Hey guys, I have decided to race my Rusty, and I wanted to know what I should get for it so I can race, and have an advantage, heh. So, any suggestions?

A .12 engine with starter box if possible would help a lot. Other than that take off as much wieght as possible as that is a heavy truck. You might also benift from a nice steering servo if you don't already have one.

Well, that's a start, anything else I should do, and how much total would all this cost?

As deep as your pockets can go.

(seriously)

Well you can get an os .12 cv-r for about 130 bucks, but you can probably find one used. As for a servo you can get a hitec 625 or 645 for about forty bucks. That is a start, but icrash is right it can get as expensive as you let it.

Well you got to start out by getting some skillThen a little bit of luck and that should do it. Oh and dont forget the courage

1st put an .15 engine. You will like the extra power. I agree to get a non-pull start.If you are racing on a bumpy track use 30 weight shock oil and softer springs. Get tires that are made for your type of track, hard-packed,high traction,ect... also if its a tite track change your gears for more acceleration.

i wouldnt bother with a hi-tec servo something always goes wrong with them for no reason, get a futaba s3050 metal geared, 0.16/60,6v, 6.5kg torque/6v. 48grammes

stick to futaba and dont get a .15 the .12 are making just as much power out there with the Fantoms and OS's move you battery pack some were else because they are back heavy. you wont need too much power just yet to whip around a track trust me. better to control than to lose it

If hes racing with ROAR rules or any serious rules .15's arent allowd. He would have to get a .12

Also I would go ahead and get a .12 anyways, OS makes some nice ones.

If you have the trx in it your local track should let you race with it since it came with your truck. You wont be allowed to enter any roar level 2 or higher events though, just club races.

When you get a new engine you should also invest in a starter box like said above.

Traxxas radios are crap. Invest in a spektrum dx3 radio or a good fm synthesized one. Most higher end radio systems come with one good servo for steering.

A hump pack rx battery is almost a must. A good entry level charger such as a duratrax piranha unt would be nice too.

Spectate a race or two before you enter one. See what the track's hot set-up is and the best tires to use.

Learn how to actually finish a race before you go for something with more power.

Why the hell are .15 not allowed in major events? Is there some sort of risk factor?

Same reason NASCAR has an engine limit:

Control Cost, Speeds and give a more even playing field for all. ROAR has sactioned .12 for racing. If you think a .12 is slow, then you have not seen a properly tuned ST at the track. They are very fast and a .15 is just overkill.

Gran

Over kill? Its a .3 differance. Come on!!!!!!!! I have seen a .12 running great, but i saw my .15 smoke it. The price differance isnt enough to make it unfair. If you have .15 classes then why is speed a concern?Faster is funer.The playing field would be even. So there has to be a better reason. Also, are there gear ratios regulations?

Why are you arguing?

You asked so I told you - The whole idea of racing is not smoking someone in a straight line, but being able to use the vehicle throughout the course, like Formula One or Cart. ROAR feels that it is better to limit the size for sactioned racing and who are we to argue. If you would like you could petition them to change the size, but I feel, the .12 is great when it comes to weight and torque on a track.

As I asked before, have you ever seen a properly tuned .12 at a track?

Every 10th ST that I have seen has to dial some throttle out to make the truck usable, or the person has added exponential to the throttle to come on at the last moment. Otherwise its donut city on the track. Once all these things are dial in properly, chassis included, a 10th ST is a very hard truck to beat with a .12 in it. Speedmunkey said it best - slower is faster. I have never heard anyone that races say, Faster is funner.

But if you are hear for arguing - get a .15 and run club events.

Gran

WOW!!!I didnt know that racing isnt smoking someone in a strait line.(sense the sarcasim) I race club events and FASTER IS FUNNER!Slower is not faster.(speedmonkey)Finess is faster. I get better lap times with my .15 because its the driver first then the car. As i answered i have seen a .12 Did you even read what i wrote? I could care less it just i dont see why there cant be .15 classes.I have an RC10GT, with a .15 ae motor. Where i race they mix motor sizes from .12 to .18 Guess who wins more often? .15, or .18 on a tight bumpy track. So in my experiances, the .15 is the way to go.You said speed control was one reson. Why is that? Because the .15 is faster?HaHa. We are the racers, thats why we are the ones to argue.Again i dont really care and i am not trying to start a fight. I was just wondering what the deal was.Thanks for your oipinion.I never said that a .12 is slow eithier, just so you know. I just prefer a .15 any day of the week.

i want you to take your most powerfullest 15 or 18 and trust me you will get smoked by a 12 on a track. think about it dirt/turns/jumps sounds like you need control not to have too much power and lose control. while your car is doiing wheelies im just crusing wait for you to crash then thats when i make my pass bye bye
but the .12's im talking about are 200$ or more like the os .12 tz turbo 5 port

Most tracks will let you run a RTR ST with the .15 that came with it because its not an advantage at all.
Unless the .15 came with your truck, you will not be allowed to race it.

