Caster SK10 Pro. Any other Casterites out there?

[V6Jim]

Just got me a secondhand Caster SK10 Pro. Looks pretty good, I have to say! Has anybody else out there got one and managed to get it sorted and working properly.

There is no Caster specific section, so I've popped this in here...

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Hope pictures have worked OK. Shell is not my doing, but I actually quite like it!

Jimmy

[JCJC]

Don't know much about the Caster Jim but I understand it has more than a resemblance to the old HPI Hotbodies Cyclone D4 (has a section), some parts may be interchangable. The D4 could/can be made to go well, good luck with it. Hope this is helpful

[Collegeboy]

I have up graded from the rtr SK10, to nearly full spec pro. I have had some good results with it and enjoy the challenge of competing with the more popular brands out there. It certainly can compete, and on a good day, be right up there. Alot of people keep saying that I shoud get rid of it, but I love driving the car and each time I don't do as well as I would of hoped, for one rerason or another, it just makes me more determined to try different things. I love tinkering with it and improving things. I will be running it for another year in our regionals and throughout the winter months, at quite a few series. I truely believe the car has so much potential yet to be unleased. Pete at Answer-Rc is the main importer, and offers excellent customer service and advice.

Good to see another fellow SK10 drver.:thumbsup:

feel free to PM me if you have any questions

[V6Jim]

Hi Collegeboy. You wouldn't believe the number of people who have tried to discourage me from getting this. Like yourself, this is just fuel to my fire! To me, this thing looks just fine. This is the full V2 conversion with enough bits to build another car!

I'll PM you with my contact info so we can compare notes...

Jimmy

[Collegeboy]

Hi Jimmy,

Got your PM and I will send you pictures of the mods I have done, when I next see my stepson, as i have not got a clue on how to attach pictures:lol:. He's good at all that stuff, so I might be able to send some setup sheets that I divised.

Have fun

Paul

[eddscott]

Havent got one myself but always fancied one. I kind of collect 1/10 4WD cars and would love one. Shame they dont come up too often on the bay.

[mounty]

hi ive run the castor sk10pro for two years.the car has got better an better each run.geared diffs are a must.i couldn't get on with caster shocks changed them then went from d finals to b finals.pete at answer has been a good help so many thanks to him.if i can give any help to anyone i will.

[V6Jim]

Hi.

I'm getting more and more into this thing now and just love how unpopular (exclusive) it is! What I'm a bit puzzled about is the argument about chassis stiffness. How can a cars chassis be too stiff? One complaint about the Caster with the alloy top deck and chassis is just that. Surely a stiff, stable platform is a must? Yet, great efforts go into making it more flexible?

Anyway, mine will be built alloy/alloy to start with and then I'll soften it and see.

Still assembling after disassembling and cleaning and I continue to be impressed by the build quality. Should be ready to go in a few days....

Jimmy

[levontraut]

have a look here m8.

the forum is a caster forum only... they have tips tricks etc...

casterracingusa.com/

i belong to it because i have the k8t

[V6Jim]

have a look here m8.

the forum is a caster forum only... they have tips tricks etc...

casterracingusa.com/

i belong to it because i have the k8t

Hi, yeah, thanks.

I've been on there a few times and will ask them the same thing.

However, I also think there are a good scattering of people over here who can impart their knowledge, and I'd really like to generate a healthy core of Caster drivers over here who can help promote the car and develop it to be more of a contender at the top end of the sport.

It's basically a good car that has had more than it's fair share of teething troubles. Caster in the USA seem to be very keen to keep improving it, so the Caster SK10 available now is a whole heap better than the one available 2 years ago. They've also been careful to make sure that a two year old car can be upgraded to the latest spec quite easily.

If there are a decent number of Caster owners I might ask Oople to give Caster a slot in the specialized section.:thumbsup:

Jimmy H

[Col]

A chassis that is too stiff if much harder to drive - the B4 (carbon? graffite?) chassis is often replaced with a non factory team one (which is plastic, and flexes more) as it grips the track and takes the bumps much better.

[Collegeboy]

Hi Jimmy,

Sorry I haven't got back to you, been very busy at work. I am so glad there are other Caster drivers out there:D and I love the idea of a section on oople. As someone said earlier, gear diffs are a must. I have tried various combinations of oil wt in both front and rear with varying results. I have found that a good starting point for indoor (carpet) is 7000 in the front and 3 or 4000 in the rear. Outside on astro I have run 10000 in both front and rear with good results, but a good starting point is 12500 in the front and 5000 in the rear. The other week at the Surrey and Hants GP I ran 5000 in both (on Astro), it was ok but I felt that I couldn't carry good speed through and out of the corners. As for the chassis stiffness at present I'm running alloy chassis and kit (plastic top decks). It did not feel like it normally does. I will be changing back to the plastic chassis and alloy top decks, this combo feels the best for my style of driving. I will email you some of my setup sheets and a blank one when I get a chance.


Have fun mate, I'll pm you my email.

[badger5]

Can we know get the same spec of kit as you can in the US where the kit comes with the gear diffs, metal gears, CVD's and a lot of the other upgrades?

[Collegeboy]

Hi Badger

Contact Pete or Carl at Answer-rc, they will be able to help.

[V6Jim]

Can we know get the same spec of kit as you can in the US where the kit comes with the gear diffs, metal gears, CVD's and a lot of the other upgrades?

Yes you can! It's called the Caster SK10 Pro V2 and it's available at a variety of shops.

http://www.bmmracing.co.uk/caster-racing-sk10-buggy-update-p-3358.html

Or from Pete at Answer RC 0161 762 1105.

All for £214! A fair bit cheaper than many of it's rivals. However, we are still not entirely sure that the all alloy construction is the way to go. I'm going to be building mine all alloy and then, using a variety of tricks, I'm going to soften it to make it easy to drive. Flexi joints and the like... The next few weeks will be interesting....

Jimmy H

[V6Jim]

A chassis that is too stiff if much harder to drive - the B4 (carbon? graffite?) chassis is often replaced with a non factory team one (which is plastic, and flexes more) as it grips the track and takes the bumps much better.

Thanks Col,

Concurrent with what you've just posted, Chris Peterson who drives for Caster in the USA explains it all very nicely in this thread on the www.casterracingusa.com forum:

http://casterracingusa.com/forum/showthread.php?p=80091&posted=1#post80091

Post No45.

Jimmy H

[V6Jim]

So the Caster has been totally stripped down and rebuilt.

I have modified the chassis slightly by putting cuts into the chassis as shown in the picture.
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Also shown are the two Flexi-Joints which attach the rear part of the upper deck. This seems to have loosened the chassis up a bit. I could use more flexi's on the upper deck, but I'll wait until I test it first!

Here are some other photos of the leccie bits..
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It all looks pretty good. My only concern is the the Alturn servo doesn't seem to be centering very well. I'll worry about it once I've driven it a bit more.

Jimmy

[Col]

My only concern is the the Alturn servo doesn't seem to be centering very well.

I'd be concerned about the chassis snapping! Is this a mod suggested on the states forum?

