1/8th Electric - is it the future?

[mikeyscott]

So after seeing the little review of the Proline weekend, how much do you think the 1/8th Electric class will grow?

If it grew to current 1/8th nitro or 1/10th off road I'd be very interested. I don't have the time or experience to tune engines, clutches and so forth.

If it was to grow I'd be the first to say "what could we achieve at TORCH".

Is it just another "dumb truck" class in the UK and will remain confinded to the USA?

Given say £1200 as an example figure, would I spend it on a nitro setup - no. Would I for a 1/8th electric, yes. That's just me and I'm not knocking anyones chosen class of racing, whether it's Mardave to 1/5th scale etc.

Thoughts?

[wrighty]

yes yes yes yes i think we will be going this way i run nitro and 1/10th electric my feeling is that nitro is fiddley but the cars are tough 1/10th is great i love But i think the power is to much for the cars and they havent got any tougher to cope.......there for 1/8th electric perfect compremise

[Origineelreclamebord]

I don't live in the UK, but I must admit when I saw the DNX408 I first saw something in 1/8th scale buggies. When the DEX408 came out I thought 'I gotta get me one of these!'

But... The RC world is pretty small here in the Netherlands. So there's probably almost no-one driving 1/8th electric, at least not enough to make a proper racing class. With that problem, it's simple, I don't buy one, because I'm not going to bash with a car like that!

Plus, I'm now settled in the 1/10 scene, and I don't have the resources to drive a two classes (doing seperate events).

Anyway, to answer your question... I think Nitro is there to stay for a while longer... There are hardcore petrolheads out there that won't stop driving nitro. However, I think slowly but surely the 1/8th class will grow. Eventually probably with a big turning point where they'll suddenly become very popular.

[HOTSHOT III]

I think it's being slow to catch on in this country for 2 reasons:

Firstly as an island nation we seem to be resistant to trying anything new, and secondly because of the unpredictable weather.

The 1st point can be cured by individuals bearing in mind how the british motorcycle industry treated Honda and Yamaha when they first raced at the Isle of Man in the '60s and what followed, and as for the weather, just get a waterproof ESC:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/HOBBYWING-EZ...item3f1552f056

Myself and my HPI Vorza were at a very waterlogged South Coast RC track on Wednesday with this ESC, I ran 3 packs through the car (admittedly after taking the precaution of removing my Savox servo and substituting my El Cheapo TowerPro) making a total of 60 minutes track time aquaplaning accross 1-2 inch puddles etc., and the car never missed a beat. It was literally wringing wet after each run.

When I got home I gave it a wallow in GT85, dried out the bearings (including the exposed front one on the brushless motor) and drove it outside my house the next day and it seems fine.

As i've said before, i'd jump at the chance to race my 1/8th at TORCH. If some people think the track is maybe a little tight for this it must be remembered that in 2004-2005 we used to race 1/8th nitros on the Tiverton outdoor track and that's about half the size of TORCH. Please make this happen!!!

[Colin Kirkham]

If you started a class at Torch, I would convert one of my old cars for sure !

The selling point in the uk, is that some tracks are being restricted more and more due to the noise from nitros ?

But you still can't beat Rally-x with a nitro engine, the noise, the smell, the pit stops, it all makes the class !

[Skye]

How do 1/8 Electric cars cope with bump up finals? Surely if you were to bump up a few times and run for over an hour almost non stop you would either fry something or run out of charged up batteries? If you lose bump up finals you lose one of the best, and most unique features of 1/8 racing in my opinion.

[Big G]

can't see why they can't cool down during the race between your bump up. haven't had a problem doing xmas tree finals with 10th electric.

[mattybucks]

We're happy to run some 1/8 electric meetings at Towcester if there enough call for it. I don't know much about 1/8 but we've go enough space and a big enough rostrum for it.

[Marvin]

Originally Posted by Skye

How do 1/8 Electric cars cope with bump up finals? Surely if you were to bump up a few times and run for over an hour almost non stop you would either fry something or run out of charged up batteries? If you lose bump up finals you lose one of the best, and most unique features of 1/8 racing in my opinion.

You wouldn't fry anything if your car is correctly set-up. The battery issue is more of a problem. Assuming no bump-ups, 1 battery is easily enough for an entire day's racing, but with bump ups, a second battery is required just for that eventuality. With good LiPos and chargers, charge times are as little as 12 minutes, so if needs be, 2 batteries can be used with bump up finals.

[Skye]

Originally Posted by Marvin

With good LiPos and chargers, charge times are as little as 12 minutes, so if needs be, 2 batteries can be used with bump up finals.

