BigShrimpah

I have a VXL Bandit that I drag race every weekend against Jatos, etc. I have a hard time launching it on the 3s lipo and usually have to end up running them down before the end of the 132ft. What would be the best way to set up my car for straight line performance? I have the traxxas stock wheelie bar but it still lets the car wheelie a bit at the lowest setting. Should I lock the diff with silly putty? Drill out pistons in rear shocks? Any help would be appreciated.

2916jr

lower the car to the lowest setting stick weight in the front or stiffen the rear suspension so it can spin a little bit to keep the front end down

BigShrimpah

Would locking the diff help any? The problem I have is when nailing it from a dead stop it will just spin and balloon the tires and usually hook one way or the other. It is already at the lowest shock settings it will go, and the drag racers out there tell me to run the back as soft as I can not stiff.

snellemin

You need to go with belted tires or foam tires. Shock setup depends on the track conditions.

BigShrimpah

I am going to try my friends foams this weekend, but from what I remember they didn't work to well on his .18 TZ powered RC10GT. I tried some panther slicks and they worked ok, but still not that great, but sure alot better than the anacondas. What is your opinion on locking the diff? We usually run on a blacktop parking lot surface, which is a big improvement over the cement parking lot we used to run in.

snellemin

Use Traction compound on the foam tires. If you have no play in your driveline, then a locked diff will help as well.

BigShrimpah

They spray the start lines with track bite, but should I put it on the foams also? I am using the stock plastic drive shafts, as I find they hold up way better than any MIP CVD I have ever used on multiple cars. Would locking the diff still be a wise idea with play in the drive shafts?

snellemin

Yes, also use traction compound on the foams. The stock shafts are ok. I twisted them in no time with 4s. On 5s the jato ones were holding up great. On 6s the hpi dogbone conversion is best. If you want to get more serious about dragracing your bandit, go with a Mamba Max ESC with the motor of your choice.

BigShrimpah

I think the stock VXL setup has plenty enough power to outrun anything I am running into out there, so I will stick with that. My main problem is getting the car to leave hard and straight. Think I might open up the diff right now and shove some silly putty in it.

ahr43

Locking the diff definitely helped the performance of the R1E when I was running it. For a while I even did away with the slipper clutch and went back to old-style TRX spur gear adapter. Not a good choice. Slipper clutch is a useful aid in controlling the launch once I locked the diff using J-B Weld. I took the planet shafts and the planet gears out of the diff too. Just J-B'd the sun gears and sun gear alignment shafts together. Gotta be sure that's what you want to do thought. You can't undo it it once it's done. Even took out the (4) screws that held the side cover plate on. J-B epoxied EVERYTHING together. No need for for spinning that rotating weight either.

But, alas, the main diif gear proved the weak link for RC drag racing a conversion old-school Rustler. Had to back off to using a 19t Spec Motor to keep from eating up a diff gear at an inopportune race time. After that, it was run after run after run...no problemo.

Not sure how all this applies to "new generation" TRX cars. Refer to your owners manual, and use your best judgement. Good luck.

snellemin

You can't launch hard and straight without a decent weeliebar and disabling the clutch. I run the old school clutchless setup and an epoxied diff. Only way to launch hard.

nitrosportsandrunner

in my tt-01 i use tiny pieces of paper to lock the diffs. if you do this it is really easy to un-lock the diff if it doesnt help you.

0-60 2.5

i have the same problem with my mamba on 12 cells.my solution is line it up strait and roll into the throtle and when the front end starts to lift up i back out the throtle and get back on it and when im about 30 feet from the finish line i go wot with the front end up!!!. it works for me but it js a pain when you try to launch hard and you can't keep the front down or go in a strait line. but i locked my diff so ill see if that helps

BigShrimpah

Sparky, is that you?

0-60 2.5

yep thats me sparky!!! i finaly got the rustler runing again so ill be out thare next sunday at the alario center are you going?do you now what time it starts? ill have my rustler and 4-tec that hit the curb at taget!!! 2nd mager crash of its life! and im prbably going to do a dragster kit with the mamba 5700 on 12 cells soon to but it all depends on how the alario center works out!

BigShrimpah

I won't be there this Sunday, I am going to the Jazz Fest, but we may still go out to Target on Saturday night. I was just running the bandit and slid backwards into a parked car at WOT and broke a hub carrier....again[&:]

Don't know what time they will be racing sunday, call the hobby shop and see. By the way, how is your locked diff working? I may pull apart my diff and shove some silly putty in it.

0-60 2.5

it works good for going strait but you cant turn to good so i unlocked it becuse i still go off road every now and again! thare not racing this sunday becuse the fare was moved to sunday but they will be racing next sunday at the alario center. i might go saturday night to

justinep

I gave up on my Bandit VXL project.. even with foamies, lowered and Koford compound she couldn't keep straight. I have seen a few guy successfully make fast straight runs with a big front and rear wing and slammed to the ground. Didn't look like a car anymore but, ran like a champ!