FEATURES OF MAGNUM JUNIOR
The Magnum series are pistol grip type of AM 2 channel digital proportional radio control sets and are the best in their class.

CONTENTS

RATINGS

FP-T2PK

MAGNUM JUNIOR

Transmitter

FP-T2PKA
TRANSMITTER FP-T2PKA, (FP-T2PK)_____________
Newly designed cockpit type control panel Human-engineered size and design are easy to use. Steering rate adjuster The steering servo travel volume (right 81 left evenly from neutral) can be adjusted simultaneously, while running. Throttle ATV The throttle servo travel volume can be adjusted and set with two trimmers, independently. FP-T2PKA Wheel angle adjuster. The turning angle of the steering wheel can be increased and decreased. This allows operation at the best angle Neutral adjuster. The throttle trigger throttle stroke/brake deflection stroke (back stroke) can be freely selected to match the application Servo reversing switch (steering and throttle) is standard Each servo can be reversed from the outside. This is extremely convenient when connecting the linkages. Since a level meter is provided, battery consumption can be seen at a glance. Crystal can be changed from the outside. Crystal can be immediately changed during competitions, etc. except 72 MHz and 75 MHz on transmitter. Power supply can be changed to a nicad battery system. FP-T2PKA

Receiver Servo Others

FP-R102GR or FP-R104H FP-S148 x 2 or FP-S129 or FP-S132H Switch, battery holder, etc.
TRANSMITTER FP-T2PKA. (FP-T2PK)_____________
Operating system Transmitting frequency Modulation system Power requirement : Pistol grip type, 2-channel : 27MHz band 72/75MHz band : AM (amplitude modulation) 12V, AA penlight battery x 8
Receiver PP-R102GR ________________________
Receiving frequency Intermediate frequency Selectivity Receiving range 75MHz 455kHz :3kHz/-3dB 550 yards (500m) on the ground when used with FP-T2PKA (At the best radio wave condition of environment) 4.8V to 8.4V 7.2V/13mA, 4.8V/33mA 1.46 x 2.19 x 0.75 in. (37 x 55.5 x 19 mm) 1.34 oz (38g)
RECEIVER FP-R102GR_____________________
BEC (Battery Eliminator Circuitry) system allows sharing of the running Nicd battery and eliminates the need for a regulator and diode. Crystal socket uses a new type of highly reliable subminiature pins. Reliability is increased and the crystal can be changed from the outside.
Power supply Current drain Dimensions Weight
RECEIVER FP-R4H, (FP-R104H)_________________
Miniature 4 channel AM receiver Receiving frequency :MHz band 72/75MHz band Intermediate frequency :455kHz Power requirement :4.8V to 6.0V Current drain :10mA Dimensions :1.26 x 2.05 x 0.77 in. (32 x 52 x 19.4 mm) Weight :1.06 oz (30g) Receiving range : 220 yards(200m) on the ground when used with the FP-T2PKA(At the best radio wave condition of environment)
RECEIVER FP-R104H_______________________
High performance AM 4 channel receiver in which miniature size and light weight have been achieved by using the PC board space to the maximum. Short (50cm) antenna designed for miniature models is easy to mount. (27MHz only) Narrow band design using a narrow band ceramic filter resists adjacent channel interference. Noise resistance achieved by using a pulse noise rejection circuit. New CMOS miniature 1C used in the data coder increases reliability substantially. New type sub miniature, highly reliable pins used at the crystal socket also increase reliability The crystal can be changed from the outside. Thick film gold-plated connector pins eliminate poor contact and improve reliability against shock and vibration.
SERVO PP-S148__________________________
Control system Operating angle Power requirement Current drain (IDLE) Output torque Operating speed Dimensions Weight :+pulse width control : One side 45 or more : 4.8V-6V : 6.0V, 8mA (at idle) : 42 oz. in. (3 kg-cm) : 0.22 sec/60 : 1.59 x 0.77 x 1.4in. (40.4 x 19.8 x 36 mm) : 1.5 oz. (44.4g)
SERVO FP-S148, S129, S132H
Motor uses the newest helical type rotor for improved output torque and smooth operation. (S148, S129) These heavy-duty & water/dust tight servos are designed for use with Futaba digital proportional radio control sets (S129) New indirect driver potentiometer improves vibration and shock resistance and increases neutral precision tremendously. Futaba low-power custom 1C provides high starting torque, narrow dead band, and excellent trackability. Fiberglass-reinforced PBT (polybutylene terephthalate) injection molded servo case is mechanically strong and invulnerable against glow fuel. Strong polyacetal resin ultra-precision servo gear features smooth operation, positive neutral, and very l i t t l e backlash. Fiberglass-reinforced epoxy resin PC board with thru-the-hole plating improves servo amp vibration and shock resistance. Thick film gold-plated connector pins eliminate poor contact and improve reliability against shock and vibration. Special grommet bushing simplifies servo mounting and improves the cushioning effect. Six special adjustable splined horns are available. Maximum output torque of 48.7oz-in.(3.0kg-cm/3 5kg-cm) allows use in almost any model (S148, S129) High operating speed of 0.13 sec/60 makes it perfect when especially high speed is necessary. (S132H)

