Digital Servo Guide If you don’t have a digital servo in your car or truck, you need to stop right now and read this article. Digital servos perform significantly better than their analog counterparts. They offer higher resolution that reduces deadband for ultimate control, and they offer a faster control response and increased acceleration. They also produce constant torque throughout their range of travel and have noticeably increased holding power when in a stationary position (this helps to keep even the biggest monster truck tires in line while you’re steering through a high-speed turn). So if you want to know about the hottest digital servos on the market, they’re all here! We also include a few tips for you to bear in mind when you decide to make that jump up to the digital world. Analog or digital? Digital servos first appeared over a decade ago, and every major servo manufacturer now sells them. They offer two advantages over analog units: speed and holding power. The main difference between the two types is that the microprocessor that controls a digital servo’s position is up to six times faster than an analog one. When the digital servo’s "brain" gets a signal from the feedback potentiometer telling it to update the position of the output shaft, it responds so quickly that any deadband is effectively eliminated. "Deadband" is the degree to which the servo’s shaft must be deflected from its current position before the servo responds to correct it. And because the servo position is updated so frequently (300 times a second is typical; 50 or 60 times a second in an analog servo), a digital servo can hold its position more forcefully, which is the holding power. One result of this is the "buzzing" sound it makes, even sometimes when idle. The disadvantage of the constant position updating is that a digital servo uses more battery power, so when you use one in a nitro car, a high-capacity NiMH pack is a must-have.   Plastic gears or metal gears? When you shop for a servo, its gear is one of the first things you should consider. Servo gears are typically made of molded plastic or machined metal (brass or aluminum alloy). As you’d expect, plastic gears are much cheaper to produce than metal gears, but they aren’t as strong. Certain manufacturers offer a servo in both plastic and metal versions, and the plastic one almost always has a lower torque rating. But there’s one area in which a plastic gear excels—low radio frequency (RF) noise. When metal parts move against one another, they generate RF noise, and an electrically “noisy” servo can cause glitching. This is why many top drivers use plastic-gear throttle servos in their vehicles.

Multi-pole motors or coreless?   Above: Instead of a conventional armature, a coreless motor uses a wire "basket" that is much lighter.   Two types of motor are used to drive servos: multi-pole and coreless. Multi-pole motors are similar to traditional electric motors; they have three or five armature poles that act as miniature electromagnets. Five-pole motors are more accurate than three-pole ones, but both types have a property that coreless motors don’t have: when the armature is in a position that brings two poles within the field of one of the motor’s permanent magnets, it has less torque because the two poles “share” the magnetic field. This isn’t as much of a problem with an armature that spins constantly (such as your 24-degree stocker), but a servo motor might have to hold a position for a few seconds under load. Coreless motors don’t have an armature in the same sense; instead, a lightweight woven basket of wire with a permanent magnet in the middle acts as the armature. This armature basket moves much faster than an iron-core armature, especially when changing direction. Such motors are also much more efficient than poled motors, but they generate more heat, and they’re more sensitive to shock.   Airtronics Airtronics offers fewer digital servos (just three) than other manufacturers included in this guide, but its servos pack some pretty respectable specs. They have coreless motors and cases of standard size, and the 94758Z’s 0.06-second transit time makes it one of the fastest two on the market (it’s a tie with Futaba’s S9254). The 94755Z uses a combination of plastic and metal gears; the other two feature a metal gear train.   Futaba Futaba, like Hitec, offers 11 digital servos, and its servo line is the most diverse. It offers everything from metal- and plastic-gear servos in mini to standard to large-scale sizes, plus a slim standard servo and a low-profile unit. Its S9254 matches the Airtronics 94758Z’s fastest 0.06-second transit time.   What the ratings mean: torque vs. speed Servos are usually rated by how long they take, in fractions of a second, to complete a 60-degree sweep without a load and by their torque, which is expressed as oz.-in. Additionally, most manufacturers provide speed and torque ratings at 4.8 volts (for a 4-cell receiver pack) and 6 volts (for a 5-cell pack). Even if a 6V rating isn’t provided, it is usually safe to use a servo at that voltage—unless its manufacturer says otherwise. In general, you should buy the fastest servo with the highest speed and most torque you can afford. Manufacturers frequently sell a servo under two item numbers; the only difference between the two servos is that one is geared for speed and the other is geared for torque. If you have to choose, go for more torque, since all the speed in the world won’t help you if your servo doesn’t have enough torque to turn your vehicle’s wheels.   CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE

