Vendetta Vendetta Course Racer: Mod, Tune, Test, Race, Repeat

[Caveman044]

Everyone's out there building speedrun vendetta's and I'm just here parking lot racing.

This is a casually competitive parking lot road course racer for neighborhood races. I'm trying to squeeze all I can out of the suspension tuning, tire options, and everything this car is able to bring to the cone course. I think the vendetta is a fantastic car that a lot of people are sleeping on. Get out there out put down some laps!

Zeee 5200mah 80C
Spektrum Firma 100a ESC
Spektrum Firma 3200Kv 3660
Spektrum S651 servo
Hoons elevens white
HR aluminum pivot balls
Servo saver delete

Setup

ESC
punch: level 2
brake force: 75%

Gearing: 50/20 mod 0.8

Front
ride height: 13mm
camber: -2.0 degrees
toe: +3.0 degrees
gap from top of shock to top of spring adjuster: 2.0mm

Rear
ride height: 16mm
camber: -1.0 degrees
gap from top of shock to top of spring adjuster: 3.5mm
link position: upper, outer

The first thing I wanted to address was the amount of slop in the suspension linkage. I replaced the stock plastic pivot balls with hot racing aluminum pivot balls. They definitely helped tighten it up and they look great too.

 

[~Kaos911~]

Any videos? That sounds like fun and a great option for non-speed runners. What are you running against?

 

[Boggs3010]

Agreed a great budget built. The Vendetta grew in me and now own 3. Did the pivot balls to one so far. It did help.

 

[Caveman044]

Any videos? That sounds like fun and a great option for non-speed runners. What are you running against?

It's a run what you brung kind of thing but it's best to race the same scale or cell count.


My servo saver failed and I decided to delete it to get the handling feel even more crisp and stable. It's worked great so far after 8 packs and the steering feel is much tighter. All I had to do was buy a servo arm, it's the blue you can see sticking out under the servo. If I have a bad wreck I'm sure the servo gears are going to strip and I'm ok with that. It's definitely worth the improved handling. It's survived some bangs and a pretty good side swipe against a curb so far.

 

[vwturbowolf]

It's a run what you brung kind of thing but it's best to race the same scale or cell count.


My servo saver failed and I decided to delete it to get the handling feel even more crisp and stable. It's worked great so far after 8 packs and the steering feel is much tighter. All I had to do was buy a servo arm, it's the blue you can see sticking out under the servo. If I have a bad wreck I'm sure the servo gears are going to strip and I'm ok with that. It's definitely worth the improved handling. It's survived some bangs and a pretty good side swipe against a curb so far.
View attachment 227943

The servo savers were a definite weak point for me. The hot racing one failed after one day as well so I deleted it.
Check out the hot racing bellcrank/steering assembly tho. Made a huge stability difference

 

[Senton_Prime]

This one failed!? Or the stock one!? Also u should get an aluminum tierod and turnbuckle set. really tighten that slop up.. I need the HR bellcrank as well!!

 

[vwturbowolf]

This one failed!? Or the stock one!? Also u should get an aluminum tierod and turnbuckle set. really tighten that slop up.. I need the HR bellcrank as well!!

View attachment 228857

Yup. Got all wiggly over 100mph . The spring couldn’t take that force against it with those speeds
Both of my cars have been straight as an arrow now into 160-170+ mph

 

[Senton_Prime]

Yup. Got all wiggly over 100mph . The spring couldn’t take that force against it with those speeds
Both of my cars have been straight as an arrow now into 160-170+ mph

Yea but he's running what, 70+.. wonder if he used stock horn and link and ordered the saver by itself!?

 

[vwturbowolf]

Yea but he's running what, 70+.. wonder if he used stock horn and link and ordered the saver by itself!?

I understand I’m pushing things harder, I really just wanted to say that deleting it gives the best feel for this platform. I’m sure on a slightly modified platform the hot racing horn would be fine.

 

[Senton_Prime]

I understand I’m pushing things harder, I really just wanted to say that deleting it gives the best feel for this platform. I’m sure on a slightly modified platform the hot racing horn would be fine.

Sheet i believe you, way more knowledgeable then I am so I'd say your right!!? U think I should take mine off!!

 

[vwturbowolf]

Sheet i believe you, way more knowledgeable then I am so I'd say your right!!? U think I should take mine off!!

I have mine deleted on my limitless builds as well. The main downside is the servo is then vulnerable.
A few weeks ago with my carbon vendetta I tried to ramp up the speed faster and it did a backflip and when it landed the servo got jolted and died. 110$ Agfrc servo that was only 10 runs old.

 

[Senton_Prime]

I have mine deleted on my limitless builds as well. The main downside is the servo is then vulnerable.
A few weeks ago with my carbon vendetta I tried to ramp up the speed faster and it did a backflip and when it landed the servo got jolted and died. 110$ Agfrc servo that was only 10 runs old.

Sum beach, risk vs reward!!

 

[Caveman044]

I put another 4 packs through it and the servo is still going strong. If you're a fairly clean driver then I recommend deleting the servo saver for the improved handling. If you're learning how to race and bumping curbs and other hard objects then you should probably keep it in.