SERVO FP-S129____________________________
Control system Operating angle Power requirement Current drain Output torque Operating speed Dimensions Weight :+pulse control :Rotary system, one-side 45" or greater (including trim) :4.8V to 6.0V (shared with receiver) :6.0V, 8mA (at idle) :48.7 oz-in (3.5kg-cm) :0.25 sec /60" :1.79 x 0.9 x 1.71 in. (45.5 x 23 x mm) :2.1 oz (60g)
SERVO FP-S132H___________________________
Operating system Operating angle Power requirement Current drain Output torque Operating speed Dimensions Weight :+pulse control :Rotary system, one-side 40" or greater (including trim) :4.8V to 6.0V (shared with receiver) :6.0V, 8mA (at idle) :25.02 oz-in (1.8kg-cm) :0.13 sec/60 :1.46 x 0.71 x 1.20 in. (37 x 18 x 30.5 mm) :1.13oz(32g)
TRANSMITTER FP-T2PKA (FP-T2PK) HANDLING INSTRUCTIONS
The name of each part of the transmitter is shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2. Learn them before operating your set.
The servo reversing switches are assumed to be in the normal position in the descriptions in this section. When the servo switches are in the reverse position, operation is the opposite of that described here.
(1) Steering wheel (rudder) Steering (rudder) operation. (2) Throttle trigger (throttle lever) Engine control/motor control operation. The throttle neutral position can be set to one of three position by turning the 8 throttle neutral adjuster w i t h a coin as shown in Fig. 5. Set it to match the application.
(8) Throttle neutral adjuster This adjuster sets the throttle trigger neutral point as described in (2) throttle trigger. Set it to the point at which it stops with a click with a screwdriver, coin, etc. 9 Steering (rudder) servo reversing switch 10 Throttle servo reversing switch (11) Wheel angle adjuster The wheel angle adjuster changes the operating angle of the (1) Steering wheel as shown in Fig. 8.
When set to 1 ) the full deflection angle is 40 When set to 2 ) the throttle throw is 27 and the brake deflection angle is 13. When set to 3 ) the throttle and brake (reverse) throws are both 20.

Fig. 5

(12) Wheel tension adjuster This is a phillips head screw which adjusts the steering force of the steering wheel.
For engine cars, position 2 is recommended. For electric cars, position 3 is recommended when equipped with reverse mechanism and position 2 is recommended when equipped with a brake and forward only (3) Steering trim Steering (rudder) trim (4) Steering rate adjuster The steering servo steering angle can be freely set as shown in Fig. 6 with a ratcheted adjuster installed which enables you to adjust steering servo travel volume to match a car to the course, even while running. Neutral (13) Power switch When set in the direction of the A mark (upper position), the switch is turned on and the pointer of the level meter deflects. (14) Level meter When the 13) power switch is set to ON, the level meter pointer should deflect to within the silver zone. If the pointer stops near the boundary between the silver and red zones, the battery is low, and the range of the radiowaves will be short. When the level meter pointer drops to the boundary between the silver and red zones, change the battery. Steering servo

The steering angle can be set within this range. 30%~100%

Fig. 6

(15) Antenna 95cm antenna. It screws in vertically as shown in Fig. 10.

(5) Throttle trim knob

(6) Throttle ATV high side trimmer ATV. Adjustable Travel Volume. (7) Throttle ATV low side trimmer Throttle ATV is a device which permits independent adjustment of the throttle servo left and right sides (from neutral) as shown in Fig. 7 with trimmers (6) and (7). (FP-T2PKA)
Remove from the holder and screw in vertically.
ATV is the abbreviation for Adjustable Throttle Volume and is an extremely convenient device by which steering servo travel volume can be adjusted freely with two trimmers preloaded. The relationship between two trimmers does not change even when servo is reversed. (6)&(7):only for FP-T2PKA.

