ok need an idiots guide :) FM MM RM???

[tonydevon]

as per the title, I sit browsing and reading forums and pages about the buggies etc

but I dont really have much understanding of all the new technicalities

mid, forward, rear motor mounts, 3 gear 4 gear etc

anyone know of a reputable page with an idiots guide to all this

I know that its probably good enough to just see what they runing at the track and buy one of them, but as an engineer, I like to know how and why things work, not just that they do LOL

[buggy#0]

Easy to break it up into 3 categories:

Rear motor - Traditional buggy layout that was never challenged for many years, started to get phased out about 5 years ago because people realised it wasn't great for high grip. Motor out the back means huge rear weight bias which is good for very low grip, but even now they're losing out against mid cars.

Mid motor - What started to dominate in high grip a few years ago, now seen as a good all-rounder for high and low grip. 4 gear is used for low grip as it generates more mid-corner grip, whilst 3 gear cars have more corner speed due to the direction of rotation of the motor and the reduced rotating mass. Popular in 17.5 stock over in America.

Forward/lay-down - Started to come in over the last few years, lower CG means they're less likely to grip roll and the motor position improves the weight distribution. Not very good when the grip levels drop because of the lack of weight directly over the back end but in very high grip there's not much you can do to beat them. Again with lay down cars a 3 gear will be able to corner faster than a 4 gear.

[tonydevon]

thanks for taking the time to explain that, Im just starting and I think my theory was probably right, running an old B4, so it will be ok in the wet cold etc, but still work in the dry high grip, while it wont be fast in the high grip, it wont matter as with my thumbs thats irrelevant LOL

MM looks like the ideal step up once I can get round and I have reached the limit of the B4

so interesting that things like rotor rotation are now taken into consideration. all moved on so much since I last played.

[Volition]

In the gold old days, there was a whopping battery just in front of the transmission, which normally lines up with the rear axle. This meant most weight was planted right in front of the rear axle and it seemed that these cars liked that best. Now bring on a lipo battery, what do you think, too much pendulum only really suited to the very loose stuff. So the engineers moved some of the weight forward, the MM was found to be just as effective in nearly all the same conditions. Not even nay that they tended to rotate better through corners so there's s bit of background for you.

I read an article a little while back explaining why the MM cars where doing just as well as the RM on the loose stuff. So it's not my take on it, but from what I've experienced driving both (RM a lot less, mostly MM). The MM's can feel as good in the same conditions as a RM and personally I prefer the steering feel of the MM's.

Yep the MM is the way to go. Though I don't have one the B6 looks appealing, laydown 3 gear, 3 gear standup & the guys here in OZ on a slippery surface got it working but needed the 4 gear standup to do so.I like the sound of a lot of options.

Have fun.