Caster SK10 Pro. Any other Casterites out there?

V6Jim · #1 20-09-2012

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...

Cast1.jpg

Cast4.jpg

Cast5.jpg

Cast2.jpg

Cast3.jpg

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

Jimmy

JCJC · #2 20-09-2012

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 · #3 20-09-2012

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.

feel free to PM me if you have any questions

V6Jim · #4 20-09-2012

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 · #5 21-09-2012

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

. He's good at all that stuff, so I might be able to send some setup sheets that I divised.

Have fun

Paul

eddscott · #6 25-09-2012

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 · #7 25-09-2012

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 · #8 26-09-2012

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 · #9 26-09-2012

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 · #10 26-09-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by 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

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.

Jimmy H

Col · #11 26-09-2012

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 · #12 26-09-2012

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

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 · #13 26-09-2012

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 · #14 26-09-2012

Hi Badger

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

V6Jim · #15 26-09-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by 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?

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-ra...te-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 · #16 26-09-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by 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.

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/sho...ed=1#post80091

Post No45.

Jimmy H

V6Jim · #17 30-09-2012

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.
Caster5.jpg

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..
Caster1.jpg

Caster2.jpg

Caster3.jpg

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 · #18 30-09-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by V6Jim

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 · #19 30-09-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by Col

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 · #20 30-09-2012

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