1. Introduction

This booklet is designed to help you learn about setting up, maintaining and driving electric radio controlled touring cars. R/C tourer racing is a complex business - and like any motorsport, it can take an individual many years to learn the intricacies of building and setting up R/C cars. Although the book is aimed squarely at electric touring cars, much of the information (particularly as regards suspension settings, geometry and driving) is equally applicable to nitro on-road cars. Just ignore the section on electrics and seek the assistance of somebody wise at your local club to sound out on nitro engine tuning and maintenance.

The most important word in learning about car setup is compromise. Altering one part of your car will always effect another. You will almost always have to make some kind of compromise between two conflicting requirements. The second most important word in learning about car setup is practice. The only real way to learn is to alter your car, drive it, alter it again, drive it again etc.

This publication is not designed to take the place of practice, or experimentation - nor should it be considered to be infallible. What we hope to achieve, however, is to give you some ideas to contribute towards your learning about car setup.

We have been racing R/C cars for nearly 20 years and in that time achieved a bit both on and off the track within the sport in Queensland. We make no claim to know everything there is to know about R/C racing, but have collected some knowledge of car preparation and setup during that period. It is this knowledge that we hope to pass on to you.

During my R/C career, we have raced in all classes, with cars from such diverse manufacturers as Tamiya, Kyosho, Marui, Mugen, Schumacher, Team Losi, Yokomo, Team Associated, Traxxas etc. we have used electrical gear (including motors, batteries, speed controllers and radios) from just about every major manufacturer. We hope that we’ll be able to translate some of the information I have been lucky enough to glean through this wide experience into useable data for you.

We take this opportunity to wish you all the very best in your R/C racing. Remember above all that we’re here for fun. Race hard, but race clean and walk off the driver’s stand with a smile on your face. We’ll see you at the track....(actually, we’ll race you there!).