[V6Jim]

I'd be concerned about the chassis snapping! Is this a mod suggested on the states forum?

The alloy chassis is really solid, so I reckon it should be OK. This mod is a pioneering modification by MYSELF! If it snaps I'll pop it all back onto the plastic chassis. It won't though.....I hope! I may drill a larger diameter hole at the end of the cut to spread the stress point out a bit. You've got me worried now!

Just driven it up and down the road for a few minutes and it runs sweet and quick. Needs the anti-roll bars back in....

Jimmy

[newberyclan]

looking good im a bit concerned about the cuts also you want to fit a shock tower brace they snap the gear box lugs for a past time use the one that came with it or buy the proper one cheers

[V6Jim]

looking good im a bit concerned about the cuts also you want to fit a shock tower brace they snap the gear box lugs for a past time use the one that came with it or buy the proper one cheers
Hi! Yeah, I'll put the one on that you made until I can get the fancy alloy one.

Pretty sure the chassis won't be compromised at all. Any shock that could stress that part will be absorbed by the top deck.

Can you remember what shock and diff oil were in it when you sold it? This'll help me get the right range of oils for my pitbox!

Keep in touch!

Jimmy

[newberyclan]

i used 2000wt rear 6000 front in diffs and 35wt front and 30 rear shocks i ran on fairly smooth grass/ astro with a couple of low jumps hope this helps

[V6Jim]

i used 2000wt rear 6000 front in diffs and 35wt front and 30 rear shocks i ran on fairly smooth grass/ astro with a couple of low jumps hope this helps

Thanks!

Jimmy

[discothesnake]

I'd be concerned about the chassis snapping! Is this a mod suggested on the states forum?

That's exactly what I thought when I saw this. In my opinion it looks like it'll be way too stiff. I'd go with the pastic chassis all day long.

[V6Jim]

That's exactly what I thought when I saw this. In my opinion it looks like it'll be way too stiff. I'd go with the pastic chassis all day long.

It won't break, but I think you could be right about it being too stiff. We'll see. I'm ready to drop everything back into the plastic chassis at a moments notice!

Jimmy

[V6Jim]

Been contacted by the chap who runs the Caster factory in Taiwan. He's seen the photos of the mods and is very interested to see how it works out! The wonders of the internet!

This is all fine and dandy, but until my ****** charger arrives from China I'm stuck looking at it! Aaaarghhh...

Jimmy.

[KennyClark]

I would say that before deciding on what chassis/ top deck combo, you need to look at what surfaces/grip level you will be racing on.
If its going to be low grip then more torsional flex will help generate grip.
A stiffer chassis in a high grip situation will make the car a bit easier to drive.
Without trying the car you will never know.
Putting the cuts in the chassis before racing it was probably the wrong thing to do as you cant undo it.
Personally I would of gone alloy chassis/plastic top decks.

[V6Jim]

Here's the thinking, Kenny.

It is pretty commonly accepted that the alloy/alloy combo is way too stiff in standard form, even for high grip surfaces. However, with the alloy top deck fully tightened up without the flex-joints it is pretty much totally solid - virtually zero flex, even with the chassis cuts.

I'm hoping that with the chassis cuts, and a variety of levels of flex-joints, I can vary the flex for different situations. What I'm trying to do just now is to get some way to measure the flex. (Torsional flexiometer required!). I have a sneaking suspicion that even with a fully flexied upper deck, the chassis is still going to be too stiff! At this point I'd say the chassis is probably similar to the standard alloy chassis and the plastic uppers. But possibly not as soft as the plastic chassis and alloy uppers. :cry:

Anyway, I want to have the car at a stage where at least I can try and adjust it at a meeting just by adding or removing some flex-joints. Could be interesting....

You going to Ayr?

Jimmy

[KennyClark]

Yeah will be at Ayr.

Come and race at Falkirk this weekend to try it.

[V6Jim]

Yeah will be at Ayr.

Come and race at Falkirk this weekend to try it.

Still don't have a charger! Urgghh. Might arrive tomorrow though! Also don't have any shock or diff oil. I'll be ordering that stuff tomorrow.... Quite fancy it though. We'll see.

Jimmy

[KennyClark]

I will have a spare power supply & charger with me you can use.
I also have shock oil.
Im sure the guys that run Durango's can help you out if you need diff oils.
Get yourself through.

[V6Jim]

I will have a spare power supply & charger with me you can use.
I also have shock oil.
Im sure the guys that run Durango's can help you out if you need diff oils.
Get yourself through.

That's me told! I'll see if I can wangle it.....

Jimmy

[V6Jim]

Not going to make it. No charger, no shock oil, no body with an undertray etc etc. Don't want to run it until I'm sorted. See you at Ayr!

Jimmy

[mounty]

hi plastic chassis alloy top deck works well any where an surface

[V6Jim]

It's finally done!

New body (Hotbodies D44) fits absolutely perfectly - including undertray. Paintjob is a bit retro, but I like a simple design. Bold and crisp at a distance!

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I have further modified the chassis. Those of you who know this car will notice that I have removed some bits of the top deck too. This should increase the flex a little more, but has the more useful benefit of allowing the slipper to be adjusted more quickly. Won't effect top deck strength.
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Racing this weekend for the first time in 20 years! Cross your fingers for me!

Jimmy

[450kid]

Hi a team of us used the caster for the York ebor24hr race apart from the car eating itself because our stock motor failed in the first half hour and we then ran a 6.5 for the rest of it. The was good handeld well and got plenty of traction, the only things which were not so cracking were the shockers don't compare to the oppositions and bit at the front hinge pins rub in to the chassis or and the slippers garbage! Probably sounds like I don't rate it ,but I really enjoyed driving it and with a couple of changes it could be a top car.
Ben

[V6Jim]

Hi a team of us used the caster for the York ebor24hr race apart from the car eating itself because our stock motor failed in the first half hour and we then ran a 6.5 for the rest of it. The was good handeld well and got plenty of traction, the only things which were not so cracking were the shockers don't compare to the oppositions and bit at the front hinge pins rub in to the chassis or and the slippers garbage! Probably sounds like I don't rate it ,but I really enjoyed driving it and with a couple of changes it could be a top car.
Ben

Were the shocks the 14mm wide bodied ones? Mine seem fine, but I haven't driven it in anger yet. I have noted the front hinge pin thing and am keeping an eye on it. I think it was designed to do this, but it looks a bit dodgy! The slipper isn't great, but seems serviceable.

Jimmy

[12-nitroman]

with the chassis cuts,haven't you thought that alloy doesn't bend like plastic? plastic bends and flexes back into its position whereas if you have a bad landing or crash it could permanantly bend the chassis ?

thanks

[450kid]

dont think they were a large bore, we ended up using kyosho big bore springs on them (only cause i had some). we also milled out the chassis but only to let air to the motor, with 4 slots with a 45degree chamferd edge about 5mm gaps the width of the motor. the diffs were good, no bearings failed only went through 2 slippers and spur gears, 3 drive shafts in 24hrs non stop and a box full of tyres!:drool:

[V6Jim]

with the chassis cuts,haven't you thought that alloy doesn't bend like plastic? plastic bends and flexes back into its position whereas if you have a bad landing or crash it could permanantly bend the chassis ?

thanks

Yeah, the alloy will never bend like the plastic one, but the original chassis with the alloy chassis/top deck is absolutely solid! With the chassis cuts, flex joints and upper deck reduction it now moves about as much as an all carbon fibre setup. ie still not much! Better than before though... I don't think the chassis is permanently bendable! I tried!