Hitec Hitec products have long been known to offer a lot of bang for the buck. Among its line of 11, standard-case-size servos is one digital microservo. All have metal gear, and HS-5996, HS-5997 and HS-5998 have titanium gear trains (Hitec is the only company to offer this feature). With 333 oz.-in. of torque, the HS-5955 is one of the most powerful servos available.   JR Racing With the exception of the DS8550, JR’s digital servos are almost completely new for this year. They all feature metal gear trains and are powered by efficient coreless motors. All come in a case of standard size, and with 282 oz.-in. of torque, the DS9000T (“T” for torque) is the real powerhouse.   KO Propo KO offers a unique line: the servos designated “ICS” on the chart are standard digital servos, and those with “FET” in their item number feature power-boosting FET technology. KO also offers several relatively inexpensive plastic-gear-train servos with its high-end metal-gear units. You’ll also find servos of standard size, a smaller (1/12-scale) servo and a large-scale servo. All KO servos have coreless motors.

Buyer's guide to choosing among the popular and fastest nitro powered radio controlled touring cars. Side by side comparison of the best models from Team Associated and HPI Racing.

1/10 Nitro RC Touring Cars

These are ready-to-run (RTR) models that are using 4wd, 2-stroke nitro engines and rubber racing tires. Models reviewed are limited to single speed transmission and are great cars for beginners to get started in nitro r/c.

Model	Associated Nitro TC3	HPI Nitro RS4 RTR 3 F150	OFNA Nitro Z10 RTR
Image
Scale	1/10	1/10	1/10
Classification	4wd Nitro RC Touring Car	4wd Nitro RC Touring Car	4wd Nitro RC Touring Car
Motor	.12 size ABC Engine	.15FE w/ aluminum head	.12 OFNA pull start
Exhaust System	Side exhaust manifold and tuned pipe	Manifold w/ composite dual chamber tuned pipe	Side exhaust
Transmission	Single speed	Single speed	2-speed
Drive Train	Carbon shaft drive	Shaft drive	3 belt drive
Ball Bearings	22 ball bearings	Full ball bearings	Full ball bearings
Suspension	Composite shocks	Oil filled shocks	Oil filled shocks
Tires	High grip w/ foam inserts	X-pattern rubber tires	Radial threaded
Top Speed (est.)	35 mph	36 mph	40+ mph

Review of the Traxxas Nitro 4-TEC

Here is an introduction to the fast 60+ mph 1/10 Traxxas Nitro 4-TEC gas powered touring car.

Introduction

This belongs to the 1/10 scale nitro touring cars. The Traxxas Nitro 4-TEC comes ready-to-run and is designed to reach a top speed of 60mph.

 For speed enthusiasts, this car will satisfy your desire to go fast.

The main feature is the 1.3 horsepower nitro engine powering the 4 wheel drive transmission.

With full ball bearings, fully countersunk chassis

Associated TC3 RTR

Ultra fast ready to run electric touring car from Team Associated

About the ready to run TC3

The TC3 is made by Team Associated. It is a 1/10th scale electric powered rc car designed to race in the competitive touring car class.

There are many versions of the TC3 such as the Racer Kit, the Team Kit, the Factory Team Kit, and the RTR TC3 (#3040).

This article is about the RTR TC3, which is perfect for beginners or those looking for a cheap but competitive on-road electric touring car.

The RTR TC3 is designed with one thing in mind, to win races against other ready to run kits. Low center of gravity, shaft driven transmission,

4 wheel drive, carbide ball stealth diff, composite-body VCS shock absorbers, pro-line wheels, V-Rage tires, composite MIP CVD's,

 steel turnbuckles, rubber-sealed ball bearings, and a pre-painted touring car body.

The RTR TC3 comes with a radio control unit and an electric speed control with forward and reverse.

