# My first Experince with R/C(LONG READ)



## Hoover (May 27, 2004)

Well all I can say is FUN.....I went by a hobby shop on the way home(which I will with hold the name you'll see why in a bit) So on to the fun stuff. I got the car home and was trying to run all the mental notes Gary told me when he gave me the car and sort through everything. Well as any newbie would do I had every intention of reading through all the books and such when I got home. Well of course guess what that didn't happen I was too ready to see what this was about. So I charged the starter box and the car for about an hour while I did some other stuff and came back to see how good my memory was. Well after looking at everything and putting gas in it put it on the starter and wha bam it started(actually scared the pee out of me cuz I really wasn't ready lol) I let it warm up for a minute and took to the field across the street from my house. I was easy on it, but I learned two quick things or actually 3. The steering is very touchy, the car does wheelies with no problem(and not on purpose), and the car also flip with very little effort(or maybe lack of driving skills lol). I ran a tank through it and went back for more. I decided to put the car up a little after dark when I realized bad driver in daytime is not good but bad driver at night is really not good. So overall I didn't tear anything up. I ran into my stepdads truck tire and didn't break anything however I thought I did. The tie-rod popped loose but didn't break snapped it back on and was back in business.

Now on with the hobby shop....The radio needed to be re-wired for the car or something to that extent. I needed crystal's, so I hung around Houston till this place opened. Ronnie was going to re-wire it for me but I could not make it up to K&M Saturday so a family friend was going to do it. I take the car and the radio into the shop and told the guy I was new to the hobby and I needed to get some crystal's for the car/radio whatever. He said alright don't know if I will have them for that controller or not. So he asked what needed to be done and I told him in my best words from what Gary had told me. After seeing it I knew exactly what it was just couldn't put it into real good words. He said man I don't know what this is. He looked at it for a minute and said well I think your best bet is to go with a new radio. I said well the guy I bought it from said it was an easy deal. He said well I don't know. He found the crystal's right away. He put them in and said well I still think you might want to just go with a new radio. So I looked at them and then hit myself in the head and said man the guy I bought it from is honest and he wouldn't give it to me if he thought I was going to have to buy a new radio without telling me. So I said I'll just take the crystal's I have 2 guys that will work on it if need be. He then I guess got the feel that I wasn't going to buy one and said if you want to leave it with me I can look at it tomorrow I just aint gonna have the time today. So after all this he looks at it again and fixes it in 5 mins. He then told me the reciever had a bad plug or whatever. It was the one that turns the front servo. Now I don't know if he could rig it like that or not, so I asked did he have one and of course we went through the whole spill again. He walked right up to one. I said yeah go ahead and give it to me. He put it in and it worked right away. Honestly I don't even really know if the reciever was bad or if he rigged it. I guess my whole story comes up to this. I feel like he saw a new guy coming in that new nothing and was just trying to talk me into new parts to make the money. I understand these guys need to do that to stay in business but I really just feel like he was trying to take advantage of the situation. Maybe not but it was really odd after all the stuff he was saying he just fixed it in 5 minutes. Saying it would take a while to go through and this and that and then mabye a light went off in his head and said well I can get him with this. I would just think that the hobby shops would not want to do this to new guys so they would come back in for more business, instead of trying to get it all out of them the first time. I had planned on buying some accessories of some sort just whatever little gadgets that would help me tune and do whatever just start buying some stuff but after this incident all I bought was a little fuel tank. Maybe I'm wrong about the whole situation and he really didn't know what was going on but he sure seemed to fix it awful fast. 

Sorry for the long ramble........


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## Gary (May 21, 2004)

Ive been laughing all morning. Yanno, they make faster motors if that one isnt fast enough for ya! :slimer: LOL


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## Hoover (May 27, 2004)

Yeah I was thinking I needed to upgrade to a little quicker one.


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## Gary (May 21, 2004)

LMAO! I told ya it was fast bro! I wasnt lying was I?


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## Hoover (May 27, 2004)

yeah it's a little quick. The thing is I haven't even opened it up yet. I would venture to say that the best I've got is about maybe 3/4 throttle at best before I have to shut it down before I run into something.


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## PD2 (Jul 1, 2005)

That's funny right there, I don't care who you are! LOL!!!

Great story man! And it does prove a point for sure. Number one, watch the places you go to - there are shops with VERY expereinced guys behind the counter and can help you with just about any little fix to major repair - on the spot or with a little time, effort, and parts. Then there are others that all the people they have are strictly sales oriented - meaning, scrap the old and buy new. Most of these guys are not as willing to help because if they don't know you or they didn't sell you the original gear, then they feel like they have been cheated or stepped over. Any way, you will learn of these places slowly but surely. 

