Driveway Driftland - Under Construction

What a busy month November was... I started this project at the end of October and wanted to have it completed before I posted any pictures. Unfortunately, I don't think that's going to happen any time soon. I still have to finish cutting the astroturf and painting the barriers, along with a few other small things. It shouldn't take too long, but between finals and doing some remodeling around the house, spare time during the day is hard to come by.

Part of Layout 1:Parking Lot:Part of Layout 2:Painted Barriers:

HPI Toyota Levin - Completed

Some of you might remember this body I started a while ago but never officially finished. I wanted to try something a little different, so I painted it inside and out to give it a primered look. It came out a little lighter than I anticipated, but I was still happy with the results.

To finish the job I recently added a custom painted muffler from ABC Hobby (with custom exhaust piping), Tamiya side mirrors, and a set of SpeedWorks RS wheels:

Driveway Drifting Vol. 3

Tamiya BMW 320si W.I.P.

This is the body that I did the wheels for. I'll most likely paint it white, but I'm still considering a couple of other colors:

From Black to Gold - HPI WORK XSA 02C

I'm working on a new body and thought some gold wheels would go great with it. These wheels are already available in gold from HPI, but I decided to save a little money and paint the black set I already had.

Before:
During:
After:

IFMAR Worlds on Speed TV

I originally saw this video at RCeasy:

South Florida RC Drift Challenge Round 4

Here's a few pictures of the event. I hope to have the rest posted by next week.

TRF Dampers and Futaba 2.4GHz Installed

TB-03D and DF-03Ra

How exciting!

My New Setup

I spent some time this past week tuning my Square TA05, and I'm happy to say it has replaced my TN Racing TA05 as my full-time drift chassis.

Drift Tire Roundup

During the early days of drifting, ABS tires or Yokomo Drift Rings were pretty much your only options. Things have changed a lot since then, and with the recent U.S. release of HPI's T-Drift Radials (available in 5 different treads) there are now plenty of tires to choose from. Here's a look at three popular choices.

Tamiya Super Driftechs

Installation: 1 2 3 4 5
The tires slide right on, and stay on. No glue or hairdryers required.

Grip Level: Very Low - Low - Moderate - High - Very High
These tires have the most consistent handling of the three, which makes them great for beginners. They work well on all surfaces.

Longevity: 1 2 3 4 5
Because they're a solid tire, you can wear them down as thin as you like. I opted to change mine once they got about half way through the logos on the sidewalls.

After about 25-30 runs:

Overall: Great all-around tires that unfortunately only fit correctly on 24mm wheels.

HPI T-Drifts

Installation: 1 2 3 4 5
After heating them up with a hairdryer they mount fairly easily. No glue required.

Grip Level: Very Low - Low - Moderate - High - Very High
These tires have the least amount of grip of the three, but still have a good amount of control. As the tires heat up, though, they gain a significant amount of grip which can lead to inconsistent handling run to run.

Longevity: 1 2 3 4 5
It makes sense that the tires with the least amount of grip would last the longest, but these tires last much longer than you might expect. I've had the same set for over six months now.

After 6 months these tires are still going strong:

Overall: Perfect for the drifter on a budget, these tires will easily outlast any others currently available.

HPI T-Drift Radials - Toyo Proxes R1R

Installation: 1 2 3 4 5
Even after heating them up, these tires are a pain to mount. No glue required.

Grip Level: Very Low - Low - Moderate - High - Very High
These tires have the most grip out the three, but it doesn't last very long. They have a ton of control but still slide with ease. As the tires wear, they begin to feel more and more like standard T-Drifts. When new, they have a tendency to get caught up on rough surfaces.

Longevity: 1 2 3 4 5
These tires last pretty long, but unfortunately their tread only lasts a handful of sessions.

After 6-8 runs, the tread had pretty much disappeared:

Overall: Even with the drawbacks, these tires are my favorite of the bunch.

One of My Other Hobbies

8/9/08 - Mini Session

Terrence, Jader, and I had a short practice session today. Terrence debuted his new RPS13, and Jader drove his AE86.

HPI Levin - 95% Complete

I painted the body inside and out using Tamiya Corsa Gray in an attempt to give it a primered look. It came out a little lighter than I expected, but I think it still looks okay. All it needs now are a few more decals and an exhaust, and it should be done.

Team Over!Sliders - Video 2

Featuring:
SDF = S13 Vulcan
DAVEMATIC = Vertex Ridge Soarer
hero = 350Z LM // RX8
Tiger.T = Legacy Wagon

with Special Guest:
E BOX = Mustang GT

Filmed by Tiger.T, E BOX, and SDF. Edited by Tiger.T:

How to Adjust a Ball Diff in a TA05

There are a few different ways to gain access to a ball diff's adjusting screw. This is the easiest and fastest way that I've found:

1. Remove the front-right wheel:
   
2. Remove the hinge pin that holds the hub carrier in place:
   
3. Move the hub carrier out of the way, and remove the red urethane bushing to gain access to the screw:
   
4. When you've made your adjustments just follow the steps in reverse order (Don't forget about the bushing!), and you're done:
   

Testing a New Location

For Sale - Brand New Square TA05 Drift Conversion - *SOLD*

I have a brand new, sealed Square TA05 Drift Conversion for sale. It includes all the necessary parts to complete the conversion:

• 2.5mm carbon chassis
• 2mm carbon upper deck
• aluminum motor mount and supports
• new belts
• rear belt tensioner
• battery holder

I'm asking for $230, shipped anywhere in the continental U.S. If you have any questions about international shipping or the conversion, feel free to send me an e-mail.

350Z Reborn

Tonight I mounted my old Tamiya 350Z body onto my Square TA05. The reason I still haven't done a new body for it is because I'm still deciding whether or not to buy a rear carbon damper stay (which would have wider body post positions). After replacing the front lip with one built from styrene, I think it still looks pretty decent.

Short Square TA05 Video

Super-Sized Pinion Gear

I finally received my new pinion gear today, so my Square TA05 is officially ready for a full drift session. The new setup is a 105/40 combo resulting in a gear ratio of 5.91.

HPI Levin - Work in Progress

Side by Side

Long Overdue Maintenance

Today, I replaced the belts that had been on my car since last June. They were still in pretty good shape, but they looked haggard. While I had the car apart, I also installed a brand new ball-diff with diff shields.

I cleaned a spot on both of the belts so you could have an idea of what they used to look like. The belt on the right had a run in with a rock at one point.

Team Excel belts installed:

Tamiya Transmitter Bag

Whenever I travel long distance with my RC gear, I always pack my transmitter in the original box it came in. This can be a hassle, though, when travelling to local drift sessions. I picked up this transmitter bag from TamiyaUSA.com on sale for $10. The bag is made from neoprene, so it won't protect your transmitter from a high fall. But it will protect it from getting scratched in the back seat or trunk of you car, or from getting dirty at the track. It's perfect for Tamiya fans or drifters on a budget.

With my Futaba 3PM inside: