The Bit Char-G FAQ Thread

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    • #8835
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      A number of Bit Char-G FAQs are circulating at present. I’d like to gather all of the information that’s currently available cleanse/check the information, and publish the Definitive Bit Char-G FAQ.

      If you would like to contribute something to this thread, please fire away. There’s no set format that you have to use. You can simply state a fact; maybe do a Q&A; or simply offer a link to another resource (for the links section).

      However, you MUST include credits (and preferably a URL and/or) for the original author. If it’s your own work that’s even better – just say it’s “by me” and we’ll note you in the FAQ, too.

      Thanks

    • #13187
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      A starting point – the FAQ prepared by Brent of The Admiral’s Lair
      What Are Bit Char-G?
      Bit Char-G (pronounced “Bit Charge”) are the second smallest remote controlled cars in the world. Marketed and sold in Japan by Tomy, or “Tomica“, they are pocket-sized and perfect for tabletop racing. The cars are just over two inches in length. There are a lot of models available, with more on the way.

      How Do They Work?
      Like a lot of R/C cars, they use a radio transmitter controller. Each model operates on a specific frequency, with a total of four different frequencies. Therefore, you can have up to four cars, operating off different frequencies, running in the same place at the same time.

      How Fast Do They Go?
      They utilize the vibrate-ringers from cellular telephones as their motors. There are currently four motors available: 1.0 (10,000 rpm), 2.2 (22,000 rpm), 2.6 (26,000 rpm), and 3.0 (30,000 rpm). Most models either ship with the 1.0 or 2.2 motors. Check the specifications before ordering. To put it in perspective, I can’t keep a racer with a 2.2 motor on the table, but a 1.0 motor is much better suited towards racing on tables and desks.

      So What Do They Use For A Power Supply?
      The controllers utilize two “AA” batteries. The cars have a build in Nickel Cadmium (more commonly known as “NiCad”) battery. Plugging the car into the side of the controller for 45 seconds should allow for no less than two minutes of constant running time. Real-world experience puts the running time between four and five minutes.

      What Do You Get When You Buy One?
      Most of the “standard” kits come with the controller, the chassis, the motor, and the body. Some assembly is required. The directions are in Japanese, but the diagrams are very straightforward.

      What Else Can You Get?
      Tomy is continually releasing upgrade parts. This includes tire sets, motors, stabilizer bars, bodies, and more. Some special kits (like the Trueno kit) include a number of customization parts already. I’ve got a bunch of parts on order, and once they’re in, I’ll try to provide a more thorough explanation. A new series of “booster” sets include the chassis, a clear body, but no controller. These new sets are also supposed to be dual-speed, when used with a new four-channel controller.

      But What Can You Do With Them?
      Quite a bit. The cars have six directions of control, but it’s not analog. This means that there’s no scaling of the speed or direction–either it’s going forward full-on, or it’s not moving at all. There is no in-between. This still allows an impressive amount of control while running.
      And you can do quite a bit with them. From the straightforward racing of two (or more) cars, to playing games with them. Apparently playing soccer with bottlecaps is catching on. Anywhere you have a flat surface is a place you can run them.
      The fun part is that they’re ideal for customizing. Tomy has a page up dedicated to fan submissions of dressed-up cars. Anything you do with it, from writing your name on it with a marker, to changing the paint scheme makes yours unique from everyone else.

      Are There Any Shortcomings Or Limitations?
      Like anything else in life, there are a few drawbacks. Number one is probably availability. Unless you live in Japan, they can be a little hard to track down. They really need a flat surface to run well, so don’t expect them to do well on carpet (regardless of the pile).

      But What’s This “Digi-Q”?
      Digi-Q is a similar, but fundamentally different animal of R/C car. First off, the wheels don’t turn–they make use of separate motors for each rear wheel. Second, they use infrared for control, as opposed to the 27 MHz to 57 MHz radio frequency range. I’ve got nothing against them, but they’re a little more expensive, and–as near as I can see–they’re not quite as customizable.

    • #13188
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      Some Q&As that I’ve participated in at the M3 Forum

      How fast do these things go?
      WAY too small for a radar gun to pick up! Using a GT-R Skyline with a 2.6 motor in it to give you an estimate:

      Test distance :1.0m
      Time to complete distance : 1.46sec

      Therefore, 1km in 1460sec or 24.33mins (0.41 hours)- a non-scaled speed of 2.466km/h (~1.53mph)

      Now – while these ARE NOT scale models, they represent an *approximate* scale size of 1:70. Therefore, the scale speed over a scale kilometre from a standing start is approx 172.62km/h (~107.2mph)

      Of course, once you’ve tried raced one of these at full speed on a smooth desktop with tight corners, you’ll come to the conclusing that they seem like they have a NON-scaled speed of 100km/h! 🙂


      Do i have to do any kind of discharge to the battery??? HOW???
      Do nothing – and it will nicely discharge itself at the perfect rate. Remember – the car itself does not have an on-off switch. The receiver is always “ON” and will drain the battery, from full to empty, in about an 60-70mins.

