The Champ's Setup

Presenting, Your 2013 TCS National Champion,

 Bensi Lopez's Nat's-winning setup!

Motor: handout Silver can
ESC: LRP QC3
Batt: IP 4200 60c
Servo: Futaba 9551
Radio: Airtronics M12
Body: Lt Wt Suzuki Swift

FRONT
I used TRF touring car shocks and put mini shock shafts with plastic damper retainer
56 mm shock length
Losi 60 wt Oil
3 hole piston
1mm of rebound
Short Black/Red spring
RIDE HEIGHT: 5mm
- I measure just behind the front arms.
I did check camber as it has fixed camber links since the ride ht. is at 5mm
Alum upright position 2, inner most hole
- To me this gave me more responsive steering
- Plastic 6mm wheel hub

BACK
I used TRF touring car shocks and put mini shock shafts with alum -1 down damper retainer
- I used the -1 down damper retainer to get the ride height to 4mm
56.5 mm shock length
Losi 30 wt Oil
3 hole piston
1mm of rebound
Short Fluorscent Blue spring
RIDE HEIGHT: 4mm
- I measure at the back of the chassis.
TOE: 1.5 Alum rear upright
- Position 1 for some camber gain
- 5mm Alum wheel hub + 1mm spacer
o This is a fine tune setting that I use for the front and back
Camber : -3 degrees
Soft roll bar


NOTES
Diff – most important setting in silver can TCS racing
- I use the a old diff made for the TA01/02’s - #53219 Touring Car Aluminum Pressure Plates and the TA03 ball diff gear
o Basically a Manta Ray diff but Milled Aluminum
 If you ever find one, BUY IT.
• I built with AW grease, ceramic balls, sanded diff rings
o and to make the diff a little tighter I put a .03 axle shim before I screwed down tight
New S Grip Spec Tires tire prep.
- I CAed both the inside and outside sidewalls with one layer of CA on all four tires
o Break in these tires are very important
 I would put a new set of fronts and run it 3 runs about 5 min runs.
• I put worn rear tires that I built just to have traction during my breaking period
• Then the fronts became my rears.
• when I put new front tires and the broken in rears, the car would push too much.
o I would run the new fronts for about to 2 runs, then they were ready to race.
o As the traction came up throughout the weekend, I would CA the ridge where the treads meet the sidewall so, the front type will not collapse while cornering.
o There was a lot of minis struggling for rear traction, reason was they were running new or tires on all four ends.
I offsetted the battery holders to the left side of the car (Grandpa method) by shimming about 5-6 mm then screwing in the holders then using the M03 holders. This seemed to balance the car.
I used a Large Kimbrough servo saver
I used aluminum screws on the top half of the car and Ti screws on the bottom half.
- You do not need to do this, but I already had the screws so why not.
- I also put tungsten weights in the lower mid section of the car to make 1250 gm weight limit
o I was at 1255 gm.
Ran the gears dry
I used old Tamiya rubber blue seals in the drive train, and fluorine bearing on the uprights
- I took the seals off the drive train bearings

I think that was it. 98% of what I know the 2% is up to you.

BTW, Big ups to the Mini Mafia at Tamiya (GPa, Chuck, Niino, Craig, Steve, A. Lopez and especially Danny). He is a great driver, I had a hell of a time holding him off.



Take notes kids, I know I am. Good luck to Bensi in his assault on Japan in November!
BTW, I'm totally digging that "Frog Racing" paint scheme. Badass.


-Jesse

M_