Fast electric rc car –Cornering technique Part 1

After you have good knowledge in previous tips, and know is time for you to become a good or skill driver. In this article you will know the basic driving tips.

In Rc car’s world anyone will not become a skill driver if you just running on an open surface. You are advice to practice on a circuit, because running your electric rc car on a circuit or track is totally difference compare to running your electric rc car on an open surface or running just straight, and only practicing or driving on a circuit will improve your driving skill. At curves your skill of taking corners affect the result even among electric rc cars of same performance. Especially in speed electric rc car races, the cornering technique is one of the decisive factors to your race result. After becoming accustomed with your electric rc car, try to practice smooth, speedy and stable cornering.
Slow-in and Fast-out cornering.
Decelerating when entering into a curve and picking up the speed after your electric rc car reach to center of curve is the technique. In this case of entering curves without reducing speed, your car is force to slow down before finishing corners to lose speed and stability. In the worst cases, your electric rc car might spin or run off the track. It also gets your electric rc car moving too late to pick up speed. Slow-in and fast-out is important rule in controlling speed in curve. Briefly you should control speed in “slow-in and fast-out manner. As a result “slow-in and fast-out” is the fastest way to take corners.
Out-in-out cornering.
As in illustrated, a way of taking corner from outside line of a track into inside line to which your electric rc car come closer to the center of the corner ( clipping point ) and finishing the corner back to the outside line, try to making the longest possible the turning radius. By using the full width of the track, your electric rc car will make an easier turn than the actual corner. This will allow your electric rc car to run through the turns faster.
In some cases, it’s may be better to set the clipping point a slightly after the center of the corner, because it enable your electric rc car accelerate early.

Click image to zoom in.

Fast electric rc cars - Shock absorber system

Shock absorbers are another important or critical component on your fast electric rc car that allows wheels to move up and down freely to absorb bumps, jump landings, and other sudden force. Real shock absorber has a piston attached to shock shaft which protrude from a sealed shock body filled with silicone oil. The oil resists the movement of the piston and absorbs the force. Difference thicknesses of oil (wt) are available to suit the stiffness of the shocks.
It can be very complicated as where to start if you are trying to improve your handling skill. Before you made an adjustment or tuning your electric rc cars shock absorber, you have to consider a few things that may effect your handling on your electric rc car.
- Driving style.
- Track surface condition.
- Tire compound.
- Shaft or belt driven.
- Electric rc car setting.
- Understand your shock absorber system.
There are a few important components in shock absorber structure:
Shock Body.
Main component of shock absorber system is shock body. There are two type of shock body in the market.
- Viscous damper- Operated with silicone oil and piston to absorb force.
- Coulomb damper- Operated with out oil.
Piston
Most of the electric rc car which is using silicone oil in their shock absorber system, adjustment of shock absorber stiffness will be easier by using difference thickness of silicone oil and by using difference piston (difference number of hole on piston).
- Thicker the thicknesses of silicon oil will harder your rc car shock absorber.
- Lesser the number of holes on your piston will herder your rc car shock absorber.
Spring.
Main purpose of shock absorber spring is to control the level of suspension movement. A hard spring will cause your electric rc car striking downward less compared to a soft spring. Generally a level of soft or hard spring is called spring rate or stiffness and measure in unit lb/ Inch or Newton / meter. You don’t have to worry how to measure it, because it can be identified by color code such as green, yellow or red color.
Here are a few more tips to help you.
- Less downstop will make your electric rc car more responsive and better on bumpy track, but it will cause less stable.
- Lowering the ride height gives you more grip.
- Increasing front track-width will result in more understeer, while
decreasing it will result in less understeer and faster steering
response.
After you know and understand your electric rc car shock absorber system, now is your time to tuning your shock absorber base on above know-how.

*Next tips – Basic driving training.

Fast electric rc cars – All about RC battery tips

After we know about RC batteries and now we need to know tips about how to choose, charging and take care of RC batteries. These tips is actually recommended and implemented by most of advance or professional fast electric rc car community and rc car accessories manufacturer. These tips also will help you to maximize your battery performance and battery long life.
Make a purchase a rc battery.
- Before make a purchase please ask for advised or recommendation from senior or advance fast electric rc car community.
- Always purchase a rc battery from rc cars shop or hobby shop, don’t ever buying from others sources or maker or manufacturer that we never heard.
- Make a purchase base on own budget and your performance requirement.
- Purchase more than one battery or at least two set ( alternate used during charging and play )
- If purchase more than one battery please select from difference manufacturer and make a comparison which one is suit or better performance to you or your fast electric rc car. ( if you plan to make a comparison by your self )
Batteries charge rate and discharge:
When you purchase the battery, follow charging instruction recommended by manufacturer. Normally it will take long period at first charge. For discharge or drained your batteries, NiCad batteries should be discharge after each cycle of usage to maintain it performance and battery long life, it much difference compare to NiMH batteries, you don’t need to do as NiCad batteries. Don’t forget to let your batteries break for 2 to 3 minutes to cool down before starting to discharge.
NiMH .
Many advance or professional racer recommended that 5 to 6 amps are most
suitable for 3300 batteries and for 3000 batteries at 4 to 5 amps.
NiCad
Best charging rate for this type of batteries is 4 to 5 amps.
( Base on 2400 batteries )
Batteries storage:
NiMH
If the battery pack will not used for a long period, it is better to charge the battery for one minute before storing.
NiCad
Put 30% of charge back into your batteries and run it at lease once a week if you store it for a long period.
Others:
- Higher amps charging will result in more acceleration, but total running time short. For the longest running time and battery long life, charge at lower rate.
- Use cooling fan to reduce heat during charging.
- Always take out batteries from your car and store into special box to avoid short circuit between them.