oversteer t1r ?

[STEPHEN E]

I got a new t1r and have it set up as per manual but having what i think is oversteer problems but unsure.
After turning into the corner after the straight i would lose drive half way round and after she slowed down it would regain drive again, that the best way i can describe it.

Now before i go messing with it and probally make it undrivable can anyone who nows these cars well help me out where to start first.

[SMTCA Focal Point]

What you need to do first before you try to find out about car set up is learn the basic physics of what the car is doing when it is driving round the track.

This will help you describe correctly what your car is doing and then go on to fix the problem. Many drivers talk about a car that understeers or oversteers but in truth that is a very general description. You need to understand what it is doing on corner entry, mid corner and corner exit. each "phase" of the corner can be different and solutions are different depending on which phase the understeer or oversteer occurs in.

I am not sure if I should be advertising books on an RCweb chat site but they are probly the best place to get the basic knowledge that you need before you can start tuning the car.

There are a few good books around. I am making the asumption that you are a newbie to all this.

I will post links to the books on amazon which although breaks the rules of the forum, I hope the moderators will allow it in this instance as it doesnt effect any uk model shop.

Race car suspension tuning by Alan Staniforth.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/185960644X/ref=pd_sim_b_dp_1/202-2162215-7635048

and possibly the best one by Carroll Smith
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0965160009/qid=1075250072/sr=1-9/ref=sr_1_11_9/202-2162215-7635048

Trinity also do a good version of a tuning guide, simplified a bit compared to the two books above. I would recomend the Carroll Smith book and then take the trinity book with you trackside to use as a quick reference book on the day.

I have read both these books, although they are heavy reading in parts, they are more valuable than many hours of track time. No point in driving on the track if you dont know what your car is doing and why?

[STEPHEN E]

Many thanks for the reply.
Might get the books, although i do prefer trial and error.
But like you say it helps if i know what and why the car does what it does.

[NumanR]

Stephen any info you get, please share it with me, thanks Mark.

[steven bough]

Is this for carpet or outdoors-I caint help has im runing my T1R for the first time this week-end :Dbut it might help for people who can help to know what surface you run on.And your basic set-up.
Like you could try more rear toe in plus front toe in,or play around with the droop i.e- less at the rear or more at the front..lower front ride height.plus wre are you getting oversteer at start or corner,middle or out of the corner.
???
steve
Sorry just read your post (Kit set-up)

[STEPHEN E]

I was looking over the car last night, and did notice that the arms didn't travel to the lowest position freely.
So im thinking that the inside wheels could have been leaving the ground, and the car would then lose its drive.
I removed the shocks to make sure the arms were free witch they were.

The only way i have managed to get the arms to be free is to leave the bottom shock screw a little lose.

[SMTCA Focal Point]

It sounds as if you have screwed the bottom a little hard...... :o

The lower shock end rod end may be damaged and binding on the pivot ball. This can happen when you turn the shock rod in too much and bind up the cup.

It looks like you need a spare set of plastic mouldings so you can renew the lower shock end bit. Its always handy to have a spare set of these mouldings as you can break or loose them in a big crash.

You can replace these temporarily for those made by another manufacturer if you cannot get Xray bits, but these can give ride height problems if they are too long and problems with the spring holder if the diameter isnt spot on.

[SMTCA Focal Point]

The ball should be free to move in the ball end. Take the shocks off the car, all 4, and check them all. You may have the same problem on all of them

What you can try also is to very carefully squeeze the sides of the ball end in a vice, this will stretch the plastic very slightly around the ball. The plastic will return to its original shape nearly leaving the ball free in the ball end.

Be careful when you do this, just a little squeeze, too much and you will destroy the ball end.

[Matt Brewerton]

I think I know what Stephen means. On the T1R the lower shock holders and held in place by a M3 screw into the wishbone, unlike the Evo 2. If the screw is done too tight then the cup inside the ball end can get squashed into the wishbone. I had this problem at first. Just don't over tighten the screws and check they are free to move.

Matt

[STEPHEN E]

What im goning to do it put a washer between the wishbone and cup, this should stop the cup going into the wishbone and give the same effect as having them them lose.

[steven bough]

I must now add after racing my T1R for the first time this week-end i got oversteer & struglin to get rid of it,& i was using a front anti roll bar-which may had put to much presure on the rear tyres causin them to give???
But ive cop[ied a mates set up-so i might try the kit set up & go my own way..

Steve