RE: Backwards Rustler?
I agree with [i]rebuilder[/i], stability at high speed will be very hard to maintain with rear wheel steering. With front wheel steering the front of the car has to pull away from it's direction of momentum for the vehicle to turn. With rear wheel steering the back of the car will be swinging forward somewhat (in the direction of the momentum it already has) and it will be very easy to spin out ("J" turns anyone[:D]). You may be able to reduce this with low steering rates or a lot of expo. If all that is needed during the run is very small corrections to the line it may work. You may run into another problem. Instead of the torque overwealming the weight of the front and pulling a wheelie, it may simply break traction and spin the tires. Either way, if you try it definitely post your results.
Posted on: 11/20/2009 6:11 PM by Author "BigTb17" in the forum "RC Electric Off-Road Trucks, Buggies, Truggies and more"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9268316

RE: Looking for a new 1/8 buggy
I'm currently building an Associated RC8B FT and making it brushless. The kit itself is built, but I'm waiting for odds and ends as well as the electronics. So far everything seems great. However, I don't have much direct experience with other 1/8th scale vehicles to compare it to, and haven't even run it yet[:D]. I was impressed with how precise everything is. Nothing binds, yet there is little to no play anywhere. The fit, finish, and overall build quality is excellent. Maybe this is common among 1/8th scale buggies, but all I know is that these things are better overall than on any other RC car I've owned (all 1/10th scale and smaller up until now). It should be an awesome car once I get it going. My buddy has an Ofna buggy (an older Hyper 7). I don't know much about it other than it is a tank. He is anything but gentle on his RC cars, and his Ofna buggy is the only one that he hasn't broken anything significant on. And it's not from lack of cartwheeling and hitting stuff. It may be heavier than my RC8 (won't know for sure until everything is installed in my buggy), but some parts are physically just a bit larger on his Ofna (most noticeably the turnbuckles and driveshafts/axles). I actually have it at my house right now, so if you have any questions about it I will check it out and answer if I can.
Posted on: 11/19/2009 11:46 PM by Author "BigTb17" in the forum "RC 1/8th Scale Buggies"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9266717

RE: ready to order E Firestore Flux.....using 3S Lipo however....
Stock gearing on an E-Firestorm is an 87 tooth spur and a 19 tooth pinion. I entered that into this [link=http://www.scriptasylum.com/rc_speed/_top_speed.html]Speed Calculator[/link] (not exact, but gives a general idea) and got 69+ MPH with the 5700KV motor on 3S and 56+ with the 4600KV on 3S. That is with stock gearing. In both those cases I would be concerned about motor heat unless just running on the street. For rough terrain I would gear down (smaller pinion and/or larger spur).
Posted on: 11/18/2009 5:54 PM by Author "BigTb17" in the forum "RC Electric Off-Road Trucks, Buggies, Truggies and more"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9263594

RE: ready to order E Firestore Flux.....using 3S Lipo however....
You are thinking correctly. A smaller pinion, and/or a larger spur gear will lower the top speed (everything else being equal) and reduce the load on the motor. Before you plan on changing gearing to bring the top speed back up it would be a good idea to check and see if the top speed even needs brought up. If you stick with the 5700KV on 3S I would definitely reduce the pinion size. If you go with the 4600KV the stock gearing may be ok, or may still be a bit high with 3S. What type of terrain will you be driving on? Also, any 48 pitch pinion with a 1/8" shaft diameter should work.
Posted on: 11/18/2009 5:43 PM by Author "BigTb17" in the forum "RC Electric Off-Road Trucks, Buggies, Truggies and more"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9263575