Fig. 7

Fig. 10
(16) Battery cover When loading (or changing) the eight penlight batteries, remove this cover as shown in Fig. 2. (17) Transmitter crystal When changing the frequency, replace this crystal. Use the AM crystal set (transmit and receive 1 pair) sold by Futaba. The transmitter crystal is marked TX and the receiver crystal is marked RX. However, you are not allowed to change frequency by merely replacing crystal on both 72 and 75MHz.

Throttle Servo

BEC mark is displayed on the front of the receiver of BEC
(Battery Eliminator Circuitry) system sets with a receiver with shared power supply regulator.
RECEIVER FP-R102GR AND SERVO FP-S148

Fig. 11

When motor car uses an ordinary common power supply chassis
When motor car uses a special BEC system chassis (common power supply specifications)

Red common 2P connector

(Female pins) Buy the red common 2P connector from the kit manufacturer and connect to the controller. Pin 1: Minus Pin 2. Plus
Connect to the red common 2P connector of the controller.
The Futaba BEC (Battery Eliminator Circuitry) system can also use a common power supply with the conventional four penlight batteries system (separate power supply).
A common power supply regulator and diode may also be supplied with the speed controller, depending on the vehicle kit. Since they cause a voltage drop, always remove them.
Set the transmitter power switch to ON, then set the receiver power switch to ON. The servos stop near the neutral position. Operate the transmitter sticks and check if each servo faithfully follows operation of the sticks. Connect the pushrod to each servo horn, then check if the direction of travel of each servo matches the transmitter operation. Operate each servo over its full travel and check if the pushrod binds or is too loose. Applying unreasonable force to the servo horn will adversely affect the servo and quickly drain the battery. Be especially careful when using 8.4V. Always make the full stroke (including trim) of the servo horns

somewhat larger than the full travel. Adjust the servo horns so that they move smoothly even when the trim lever and stick are operated simultaneously in the same direction. Be alert for noise. Always solder a noise killing capacitor to the running motor. If metal pans touch each other due to vibration, noise will be generated and cause the receiver servos to operate erroneously. We recommend the use of noiseless parts. Even though the receiver antenna wire is long, do not cut or bundle it. The range of the radiowaves will be shortened.

Receiver antenna wire

Wood screw

-Rubber bushing -Gromet

Fig. 14
Install the servos firmly. Install the servo to the servo tray as shown in the figure. In other cases, install the servo as described in the model manufacturer's manual.

Fig. 13

A spare horn is provided. Use it as required. Wrap the receiver in sponge rubber and wrap rubber bands around the sponge rubber. Mount the receiver so it is not exposed to vibration, does not touch the frame, and does not move. When the receiver is installed on a board or used where it may be splashed with mud and water, place it in a plastic bag, etc. and wrap a rubber band around the open end of the bag to waterproof and dustproof the receiver. After use, remove the receiver from the bag to prevent condensation. Use the rubber bands wrapped around the receiver to hold the
servo and switch leads. After mounting is complete, recheck each part, then check the transmitting range by making the transmitter antenna as short as possible and extending the receiver antenna fully and operating the set from a distance of 20m to 30m. The movement of each servo should follow the movement of the transmitter sticks. The crystal can be changed from the outside of the receiver case. Always use a Futaba transmitter and receiver crystal pair as the replacement crystals.
CONVERSION TO NICAD SYSTEM FP-2PKA ONLY
To use a nicad battery with this set, modify the set with the optional PBPK-11 (2PKA nicad battery conversion set). (1) Remove the battery cover and disconnect the nine contacts with needle nosed pliers at shown in Fig. 15. Then install the transmitter NT-8LP nicad battery and install the battery cover.
(2) Charging and how to use (a) Connect the power plug of the FBC-8B (4) battery charger to the transmitter charging connector. Connect the 3PC red male connector to the receiver and servo NR-4H nicad battery. Plug the battery charger into a 120 VAC outlet as shown in Fig. 16. (b) Normally recharge the battery for about 15 hours. If the battery has not been used for some time or is new, discharge and recharge it 2 or 3 times before use. (c) If the battery is left discharged for a long time, its capacity will decrease and the life of the battery will be shortened. After use, recharge the battery before storing it.

(d) Always recharge the battery before use. (e) A fully charged battery can be used for about two hours at 10 minutes/flight.

Fig. 15

Transmitter NT-8LP nicad battery.

