We plan on keeping the blog moving in 2012 with tech tips for all TLR vehicles. If there is something you would like to see on the blog send an email to teamlosiracing22@gmail.com.
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Adjusting kick on the TLR 22 & 22T
By Dan "Dyno" Hissam-TLR Engineer
One of the unique features of the 22 and 22T is that you can adjust front kick. The 22 comes with 20 and 25 degree kick shims while the 22T comes with a complete 30 degree kick pivot. We envision many drivers trying more kick on their 22 with the release of the 22T's 30 degree front pivot. If you own a 22 and want to try 30 degree kick you will need the following part. When using the 30 degree pivot do not use the pivot shims included with the 22.
http://www.tlracing.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=TLR1101
Here is a technical article with a great and simple conclusion at the end to help all of us understand how kick changes vehicle dynamics. Increasing kick on a 2wd platform (kick effects 4wd slightly different due to the front drive) will predominately place more weight on the rear of the vehicle. The increase angle relative to the horizontal also absorbs sharp edge bumps as the kick angle serves as an auxiliary suspension and allows the front wheels to move rearward thus shortening the wheelbase. Think of more kick as almost like a break-away front end. This is why more kick is always better in the bumps. There is one caveat though. More kick will induce a more active weight transfer. The reduction in wheelbase as the front suspension compresses will result in a more aggressive weight transfer over the front; it just takes more force to get the suspension to that point compared to less kick. You can visualize the front wheels sweeping backward and the frontend of the car protruding over the front wheels more so as kick angle increases, but as I said, it just take more force to get the front suspension to that point. Front kick can be thought of as “front anti-squat”, but there are some hidden phenomenon that can be challenging. 2wd cars have historically always had more kick over 4wd cars as they need more weight transfer to develop grip, and there no front brakes or massive front weight transfer that would play into the negatives of having more kick.
In conclusion, more kick yields more rear grip, absorbs sharp edge bumps more readily, but will transfer weight more aggressively if forces are available to compress the front suspension. Less kick transfers weight at a slower rate, sacrifices in the choppy bumps, but drives flatter around the track.
One of the unique features of the 22 and 22T is that you can adjust front kick. The 22 comes with 20 and 25 degree kick shims while the 22T comes with a complete 30 degree kick pivot. We envision many drivers trying more kick on their 22 with the release of the 22T's 30 degree front pivot. If you own a 22 and want to try 30 degree kick you will need the following part. When using the 30 degree pivot do not use the pivot shims included with the 22.
http://www.tlracing.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=TLR1101
Here is a technical article with a great and simple conclusion at the end to help all of us understand how kick changes vehicle dynamics. Increasing kick on a 2wd platform (kick effects 4wd slightly different due to the front drive) will predominately place more weight on the rear of the vehicle. The increase angle relative to the horizontal also absorbs sharp edge bumps as the kick angle serves as an auxiliary suspension and allows the front wheels to move rearward thus shortening the wheelbase. Think of more kick as almost like a break-away front end. This is why more kick is always better in the bumps. There is one caveat though. More kick will induce a more active weight transfer. The reduction in wheelbase as the front suspension compresses will result in a more aggressive weight transfer over the front; it just takes more force to get the suspension to that point compared to less kick. You can visualize the front wheels sweeping backward and the frontend of the car protruding over the front wheels more so as kick angle increases, but as I said, it just take more force to get the front suspension to that point. Front kick can be thought of as “front anti-squat”, but there are some hidden phenomenon that can be challenging. 2wd cars have historically always had more kick over 4wd cars as they need more weight transfer to develop grip, and there no front brakes or massive front weight transfer that would play into the negatives of having more kick.
In conclusion, more kick yields more rear grip, absorbs sharp edge bumps more readily, but will transfer weight more aggressively if forces are available to compress the front suspension. Less kick transfers weight at a slower rate, sacrifices in the choppy bumps, but drives flatter around the track.
Thursday, December 8, 2011
What aftermarket parts do I need for my 22?
We receive a lot of requests of what aftermarket parts do racers truly need for their TLR 22. Even though the TLR 22 is a great 2wd buggy out of the box there are some parts that our race team likes to use on their cars to improve performance and durability. Here is a list of the parts that our team drivers prefer to run and short reasons and details of why they choose to do so.
TLR1043- Front King Pin, Threaded, TiNitride (2). Most of the team prefer these because they improve the durability of the spindles.
TLR1072-Front Pivot, Aluminum: The main reason the team likes to run the aluminum front pivot is the added weight on the front end. The alumin pivot adds 7 grams of weight over the stock plastic pivot providing a smoother off-power feel and increased on-power steering. If you are interested in adding even more weight to the front of your 22 the (TLR1049)25 degree brass kick shim adds 8.8 grams of weight and the (TLR1048) 20 degree brass kick shim adds 16grams of weight.