      Assuming you don’t run your car 24/7, you shouldn’t need to worry about memory effect, because as soon as you stop racing for the day and go to bed it will start discharging the battery, ready for the next day of action.


      When putting on the 3.0 motor i have heard not to use the pinion gear??? What is this??? The smaller one or large one comes with the motor set?

      The 3.0 motor is now supplied with both a Bit Racer pinion gear (WHITE) and a Bit Char-G pinion gear (BLACK). You must use the smaller (black) gear.

      If anyone receives an older 3.0 motor pack (made pre Dec 2001 from memory) it will come with a Bit Racer pinion gear ONLY. You will need to pull one of the black pinion gears off one of your other motors and use it.


      Has anybody tried replacing the pathetic antenna on the Bit Char-G cars with a thicker gauge, copper or gold wire for better reception? Would it be worthwhile?

      We’ve had EXCELLENT results (improved reception) by carefully changing the car antenna.

      Our best result was achieved using a length (cut to same length as original on the car) of *single-core* cable from “construction” type CAT-5 cable. It’s cheap and dead easy to work with!

      Ordinary CAT-5 cable contains mutli-core copper cables which is no better than what’s currently on your car.

      You DON’T want to start increasing the impedenance of the antenna, or you might as well replace it with a piece of twine. Refer to the ausmicro tech section for modification details and performance data.


    • #13196
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      Thanks for the credit to my site, Derek. If you see any factual errors, I’d be happy to correct them. I was trying to write that from the R/C illiterate standpoint (which I represent pretty well).

      On a completely unrelated note, a friend of mine is putting together an article on Initial D for The Admiral’s Lair, to bridge the gap between the Bit Char-G set and the anime and manga. I’m familiar with Initial D, but she’s an anime expert.

      One thine I would’ve put in my FAQ, if I had known any more about it would be more information about the similarities and differences between Digi-Q and Bit Char-G. That seems to be the question a lot of people ask.

    • #13200
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      Maybe useful, maybe not. I posted this a while back on MM3 Forums.

      Bit Char G Cars come in 3 varieties. All have medium tire sets, and medium suspensions.
      (And 4 frequencies: 27, 35, 45, 57mhz)

      1. The first series has 1.0 motor
      which is really good for desktop play.
      And the 9.86:1(orange)gearset.

      2. The second series has 2.2 motors.(speedy motors good for racing and decent control)
      9.86:1 Gearing.

      3. This is the newest Special Edition versions: Loctite Zexel, Penzoil GTR, Castrol GTR, Xanavi GTR. All Japanese Rally Racing team designs.These kits have 2.6 motors, the 8.25:1 gear set.

      There is also a special model released called the (G-09)AE86 Sprinter Trueno Tune-Up kit. It comes with:
      1 Bit Char G Car
      1 2.2 Motor
      4 Rear Axels & Corresponding Gear Set
      [8.25:1] Lt Blue _ Max Speed/Low Torque
      [9.86:1] Orange _ Med.Speed/Med.Torque
      [12:1] Dark Blue _ Low Spd /Max Torque
      [9.86:1] Special Plastic Drift Wheel
      2 Extra Black Gear Sprockets. (A must for Bit char G’s)
      3 Front Suspension Bars (Soft, Med., Hard)
      3 Tires Sets (Soft_Medium_Hard)
      5 Hoods (2 White, 2 Red, 1 Black)
      3 Bumpers (White, Red, Black)
      1 Start/Finish Line
      6 Construction Cones/Bars(to connect cones)

      Which brings me to this:

      (S-02)Bit Racer Tire Set
      They are really made for Bit Racers.
      Soft has radial treads.
      Medium are slicks like the Bit Char G tires.
      Hard has vertical lines in them.

      I have only been able to get the Soft Set on my Bit Charge G. And to me, it was worth it for the simple fact that it has Radial Tires, which = TRACTION!
      Other than that, you have to stretch out the other 2 sets to get them to fit.

      The motors(S-#, GS-#):
      1.0, 2.0, 2.2, 2.6, 2.8, 3.0
      To my knowledge, only the 3.0 and 1.0 comes with both the White Gear/Black Gear that is an absolute must for the Bit Char G to work correctly. DO NOT use the White Pinion Gear, it isn’t calibrated for the Bit Char G gearing.
      So if you buy a motor, and it doesn’t come with a black sprocket, remove the one that came stock with your car, and use it.

