RC Trucks/cars

I was going to come in and post about this. With batteries I would go straight to LIPO if the ESC can handle it. You will also need a charger for them but I have moved away from the NIMH completely for both our trucks. My DD is 13 and been driving hers on LIPO for over 2 years so you should be fine lol
 
I did shoot you a PM. I have some questions on your rustler. I also looked at that one too. Brushed/Brushless. Only negative on traxxas brushed that i have heard is their titan motor is very short lived. But the rustler VXL Brushless looks nice. Add some anaconda tires for the pavement. I take it the stock tires will not last long on pavement?

Thanks Don.
 
Depending on the type of rubber and the size of the knobs. When I raced we used the small pin knobs and the pavement would eat them up in short time. 20 years ago all kinds of different tread pattern were available. I even ran foam on my Traxxas truck for indoor racing. They work great on pavement also. I couldn`t imagine the selection nowadays.

When looking into brushed motors the higher the turns on the armature the less powerful and the longer it will last and you will get longer run times. Stock motors when I raced were 27 turn and they were plenty fast, we had adjustable motor plates and would run the largest motor pinion to go the fastest possible and last 4 minutes of race time. The lower turn motors are powerful but do to the heat generated is why they don`t last. Usually the commutator gets burned and it eats up the brushes. Brushes are easily replaced and they made an eraser type tool way back when for cleaning the commutator on sealed end bell motors.

Hmmm, wonder if any of my gear is worth anything these days.
 
I`ve got a few around here as well. Happen to have an old Rustler, was my son`s first one. That one though is heavily modified (although still not brushless). Changes out control arms, hinge pins, shocks, gears, wheels, tires, controller, servos, motor, etc. But the biggest part of the `mod` is I went over every little place I could with a Dremel and hollowed it out. Don, you`ll know what I`m talking about. ;) Where all the bracing is in the chassis, I went around all those areas with a cutting bit and took quite a bit of plastic out. It lightened it up a LOT. The back end tends to want to pass the front quite a bit.


Then of course there is the old E-MAXX from the same era. Some RPM parts on it, different gears, motors, servos, and light shock mods.


The big money pit I have is a full Integy polished Aluminum Revo with a big block. Nothing on that thing is stock but just a few pieces here and there. Last count I had well over $2500 in it, WELL OVER. :blink: It`s more of a show truck than a basher, and it`s HEAVY as crap also..... just don`t like getting it dirty! LOL


Then the evil twin to the show Revo is a carbon fiber chassis one, same big block, but all (long) RPM arms, mods everywhere, pipe, front and rear main shafts, wheel shafts, oversized bearings (hub bearings), really ultra light for a Revo. Custom dyed the RPM pieces in red RIT dye. Wheels, arms, bumpers, even spoiler. They look awesome! Built that one for my son and the first time he drove it he ran it up his shin running about 30MPH and about broke his leg. Parked it... and it`s not been run in years.

Then I`ve got a fairly stock OFNA buggy. Not the fastest thing on the planet, runs closer to the ground than the trucks (which means you need CLEAN dirt to run it), but it`s tough as nails.

Of course I have a pile of OEM controllers then two KO Propo Controllers, an original MARS that was far better than anything OEM and still complicated over a OEM controller, but easy enough to get far better performance than a factor one when it comes to how well you`re RC`s will drive.


Then I invested in an KO Propo EX-10 Helios that takes multiple engineering degrees to program!:wacko: I had to read the manual over a WEEK before I would even consider trying to run one of my trucks with it.

Think I have it set to run 3 of the trucks I have, the two Revo`s, and the OFNA. It`ll hold up to 10 different vehicles. The trick though is you can program quickness of the servos, how linear they are, ABS, launch control, punch, fast turn in vs slow turn in vs slow at first then faster the more they move towards their programed motion etc. Throttle response can be programmed nine ways from Sunday to get that perfect start, yet have maximum speed say 50` out (for instance).

I`ve never got around to programming everything it`ll do, and taking notes on one versus the other... just too much. It`s literally amazing how many parameters the darned thing has. Of course it`ll do lap counting, lap timing and all that. It`s not a `digital` controller though, but it is FM (with quick change modules, and frequency modules as well).

Then there are the piles of custom painted bodies. Some of which have never been used.

Of course no serious RC-er would be caught out without a complete racing kit, parts bin, tons of extra shocks, shock valving, shock oils of ALL thickness, gears, screws, tools, pipes.... went crazy with that stuff back 10 years ago, (and hardly ever used ANY of it). Got another grand there for sure. :o

Can`t remember the name of it now, but I bought this aluminum jig that I can use to align all four wheels. Mounts to the axle shafts and allows you to set caster, camber, toe, ride height.... you name it. Problem is, the big Revo`s are too big to fit both sides at once!