I would have thought that running a 20 minute final (or 40 minutes in some cases) would require more than 2 sets of batteries wouldnt it?

If it was possible, I'd love to see this in 1/10th. I understand there is a whole host of issues as to why it couldnt/wouldnt work, but if it could I would love it.

[mikeyscott]

Before people miss understand I'm not about to rush out and change TORCH, it's more of a general discussion on what peoples thoughts are on 1/8th electric.

[Chris-S]

Originally Posted by Skye

How do 1/8 Electric cars cope with bump up finals? Surely if you were to bump up a few times and run for over an hour almost non stop you would either fry something or run out of charged up batteries? If you lose bump up finals you lose one of the best, and most unique features of 1/8 racing in my opinion.

Bump up finals are very much a nitro thing. At the recent Proline event at Herts a lot of the 1/8th buggies were suffering from overheating and some could not make the 12min main final duration.
3 legged 10/12 min finals would make the most sense, as it keeps the cost of batteries down and also reduces the chances of killing speedos/motors through overheating.

[MHeadling]

I love my Losi 8e, didnt cost too much to build up as bought a used Losi 8 and did it all in stages using the losi conversion and buying the electrics etc, using HW stuff from ebay and Turnigy cells and its mentally fast (much much quicker than a nitro) and just plug and play!

Coming from a 10th back ground I find it easier to drive as an E buggy.

I took my one to a round of the SE Regionals at EPR and ran it in truck class for a bit of fun, after people seeing it go on track I heard loads of people in the pits saying 'I got to get me one of those!'

Nath Ralls had a go and loved it! Its like a big stupidly fast 10th Buggy!

[Marvin]

Originally Posted by MHeadling

Snip

Speaking of which Mark, my JQ is ready, are you still up for some Slough?

[sosidge]

I don't think 1/8th electric is the future for 1/10th clubs. We banned them from our club track this year (Chippenham) simply because they were so big, powerful and heavy that they were causing a lot of damage to the track and were a menace to the marshalls. They also work out rather expensive compared to a 10th setup.

Are they the future of 8th? Not sure, you'd have to ask the 8th racers!

[mikeyscott]

Originally Posted by sosidge

I don't think 1/8th electric is the future for 1/10th clubs. We banned them from our club track this year (Chippenham) simply because they were so big, powerful and heavy that they were causing a lot of damage to the track and were a menace to the marshalls. They also work out rather expensive compared to a 10th setup.

Are they the future of 8th? Not sure, you'd have to ask the 8th racers!

That was my thoughts re TORCH, too heavy and cause too much damage. Aren't they heavier than nitro?

So as racing and clubs evolve then maybe.

[MattW]

A couple of years ago (when I was activly racing off road!!) I genuinely thought that 1/8 electric would be popular. However, now i'm not sure.

Becuase the cars are bigger / heavier than 10th, I'm not so sure they suit existing 10th venues all that well. So that puts them into the 8th venues, where I'm not so sure the current drivers really want them. I think a lot of those guys race 8th because they like engines, they like the noise / small, they like long bump up finals etc.

So I think it could end up as a class that kind of sits in the middle and doesn't really work for anyone. I could of couse be wrong, it wouldn't be the first time (by a long shot!)

[Skye]

An 1/8 weighs almost 4kg, what does a 1/10 weigh....? I would guess about 1.5kg??

So they are much bigger and heavier in every sense.

For it to truly work I would think a lot of tracks would require a radical overhaul. Just look at the size of the astro track at Westmill Farm or Nene Valley Raceway. And indoor school sports hall racing would surely be a thing of the past so no more warm cosy winters....

[lordnikon]

Funny you should mention this mikey as we were discussing this some weeks ago trackside at Torch. Speaking to some of the 1/8th guys (i dont have one !) who were from clanfield ??? iirc they said Torch as it currently stood would be small for a 1/8th track and quite dangerous for marshalling. The side netting would need reinforcing, especially at the end of the straight and in field marshalling as it is at the moment would be equally iffy.

As has been said a 4Kg lump flying around at 40mph is ALOT different to a 1.6Kg 1/10th.

I would personally be alittle concerned about the wear and tear on the track, I assume these larger and heavier cars would wear the astro much quicker which would be detrimental to the 1/10th cars. I appreciate this is a very early stage discussion but I would rather the track stayed 1/10th and any effort was put into improving it for them than converting to accomodate 1/8th

[mikeyscott]

Steve this isn't about TORCH, this is about the class and what it's future could be etc.