      Bit Racer Gears(S-01)
      These ARE NOT the optimum gearing sets for Bit Char G’s. They are real low(ie. made for winding out long distance for speed. Not quick_Power)
      The ratios are : 4.57:1(blue), 3.95:1(red), 3.43:1(green)

      BitChar G Gear Set(GS-03)
      These are what you really want.
      9.86:1, 8.25:1, 12:1

      BitChar G Susension Set(GS-04)

      Hard/Medium/Soft

      Comes with a set of medium Grip Tires & The Drift Axel

      -Floyd

    • #14157
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      Ok here’s a silly part to add to the FAQ (who said it had to be totally serious? smiley1.gif), a page I did a few weeks ago.

      Q.I find thecontroller too small/difficult touse, or want to drive my car with one hand, is this possible?

      A.With the Bit Char-G? possible, don’t know yet. With the OEM Bullet? Yes, see http://www.thebeeris.mine.nu/bitcharg/OEMjoystick/

    • #14159
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      Heres a suggestion for the FAQ list… How about a list of known mods that you can do or havealready been done? A master list would help newbies to realize the customizing potential of Chargs, as well as help to inspire completely brand new mods, by listing what has already been accomplished. This list would have to be compiled by someone who has been in the scene a while though, I would assume, which would count me out, sorry. Any Yoda type Bitchargers out there?

      Deejay40

    • #14171
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      KITT – That joystick mod is akiller WELL DONE!!! I note that you have a couple of pages on the net now, including http://www.thebeeris.mine.nu/bitcharg/OEMjoystick and http://www.thebeeris.mine.nu/bitcharg. Do you have a homepage that could be linked to from our database? Please let me know and I’ll updatethe databasepronto.

      Deejay40 – agreed on the need for a “mods summary” list. Perhaps a subheading called “known mods” with a brief description and links to all of the info pages would be a very good idea. Thanks. Oh – just added your page to the links database, too.

      Cheers

      Derek

    • #14173
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      Q : I’ve lost the steering spring that sits on the steering armature. Gotta find a replacement – HELLLP!

      A : Toy East sell these as a replacement spare item. Alternatively, butcher a cheapie OEM/ODM car any take the part from it. If you feel like being resourceful, you might want to follow up on this info from ausmicro.com member, jmauld :

      “I was going to order one of these from Toyeast, but since I’m so impatient after losing mine I went for a search. I took apart a cheap 35mm camera and found a LOT of springs in there. I picked one that was close to the size thickness of the original spring, straightened it and then bent it around a small screwdriver to the shape that I needed. It works perfectly!!!”

    • #14191
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      Derek, thanks, I only did the OEM joystick project page, the taking your Bit apart wasn’t me (Exial on the martiniracing forum did that and is hosting my project). I don’t have a Bit Char-G website setup and don’t intend to set one up, so when I did the joystick project I put it on some temporary space with a zip file of the whole page (html & pics) for anyone to put on their site,and someone did.

      The same goes for if I do any other projects, I’ll hand out the page for anyone to host on their Bit site. If you’d like to host a copy of the page toothen get this zip: http://62.188.32.182:1453/~rid/OEMjoystick.zip

      Driving my OEM Bullet with a Megadrive joypad is great, I did the mod to a friend’s OEM controller so he can let kids play with it by using a big old Amiga joystick (similar to the onein the mod pics)- easier for them to deal with and the controllerantenna is less likely to be trodden on.

      I still don’t have a proper Bit Char-G yet :smiley9:but when I get one I will definitely see if the joystick port project will also work on it (I get the feeling it will).

      Oh and those pics were taken with my Olympus C-1000L which only takes 1024×768 res images max, but the optics make up for that and I used a tripod with the bouncing the flash to the ceiling technique (if you bounce the flashlight to the ceiling like that you don’t always need a tripod).

    • #14239
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      Cool. Here’s my work in progress. I was planning to post it when complete. I started with zeroBXU’s FAQ, added some data from Aquila Prime’s site, stole the ODM review from Derek, but the rest is mine :smiley2:

