RE: New Losi CORR Truck!!
The Strike's not due to be in stock at Horizon until the 24th. Have to wait at least a week before they start hitting the shelves. :(
Posted on: 9/18/2009 9:34 PM by Author "Squidbait" in the forum "RC Electric Off-Road Trucks, Buggies, Truggies and more"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9106661

RE: RedCat 1/10 Electric Question
I've had my brushless Vortex for awhile, and I've stripped the spur gear from running at 11v, and with oversized tires, but never had a problem with debris in the pinion/spur. I've run in dirt, sand and gravel.
Posted on: 8/17/2009 6:45 PM by Author "Squidbait" in the forum "Redcat Racing Support"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9023760

RE: Stock shafts too soft for brushless power?
Sweet![sm=thumbup.gif] That'll solve the problem for sure. Are they in inventory now? My LHS is just about to place an order (with those shafts on it).
Posted on: 8/10/2009 5:23 PM by Author "Squidbait" in the forum "Redcat Racing Support"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9005594

Stock shafts too soft for brushless power?
OK, after blowing the front diff in my Vortex EPX Pro, I now find that I'm going on my third driveshaft. The first one threw a shear pin (see first attached) and this one completely sheared the ball off the end! [X(] At the other end you can see where the steel shear pin is deforming the shaft and getting ready to let go. And that was only with mild running on gravel and grass! No big jumps or slamming on the brakes. Is there an upgrade for these out there, or should I just start stocking up? [:@] [:)]
Posted on: 8/8/2009 8:05 PM by Author "Squidbait" in the forum "Redcat Racing Support"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9000635

RE: Vortex EPX Pro Differential?
OK, FWIW, I've just installed the HPI [link=http://www.hpiracing.com/products/en/82047/]82047 bevel and pinion gears[/link], and they're close, but not an exact fit. The pinion is a little loose on the shaft, but you can snug that up by tightening the socket down close to the bearing. The o-rings from the Redcat bevel gear only half-fit the HPI - the outer ring is too large. If you try and just squish it into the socket, it binds too much and the diff won't turn. I had a smaller o-ring in the junk box that worked, so I went with that. Once I got it back together, I found that the lash wasn't perfect, it sounds a little crunchy, even through the grease. I don't see any way to adjust the lash in this setup, so I'll just have to hope thatit holds together long enough to wear in. [;)] My next miggle is that I don't think the aluminum tube drive shaft is up to the job in these brushless buggies - the tube is just too soft for the shear pin. And, when I went to re-install the driveshaft, imagine my surprise to find the ball had completely sheared off the rear end!
Posted on: 8/8/2009 7:56 PM by Author "Squidbait" in the forum "Redcat Racing Support"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9000618

RE: Vortex EPX Pro Differential?
My brushless vortex does about 30 stock, and almost 40 with a 3s. I haven't clocked it with the new rubber yet.
Posted on: 8/3/2009 7:38 AM by Author "Squidbait" in the forum "Redcat Racing Support"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8985648

RE: questions for you redcat owners
I got the Vortex EPX Pro from my LHS, because the price was great for a 1/10 brushless, it is a cool looking truck, I didn't have to worry about customs and shipping, and they support the product. I think the new 1/8 brushless (when they get here) are going to be hot, and I'm going to be getting an Aftershock.
Posted on: 8/2/2009 6:42 PM by Author "Squidbait" in the forum "Redcat Racing Support"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8984388

RE: Pictures of your redcats and other rides
Here's my Vortex EPX Pro with Losi A/T tires... unfortunately cooling its heels waiting for a new diff to arrive. [&o]
Posted on: 8/2/2009 6:39 PM by Author "Squidbait" in the forum "Redcat Racing Support"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8984380

RE: Vortex EPX Pro Differential?
That's just nuts. That shop is totally gouging on the Redcat parts. The HPI parts MSRP is $14, and the Redcat Parts are $10.50... That said, did you notice any difference between the HPI and the Redcats? Material, quality, durability?
Posted on: 8/1/2009 5:58 PM by Author "Squidbait" in the forum "Redcat Racing Support"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8981937

