Main RS4 MT Page | Manual | Spec Sheet | Parts List | Option Parts | Building Tips | Additional Features | Newest Kit Features | Updates | Electric FAQ
The Tech and Racing Tips pages for all the cars will be updated as frequently as needed to keep pace with the new race hints and ideas we come up with. This page will have the newest tips listed first, with the date noted next to it, so that you will know how recent the update is.
Many of the tips in the future will have thumbnail photos of what to do, where to put a part, etc. If you click on one of these thumbnails, you will download a larger (5 to 6 inches across, 40K to 80K) photo of the process involved with the tip.
Maintenance Tips - Find out how you can maintain your car in the best condition! Split between general maintenance and "serious" racing tips
Setup Sheets - Blank setup sheets for nearly all of our car kits, plus setups that have worked great for our team drivers!
For a tight track, use the shorter wheelbase the MT offers. This will give you much more steering while giving you more acceleration, because the wheels are closer to the main weight of the truck - the batteries and motor. (4/23/98)
For bumpy tracks, use the longer wheelbase for more stability, and try a softer spring and lighter weight shock oil so the tires can extend into the dips and holes. (4/23/98)
If you're wondering what kind of setup to run on your dirt track with the MT, get some advice - from the fast 2WD drivers! Most of these drivers have been running for years in dirt, and know all the handling tips. Keep the dogbones as close to level as possible, run stiffer springs in the front to keep the nose from bottoming out, use o-rings on the outside of the front shock shafts to help absorb the jump impact, etc. There are tons of tips to steal from your 2WD competitors! If you start winning, you can probably get more people to race the MT and get a full race going every week! (4/22/98)
If you wish to use Lunsford titanium turnbuckles, you can replace the steering threaded rods with 2 1/2" turnbuckles, and the front and rear camber links with 2 1/4" turnbuckles. You can use the stock ball cups, or use RPM ball cups for more strength. Thanks, Larry Embrey! (4/22/98)
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In order to remove much of the play in the steering, use two #Z137 short purple ball ends and a short turnbuckle (35mm, or 1 3/8") with two ball cups to replace the steering linkage rod. Make the center of the ball cups 48mm apart. To further tighten the steering, use two 4 x 8 x 3mm bearings (#B017, $14.00) on the pilot shaft of the steering arm instead of the plastic bushings. (4/22/98) |
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The Japanese have done it again! This is a picture of an RS4 MT running in the snow, on improvised snow chains! This picture, from RC Magazine in Japan, is from a short article on R/C snow running. They show how to attach and connect nylon zip ties to make 'snow chains'. (4/3/98) |
If your dogbones fall out while turning or jumping, using an extra o-ring in the diff outdrives can help keep the dogbones in place. A spring from an old click-style pen can work also, just cut it in half with wire snips and place it in the outdrive. Silicone fuel tubing cut in 2-4mm lengths can also fit it the outdrives and do the same thing. Thanks, Kevin Foss! (3/31/98)
If you clip a curb or wall with the tires, the ball cups may split from the force of the impact. We recommend the long and beefy RPM ball cups if this is the case. They can resist damage a little better than the stock ball cups. (3/31/98)
For on-road truck racing, two of the best option parts to get for the MT would be A906 Front One-Way Diff and A905 Ball Diff Set for the rear. This combination would give extreme acceleration and awesome cornering! (2/4/98)
In 4WD off-road racing, it is possible to control the angle of the truck, and steer it in the air!
Jumps are normally taken with some extra throttle after you hit the base of the jump, and if you are nose-down in the air, you can hit the throttle to bring the front end up a bit. Alternately, if the rear end is too low, you can 'blip' the brakes and bring the rear end up. (12/17/97)
If you are hitting a jump that is right before a turn, you can turn the front wheels in the direction that you want to go in mid-air, and the truck will turn in that direction. The effect is not as dramatic as controlling the pitch of the truck with throttle in mid-air, but it does work. (12/17/97)
If you will be racing the RS4 MT on an off-road track, make sure to check what tires the local racers at that track use. Each off-road track seems to have its own "hook-up" tire, and if you want to win, you need to find out what tire the locals use, and start practicing with that tire. Tire selection is 80% of a successful setup. Shocks and all their variations make up most of the other 20%. (12/17/97)
If your RS4 MT is bottoming out over jumps, use a thicker shock oil in the rear. (12/17/97)
Use scrap Lexan to make a spoiler for the RS4 MT if you are racing off-road, or buy one pre-made from companies such as Bolink or Associated. The stock wing could tear out during a bad crash. Use the kit's screws and servo tape to secure it down. Also, keeping within the rules of 2WD trucks could be a consideration at the track you race with. The pictures below show the kit wing in two different mounting positions. Washers underneath the screws and nuts help reinforce the holes that the screws go through. (12/17/97)
Use softer springs to get more steering if your truck is jumping good. If the truck is not handling jumps well, try stiffer springs, but you will lose some steering. (12/17/97)
You can use the A905 Nitro RS4 One-Way Pulley, the A255 15T One-Way Pulley or A254 14T One-Way Pulley in the RS4 MT. All of these will give you more off-throttle steering, but you have to get used to using less steering and less brake. If you use the brakes too hard, you will tend to spin out. The main difference between the One-Way Pulleys and the One-Way Diff is that if the inside front wheel picks up in a turn, the One-Way Diff will keep power going to the outside wheel, allowing you to maintain control. (12/17/97)