I'm going to share my current setup. Out of the box the vendetta is fun to drive but it feels loose and unbalanced. Some simple suspension adjustments make a huge difference. For my driving style my setup is mostly neutral with a little bit of oversteer and overall very stable and predictable. It absolutely transformed it from fun lot basher to consistent lot racer. If you're new at this remember to measure and adjust at full race weight, don't forget the battery! Also let's take a minute to appreciate the perfect wear pattern on the front tire! The picture of the rear doesn't show it but it has the same wear pattern.

ESC
punch: level 2
brake force: 75%

Front
ride height: 13mm
camber: -2.0 degrees
toe: +3.0 degrees
gap from top of shock to top of spring adjuster: 2.0mm

Rear
ride height: 16mm
camber: -1.0 degrees
gap from top of shock to top of spring adjuster: 3.5mm
link position: upper, outer

 

[Caveman044]

The servo savers were a definite weak point for me. The hot racing one failed after one day as well so I deleted it.
Check out the hot racing bellcrank/steering assembly tho. Made a huge stability difference

That's disappointing about the HR servo saver. I almost got it before I deleted mine.

Sheet i believe you, way more knowledgeable then I am so I'd say your right!!? U think I should take mine off!!

If you drive clean you should try taking it off. Just know that a decent hit to a curb could damage the servo. You said it perfectly, risk vs reward.

 

[Senton_Prime]

That's disappointing about the HR servo saver. I almost got it before I deleted mine.

If you drive clean you should try taking it off. Just know that a decent hit to a curb could damage the servo. You said it perfectly, risk vs reward.

Yeah it has taken a beating so no complaints here, I highly recommend it!! Big time fix for a sloppy front end especially if you pair it with an aluminum tierod/turnbuckle kit!! Tracks straight as an arrow for the last year and half without skipping a beat!!
I can't speak on 100+ runs tho so..

 

[Caveman044]

Yeah it has taken a beating so no complaints here, I highly recommend it!! Big time fix for a sloppy front end especially if you pair it with an aluminum tierod/turnbuckle kit!! Tracks straight as an arrow for the last year and half without skipping a beat!!
I can't speak on 100+ runs tho so..

Do you have a link to the turnbuckle kit?

 

[Senton_Prime]

Do you have a link to the turnbuckle kit?

I use the GPM tierod kit for the granite.. they are all the same for the 3s line I'm pretty sure so just look at 3s 4x4 blx sets.. what color u want.. blue, red, green, or orange!?

 

[Caveman044]

I use the GPM tierod kit for the granite.. they are all the same for the 3s line I'm pretty sure so just look at 3s 4x4 blx sets.. what color u want.. blue, red, green, or orange!?

Those look good I might have to give them a shot. The hot balls are red so probably the red ones.

 

[dwi116]

I put another 4 packs through it and the servo is still going strong. If you're a fairly clean driver then I recommend deleting the servo saver for the improved handling. If you're learning how to race and bumping curbs and other hard objects then you should probably keep it in.

I'm going to share my current setup. Out of the box the vendetta is fun to drive but it feels loose and unbalanced. Some simple suspension adjustments make a huge difference. For my driving style my setup is mostly neutral with a little bit of oversteer and overall very stable and predictable. It absolutely transformed it from fun lot basher to consistent lot racer. If you're new at this remember to measure and adjust at full race weight, don't forget the battery! Also let's take a minute to appreciate the perfect wear pattern on the front tire! The picture of the rear doesn't show it but it has the same wear pattern.

ESC
punch: level 2
brake force: 75%

Front
ride height: 13mm
camber: -2.0 degrees
toe: +3.0 degrees
gap from top of shock to top of spring adjuster: 2.0mm

Rear
ride height: 16mm
camber: -1.0 degrees
gap from top of shock to top of spring adjuster: 3.5mm
link position: upper, outer

View attachment 228990View attachment 228991View attachment 228992View attachment 228993

Thanks for the setup info. I'm running on a small go kart track. Very smooth, high grip. Once in a corner, I can balance the car between neutral and over-steer on the throttle -great fun. Weak point for me is on corner entry. Any braking at all and my Vendetta won't turn in. I need to be coasting, or ideally on the throttle just a bit to turn. Any braking at all and it is plow straight. I can't even induce a spin on the brakes. Maybe not a weight balance thing, it turns on the throttle with the front end light. I'm thinking it is a differential issue. Too much braking force applied to the front as a percentage of the total force. I also have an ARRMA Vorteks buggy, and it will turn in just fine on the brakes / spin if overdone. Vorteks has essentially the same drive-train. It is shorter and taller, so it does transfer more much more weight to the front on the brakes. Does your car behave the same way? If so any thoughts on tuning? Do I have a problem and if so what should I check? Thanks!

 

[Caveman044]

I continue to look for ways to stiffen the chassis. I really don't like the material they use for the A-arms, it's too flexible. It has great durability but sacrifices performance. So I did something I never do on my RC's, I installed aluminum front A-arms. I generally don't like using them because they're still a week point and increase repair cost, but in this case it's worth the upgrade. I noticed a definite increase in stability and steering response.

Ever since I got this car I've had problems with the stock slipper setup. The plastic bushing welds itself to the spur gear and melts around the bearing. I've tried setting them up per the manual, locking the nut all the way down, and other settings and I get the same result. Well, I've now solved that problem by eliminating the slipper all together. I used the hot racing slipper eliminator for jato/arrma with a traxxas 54 tooth spur gear. It's a direct drop in and solved the problem.

Setup changes:
HR aluminum front A-arms
HR spur gear eliminator
Traxxas 54 tooth mod 0.8 spur gear