      1.0 The Cars
      1.1 Tomy Bit Char-G
      1.1.1 Bit Char-G Models
      1.1.2 “Booster” Machine Sets
      1.2 Other Micro-RC Cars
      1.2.1 DigiQ
      1.2.2 OEM Bullet
      1.2.3 ODM Mouse or Bit Charge Smart Car
      1.2.4 Z-car
      1.2.5 Hobbico Microsizer
      1.2.6 Compact Char-G
      1.2.7 Nikko iRacer
      1.3 Bit Racer?
      2.0 Parts
      2.1 Motors
      2.2 Tires
      2.3 Suspension
      2.4 Gears
      2.5 Remotes
      2.6 Bodies
      2.7 Other
      3.0 Performance
      3.1 Speed
      3.2 Handling
      3.3 Run Time
      3.4 Range
      4.0 Troubleshooting
      4.1 My Car Just Sits There
      4.2 My Car Won’t Turn
      4.3 My Range Sucks
      5.0 What to Do With Your Bit
      5.1 Mods
      5.2 Racing
      5.2.1 Tracks
      5.3 Games
      6.0 Where to Buy
      7.0 Links
      8.0 Acknowledgements

      1.0 The Cars
      1.1 Tomy Bit Char-G
      Bit Char-G (pronounced “Bit Charge”) cars are very small remote controlled cars (just over two inches in length!). Marketed and sold in Japan by Tomy, or “Tomica”, they are pocket-sized and perfect for tabletop racing. Like a lot of R/C cars, they use a radio transmitter controller. Each model operates on a specific frequency, with a total of four different frequencies (27, 35, 45, and 57 MHz). Therefore, you can have up to four cars, operating off different frequencies, running in the same place at the same time. Bit Char-G cars are very simple cars and do not have proportional steering or speed control…it’s all or nothing.
      1.1.1 Bit Char-G Models
      The current Tomica Bit Char-G models are as follows:
      Honda Accord Wagon
      Honda S2000
      Mario Cart Advance Mario
      Mario Cart Advance Yoshi
      Mazda RX-7
      Mitsubishi Lancer EVO VII
      Nissan Gloria
      Skyline GT-R Type R34
      Spec. Ed. AE86
      Spec. Ed. Castrol Skyline
      Spec. Ed. Loctite Skyline
      Spec. Ed. Penzoil Skyline
      Spec. Ed. Xanavi Skyline
      Subaru Impreza
      Toyota Bb Open Deck
      Toyota Celica
      Booster Machine Set (Nissan Skyline)
      Initial D Set (RX-7 & Trueno)
      Calsonic Skyline GT-R (rare model…shoulda bought it when I had the chance)
      Honda NSX-R
      Upcoming releases include:
      Toyota Supra – July 18, 2002
      Nissan Skyline GT-R Set (R32, R34, 110) – August 29, 2002

      1.1.2 “Booster” Machine Sets
      The Booster Machine set is simply a 2-speed Bit Char-G. It is debatable whether the high speed is faster than a normal Bit Char-G (i.e. Booster with 2.2 motor is/is not faster than normal Bit Char-G with 2.2 motor), but it known that the low speed of the Booster is easily slower. “What’s the point” you may ask? Well, when racing on a track with tight turns, it’s easier to control your car if you’re going slower. Then you hit the boost button on the straights. There are currently four Booster Machine sets (one in each frequency) that each come with a clear skyline body. They do not include a remote! You MUST buy a separate Multi-Frequency Remote to operate the car. The standard remote WILL NOT OPERATE IT!

      1.2 Other Micro-RC Cars
      There are many clones most of which are made in the same factory as the real Bit Char-G. They are listed below. Prices listed are USD and does not include shipping.
      1.2.1 DigiQ – Not really a clone. It is a fundamentally different animal of R/C car, made by Takara. First off, the wheels don’t turn–they make use of separate motors for each rear wheel. Second, they use infrared for control, as opposed to the 27 MHz to 57 MHz radio frequency range. DigiQ’s are smaller, faster, have proportional steering and speed, have longer run times, and longer range, but they are a little more expensive, have a longer charge time, and there are no aftermarket “performance” parts. Expect to pay ~$45 for these.

      1.2.2 OEM Bullet – These are very similar to Bit Char-G’s, but are packaged and sold only in the Chinese market (and through select importers). The controller has been re-designed, with a standard telescoping antenna, and the cars are much, much cheaper… and, in some ways, you get what you pay for. Many of the parts are interchangeable with Bit Char-G parts. Bodies can be exchanged with minor modifications which is nice because the OEM Bullet adds the Peugeot 206, the Mercedes CLK, and a Lancer-ish car to the body lineup. Expect to pay ~$11 for these.

