TC or GT12?

[Cliveyp]

I've now had just over 12 months back racing following a 10-12 year sabbatical, and have been running a handful of different touring cars on 13.5 blinky at my local club. I initially quit racing all those years ago when the club moved away from buggies into TC's, as I just didn't find it anywhere near as enjoyable.

Now i've returned, I have to admit I've found it more fun than I used to all those years back, but still prefer buggies - unfortunately we are not able to run that many buggy meets at the local club due to time/availability restrictions, and running a TC at least gets me out every week for something. I'm also not really available to lose a day from a weekend in order to hit a typical off-road event.

With this in mind, I was contemplating trying GT12 for my weekly fix. Reasons behind this being that its something different (for me at least), and something cheaper - which is ideal if I think I might be starting to fall out of love with TC's again.....

What do you guys think? I'm really at a bit of a crossroads at the moment - my current Xray T4 needs some money spent on replacement parts due to a slightly heavy impact, and I am needing to replace my 2S lipos due to them starting to puff a bit.....this could influence the replacement purchases.....
I could chat with the TC guys and GT12 guys on a Friday night, which I have done, and both sing the praises of the classes they run in, but neither can really give me a good enough reason why to sway one way or the other.....

[SlowOne]

GT12. They are the right size for an indoor club hall (which I am assuming from your post is your weekly 'fix') and are cheap to buy and run. The class has evolved quickly in the last three years, and has now reached a plateau with three new cars unlikely to be changed too soon.

Due to low weight and simple suspension construction, the cars are light on batteries and motors so they last a long time. My GT12 gear is now on year three with no signs of diminishing speed. Tyres are cheap and last a long time, and set-ups are well established.

Driving foam tyres is usually regarded as easy, but in fact is quite difficult. Lots of TC drivers come into 12th for the winter and all of them will say it has improved their driving skills. Keeping the car within the available grip and hitting the apex consistently for five minutes (the only fast way round a track with a foam-tyred car) are skills everyone who races GT12/LMP12/GT10 has to learn. There aren't any kerbs to ride if you get it wrong!

Top choice would have to be the Schumacher GT12 in S1-chassis-with-differential guise. It's £100 and will be competitive right out of the box. Use the low-grip set-up from the instructions and you'll be on the pace immediately. You may need a small servo (Core RC for £35 is favourite) and a 1S compatible speedo (there's a few of the excellent HW v2.1 120A 1S devices on sale here for reasonable money, or again look to the Core RC one) and a 1S battery to power your 13.5 motor.

I've just put myself on the road with a GT for £165 covering a kit, Core RC servo and used LRP SXXv2 (1S) speedo. I've used the motor, battery and receiver from my previous SupaStox. Driving that car last season has done my driving skills the power of good even though I have been racing 12th for over 35 years!

The key is that the car is fast enough to make mistakes, yet reacts in a way your brain can process really well. Any mistakes mean you lose ground to others and have to drive really precisely to catch up again. Not making mistakes and winning races is really rewarding. Your changes to driving style are easily seen on the clock so anything you try (including set-up changes) give you immediate feedback.

TCs are too big for club tracks, they are not in their element, they need too much maintenance and they have to be replaced every season as the latest ones are always faster than the older ones. They are too fast for mere mortals to enjoy indoors and so fast that crashes cost serious money. GT12 is the reverse of all that, so what's not to like?!! HTH

[Cliveyp]

Thanks for your reply mate. It's certainly got me thinking!

It turns out I could run one of my existing ESC's on 1S (LRP SXXv2 or Flow Works Team), so that would eliminate a chunk of needing to reinvest. Are 13.5's the normal motors to run in these too?? I've not checked that out locally to see who runs what!

For servo, I understand they're are limited in space in there, but just how limited?? I run a Savox 1258 at the moment....i guess this is too big?

Anything else that could catch me out??

[Xracer]

Well here is another option that splits opinion, why not GT10, if you are not aware it is the size of a TC, so has the same track presence and is basically a 1/12 on steroids, with the attendant simplicity and lower cost but fantastically fast racing, all on 1s and boosted 10.5T and control tyres an option too!

Broxtowe have been running some of late against the TC's and drivers are now seeing the true potential for a lower cost adrenaline rush that are a dream to drive compared to an edgy 1/12.