Notes: FBC-8B (4)

(1) First, connect to TX Nicd and red lamp goes on. (2) Then, connect to RX Nicd after connecting, L,E,D, changes color from red red (orange) which indicates that both TX and RX Nicds are being charged. (3) In case of separate charging, L,E,D, color will be: RX Nicd Green TX Nicd - Red

greenish

MOTOR CAR
Operation of the throttle (engine control) servo can be set as shown in this figure by 2, throttle trigger operation.
USING THE ANTENNA FREQUENCY FLAG
NEUTRAL POSITION Settable within this range with the 0) throttle trim knob. (2) Throttle trigger throttle stroke (2)Throttle trigger brake stroke
6 Adjustable within this range by throttle ATV High. (FP-T2PKA)
Adjustable within this range by throttle ATV Low. (FP-T2PKA)

Fig. 19

SPLINED HORNS
This horn permits shifting of the servo neutral position at the servo horn. Setting and shifting the neutral position a) Angle divisions To shift the holes center line to the right (clockwise) relative to baseline A, shift arm 2 to the position of arm 1 and set it to the position closest to baseline A.
E x a m p l e For a four arm horn,
Throttle (engine control) servo

Fig. 17

Fig. 20
See the figure for the motor, battery. and speed controller wiring. Brake control Speed control When the drive battery is also used as the receiver servo power supply with a motordriven car, pay careful attention to the power supply polarity and voltage. With Futaba proportional R/C power supplies, red represents + and black represents -. 1) The splined horn has 25 segments. The amount of change per segment is; 360-25=14.4 2) The minimum adjustable angle is determined by the number of arms or number of the holes. For four arms, the minimum adjustable angle is: 360-(25X4)3.6 Number of divisions b) Effect Baseline A
the angular shift per segment is 14.4. The shift to the right is 90 - (14.4 x 6) = 3.6 To shift by the same angle in the opposite direction, use the opposite arm number.

Fig. 22

For a six arm horn, turn the arm counterclockwise and set arm 2 to the position of arm 1. The adjustable angle is 60 - (14.4 x 4) =2.4 0. Arm 3 shift 4.8 to the right, arm 6 shifts 2.4 to the l e f t , a n d arm 4 shifts 7.2 to the right and left.

QwOQOwwvO

Fig. 21
Motor and controller circuit diagram

Fig. 18

Fig. 23
The following splined horns are optional.

HORN A

HORN B

HORN C

HORN D

HORN E

HORN F

Fig. 24

FP-S148

Part name

Part No. PCS-48 PCS-48 PCS-48 S04137 SSJ50002 FGS-48 FGS-48 FGS-48 FGS-48 S02495 S02494 FSH-6W
1. Upper case 2. Middle case 3. Bottom case 4. Metal bearing 5. Metal bearing 6. Potentiometer 8. Motor 9. Motor pinion 10. Screw 1. 1
7. Potentiometer drive plate S02753

1st gear

12. 2nd gear 13. 3rd gear 14. Final gear 15. Intermediate shaft 16. 2nd shaft 17. Servo horn D
18. Binding head tapping screw 2.6 x 8 FSH-4I 19. Printed wiring board S148 AS1157 20. 3PB-WRB300G 21. w/gum bush 22. Pan head truss screw ATSS148

Fig. 25 FP-S129

No. 1. 2 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17 18. 19. 20. 21. 22 23. 24. 25. 26.

23. Nameplate

Part name Upper case Middle case Bottom case Motor Motor pinion Screw 2x3 1st gear 2nd gear 3rd gear Final gear Metal bearing Potentiometer Potentiometer drive plate Seal ring Intermediate shaft 2nd shaft Servo horn D Binding head tapping screw 2.6xring 32.60 Printed wiring board S129..3PBWRB300 Neoseal sponge 5x15x15 Neoseal sponge 3x15x7 Phillips pan head screw 0 ring 1.6 Name plate
Part No. FCS-29 S91212 S05402 J50002 FGS-29 FGS-29 FGS-29 FGS-29 SS02753 S90415 S04287 S01351 FSH-6W FSH-41 S90420 AS 1206 FPC-8M S90336 S90333 J50400 S90410 S80702

Fig. 26 FP-S132H

Pan No. FCS-32H S04133 i39995 S05626 S91249 S02788 FGS-32H

No. 21 22

Part name Upper case Middle case Bottom case Metal bearing Potentiometer VR drive plate Motor Motor pinion 1st gear 2nd gear 3rd gear Final gear Intermediate shaft 2nd shaft Ball bearing Servo horn 0 Horn mounting screw S132H Printed wiring board S132H 3PBWRB-300 Lead wire packing Case mounting screw S132H Name plate
S02480 S02481 S04130 FSH 6W FSH-41 AS1271 FPC-8M S90045 J50082 S60128

Fig. 27

GUARANTEE Your NEW FUTABA Digital Proportional R/C system is guaranteed against defects in workmanship and material for 180 days from the date of purchase when the attached registration card is returned to us within ten days of purchase. This Guarantee is null and void if the R/C system has been improperly handled, damaged in a crash, or tampered with and does not cover the replacement of plastic housings or electronic components damaged due to the use of improper voltages. When service is required, please take your equipment to your local authorized service station or ship it directly to us. All postage, shipping, and insurance charges must be paid by the user.

