While probably not as important for a basher, it is essential for a club racer to perform regular maintenance to keep their cars in tip top shape. I keep a race log, with a different worksheet for each chassis to include columns for: Date, Hot Lap, Hot Qual, Hot Main, Hot Consistency, and Notes
In my notes I will record every rebuild where I like to go no more than 3 race days between rebuilds (approximately 3 hours of total run time), I also note when I replace tires, break a part, or any tuning changes that improve my lap times/consistency for a given track condition that may have changed.
I color highlight my track records for a given layout, this allows me to "race myself" so if I don't make the podium but beat a PR, then it's still a rewarding experience. I will reset my PR's every time there is a new layout.
A typical rebuild consists of a complete tear down by removing every single bearing, prying the rubber seals with a hobby knife and flushing dirty bearings with WD40 Dry Lube, then re-pack with fresh grease and snap the seals back after wiping them clean with a terry cloth; bearings that show clean grease do not need to be flushed, I use white lithium grease and wait for the grease to turn black before they are flushed. I apply fresh grease on all rubber seals in the diffs and shocks as well as apply fresh fluid. If shock fluid is still clear, I won't dump it, but once it turns into a milky grey then it's time to rebuild the shock. If your diff fluid is going past milky grey and turning brown or black, then you are not servicing your diffs soon enough, dark fluid is dirt that will cause your parts to wear faster. Check mesh and replace any pins that are starting to form flat spots. Then I will go over the entire car with a fine tooth comb inspecting for hairline cracks or any worn parts that need to be replaced. Finally, I double check all my setup settings on a setup board.
Note how my overall finish order is not tracked but my Stack Rank is what I record for my PR, this encourages me to run in more popular classes where it's more important to see how many people I beat rather than what position I finish... sure I could pick a less popular class and come in 1st place every time, but that won't make me a better driver
In my notes I will record every rebuild where I like to go no more than 3 race days between rebuilds (approximately 3 hours of total run time), I also note when I replace tires, break a part, or any tuning changes that improve my lap times/consistency for a given track condition that may have changed.
I color highlight my track records for a given layout, this allows me to "race myself" so if I don't make the podium but beat a PR, then it's still a rewarding experience. I will reset my PR's every time there is a new layout.
A typical rebuild consists of a complete tear down by removing every single bearing, prying the rubber seals with a hobby knife and flushing dirty bearings with WD40 Dry Lube, then re-pack with fresh grease and snap the seals back after wiping them clean with a terry cloth; bearings that show clean grease do not need to be flushed, I use white lithium grease and wait for the grease to turn black before they are flushed. I apply fresh grease on all rubber seals in the diffs and shocks as well as apply fresh fluid. If shock fluid is still clear, I won't dump it, but once it turns into a milky grey then it's time to rebuild the shock. If your diff fluid is going past milky grey and turning brown or black, then you are not servicing your diffs soon enough, dark fluid is dirt that will cause your parts to wear faster. Check mesh and replace any pins that are starting to form flat spots. Then I will go over the entire car with a fine tooth comb inspecting for hairline cracks or any worn parts that need to be replaced. Finally, I double check all my setup settings on a setup board.
- Tools for the Pit Table
- Pin Replacement Tools
- How to setup steering
- Steps to diagnose electrical problems
- Shock Oil and Temperature Relationship
- Tire Prep
- Green Grease to prevent leaky shocks
- Which Soldering Iron is the best?
Note how my overall finish order is not tracked but my Stack Rank is what I record for my PR, this encourages me to run in more popular classes where it's more important to see how many people I beat rather than what position I finish... sure I could pick a less popular class and come in 1st place every time, but that won't make me a better driver
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