      1.2.3 ODM Mouse or Bit Charge Smart Car – Similar to a Bit Char-G, but with yet another controller design. The controller/charger has a switch for selectable “sound” (motor noises when sending forward or reverse signals)/ “lights” (controller flashes with inbuilt disco lights)/ “passive” (no lights or sounds). The controller/charger doubles as a flip-top carry case for the car and also includes a metal clip for a neck-chain. Be aware that the controller uses AAA batteries instead of the normal AA batteries in the Bit Char-G controller. The set also comes with two small cones to race around. The car has an LED light that lights up when receiving forward or reverse signals, but it is a single LED in the center of the car that doesn’t really light up the car. The cars are actually smaller than Bit Char-G’s, so the bodies aren’t interchangeable. The tires are thicker and may be a different compound. Expect to pay ~$15 for these

      1.2.4 Z-car – Not much is known about these cars, but they seem to be very similar to the ODM Mouse car. These sell for ~$20.

      1.2.5 Hobbico Microsizer – This “yet to be released” car is the American market version of the Bit Char-G and only comes in two frequencies 27 and 49 MHz (for legal reasons). They should be available after June 20th and are available through Tower Hobbies for $35.

      1.2.6 Compact Char-G – This “yet to be released” car is the European/Australian market version of the Bit Char-G.

      1.2.7 Nikko iRacer – iRacers are actually clones of the DigiQ cars with all the same features, benefits, and drawbacks. Nikko also redesigned the controller (for the better IMO). Expect to pay ~$45 for these.

      1.3 Bit Racer? Bit Racers are the non-R/C cars that came before Bit Char-G. They’re designed to run on large tracks, on rails, in a fashion similar to slot cars. There are some components that can be shared between the two, but there are some differences as well (example: tires can be shared, but gears shouldn’t).

      2.0 Parts – The “standard” Bit Char-G set (all but the Booster sets) comes with the controller, the chassis, the motor, and the body. Some assembly is required. The directions are in Japanese, but the diagrams are very straightforward. Aftermarket parts are discussed below. One set (AE86 Trueno Tune-up set) comes with the suspension set, tire set, and gear set as well as some other goodies.

      2.1 Motors – The current motors are currently referred to as 1.0, 2.2, 2.6, and 3.0 motors. But what does that mean? The number is a multiplier for the motor RPM. To get the motor’s RPM, multiply the motor’s multiplier by 10,000. That’s right, the 3.0 motor spins at 30,000 RPM! The motors were originally used in pager and cell phones for the vibrate function. In fact, if you find a motor with the right size, it may be even better (faster or more torque) than the motors you can get from Tomy. The motors are color-coded so you can tell them apart (Lt. Blue=1.0, Yellow=2.2, Orange=2.6, and Red=3.0). Tomy will be releasing a 1.6 motor in August (my guess is Green). There are also non-Tomy motors in 0.5 (Dark Blue) and 3.8 (Pink) speeds and there is a rumor of a Tomy 4.0 motor! Also, always use a black pinion gear (the one that goes on the motor)! (unless, of course, you’re doing something funky with your mods)

      2.2 Tires – Tires are even trickier than the motors. Car sets come with Bit Char-G “medium” tires. Right now, you can only get the “soft” and “hard” Bit Char-G tires in the AE86 Trueno Tune-up set. The only tire set you can get right now is a Bit Racer tire set and all the tires are harder than the Bit Char-G hard tires. The Bit Char-G tire set is due out in August. Also available in the suspension set and AE86 set is the “drift axle”. Basically the drift axle is a standard axle gear set with hard plastic wheels with grooves in them. Theoretically, the wheel gives forward/reverse traction, but not side-to-side traction. If used on a slick surface, you’d better like watching your Bit spin around a lot.

      2.3 Suspension – Frankly, I don’t know much about the suspension. Car sets come standard with the “medium” suspension and there is a suspension set available, but how it affects handling, I don’t know. Lately, I’ve been hearing that there may even be differences between the Suspension set and the suspensions included in the AE86 Trueno Tune-up set ???

      2.4 Gears – There are three gear ratios available for the Bit Char-G: 8.25:1, 9.86:1, and 12:1. The gears are used to decrease the RPM of the wheels and increase the torque. 8.25:1 gearing will give you the highest top speed, but you will not accelerate as fast. 12:1 gearing will accelerate your car the fastest, but give you the slowest top speed. Obviously, 9.86:1 gearing gives somewhere in between the other two.

      2.5 Remotes – The standard Bit Char-G remote is a very small box with two toggle buttons on it. It has a wind-up retractable remote and also serves as the charger for the car. It runs on two standard alkaline AA batteries (don’t use rechargeables). Operation of the remote is very simple. First, switch the ON/OFF switch to the ON position (Duh!). Next clip the car to the charging base. The charging light should turn on. If it doesn’t, you may not have the car clipped on well enough. The light should remain on for ~45 seconds (this does vary). You can pull out the antenna while it’s charging…just grab the antenna tip and pull. When the light goes out, you’re ready to race. Just pull the car off, put the car down, and drive. The Multi-Frequency Remote is very similar to the standard remote in it’s operation. However, it has some special switches and buttons. First, it has a channel selection switch so you can pick which frequency your car is running on. It also has an A-B-C selector switch on back that needs to be in the correct position to operate. Standard cars use the “A” selection. Booster cars can use either “B” or “C”, but “C” will disable the slow speed on the bit (Boost all the time). The “B” selection enables the Boost Button. Just push that button to speed the car up while driving. The “C” selection is also reserved for future Tomy products that require more radio channels (construction vehicles, subs, and tanks…oh my!).

