Looking for more SPEED

[Derek C]

I thinking of upgrading speed controller and motor.
Any ideas suggestions.
Thanks
DEREK

[kennedylanduk]

I think everyone runs all sorts of electronics, so I guess it's personal preference.

We both run HobbyWing ESCs (Sean has the Extreme Stock, I've got the Xerun 2.1 (120A)).
www.rcmart.com/hobbywing-xtreme-stock-blue-discontinued-p-33411.html
www.modelsport.co.uk/hobbywing-xerun-v2-1-bl-esc-120a-blue/rc-car-products/376977

Both of us run Team Powers Plutonium motors (Sean's is a year younger than mine (mine was purchased in 2014, Sean's in 2015).

For batteries, Sean has the HobbyKing graphine 6000mah, I've got Dynamic 5000mah. I did try three different batteries yesterday (mine, Sean's and one of the ones I bought from Dave), no difference in fastest lap or qualifying performance (although the graphine one "felt" smoother, might have been in my mind though).

Hope this helps.

[ianlloyd]

Andrew and I both run LRP Flow esc and share the same 2 year old batteries. Difficult as while we run the same Andrew is always faster. When we ran 17.5 together we were also running the same FDR and he was still a lap quicker than me. I guess what I am saying is that "speed" is relative to ability. Mine is waining and I am getting slower for sure even with top grade kit. It is easy to fool yourself into thinking better kit will get you more speed if you cannot make use of it. ( not saying this is true of you Derek but certainly true of me )

Also not making mistakes will get you better times. better consistency (like the wifes custard) will improve things

[kennedylanduk]

Another note. I was chatting with John Benn once, he said he took his motor out of the car as someone told him to clean the motor. He said it was full of crud, and went much better after a clean.

I'm going to clean mine tonight (it's a TC working night, Sean needs to replace the bottom chassis on his car (and rebuild the shocks)).

[ianlloyd]

Trying to find a set upi for the Mi6 I have been asking lots of different people who are good racers what they use in the way of motors and speedos. While there seems to be a mix of motors there is a general fit of LRP speedos with a few Hobbywing thrown in. Mainly LRP though. Seems most people say the LRP is a better speedo and has better brakes than most.

[ianlloyd]

So there you go Derek, exactly as I said. Andrew and I were running the same cars same speedos and pretty much the same gear ratios and he still does a lap more than me. Its about ability more than kit! I think he needs to be told to run 21.5 to give the rest of us a chance!

[theslacker]

I tend to agree..

Looking at the difference between my racing in boosted and blinky I actually averaged better times in blinky... therefore speed is not always the answer..

Lap times only tell half the story, sure if your faster you may be able to hook up 1 or 2 quick laps but if your consistency is off then your average and track position will no doubt drop.

One thing that is sometimes overlooked in the hunt for speed is the batteries, we have some good ones and some not so good, and the difference in power is night and day.

Anyways, My set up is LRP Flow Team with the Trinity D4 17.5, I wouldn't say it was any faster than Tony, Shaun, or the old mans car on the straight though. Consistency seems to get me better results than anything.

[Dave Chamberlain]

Consistency, consistency, consistency!!! if you can consistently hook up sub 16 sec laps you will be close to hitting 20 laps.. Hit the apex and make the track as short as possible makes all the difference..

When you run 17.5 blinky it really makes little difference how much power your ESC or motor can shift because you're stuck with motor timing only.. So as long as you gear your drive train to the maximum without over heating we will all be around the same ball park for top end speed..

Yes good batteries will also help maintain top end speed during the race, but by far the biggest free contribution to "speed" and more laps is consistency & good driving

Andrew's 20 lapper last Wednesday proves it.. No doubt his normal 13.5T setup has wayyyyy more speed than the 17.5T setup he ran Wednesday BUT he managed 20 laps with the 17.5... Why? Because he was probably just that little bit slower and better controlled allowing him to hit the apex's and get the quickest lines possible..

[kennedylanduk]

I've changed my mind on this (as I want a new motor). We all know the folks at the top have faster motors, better chassis, better everything etc etc. That's how we justify to ourselves that we need the new "TurboNutterStar 17.5 with extra timing and torque rotor" and everything else.

So you definitely need new kit, it will make you faster! Tell the mrs you need four motors per meeting as they need 24 hours to cool down between runs.

[ianlloyd]

LOL as I have said many times in the past, there is a significant difference between "need" and "want". Something it is difficult to explain to her indoors. You might not "need" something to make you faster but you most certainly "want" it. It is not logical but is fact. The trouble comes when you do buy that expensive piece of kit to make you theoretically faster and it doesnt, where do you go from there and explaining it to the wife is impossible as their logic is unfathomable, or maybe their logic is correct and we are fooling ourselves into believing we know better? Anyway there is always a want but not necessarily a need in this scenario, one I have been in many times.

The answer is of course, go for it, it makes you feel better even if it does not make you faster. I am a firm believer in the positiveness of retail therapy.