You will just need to buy a 7.2 volt battery pack, a 15 min battery charger, and 8-AA size batteries for the radio control system.

Set Up manual for Touring Cars

Car Set up

This set-up guide assumes that your car has a standard or kit set-up, and that there are no problems with your car, e.g. Bearings are spinning freely; nothing is dragging along the ground etc. If you do not have a standard set-up then the manufacturer’s website should have one.

Tyres

Generally if you want more traction use a softer tyre, if you need more in the rear, use a soft rear and hard front and vice versa. This is mainly suited to on road cars.

Camber

Camber is best set so the tyres' contact patch is as big as possible at all times. So with a stiff suspension and firm tires you'll need less camber than with a soft suspension or tires with big, flexible sidewalls.
If the tires wear evenly across their contact patches, camber is about right.
 

Toe

Rear toe in

This is one of the most sensitive adjustments! One degree goes a long way.
This can greatly stabilize the car. It gives the rear end loads of grip. The more toe-in you use, the more rear grip you get. This is especially apparent going into and coming out of turns. But more toe-in makes the difference between sticking and breaking loose bigger.
Large amounts of toe-in (2.5 - 3 degrees) scrub off a little speed in the straight

Rear toe out

Rear toe-out is never used. It makes the rear of the car very, very unstable.

Front toe in

Stabilizes the car in the straights, and coming out of turns. It smoothes out the steering response, making the car easy to drive. It can make the car turn a little more in the middle and exit parts of a turn.

Front toe out

Increases turn-in steering a lot. But can make the car wander on the straights. Try not to use more than 2 degrees of front toe-out.

Caster

Adding or removing a few degrees of caster can transform the steering balance of a car; it can be a very sensitive adjustment.

More

More caster aids stability, especially at high speeds, and generally suits large, open, high-speed tracks.

Less

Less caster increases steering drastically, it feels much more direct, the car turns tighter and faster. Small amounts of caster are suitable for tight tracks.

Springs

Stiffer front

The car has less front traction, and less steering. It's harder to get the car to turn, the turn radius is bigger and the car has a lot less steering exiting corners. On very high-grip tracks, if the track itself feels tacky or sticky, very stiff springs are the way to go.

Stiffer rear

The car has more steering, in the middle and exit of the turn. This is especially apparent in long, high-speed corners. But rear traction is reduced.

Softer front

The car has more steering, especially in the middle part and the exit of the corner. Front springs that are too soft can make the car hook and spin.

Softer rear

The car has generally more rear traction, in turns as well as through bumpy sections and while accelerating.

Damping

Heavier

Thicker oil (heavier damping) makes the car more stable, and makes it handle moore smoothly. If damping is too heavy, traction could be lost in bumpy sections. The car will also change direction slower.

Softer

Soft damping makes the car react quicker.

Damping should always be adapted to the spring ratio; the suspension should never feel too 'springy' or too slow.

Heavier front/ softer rear

The turn radius is wider, but smoother. The car doesn't 'hook' suddenly. The car is easier to drive, and high-speed steering feels very nice. Easy to drive.

Softer front/heavier rear

The steering reacts quicker. More and better low-speed steering.

Shock mounting

More inclined

Has a more progressive, smoother feel. More lateral grip. Having all shocks inclined makes the car very easy to drive and it feels like the car has more grip, but it's not always fast.

Less inclined

More direct feel. Less lateral grip. (Side ways)

Front more inclined than rear

Steering feels very smooth. A little more mid-corner steering. Mounting the rear shocks very much upright can result in the rear end feeling unpredictable. It can also make the rear end jitter in turns.

Rear more inclined than front

Feels aggressive turning in, but for most of the time the car has a little less steering. The car has a lot of side traction in the rear, and the turn radius isn't very tight.

Anti Squat

Anti-squat only works when you're accelerating or braking, it does absolutely nothing when you're coasting through turns. The harder you brake or accelerate, the bigger the effect of anti-squat is.

More

More anti-squat generally makes the rear of the car more sensitive to throttle input.

Less

Less anti-squat gives more side-bite, on-power and while braking.
It feels easier to drive in low-grip situations.

