Mid-season update on the Associated RC12R5
CML and Microtech driver Keith Robertson has been getting to grips with his new R5. Check out his tip packed report here...
With the L4 having proved itself such an awesome car, the Team Associated RC12R5 had a lot to live up to. The competition is so tough these days in thr 1/12th circuit it was always going to be interesting to see how the R5 would get on in it's first season of competition, especially with very little running outside of national meetings from me.
When building the car I found it worthwhile to take care that the side links pivot freely, and to make sure not to over-tighten the shock absorber caps as they can deform under too heavy a load. One tip I have learned is to loosen the diff at the end of a meeting, this helps keep the bearings in good condition and the diff smooth. Just don't forget to re-tighten next time you hit the track! All in all a piece of cake to build and maintain.
Keith's Associated RC12R5.
From the box, the R5 was a very easy car to drive and I don't feel the change to a link style suspension has been an issue. Straight away it became clear that the car generated stacks of rear end grip which helped give me confidence to make some set up changes as the season progresses.
From the off, the R5 was mixing it in the A finals in all three national class ? 10.5, Sportsman and Open. As with all cars the perfect set-up will vary from driver to driver, and I felt I lost my way a little playing too much with tyre compounds. Most R5 drivers I have spoken to have found that the car responds well to a heavier oil centre damper, and some prefer a heavier oil in the side damper too. Give is a try. After playing with a few things the set-up I have arrived on as a base setting is actually not far from kit! One of the many things Associated do really well is their R & D before the release of a car.
The latest national was at Plymouth with nobody letting the wet and windy weather dampen their spirits. With an open track layout consistency and accuracy would prove important to be fast.
My R5 got faster and faster on Saturday in the stock (10.5/19t) class, ending up third on the grid. A clean start in the A final saw some fun close racing as I just pipped Andy Griffiths to take a fine 2nd place for the R5, with plenty of admiring looks (for the car!).
Plymouth race track.
For the Open class on Sunday I left the car set-up unchanged and once again it was right on the pace, unfortunately a costly driver error in the last round of qualifying put me towards the back of the top ten when the car had so much more in it. The A final was a fragmented race with my luck not getting any better and a sixth place a little disappointing but with a fastest lap only a tenth of the dominant winner Elliott Harper I was pleased with the car speed. A day of what could have been perhaps but with the two end of season events coming up I feel confident the car won't be the weak link and I am looking forward to racing my R5 again.
Keith's Associated RC12R5.
From the box, the R5 was a very easy car to drive and I don't feel the change to a link style suspension has been an issue. Straight away it became clear that the car generated stacks of rear end grip which helped give me confidence to make some set up changes as the season progresses.
From the off, the R5 was mixing it in the A finals in all three national class ? 10.5, Sportsman and Open. As with all cars the perfect set-up will vary from driver to driver, and I felt I lost my way a little playing too much with tyre compounds. Most R5 drivers I have spoken to have found that the car responds well to a heavier oil centre damper, and some prefer a heavier oil in the side damper too. Give is a try. After playing with a few things the set-up I have arrived on as a base setting is actually not far from kit! One of the many things Associated do really well is their R & D before the release of a car.
The latest national was at Plymouth with nobody letting the wet and windy weather dampen their spirits. With an open track layout consistency and accuracy would prove important to be fast.
My R5 got faster and faster on Saturday in the stock (10.5/19t) class, ending up third on the grid. A clean start in the A final saw some fun close racing as I just pipped Andy Griffiths to take a fine 2nd place for the R5, with plenty of admiring looks (for the car!).
Plymouth race track.
For the Open class on Sunday I left the car set-up unchanged and once again it was right on the pace, unfortunately a costly driver error in the last round of qualifying put me towards the back of the top ten when the car had so much more in it. The A final was a fragmented race with my luck not getting any better and a sixth place a little disappointing but with a fastest lap only a tenth of the dominant winner Elliott Harper I was pleased with the car speed. A day of what could have been perhaps but with the two end of season events coming up I feel confident the car won't be the weak link and I am looking forward to racing my R5 again.