Jimmy

[SamRCRacing]

Hi,

When I ran my Caster, I managed to bend the rear top deck twice in 3 months without any cuts. I don't think they are as solid as you think.

Sam

[discothesnake]

I agree Jim. If you hit something hard at high speeds (indoor especially) the alloy will bend or twist. You need to appreciate the speed these cars travel at compared to when you were racing. (No disrespect intended) :lol:

Dave

[V6Jim]

Yeah, they are quick!

The mods I've done should have no effect with a head on collision. If the unmodified one bent on impact, then so will this! It certainly ain't any stronger! In the event of a chassis catastrophe I have plenty spare bits! I just love experimenting!

You there on Sunday Dave?

Jimmy

[discothesnake]

Yeah i will be there Jimmy. Looking forward to it.

See you there.

Dave

[V6Jim]

So, first meeting with the Caster is over and it was a bit 'patchy' to say the least!

First - handling. I spent all of the heats fighting horrible, unpredictable oversteer. I tried changing tyres and lowering the car to no avail.

Second - the slipper. The standard slipper is not good. I needed some slip at this track, and the car ran OK for a while. However, the problem is that the slipper overheats and melts the spur center. The spur then wobbles and the pinion shreds it. It was probably set up with too much slip, but it still shouldn't just melt. I went through three in 5 races! B Final for me!

I cured the oversteer be refilling the front shocks with fresh 45wt oil. It ran well in the first final. Won it comfortably despite running the last lap and a half with another shreiking spur! AAARGH!

Got some really good laps and a bit of a better rhythm during this final which has heartened me a bit. The car has potential. I was still nearly a second a lap off he A final winners pace - more work to be done!

Jimmy

[KennyClark]

It was a bit of a disaster Jimmy!

[orinoco]

Jimmy, I've found a link to the sure fire solutions to most of the Caster's many foibles.

http://www.oople.com/forums/showthread.php?t=113083
and
http://www.oople.com/forums/showthread.php?t=112927.

If these methods are followed, most if not all of the SK10's weaknesses are cured and you can concentrate on enjoying the race weekends.

Please take this in the manner intended. Lol.

Col.

[V6Jim]

Jimmy, I've found a link to the sure fire solutions to most of the Caster's many foibles.

http://www.oople.com/forums/showthread.php?t=113083
and
http://www.oople.com/forums/showthread.php?t=112927.

If these methods are followed, most if not all of the SK10's weaknesses are cured and you can concentrate on enjoying the race weekends.

Please take this in the manner intended. Lol.

Col.

Those links are to some sale items!?

Kenny,

If I had managed to nail the handling earlier and the slipper was more of a slipper and less of a self destruct mechanism I could have a reasonable day! (If's and but's :blush:)

I have ordered the new slipper for it which seems to address most of the problems - it has different internals and an external adjuster - yay!

I understand what you were saying on the day about running a car that nobody else has. It does seem daft. I could easily just get a B44.1 and go racing, but that has never been the way I did things. Always looking for something odd to try with a mission to get it sorted.

The importers are very helpful and are keen to help promote the car, so we'll stick with it and see how it goes. I love a challenge!

Jimmy

[discothesnake]

Hi Jimmy, that was a shame what happened yesterday. I know what your saying about driving a car that's different to everyone else. I was always a bit like that with the yokomo hence why I have a B44.1 too.

The only thing I see is that by using a car of poorer quality you may sicken yourself if you keep on having failures and DNF's.

Dave

[V6Jim]

Hi Jimmy, that was a shame what happened yesterday. I know what your saying about driving a car that's different to everyone else. I was always a bit like that with the yokomo hence why I have a B44.1 too.

The only thing I see is that by using a car of poorer quality you may sicken yourself if you keep on having failures and DNF's.

Dave

You're right, Dave, parts of the car are a bit dodgy! The slipper for example!

In the past, the Caster has been dogged by poor quality components, but it is slowly improving. It used to have crummy ball diffs - it now has superb geared diffs. Similar improvements have taken place throughout the car. New 13mm big bore shocks have just been introduced too.

Jimmy

[orinoco]

Sorry Jimmy, just my warped sense of humour.:lol:
Seriously though, at some sections of the track your car was really quick so if you can get the handling and reliability sorted out it might be a good fast car.
As Dave says, I hope you don't get sickened of it before you've really got started. I get the impression that you wont give in until you get it working to your liking though.

[V6Jim]

Sorry Jimmy, just my warped sense of humour.:lol:
Seriously though, at some sections of the track your car was really quick so if you can get the handling and reliability sorted out it might be a good fast car.
As Dave says, I hope you don't get sickened of it before you've really got started. I get the impression that you wont give in until you get it working to your liking though.

Ahhh! Good one. Right. If I was going mainstream, I would most likely go Kyosho. Lovely looking thing. Dear though!

Jimmy

[orinoco]

Very:o

[V6Jim]

Got the new slipper this morning from Answer RC! Fitted it in about two minutes. It is a much better built thing than the old one. Green slipper pads and much thicker pressure plates. Most importantly, it has an external slip adjuster which means I can adjust the slip in about 10 seconds!

Happy Days!

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[V6Jim]

Going to be giving the Caster a good thrashing tomorrow. Setting up a makeshift track at work and going to spend 2 - 3 hours pounding round and round....

Hopefully get the new slipper set up perfectly and put some miles on my thumbs!

Jimmy

[V6Jim]

Set up a wee track on a mixture of tarmac, concrete and gravel. Surface was wet with some puddles. Tried to set up the new Caster slipper, but found that even with the tension nut fully out I was getting no slip.

I ran the car for about 10mins anyway. It ran well, but I'm having trouble keeping it from swapping ends under power - very tail happy!
Checked the motor temperature and found it barely warm. I changed the 18t pinion for a 22t. Big jump, I realise, but it's all I had!

Ran the car again and noticed it to be a lot more drivable. Bigger pinion - softer power. I also noticed that the slipper had started to work! Another 10mins without incident and checked the motor again. Still cool.

Swapped out the LiPo and then ran it for another 10mins. Excellent. Concentrated on just driving it and started to get a bit of a rhythm.

Good day - Buggy Bonding!