Number two, if you are not sure, don't buy and come back to your local R/C buds like Biff, Ronnie, and the rest of the 2Cool team. You saw what we did as a team with EchoDuck and his Mini LST - pretty much had things figured out before he went to the shop. Its not that you cannot trust the LHS, its that some times we, the team, can either figure out how to fix things affordably or already know what is needed and can short line the process. As I have said many, many times - had it not been for CJTamu, Froggy and Shane G. I would have NEVER even considered racing much less getting into Nitro R/C. Without them, I would have probably given up and sold it all way back when.

Some things to remember when you are done having fun for the day on the truck: 1st - Make sure all of the fuel is removed from the tank after you are done and ready to put the truck up. You do this by dumping the fuel out of the tank and then cranking the truck on the starter box - run the truck on the starter box till it dies on you due to lack of fuel. Try to crank it a few more times just to make sure that the fuel is out of the engine's carb and the fuel lines. Once you think it is done, go to the next thing - 

2nd - buy some After Run Oil, if you do not have some already. This is what you put into the engine after running it to keep it lubricated and ready to go for the next time. Most guys will say that if you are running consistently - daily or weekly - that the oil in the nitro fuel is enough to keep the engine lubed. While that is true, all fuels are not equal and even from batch to batch there is inconsistencies. Putting a few drops of After Run Oil in the carb behind the air filter and then bumping it on the starter box will get some good oil in and throughout the engine after you have run it.

3rd - make sure to roll the piston in the block to BDC (Bottom, Dead Center). This can be found as the "easy" or point where it is not hard to turn the piston over in the block. Reach under the truck and find the flywheel or the wheel that you hit on your starter box and make sure it is free and not in a pinch. The reason you do this is to make sure that when the piston sleeve shrinks or constricts due to cooling it does not deform because it constricts around the piston head - it basically will save some life on that little speed demon of a engine. 

I'm sure that Biff told you about that, but its also a good reminder for all of us - just some basic things to extend the life of these nice little expensive power houses!

Above all Seaweed - HAVE FUN!!!!

PD2


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## Bigmax (Jul 21, 2004)

*I Love It!*

The rush as the front wheels lift! PULL THE LEEEEVER!!!

I am looking to see if I wrote my setup down when I got it. It's the best I've had for my driving style. I will sit down and put it on a setup sheet this week and share. I have promised it to a guy at the track also.

Electronics? Can't help you there. Unless you want to see smoke coming out of it. :biggrin:


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## Hoover (May 27, 2004)

Yep PD2 Gary told me all that stuff and I did it all. I wasn't really planning on the guy at the hs to fix it I just took the stuff in there to get the crystal's. I won't go back there again for sure, but I just couldn't wait I had to get those crystal's and he was there to fix it. I was ready. Just like I'm at work and can't wait to get home to play with it some more.


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## Tol Thomas (Feb 18, 2005)

If you name the hobby shop, I bet I can tell you which salesman was trying to sell the radio. I will take a guess anyway, the shop was (I'll leave it blank), and the salesman was a hispanic guy in his mid 20's to early 30's? Am I even close on the salesman, if so I know exactly which shop.


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## Gary (May 21, 2004)

Now whatcha need to do is load it up, and head to K&M the weekend after Christmas.


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## dirtracer1 (Sep 17, 2005)

Tol Thomas said:


> If you name the hobby shop, I bet I can tell you which salesman was trying to sell the radio. I will take a guess anyway, the shop was (I'll leave it blank), and the salesman was a hispanic guy in his mid 20's to early 30's? Am I even close on the salesman, if so I know exactly which shop.


tol....do you conjur numbers too? i need the numbers for this weeks lottery....it's up to 46 mil.....i'll cut you in for a share...promise, i don't have my fingers crossed or nothing.


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## Tol Thomas (Feb 18, 2005)

dirtracer1 said:


> tol....do you conjur numbers too? i need the numbers for this weeks lottery....it's up to 46 mil.....i'll cut you in for a share...promise, i don't have my fingers crossed or nothing.


Nope, I can't do that or I would have already been a winner. I just know how some of the salesmen are and which ones to talk with, at 3 of the hobby shops in town. I may still know one at yet hobby shop #4, but it has been a while since I had been there.


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## Hoover (May 27, 2004)

Well he looked a little dark complected but do not know if was hispanic or not. He said he is a racer and was gloating about his car. He raced 1/10 scale nitro on road cars. He did say he was the service man at this shop though.


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## Hoover (May 27, 2004)

Gary said:


> Now whatcha need to do is load it up, and head to K&M the weekend after Christmas.


Don't you think I ought to be able to drive half way straight before I go up there hahaha.. I would feel a little more comfortable if I could drive a little straight before shutting the car down so I don't wreck into whatever may be in my way.


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## zxeric (Feb 22, 2005)

Seaweed said:


> Well he looked a little dark complected but do not know if was hispanic or not. He said he is a racer and was gloating about his car. He raced 1/10 scale nitro on road cars. He did say he was the service man at this shop though.