      2.6 Bodies – There are several body sets available, but they are difficult to find. Bodies come two per pack (but I’m not sure about the WRC EVO or Castrol Supra…they’re special). One of the bodies will be clear and the other will be painted. Body sets also come with the “Bit Tool” and AFAIK, they only come with the bodies. The tool has some decent features, but is by no means a must-have. The current list of bodies includes:
      Honda Accord Wagon
      Honda S2000
      Mazda RX-7
      Nissan Gloria
      Skyline GT-R Type R34
      Toyota Bb Open Deck
      Toyota Celica
      Upcoming releases include:
      Subaru Impreza – May sometime
      Mitsubishi Lancer EVO VII – WRC Edition – June 27, 2002
      NSX-R – July 25, 2002
      Toyota Supra Castrol Edition – August 8, 2002

      2.7 Other – Another accessory that many people get is the lap timer. It’s actually made for the Bit racer, but can be adapted for use with the Bit Char-G. It will not time multiple cars. However, if a “standard track” is ever made, it will be a useful tool for timing yourself against other people around the world. You can also use it when driving by yourself to measure your improvement. There is also a “corner guiderail set” (just a few chicane pieces), and a “table top pylon” set (small cones).

      3.0 Performance – Your results may vary.
      3.1 Speed – Data was stolen from AquilaPrime and interpolated for the 2.6 motor. 16′ track used for times. Times are averages based upon five (5) runs. All time trials performed using stock medium compound tires.
      1.0 motor results:
      8.17s @ 79.33smph – 8.25 gearing, 9.25s @ 68.76smph – 9.86 gearing, 10.92s @ 58.10smph
      2.2 motor results:
      4.21s @ 149.27smph – 8.25 gearing, 4.32s @ 148.17smph – 9.86 gearing, 6.43s @ 99smph
      2.6 motor results (interpolated):
      3.92s @ 162.94smph – 8.25 gearing, 4.04s @ 159.34smph – 9.86 gearing, 5.16s @ 131.91smph
      3.0 motor results:
      3.63s @ 176.61smph – 8.25 gearing, 3.76s @ 170.51smph – 9.86 gearing, 3.89s @ 164.81smph

      3.2 Handling – This is a somewhat subjective category. However, here are the basics…harder tires slide more (Duh!). You can use this to your advantage by varying tire combinations between the front and rear. If you have problems with spinning out (I did at first), put softer tires on the rear. If you have the softest on the rear and still spin, put harder tires on the front. This will keep the front from “grabbing” and causing the car to spin. You should generally use the softest tires possible. As stated earlier, I don’t know how the suspension set affects handling.

      3.3 Run Time – Typically, run time is around 4-5 minutes for a standard Bit Char-G. However, run time is influenced by the motor, the batteries in the controller, the charge time, the rechargeable battery in the Bit Char-G, and the surface you are running on. One trick to increase run time is to charge multiple times before running. Just charge the car normally, pull it off the charger, put it back on and it will charge again. However, do not go crazy with this tip and charge 20 times or something. You could hurt your Bit. 2-4 times should be plenty.

      3.4 Range – This seems to be a big variable with Bit Char-G’s. Some people get 10-15 foot range out of the box, others get 2 (ouch!). First of all, make sure that the antenna is fully extended from the remote and the car antenna is sticking straight up. Also, look around where you are racing. Radio interference can cause big problems with range and appliances are a source or interference. Some frequencies are more susceptible than others. 27 and 57 MHz seem to have the most problems with interference. If that doesn’t help or you want even more range, go to Section 4.3 – Troubleshooting: My Range Sucks.