Jimmy

[V6Jim]

Took delivery of a new servo yesterday. I was pretty sure that the Alturn servo I had was a bit rubbish, so I splashed out and bought a Hobbyking HK47111DMG from the UK branch of HK. What a fantastic range of stuff they have at pretty seriously cheap prices. This one was $37. (£24)

This servo is quite highly regarded in the US, so I thought I'd try it. Here's the blurb:

The HK Mi Series servos represent the next break through in high precision servo technology. Using Magnetic Induction, rather than a potentiometer, for an unsurpassed level of accuracy and performance.
Specs:
Voltage: 4.8v / 6v
Speed: 0.08sec / 60deg (4.8v) - 0.07sec / 60deg (6v)
Torque: 9.70kg.cm (4.8v) - 11.8kg.com (6v)
Size: 40.2mm x 20.1mm x 39.2mm
Weight: 61g
Gear Train: Full Titanium Alloy
Motor: Coreless

Mi : Magnetic Induction, uses a Magnetic Rotary Encoder in place of a traditional potentiometer (invented in 1877). Magnetic Rotary encoders have a longer life and suffer less wear.

Super fast, torquey, quiet and smooth. Well, I say 'quiet' it actually runs quietly, but when at rest it chitters away like a chipmunk!

Anyway, it's light years better than the Alturn.

Doing a bit of diff oil experimenting. I'm changing the rear 3K oil for 7K oil. I think that may make it better under full power.

Jimmy

[KennyClark]

Never heard of that brand of servo Jimmy.
Going from 3K up to 7K will make the rear of the car feel loose when on the power unless you are running on a high grip surface.

[V6Jim]

Going from 3K up to 7K will make the rear of the car feel loose when on the power unless you are running on a high grip surface.

Rats.

The Yanks are starting to go to a higher viscosity rear diff oil with some success. This was because the Associated team drivers are now running their rear ball diffs tighter than the fronts. I'll try it and see what happens...


Jimmy

[KennyClark]

What oil are you running in the front diff?
A lighter oil in the front will make the car more aggressive to drive.
I think 10K in the front is a good starting point.

[V6Jim]

What oil are you running in the front diff?
A lighter oil in the front will make the car more aggressive to drive.
I think 10K in the front is a good starting point.

I believe it's 7K, but it's the stuff that was in it when I bought it!

I was working on the car tonight and noticed that when I tighten down the top half of the front diff casing it stops it turning freely! This is just the sort of thing that could cause the car to be tail happy - front brakes!

Might be up to yours this Sunday, if I can wangle it!

Jimmy

[Timee80]

won't a front brake bias cause a car to push in to a corner?, not be tail happy

[discothesnake]

Took delivery of a new servo yesterday. I was pretty sure that the Alturn servo I had was a bit rubbish, so I splashed out and bought a Hobbyking HK47111DMG from the UK branch of HK. What a fantastic range of stuff they have at pretty seriously cheap prices. This one was $37. (£24)

This servo is quite highly regarded in the US, so I thought I'd try it. Here's the blurb:

The HK Mi Series servos represent the next break through in high precision servo technology. Using Magnetic Induction, rather than a potentiometer, for an unsurpassed level of accuracy and performance.
Specs:
Voltage: 4.8v / 6v
Speed: 0.08sec / 60deg (4.8v) - 0.07sec / 60deg (6v)
Torque: 9.70kg.cm (4.8v) - 11.8kg.com (6v)
Size: 40.2mm x 20.1mm x 39.2mm
Weight: 61g
Gear Train: Full Titanium Alloy
Motor: Coreless

Mi : Magnetic Induction, uses a Magnetic Rotary Encoder in place of a traditional potentiometer (invented in 1877). Magnetic Rotary encoders have a longer life and suffer less wear.

Super fast, torquey, quiet and smooth. Well, I say 'quiet' it actually runs quietly, but when at rest it chitters away like a chipmunk!

Anyway, it's light years better than the Alturn.

Doing a bit of diff oil experimenting. I'm changing the rear 3K oil for 7K oil. I think that may make it better under full power.

Jimmy

Jimmy, stop buying Chinese crap and just buy a Savox 1251 or 1258. You could have had one for the money you wasted on two cheap efforts. Everyone uses them because they are good and they work!

[V6Jim]

You know me, always going down a different path! I actually nearly bought a 1258 Savox secondhand, but it eventually sold for nearly as much as a new one! So, I thought I'd give the HK a go. It's a little quicker than the 1258, has all the latest gubbins and is half the price!
As long as it lasts a couple of seasons I'll be happy. I'm getting my money back for the Alturn servo.

Jimmy

[V6Jim]

New cab forward body from Caster!

Well, not actually - just me messing with Corelpaint....

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Jimmy

[mark-rc]

I've been running the car for the passed couple of years, it's improving all the time. It's a very easy car to drive and as so does not need high diff oil's like the rango 410. I ran the car at Chadderton 'slippy cork' floor. I used 6k in the front and 10k in the rear. I could get on the power as hard as I wanted with this setup. but remember tyres play a huge part in how you get the power to the ground. I race 1/8th Rally Cross also and when the track is slippy and the rear want to over take the front when getting on power, I go heavier in the rear diff. this stops the diff from diffing out and helps push the car from the rear.

by the way, that shell would be cool !

[V6Jim]

I've been arguing that heavier rear diff oil would help stop the oversteer and I have just set the car up last night with 10K in the back and 7K in the front. I'm probably running it this weekend, but that'll be on carpet, so I'll not learn too much about any handling subtleties on that!

Good to hear from you. Post pictures and any other tips and tricks you've learnt over the time you've had it.

Jimmy

[haggis]

ive just bought the 10 dollar and the 20 dollar servos off hobby king to give them a try.

ive got 3 models now so if i used savox in all of them that would be £150 in servos which is just not right

[V6Jim]

ive just bought the 10 dollar and the 20 dollar servos off hobby king to give them a try.

ive got 3 models now so if i used savox in all of them that would be £150 in servos which is just not right

Which ones exactly? A $10 servo isn't likely to be terribly marvelous!

Mind you, my $30 one seems to be pretty good. Had a quick run with it last night (on that well known floodlit practice track - the street in front of the house - midnight) and it seems pretty good,

Jimmy

[haggis]

BMS-631 Super Fast Servo 5.0kg / .10sec / 43g
$12.42

BMS-616DMG+HS Super Strong Digital Servo for bugggy (Metal Gear)10.2kg / .12sec / 46.5g
$22.54


Ill stick the $12 in my 2wd sc10. its gotta be better than the standard acoms thats in it just now. The super strong is going in my 410 which should arrive this week.

will update next wed after racing

[V6Jim]

Haggis,

They are cheap! They also look OK - certainly better than a basic Acoms. Interesting to hear how they do!

Here's another view of the Caster body I'm having a go at....

45040

The guys on the USA Caster website are quite keen to get this made. Which would be nice!

http://casterracingusa.com/forum/index.php

Jimmy

[/tobys]

Haggis,

They are cheap! They also look OK - certainly better than a basic Acoms. Interesting to hear how they do!

Here's another view of the Caster body I'm having a go at....

45040

The guys on the USA Caster website are quite keen to get this made. Which would be nice!

http://casterracingusa.com/forum/index.php

Jimmy

IMO, I think the windscreen needs to be steeper and larger so that is is proper "cab forward", otherwise there will be little/no performance benefit.

[V6Jim]

IMO, I think the windscreen needs to be steeper and larger so that is is proper "cab forward", otherwise there will be little/no performance benefit.