Too much money spent there for SURE. :redcard:
 
I`ve got one of those Losi micro rock crawlers and I like to build obstacle courses and hill climbs using legos with my son`s.

 
PA DETAILER said:
For now torn between the RUSTLER XVL and ECX BRUSHLESS STADIUM TRUCK. The rustler ordered with wheelie bar/front bumper/anaconda f&r wheels/tires/ac charger tops at over $400. The ECX with no extras really needed is about $329

https://www.rcsuperstore.com/ShoppingCart.asp?

Circuit 1:10 4wd ST BL, AVC: RTR (ECX03017): ECX RC

Well, who win`s? LOL If i do this i want to do it right once.
Click to expand...

You absolutely want to go with 4WD. While the Rustler is fun, as I noted above, the back end tends to spend a lot of time trying to pass the front. Throw in brushless torque and I can`t imagine how much of a pita it`d be. Don`t get me wrong... doing 347 donuts during a battery run has it`s giggles...... but if you`re trying to run it around in your yard, say sit out some sort of track and NOT bang into the trees, the 4WD is easier to handle.

I`d probably go with the Monster Truck over the stadium truck.
This is why..... bigger tires means it doesn`t get all caught up with twigs, leaves, and debris NEAR AS EASILY. Best of both worlds would be the long A-arm Stadium Truck with bigger wheels.

That`s what I did with all my E-MAXX, T-MAXX, even the Revo`s. Longer A-arms make for more travel, and a MUCH more stable truck in the turns when you`re bashing around in the yard.

Now if you`re in a CLEAN dirt, open field, (no gravel, no rocks, no boulders, no water washes and gullies) the lower to the ground 4WD vehicles are a blast.;)

But when bashing in the yard, even grass affects how they run. My OFNA buggy is a BEAST, but it`s not for yard bashing. Leaves just pile up in front of it until I can get it to jump over them. (If there are too many it`ll just spin the tires.) This is where the low to the ground vehicles like running in open fields, or a track. Problem is.... around here tracks were very hard to find for years. Only one I know of now that`s local, and not sure when it`s even open. Although there is a place well north of Atlanta, up close to where my grandfather used to live that has a dirt track (off road), a concrete street course, and a concrete high banked oval. (Well... they DID last time I was playing with them.) You should see how serious the `teams` are on race weekends. Guys with enclosed trailer `haulers` with complete workshops inside! Talking about motor lathes, AC, generators, you name it. Typical builder, construction guy, electrician, HVAC company work truck pulling a trailer full of RC gear that he has $30,000 invested in!!!!! :blink:
 
Some times I wish for a 4x4 but in general the Rustler is just fine. I cut my grass at 3" and it definitely takes more battery to get it to go through the grass but thats only at home. We usually bash at local parks or the like so there are groomed trails and play grounds around. Skate parks are a blast too if you can get one empty.

Im biased so I would say go Rustler but I cant say any of those other trucks are good or bad. They look like decent trucks. If you go with the Rustler do not order the Traxxas wheelie bar THEY STINK. I can`t remember where I got mine but it is aluminum and has rubber wheels on it. Much better than the Traxxas one.

Cardaddy: I most certainly do know about ALOT of which you speak!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have not lightened my Rustler yet cause it is just plenty fast enough with the 4600kV motor in it and 2S Lipo. Donuts galore if I was so inclined, dry pavement and all.
 
dcjredline said:
Some times I wish for a 4x7 but in general the Rustler is just fine. I cut my grass at 3" and it definitely takes more battery to get it to go through the grass but thats only at home. We usually bash at local parks or the like so there are groomed trails and play grounds around. Skate parks are a blast too if you can get one empty.

Im biased so I would say go Rustler but I cant say any of those other trucks are good or bad. They look like decent trucks. If you go with the Rustler do not order the Traxxas wheelie bar THEY STINK. I can`t remember where I got mine but it is aluminum and has rubber wheels on it. Much better than the Traxxas one.

Cardaddy: I most certainly do know about ALOT of which you speak!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have not lightened my Rustler yet cause it is just plenty fast enough with the 4600kV motor in it and 2S Lipo. Donuts galore if I was so inclined, dry pavement and all.
Click to expand...
I`m with you on TRAXXAS vs the rest. ;)

I`d suggest to the OP, that you check with your LHS (local hobby shop) to see what available replacement parts he has (for the brand you choose).

Last thing you want is $500 in a new toy, then it smacks something, needs parts, and none are to be found.

Several thousand in trucks and buggies is one thing around my house... then half as much again in spare parts, tool boxes, batteries, spare bodies, various wheels and tires.... etc.

It`s more addicting than meth! LoL

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk
 
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