CAR TERRAIN
Terrain types, tyre guide, suspension setup
TERRAIN & VEHICLE GUIDE
ON-ROAD / TARMAC
Touring cars, pan cars, drift cars. Slick or ribbed rubber tyres. Low suspension travel. Stiff springs. 4WD or 2WD. Low CG. Traxxas Rally, Tamiya TT-02, HPI Sprint.
STADIUM TRUCK
Jumps and rough pavement. Treaded rubber. Medium suspension travel. Can handle light off-road. Traxxas Slash, Arrma Senton. Versatile and durable.
OFF-ROAD BUGGY
Loose dirt, gravel, grass. Pin tyres. High suspension travel. Low body, good aerodynamics. 2WD or 4WD. Most competitive racing class.
TRUGGY
Cross between truck and buggy. Larger pin tyres. More ground clearance. Excellent for rough terrain and bashing. Arrma Typhon Mega, Losi 8IGHT-T.
CRAWLER / TRAIL
Rocks, roots, slow technical terrain. Soft compound foam-filled or balloon tyres. 4WD, locked diffs or portals. Very slow, maximum articulation. Axial SCX10, TRX-4.
SAND / DESERT
Sand dunes, desert floors. Paddle tyres. High speed, large suspension travel. Wide body for stability. Traxxas UDR, Losi Super Baja Rey. Often 1/8 or 1/10 scale.
TYRE TYPES
| TYRE TYPE | SURFACE | EXAMPLE | NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|
| Slick | Smooth tarmac, carpet | Touring car slicks | Maximum contact patch. No good off tarmac. |
| Ribbed | Tarmac, light dirt | Stadium truck street tyres | Low rolling resistance. Light grip on dirt. |
| Pin (fine) | Hard-pack dirt, clay | Buggy racing pins | Cleans out quickly. Fast on hard pack. |
| Pin (coarse) | Loose dirt, grass | Carpet / grass tyres | Bites into soft surfaces. Good all-round. |
| Paddle | Sand, loose dirt | Sand tyres | Scoops loose material. Useless on hard surfaces. |
| Balloon / foam | Rocks, crawling | Interco Super Swamper | Maximum compliance. Foam-filled for rigidity. |
SUSPENSION SETUP TIPS
| ADJUSTMENT | EFFECT |
|---|---|
| Stiffer springs | Less body roll, less traction on bumps, more responsive steering |
| Softer springs | More traction on rough surfaces, more body roll, absorbs bumps better |
| Thicker shock oil | Slower rebound, absorbs large hits, less responsive to small bumps |
| Thinner shock oil | Faster rebound, responsive to small bumps, can feel bouncy |
| Toe-in (rear) | More straight-line stability. Less responsive in corners. |
| Toe-out (front) | More turn-in. Can cause instability at speed. |
| Camber (negative) | Tyre contact patch maintained through corners. Standard setup. |