REPAIR SERVICE When requesting repair of trouble that has occurred suddenly of from long use, describe the trouble symptoms in as much detail as possible. This will facilitate detection of the trouble point and shorten the repair period greatly. Defects caused by faulty materials of workmanship will be corrected free of charge. This limited warranty is null and void if the set has been tampered with or disassembled. Refer to warranty statement for details.
Futaba. Digital Proportional Frequencies (For U.S.A.)
Frequency Channel No. Flag Color
26-27 MHZ - Aircraft/Car/Boat Color 26.996 Brown 27.046 RW 27.096 Orange 27.146 Yellow 27.196 Green 27.266 Blue 60/53 MHZ - Aircraft/car/boat Fcc A matuer License required
The frequency of Futaba digital proportional sets can be changed within their own band. There are 4 different bands for you to choose from (27 MHZ, 50-53 MHZ, 72 MHZ, and 75 MHZ.) Please see chart listed below for specific frequency and its intended use. Please note there are specific frequencies allocated for aircraft only and surface only use. The frequency can be changed within the same BAND by using a precisely matched pair of Futaba crystals. However, Futaba recommends that you return your system to our factory service department for frequency changing, as tuning may be necessary for proper operation. Changing frequency from one band to another is NOT possible. Always change frequency flag when frequency is changed. The frequency flag is to be attached to the top of antenna and the channel designation to the base. (See Drawing) It is illegal to change crystals of 72-75 MHZ bands in the U.S.A.

Channel No.

50.800 RC00
60.840 50.920 50.960 63. 100 63.200 53.300 53.500 53. 600 53. 700 53. MHZ - Aircraft only 72.72.72.72.72. 72.72.72.72.75 MHZ - Car/Boat only 76.76.76.76.76.75.76.76.Effective 1, 1988

RC02 RC04 RO6 RC08

Black-Brown Black-Red Black-Orange Black-Yellow Black-Green Black-Blue Black-Violet Black-Grey
*72.470 72.550 72.590 72.630 72.670 72.710 72.760 72.790 72.830 72.870 72.910

48 GO 66

75.750 76.790 76.830 76.870 *75.910 76.960 *76.990
FUTABA ' CO RPORAT10N OF AMERICA 555 West Victoria Street Compton. Calif 90220 U S A Phone 9610 Telex 230691227 Facsimile FUTABA CORPORATION Tokyo Office Inagaki BIdg. 3. Kanda Suda cho. Chiyoda k u , Tokyo 101 Japan Phone (03)Facsimile (031255 6880

Printed in Taiwan

September 1988
THE WORLD S PREMIER R/C CAR MAGAZINE Canada $3.,

OPTIMA

Boats Next World

Track Report

by RYAN FITZ
OR SOME years, competitive R/C car racing has been

Tamiya

Slakes Its Claim!

RADIO CONTROL CAR ACTION

dominated everywhere by a few big namesbut one name hasbeen notably absent Tamiya* is the name, and R/C is a big part of its game.