Camber links/roll centre

Long link

A long link gives a lot of body roll in turns.
It feels as is the body is willing to keep on rolling, until in the end, the springs prevent it from rolling any further. The car has more grip in corners, especially the middle part. But: if there already is a lot of traction, long camber links can slow the car down in turns.

Short link

A short link makes that the body doesn't roll as far, its tendency to roll drops off as it rolls. It feels as is the car generates a little less grip.

More parallel

A parallel link gives a little more roll than an angled one. It feels very smooth and consistent as the body rolls in turns.

More angled

An angled link makes it feel as if the car has a tendency to center itself (level, no roll), other than through the springs or anti-roll bar. It gives a little more initial grip, steering into corners. It makes it very easy to 'throw' the car. The body rolls a little less than with parallel links. It's possible to use softer settings for damping and spring rate than with parallel links, without destabilising the car.

Beware that you should always keep an eye on the balance of your car; large differences in roll center front vs. rear will make the car feel less consistent and less confidence-inspiring.

Longer front

The front rolls and dives more in turns. Lots of steering in mid-corner. Could make the car hook.

Shorter front

The front feels very stable. A little more turn-in, but less steering in mid-corner.

Longer rear

More rear traction in turns, and coming out of them.
Rear end slide is very progressive, not unpredictable at all.
Make sure that there's enough rear camber though, or you could lose rear traction in turns.

Shorter rear

The rear feels very stable. It breaks out later and more suddenly, but if it does, the slide is more controllable. It makes the front dive a little more, which results in more steering, especially when braking.

More angled front

Turn-in is very aggressive. The front feels as if it wants to roll less than the rear.

More angled rear

The rear end is rock-solid while turning in. It feels very confident.

Droop

Less droop

The car changes direction faster, and corners flatter. It feels generally more responsive and more direct. Having a lot of droop is only advisable on smooth, high-traction tracks.

More droop

Gives better handling on bumpy tracks, and more and more consistent traction on difficult tracks.

Less droop in front

The car changes direction faster. It turns in very well, but it could lose front traction halfway through the turn.

More droop in front

Makes the car brake better. Rear traction feels consistent.

Anti dive/kick up

The assumption is made that if kickup is changed, caster stays the same. (This usually requires different caster blocks.)

More kickup/less anti dive

Much better through bumps. More forgiving to drive.

Less kickup/more anti dive

More turn-in steering. The car dives less while braking, and the front lifts less while accelerating. Maybe a little more braking traction, and a little more on-power steering too.

Wheelbase

Longer

A short wheelbase makes the car feel very nimble, and good in tight turns. This is a good idea for very small and tight tracks.
 

Shorter

The car becomes a lot more stable and better in wide, high-speed turns. This is good on wide-open tracks.

Spur/pinion

Smaller pinions
Smaller pinions give better acceleration, but you will get a lower top speed, this is good for tight twisty tracks, where you want to accelerate fast out of a corner.
 

Bigger pinions
Bigger pinions give higher top speeds, but the car will feel slow out of corners,
 

Smaller spur

Smaller spur gears give higher top speed, same effect as larger pinions.
 

Larger spur
Larger spur gears give better acceleration, same effect as smaller pinions.

These can be shown in tables know as gear ratio charts, where the ratio between the spur and the pinion is given.

Small ratio

More acceleration. More runtime. Lower top speed.

Large ratio

Less punch, but more top speed. Less runtime.

Weight distribution

Toward the front

More front-end grip, all the time. But the front also feels more inert. If you overdo it, it feels like you're riding on the front tires, and the rear doesn't do anything but follow the front. Rear traction is reduced.

More towards the back

More rear-end grip, so the rear feels more planted. But if the rear does swing out, it's usually very sudden and more unpredictable.

The technology of glow plugs escapes most of us. Sure, we all know that our nitro engines need them to start and to run, but beyond that, we don't know much. Glow plugs are, in fact, a critical part of the whole performance picture.

To help shed some light on the technology of glow plugs and for some practical information concerning their use, I consulted a few of the most knowledgeable people in the industry.

The roster of experts who lent their knowledge to this piece includes Howard McCoy of McCoy Racing, Jerry Conley of Wildcat Fuels and Alberto Picco of Picco Mfg. They all have extensive knowledge of glow plugs.