      4.0 Troubleshooting
      4.1 My Car Just Sits There
      4.2 My Car Won’t Turn
      4.3 My Range Sucks
      5.0 What to Do With Your Bit
      But What Can You Do With Them?
      Quite a bit. The cars have six directions of control, but it’s not analog. This means that there’s no scaling of the speed or direction–either it’s going forward full-on, or it’s not moving at all. There is no in-between. This still allows an impressive amount of control while running. And you can do quite a bit with them. From the straightforward racing of two (or more) cars, to playing games with them. Apparently playing soccer with bottlecaps is catching on. Anywhere you have a flat surface is a place you can run them. The fun part is that they’re ideal for customizing. Tomy has a page up dedicated to fan submissions of dressed-up cars. Anything you do with it, from writing your name on it with a marker, to changing the paint scheme makes yours unique from everyone else.
      5.1 Mods
      5.1.1 Painting/Detailing
      5.1.2 Lights
      5.2 Racing
      5.2.1 Tracks
      5.3 Games
      6.0 Where to Buy
      7.0 Links
      8.0 Acknowledgements

    • #14385
      Admin
      Participant
      • Posts: 5952

      forceusr- I’ve been compining a similar list of all bit hobby products and noticed you were missing

      27mhz

      g-00 nissan skyline gt-r r34 calsonic racing team bb2.2

      disney resort cruiser bb1.0

      both promo items but still official tomy bit char-g models.

      a link to my database is here:

      raw dump from excel

      -dan

      PS- if anyone knows anyone selling the disney resort cruiser or calsonic- let me know- I’ve found the calsonic a few places, but have been unhappy with the prices given.

    • #14852
      Admin
      Participant
      • Posts: 5952

      Help!!!! Okay I’m confused but which of the different cars mentioned on this website is ike the Micro Racer at http://www.firebox.com/ ? From what I could tell it was the bit charge car though when I went to the Tomica website I could only findhorribly immature looking ones that were said to be for children 5 years and older. I knew nothing of the different motors and (1.0 2.2 etc.) until I came to this website and I was wondering if the ones on the aforementioned website are like the ones that you all have. I’m horribly confused. Thanks

    • #14987
      Admin
      Participant
      • Posts: 5952

      Xistence – Quit asking the question and try reading the replies you have! :smiley7:

      I’m sorry, but I have seen you ask the EXACT same question multiple times and receive the EXACT same answer multiple times. It’s an OEM BULLET!

    • #15573
      z-beam
      Participant
      • Posts: 2265

      did you know there iz a $10,000 fine in oz for using the 49mhz freq. some body told me that it jamms the signal used by ambulances for different equipment

    • #15574
      Admin
      Participant
      • Posts: 5952

      There are some laws in the UK also – but I’m not sure about fines. Nobody really seems to know what the laws are regarding R/F in great detail.

    • #15575
      z-beam
      Participant
      • Posts: 2265

      could i pinch your avatar? saw a wolvie past and present johnny lightning pack in tasmania the other day didnt like the fact that spider man got a descent car, logans been given a volkswagen beetle!!???!!! got origin yet?

    • #15576
      Admin
      Participant
      • Posts: 5952

      Pinch away! I didn’t create it, I found it on the net somewhere – so credit due to the original creator. WTH is a ‘Johnny Lightning Pack’?:smiley5:

      Lol! Wolvie in a Beetle :smiley4: I can’t really picture that! Hes more of a motorbike man!

      Have I got Origin yet? Does mouse sh*t roll? I’m the biggest Wolvie fanboy out there :smiley1: I’ve got the whole 1988 – present series, the 1982 Frank Miller ltd series, the 1982 Spidey vs. Wolvie and jsut about every ltd series, GN and one-shot comic book he’s been in! Have you read Origin? What did you think of it? I really enjoyed the story and the artwork – I don’t understand why people slated the series!? :smiley5:

      By the way, how much do US comics retail in Oz? The US cover price for Wolvie is $2.25 (?1.45 or AUD$4.12)but I’m actually charged about ?1.75 (AUD$4.99) once the comic shop owner has added his bit!

    • #15577
      Admin
      Participant
      • Posts: 5952

      Also, did you know that Origin #1 is valued at about ?20!!!? I got one :smiley4:

    • #15581
      z-beam
      Participant
      • Posts: 2265

      got the hard cover. the origin story was the best story in comic form i have ever read. partly due to the fact i got to read it in one go for the first time.it cost 80$aus. i think the individual issues cost 5.45$aus. check out the quest for madness website for pictures of the johnny lightning cars (or their tires at least) in the HOT SWAP TIRE/WHEEL MOD. nuff’ said bub

    • #16103
      Admin
      Participant
      • Posts: 5952

      well i reckon thats why they fit cripple capacitors, so they don’t have enough range to interfere with ambulances etc.

    • #16134
      z-beam
      Participant
      • Posts: 2265

      2 true.

      then why does australia only get 40 and 27 mhz.