RE: Narrowed it down to... four?! OMD
A lot of points have been made on here, but I figured I'd add my own opinion. First of all, I don't agree that a buggy isn't bashable. An 1/8th scale buggy is just as capable (if not more so), and easily as durable (again, probably more so) as the 1/10th scale buggies and stadium trucks that people bash all the time. It may be a much more expensive option for something that basically does the same thing, but there's no reason an 1/8th scale buggy can't be bashed. However, a center diff, smaller tires, and less ground clearance all add up to less real off road ability than a Revo. Depending on how rough the "woods" area you drive in is you may find the buggy can't go some places that your Revo could. It's just a matter of deciding what is your highest priority. As other have mentioned, you really can't get everything in one platform. Top speed isn't just about overall weight. Maybe you already know this, but you won't likely be able to run the same setup for 80MPH that you will for grass and woods bashing. You may have control and traction issues, but you will also probably have heat issues. Either way, good luck with whatever you do.
Posted on: 11/15/2009 12:09 PM by Author "BigTb17" in the forum "RC Electric Off-Road Trucks, Buggies, Truggies and more"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9255205

RE: An ESC that can handle 3s lipo?
It is the Mamba Max correct? It will run brushed motors, but check your manual before connecting the brushed motor. I believe there is a specific wiring setup if you are running a brushed motor.
Posted on: 11/14/2009 6:04 PM by Author "BigTb17" in the forum "RC Electric On-Road vehicles, race cars and more"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9253720

RE: castle creations sidewinder esc
[quote]ORIGINAL: dockman2 Sorry Big T, wasnt really refering to your post. I understood you were just trying to get all the info to get a better idea of what was going on. Also I understand and agree with what you said about the voltage drop. I guess I was just venting about the ''repeaters'' on all these threads. You know, they dont really have a good answer so they just ''repeat'' what they read somwhere else. Anywho, Mike Im wondering if it may be overgeared a bit. Scotts track is pretty flowing so you shouldnt really be pulling a lot of amps. I guess we will see Sunday if the weather holds out. [/quote] No problem, and no offence taken or intended. Just answering your question as best I could[;)]. I do know what you mean.
Posted on: 11/4/2009 4:40 PM by Author "BigTb17" in the forum "RC Electric Off-Road Trucks, Buggies, Truggies and more"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9228184

RE: castle creations sidewinder esc
[quote]ORIGINAL: dockman2 [b]Man, what did you guys do for batts before high Mah Lipo's? Seems like everytime someone dosnt really know the answer they blame it on a batt with a low Mah rating.[/b] Ive ran a Kyosho ST with a Mamba Max, 7700kv motor, and using 8yr old 2400 Nicads that only hold 1700mah and have crappy voltage. The thing still fly's! In fact on the long backstraight of our track the nose lifted, caught air and the whole truck took off about 2-3ft into the air. Fourwheels can testify to that. You dont need mega Mah batts for these things to run. Stupid question Mike, was that battery fully charged? By what you described it sounds like it wasnt. Is your CC setup brand new or could someone changed the settings? [/quote] Because Li-Po batteries require a low voltage cutoff. Your Ni-Cd battery might drop to 5 volts (or even less) for a second or so during acceleration, but it's not a big deal as long as the receiver doesn't drop out. I was having glitching issues with a cheap, 3000 mAh Ni-MH battery (6 cell) and testing revealed that the voltage was dropping to 3.5 volts (for a fraction of a second) during full throttle starts. With a Li-Po, if the voltage dips that low (due to not enough amperage capability) the low voltage cutoff will kick in. Don't get me wrong, it's possible that his battery can supply the amperage his system needs. I have a 1750 mAh 2S Li-Po that I've run in my T4 a couple times, but that truck has a 13.5 turn brushless motor geared low and I've measured a little over 30 amps max during acceleration, so the battery can handle it fine if I'm not totally thrashing it the whole run. I'm not blaming it on his battery yet, I asked for more information before making any judgments. The reason I asked is, say his battery is only a 15C, that means it's only good for 33 amps. If, for example, he's using a 5700KV motor (with a 3S) he could be pulling well over what his battery is rated. That can cause a huge voltage drop as the battery struggles to pump out the amperage. His car works correctly with one battery, but not another, it makes sense to ask questions about the battery that he has issues with.
Posted on: 11/4/2009 7:11 AM by Author "BigTb17" in the forum "RC Electric Off-Road Trucks, Buggies, Truggies and more"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9227143

