Brakes and Racing

[chicagokenji]

Who uses them, who doesn't, while racing on a groomed track?

Explain your racing/driving style

[UE-Maxx]

I do. Like I said in the other thread. If you are coming down a straight at WOT and there is a 90 or 180* turn you're going to have to brake. You have to be going slow to make some of the turns and if you go that slow around the rest of the track to the point where you don't need brakes, people are going to be passing you left and right.

[chicagokenji]

Originally Posted by UE-Maxx

I do. Like I said in the other thread. If you are coming down a straight at WOT and there is a 90 or 180* turn you're going to have to brake. You have to be going slow to make some of the turns and if you go that slow around the rest of the track to the point where you don't need brakes, people are going to be passing you left and right.

The straightaway is maybe 3 seconds of an entire lap, thinking your lap might be 29 seconds. Do you use brakes on the infield of the track too?

[UE-Maxx]

yes

[Ponch]

Heck yeah I use brakes...

[DAVEC-NITRO-RS4]

Brakes are a must IMO for three reasons.

1. Max speed on straights requires braking prior to next turn.
2. Tight turns with MT class trucks sometimes require a trail brake style to turn faster/tighter.
3. Braking in the air for attitude correction for landing.

Proper braking is critical, especially for situation #1, where too much brakes can cause a spinout.

I guess the only other thing I would add, is that the track isn't as "groomed" as it looks in pictures.

[FreeRideFrosty]

Remember that a revving nitro engine is a lot less likely to put any resistance on the drivetrain to slow it down. When you let off of the throttle on an electric the magnets in the motor allow resistance to slow you down fairly fast compared to a nitro. That is why you could possibly get away without brakes. I know that with nitro you NEED them. You need to be able to pin it into the turns, get on the brakes so that you can get through the turn and then power out of it...

[kevinF]

heck yes I use brakes.......one of the most important parts of your truck, IMO

[rocco79]

Originally Posted by FreeRideJunkie

Remember that a revving nitro engine is a lot less likely to put any resistance on the drivetrain to slow it down. When you let off of the throttle on an electric the magnets in the motor allow resistance to slow you down fairly fast compared to a nitro. That is why you could possibly get away without brakes. I know that with nitro you NEED them. You need to be able to pin it into the turns, get on the brakes so that you can get through the turn and then power out of it...

#1

[Tex]

I actually don't use much brakes with my revo. On the last layout with the bank at the end of the strait I didn't use brakes at the end, even at full speed...I just turned and the banking action made my truck slow and I made the turn fine. Out of habit I used them at first at the end of the strait but once I tried it without them it was way better.
Also I like to roll through corners for the most part, not brake into them. Believe it or not turning acts like brakes, that's why I keep my momentum and "roll" the corners if I can.
brakes are WAY overrated IMO

[FreeRideFrosty]

Tex... I feel that they can be over-rated but are still very necessary. A lot of times if you can get over the instinctual braking at the end of a turn you can be faster... but it is still nice to have them when you wait a little too long to get off of the throttle after a drag race down the straight, or need to get on them to avoid a truck that jumped the tubes. I enjoy my brakes when they are properly set up. :-)

[Tex]

no doubt brakes are needed on every nitro race car, I do use them just not as often as most people.

[FreeRideFrosty]

Originally Posted by Tex

no doubt brakes are needed on every nitro race car, I do use them just not as often as most people.

And you are faster because of it. A lot of people (including myself) need to lay off of them sometimes. Just as in a real car you can often get through a turn faster without them and a little more precise steering.