What .15 engine are we talking about anyhow? I only ask because most .15 engines are sold with RTR trucks AND there is not an RTR .15 that can run with a .12 that is designed for off raod racing.

I think the .12 engine rule is a good one. It doesnt limit costs as much as it levels the playing field. They have to draw the line somewhere. And no, faster is not always better. Using Nascar and F1 as an example, rules are made to keep speeds down to a reasonable level.

If Control is the Key..and you can control a .15 or a .18 then you would be faster then the guy who can control a .12... thats just plain logic. So to say that a tuned .12 will beat a tuned .15 or .18 is rediculous...Have 2 drivers change their trucks, see if the .12 wins both times. I bet it will be the same driver. At our track, the best driver will whoop your butt with almost anything. I understand why he would ask a Question like that( why are there limits) if there is no limit on Gear ratios, then the engine limit goes out the window as you can pick up either speed or acceleration from just changing your gears, which costs money, which gives one person an advantage over another. On the other hand, if they didnt have a limit, I bet somone would be trying to figure out just how they can mount thier V8 Hemi on thier ST truck.. At our track, Our classes are Basicaly Nitro, Electric, Buggy, ST, and Monster. I believe thats how it should be..But im a nobody...lol.. anyhow thats my take on this.

It wouldnt limit MY cost as my RTR Evader came with a .18, so I would have to go buy a .12...jus the same as someone else may have to upgrade.

D0G:

You have a valid point, no replacement for displacement, but weight and balance are just as important to a 10th scale car as the real ones. If racecar builders and drivers are worried about extra pounds, then we in RC should be worried about extra ounces - just makes sense doesn't it.

Case in point:

Is it better to have bigger engine more fuel(125cc)? Penalty is that as fuel burns off the springs react faster changing the way the will work at the end of the race

Is it better to have bigger engine less fuel(75cc)? Lots of pit stops for a 10 minute main.

Is it better to have light engine more fuel(100cc or higher)? Never have to pit, but why take the handling penalty.

Is it better to have light engine less fuel(75cc)? Just makes a ten minute main and takes onces off weight, less handling penalty.

Or is it better to level the playing field say that you must have 75cc and a .12 engine and go have fun?

I find most of the fun with my vehicle is tuning the suspension to see how it will handle best. Combination of the tires, shocks and geometry, a good radio then have fun. A good torquey engine in it, is just icing on the cake. If it doesn't handle, try new springs - shock oil - suspension mounts - camber angles all that good stuff.

Just do as you like, I would bet that you would be very surprised how well a properly tuned .12 can run - I know I was. I have a HPI MT2 with allot of stuff on it - .18 the whole works, but those .12 RCGT just kick some butt. I thought for many years that big engines are the only way to have fun and kick a**, but after seeing the Associated and Losi's run, they really go.

Gran

In all Honesty Grant, im not a very mechanical person, so the .12,.15 and.18...all that is just confusing to me. Take a 4cylinder honda accord, with the right tunning, it will stomp on an 8cylinder anything.lol So the size of the engine obviously isnt everything.Therefore, whats the big deal about having a limit? lol...Thes the whole point..If you can beat me with your .12 and Ive got a .18...then let me use it.. Unless an engine has a definate advantage like he engine goes faster, accelerates better, uses less fuel, gets better traction, and makes the handling better, I think they should be allowed.

Now, like I said B4 my local track doesnt limit engine size, but wonder what would happen if I was to say....win with a DTX .18 and move further on....going to 'state finals' then further...I would have to change my engine...*sigh* I guess im lucky I dont win....errr something like that []

Where do you race? I know most of the tracks I race at, for off-road, electrics almost always have better lap times.

Any race that is a part of roar that is a level 2 or higher event you would need a .12 engine. Here are the levels:

level 1- club races
level 2- club race that involves a prize/award (trophies, plaques, etc.)
level 3- roar regional event
level 4- roar national event

I have an rc10gt with an ae.15 not rtr. (the rtr engines are not the same.)I race at a track all the time and yet to be smoked by a .12. (econ909). Think about this, if i dont crash what then slow poke, you will be eating my dust, plus slow isnt always the way to go.Like off jumps,no speed no air,no air no distance.While you are rolling over i will be flying by.I am also not talking about top speed, but if iwas the .15 would still be my choice.Im saying 0-15 speeds.Turns.Jumps.ECt...My ecceleration is always faster then the .12 im racing.On top of that my car handles great and the very small weight differance dosent seem to be slowing me down.My only upgrade was a RRP spur gear. Lost some top speed, gained plenty of acceleration.This is just my opinion and im not trying to piss anyone off so stick with what works best for you, unless you want to race in ROAR events i guess.