Is his name Jeff ?


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## Hoover (May 27, 2004)

honestly don't remember or don't know.


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## Gary (May 21, 2004)

Seaweed said:


> Don't you think I ought to be able to drive half way straight before I go up there hahaha.. I would feel a little more comfortable if I could drive a little straight before shutting the car down so I don't wreck into whatever may be in my way.


LOL! Just pull the LEEVER!


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## zxeric (Feb 22, 2005)

Seaweed said:


> honestly don't remember or don't know.


Well hes one of the only people I can think about that runs 1/10th nitro . Is this hobby shop on HWY.6 by chance (not 1960) ? If so I know exactly who your talking about.


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## Hoover (May 27, 2004)

I aint scared I'll go but out of respect for the other guys I don't have full coverage insurance on the car and I really don't think that I want to cause problems after I wreck into there cars or whoever is standing around the track or anything else. Beleive me I want to bad. We're going tonight to a softball field just to have a little more wide open space. That thing turns good enough on concrete I'll probably be doing some 720degree spinouts on the dirt.


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## Gary (May 21, 2004)

zxeric said:


> Is his name Jeff ?


PM coming at ya Eric.


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## Gary (May 21, 2004)

Seaweed said:


> I aint scared I'll go but out of respect for the other guys I don't have full coverage insurance on the car and I really don't think that I want to cause problems after I wreck into there cars or whoever is standing around the track or anything else. Beleive me I want to bad. We're going tonight to a softball field just to have a little more wide open space. That thing turns good enough on concrete I'll probably be doing some 720degree spinouts on the dirt.


Respect? LOL. We need more guys like you in this hobby. 

Dont worry about spinouts. You cant win a race with the tires spinning. Practice going around the bases, left and right, coming to ya, going away from ya. Dont worry about going fast. Work on presision.


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## Hoover (May 27, 2004)

I can't help the going fast part I think I got it backwards I just want to pull the lever and then stop or turn when I have too lol. I see a new car coming my way soon because I love the speed and thats not a good thing to many objects will get in my way.


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## Gary (May 21, 2004)

Seaweed said:


> I can't help the going fast part I think I got it backwards I just want to pull the lever and then stop or turn when I have too lol. I see a new car coming my way soon because I love the speed and thats not a good thing to many objects will get in my way.


Thats natural to want to go fast. But if you go wide open, stop and turn, go wide open, your really not going fast. Let me rephrase that. Your reaching a high speed, but your not making the course in a quick time. Your losing more time in the turns than you can make up in the straights.

You know how when you raced Sprints, it was all about feathering the throtlle and making the apex of the turns just right? Same thing applies to RC.

If your just running up and down the street, your actually teaching yourself bad habits. Once you get the feel and it becomes automatic for knowing which way to turn the wheel, go to the track and practice. You can get about 5-6 hours of practice in before the races start. If your not comfortable racing yet, dont. Get with any of these guys here, and they will help you with your driving. Tol and Ronnie are excellent drivers and can shorten your learing curve really fast.


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## Gary (May 21, 2004)

I gotta add something here because I need to say it. Thanks Seaweed. I really enjoy this and I know the other guys do to. Theres nothing more fun than getting new guys and helping them get going in this awsome hobby. Thats what its all about. Having fun, gowing the hobby and helping the newbies.

I said that very same thing many years ago an another forum. That concept took off, we started a racing team and it was the biggest racing team of all time. Close to 600 members.

I see alot of other new guys checking in. The same applies to yall. I sure hope yall get into this hobby. We'll do everything we can to help yall.


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## Hoover (May 27, 2004)

Is K&M open any other time for practice. Like for instance I'm off Friday. Where could I go to run it and play around? I wish I didn't live so dang far away. The track in Santa Fe is only 30-45 minutes from me but it's not a so to speak public track right?


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## Gary (May 21, 2004)

Seaweed said:


> Is K&M open any other time for practice. Like for instance I'm off Friday. Where could I go to run it and play around? I wish I didn't live so dang far away. The track in Santa Fe is only 30-45 minutes from me but it's not a so to speak public track right?


Bigmax, Tol and Ronnie can help ya there. Im not sure. I havent ran there for a long time.

You talking about area51 in Sante Fe? If you are, all you have to do is call him first. His name is Harl, DirtDaddy. Awsome dude, top of the line guy. I dont have his number, but I know some of the others guys do. I dont know if its still there, but no too long ago, there was a track in Lake Jackson also.