SEPTEMBER 1988

DIMENSIONS: Overall Length Width Wheelbase. Front Track. Rear Track WEIGHT: Cross (w/rec. b a t ) Balance ( f / r ) BODY: Type Material CHASSIS: Type Material DRIVE TRAIN: Type (prim./sec.) Differential SUSPENSION: Front: Type Dampening. Rear Type Dampening. TIRES: Front Rear ELECTRICAL Motor Bearing Type Battery Required
161/4 inches./2 inches 101/4 inches 73/4 inches 73/4 inches 3 lbs.,121/2ozs. 35/65
Ball-links coupled with oil-filled shocks make up the Avante's rear
Aerodynamic buggy w/undercowl Lexan Double plate Fiberglass composite Spur gear/Shaft Center ball-type. Double-wishbone Oil-filled/Coil-over. Double-wishbone Oil-filled/Coil-over Low-profile pin-spike Low-profile pin-spike RX-540VZ Technigold Ball bearing 6-cell racing pack
OPTIONS AS TESTED: PDI Pro-Micro Zeta speed controller, Trinity No. 2002 Modified motor, Futaba Magnum Junior radio. COMMENTS: The Avante is a very forgiving performer that steers well under power. A heavier sway bar and stronger rod-end shafts will help greatly. Tamiya has done its homework with this top-of-the-line racer.
Tamiya has given us many suspension. entry-level and intermediatelevel cars, but many have asked, "Why doesn't Tamiya spend as much time designing a world-class competition car as it spends on figuring out yet another way to market the Hotshot?" That question may now have an answer with Tamiya's latest all-out car the "Avante." The Avante is the newest 'Ao-scale 4WD off-road racer to hit the track, and performance is designed to be the key element. It's a shaftdriven full-time 4WD mid-engine racer that comes in kit form. The kit provides a lower-deck glass composite chassis plate on which to mount the front and rear drive assemblies and the battery pack. A second glass composite plate forms the upper deck; this adds strength to the chassis and accommodates the radio equipment. The front suspension is a lower A-arm with upper link, and the rear suspension consists of upper and lower links with trailing arms, dampened with coil-over oil-filled shocks on all four corners. Standard equipment that's included with the Avante is the RX-540VZ Technigold motor. This is mounted midship to provide the race-proven midmotor weight distribution that's so prevalent in today's racing. The power of the Avante is transferred to the front and rear differentials through a center ball-type differential, and all ball bearingsand I mean all ball bearings!
The front-end assembly looks complicated, but it provides a very flexible setup. Completely adjustable to any track condition.

~>h

RADIO C O N T R O L CAR

ACTION

RACE FAST AND RUNISMOOTH 7H HIGHWAL
The Avante is equipped with a glass composite double-plate chassis. A 7.2V racing pack is housed between tne plates.
are included (18, to be exact)! There isn't a moving part on the Avante that doesn't have a ball bearing somewhere! The tires are the low-profile pin-spike semi-pneumatic type mounted on lightweight one-piece rims and held in place by a unique set of wheel caps that also act as dust covers to prevent the wheels from picking up dirt in the worst off-road conditions. The only thing you have to add is your choice of radio system, an
SG2 During a heated race, you don't want anything slowing you down, sol one of the quickest ways to boost your car's performance is to add nigh-quality, 100% stainless steel DuraTrax Ball Bearings. Installing DuraTrax Ball Bearings reduces friction and smo-o-o-o-oths out operation for the souped-up performance you're after. Their economical price is also extra-smooth on your racing budget. The smart way to achieve a friction-free drive for your car is with DuraTrax Ball Bearings.
Exploded view of the complex spur gears. Both the front and rear gearboxes have one.
DuraTrax Ball Bearings fit almost every leading buggy
A center-mounted ball differential transfers power to the Avante's 4WD system. Available in handy 6-packs in 5 x mm sizes to fit Tamiya cars, 5 x 10mm sizes to fit Kyosno buggies, DuraTrax Ball Bearings also come in complete sets to soup-up your favorite Tamiya, Marui, or Futaba buggy. Whether you're a new driver wanting more out of your FX10, a Big Bear monster trucker, or a serious racer with a Thundershot on the starting line, a set of topuality 100% stainless steel Durarax Ball Bearings is sure to improve your buggy's performance. Before your next appearance at the track, ask your local R/C car retailer about the best set of DuraTrax Ball Bearings for your buggy.

electronic speed control and a 7.2V racing pack. The assembled Avante has a polycarbonate body, and the undercarriage is sealed with a polycarbonate undercowl/skidplate. Also included is a fully adjustable Lexan wing for fine-tuning the car's handling. The Avante drive train houses the front and rear differential spur gears, and these house a complex-looking assembly of four 8-tooth pinion gears and two 14-tooth ring gears in each spur gear. The assembly is easy and the Avante has the necessary smooth differential action. The appropriate assemblies (complete with ball bearings!) are housed in their gearboxes with a counter-gear (again, well-equipped with ball bearings!). This complexity seems to be directed toward reducing the side load associated with the beveled gears in shaft-drive cars. The speed of the Avante is strong evidence that this is, in fact, the case.

SEPTEMBER 1988 27

an^Emn cm
Designed for competition! RS-540 nx>tor! Low profile pin spike tires! Independent double wishbone suspension! Unique 3 differential / 2 belt drive system! Independent adjustable shocks! M o n o c o u p e frame! Mercury XI-WD- 10102
Rocker-arm a,nd radius-arm protector is designed to help soften any impact. A positive step in the new Tamiya design.