RE: Vortex EPX Pro Differential?
That's what I thought too, since the pinion and ring gear are only about $10 from Redcat.... maybe he's looking at the completely assembled diff? Looking through the HPI parts, I don't see a pinion that looks like the 2030, and I don't see a pinion/ring gear combo....
Posted on: 8/1/2009 9:24 AM by Author "Squidbait" in the forum "Redcat Racing Support"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8981061

Vortex EPX Pro Differential?
OK, I can't find my owners manual (that covers the 47 different variations of the Vortex EPX chassis [:'(] ), and there aren't any schematics for any of the electrics on the Redcat site, so I'll ask here: Are the 2030T pinion and the 2029 ring gear the right ones for the Vortex EPX Pro? I broke a few teeth in my front dif.... not sure how I managed it, but lemme tell ya - this buggy with the brushless has waaaaaayyyy too much power for 2WD.... at least without adding a ton of weight to the nose! [:D]
Posted on: 7/28/2009 10:18 PM by Author "Squidbait" in the forum "Redcat Racing Support"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8972228

RE: How fast are the new 1/8 brushless
[quote]ORIGINAL: RedcatRacing We have so many people that want cars that go 70MPH but I dont think they understand at that speed it is almost impossible to control and of course your range is gone rather quickly. [/quote] We see the same thing with RC planes. Guys want to fly, and want a warbird or aerobat for their first plane, because the trainers are too boring. Then they come back all hot and bothered because they totalled the plane after their 10-second maiden flight. I can't help but think everytime I read someone's "It's junk" comment on a piece of RC equipment, that they're either one of these folks, or 12 years old.... or both. [:D]
Posted on: 7/25/2009 9:31 AM by Author "Squidbait" in the forum "Redcat Racing Support"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8962403

RE: Cross-post: Canadians ordering parts from USA?
USPS is the only way to get stuff across the border unless you want to bend over and let UPS/FedEx/DHL ream you for a so-called brokerage fee. If you're going to be doing a lot of cross-border ordering, it's better (and cheaper) to set up an account with a customs broker. If you're close to the border, get it UPS'd to a UPS store near the border, cross over and pick it up yourself... much less hassle and still cheaper than the ridiculous brokerage charges the couriers slap on you. Better still is to buy from a Canadian distributor/dealer. That ensures there's a parts supply in Canada, and probably helps local hobbyists by keeping a bricks-and-mortar store in business.
Posted on: 7/22/2009 4:46 PM by Author "Squidbait" in the forum "Redcat Racing Support"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8955318

RE: List of Canadian Vendors?
PJH is my LHS, and if you want a Monsoon, they'll get one for you. They're ordering fairly regulary from redcat, so I don't think the turnaround would be very long. Email them and ask. They have a high demand for monster trucks, and so keep a large stock of those, but for whatever reason, buggies and truggies just aren't that popular in this area. I'll make no mention of pickup trucks with gunracks being found when certain lawns get mowed... [;)][:D]
Posted on: 7/22/2009 4:36 PM by Author "Squidbait" in the forum "Redcat Racing Support"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8955287

RE: New tires for Vortex EPX Pro
Thanks guys. Actually, the reason it was running hot was because the bearings were seizing up. I guess I hadn't cleaned it out as well as I thought I had after running in some damp dirt. [sm=red_smile.gif] A few rounds of cleaner/degreaser followed by a super-light oil spray have cleaned them out well enough. It's running at normal temps now. I suspect I've probably shortened the motors lifespan, but I'll worry about that when the time comes. [:D]
Posted on: 7/20/2009 2:00 PM by Author "Squidbait" in the forum "Redcat Racing Support"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8949090

