Too-tall T3

Radio Control Car Action, Aug 2000 by Bailey, Tom

I have an Associated RC10T3. I don't race it, but I like to drive it in the woods. I would like it to handle bumps better. I set it up so it has maximum ground clearance, but it still gets knocked upsidedown a lot. What's wrong?

TOM BAILEY

Your problem is a fairly common beginner's mistake. The T3 is a racetruck, and although it may look cool with the suspension lacked to the moon, this setup hurts rather than helps its performance In the rough.

Off-road vehicles of any type must be set with "sag"; this is easily visible when you pick up the truck. As you lift the chassis, the shocks should extend in an effort to keep the wheels on the ground. When you put the truck down, you'll notice that the suspension sags (hence the term) under the weight of the chassis. Exactly how much sag your suspension needs depends on the surface you run on, but your truck should always be set so that the shocks can both extend and compress from their "at rest" position when the truck is sitting on its wheels.

A "drop test" will confirm that the truck is dialed in properly: just lift the truck about 2 feet off the ground (or your bench top), hold it parallel with the surface, then drop it. The suspension will soak up the landing and settle. From this point, you should be able to pick up the truck and see the shocks extend as you lift it; likewise, you should still have enough travel after the drop test to press the chassis down and see the shocks compress. It's OK to run the truck a little "tall" for greater ground clearance, but for best results, you should set it up so the rear arms are parallel with the ground or raised just slightly from this setting. Then adjust the front shocks so that the chassis is parallel with the ground, as viewed from the side.

If you have a technical problem that your hobby shop or racing friends can't resolve, give us a shout at Radio Control Car Action, and we'll see If we can chase down an answer for you. Questions should be of a technical nature and should be addressed to Troubleshooting, Radio Control Car Action, 100 East Ridge, Ridgefield, CT 06877-4808 USA. We regret that, owing to the tremendous number of letters we receive, we can't respond to every one.