    • #16185
      Admin
      Participant
      • Posts: 5952

      so you say the interfere with ambulances ey

      excellent:smiley15:

    • #16219
      z-beam
      Participant
      • Posts: 2265

      yeh shypo supposedly 35, 45 ,57 and any other non standard freq. can effect communications and heart monetering gear. not to shure on how much it affects them though im sure a little bcg is isnt going to have the same effect as a stadium blitzer or some other large scale r/c.

      the way i found out about the fine was ina shop in melbourne, the owners had bought a 100mhz microphone transmitter that could cut in over the com net of any sporting event or concert. they took it to a cricket match and within 15 minutes of turning it on they were arrested and fined!!!

    • #16516
      Admin
      Participant
      • Posts: 5952

      a cipple car is a metal part of the membrain of the racer. go tohttp://www.tinyrc.comto check out forums, then press bitchargeg then at the bottem type cipple cap

    • #17071
      Admin
      Participant
      • Posts: 5952

      anyone know why my idler gear keeps slidding off?

    • #17082
      Admin
      Participant
      • Posts: 5952

      check your pinion make shure its not on backwords theres a lil lip that holds the spur gear on make shure thats on the outside

    • #17084
      Admin
      Participant
      • Posts: 5952

      your pinion is on backwords flip it around

    • #17321
      Admin
      Participant
      • Posts: 5952

      i have modellista set also but havea problem, when i dont press the boost buttom my 2.2 runs a fast as a 1.0, but when i hold the boost button it goes up to normal 2.2 speed, i also have subaru 45 mhz, non boost, and for my modellista 27mhz to keep up i have to hold the boost, is there a reason it does this, does anyone else have this problem?

      thanks much

    • #17322
      Admin
      Participant
      • Posts: 5952
      Quote:
      Originally posted by bit char g-t-r on 26December2002

      i have modellista set also but havea problem, when i dont press the boost buttom my 2.2 runs a fast as a 1.0, but when i hold the boost button it goes up to normal 2.2 speed, i also have subaru 45 mhz, non boost, and for my modellista 27mhz to keep up i have to hold the boost, is there a reason it does this, does anyone else have this problem?

      Its a feature of that set – the boost function. Quite a few of the newer released cars are coming with the boost function. Basically, as you already said, running in normal mode the car will operate at a lower RPM e.g. like a 1.0 motor. Once the boost button is pressed, the motors RPM will max out.

      Your only way around this is to purchase the 4band controller (available seperately). This controller allows you to:

      • Control non-boost cars
      • Control boost cars with boost function activated
      • Control boost cars with boost function disabled – this is what your looking for I guess? Means you can use your Auto Modellista set at max motor speed – 2.2.
      • [/list]

        Booster sets are excellent if you race around tracks as you can hold the boost button down on straights then release to take corners slowly! Race your Subaru around a track and watch him spin out at corners while you Auto Modellista car takes the corner like a pro 😉

    • #17369
      Impreza
      Participant
      • Posts: 1124

      Boosters are nice once you play with them a little. I didn’t like mine at first, but the more I played with it the more I wanted to get a second:)

    • #17372
      Admin
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      • Posts: 5952

      get a 4 badn controller and use it with constant boost, it is soo fun

    • #17455
      Impreza
      Participant
      • Posts: 1124

      That is on my wish list..sigh.. Hey Shypo saw the silver/red bus here in a small shop. They do have alot of room for addons:smiley14:. Is the chassis larger then a std bit? can’t tell.

    • #17534
      Admin
      Participant
      • Posts: 5952

      the chassis isnt larger its exactly the same but the bus is my best handling bit

    • #17716
      t00l
      Participant
      • Posts: 109

      im getting the modellista set, but if i put like a 3.0 in there will that run slower then faster with boost?

    • #17723
      Admin
      Participant
      • Posts: 5952

      yes thats the whole thing with boost, it wont be as notcieable tho with a 3.0 for sumn reason

    • #17727
      t00l
      Participant
      • Posts: 109

      oh well, i want a drag car anyway, not some slow hunk junk 2.6 😉

      and is that true bout the 47mhz in aus?

    • #17728
      Admin
      Participant
      • Posts: 5952

      there is no 47mhz BCG there is a 49mhz Microsizer. the ultimate drag car would have hard springs, a short aerial, sum soft sticky tires, a 3.8 or 3.5, dual battery at least and some form of wheelie bar and a lightened lowered chassis

    • #17732
      t00l
      Participant
      • Posts: 109

      yeah, getting dual battery, hope to get motor off you, got a tire set, why short aerial, and no springs, its getting lowered 😉

    • #17737
      Admin
      Participant
      • Posts: 5952

      short aerial cuts down the wind resitance, springs stop it from going astray and stop it from turning off the straight

    • #17742
      t00l
      Participant
      • Posts: 109

      hows a curled one then?

      sif it would add much wranyway????

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