Kraton Getting a Kraton 4S V2 Ready for (non-serious) Racing

[Gedrick]

Hey guys,

I was at my local track racing 1/10th scale buggies, and I figured I'd bring along my K4 to hit the outdoor track for a bit while I was there. I picked up a set of Duratrax X-Cons (1/8th scale truggy tires) and they are awesome. The track is dry and loose, I assume it gets watered down though on race days.

I was just out there for fun but the track owner said I could race in the truggy class for their outdoor races that take place each week, since it's 1/8th scale, a truggy, and runs on 4S. I'm pretty stoked about this because I don't have nor do I want to spend the finances for an 1/8th scale proper race rig, but the racing at this club is not super serious. It's just some guys have a fun time - no one's setting any landspeed records here.

That being said, I'm looking to make a race next Friday, but I need some advice - what are some things I should do to get this bad boy a little less "loose" and a tad more dialed? I get it's a bash rig and again, I'm not looking to make it bulletproof or even place, but smashing around with other cars I'd like to not break something stupid on the first lap.

I'm very familiar with racing but only 1/10th scale buggies on a packed clay track. Never raced outdoors, however, and never raced truggies.

This is the track. Not my video but a guy who races there frequently. This is the current track layout.

So far I've got the following:

1. changing out my rod ends, they are worn and they slide around like crazy, so my steering is currently loose and terrible.
2. metal ball cups pivot balls, the stock plastic ones are also worn out
3. new tires as I said, proper truggy tires are all set
4. I'm running a max10 g3 sensored combo on a 10t pinion. I think this is solid, given the track. Felt really nice the other day.
5. I have a dust cover. I'm thinking of running this on the chassis to prevent stupid breakages like rocks getting jammed in my servo (the little compartment where the arm moves, rocks tend to get stuck in there) or from rocks eating up my center driveshaft.
6. Aluminum steering rack, perhaps? Take a bit of the slop out?
7. I assume lowering the truck is a good idea, as well as the body posts so it sits lower. It sits up fairly high at the moment.
8. Lower weight shock oil? Running 50wt front and rear.

Anyone have any advice to enhance the "raceibility" of this thing? It's going to be a silly good time, I just want it to perform fairly well given the fact that it's a basher and I've never considered things like turn radius before. Curious what ya'll think!

 

[Johnny b]

That's a nice track...not overly technical. Is that you driving? If so, nice job! I personally think your spot on with your to do list. Don't over think it and have fun! There is nothing quite like racing with others! The only other thing you might look at is punch level. Don't want it to high. Racing is more about driver than car imo.

 

[Gedrick]

That's a nice track...not overly technical. Is that you driving? If so, nice job! I personally think your spot on with your to do list. Don't over think it and have fun! There is nothing quite like racing with others! The only other thing you might look at is punch level. Don't want it to high. Racing is more about driver than car imo.

Hey thank you!-- but no that is not me driving I didn't take out my GoPro the other day unfortunately.

I think you are right, I overly prepped when I started indoor racing last year and when I got there and saw everyone was just having fun, I realized I was stressing myself out for no reason lol. Mostly I just want it to perform a little tighter because turns were really sloppy but you are right on point about the punch setting. Mine is set to I believe a 7 out of 9 (which I believe is the default setting) so turning it down is a great idea. That or I can tweak my remote a little bit so the throttle eases up smoother.

Thanks for the reply, good ideas!

 

[Johnny b]

I use to race on a very nice clay track out in Ocala. The owner got all pissy at me and to this day I never understood why. Never went back and built my own track. It was very laid back and everyone helped each other out with parts and repairs on site as we all ran Losi 5T's. Great bunch of guys. This track sounds similar in the way its just for fun. When you start getting inflated ego's in the mix, that's when things go south and I believe turns a lot of peeps off to organized racing. Have fun!

 

[Gedrick]

I use to race on a very nice clay track out in Ocala. The owner got all pissy at me and to this day I never understood why. Never went back and built my own track. It was very laid back and everyone helped each other out with parts and repairs on site as we all ran Losi 5T's. Great bunch of guys. This track sounds similar in the way its just for fun. When you start getting inflated ego's in the mix, that's when things go south and I believe turns a lot of peeps off to organized racing. Have fun!

No doubt, that's the best kind of racing IMO. Once anything gets too competitive (providing you aren't doing it for living) it sucks the fun right out of it. At the end of the day, we're expensive toy car enthusiasts, gotta keep things in perspective.

Everyone at my track is super chill, I've probably raced there ~25-30 times so far and only one person who I hadn't seen before that day and haven't seen since bitched at me because I didn't pick up his car fast enough while I was marshaling. But aside from one odd experience with that whack-job it's been just like you describe. Buncha dudes racing their cars, like nature intended.

 

[oldguywnewtoy]

No doubt, that's the best kind of racing IMO. Once anything gets too competitive (providing you aren't doing it for living) it sucks the fun right out of it. At the end of the day, we're expensive toy car enthusiasts, gotta keep things in perspective.

Everyone at my track is super chill, I've probably raced there ~25-30 times so far and only one person who I hadn't seen before that day and haven't seen since bitched at me because I didn't pick up his car fast enough while I was marshaling. But aside from one odd experience with that whack-job it's been just like you describe. Buncha dudes racing their cars, like nature intended.

