muad dib

Share thoughts, opinions, setups, in regards to MT racing.

04TMAXX

why bother? its way to fun bashing the hell out of them! get a buggy or a ST for racin...

vizaracer

you want lower your truck alittle for racing. deffenatily have the spyder gear mod or better. get alot of the parts that may wear out faster upgraded. get some tires for the track your gonna be on ( road rages dont work well in wet tracks, lol.) you want alot of power but dont want the wheels to lift off the ground when you floor it. you want to be a better driver than the others your racing, its an advantage over them. hope these help, even though i dont race. ive had people to tell me these tips. i want to race though.

muad dib

I don't know if I am completely into the idea of racing yet, it sounds fun, especially since only one of my friends is in into this RC stuff. I do think that a lot of the race set ups are really interesting, like converted buggies. I am almost done building a jt hybrid from scratch. I should be done this weekend. I think a lot of the race set ups are just as tough for bashing but seem to be, IMO more fun to drive because they are more responsive/nimble etc. The truggy types seem to be able to launch really well too. At the same time It's fun driving a jacked up Savage thats bouncing and rolling all over the place too. Whatever, it's all gravy...

Spunkymanker

I used to race my t-maxx every weekend at the local track.. it was a ton of fun.. just driving on a track is great, and the competition was fun too.. was a small track, and usually 4-6 trucks on the track at a time. All T-maxxes, back then there really wasn't much else. (I quit just about the time the Terra crusher was released)

Truck setup varies a LOT depending on the track you're racing on.. Definitely need different tires, at least for the maxx.. helps a lot to lower the truck a bit, I dropped my maxx about 2" for racing and it helped a ton.. Lighter, tougher components are also important. Tune the engine for reliability instead of performance - it sucks to be able to go reaaaly fast, but have it die every 2 laps.. hehe

But.. a good driver with a stock truck will almost always beat a bad driver with a $2000+ killer rig. Practice.. and have tons of fun.. It's no good to win if you didn't have fun.. and perfectly fine (for me at least) to come in dead last if I enjoyed the race.

slodsm

My Feedback: (1)

I agree, smooth and consistent will win a race way before a 2000 dollar rig will. I have never raced a savage but had 4 different maxxes I race. The current truck I race has

4 Ofna 9.5 shocks with UE whites in the front and blue's in the rear
UE knuckle head towers,
Futaba 9402 steering and 9405 brake servo
hardcore Ti skids
RPM blukhead braces
XXL receiver
Dace Mfg Chassis and braces
Hardcore engine Mt
Nova Head for the 2.5
Sirio pipe with 3/8 cut off the header
20/70 gearing.
Orion NiMh rx pack
Ofna Tank
No bumpers
Proline Servo saver kit, Ti turnbuckles and hingepins.
Futaba 3PDF radio.
Proline Bowtie's and Velocity wheels.

I think thats it but I probably forgot something. Its wicked light and rips. I prefer light small blocks over big blocks as of right now, big blocks cost so much to make reliable and then you end up racing unlimited class against truggy's who have better handling, it just makes it hard on the wallet.

muad dib

Speaking of small block racers, do you ever read Hi Torque's RC Car magazine? First of all, I think that it is by far the best mag out of the bunch but they did an article on a small block T Maxx by Pro Hobby called the Faze 5. It was built with a small block and super light parts. The magazine built one similar and one of them was beating a lot of the Big Block Trucks, I think it may have raced in the unlimited class and placed in the top 5 but I'm not sure. You should check it out in the current issue of RC Car.

slodsm

My Feedback: (1)

I don't think I read that issue but I do read the magazine. The only thing that I don't like about RC mags is they are all on the same level. There is usually not enough race coverage for me and when they do have it, its VERY old except for Xtreme RC. They keep their coverage pretty current. All of the columns are geared toward the beginning driver with maybe one for the racer out of each magazine. I know the beginning driver keeps the hobby alive but how about a little info for the private racer who spends 3000 plus a year on parts and kits not to mention hotels and gas driving to all the larger races. OK, I'm off my complaint box now lol. Have to let it out sometimes. I am just glad ROAR and NORCCA are actually paying attention this year and looking to completely revise the MT class so it will be better laid out and we will have a set of rules to race by vice each track shooting from the hip.