Vortex EPX Pro gear lash?
What is the recommended gear lash for the motor pinion-spur gear on this truck? I usually use a piece of paper on glow trucks, and that seems to work... but I just replaced the pinion, used the paper spacer, and it looks like the new spur is getting a little frayed around the edges after only 2 batteries. And that's with no jumps, and no (well not too many, anyways! [;)] ) hard starts or stops. I think it'd be nice to have a little harder spur, that takes a bit more wear. Not necessarily steel, since that'd probably wind up shredding something more expensive.... but maybe a little harder plastic?
Posted on: 7/16/2009 9:20 PM by Author "Squidbait" in the forum "Redcat Racing Support"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8939654

RE: New tires for Vortex EPX Pro
Thanks! I liked these tires on the Losi Desert truck, and thought they'd look good on the Vortex. Truth be told, I really wanted the brushless Volcano, but the LHS was out of stock, so I "settled" for the Vortex. I haven't been disappointed - I suspect the Vortex is quicker than the Volcano... just less ground clearance. I was scooting around on the lawn with the new tires, and no problems at all. They're really sticky on pavement, though... I can do that balanced-on-2-wheeled driving thing if I turn fast enough! [;)] I can't wait to see how they handle in the dirt.
Posted on: 7/16/2009 9:16 PM by Author "Squidbait" in the forum "Redcat Racing Support"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8939640

RE: Vortex EPX Pro ESC problem
I do and I don't.... I have another surface radio, but it's even cheaper than the Redcat one, and I can't get at the crystal to swap it (different freq). I don't mind the Redcat Tx... I just wish I knew what caused this sudden reversal. [sm=confused.gif]
Posted on: 7/16/2009 9:13 PM by Author "Squidbait" in the forum "Redcat Racing Support"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8939630

Vortex EPX Pro ESC problem
OK, my Vortex has been cooling its heels for a bit waiting for a new spur gear... now that I got it, and put the truck back together, the ESC is acting strange. I plugged the battery in, fired it up, and it's running in REVERSE! [sm=confused.gif] I haven't played with the servo reversing on the radio, and I didn't disconnect the motor wires, so what the heck?!?! OK, so to get around that, I reversed the channel on the radio - now it goes forwards, but the reverse is dodgy at best.... it seems more sensitive to throttle neutral... I can dial it in with the throttle trim, but when I try to reverse, there's lots of sputtering and jerking, and it eventually backs up... but nothing like it did out of the box. I've tried playing with the endpoint adjustments on the radio, but it doesn't seem to make much difference. Any suggestions?
Posted on: 7/16/2009 6:26 PM by Author "Squidbait" in the forum "Redcat Racing Support"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8939231

New tires for Vortex EPX Pro
I wasn't really thrilled with the stock tires that come with the Vortex (and I ground them bald in about a week - they really don't like pavement! [:D]) - I thought they looked small compared to the truck, and I just didn't like the knobbies. I wanted a little more ground clearance too, so I thought I'd try some Losi A/T tires (from their 1/10 desert truck). You can see it sits much higher now (compare the height with the stock wheel/tire in the second photo). Of course now the centre of gravity is higher, so I can't turn quite as sharply on pavement as I could with the stock tires. One thing I didn't consider was how much these wheels would deform when they're spun up - they probably increase another 1/2" in diameter! [X(] I raised the body up a couple of notches, but I'll probably have to go higher if I want to keep these wheels on - they hit the bod when I bottom out the suspension. I may have to drop the pinion size too, from stock to a smaller one... after a few runs, the motor is HOT! [X(] That said, it's now a wheelie-popping, nose-standing, grin-producing truck! [:D]
Posted on: 7/16/2009 6:17 PM by Author "Squidbait" in the forum "Redcat Racing Support"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8939251

RE: Landslide OWB
Where in Canada are you? [link=http://www.parisjunctionhobbies.com]Paris Junction Hobbies[/link] is a Redcat dealer, and can order/ship whatever parts you need - without you having to worry about customs.
Posted on: 7/16/2009 5:59 PM by Author "Squidbait" in the forum "Redcat Racing Support"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8939190

