SC10 High Traction Setup and Tuning

Winter is around the corner and for many RC'ers that means indoor racing. Many indoor tracks are high traction and well maintained. If your SC10 is set up for a loose and bumpy outdoor track, there are a few tuning adjustments you can make that will improve the performance of your truck on high-bite surfaces.

The SC10 comes with tons of steering out of the box. If you race on a loose surface, you have given up much of this steering in favor of rear traction. When moving from a loose track to a high-traction track, you do not need as much rear traction. This allows you to tune your truck for more steering.

Here are a few tuning tips for adding more steering to your SC10:

1. If you have added anti-squat, get rid of it!

   Anti-squat is a simple way to tune out steering and tune up rear traction. If you have added anti-squat to your SC10, remove it and you SC10 will steer better. Read Add Anti-Squat (Kick-up) to the SC10 for more info.

2. Move your battery up

   Moving the battery is one of the easiest way to quickly tune your SC10. Moving the battery towards the front of the truck will increase steering and help keep the nose down in the air.

3. Try a rear sway bar

   A Rear Sway Bar will reduce "roll" on your SC10 while turning. The effect is less rear traction and more front steering. On a high traction track, this could be a big advantage.

   Associated makes a Rear Sway Bar Kit that is available at RCPlanet.com or through your local hobby shop. If you want to learn more about how sway bars work, check out this article.

4. Install softer springs in the front, or harder springs in the rear

   Going to softer springs in the front will give you more front steering and less rear traction. Adding harder springs in the back will have a similar effects. Experiment with both of these tuning adjustments to find which one works best for your track

5. Change your tires

   If you are running off-road tires on your SC10, you will want to make a change. If you don't want to buy new tires and wheels, try switching back to the stock tires that came with the SC10. If you have a little cash to spend, ask other drivers and LHS employees which tread will work best on the track.

6. Put black grease in your rear differential

   If you are running diff oil in your rear differential, think about going back to the stock black grease that came with your SC10. The black grease will promote more differential action which will help your truck make sharper turns.

   If you have a ball differential, try loosening it for more diff action.

A TeamSC10.com Reader, Chris, emailed us with these additional tips for indoor racing:

• Try the Slash front sway bar for additional stability.
• If your ESC has a drag break feature, try turning it up. This will allow you to stay in the throttle longer when going into sharp turns. If you are having trouble spinning out going into turns then try turning the drag break down.
• Lower your center of gravity by removing pre-load spacers from the shock bodies. This will give you more overall stability and an edge over higher center of gravity trucks like the slash.
• Adjust your slipper clutch. When running on a loose track, you can keep the slipper very tight without risking damage to the drive train. On a high traction track, you will be placing much more stress on the drive train and a properly tuned slipper will reduce the risk of tranny gear failure.

Thanks Chris!

If anyone has tips for tuning the SC10 on high traction surfaces, leave a comment below.