TLR1555, 1556, 1557- Aluminum Servo Horn. TLR offers three of the aluminum servo horns to support all of the different servo splines. The aluminum servo horn increases durability over the stock servo arms. TLR1555 is a 23 spline and supports Airtronics, Spektrum, and JR. TLR1556 is a 24 spline and supports HiTec servos and TLR1557 is a 25 spline and supports Futaba servos.
TLR2056 Rear Outer Threaded Hinge Pins. If you don't want any e-clips on your 22.
TLR2060-Rear Camber Block, Aluminum-TLR offers this for added durability. The aluminum camber block offers superior durability and adds 6 grams off weight to the rear of the car aiding forward traction.
TLR2931-Rear Hex, +.75mm Width, Aluminum: The .75mm hexes widen the rear track of the car a total of 1.5mm allowing for increased stability. Some of the team will run +1.5mm hexes (TLR2932) for a total increase of 3mm track width for further enhanced stability.
TLR2946 Diff Nut, Gen II. These are the new diff nuts that have the metal insert molded into the diff nut. This is a must and will ensure an excellent diff build.
http://www.tlracing.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=TLR2946
TLR2947 Tungsten Carbide Thrust Balls, 2mm (6). The 22 is equipped with steel balls. Granted these balls work fine, the tungsten balls are much harder and add longevity to the differential.
TLR2951 Tugnsten Carbide Diff Balls, 3/32" (14). The 22 is equipped with steel balls. Granted these balls work fine, the tungsten balls are much harder and add longevity to the differential.
TLR2984 Toe Plate, 3 Degree, Low Roll Center, Aluminum. As you already know the 22 comes equipped with a 4 degree rear toe pivot. Most of the team runs the 3 degree pivot allowing the car to be freer without taking away too much rear grip.
TLR4150 Battery Tray, Aluminum. This is not a necessity but the aluminum battery tray does allow you to move the battery 10mm forward in the short pack battery screw location. The 10mm forward location is exactly where our team runs the shorty pack.
TLR5074 Low Friction Shock Shaft O-Rings (8). If you want ultra free shocks with very little o-ring stiction these o-rings work the best. The challenge though is that you will have some oil weepage from the bottom of the shock cartridge and shock rebuilds are more important.
TLR6074 Titanium Turnbuckles, 22. If you are looking to save additional weight check out the 22 Titanium turnbuckle kit as well as the titanium shock mount kit, TLR4166.
http://www.tlracing.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=TLR6074
http://www.tlracing.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=TLR4166
Now if you are a mid motor fan check out the Brass weight system for the 22. TLR 4151 is specially designed brass weight system for the mid motor 22, this aftermarket part offers a convenient weight system that is attached with screws to the top of the transmission. The added weight aids in forward traction on the mid motor 22. The main weight is 50 grams but can be increased to 58 grams and 62 grams with attachable sub weights. The sub weights are in increments of 4 and 6 grams and can be screwed to the side of the main block to add more weight. Laser etched for easy identification of weights and TLR branding.
http://www.tlracing.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=TLR4151
TLR1043- Front King Pin, Threaded, TiNitride (2). Most of the team prefer these because they improve the durability of the spindles.
TLR1058-Caster Block, 5 Degree. Nearly the whole team runs 25 degree kick with 5 degree caster blocks.
TLR1072-Front Pivot, Aluminum: The main reason the team likes to run the aluminum front pivot is the added weight on the front end. The alumin pivot adds 7 grams of weight over the stock plastic pivot providing a smoother off-power feel and increased on-power steering. If you are interested in adding even more weight to the front of your 22 the (TLR1049)25 degree brass kick shim adds 8.8 grams of weight and the (TLR1048) 20 degree brass kick shim adds 16grams of weight.
TLR1555, 1556, 1557- Aluminum Servo Horn. TLR offers three of the aluminum servo horns to support all of the different servo splines. The aluminum servo horn increases durability over the stock servo arms. TLR1555 is a 23 spline and supports Airtronics, Spektrum, and JR. TLR1556 is a 24 spline and supports HiTec servos and TLR1557 is a 25 spline and supports Futaba servos.
TLR2056 Rear Outer Threaded Hinge Pins. If you don't want any e-clips on your 22.
TLR2060-Rear Camber Block, Aluminum-TLR offers this for added durability. The aluminum camber block offers superior durability and adds 6 grams off weight to the rear of the car aiding forward traction.
TLR2931-Rear Hex, +.75mm Width, Aluminum: The .75mm hexes widen the rear track of the car a total of 1.5mm allowing for increased stability. Some of the team will run +1.5mm hexes (TLR2932) for a total increase of 3mm track width for further enhanced stability.
TLR2946 Diff Nut, Gen II. These are the new diff nuts that have the metal insert molded into the diff nut. This is a must and will ensure an excellent diff build.
http://www.tlracing.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=TLR2946
TLR2947 Tungsten Carbide Thrust Balls, 2mm (6). The 22 is equipped with steel balls. Granted these balls work fine, the tungsten balls are much harder and add longevity to the differential.