ROCKBUSTER RIC CARS

Original Version -1/10 scale designed for the enty level driver. Features a RS-380 motor, rear differential, soft rubber tires, 3 speed forward/3 speed reverse speed controller. Requires a 2 channel radio, a n d a hump battery pack to run (not Included). Kit-21331 85% Assembled-21343
Optional Heavy Duty Suspension -21713
Hopped-Up Version - Same basic design as Original Rockbuster but comes with a RS540 motor, new suspension, bigger tires a n d hubs. Designed for competition. Kit -21772 85% Assembled - 21719

PEAK DETECTION CHARGER

Mo. HQ-325 DC-DC Quick Charger w / A u t o Shut-Off 12V DC 6 a m p Power Source Pulse Current Adjust -1-4 amps 26.5 x 33.5 x 15.5 m m -only 64g! Peak Detection Charger -11625
Call tor a complete parts list lor Rockbuster cars. Dealer inquires invied!
5960 Rossash Road, Cincinnati, Ohio 45236 Phone: (513) 793-5900 Telex: Toll Free (orders only): 1-800-332-4359
The entire drive assembly is driven by a combination drive gear/ball differential that's fully adjustable to provide front-to-rear differential tension for any racing condition. The nice thing about the Avante's gear assemblies is that, even though both the front and rear gearboxes appear to be completely enclosed, there's an inspection plate that enables you to gain access to both gearboxes quickly if need be. This is a great feature that's the result of good planning by the manufacturer. The front and rear suspension-arm assemblies are fully adjustable, using 8mm threaded-aluminum Hiem-type ball ends on 4mm threaded-aluminum shafts. This design makes the Avante the most adjustable out-of-the-box car I've come in contact with. The rear suspension consists of a trailing arm, with an upper and lower link allowing as much camber adjustment as you need. The front and rear are equipped with stabilizer bars, but I question the effectiveness of these, as they're definitely undersize. If the stabilizers had a slightly larger diameter, they would perform much more effectively. As with all Tamiya products, the assembly Note the bent aluminum rod.' This is a weak point that should instructions are very be strengthened. A heavier sway bar is also in order. well illustrated and easy to follow, but I'd like more technical data on setting up the car for racing. The Avante is by no means an entry-level car, and it's sufficiently well engineered for advanced racers, but even advanced racers can use some helpful advice when it comes to setting the suspension of this unique car. The Avante is very adjustable, but more information from the manufacturer can help us to gain a better understanding of the theories behind the design of the car. The car needed a radio system and a speed control. I also elected to install a Trinity* No. 2002 Sprint modified motor for the Modified-Class race that I entered at a local race track. I chose a Futaba* Magnum Junior radio system and a PDI* computerized Pro-Zeta speed control. The PDI speed control was featured in the "Scoping Out" column of the July '88 issue of Radio Control

(Continued on page 42)

28 RADIO CONTROL CAR ACTION

SOUTHWEST QUADRA SERVICE

'TEN YEARS QUADRA EXPERIENCE!"
-ENJOY THE HOBBYMAKE IT PAY FOR ITSELF

NIRCTAMIYA AVANTE

(Continued from page 28)

DEALERS WANTED

SUPER PRICES-SUPER SERVICE IF INTERESTED P H O N E WALUQLL WHBLS
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Car Action, so I'll only comment that it's an engineering triumph. The Trinity motor was used to provide the Avante with the competitive edge its design deserves. As the race got underway, I was surprised going into the first turn, because the Avante got there before I expected, and the field was about half a lap ahead before I could get the Avante straightened out. However, with some hard use of the throttle, the Avante was back to the pack with remarkable speed, and one car after another fell to the Avante's lightning-fast pace. Before two minutes had elapsed, the Avante's lead was growing, and there was no looking back. After the jumps, the Avante landed hard, showing that stiffening of the suspension would be needed for future runs, but the Avante's speed and handling enabled me to pull away from the competition. Even steering under full power was good. By the way, three of the biggest names in 4W1) off-road cars were competitors in this race. For an out-of-thebox car, Tamiya's Avante is very impressive; as always. Tamiya did its homework!

(Continued on page 50)

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RACE ORGANIZERS YOUR WAIT IS OVER!

