hehe. I added a picture of my dirt oval, and my mini's if you havn't already seen them.