22 replies to this topic

[plane]

AIM dealers rarely answer the phone and AIM has no idea what channel inventory looks like. No one seams to keep any inventory and know if AIM drop shipped a product (for this they get a commission?). The dealers that act like real businesses and have some inventory are nice guys but do not know how to explain systems especially to new people. They can sell you one, if you know what you want, but they do not seem to know how to help you select a product. I am new to racing, but this "industry" might be worse than the sailing "industry."

Any thoughts? I need data (yesterday).

[Caveman-kwebb99]

Traqmate, answers the phone ships on time, has a good product and great customer service, helped me with any problem I have had and I was data machine illiterate!

[Rob Burgoon]

AIM dealers rarely answer the phone and AIM has no idea what channel inventory looks like. No one seams to keep any inventory and know if AIM drop shipped a product (for this they get a commission?). The dealers that act like real businesses and have some inventory are nice guys but do not know how to explain systems especially to new people. They can sell you one, if you know what you want, but they do not seem to know how to help you select a product. I am new to racing, but this "industry" might be worse than the sailing "industry."

Any thoughts? I need data (yesterday).

It's a tool. It's like welding. You can't just buy a welder and drop metal in one end and expect great welds on the parts you need to come out of the other end. You gotta know how to use it.

With data, you gotta decide what data you care about or decide to investigate something in particular (e.g. alternative lines in corner 5) before you can get much out of it. Racepak said that every customer seems to be interested in something different in terms of what to look at (min speed, lat G, etc.)

You need to hire a data nerd or become one. Just like you gotta hire a mechanic or be one. That, or get a logger with a predictive lap timer and use some Pavlovian conditioning to make you think you're gonna get a sip of gatorade when the predictive goes negative (and just ignore most of the rest of the data).

[Johnny D]

It's a tool. It's like welding. You can't just buy a welder and drop metal in one end and expect great welds on the parts you need to come out of the other end. You gotta know how to use it.

With data, you gotta decide what data you care about or decide to investigate something in particular (e.g. alternative lines in corner 5) before you can get much out of it. Racepak said that every customer seems to be interested in something different in terms of what to look at (min speed, lat G, etc.)

You need to hire a data nerd or become one. Just like you gotta hire a mechanic or be one. That, or get a logger with a predictive lap timer and use some Pavlovian conditioning to make you think you're gonna get a sip of gatorade when the predictive goes negative (and just ignore most of the rest of the data).

I don't think he's got any data to look at and having a hard time with AIM to buy one, IMO.
J~

[Rob Burgoon]

Derp. Projection is not just a way to watch movies.

If he's having trouble buying one, he's f*ed.

[svvs]

I don't think AIM sells direct.....they sell through reps.

One of my friends put an AIM system in his Cayman S. Bought it through a guy in Texas who does work for one of the ALMS teams (the team that runs the Ford GT's...Davison?). I have been on the phone with him three or four times......the guy is great. Any questions on install he walks you through it.

That being said....having a 1992 miata makes things a bit more difficult. You can't just hook into the ECU for the data from the car (oil pressure, water temp, throttle, etc.) It all has to come through external sensors, which add up.. I have a 1991 with a race techonolgy DL-1. I feel like Flatout motorsports here in the North East knows more about the system than the rep for the US,

Good luck. Find a good rep, find a system that the majority of people in your region use, and go with it. AIM, RT, Traqmate.....all of their software interfaces are good.

By the way....it's a great tool to have especually with coaching. This is the first year I really took advantage of it and I have to say.....it works.

-Vick

[dstevens]

Pegasus usually has them in stock but I don't know how deep the tech support is. I started using them after Victory Lane closed. Contact MyChron Mike or Roger at AIM and they should be able to help. Both Mike and Roger have helped me a ton. I did the hobby stock with no ECU, much like the 90 Miata I have now. (and the local NASCAR techs made me take it out of the stock after going through tech) You just need to wire the sensors and the speed magnets top the drive shaft and you're good to go. Sounds easy but it's a bit more difficult than that. Being a first timer, you will need some support. I'm biased by being a 10 year plus AIM user at this point but perhaps a Traqmate or RackPak would be a better start for you. I don't see either of those as being nearly as comprehensive as an AIM set up but if you are just starting out, less is more until you get your head around it.

[Danny Steyn]

I cannot speak highly enough about Glen and Ron at Traqmate that have always been there to help me with my data needs.