MRC TAMIYA AVANTE

(Continued from page 42)
2epp-Racee is finally here, a race program that runs on an itn or IBM compatible. Zepp-Race can be used for car, boat or airplane races. Just enter name, class and frequency of each racer and the computer does the rest. Here are Just a few Zepp-Race features: Type-In desired race time and track length, Zepp-Race will display speed in MPH along with projected number of laps at completion of race for each racer. These statistics will be shown on screen in color and are updated Immediately. Your announcer will keep race fans Interested and Informed using this data. Zepp-Race will keep tract of up to eight racers In up to ninety nine heats, that's almost eight hundred racers! Zepp-Race will do an automatic sort If desired and put racers into heats, never duplicating a channel. What a time saver! Display print-outs of heat and lane assignments so racers will know when they race. Another printout will list all of the racers and their classes, this can be used by the technical inspection team. All this and lots more for only $99.00. Add $2.50 shipping and handling NJ residents add 6% sales tax. Let your computer do the work, so you can relax and enjoy the races Order Zepp-Race today! Zeppelin Hobbles 62 Hamburg Turnpike Riverdale, NJ 07457 (201) 831-7717 Closed Tues.
Three minutes and forty-five seconds into a four-minute race, with half a lap lead, guess what happens?battery dump time! However, I'd made my pointthe Avante and Tamiya are making people take notice! I hear they've already really showed 'em in some of Japan's important races. A post-race inspection of the test car revealed some interesting conditions. First, following the battery dump, I realized I'd have to go about two teeth lower than the 22-tooth stock pinion with the installed Trinity motor and a 6-cell pack, but information provided by Tamiya didn't tell me the pitch of the gears, and I needed to know that. I hope that the hobby dealers, at least, will know, so that I can obtain the proper pinion gears. Second, it's necessary to add the included spring collars to the shocks to help stiffen the suspension and improve the Avante's jumping ability. Third, the inspection showed that two of the aluminum ballend shafts had been damaged. This might be the Avante's weakest point. Its design is excellent, but aluminum is used at these stress points, and the results of my track

(Continued on page 58)

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THE DIFFERENT FACES OF DIRT-OVAL RACING
Left: The Sprint-Car Class of dirtoval racing has the most scale machines with the big wings front and rear, nerf bars and sometimes a set of staggered tires. Below: This is typical of the highperformance, high-speed 4WD oval-racing machine.
These classes give racers lots of levels and choices for entering dirt-oval events. The two most interesting seem to be the 4WD Modified Class (with its awesome speeds and teeth-jarring crashes) and the Sprint-Car Class (with its attention to detail and scale race-car appearance). Both ROAR and NORRCA sanction dirt-oval events on a national scale as well as at local or regional races or race series. Most U.S. manufacturers now make parts or specialty items for R/C dirt-oval racing, including bodies, tires, suspension parts, etc. Some even specialize in dirtoval cars and parts. Look through the ads in RCCA, and you'll find all the trick parts and tech tips you need to get started. This issue, in particular, will blow you away. It's great fun preparing your car for oval-track racing, as you'll see very many approaches to suspensions and chassis layouts. Dirt-oval racers are very creative; I've seen some really bizarre concoctions, some of which work really well, and others that just look good. Oval racers go nuts with tires, too especially in 2 WD. No two cars ever have the same tire setup, and drivers are constantly changing tire combinations to adjust to track conditions. The best tracks use a surface that gets a "blue groove," i.e., the surface gets packed hard and has a darkened area on the fast line around the track. (Most full-scale dirt-oval tracks develop this "blue groove," too.) Their bodies set the dirt-oval cars apart from the rest; they range from Grand-

National-style to ASA to Outlaw Wedges, and from Mud-Buses to Sprint cars. Every known combination of fins and air dams can be seen, and this, coupled with some outrageous paint jobs, makes for a great display. A ten-car Main of fullbodied stock cars is R/C entertainment at its best! Speed is what counts in dirt oval, and this is what sets oval-track racing apart from course racing, no matter what the surface. When racers first experience the speeds the dirt-oval cars are capable of, they're hooked! Close calls are frequent, and these are real eye-openers for both racers and spectators, especially in 4WD Modified. This class is the pro football of R/C racing; it's down and it's dirty; it's fast-paced and graceful; and nobody sits down for a 4WD Modified A Main! Close fender-to-fender racing and a lot of bumping and grinding are typical of dirt-oval tracks, and thefinallaps of races
usually lead up to some of the most exciting finishes in R/C car racing. But don't forget; as with all R/C car racing, having fun is our main aim. No matter what your level of driving skill, there's a class for you, and everyone is welcome. Even beginners learn quickly on oval tracks, so get on down to your local roundy-round and rub fenders with the good ol' boys; ya'll come!
*Here are the addresses of the companies mentioned in this article: Tamiya/MRC, 2500 Woodbridge Ave., Edison, NJ 08817. Cox Hobbies, Inc., 1525 E. Warner Ave, Santa Ana, CA 92705