SuperJETT

Here's the layout I'm thinking about doing, with 5' wide lanes. The area is 20'x25' on the longest side.



Here's video of the area with it just mowed real low. There are tons of vines on/under the ground that I've started getting rid of already. The cool thing about pulling them up is they break up the ground when they come up so it makes building ramps easier.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62T9S_Jh3vA


Any suggestions? I'm thinking total of 4 jumps so there aren't too many, but obviously will start with just a flat track then build from there.

dacaur

which direction do you plan to run? I would move that big jump further toward the end of the straight to build up a little more speed... not too far though, you still need to break for the turn

SuperJETT

I'm not sure now, I'll have to get the basic track laid out first to see how the speeds end up. I want one speed stretch and one bigger jump, just going to see. I might layout the lanes today after putting my Stump Puller in, plus my ball bearings might come in today too.

calvino

why not lay out the track design, then get some cardboard (its cheap and everywhere) and make some jumps up to get an idea of your favorite "locations" and then you can work off there, i say a track needs at least 1 big jump, its a must IMO you could get by with maybe 4' or 3' lanes, increase your area?

SuperJETT

I can't really increase the area, it's an unused area behind the garage, bordered by grass on one side, the garage, a fence, and an ivy/crappy area on the other.

I have 2 small jumps setup right now with loose dirt, it's easy enough to move them.

calvino

ok, when i first design a track i lay out wooden jumps and use that..... good luck yankin up all those vines..... [:'(] we just had rain here so i am worried about a bunch of weeds popping up..... [&:]

SuperJETT

I gave up on pulling them, so I used the weedeater to take the top 1/2" of soil off. It cut the vines flush with the dirt, good enough for me. It's smooth! I'll post pics later probably.

kybowtie

Is the big tree in the area of the layout?

SuperJETT

Yeah, it's there but I can have a lane go around it-probably need to put some padding on it just in case though.

I just went out and messed around after putting ball bearings/Reedy Stump Puller on and wow, tons of speed now, and almost uncontrollable in the loose dirt. Packing it down might help, and different tires.

kybowtie

Get a tamper. Even after you tamp it, it will still be bumpy, but you won't have all the little pebble-size, pieces of dirt and/or rock upsetting your mini. You'll be surprised by the difference and how much faster your mini will go.

If it were me, I would run it w/o any jumps for a while. This way, you'll be sure of where you want a jump, and not just putting one in, because it looks good in a certain area. You may also find that the natural terrain of your yard will provide some fun obstacles, and good dirt isn't cheap.

jsmrc

i dont know about where you live but dirt can be found for free on craigslist. also i can get great dirt about 1 mile away. last time i was there for a job i was doing i think it cost 14 bucks to fill (and i mean fill) my long bed truck.
i went with what was here. and the inconsistency of it makes it fun.

calvino

IMO use an old car tire or a lawn roller to pack the soil down, its smoother (wet the soil down slightly so it is damp but not soggy), lay an old tarp down, then roll it flat, works like a charm

kybowtie

I can free dirt alot of places, but most of it is nothing I would want in my yard. The only dirt I want in my yard is shredded top-soil. This way, if I ever decide to not play with R/C cars anymore, I can incorporate the dirt around the house, and spread it easily. But that's just me.

DettaDude

Good point!
The nimrods in charge of our local track thought they were being brilliant when they took up the city's offer for some "free dirt" and three years later they still haven't gotten all of the rocks out of it and seemingly every race someone breaks something on one of their cars from clipping a rock or one gets dug up and thrown out into the parking area busting a car window or hitting someone... or something.

kybowtie

Yup, that's why I said "good dirt". Shredded top-soil shapes and packs easier, and it's less maintenance to boot.

DettaDude

I guess we're on the same page, I only added my bit because some folks are under the impression that dirt is dirt.
How a specific soil shapes and packs really is more of a regional thing, as some areas do have better "soil" than others, as well as a soil's clay content. [8D]

kybowtie

Very true, and I would assume that soil purchased out west would be clean of any rocks etc. I'm also assuming that water would help any soil pack

dacaur

What like we dont have rocks out west? there are rocks in almost every dirt I have ever dug in... If there arent, its because someone has screened them out. Some dirt is definitely rockier than others though.

DettaDude

Western dirt is notorious for it's high rock content. Having lived all over all I can suggest is that the size of the rocks decrease the further south you live since most of the topsoil in the U.S. was deposited where it lies via glaciers long ago go to Florida and you can't hardly buy a rock.
Water? I guess that also depends on the clay content of the soil. Higher clay content holds the water better, lower content the water drains right through it. Guess you've never lived in the south?

FloridaDude

whene i lived in florida for 13 years i use to put up fences and light post and gutter drains all which required digging deap holes and had never hit a rock i moved to maine and first hole for a mailbox i dug only 3 inches in and i hit rock and the farther down the more and bigger the rocks got. cant wait to move back to FL next year

SuperJETT

Here is the area I'm working in. I have to clear a little more over toward the low retaining wall behind the garage on the far side and on the left, plus probably pull it out a little further toward the camera but it's a fun little area already just with those 2 little jumps I built.

It'll get there, doesn't have to be done today.

BTW, this is the mini-dt with Reedy Stump Puller and ball bearings. I'm going to go to a 12T pinion for the next run.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65iA4Kw0oHI

kybowtie

I've lived on the same spot for over 35 years. Our piece is undeveloped, with plenty of good topsoil. My nieghbors all live in a development of homes, and their yards are crap, because all of the topsoil was stripped away.

SuperJETT, you have plenty to go on, and lots of support. Maybe next Spring I can come down and lend a hand if you need some help.

jsmrc

by the way if you purchase dirt there are two grades. fill dirt, which is usually rocky and no good for anything but filling holes. and top soil which cost a little bit more. either way its inexpensive where i live.

DettaDude

Either way, I've always done what I saw them do at the golf course - and that's to double screen all dirt used (on the course, or especially in the traps).
They have the screen fames, pretty large, that stand parallel with the ground sitting about 2 foot off the ground stacked on tope of each other. Fist stage is essentially chicken wire to screen out the big rocks, and the second stage is screen about like window screen to screen out the smallest pebbles. Shovel the dirt onto the top screen and allow it to filter down through. Keep moving the screenframe around the track to depoit the dirt. Last track I was involved in we built one and it worked perfectly, not a rock stone or pebble - perfect.

calvino

make up a simple sifter with some "chicken wire" plywood, and a few buddies get rid of ALL the garbage in your soil, trust me, ive been in your position[8D]