Well I have just invested in a CRC GenX10 SE to join in, having raced Pro10 many years back along with 1/12 and now GT12.

Take a look, John

[Cliveyp]

I'll have a look into it, but it's not currently a class that the club runs. If we have enough interested then they'll probably be happy to run a heat, but the TC drivers probably wouldn't be happy to have the odd one or two in their heat. We have a majority percentage of GT12's at the club now, along with a single heat each of micro buggies and TC's....sometimes two TC heats

[SlowOne]

It all depends on the size of the club track. Small tracks aren't a good home for GT10 - too fast and too easy to damage both car and track markers in a small hall. Yes, GT10 is an option, but if there are less than a handful of people driving them it can be a lot of a bore!

GT10s are also a lot more challenging to build and set up, with small changes affecting handling a lot. Maintenance of the oil-filled shocks, diff rebuilding, front suspension regular overhauls are all necessary to get a car in the best condition. If you don't do this stuff you are driving a car that is below its potential. Most people get away with it because the cars have so much tyre that it masks a lot of handling difficulties - which is why it is popular!

A GT12 car has no such requirements. The Schumacher diff requires a rebuild about once a year (as will the Zen/Mardave diff), the front suspension basically can't wear, there are no oil-filled shocks (not allowed) and there are de-facto control tyres - 37 rear and 50 front whether you choose either of the two tyre manufacturers - and the 13.5 motor is also part of the rules.

I'm not saying GT10 is a poor class; I loved mine. However, GT12 is better suited to small club tracks and low budgets for those short on maintenance time as well. Despite the inevitable crashes, the cars are much better at keeping their settings and minimising their wear.

Cliveyp - focus on a smaller servo with the Core one being your top pick. Savox servos are too amp-hungry for such a small car and may cause problems. Additive - SXT suits the Contact tires best, use Spider Grip Green for the JFT tyres. 100% coverage on the rears, inside half of the fronts. Best body is the Kamtec Ascari (Schumacher Type A) lightweight. HTH

[Cliveyp]

Thanks for the advice both of you!

I'm more than happy to take any other comments on board from anyone too......please feel free to chip in!

For the price of the replacement parts for my T4 I could get the majority of the way towards an S1, so I'm seriously tempted. Could try it and, if it doesn't work for me, sell it on and repair the T4. If I enjoy it, I'll repair the at4 and sell that instead!

[mark christopher]

gt12, would have to recommend that over wgt (gt10) and tc

yup I have them all, and the wgt is too much on smaller tracks

[dale]

GT12 for indoors, TC outdoors. Too much to break on a TC when you smack it into the barriers, and they're too fast for the majority of indoor circuits.

[Xracer]

Watched Mark Stiles racing the new Zen GT12 at Broxtowe last night, I don't know what configuration it was in but it was awesomely quick in his more than very capable hands, I know he is a top 1/12 driver but the car did look very impressive indeed.

[pphaneuf]

My local club (GMCC, in Ilford) usually races TC on a small indoor track, which is a bit tricky, but all right.

Yesterday, I tried out my brand new Zen GT12 there, and while it was amazing on the infield, the roll of carpet with the straight was rather bumpy, which made it very difficult to control. You could hear the TCs shells chatter a bit, but their handling wasn't too much compromised.

We know TCs are drivable on that small track, but if a WGT/GT10 could handle the bumps half as well, and was half as easy to drive as the GT12 in comparison to the TC, I'd say WGT/GT10 would totally be the ticket!

If it has the flexibility to run on an outdoor track as well, and kits are cheaper than TC kits, that's a lot going for it, on paper.

[Cliveyp]

I've decided to take the plunge, and am now waiting on a Schuey carbon GT12 to turn up. I'll keep hold of the Xray T4 for now, and slowly incest a bit in that to make it track worthy again, either for me or to sell on.

Who knows, maybe I'll enjoy it more than buggies.......

[mark christopher]

Originally Posted by Xracer

Watched Mark Stiles racing the new Zen GT12 at Broxtowe last night, I don't know what configuration it was in but it was awesomely quick in his more than very capable hands, I know he is a top 1/12 driver but the car did look very impressive indeed.

it comes pre built he just fitted his electrics