MYLAPS(AMB) RC4 TRANSPONDER
This is the new Mylaps (AMB) RC4 transponder. I have been running the new Transponder for a couple of week so far with no problems. The new transponder is a lot smaller then the original one. One of the things Mylaps did was make the holder replaceable. If you have ever owned an older transponder you will appreciate the fact you can replace the holder for less the five dollars. If you broke a tab of the old version there was nothing you could do. The holder has an another advantage is you can move the same transponder from car to car by purchasing and installing holders in your other RC vehicles. The new firmware upgrade for the AMBrc3 decoder is not out. When it is tracks will be able to upgrade to the new RC4 decoder which will allow you to use some of the new features. One of the things they are adding to the new decoder is the new transponder allows double hit rate detection making for more accuracy. Overall I think you will be really happy with the new Mylaps Rc4 tranponder. The cost depending on where you buy it from is around 100dollars.
Features
- 1/2 The weight & Size
- Low voltage operation 2.8-16volts
- It has a removable mount. (no more worrying about breaking the mounting tabs off without being able to replace them)
- 1-4 Cell Lipo compatible
- Double hit rate detection making for more accuracy when used with new Ambrc4 decoder.
- Small Size
- Low voltage operation
- Removable mount
- Wires aren't replaceable if you break them at the case
- Holder fit is really tight making it hard to remove transponder when in RC car
MUCHMORE IC CONTROLLED TIRE WARMERS (MARC RHEINARD EDITION)
This is a product manufactured by Muchmore racing for warming touring car tires before a race. Muchmore racing is well known in racing circles for coming out with cutting edge products for racers. They have a lot of really cool products and you can tell they spend a lot of time perfecting their products before they release them. The IC controlled tire warmers come in three colors which are black, Blue (Marc Rheinard) and Purple (Andy Moore). They are powered either using a 7.2volt battery which you can install in the case or by an external 12volt DC supply. The nice thing about the tire warmers with the battery option is you have external jacks you can plug into to charge the battery without having to remove it. I personally use an external 12 volt DC supply since its more convenient for me. The actual warmers are independently controlled for the front and rear tires which allow more tuning options. I would recommend using blue paper towels to line the inner of the warmers so you don't make a mess of them. This won't degrade the performance and will save you a lot of headache if you use the towels.There is a separate plug for a tire warming tray for four tires. It runs around 45 dollars. The actual unit cost is 200dollars.
Features
- Quick Warming(30~80C, 100C)
- CTX-2step, 3step Warming
- Lap timer
- Celcious-Fahrenheit selectable display
- Minimum temperature
- 5 different beep tones
- Adjustable back light and contrast
- Front&Rear temperature can be set independently
- Temperature of 4 tires is controlled by IC
- Car stand design, Light weight (620g)
- Removable front&rear tire warmers
- Wireless action by battery pack(optional-not included)
- Inserted battery can be charged outside without dissembly
- Various alarm system like disconnection, delay, low input voltage etc.
- Ability to change from Celsius to Fahrenheit
- LCD display
- Selectable beep tones
- Works as a car stand
- Independent temperature control of front & rear tires
- Easy to use
- No AC option
- Price
Conclusion
If you want the top of the line tire warmers then look no further. Muchmore racing delivers a full featured tire warming product that all your friends will be envious about. The ability to control the temperature in fine increments sets it apart from the competitors. You can tell they spent a lot of time Engineering the product by incorporating things such as Celsius to Fahrenheit selectable display, temperature control of front and rear separately, ability to replace the tire warmers themselves if they go bad, and things such as making the tire warming control box work as a car stand. If you can't justify the cost then I would recommend looking at their lower end unit that uses the same tire warming cans and a controller box that is basic but will work fine for most applications. They sell the basic tire warming box and tire warming cans for under 100 dollars. If you do decide to go with the top of line tire warming setup you won't regret the purchase!
Overall Score 8 out 10
TAMIYA DAMPER OIL AIR REMOVER #54152
This is a Tamiya oil air remover used for shocks. For years I've used the old method of letting the shocks sit and allowing the air bubbles to bleed out and this speeds up the process considerably. To use it is a very simple process. To use, load the shocks after filling them to 80% full and slide the piston halfway into the shock and then load them into the unit. Then place the clear cover on the top of unit and place pump on top of it. Pump the handle 20 times and allow the vacuum take effect. After 30 or 40 seconds vent the air and the cover off. Pull the piston to bottom reload and re-pump 15 times. Once that is done remove the pistons and finish.
The unit is extremely use and works great. If you want to save time and be sure the shocks are bled properly this is the unit for you. This unit should work for using larger shocks such as on the Associated T4. I would highly recommend buying this unit if you want to make sure your shocks are bled properly and don't want to wait. Price is around 40 dollars.
Overall score 9 out of 10
PPD PIT BOSS
TOURING CAR CLAMPED TO THE PIT BOSS
This is a newer product from a local Northwest company PPD Billet that makes RC products, Automotive, Medical and other products for industry. They used to make separate tweak plates for cars such as Associated TC5 and Schumacher but now they have come up with a tweak plate that works on most of the major touring cars that are made. This is a great item to own and after using it for awhile I don't know what I would do without it. What does this actually do? Well in a hard crash this can be used to make sure the chassis isn't tweaked in other words if its flat or not. If you have a touring car that has tweak in it you will never get it to handle right and changes that you will make will be made in vain since your not fixing the main issue and basically trying to compensate for the change in the way the car handles. Touring cars in general are a lot less forgiving when it comes to chassis setup compared to an offroad vehicle. Small changes can make a big difference. The PPD plate is very easy to use. You set your touring car on it, then I usually loosen all the top plate screws, clamp touring car to plate, in a criss cross pattern tighten the top screws, loosen the clamps and check to make sure the touring car still lays flat on the plate. If for some reason you can't seem to get the car to lay flat on the plate start checking things such as the bulkheads and make sure they haven't been damaged. Another nice feature is it works as a tool holder. If you notice in the side are drilled holes and that's were you can store your drivers when not in use.
Conclusion
PPD Billet is making a name in the industry for coming up with new and innovative ideas for RC racers. The actual product is very well constructed and the machining is excellent. If you click on the link above it will take you to their site with more pictures and information.This is another great tool to give the racer the extra edge. The price for the PPD Pit Boss is 100 dollars shipped to your door. If you want clamps which I recommend they are just under 30dollars.
Overall Score 8.5 out 10