fhm101

I can personally testify to the Faze 5 and it's bad as a cobra snake necktie. Here's a pic of a gen I Faze 5 built for last years THRC Open. This race is coverd in the same issue as the Faze 5 maxx. The truck Bobby Moore was running in Texas is identical to the one above, but he had a 2.5 TRX engine and 2 speed and mine has a 12 CV and single speed. If you want to race in production MT, there is no finer truck to field than the Pro Hobby Faze 5.
Bobby took the same truck and almost won the unlimited MT class at the first round of the RC Prio Series East in Orlando last month. It would have been a 1,2 sweep of both classes for Bobby but for two little probs that took him out of first in both A mains and put him back in dead last both times. he still managed to come back to take second in both classes with his Faze 5. If that weren't enough, Mr. Danny Beers, the design genius that is Pro Hobby Racing put his prototype big block truck into a solid third in the unlimited MT A main at the same race.

fhm101

Just wanted to add an update to the above.
Last weekend at one of our local tracks, my old .12 powered Faze 5 owned the MT class from first heat to A main. It finished the A main 2 laps up on a field that included JT trucks, SUT's, and other assorted MT's. The icing on the cake is it was the ONLY .12 powered truck in the MT class. Pro Hobby Racing Faze 5 baby! Own it or it will own you.

slodsm

My Feedback: (1)

FHM, that thing is indeed a wicked truck, I haven't had the pleasure of running against it yet. Are any of them going to be in the production class for the 2nd round of the pro series in Charlotte NC?

fhm101

There should be a few from Florida and I'm hoping to get my friend here to go as well. Please don't get me wrong, I'm not throwing down the guantlet or anything like that, I've just always been a big fan of light race MT's and the Faze 5 is the finest example of one that i've seen yet. Not just because of the excellent on track performance, but the entire concept of having not only a very nimble racing MT, but one that is that fine for so little money.
Almost forgot, I'll be in NC as well.

slodsm

My Feedback: (1)

Sweet deal, I want to see one in action. RC Car just did an article on it as well and I am really itching to see the thing go. Does pro hobby have a website? I was looking around on the net for them and can't find anything except threads on forums. I would like to look into the whole setup because of the starter box allowing you to run true race bred motors.

vizaracer

slodsm, do you know some stuff i could do to my truck to beat some trucks at a dirt track?? ive got a savage 25. i race some t-maxxes and they are alittle lighter than stock. theres a sport-maxx also. that sport-maxx just takes off so fast, he lightened it alot. do you have any suggestions for me for this weekend?? its a dirt track that we race on and i just got into racing and need some tips also.

slodsm

My Feedback: (1)

Well, you already have the power lol, I am unfamilier with your clutch setup though as I don't own a Savage but, do they make heavier springs for it? You should be able to wreck a sportmaxx on take off with the motor you have as long as your gearing is right. Your clutch springs may be to light though and not allowing it to engage at a high enough RPM. I would also look into a set of 40 series Bowtie's becuase the big joes are fairly heavy and not grippy enough for dirt racing. I prefer Bowtie's for smoother high bite tracks and pro line maxx mulchers for more loomy loose tracks but those are not made in 40's, only regular size. Last, I would look at springs, aside from your own mistake (we all make them) what keeps the other guys ahead of you? Straightline speed? I would find that hard to believe with the motor you are running but you could be geared to low. Corner speed? Where are they pulling away from you? And of course, practice, the most inportant element of them all.

fhm101

http://www.prohobbyracing.com

Tell Danny that guy from Alabama sent you.

slodsm

My Feedback: (1)

That is definately a nice setup, when he gets starter boxes back in stock, I do believe I may be changing my setup a bit and going back the RB motors.

vizaracer

slodsm, they are mostly beating me in the turns. i have to slow down a whole lot to make the turn. otherwise ill slide into the wall. i just ordered a new clutch bell and spur gear from RR. i should be getting them in today. they spur gear is a 48 tooth and the clutch bell is a 16 tooth. my front wheels dont seem to turn good under pressure and i have a hitec 645mg steering servo. it doesnt really make sense. i think the servo saver may be loose. ill take a look at that later on.

slodsm

My Feedback: (1)

Try a slightly softer spring up front, lower you preload till your arms are approximately level, I would definately go with the bowties and then tighten you your servo saver.