I don't know about you, but I seriously doubt that the cab forward shell would make much difference to the handling of the Caster SK10. It's front shock tower is so big that any aero benefit that may be derived from the shell would be negligible.

In fact I'm pretty sure that very few buggies actually, really, benefit from the cab forward design, apart from the extra room they provide up front! Aerodynamically? Hmmm. Perhaps, a little.

No, this is really just an excercise in making a prettier cab forward shell..

Jimmy

[/tobys]

If you have a quick google, you will find where others have quantified the effect of typical cab forward shells (e.g. Proline Bulldog and JConcepts Punisher/Finnisher). Whilst you may be surprised, I seem to recall the concensus being that as long as there was enough surface area it made a difference to the downforce on the front. Simply shoving the cab "bulge" forward isn't enough so not all cab forward shells offer enough surface area to make any difference so this is purely cosmetic.

You mention the shock tower interfering - I think this is why the original cab forward designs have such as massive raking windscreen (so it affects the air passing over the shock tower). Trimming a few mm off the rear of a wing has a noticeable difference on the handling of our buggies (esp when jumping) as can running a cab forward shell.

And a steep and angular cab forward windscreen just looks "slammed" (as the Americans say)...I wouldn't say that yours looks any prettier than a Bulldog or Finnisher shell although it looks better than the kit one :p

Just my opinions - don't hate me for 'em :woot:

[V6Jim]

That'll likely explain why the new Caster CF shell is soooo huge at the front. It is ugly though. I think I'd rather see a nice front wing.... Tamiya style.

Jimmy

[V6Jim]

Ran the car last weekend with the 7K front 10K rear and it was pretty good.

The track was carpet, and it had a long 90 degree sweeper onto the straight. I did find that the car tended to push quite badly as I was powering onto this straight and I had to feather the throttle to stop it drifting to the outer barrier.

I'm pretty sure lighter front diff oil would sort this. (Or better front tyres!)

For anybody following this thread, Caster have now introducing a newer version of the car. Not sure what it's going to be called yet, but possibly Caster SK10 V3 or something... Anyway, it now has Big Bore (13mm) shocks, new slipper clutch, stronger driveshafts all with CVD couplings. Front bulkhead brace and a variety of other wee mods.

It should also come with a new bodyshell based on my new cab forward design! I have just sent more detailed drawing this evening! I'd be mighty chuffed if they actually put it into production....

Jimmy

[V6Jim]

The SK10 V3 is on it's way! Two weeks!

Jimmy

[kullyrc]

hi, can any one help i have a caster s10b with all the hop ups, but need to know what shock oil do i use for indoor (carpet) and outdoor? one others thing is that when my buggy is running it seems to sound very loud but the gear diffs are all smooth.

many thanks

[SamRCRacing]

Hi,

When I ran my Caster I used 35 in the front of 30 rear and outdoors 40 front and 30 rear. I would say the mesh between you pinion and spur is too tight. There should be a little bit of movement between the two.

Sam

[V6Jim]

The drivetrain should be sweet and quiet, so the only real culprit for noise, as Sam says, is the pinion/spur mesh.

I've found that for indoors on carpet it should be set pretty low and fairly stiff. It turns really well, so you can set the front stiffer than the back. Diffs have both got 7.5k oil in and I use Schumacher Mini-Pin yellows all round. Mine still isn't perfect, but it's OK.

Keep in touch with how you get on!

Jimmy

[Collegeboy]

Hi Kullyrc

I've had the SK10 for 2yrs now and made lots of adjustments and set up sheets for all the tracks I have raced on. These vary from smooth flowing out door tracks, to uneven ones with varying sizes of jumps (both high and low grip) and indoor carpet/astro and polished wood surfaces, again with varing sizes of jumps and features. Alot of your starting point would be based on three steps

1. Ride height
2. Suspension (number and size of holes, oil viscosity, spring rating and droop

3. And finally tyre choice (new or part worn, rows cut off and grade of inserts)

This may seem vary daunting at first, but once you have played about a bit and made notes (that is one of the most important things to do) then it will become second nature.

for the passed couple of months I have been competeing in two winter series, one at Silverstaone and the other at Maritime. Silverstaone is high grip astro (indoors) Maritime is Low grip carpet and polished floor sections.

Yeserday I had R4 at silverstone (high grip indoor astro) and I used the same set up from last weeks Area 51, with only changing to a part worn yellow mini spike on the rear. The front I'm running at present a set of old 2wd Staggers.

1. Ride height was set at 17mm all round

2. Suspension

Front

2 hole black kit pistons third hole drilled, all to 1.6mm
Team associated shock oil - 42.5 Wt
Caster blue springs

Rear

2 hole black kit pistons third hole drilled, all to 1.6mm
Team associated shock oil - 27.5 Wt
White spring springs (These are either Associated or Losi, cann't remember which)


Front Diff

15000 wt

Rear diff

10000wt

The car felt and looked dialed all day. Qualified 9th and finished 6th.


For Maritime next Sunday I will have to go a lot lower in both the diffs and change the suspension slightly to compensate for the lack of grip. Tyre choice will be mini pins (yellow), but I have some new Caster kit tyres to glue up, as in the passed these have work really well on low grip tracks (once srubbed in slightly)

Hope this has helped you in some ways, as previously mentioned I have lots of set up sheets. If you PM me your email address, I get the ladies at work to scan them and I can sent them to you. These are my own ones that I have drawn up and includes new and old hubs etc.

I like this car so much and enjoy it everytime I race, that I have made a 2wd version which I raced at Area 51 last week. It went so well that it generated a lot of interest. Qualifying in the J final 9th and finishing 4th (I have never owned or raced a 2wd before last week) out of 140 drivers, I was in the third final. I have pictures of the build process which I have sent to Pete at Answer-rc and will post on the forum soon.


If there is any other help I can give you, just PM me.

Paul

[kullyrc]

hi, just want to thank everyone for there help, I would be greatful paul if you could email me the setup sheets, my email address is ksbhatoe@yahoo.co.uk.

once again many thanks p.s. i love this caster buggy one of the best.

[V6Jim]

Me too!

jimsan17@tiscali.co.UK

Thanks!
Jimmy

[Dalla]

Me too!

ian.dalziel@blueyonder.co.uk (jimsan17@tiscali.co.UK)

Thank you
Ian

[Collegeboy]

Hi

Will do when they get the emails working again at work. Been down since last Wednesday.

Paul

[gd26]

Hi All,

Just ran the V3 for the first time I have a few mixed reviews about the car here's a list
1. Excessive play in steering
2. Having to track the car at start off every race
3. Excessive slop between wheels driveshafts bearings

Dont get me wrong car ran well enough and still need a few tweaks here n there. But I'll need to iron out these issues above 1st does anyone one else have/had these problems

[V6Jim]

Hi All,

Just ran the V3 for the first time I have a few mixed reviews about the car here's a list
1. Excessive play in steering
2. Having to track the car at start off every race
3. Excessive slop between wheels driveshafts bearings

Dont get me wrong car ran well enough and still need a few tweaks here n there. But I'll need to iron out these issues above 1st does anyone one else have/had these problems

Hi Gary!