All glow plugs are not created equal. The housing, wire element, type of plating and hole size determine the relative temperature range of a glow plug.

The turbo plug on the left uses its tapered housing to seal it to the cylinder head. The standard plug on the right uses a copper gasket.

OK; you've blown the glow plug that was included with your engine, so it's time to get a new one. Which one do you buy? You could try to find the same plug, if information about its brand and type was included with your engine. More likely, you will have to choose from the brands and types of plugs that are available at your local hobby shop.

What makes the subject of choosing a glow plug a little confusing is the variety of types that are available. Each manufacturer offers a range of plugs, from as few as three or four up to 10 or more. A plug is usually identified by a code that indicates its effective operating temperature; not the operating temperature of the engine or the outside air, but the relative temperature of the glow plug's coil. Each manufacturer has its own unique temperature-rating system, and general application recommendations are sometimes included to try to steer consumers toward the correct plugs for their needs. The process can be confusing, however, because a universal rating system does not exist for glow plugs. For example, an O.S. R5 plug is not the same as a McCoy MC-9, although both are considered "cold" plugs. A glow-plug manufacturer's guidelines will suffice for average enthusiasts who simply want their cars to run; racers and performance buffs, however, won't get the most out of their engines without a little experimentation. So what should you look for in a replacement plug?

Some general rules about plugs are determined by the size of the engine and the type of fuel used. Smaller engines usually require hotter plugs, while larger engines favor cooler plugs. Engines that run fuel containing a high percentage of nitro favor the cooler plugs as well, while those that run on less nitro prefer hotter plugs (nitro fuels for car engines typically include 10 to 40 percent nitromethane). For example, a small, .12ci (2.1cc) engine that burns high-nitro fuel would favor a warm plug in a mid-range temperature (small engine = hotter plug; high-nitro fuel = colder plug). The same plug might also be suitable for a .21ci (3.5cc) engine running low-nitro fuel (large engine = colder plug; low-nitro fuel = hotter plug).

The size of your engine and the type of fuel are easy enough to determine, so these guidelines should get you pointed in the right direction. For racing buffs who want to get maximum ponies, however, another element that's not easily determined—yet should be taken into consideration—is compression ratio. The compression ratio of an engine will also be a factor in choosing the proper plug. High-compression engines favor colder plugs, while those with lower compression favor hotter plugs. Engine manufacturers rarely disclose an engine's compression ratio, so it may be difficult to use this information to select plugs unless you know how to calculate compression or can measure it with a compression gauge.

This information is best used when adding or removing head shims. More or thicker shims lower the compression; fewer or thinner shims raise it. Remember: when adjusting head clearances with shims, a plug change may be necessary (this should be left to experienced engine tuners).

The plug on the left, an O.S. F, is rated "hot" for use in 4-stroke applications. The thin element wire and the large number of coils create more resistance, and this results in higher operating temperatures. The Enya no. 5 plug on the right is one step up from the coldest plug. The thicker element wire and lower coil count reduce the plug's temperature.

These glow plugs have very different electrode designs, but despite the visible differences, electrode design has no bearing on plug performance.

 10 cheap tricks that are guaranteed to make your vehicle faster

 without burning a hole in your pocket

LINKAGE SETUP

Your engine can't make power if the carb isn't open all the way. When you hit full throttle on your radio, you should see a black hole in your carb.

The carburetor is opened by a linkage attached to the end of a servo arm. If the linkage or radio endpoint adjustments aren't set up properly, the carb may not open all the way and your engine won't produce full power no matter what you do!

To check your carb, simply remove the air cleaner from the engine and pull the throttle trigger on your transmitter. If the carb doesn't open fully, adjust your linkage until it does. If your radio has an endpoint adjustment feature, open the throttle all the way, and adjust the endpoint until the carb is completely open.

If you don't have endpoint adjustment, open the carb more by moving the linkage pivot point farther out on the servo arm.

Engines with a barrel carb have two holes in the throttle arm; the closer to the pivot point on the carb you can go with the linkage, the farther the barrel will open. Make sure that the carb still closes to the idle position when the servo is in neutral. You can adjust this by moving the throttle-return spring to the correct position, i.e., where it puts a slight pressure on the carb to keep it closed.

