Another aspect of rc suspension tuning that you need to learn about is: How kick up and/or anti-dive can improve your performance.

Anti-dive and kick up are much like anti-squat, while anti-squat deals with just the rear suspension.

They both refer to the angle your front hinge pins are setting at relative to the ground.

The major function of both is to control the amount of weight transfer on to the front suspension during braking, on-power and off-power. By controlling the amount of weight transfer this will have many advantages. Braking on corner entry, the amount of traction mid corner and forward traction on corner exit. Plus, it determines how your rc vehicle id going to handle bumps, ruts and all other rough stuff.

Total kick up or anti-dive = chassis kick up or anti-dive + front suspension mount kick up.

Plus, both anti-dive and kick up have an effect on your total caster angle.

Your total caster angle = caster angle + chassis kick up angle or anti-dive angle + front suspension mount kick up.

For an example if, chassis kick up = 7.0° and suspension mount kick up = -1.5°, total kick up = 5.5°. If your are running a caster angle = 15°, this makes your total caster angle = 20.5° with kick up.

Like anti-squat, both kick up and anti-dive artificially raises or lowers your center of gravity, which either lengthens or shortens your level arm, thus raising or lowering your pivot point.

This can have a huge effect on your cornering and braking, plus how your rc vehicle is going to handle bumps.

When you look at your front suspension from the side, with the wheels off.

If the hinge pins are tilted forward, the rear of the hinge pin is higher than the front this is anti-dive.

But, if your hinge pins are tilted backwards, the front of the hinge pin is higher than the rear this is kick-up.

As a general rule I never see a reason to use anti-dive on off-road rc vehicles. Since you would loose your ability to handle bumps, ruts or any other rough stuff.

On the other hand anti-dive has many advantages when used on on-road rc cars.

While kick-up has its advantages on both off-road and on-road rc vehicles.

1. At corner entry the front suspension resists compressing.

2. Off-power steering is reduced by less forward weight transfer on corner entry.

3. Front end grip is reduced on corner entry by less forward weight transfer.

4. On-power steering response is reduced by the overall reduction in caster. Can compensate by increasing caster angle.

5. Front end grip is reduced until throttle is applied, corner entry and mid-corner.

6. On-power and at corner exit the front suspension will increase compression.

7. Increases the amount of time, in a corner, the front suspension takes to reach its maximum roll point.

8. Reduces your rc car's ability to handle any kind dumps, ruts or rough stuff. Running softer front springs helps to eliminate this problem, but not entirely.

9. This setup works well on medium to high grip tracks in combination with a weight forward bias.

1. With transferring more weight forward, off-power steering improves.

2. Front end traction is increased with more forward weight transfer.

3. With total caster being increased on-power steering and front end traction is improved.

4. Front end traction and steering is improved through mid-corner.

5. Your front suspension can better handle bumps, ruts and rough stuff.

How changing kick up angle is going to affect your handling.

The effects of less kick-up:

1. Off-throttle forward weight transfer increases.

2. Increased forward weight transfer under braking.

3. Under braking and off-throttle front suspension compresses more.

4. Reduced steering response.

5. Better when used on bumpy, rough tracks.

The effects of more kick-up:

1. Off-throttle forward weight transfer is decreased.

2. Reduced forward weight transfer under braking.

3. Under braking and off-throttle front suspension compresses less.

4. Increased steering response.

5. Better when used on smooth fast tracks.

Another thing to keep in mind when you make any changes to kick-up and/or anti dive is to make the same change to both sides of your front suspension.

Also, if your rc vehicle has upper control arms on the front suspension, make the same changes to them.

The upper and lower control arms need to be parallel.

If you do not keep them parallel your front suspension will bind up or worse yet it could lock up. Either would produce terrible results.

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