RE: SLASH SPUR GEAR PROBLEM
[quote]ORIGINAL: Andyjk Yeah I've been through 11 spur gears (one of them was the hardened steel one also). I'm using a titanium pinion gear. I'm just about sick of having to replace the spur. [/quote] Check your transmission case really well for cracks or damage. Something must be flexing or otherwise doing something it shouldn't in order to strip that many gears, much less a steel spur gear.
Posted on: 11/3/2009 9:58 PM by Author "BigTb17" in the forum "RC Electric Off-Road Trucks, Buggies, Truggies and more"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9226502

RE: Vorza flux
[quote]ORIGINAL: paynezoo haha im sorry. I ment I run a 3s 25c 2200mah on my trex ...i have 2 of them tho so in the vorza it would be 4400mah 6cell [/quote] Actually, you could either wire them in parallel for 4400 mAh 3S2P (11.1 volts) or wire them in series for 2200 mAh 6S (22.2 votls). If you wire them up in series it will still only be 2200 mAh, and at 25C it would be good for 55 amps max. You would probably end up overworking them.
Posted on: 11/3/2009 6:34 PM by Author "BigTb17" in the forum "RC Electric Off-Road Trucks, Buggies, Truggies and more"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9225974

RE: Vorza flux
[quote]ORIGINAL: paynezoo Yeah im so happy. The truggy would be great too. I have a 6cell 2200 i run in my trex 450 so that should work. [/quote] What's the "C" rating of that Li-Po? 2200 mAh sounds a bit small.
Posted on: 11/3/2009 4:05 PM by Author "BigTb17" in the forum "RC Electric Off-Road Trucks, Buggies, Truggies and more"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9225617

RE: NEED HELP WITH MY 4-TEC
You won't need to plug anything into the "BAT" port on the receiver. The ESC will power the receiver directly through the connection at CH2. First things first, did you read the manual for the speed control? It's been a long time since I've used a Traxxas controller (and I've never used the VXL) so I can't give you specifics, but there should be a setup process to calibrate the ESC to the radio. If that doesn't work you will have to start troubleshooting. For example, are your battery connections good, is the battery itself good, does the steering work when the battery is plugged in, or does nothing work at all?
Posted on: 11/3/2009 10:00 AM by Author "BigTb17" in the forum "RC Electric On-Road vehicles, race cars and more"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9224835

RE: castle creations sidewinder esc
[quote]ORIGINAL: fourwheels0 yes thats what the manual says but it does not run right with a 3 cell 2200 lipo. fast for the first 100ft then real slow. 2 cell 3200 is fine. [/quote] When you plug the battery in it will make a series of beeps. There will be a series of distinct tones that tell you how many Li-Po cells the ESC detected, then it will play it's complicated arming music. However, if 2 cell works then the problem very likely isn't the cutoff setting. What's the "C" rating of that 2200mAh Li-Po? What vehicle is it in and what's the gearing, motor (KV)?
Posted on: 11/3/2009 9:50 AM by Author "BigTb17" in the forum "RC Electric Off-Road Trucks, Buggies, Truggies and more"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9224810

RE: RC10b4 gearing
[quote]ORIGINAL: Shenanigans Dont worry bout it bro....its just my typical impatience :)  I dont think Ill have to monitor the temps so much yet as Im only running 7.2v batteries at the moment, but Im sure Ill want to upgrade as soon as I get it running :)  Does the rc10b4 fit 7 cell batteries in it?  Or will I have to modify the chassis to get them in there? Theres a fan available for the velineon system, but if Im runnin a 1:1 ratio with a 3500 kv motor, will overheating be an issue?  From reading it appears that the 3500 velineon system doesnt have much a problem overheating unless you have it overgeared, or runnin 3s 11.1v LiPo's. [/quote] The chassis will fit 7 cell flat packs. The stock hold-down will not work with "hump" style packs, but you could probably make something work if that's what you have.
Posted on: 11/3/2009 9:21 AM by Author "BigTb17" in the forum "RC Electric Off-Road Trucks, Buggies, Truggies and more"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9224764