BASIC TUNING

Sometimes, simply tuning your engine is the most direct way to increase engine power. Just turn the high- and low-speed needles a little at a time until you're happy with your engine's performance.

The easiest way to increase your engine's horsepower is simply to tune it properly. If your engine's fuel/air mixture is too rich (too much fuel), it won't make full power and you will use up your fuel very quickly. An engine that is being run too lean won't have enough fuel to burn, and that will cause it to run erratically. Start the engine and run your vehicle around to get the engine up to running temperature. Adjust the high-speed needle first. You're aiming to tune the engine so that its operating temperature is somewhere around 230 degrees. When adjusting the high- and low-speed needles, alter them by only 1/16 turn at a time until you have the engine running properly.

There are two ways to check engine temperature: with a temperature gauge or with the water-drop test. The temp gauge will tell you the exact temperature, and you can adjust the high-speed needle to richen or lean out the fuel/air mixture, depending on the temp reading. If your engine runs at around 260 degrees, it may be running too lean. If it's running at below 200 degrees, it's a little rich and should be leaned out. The ideal temperature depends on the engine and the ambient temperature on the days you run it.

The water-drop test is a lot less accurate, but it does the job. Simply put a drop of water on the engine head; it should boil off in 2 or 3 seconds. If it just sits there, the engine is not hot enough and is running too rich; if it evaporates very quickly, the engine is running too lean.

When you've set the high-speed needle properly, set the low-speed needle. I test the low-speed needle setting by pinching the fuel tubing when the engine is at idle. If the needle has been set properly, engine rpm should increase slightly for few seconds before the engine dies. If the engine revs for more than a few seconds, the mixture is too rich. If the engine dies as soon as you pinch the fuel tubing, the mixture is too lean.

REMOVE HEAD SHIMS

Under the engine head, there's always a very thin shim that's usually made of metal. Add or remove shims to alter engine compression; fewer shims will increase compression and vice versa.

All engines have very thin shims between the cylinder head and the sleeve, and these shims are used to set the clearance between the two parts. You can increase power by removing shims or installing a thinner shim. This will make the combustion chamber smaller and will increase the engine's compression.

To remove the shims, you'll have to remove the cooling head, so take out the screws that hold it in place. You will see the shims on top of the sleeve, or they might be stuck to the head where it meets the sleeve. Remove one shim (if there is more than one) and reinstall the head. Be sure to check the piston/head clearance by manually spinning the crankshaft through one revolution to see whether the piston hits anything. If it does, replace the shim you just removed. The shims are very thin and bend easily, so be careful when you handle them.

Don't do this unless you're an experienced engine tuner. Too much compression and/ or insufficient head clearance may damage your powerplant.

ADD A HEADER AND A TUNED PIPE

The small canister-type muffler below left can easily rob your engine of power, but a header and tuned pipe like the ones shown here can really make your engine sing.

These are used because they are very easy and cheap to manufacture. These mufflers can rob your engine of power and make it run hot. A tuned pipe will give your engine more power and keep it running cool. Pulses from the exhaust run through the pipe when the engine is running. These pulses help to keep fuel in the combustion chamber during the exhaust and intake strokes. Your engine will have more power because there is more fuel to burn, and the extra fuel will help to cool it.

It's very easy to install a tuned pipe. Remove the stock muffler and clean the engine's exhaust opening. Install a new gasket on the engine, and screw on the header; don't forget to put Loctite on the screws. When the header is in place, attach the new muffler using a muffler coupling; use heavy-duty zip-ties to hold the header and pipe together. Hold the opposite end of the pipe in place with a piece of wire attached to the chassis.

USE THE RIGHT GLOW PLUG

Glow plugs vary with regard to their heat ranges; .12 engines run better with a hot plug while .21 engines run best on colder plugs.

An engine comes with the proper glow plug installed, but it doesn't last forever, and you'll eventually have to replace it. Don't just buy whatever is hanging on the wall at your local hobby shop. Glow plugs have various heat ranges; if you install one that is too cold for your engine, it will lose acceleration and top speed.