There should be a bit of play in the steering, but not an excessive amount. Just check all the connections. Yours is the only V3 in the country, so you're a pioneer! It might be worth locking the servo saver entirely to help with the steering consistency.

As for the sloppy wheels/bearings? :-\

[gd26]

Yeah the driveshafts could be doing with being tighter in the bearings thats where the play is but as I said it ran ok... I understand about a bit play in steering but it may be a combo off shafts bearings etc but I'll need to take a look at it that will be my plans on Tuesday night

[V6Jim]

So, do you reckon the shafts are a sloppy fit in the bearings? Wow, that would be odd. If they are, contact Peter at Answer and get replacements. The bearings will be alright... That wouls certainly explain the steering slop and centering problems....

Jimmy

[gd26]

I can't see peter at answer replacing them as the car was bought from the state's but I'll send a email Mike/Betsey fi caster to see what they say

[jym watty]

Hi all, just getting back in to rc cars after a few years off and recently purchased a caster s10b brushless rtr, the guy in the shop said it was the new model as it has the big bore shocks, metal geared diffs and now takes stick batts rather than saddle packs, v3? it seemed the best buy for the price(£155) I'm also having difficulty getting the car to track straight and requires constant adjustments on the trim, is this a problem with all the new cars? By the way good info on the diff oils will definitely be experimenting after reading this thread, thanks guys

[SamRCRacing]

Hi,

What radio are you running?

Sam

[V6Jim]

Hi all, just getting back in to rc cars after a few years off and recently purchased a caster s10b brushless rtr, the guy in the shop said it was the new model as it has the big bore shocks, metal geared diffs and now takes stick batts rather than saddle packs, v3? it seemed the best buy for the price(£155) I'm also having difficulty getting the car to track straight and requires constant adjustments on the trim, is this a problem with all the new cars? By the way good info on the diff oils will definitely be experimenting after reading this thread, thanks guys

I'd be surprised if it was a V3. I don't think Caster make an RTR with the new Big Bore shocks. If it comes with white springs it might be. I expect it came with yellow ones which will make it the standard two year old RTR.

Having said that, it's still a good car for the money and can be fully, and I mean fully, upgraded to a full V3 Pro version!

The tracking thing is most likely either dodgy radio or servo or some stiffness or slop in the steering mechanism. Disconnect the steering arm from the servo horn and check two things. Check that the steering is working smoothly with no rough bits or tight bits. Then check that your steering servo is centering every time.

Over time you can add some of the pro bits to the car as you find necessary.

Keep in touch,

Jimmy

[jym watty]

It's just the cheap 2.4ghz it came with, looks same as the ansman w5. Just looked on the box and it says they are big bore aluminum shocks with heavy duty 3.5mm shaft but as you said they have yellow springs so I'm not sure? Will check the servo tomorrow and if it ends up being the radio gear i will just have to invest in a better 1 because the car is worth the upgrade anyway so no biggy, the guy in the shop did say it was the new model though which has only just come out with its upgraded diffs and battery configuration and he reckoned the motor was abit hotter too but he might just of been after my money haha

[V6Jim]

Yeah, those are the old shocks. They are fairly big bore, but not as big as the new ones. Still fine though. I still run them on my car.

The RTR radio/esc/motor equipment will be fairly low power and budget quality. Should be serviceable enough to get you going.

However, once you bolt in some serious power and better radio gear, prepare be pleasantly surprised!

The only real weak link in the RTR car is the slipper clutch (The white spur driven off the motor). It needs to be locked solid to prevent it slipping as it will self destruct otherwise - it overheats and melts! There is a new, upgraded one available which you can switch up to later.

Have fun!

Jimmy

[jym watty]

Thanks v6jim, Just re centred the servo and checked and adjusted the camber and toe in and it tracks a lot better now, you were saying about the slipper clutch, will it not damage something if I tighten it down fully? Mine is at the back of the chassis just in front of the rear diff not central like on all the pics I've seen? Are the upgrade slipper easy to source?

[SamRCRacing]

Can you see if the nut is internal or external. The new slipper has an external nut so you are able to adjust while in the car. I am not sure if you get the new one with the new rtr, but if not and you want to change this then you need to change the centre driveshafts.

Also if anyone wants one, I might have some of my old caster setup sheets lying around for indoor high grip carpet and outdoor astro high grip wet and dry.

Let me know,
Sam

[jym watty]

Just checked and it's the old internal type, I can't seem to adjust it though as when I try to tighten or loosen the hex screw the nut on the other side just turns and i can't get a cross wrench in or anything as it's too tight a space

[discothesnake]

Get yourself another servo. That's probably your biggest problem. The RTR ones are usually not the best.

As for the slipper, don't lock it up. You'll destroy your diffs. Regardless of them being geared.

[V6Jim]

Your slipper's at the back?

What you need to do is get a small screwdriver and slide it down inside the drive cup beside the wee nuts. This will prevent them from turning. It's not ideal locking up the slipper, but it'll last longer this way. If it slips too much it just overheats, melts and self destructs.

If your slipper is at the back, the motor must be at the back too. Hmmm. I've had a look on the Answer website and I think you've got this one! I've never seen this before.

http://answer-rc.com/uk/en/1291-caster-racing-sk10-rtr-brushless-4wd-110th-buggy-.html

This is indeed a new kit as it has the new style wheel hexes fitted! Interesting! Looks pretty good. Keep us posted. Oh yeah, because it is entirely different from the previous car and the current pro car, I'm not sure how 'upgradable' it'll be....

Jimmy

[V6Jim]

Get yourself another servo. That's probably your biggest problem. The RTR ones are usually not the best.

As for the slipper, don't lock it up. You'll destroy your diffs. Regardless of them being geared.

Nearly all the team drivers locked this slipper up tight as it just couldn't be relied upon to last if it slipped. Silly, I know, but that's the case. As far as I know, the Caster's geared diffs are indestructible.

Your right about the kit servo. It's probably not too great. 3 Kilo only.

Jimmy

[jym watty]

Yeah that's the one I've got v6jim, the white and red shell model, it says it comes with the new slipper but mine seems the same as the old one with internal adjustment, shall I go back to the shop and question this? Because on the box it came in it also says New latest slipper and shows an external adjustment and the pic is of the new one?

[V6Jim]

Yeah that's the one I've got v6jim, the white and red shell model, it says it comes with the new slipper but mine seems the same as the old one with internal adjustment, shall I go back to the shop and question this? Because on the box it came in it also says New latest slipper and shows an external adjustment and the pic is of the new one?

Hi. All seems a bit strange? Feel free to call Peter at Answer products on 0161 7621105 and ask him. He's the importer, will be able to answer your questions and is an all round good bloke.

Trouble is fitting the new slipper would require new front main driveshaft and possibly some other wee bits....

Let us know how it goes....

Jimmy

PS The body that comes with that kit is nice!