RE: RC10b4 gearing
Sorry, just realized you said you don't have the car yet. I can measure mine when I get a chance if you want, but it may not be until later tonight, so it may not help you much.
Posted on: 11/3/2009 8:15 AM by Author "BigTb17" in the forum "RC Electric Off-Road Trucks, Buggies, Truggies and more"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9224625

RE: RC10b4 gearing
An easy and accurate way to measure the tire circumference tire is to make a mark on the tire. Set a ruler on the ground and set the tire next to it with the mark lined up with a point on the ruler. Roll the tire along the ruler until the mark lines up with it again. Bingo, the distance you measure is the tire circumference. At speed the tire will expand and this will get longer, but it gives you a starting point. Keep in mind, no matter what you find from your calculations you still need to monitor temps at first to make sure everything's good.
Posted on: 11/3/2009 7:53 AM by Author "BigTb17" in the forum "RC Electric Off-Road Trucks, Buggies, Truggies and more"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9224587

RE: HobbyKing's Brand New 100A Brushless ESC Combo
[quote]ORIGINAL: gman1 Could anyone tell me if a 100 A ESC could be used in a 1/8th Buggy? I would like to know, as I can pretty much see myself purchasing a 1/8th Buggy sometime in the future. I really hope that Tamiya can release a 1/8th buggy for their fellow fans and thankful customers. I would love to see that, so if anyone is reading this and happens to be from Tamiya or has connections to let them know that myself and others would love to see the greatest R/C Model Company of all time (At least in my opinion, since Tamiya is the brand that I always buy, because I enjoy putting their kit's together. It's so much fun.) release a 1/8Th Electric Buggy Or Truggy. Thanks. [/quote] As long as you stay under 100 amps draw then sure. It's all about getting the KV, gearing and voltage balance in such a way that you don't overwork the ESC (or motor or batteries for that matter). If setup properly you could probably use a 50 amp ESC in a 1/8th scale, it just wouldn't be very fast the way it had to be set up. As long as you are aware of the limits and don't try to push beyond them you will be fine. However, the biggest limit of that ESC when it comes to 1/8th scale is that it is limited to 3S Li-Po. It would be tough to make it very fast and stay within the amperage limits with a 3 cell. As long as you can live with it's limitations, then it would work.
Posted on: 11/3/2009 7:13 AM by Author "BigTb17" in the forum "RC Electric Off-Road Trucks, Buggies, Truggies and more"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9224528

RE: switch?
What is lacking on your XXX-T that you are looking to gain? The only reason I ask is because your truck and the E-Firestorm are very similar in capability. Your truck would probably actually handle a bit better in some situations, but in a bashing scenario you may not notice a huge difference.
Posted on: 11/2/2009 7:50 PM by Author "BigTb17" in the forum "RC Electric Off-Road Trucks, Buggies, Truggies and more"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9223596

RE: Soldering frustration..
mini-dude is right on the money. Flux also aids in heat transfer so parts get hot much quicker. This helps the solder melt quicker and avoids overheating components. I prefer working with a lower wattage in most cases. I do almost all of my RC work with a 15 watt Radio Shack iron. If everything is pre-tinned and fluxed I don't have any problems. It's not all about temperature and wattage, it's about heat transfer. Even if you have a 100W iron, if the tip is dirty or loose (some tips thread in, or have a clamp of some sort) you will get very little heat transfer and you are likely going to have trouble.
Posted on: 11/2/2009 2:41 PM by Author "BigTb17" in the forum "RC Car General Discussions"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9222828