TLR2951 Tugnsten Carbide Diff Balls, 3/32" (14). The 22 is equipped with steel balls. Granted these balls work fine, the tungsten balls are much harder and add longevity to the differential.
TLR2984 Toe Plate, 3 Degree, Low Roll Center, Aluminum. As you already know the 22 comes equipped with a 4 degree rear toe pivot. Most of the team runs the 3 degree pivot allowing the car to be freer without taking away too much rear grip.
TLR4150 Battery Tray, Aluminum. This is not a necessity but the aluminum battery tray does allow you to move the battery 10mm forward in the short pack battery screw location. The 10mm forward location is exactly where our team runs the shorty pack.
TLR5074 Low Friction Shock Shaft O-Rings (8). If you want ultra free shocks with very little o-ring stiction these o-rings work the best. The challenge though is that you will have some oil weepage from the bottom of the shock cartridge and shock rebuilds are more important.
TLR6074 Titanium Turnbuckles, 22. If you are looking to save additional weight check out the 22 Titanium turnbuckle kit as well as the titanium shock mount kit, TLR4166.
http://www.tlracing.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=TLR6074
http://www.tlracing.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=TLR4166
Now if you are a mid motor fan check out the Brass weight system for the 22. TLR 4151 is specially designed brass weight system for the mid motor 22, this aftermarket part offers a convenient weight system that is attached with screws to the top of the transmission. The added weight aids in forward traction on the mid motor 22. The main weight is 50 grams but can be increased to 58 grams and 62 grams with attachable sub weights. The sub weights are in increments of 4 and 6 grams and can be screwed to the side of the main block to add more weight. Laser etched for easy identification of weights and TLR branding.
http://www.tlracing.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=TLR4151
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
New TLR 22 Setup from Frank Root.
We just added a new setup sheet for the TLR22 from our in-house driver, Frank Root. Frank has worked diligently on the setup and has found it to work on many of the tracks here in Southern California and in Arizona. Check it out on www.tlracing.com. It is the last setup listed on the TLR 22 setup page.
http://www.tlracing.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdId=TLR0022#prodSetups
http://www.tlracing.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdId=TLR0022#prodSetups
70T spur gear for the TLR22 and other new parts....
Hello again, we recently announced and released a new spur gear for the 22. It is a 70 tooth spur gear for non-timing stock racing. The spur gear is made out of our popular kevlar gear material. Some racers may be concerned that the gears are now black. This was simply a color change only and the material has not been changed whatsoever. The part number for the new spur gear is TLR3978 and they are currently in stock.
http://www.tlracing.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=TLR3978
Also we realized that many racers were frustrated to have to buy the complete 22 wing mount set in order to get the wing washers. Well we now offer a solution for this and sell the wing washers in a four pack. The part number is TLR8201.
http://www.tlracing.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=TLR8201
One last item I would like to share with all the racers. Black body clips are now available as well.
The part number is TLR8202 and they are in stock.
http://www.tlracing.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=TLR8202
http://www.tlracing.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=TLR3978
Also we realized that many racers were frustrated to have to buy the complete 22 wing mount set in order to get the wing washers. Well we now offer a solution for this and sell the wing washers in a four pack. The part number is TLR8201.
http://www.tlracing.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=TLR8201
One last item I would like to share with all the racers. Black body clips are now available as well.
The part number is TLR8202 and they are in stock.
http://www.tlracing.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=TLR8202
Monday, December 5, 2011
High Roll Center Shims for the 22
Some racers may or may not know this but there are two different sets of anti-squat shims for the TLR 22 and 22T. The shims that come in the 22 and 22T are labeled as "22T". These are the shims for low roll center, and support all rear toe pivots that are labelled LRC. The part number for these shims is TLR2044. To support the high roll center rear toe blocks you will need the HRC shims. The part number for these shims is TLR 2045 and these shims support all HRC rear toe pivots. This includes part numbers TLR2979, 2980, 2981, & 2982.
Now you may ask yourself, "What's the difference in roll center height and how does it affect my vehicle?"
The difference between high and low roll center is 1mm. This means that the inner hinge pin is 1mm higher when using the HRC blocks and shims or vice versa.
We found on the 22 and the 22T that we prefer low roll center on the rear motor car while the team in the UK prefers high roll center (mid motor). One of the main changes going to a high roll center does to the car is it raises the roll center which ultimately makes the car roll less. A lower roll center allows the car to roll more. Another key factor that we must remind you is that with low roll center you are inducing more dogbone plunge into the out drive. More dogbone plunge creates more mechanical bind and gives the car more grip. With high roll center the car has less dogbone plunge resulting in less mechanical bind.
Hope this gives you some insight.
Good luck at the races,
Todd
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