Models and RC cars

[Maddel]

That's one nice truck!
I'm not familiar with this kind of suspension - so how do these handle?
I guess it's kind of a challenge to find a setup.
May be there are special setups for different tasks?

[Super_Randy]

it's a solid axle with a 4 link suspension. it's more about suspension travel and articulation than cornering ability. i set it up with 2 shocks at each corner, both shocks are oil filled but only one has a spring. the gearbox and motors are on the axles so a bulk of the weight is un-sprung. the tires probably do just as much for the suspension as the shocks do. the truck is also top heavy and has 4 wheel steering. top speed is maybe 15mph, if you try to turn at anywhere near that speed it'll flip.
i was trying to build an RC version of something like this

[Maddel]

Ah, good ol' Grave Digger...
Back in the early '90 some of these old school races/shows were broadcast on German TV.
Really enjoyed it.
It's amazing how the trucks and drivers developed further - today's freestyle shows are sick.

[Super_Randy]

im actually board with todays monster trucks. they used to be actual trucks that could pull sleds, mud bog, race over cars, float on water (Bigfoot raced a paddle boat for Christ sake). todays trucks are just 4x4 versions of trophy trucks. and no one cares about racing them anymore, it's all about freestyle. and all that is is backflips and crashes. carnage for the sake of carnage isn't amusing to me.

[Maddel]

carnage for the sake of carnage...

Actually that thought crossed my mind while watching the freestyle vid above.
The drivers show no love/affection to their vehicles. This seems to be essential with these shows.
It's just big business...

[Super_Randy]

destroying a $3000 fiberglass body sells $10000 worth of merchandise.
if you ever watch you'll notice at times guys will unbolt the body so it falls off about 20 seconds into there freestyle pretty much every piece of the trucks is disposable now. and most repairs can be made in hours.
where as back in the good ol days, the trucks were production steel body's and were highly detailed and chromed and show prep was making sure everything was shined up. so much as tip one up on its side and it's $10000 and 2 weeks worth of work. you almost had to take the whole truck apart and rebuild it. so a lot more pride and care was taken with them. of course back then everybody pretty much owned there own truck. today, most of the trucks that run Monster Jam events are owned by Feld Entertainment (including Grave Digger. Dennis sold the rights back in like 1999).
it's more professional wrestling and less motor sport. and the events are more like a circus with tuff truck racing, "quad wars" (fake ATV racing that borders on WWE), and now mega trucks. it used to be tractor pulls and mud bogs, wtf happened?

this was actually the first monster truck show i ever went to (monster trucks start at like the 35 minute mark)

[Maddel]

You may like these micro pullers...

The real deal...

[Super_Randy]

iv seen a few videos on those. there cool.

[Maddel]

It seems TheSamba user tzepesh from Romania is into RC cars too...
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewt ... 56#9773456

[Super_Randy]

ran across those yesterday. he's got 4 or 5 in the toys/model gallery. i think it's the Kamtec body