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## Hoover (May 27, 2004)

Theres a track in Brazoria. I need to get the guys info. My brother knows his son pretty well so I would think I could get in there. So I just call the guy and he will let me come out pretty much?(if he don't have anything going)


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## Gary (May 21, 2004)

Seaweed said:


> Theres a track in Brazoria. I need to get the guys info. My brother knows his son pretty well so I would think I could get in there. So I just call the guy and he will let me come out pretty much?(if he don't have anything going)


There used to be some info on the THRC site. Lemme go look


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## Gary (May 21, 2004)

Since they did the new site, theres not alot of info. But I saw that DirtDaddy was online. Heres the link.

http://p206.ezboard.com/bteamhoustonradiocontrol

register and ask!


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## Bigmax (Jul 21, 2004)

*Okie Dokie!*

K&M has scheduled for the next 2 weeks that are different from the Saturday 11:00 a.m. opening.

Tuesday/Tomolly at 6:00P.M. they are opening to everyone for a FUN night. No racing, But Jumping is not out of the question. Free pizza and wrenching help.

No racing This Saturday/Christmas Eve.

Then Friday 12/30/05 racing starts at 6:00 P.M. Open at 11:00 a.m.. No racing New Years Eve the 31st.

Then Back to normal again on Saturday January 7th , 11:00 a.m. open, Race should start around 5:00 P.M. so get there early just incase.


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## Gary (May 21, 2004)

You da man Biggy! 

He lives in Lake Jackson though. Thats a long way to drive. But Im like you. I highly recommend making the drive. I think the best help will be there.


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## Hoover (May 27, 2004)

No I'm definantly going to drive up there especially since you can get quite a bit of time practicing. Not to mention all the help I would get. I just wanted close to go and do it while I'm off at first. I'm taking off that Friday my wife is working so I might make plans to be there for sure. I was just looking for something between now and then. Tomorrow would be tempting besides the fact that I wouldn't get home so late and have to be at work the next day.


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## Gary (May 21, 2004)

Seaweed said:


> No I'm definantly going to drive up there especially since you can get quite a bit of time practicing. Not to mention all the help I would get. I just wanted close to go and do it while I'm off at first. I'm taking off that Friday my wife is working so I might make plans to be there for sure. I was just looking for something between now and then. Tomorrow would be tempting besides the fact that I wouldn't get home so late and have to be at work the next day.


Smart move.


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## Bigmax (Jul 21, 2004)

*Sleep!?!?!!!*

PLAY NOW There will always be time for SLEEPING LATER!!!


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## Hoover (May 27, 2004)

Yeah I am going to put my stuff in the truck before I go to work just in case. I work in Houston so I'm over half there already. Just thinking whatever time I would leave it would be 1 1/2 hours later when I got home (give or take a little). I don't know if I want to break my wife into this that fast. See my plan with K&M is she can go with me drop me off and then go shopping or something and then come back and get me and we'll go home. Win win situation for both of us.


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## Gary (May 21, 2004)

Seaweed, My bad, I forgot your name. Im sure it was in my PM box, but I had to clean it out. It gets kinda full. LOL

Bigmax is Lyn. We go back many, many years. He is my most trusted bro in RC, and probably in life. Allways trust him. Allways.


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## Hoover (May 27, 2004)

Scotty be it...


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## Gary (May 21, 2004)

Thats better! 
Im Biff. And Flounder Flinger.


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## Hoover (May 27, 2004)

Boy just got in from another night time drive. That is the way to learn how to drive it. Just drive in the dark. Nah I got a street light. I had a vast improvement tonight. Man that **** is just too fun. I even got my wife to drive and she had fun. This could get expensive very quick. Then I found M&M is like 7 or 8 minutes from work. I get an hour lunch. Sounds like a ton of money to me. Is M&M a reputable shop because being that close I'm sure it would be my "home" shop.


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## Gary (May 21, 2004)

Seaweed said:


> Boy just got in from another night time drive. That is the way to learn how to drive it. Just drive in the dark. Nah I got a street light. I had a vast improvement tonight. Man that **** is just too fun. I even got my wife to drive and she had fun. This could get expensive very quick. Then I found M&M is like 7 or 8 minutes from work. I get an hour lunch. Sounds like a ton of money to me. Is M&M a reputable shop because being that close I'm sure it would be my "home" shop.


Feel more comfortable driving?


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## Hoover (May 27, 2004)

Yeah I did my neighbors are going to hate me I gotta finish cooking then I gotta do it one more time. I was working on my turns and stuff and by the time I got done kind of felt somewhat second nature. I just had to remember how I drive my airboat and it's exactly like that only with a wheel.


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## Gary (May 21, 2004)

Taint no thang like a Holly Farm Chicken Wing!

Bring it!


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## Hoover (May 27, 2004)

Well I was feeling pretty good. Got her up to a little more speed and she kind of got a little whacky on me. I was almost posting up my sob story. I was about 1' from running her in the gutter. I put her up after that. No more running in the street till I have a little more control and not so much stupid in my mind to pull down on the lever. I just gotta find some time to run it in the daylight hours and that ain't gonna happen till at least Friday.


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