Its a great system, the new Traqdash is friggin awesome, and it continues to become a better product.

[forestdweller37]

When folks ask me about where to start with data loggers, I usually suggest they read "The Competition Car Data Logging Manual" by Graham Templeman. It's only about $20 at Amazon. The foundation of knowledge contained therein is worth much more. Most logger suppliers will let you download and use their software for free. Try using it to work through the concepts described in the book.

[Keith Novak]

I've had good luck with AIM product support. I bought one with something dead in the board, they tested it and promptly sent me a new one. For what to buy, that's a different question. If Roger is Roger Caddell formerly of Victory Lane Data, he knows his stuff WRT SM. Andrew Caddell won the first SM national championship and they used the AIM system.

What do most people in your area use? One of the nice things is being able to compare your data to a fast driver's data. Plus, when you can't figure out how to do stuff, the guy next to you can show you how, loan you a cord if you forgot yours etc.

You can go exotic and have sensors on everything you can imagine, or start simple. Some depends on how much you want to spend. Some depends on where you are on the learning curve. With the AIM system, the Michron 3 Gold is a popular choice.

I'm getting more familiar with it and although I have a fairly simple setup it does tell me quite a bit. Looking at RPM and speed, I can see how shifting early or rapping the rev limiter changes my section times. Looking at the track mapped using the lateral Gs and speed, I can see how different turn shapes change my exit speed. With warning lights I know a hose came off and I'd better stop before the engine blows, and that when oil pressure = 0, it already blew. You can look at section times and see how consistent you are (or aren't) and if you were, how much faster you'd go. There's a lot you can do with oil, water, speed, RPM, and Gs when you start trying to figure out why this lap was faster than that lap, or why today is different than yesterday.

Often, the biggest things it tells me is that the car is working fine but the driver needs some work, specifically here and here so go work on those 2 corners, or shows I'm setting good laps so I should try to keep doing the stuff that's working.

[Strongbad]

+1 Traqmate.

[dstevens]

If Roger is Roger Caddell formerly of Victory Lane Data, he knows his stuff WRT SM.

Yep, he took a gig with AIM. Mike McKnight is "MyChron Mike".

[George Munson]

Danny's right the quaility and service I've recieved from Traqmate has been over top. Easy enough for some of us "non-computer" types. Plus the new screen is big enough for my tired eyes.

[Todd Green]

+1 for RaceTechnology. I have an AIM (MXL Pista) in my M3 (and an older DL-1) and an DL-1Mk2/DASH3 in my SM. Vastly prefer the RT. I love that I can program the DASH3 to display whatever I want and have different screens for practice, quali, sprint races and enduros. But I work in a computer science dept so I'll freely admit that I nerd out on this stuff.

Don't have much experience with Traqmate since I got the AIM and RT long before they even existed. I've played with the TM software a bit and prefer RT's, but that could just be due to familiarity. I got my SM setup from Jeremy @ http://www.fasttechlimited.com/. Great guy to work with.

[dp35]

I've been using Traqmate for years, and it's been a great & reliable system. Last year I bought a used race car that had an AIM in it, so I had both. Hands down, the Traqmate software was way more user friendly. Now that they have the slickest display I know of with the Traqdash, Traqmate is the best choice IMO.

[RacerX]

Another reason to go with what your friends and/or the local boys are using - swapping data. Analyzing you own data is good, but even better is comparing it to data from someone else - it can help determine differences in driving lines, braking points, etc...

R1chy

[Roger Caddell]

I am now working directly for AiM Sports and am their Training Manager. We are quickly building a training video library while traveling nearly every weekend around North America providing onsite training seminars to support the customers and dealers.
AiM Sports Training Video Library

[HoneyBadger - BrianW]

I have contacted AIM in Virginia (I think it's Virginia) on a couple of occasions now. They have always been helpful and easy to deal with. They even transferred me to the SmartyCam developer and he uploaded a program to fix a non closed video file.

[Keith Novak]

I am now working directly for AiM Sports and am their Training Manager. We are quickly building a training video library while traveling nearly every weekend around North America providing onsite training seminars to support the customers and dealers.
AiM Sports Training Video Library

Sweet!

Oh yeah...and some of the people who sell and really know these sytsems sometimes stop by the board.

[Alberto]

My thought - try a local data vendor. They can help decide on a system (if they offer more than one) provide help with install and often provide training on how to use it and interpret the data and learn from it.