A plug that is too hot for your engine will cause pre-ignition, i.e., the fuel will start to burn well before the piston reaches the top of the sleeve. A .12 engine will work well with a hot plug while a .21 will run better with a colder plug.

USE FRESH FUEL

Make sure that the cap on your nitro fuel bottle is always tight, or with time, the methanol in the fuel will evaporate. If it is stored in a damp place, fuel attracts moisture; water doesn't burn, so the more moisture there is in the fuel, the less fuel there is to burn when the mixture reaches the combustion chamber. If your fuel is old stuff that has been sitting around for a while, buy a fresh bottle

USE A HIGHER-NITRO FUEL

Going to a fuel that contains a greater percentage of nitromethane is an easy way to get a little more power out of your engine. Most .12 engines are designed to use 20-percent nitro, and .21 engines are designed to use 30-percent nitro. You can safely increase your nitro percentage by 5 or even 10 percent. If you go to a higher percentage than that, you will have to start playing around with head shims to decrease engine compression; you'll also risk damaging your engine. It is generally best to use fuel that contains the percentage of nitro your engine was designed to use.

If you run 20 percent nitro, you could safely bump it up by 5 or even 10 percent. You'll have to tune your engine for the increase in nitro, but it will make more power.

CHANGE THE LENGTH OF THE EXHAUST HEADER

Use a shorter or longer header and pipe to obtain more low-end or high-end power from your engine.

When you change the exhaust header's length, you alter the dynamics of the pulses from the exhaust throughout the pipe and header. If you have a long header, the pulses will be slower and will give the engine more bottom-end power. A short header will speed the pulses' flow, and your engine will have better top-end power. To maximize power, adjust the header's length until the pipe and engine are in sync.

You can alter the length of your header simply by adjusting the gap between it and the pipe. If you need to make it any longer than the coupler permits, buy a longer coupler. If you have moved the pipe back so far that it is about to touch the header and you still need to mover it farther back, cut the header. Cut off only about 1/8 inch at a time, and run the engine after making every cut. Shorten the header until you are happy with the amount of power your engine produces.

IF YOUR ENGINE HAS A PULL STARTER, REMOVE IT

If you remove the engine's pull-starter, you'll save a lot of unnecessary weight, but you'll have to buy a starter box to start your powerplant.

A pull-starter is nice because it allows you to start your engine easily wherever you are, and it saves you the expense of a starter box. If you remove the pull-start assembly, there will be less drag on the crankshaft and, consequently, more power. Your vehicle will also be lighter. The only drawback to doing this is that you'll need a starter box.

Remove the pull-starter by unscrewing the four screws that hold it in place. The backplate is held with four screws, too; remove them and set them aside (you will need them later). Remove the cylinder head, the sleeve and the piston so that you're able to remove the crankshaft. At the end of the crankshaft, there's a small nub that you'll have to remove with a rotary tool and a cutoff wheel. When you've done that, clean the crankshaft and reinstall it, followed by the piston, the sleeve and the head. The old backplate has a large hole that will prevent the engine from running; install a backplate for a non pull-start engine in its place. Before you do this, clean the backplate and engine-block mating surfaces. Put a little oxygen sensor-safe sealant between the two to eliminate any chance of air leaks. Secure the new backplate with the screws you removed from the old one.

OPEN THE PORT ON THE HEADER

Use a shorter or longer header and pipe to obtain more low-end or high-end power from your engine.

Before fuel can enter the combustion chamber, the spent gases (exhaust) must leave the engine. The better the exhaust flow, the better your engine will perform. Some headers have a flange opening that's smaller than the opening on the engine's exhaust port, which it is supposed to match. You can enlarge it to match the exhaust port with a rotary tool and a small grinding stone. To maximize exhaust flow, be sure to grind the opening at an angle and do not remove too much material; you want the exhaust to exit via the pipe not the header. RC Cars At Sto Racing Products