[jym watty]

Thanks v6jim, I will give him a ring tomorrow in office hours. It seems strange to me aswel but I'm sure it will be clarified soon, got to go to the shop tomorrow aswel anyway as I've ordered a set of wheels and tires as the stock tires turned to slicks after half a battery so I'm getting some harder compound tyres and wheel set for a ftx vantage which fit straight on. Yeah the body is really nice, reminds me of my Schumacher swift nitro buggy I had as it's the same colour scheme

[V6Jim]

The stock tyres are good for compacted clay and not much else! Get a set of Schumacher Green Mini Spikes or something. They are pretty useful on lots of surfaces.

Jimmy

[jym watty]

Are the green mini spikes a hard compound? Rang Pete at answer and he said it was strange it came with the old slipper and its getting changed for the new 1 so very happy! Thanks v6jim for the info.

[discothesnake]

Are the green mini spikes a hard compound? Rang Pete at answer and he said it was strange it came with the old slipper and its getting changed for the new 1 so very happy! Thanks v6jim for the info.

Depends what you are running on. If its indoors the greens are hopeless. Greens suit wet grass/astro etc. For an all round tyre you can use indoors and out, go for Schumacher Yellow mini spikes. Yellow mini pins can also be used but they can be a bit unforgiving at times.

Dave

[jym watty]

Just ordered some yellow mini spikes, thanks for the info discothesnake

[V6Jim]

Just in case anybody is after a V2 Caster here's one on eBay.


http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Caster-SK10-Full-Pro-V2-1-10th-Off-Road-Competition-Buggy-Schumacher-Kyosho-S10-/261157267016?pt=UK_ToysGames_RadioControlled_JN&hash=item3cce2fa648

Looks fine...

Jimmy

[V6Jim]

And another one! This one could be a bargain...almost ready to go!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/251219149196?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649

Jimmy

[SamRCRacing]

I may be going back to the Caster SK10 in the next few weeks. I will find out on Friday. Anyone know when the V3 is due in the UK? Is it already out?

[V6Jim]

I may be going back to the Caster SK10 in the next few weeks. I will find out on Friday. Anyone know when the V3 is due in the UK? Is it already out?

There is one chap up here (Scotland) who has one. He bought it from Rick Jenkins in America.

They are very few and far between at the moment! Having said that, it is possible to buy a V2 and fully upgrade it to V3 spec. It's easy!

Mine is a secondhand V2 and is now a v2.75! (Just need the Big Bore shocks).

You might want to call Peter at Answer (01617621105) if you want a full V3 Kit.

The V3.
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b370/jimsan17/toby3_zps205b0e24.jpg[/IMG]

Jimmy

[SamRCRacing]

I phoned yesturday, Karl answered because Pete wont be there till next week. He said they can get them in but he didn't say when. I am speaking to Pete on Friday about it and will see what happens from there.

Sam

[KennyClark]

I would like to see that car in the picture go through scrutineering!

[V6Jim]

I would like to see that car in the picture go through scrutineering!

Yeah! The rediculous front stubs! Somebody didn't use the measuring tape!

Get the hacksaw out...

Jimmy

[SamRCRacing]

Right, looks like I am going for the caster, anyone know the RRP for the V3?

Sam

[V6Jim]

Should be in the £220 - £250 bracket. Are Answer getting it for you?

Jimmy

[SamRCRacing]

Pete said they are available, thats all I know at the moment, may have it Saturday. Will have to wait and see ;).

[V6Jim]

Wow!

[franki]

These always seem great value for money ! Is there Much diffrence between v2 and v3

[SamRCRacing]

The mains differences are:
-Spring clipped cvd's
-New slipper for adjustments while in the car
-Bigger bore shocks
-New geometry Ally hubs and turnbuckle holders
-I think new wheel hex's too!

All improve the car over the v2, and around the same price.

Sam

[V6Jim]

Heading off to the Lancashire Dirt Arena tomorrow to give the Caster a good thrashing on their indoor dirt track.

There will be an interesting mix of cars, including over 20 IC cars!

Could get messy... I'll let you know how it goes!

Jimmy

[braddock]

Hey people, seen this thread so thought I would add my bit. been running the new V3 pro since just before Christmas. Pete kindly ordered these direct, for me and 3 other guys down at the Maritime indoor track in Kent. Very pleased with the car now we have sorted a few niggly problems, biggest advantage over the V2 is the big bore shocks, much easier to set up, and seem more consistent, the oversized turnbuckle ball and plastic ends are much better, less likely to pop off. captive CVD are great, no hassle of pins coming out like the old model. and it's good now you can adjust the roll centre due to the turnbuckle mounts being on top rather than on the side! they basically have made a good car even better! also the new wheel hexes are an improvement, you still have to add grease to the pin to hold it in, but now there an enclosed pin, so more secure. I'll try and add some pics on here later.
lying second in the winter championship at the moment, so some good results, and getting quicker as I improve the setup. any questions fire away!
thanks for reading. Matt

[V6Jim]

Hi Matt!

Nice to hear there are some guys running the V3 in anger! I've had trouble with the new captured pin CVD's with the pin pushing through the capturing spring! Happened twice to me last night.

I think the problem may be caused by me using the old pin from the original CVD's. It seemed too short by a millimeter or two? (I'm running a V2).

The big bores look nice! You running stock springs?

Keep us up to date with how you''re doing and how you've set up the car. Let's see some pics!
Jimmy

[braddock]

49030
49031
49032
49033
49034

[braddock]

Hi Jimmy,

Think you could be right about the drive pin in the cvd, Me and the others havnt had any issues with this! The old pin is possibly moving enough to fall out of the cvd at one end then pushing through past the spring!

Another thing I forgot to mention, is the outer c hub hinge pins, are a bolt now instead of uba flimsy pins they used to use, also I think you can use these on the V2, as the wishbones are the same.

My setup is diffs 7000F 3000R. Shocks 500F 400R using the the stock white springs, trying to find which other springs will fit, but there bigger than most. also as you can see, using the plastic upper chassis supports to give a little flex, on the low grip indoor track! 1deg neg camber on the back with 3deg toe in. Front 1 deg neg camber and 1 deg toe out. Ride height 20mm back 19mm front with full droop.

The only disappointing thing is the shock towers, 3mm I think they would be better with 4mm. There fine most of the time but can bend with relative ease, after a small crash!!

Hope this is helpful to you and anyone else reading.
Matt

If anyone is interested I have my old V2 for sale on eBay. Open to offers..

[braddock]

49036

[V6Jim]

Nice to see your V3! Love those shocks....

Here's a quick (not so quick) rundown on my evening at the Lancashire Dirt Arena.

What a great venue! It's easily the biggest track I have ever driven on. Wide and flowing with a back straight I reckon to be about 40 - 50m long. The surface was a sandy loam that we all thought wouldn't hold up very well to a nights punishment - especially from the hoards of Eighth Nitro Buggies.

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b370/jimsan17/LDA1_zpsc20636da.jpg

Triple jump in front of the drivers, small jump just after the switchbacks in the centre and a double just before you start to wind up for the straight. The switchbacks developed lovely berms as the night wore on and the jumps help up very well.

The dirt did get into everything though and the car probably weighed about half a kilo more at the end of the race than it did at the beginning!