RE: GoPro Motorsports Hero onboard cam
Very nice. Was that multiple flights, or do you have multiple cameras? I assume that's the "wide" version with the wide angle lens. I just got the wide version this weekend clearanced for $99 at Dick's Sporting goods. Haven't gotten a chance to use it yet other than just some quick testing. Mine is the Helmet Hero (not the Motorsports Hero) which comes with a headband mount and a helmet mount (in addition to the double stick mounts that the Motorsports Hero comes with) but doesn't come with the flexible arm mount. For most situations I will probably make my own mount anyway to save weight and reduce vibration.
Posted on: 11/2/2009 1:21 PM by Author "BigTb17" in the forum "Aerial Photography and Video"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9222653

RE: Snow Spikes
Spikes may not make much difference in deep powder, but it should help some on packed snow and ice. Better than nothing. I think stiff foam inserts would do more than glueing the area. Glue would probably just crack and allow the tire to flex after not much use. Plus, unless you glued a very large area it would probably still flex. I don't know how tough it would be to find, but I think stiff foam might work. I suppose a bit of glue around the studs couldn't hurt though if it seem like they are going to simply fold over very easily.
Posted on: 11/2/2009 12:34 PM by Author "BigTb17" in the forum "RC Electric Off-Road Trucks, Buggies, Truggies and more"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9222528

RE: tamiya confusion
I believe the Jeep comes with a light kit (and possibly something else) which adds to the cost. I believe J.D.T. is correct, the XC is a slightly shorter wheelbase version of the CC01. I think the chassis itself may actually be the same, but the rear suspension uses a further back mounting point on the CC01. Someone can correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that's the case.
Posted on: 11/2/2009 11:41 AM by Author "BigTb17" in the forum "RC Electric Off-Road Trucks, Buggies, Truggies and more"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9222420

RE: SLASH SPUR GEAR PROBLEM
Try to ease off the throttle in the air so there isn't so much force in the gears when you land. Also, check that the motor mounting screws are tight and that the mesh is correct often. A motor moving on it's mounts from repeated impacts (from jumps, etc.) can cause a spur gear to get chewed up quickly.
Posted on: 11/2/2009 10:54 AM by Author "BigTb17" in the forum "RC Electric Off-Road Trucks, Buggies, Truggies and more"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9222322

RE: too much wheel wobble
The bearings you posted are 5x8mm. This is the size the old XL-1 Rustlers used. However, the newer ones use 5x11mm bearings. Check before ordering to make sure you get the correct size.
Posted on: 11/2/2009 8:54 AM by Author "BigTb17" in the forum "RC Electric Off-Road Trucks, Buggies, Truggies and more"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9222106

RE: Insane speed setup?
[quote]ORIGINAL: SIRCC [quote]ORIGINAL: Access [quote]ORIGINAL: Druss Tekin are great systems in general but in this particular case, for speed only, I'd go with the new mamba max pro. The ability to go up to 6S would give you a lot more options in gearing and batteries. [/quote] I am going to try out a mamba max pro, 6s LiPo, and a sensored 17.5 (~2200KV motor) very soon. When I was running 3s / 5700KV I could easily hit speeds above 60mph, but the motor heating up was a problem after several minutes. [/quote] Isn't the mamba max sensorless [/quote] The new Mamba Max Pro can run sensorless or sensored. I agree with Access, a Mamba Max Pro is probably a great way to go. High voltage and low KV is a good way to keep amps from getting out of control when trying to reach ballistic speeds.
Posted on: 11/1/2009 1:42 PM by Author "BigTb17" in the forum "RC Electric On-Road vehicles, race cars and more"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9220270

RE: castle creations sidewinder esc
[quote]ORIGINAL: fourwheels0 i have the sidewinder esc. is this where you hook up the link cable (see pic). what cable can i get besides the one from castle. [/quote] The Castle Link plugs into the receiver plug (the plug on the ESC that plugs into the receiver). As far as I know the Castle Link is the only thing that works with Castle ESCs.
Posted on: 11/1/2009 11:41 AM by Author "BigTb17" in the forum "RC Electric Off-Road Trucks, Buggies, Truggies and more"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9220005