New features (rear)
- new geometry up-rights with high upper mounting position; adjustable camber and toe-in
- re-active rear suspension
- re-inforced, long wishbones; lower rear suspension arms with 2 mounting postions for the anti-roll bar and shocks
- adjustable rear ball-differential with easy external diff-adjustment
- quick change system for rear transmission; you can change from differential (standard) to solid axle in  a few minutes
- rear blocks with integrated belt-tension-adjusters (eccentric)
- easy to use adjustable roll-center through nylon pivot inserts
- same length wheel-axles and drive-shafts front and rear
- rear right bracket with new brake-position, creating better cooling  
- disk-brake with steel disk and plates and excellent friction brake-material; cam-operated with auto-return spring-system
- carbon fibre upper rear plate

Differential made easy

The new Serpent 710 comes with a new light weight, fully adjustable, ball differential and features the new friction collar with single screw adjustment to make differential settings simpler.

Active Rear Toe-In (ART)

A ground breaking feature that enables, depending on adjustment, toe-in setting changes during acceleration and braking as well as rear steering assistance during cornering.

Serpent - Performance through Evolution

 

New features (centre section) - carbon fibre side-plates with integrated ball-raced belt-tensioner - lower engine mounting position - side-mounted receiver position with protection case - 75ccm fuel tank with integrated filter, AFL-fuel cap and with special shape for low CG and rubber-mounted - battery-pack mounted below fuel tank, easy access through chassis-plate (battery not included)

Serpent 710 - Geared to win   Extremely low inertia Centax-III™. The Serpent 710 features the optimised Centax-III™ with a lightweight 2-part Centax clutchbell (18-21T standard) and 33mm lightweight coated flywheel. This combined with the LC (light and compact) gearbox featuring new gears (56-60T standard)  noticably improves accelleration! Serpent - Performance through Evolution

Futaba 6 EXA 40FM Transmitter with Nicad Good to start and around £50

HPI RS4 Pro 3 Touring Car

The designers gave the RS4 Pro 3 all new suspension geometry that delivers improved handling, with simple set-up options.

 The central battery mounting position and near perfect weight distribution gives the RS4 Pro 3 a smooth transition

 between on and off throttle steering. The all new layout delivers higher corner speeds and fast changes of direction.
The all new composite chassis keeps the suspension geometry exactly as the designers intended, ensuring

the purest driving feel and clear feedback from the subtlest of set up changes. Reduced radio interference,

improved dampening and reduced parts count are additional benefits of the composite chassis.
Lightweight composite, true bore super low friction threaded shocks maximise wheel control under all conditions.

 They also lower overall car weight and centre of gravity significantly.

Graphite composite diffs and new short CVD's are standard, providing a significant reduction in rotating mass

 over the Pro 2. Faster throttle response and improved efficiency are the welcome benefits.
Everywhere you look on the car there have been technological advances to bring you the best

performance and value in the electric competition touring class.
 

HPI Nitro 1:10th RS4 2 BMW 328ci

Features:

The TL01 chassis features a multitude of different bodies to choose from.

The great thing about this car is the fact that it's so easy and affordable

 to start with, yet when you are ready to race you aren't stuck buying a new car!

Take some time to check out what this TAMIYA HEAVY-WEIGHT has to offer!

This all-time 4WD chassis gets it's power from a rear-mounted Stock 540 motor

that can be upgraded when the need for speed arises.

The best in Class just got better…. Introducing the new 2 speed Gearbox version of the Impulse.

For increased speed and drivability and to enable you the driver to compete

more easily we have integrated a purpose built 2-speed gearbox as standard

in our new Impulse kits. This particular kit includes a Nova MEGA SX-12 RE

racing engine and exhaust system

Specifications:

Schumacher cars

Motor Racing is one of the worlds greatest sports. Formula One, World Rally Cars

 Touring Cars and Off-Road Racing - the speed and excitement is always a spectacle to watch!

Would you like to become a racing driver, but the cash doesn't quite stretch to a Formula 1 Ferrari

or a Subaru World Rally Car?

This is where we come in! Schumacher is one of the World's leading manufacturers of

1/10th scale radio control model cars. We have a reputation for high quality design

 and high tech materials which together make for fabulous racing cars. We design

 manufacture and distribute from our prestigious factory in Northampton

England to all parts of the world.

Peugeot 406

  MR-4TC COMPETITION TOURING CAR KIT :