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b370/jimsan17/LDA2_zps5b8dce3b.jpg

The car went well when it was running, but it failed to finish 3 of the 4 qualifiers due to CVD failures and a broken rear swingarm. The CVD thing was my fault as I used pins that were too short, that's sorted now. The rear arm failure is also my fault as I'd modified it to lengthen the wheelbase. I'll not go into the details, but my modification worked, in as much as it improved the handling of the car, and failed, in that it weakened the arm.

All that dirt just brushed off, and I was amazed that none of the bearings were damaged and everything else seems fine.

After breaking the rear arm, I reverted to the stock setup and standard wheelbase and was amazed at how much worse the car felt! So, a longer wheelbase car works for me!

I've found a way to lengthen the wheelbase without weakening the rear arms. Just move the whole rear suspension assembly back 7mm!( It can be moved back without having to move the gearbox).

Easy with the front hinge pin bracket, but the back one isn't as easy. I've had to cobble together a chassis extension to carry the back bracket. Anyway, it's done and it feels solid, if not particularly pretty. My undertray will cover the back plate, so it shouldn't hank on the ground noticeably!

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b370/jimsan17/LDA5_zps3afd222d.jpg
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b370/jimsan17/LDA3_zpse7691d20.jpg
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b370/jimsan17/LDA4_zpse0b70f13.jpg

The car has probably reached it's full development now and is a million times better to drive now than it was when I first got it, and really look forward to returning to the LDA for the big race in March!

Jimmy

[KennyClark]

Sounds like another disaster Jim.
Surely time to ditch the Caster in favour of something that might finish a race?

[V6Jim]

The Caster stays for the time being. I like it, but also realize it's got it's foibles! The failures on Friday were all my doing.

Give it a chance, Kenny, you might be surprised...

Jimmy

[discothesnake]

I admire your enthusiasm for the car Jimmy but when you drive a few hours down the road to race you surely want a car that's gonna finish? Saying that, that track looks hard going on the 1/8th scale!

By the way, watch that homemade bracket on the back. If you catch that on something at speed it'll rip the rearend right off.

[V6Jim]

My undertray covers it OK. It was disappointing not to have a better night Dave, but when it was running it was fantastic fun.

Should be better next time. It'll have to be, a certain Mr Cragg will be there!
Jimmy

[discothesnake]

Ahh, didn't realise you ran an undertray.

[V6Jim]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/261167527932?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

Here's a link to Matts car on eBay. It looks like a bargain to me!

Matt,

What shell are you guys running on your V3's?

Jimmy

[braddock]

Hey Jimmy, 3 of the guys are running the New Cab forward shell, which comes with the kit, and I'm using the smooth yellow and red shell same as the one I'm selling. I prefer the smooth shell, bit old fashioned I know!!

How you getting on with the modded car?

Matt

[V6Jim]

Hi!
I reckon the cab forward shell supplied with the V3 has got to be one of the most hideous bodyshells ever created. Some of the cab forwards are growing on me, but I'm with you - prefer the more traditional shells.

I've designed a new, prettier, cab forward shell for Caster which may reach production later in the year. We'll see.

I've just spent some of this afternoon trying out different pistons, springs and roll centre settings. I like quite a lightly damped car, but I'm not sure the Caster likes being set up that way. Gets a bit twitchy! Fitted an alloy servo horn for the first time today. Can't believe what a difference that makes!

Practicing with it on Sunday....

Jimmy

[V6Jim]

Practice was fantastic!

The car is so stable now. Steering is positive and predictable. The car actually does like being quite softly damped at the back and fairly firm at the front.

Today was the first time I've really driven the car hard. Hard down the straight, bang on the brakes, turn in and bang, back on the throttle. No unpredictable slides under braking or under power. Wow!

Lookin' good!

Jimmy

[V6Jim]

Been a bit quiet for the Caster in the last few weeks. The demise of the Lancaster venue was a shame as I was really looking forward to it.

Anyway, first round of the Scottish Champs this weekend at the Dunfermline Club, and I have to say I'm really looking forward to it. Weather forecast is rubbish for the day which is a total bummer, so it looks like it's going to be a bit damp.

Never raced the car at this track before, so I've set it up pretty neutral. It's a mix of grass and astro (and mud, probably). Quite bumpy with no huge jumps.

So, a proper outdoor dirt track at last. Let's see how it goes!

Jimmy

[V6Jim]

Been a bit quiet for the Caster in the last few weeks. The demise of the Lancaster venue was a shame as I was really looking forward to it.

Anyway, first round of the Scottish Champs this weekend at the Dunfermline Club, and I have to say I'm really looking forward to it. Weather forecast is rubbish for the day which is a total bummer, so it looks like it's going to be a bit damp.

Never raced the car at this track before, so I've set it up pretty neutral. It's a mix of grass and astro (and mud, probably). Quite bumpy with no huge jumps.

So, a proper outdoor dirt track at last. Let's see how it goes!

Jimmy
Been a while since I posted on here, so here's a quick update.

I have now run the car at three Scottish championship meetings. For the first two the car was pretty reliable and it was just my rusty thumbs that were to blame. (B Finals). My pace is improving all the time and I have to say the car is now lovely to drive.

Reliability is an issue though. It's probably the cars age that's causing the problems now, as I'm now starting to pop ball joints too easily. But the car is now super fast and handles bumpy tracks well.

45w front shock, 55wt rear.
10000 at front diff 2500 wt rear.
6.5 t motor and 22t pinion.

I know there are other Casters out their. Let's hear from you!

Jimmy.

[V6Jim]

Just back from Round 4 of the Scottish Championships at Stonehaven and a fairly good day has been had. Just failed to get into the A Final, but pace was decent and reliability was excellent!

Changing the weight of the diff fluids has made a huge difference to the car. The car has always been tail happy, but reducing rear diff fluid to 2500 from 5000 has helped stabilize the tail dramatically.

Three legs of the B Finals went 2nd, 3rd, 1st. Quite happy. Can I get this car into an A Final?

Perhaps not, but I'm enjoying trying!

Jimmy

[gd26]

Been a while since I've posted on this...

Just curious how is everyone is gettin on with there casters, mines is the V3...

I've only ran mines a hand full off times this season all outdoors, it has went well but will need a few wee tweeks to get it suited to myself

Found car ran better with the plastic than the alloy...
I run longer camber links links front and rear...
Replaced all ball studs and ball sockets. To rpm sockets and schumacher ball studs...

The only thing I've found getting the big bore springs murder to get hold thinkin maybe look at other solution for that...

But all in all my ugly duckling goes well...

Got a few things coming this week to try out hopefully they will be a another positive step

[V6Jim]

It would appear, Gary, that we own and run the only two Casters in the country!
There are supposed to be a handful doing regionals and even Nationals, but I've heard or seen no evidence of this at all.

Helllllooo.... Is there anybody out there?

Jimmy

[V6Jim]

Well, the old Caster SK10 V2 is now going into retirement.

It's replacement? Another SK10, but a new one! With modifications of course!

Pictures and set up tips will follow. I know there are people out there running Casters, feel free to join in!

Jimmy

[gd26]

pictures pictures