That always ticked me off when I raced years ago. I always tried to get to every bodies car as quick as I could, and I don't need some jerk yellin" that I'm not movin' fast enough. His can lay there a little bit longer once they start that crap!

 

[razorrc]

A decent servo and a solid servo horn is going to make the biggest difference.

 

[Gedrick]

A decent servo and a solid servo horn is going to make the biggest difference.

You've got experience with this car - any recommendations? Seems it always comes down to a $140 Protek or the $28 Amazon special.

 

[quiznatodd bidness]

I would do the aluminum steering rack, pivot balls/links, and the servo. I would probably do the cheap Amazon servo and run it with the included horn. -no saver.

 

[Dales396lt4]

I run an amazon 35kg servo for racing and no servo saver this works great, not so good for bashing. I have two receiver box's one for race mode and one for bash mode. I also run k6s shocks. just more turnability.

 

[Gedrick]

Awesome. I'm going to grab one of those 9imod ones, folks seem to swear by them. Not going to be enough time before tonight's race to get it all set up but it should be a fun time regardless. Thanks for all the advice!

 

[oldguywnewtoy]

Have fun, and remember, speed doesn't win races, clean driving does. You can go from 1st place to last just waitin for a marshall to flip your car back over

 

[Dales396lt4]

So how did you do? I had a weekend of carnage.

 

[Gedrick]

It went.. ok! The car itself was fine, but my first time racing on an outdoor dirt track with minimal practice was super rough. Hard pack dirt is tough for sure. I'm used to racing indoors on a high-traction clay track, so sliding all over the place on hard packed dirt felt wild.

I had a great time with it which was exactly what I was expecting. I was up against only 3 other guys in the e-truggy class and came in last in the heats, also, as expected (I mean, I was going up against 3 race-prepped truggies, of course I wasn't going to hang lol). Unfortunately halfway through the main event, I had a weird kick going off the front jump (later I confirmed that a rock had become unearthed, and as I was going off the jump, my chassis slapped the rock and sent the Kraton flying, landing hard on the rear passenger tire, snapping a driveshaft. Happens @ 5:20 in the video. You can hear the chassis hit the stone and can kind of see it on the jump Terrible landing, first time breaking a shaft on this thing too.

The biggest issue was the poor turn radius. I need to adjust my toe-out in the front and tweak the whole setup because I kept veering off-course due to steering slop + ultra-wide turning. At one point I jumped a pipe and went completely off the track! There was no marshal nearby so I just waited for traffic to pass and jumped back on.

Once I get the steering dialed in, I'll probably knock a whole second off my lap time haha. Aside from the driveshaft mishap and the steering adjustments needed, the car performed pretty darn well and could hang with the other guys. I'll be racing this again for sure.

Here's the video!

 

[Dales396lt4]

what a good time that had to be..

 

[Gedrick]

what a good time that had to be..

It was a blast. I wish I had recorded the heat races, especially since it was still light out and you could see the back section better. Gotta say, between a first race on dry shallow dirt + using a Kraton that wasn't set up perfect + racing at night, I sure gave myself a challenge So much fun though, that jump in front of the driver's stand sends it like 20-30 feet easily. But lining yourself up on that far part of the track sure is tough.

Oh yeah and there's little "bumps" in the rear left corner that screw you up if you go too fast, those are tough to see too, particularly at night.

Either way, I'll be back there this Sunday, hopefully things go a little better.

 

[Dales396lt4]

How do you feel about your shocks and springs? I'm running the K6s shocks and stock springs. It just gives me more tunning.

 

[Gedrick]

How do you feel about your shocks and springs? I'm running the K6s shocks and stock springs. It just gives me more tunning.

I've been considering upgrading to the K6 shocks just for the ease of tuneability. That being said I felt mostly fine with the ones on here, it's a pretty smooth track, the main issue was I had 50w oil (I primarily use this car as a basher) so it was great off jumps but it doesn't soak up smaller kicks as smoothly which did result in me flipping a number of times; it's just a little too stiff. I should also adjust my ride height a bit and lower it, that was an oversight.

 

[Dales396lt4]

I mostly use this truck for bashing as well, believe it or not I use slick 50 in my shocks along with the 1.2 pistons (in the rear only). As for sway bars I,m running 2.5mm and steel ball ends to hold it in place. My other car is supposed to be a part car and is pretty much bone stock except for oil change in the shocks. I really hate it when you have a good jump stick the landing and the car bounces. I like to keep the car light so I run it on 3s at a 100% and I run 4s at about 80%. All this just helps me keep control of the truck. I think the 15 tooth pinion is probably the best overall gear, I think it allows you to have more usable trigger.

 

[razorrc]

My suggestions on things to try:

1. Run way thinner shock oil. Stock oils should be close to right. Main issue IMO is that your truck looks crazy stiff.
2. Remove front and rear swaybars if you haven't already.
3. Don't super-jump that front straight jump. Getting really high and going really far makes the shocks need to do more upon landing, just jump to the downside (or a foot or two more to be safe). Going super fast also makes it more likely to chassis slap the rear end on take-off which will donkey kick the car forward/nose-dive like you see so many of the cars doing.