RE: newbie question
[quote]ORIGINAL: storytyme I am new to the onroad RC world and have been using my pinion and spur gears from off-road which are 48P. Is 64P better for onroad? Also, I have a stock 72 spur (I think it is 48P). If I do go 64P what should I start at with spur and pinion? Will this vary from the 48P? I don't quite have a grasp on 48P vs. 64P. Hopefully someone can help me out. Thanks in advance. [/quote] 64P is supposedly a bit quieter and more efficient than 48P or 32P (I've never personally used it, which is the only reason I say supposedly). Also, because more teeth are packed into the same space, you can get a much larger ratio (lower gearing) with the same size spur. This is helpful in direct drive setups where there aren't diffs for further gear reduction. How many teeth does your current pinion have? Divide the number of teeth on the spur by the number of teeth on the pinion and you will get a ratio. For instance, you say you have a 72 tooth spur, so if you have a 20 tooth pinion (72 divided by 20) you get a ratio of 3.6. So if you stay at this ratio when you switch your gearing won't change (just an example because I don't actually know what size your pinion is). If you got 64P replacement gears in 20 and 72 teeth they would be smaller in diameter than your previous 48P gears. This would allow you to run a spur gear with a higher number of teeth in the same space. Personally I wouldn't bother switching unless you need to for gearing reasons. Keep in mind also, 64P gears are easier to strip if you have the mesh wrong.
Posted on: 10/29/2009 9:50 PM by Author "BigTb17" in the forum "RC Electric On-Road vehicles, race cars and more"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9213768

RE: DIESEL CAR SCIENCE PROJECT QUESTION
Those are some fairly specific rules. The entire car has to be able to fit in a shoebox when disassembled. That may make 45 pounds difficult to achieve. Unfortunately, I doubt you will find any transmission setup designed specifically to do what you want. You will have to modify something to make it work. RC4WD has some low speed transmissions for rock crawlers that you might be able to make work. They won't hold up to the full power that engine can produce, but if you only run it on flat ground and with small tires they might work. The trick will be getting the motor to run for a specific amount of time to get the specific distance you need consistantly.
Posted on: 10/29/2009 7:18 PM by Author "BigTb17" in the forum "RC Car General Discussions"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9213344

RE: DIESEL CAR SCIENCE PROJECT QUESTION
Is there a weight restriction (minimum or maximum)? You mention 45 pounds, it that your target? You say it has to go 100 feet in 2 minutes. Does it have to be around 1 MPH, or can it be faster? Does it have to stop right at the 100 foot mark, or is that a minimum distance you must achieve (just wondering how fine of control you need)? What is your budget, and do you have any requirements for custom work or limits on buying pre-fabricated parts?
Posted on: 10/29/2009 11:46 AM by Author "BigTb17" in the forum "RC Car General Discussions"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9212173

RE: new e-flight ultra micro bipe!
[quote]ORIGINAL: Raylon Can anyone recommend this as a first airplane? I have a DX7 and am into helicopters. I can fly a Blade CP with ease and have many many hours on RealFlight with airplanes. I am just looking for a small airplane I can fly many places. I also am considering the Suhkoi or P-51. Not sure which to get. [/quote] Everyone's learning curve is different, but I don't see why it couldn't be a first plane. It can fly very slow, which is nice for starting out. You have a DX7, so all you need do is lower the rates and add some expo and it should be fairly tame at low throttle/speed. I started out with a similar plane (larger, but a 3D foam plane), and I didn't have near the experience you do (I had only spend minimal time on a simulator, and had only a couple times attempted to fly a Blade CP Pro). I think, in some cases, 3D foamies (with very low rates) are easier to fly than some of the more scale planes people often start out with. Sure, they don't level themselves out after a turn, you have to level them back out yourself. But they generally have very forgiving stall characteristics. This, combined with light wing loading, allows them to fly very slow and stay in total control.
Posted on: 10/29/2009 6:56 AM by Author "BigTb17" in the forum "Electric Indoor & Micro RC Flight"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9211665