RE: New Losi CORR Truck!!
You've never been in a Ford/GM/Mopar bull-session? There's Associated, Traxxas and Losi fans here, all with firm opinions not necessarily grounded in experience... [;)][:D]
Posted on: 7/9/2009 10:18 PM by Author "Squidbait" in the forum "RC Electric Off-Road Trucks, Buggies, Truggies and more"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8920379

RE: More Vortex Ground Clearance?
Ahh.... could very well be landing a jump on the throttle.... it's seen lots of air in its' short time with me [:D] I may have been a little careless with the throttle while I was having so much fun... [sm=spinnyeyes.gif]
Posted on: 7/7/2009 5:00 PM by Author "Squidbait" in the forum "Redcat Racing Support"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8914086

RE: Final Images of the Aftershock 3.0 - 3.5 - 8E
Very, very cool! Can't wait for them to hit the shelves! Soon as they're in I'm trading up my Vortex for one![sm=thumbup.gif]
Posted on: 7/6/2009 9:03 PM by Author "Squidbait" in the forum "Redcat Racing Support"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8911812

RE: More Vortex Ground Clearance?
I can't really say.... I've been flogging the buggy pretty hard since I got it. I've run 3s lipos and A123s in it a bit, but I suspect that it's more from hard starting and braking than from a stone. When you look at the spur, there's a pinion-width groove milled through the teeth all the way around it. It was disappointing, since I had a bunch of batteries all charged and ready to go... It didn't last a minute with the 3s in there, and with a 3s pack, it really flies!
Posted on: 7/5/2009 10:04 PM by Author "Squidbait" in the forum "Redcat Racing Support"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8909264

RE: More Vortex Ground Clearance?
That's awfully nice of you, but that's OK... mine should be in in a couple of days. And the two spares I ordered to go along with it. ;) Not that it's anything special, but [link=http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showatt.php?attachmentid=2615916]here's a vid[/link] of my Vortex just before the spur stripped. Just after this I popped in a 3s A123, and there was this funny buzzing noise, and the car wouldn't move.... [X(]
Posted on: 7/5/2009 8:40 PM by Author "Squidbait" in the forum "Redcat Racing Support"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8909043

RE: More Vortex Ground Clearance?
[quote]ORIGINAL: chevyderek72 How much is shipping on just a padded envelope to canada you think? [/quote] According to their checkout, $12. The shocks are $13/pr. So $38 US, which with the current exchange is going to cost me $45. Plus if it's nabbed by customs, they'll slap on a $5 inspection fee, plus 13% tax, bringing it up to $56. Or, I can wait for my LHS to bring them in, and they price them pretty close to US retail... which would be $32 CDN for 2 pair. I'm not in such a big rush to do it that I'll blow the extra $25 on them. There are other things I can put that towards right now (like new wheels and tires!).
Posted on: 7/5/2009 7:15 PM by Author "Squidbait" in the forum "Redcat Racing Support"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8908813

RE: More Vortex Ground Clearance?
[quote]ORIGINAL: BigDave09 [quote]ORIGINAL: Squidbait Thanks D.... once they're back in stock [8|] I'll have to get a set. [/quote] go to rufaster.com or nitrodeals they always got them in stock [/quote] Nah... I'll wait for my LHS to get them - for 2 reasons. 1) I'm in Canada, so shipping is almost as much as the part, plus I'll likely get dinged with a handling fee
Posted on: 7/5/2009 7:02 PM by Author "Squidbait" in the forum "Redcat Racing Support"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8908782

RE: More Vortex Ground Clearance?
Thanks D.... once they're back in stock [8|] I'll have to get a set.
Posted on: 7/5/2009 6:31 PM by Author "Squidbait" in the forum "Redcat Racing Support"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8908696

More Vortex Ground Clearance?
Looking at how my Vortex suspension is set up, it looks like downward travel is limited by the length of the shocks, rather than the arms. If I could lower the shocks, I could increase the ride height. But it doesn't appear that I can position the shocks to lower the a-arms, so are there any longer shocks that will fit? Maybe the 60003 big-bore shocks?
Posted on: 7/5/2009 5:56 PM by Author "Squidbait" in the forum "Redcat Racing Support"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8908595