Losi or AE wheels?!?!

[Drayken D]

Ok, I was at the track and I overheard s guy saying that AE wheels for the T3 were more offset than the Losi wheels for the XXX-T.(wheels, NOT tires) And he commented how a person with a T3, running Losi wheels would have shorter wheelbase, giving less handling. I have a few questions for you guys then:

1) Anyone use AE wheels on a XXX-T? Wouldn't this give even a wider wheelbase? Meaning better handling?

2) If you were to go wider, would you do it both in the rear AND front or not? I know if you did the front, your turning radius would be a little worse, not too sure of all the affects the backs would have.

[Nairb]

First of all, the extra offset changes the track width, not the wheelbase (distance from front axle to rear axle). Sure, you could make your XXXT a little wider, but I don't think it would help anything. After all, the fetchin' things are almost square already (when you compare track width to wheelbase). Also, I think there are ROAR and/or IFMAR regulations that limit the width a buggy or truck could be, and they're definitely right there already, without adding extra offset.

If you still want to, go ahead and do it...and tell us what happens.

[SirSpeedy]

It is so funny to me how a company like Team Losi can spend an amount of money on R&D, more than you can conceive, using the latest software available, and some ***** at the local track is going to come up with something like this that is going to make it better....too funny.

[Drayken D]

I understand the rules, it is just that at my local track, they let us do more, it is not too strict, and more for fun than competition.

Speedy, if you are being sarcastic, it is not apreciated. From what I have read on these boards, you know ALOT about R/C, so I am sure you know people find little tricks here and there to get better performance. Like the second post said, the length may be set by AE and Losi because of rules, but IF the rules were not a concern, then my question is valid. I own an E-Maxx, and anyone who has one, knows how much better having offset wheels are, I am just wondering if any of those benefits would apply to the stadium trucks. Sorry for asking.

[SirSpeedy]

I don't even remeber what I put that would be replaced by ***** ??? Hmmm. A five letter word too...oh well.

Dude, it is just funny to me, that is all. Most of the team drivers run exactly what you can buy. BK will try proto stuff occasionally, but hey, that is his job. He ended up running a stock geometry Triple X at the Nat's, even though he did have a car with some proto stuff on it.

The Losi truck is currently maximum width to ROAR rules. The AE is about 1/2" narrow. The Losi uses very neutral offset wheels, that place the instant center very close to the contact patch of the tire. The truck is engineered to near perfection. That is all I am saying.

[Drayken D]

Ok, Speedy. I understand. I know these trucks are R&D well. I was not looking for a loophole or anything. It is just that things are built within "rules", you and Nairb both said that. When things are within rules, they are not always the "best" that could be. I was just wondering if making it a little wider did anything, and assumed some people here may have tried it already. Like I had stated, I am not too worried about the rules for ROAR, since at my track it is interpreted lightly. Thx for the input.

[rims']

i'd just stick wit da ae weelz

[SirSpeedy]

To correctly answer you question #1, using wheels with more offset on the Losi truck would create some significant handling issues.

The instant center would be moved away from the contact patch of the tire, and thus the truck would try to use the tire as leverage against the chassis rolling over. As you load the tire, it will then dump more violently and loose traction when the truck approached it's limit of available cornering traction.

The T3/B3 currently has very offset wheels compared to the Losi, and thus suffers the aformentioned problems on the racetrack.

[Drayken D]

hmm, ok, thx. I am starting to understand the "instant center". Just trying to get it all strait, before I go and jump ship. I race a Factory Team, T3 right now, but plan to get the MF, XXXT for next season. Looks just like the factory kit, you get all the goodies. Any suggestions on any little things to get or do? I have read the XXXT thread on the other forum, and see that many are happy with the stock setup, just need to find the tire/oil/spring setups.

[RustlerBoy]

Well, will the losi whells fit on the T3??

[Drayken D]

Yes, they fit, I actually ran them one night. But when I heard about the offset, I took them off. I did not even think to look, duh. But I am not really asking if the losi's would go good on the AE, it is the other way around. I wanted to know if the AE(offset) would go good on the Losi and get better handling, but I see where Speedy is comming from and understand. But, I had to ask, or I would not have heard his side =)