After a season and a half with the Schumacher LD2, I got to feeling that I wasn’t suited to it. I wasn’t the only one to feel that the LD2 has a very narrow performance window, and that unless you’re very experienced, and have masses of talent that can discern a very nuanced car, you can chase your tail finding pace. The best alternative available to me is the Associated RC10 B6.4d. After a rather annoying episode of repeated Top Link Turnbuckles failing (3 over the course of 11 laps at Tiverton), I’ve made the the jump to Associated. This is very exciting for me. I’ve only owned an Associated 10th Pan Car before, and never an AE Buggy, so I’m very revved up to get out there and see how this compares.
Kindly supplied by John at RC Octane for a great price, it has a reputation for being more forgiving to drive, easier to set up and crucially, more robust than …. (OK I won’t bang on about it).
2 days of work on Bodyshells. Yesterday I started on the original Associated shell. I did it in a bit of a rush, and experimented with waterslide decals under the paint. This method works, but you have to plan it very carefully, and you can’t rush it. The black stripe on the nose was a complete mess. It’s a bit tricky because the original “Frankie” or Frankenstrat guitar, built and used by Eddie Van Halen and the inspiration for my livery, is in a very shabby state. But there is a rule in the book that shells must be neatly finished. So It really needed a repair job.
So, I took the Dremmel to the Black Nose Stripe, and I was suprised how abrasive a tool I had to use and how much energy had to go into getting it off. But I was quite pleased at the result for a first attempt.
There were a few other scratches here and there that needed attention.
So that was all good. Onto today, and I have a new Jconcepts Body that I’d like as a really smart “Sunday Best” The masking for the 1st and darkest colour always takes ages, but there’s a bell curve of quality related to how much time and effort you put into it. After and awful long time with masking tape an Scalpel, time for the airbrush and Black Paint to come out.
Chuffed with that! Quite sharp lines where I wanted them to be, with not too much bleed. And while I had the airbrush out, I redid the Associated nose…
A host of jobs still on the to-do list, but it’s all good.
First off, There’s nothing wrong with the standard kit slipper on the Associated B6.4d. I’ve just always found 3 plate slippers easier to set and more forgiving to drive than 2 plate. Associated do their own 3 plate hop ups, including standard and vented versions. But AVID claim their Triad Slipper is lighter than the Kit 2 plate. I also thought the lower diameter of the plates would be less prone to warping if you did set it too loose.
Since I’ve had it on the car, it does seem easier to tune the power delivery, drive and eliminate wheelies. I haven’t had any fade, even in 6 minute carpet finals in Cardiff, and yet starts are still good and well controlled.
Installation is simple and no permanent mods are required. That said, it wouldn’t matter to me if there were. I’m sold to the degree I’ve bought 2 kits now, one for my Laydown box and one for the Layback. They just seem to be better on all surfaces.
The spur gear is no more or no less prone to stripping than any other spur.
The packaging is very professionally done. And top marks to AVID for making it reuseable, and so practical and not instantly destined for landfill.
And I love the “Warning: May Cause Trophies” boast on the packet. I like a manufacturer that’s confident about their product and uses a bit of humour to market it.
I wish more UK shops would carry AVID stuff, I’m a big fan. Approved!
Before you get out your setup sheets, spring rate tables or pill or gear calculators, if you’re racing buggies in the UK, you need to check the weather forecast.
Fortunately for me, I did yesterday, and it’s paid off nicely. Although the rain held off for the day, the track was given several soakings yesterday and last night. And with the temperature not going above 12, I set myself up for a good day with a full wet config. Layback transmission, 3 degrees of toe in on the rear, roll center high on both axles, 2 degrees of anti-squat, 19mm starting ride height. I also gave 3 hole pistons in the front shocks a go.
Practice was a good chance to try out Proline Pyramids and fronts. But it was quickly obvious that Ballistic Greens and Silver Cut Staggers were the only tyre for the job. But in all other respects, the set up was right. I really don’t get why more people don’t take advantage of the option to use their shocks behind the wishbone on their B6.x and LD2 cars. But if it’s extra grip for me, I’ll not argue.
Heats were good, had good game for Gary & Wayne who would both soundly beat me 12 months ago. And better, didn’t let frustration goad me into fiddling about with a fundamentally sound config. Instead, I settled quite nicely into getting throttle control, braking and consistancy together.
Qualified for the A Final on Pace đŸ™‚ was most chuffed with my 1st leg pace, 13 laps and a clean run and finishing on the same lap as Gavin Knight felt really good.
The timesheets might tell you I had an off day today. Catching a cold, burning out a motor or losing a round to a pinion with a stripped grub screw might also lead you to think this. But that’s not the whole story or to see any of the upside.
Practice was ok, but I found I’d set my camber guage wrong and had way too much rear camber on. Round 1 Turned Out to be my best, And Round 2 Was also good, but I think I asked a bit much of the Surpass 6.5t, While I was checking the the readings from the ESC, it said both motor and ESC had gone over 85 Deg C. Ouch!
Then As I was tweking things, smoke started coming out of the motor!, Ooooops! Luckily, I had enough time to Swap out the Surpass for the HobbyWing 7.5t. As per bloody usual, This didn’t go to plan and The Pinion came loose and dropped off after a few laps. Poop!
This was the pleasing part, and rescued the day. I raised the front inner camber links by 2mm to lower the front roll center a bit. Bingo! much more predictable! Sorted!
Brass Effing Monkeys in Weston-super-Mare today. But cocooned in my Team 80 Fleece, it was worth it for the points. I suspected that there would be a frost or very heavy dew again in the morning, and given how cold it was, that the layback box and general wet or damp setup was the way to go. I was only half right, the first heat was damp, but not as bad as I thought.
Mezzo Silvers on the back and Silver Cut Staggers on the front, were ok once I dialled a bit of Rake onto the rear shocks, but still a bit slidy here and there.
When I took the Mezzos off, they had got surprisingly rounded in the first heat. And I struggled to keep up with Chris Law. So it seemed the time was right to try out some Proline Pyramids for Quali 2.
Wow! All of a sudden, from Oversteer to Grip Roll and a lap ahead of Chris! With that revelation under my belt, The confidence was there to start dialling out rear grip and start lowering Roll Center and Ride height, and go looking for mid corner speed and rotation.
Quali 3 went a bit pear shaped because I lost the battery cover from my Transmitter, which cost me places and on reflection, probably left me struggling to get into the A Final. But given how well the actual car was going, I wasn’t about to complain.
Into the finals, and I was looking forward to a really good scrap with Sophie Calder, who is a really impressive young peddler. Sadly, she’s not got the winter blubber I have, and the cold got into her fingers , and sadly, Round 1 went my way at a canter.
