I just got myself a TB02!!!!!!!!!

[rdlb23]

I just won this thing off ebay with 11t esc, radio set, brand new body, all kinds off stuff.  I'm going to hit the local track this spring.  See www.jacksonrcracing.com  I went to the nearby hobbyshop and they said everyone runs associated...  time for some sweet revenge...  even though associated never did anything to me... and I'll proably take me a while to get competitive since i have never raced...  I'm excited okay.   Any sage tb-02 advice would be appreciated.  Thanks

[rhenbelz]

Good luck with your racing!

I recommend using Deans plugs for the battery and direct soldering the motor. Use high quality batteries, with matched cells if possible. If you run in the stock class, don't be afraid to build a hybrid motor to get all advantages you can. If the judges aren't checking setups at all, run a stock armature in a V2 or SV2 motor can to get higher torque and efficiency than any other standard motor out there.

Run with the softest compound tires you can afford, grip is key. Make sure your gearing is set up specifically for each track layout you run, and don't overheat the motor.

Spend lots of time practicing. Get your car and transmitter dialed in properly. Talk to other racers about setup tips, and ask them what to do if you have a handling problem.

Before races, while your batteries are charging or parts are cooling, watch the other racers practice. Take notes on where they are slow and where they are fast. For example, if an opponent tends to turn too early for a corner, then squeeze him a bit when you race to see if he gets nervous and wrecks. Or, if you see that an opponent accelerates slowly out of a corner, take that opportunity to beat him with more torque and grip.

[rdlb23]

The track has one type of tire that everyone must use so thats no problem.   If you could explain a little more about the motor that would be great I don't know about V2 etc...    The gearing is another big question.  Are there any sites that review gearing etc?

[rhenbelz]

Motors come in two styles, the older standard (aka V1) that is very common, and V2/SV2. A standard one has rectangular brushes going against the commutator at a 90 degree angle. SV2 and V2 have cylinder-shaped brushes contacting the comm at an angle. The result is much better brush contact, longer life between rebuilds, more efficiency and more power.

SV2 is Sport V2, and looks more like a standard endbell. It's cheaper and works fine. Usually SV2 is sold as a complete motor.

V2 is available as a complete motor or just an endbell to convert a standard motor. The endbell is alloy and dome-shaped, with the whole endbell functioning as a heatsink. They are more expensive.

Just pick up any RC magazine (I recommend RC Driver) and look through it, you will see ads for both standard and V2 motors.

Standard armatures are compatible with most V2 and SV2 cans. I had an SV2 11-turn lying around and I simply dropped a standard 27-turn armature into it for racing.

If you don't want to mess with SV2/V2 (or it's not allowed), some good motors to run are Cobalt 27s and P2K2 Pro. I don't much trust the Trinity Monster motors, because they always are the first ones to go up in smoke. Don't bother with cheap motors like the Tower Hobbies $15 one, they are just not any good. Expect to spend between $30 and $50 for a good stock motor.

For gearing, if you do a search there are many topics on here, and websites too. Simply put, smaller pinion gears (fewer teeth) will lower top speed and increase torque. Larger (more teeth) do the opposite. Gear it how you want, but make sure not to overheat the motor. It will only give so much torque. Test each new setup for a full race duration, and make sure you are not going to have your motor go up in smoke in the middle of the race. The motor should not be so hot that you can't hold your finger on it for 4 seconds.

[rockin johny]

Why do a direct solder to the motor?  Is a DEANS plug not as good?

 

John

[sosidge]

Deans plug is fine, but generally you don't change the motor that often so may as well remove unnecessary connectors.