Short course race trucks

[MrDenton]

That's I nice set up. You'll have to excuse my ignorance here, I'm a ex nitro guy. This LiPo brushless esc stuff is all new to me.
Would I be better off running this on my 4wd and the traxxas stuff on the 2wd?
2 or 3 cell LiPo? Why can't I run 3c on the 4wd? Too much load? What if I want to run a 3c, what would I need?
I have 5000Mah LiPo's, I get about 30min runs, how will that change?


Blown Gas Flats to Rope...
In loving memory of
Chris "Church Mouse" Blevens

[FormulaZR]

That's I nice set up. You'll have to excuse my ignorance here, I'm a ex nitro guy. This LiPo brushless esc stuff is all new to me.
Would I be better off running this on my 4wd and the traxxas stuff on the 2wd?
2 or 3 cell LiPo? Why can't I run 3c on the 4wd? Too much load? What if I want to run a 3c, what would I need?
I have 5000Mah LiPo's, I get about 30min runs, how will that change?

First, to explain kv. That is RPM per volt.

2400kv motor: 2s lipo @ 8.4v max, 8.4x2400=20160 rpms
3800kv motor: 2s lipo @ 8.4v max, 8.4x3800=31920 rpms

The VXL system is a 3500kv 2 pole system, the Castle is a 3800kv 4 pole system. Ideally, for off road type stuff the lower the kv the better. But the difference between the VXL and Castle is that even though the Castle is 300kv higher, it is a 4 pole system which delivers more power. Also, the motor and ESC are a little more robust.

It is ideal for a 2wd on 2s, and can be run on 3s - just make sure you watch the temps on the motor (use a temp gun...and keep the temps under 200*, but temps in the 160*-170* are better). It is more efficient than the VXL system...and right now with 5000mAh batteries I'm getting run times of at least 20 minutes driving it on a track - I have not hit the LVD cutoff yet. Run time is somewhat hard to speculate on...because it all depends on your gearing and how you drive.

For the 4wd, it can be run...but only on 2s. That is because of increased load which translates into increased heat, some folks have run it on 3s in a 4wd Slash...but you have to pay close attention to the heat in both the motor, but especially the ESC. The Sidewinder ESC is really the weak link when running it in a 4wd. To be honest, the VXL system in a 4wd Slash is actually on the verge of not being enough motor - and can be easily "killed" by running too much gear. The 3800kv Castle system is still more robust, so it will still perform better than the VXL system in a 4wd Slash. If you run the Mamba Max or Mambo Monster with the 3800kv motor, you can more than safely run 2s - and it should still perform well on 3s if you pay attention to the heat and change gearing accordingly.

If you want to run 3s only in the 4wd the MMP Pro combo would be better. It's a Mamba Max Pro ESC with a slightly larger 2400kv 1415 motor. It will be noticeably faster than the VXL system...the downside is that the MMP ESC is not waterproof. You can waterproof it yourself for almost free, but it will void the warranty on the ESC. I'm not sure how much water you encounter? If you need waterproof, you can go for the Mamba Monster 2 ESC and the 2400kv 1415 motor. This combo on 2s will be quite slow.

And...if you want to get really extreme, you can run the MM2/2650kv 1512 system. It's overkill...and will be crazy power. Also a bit more expensive.


I haven't had my coffee yet...so I hope this isn't clear as mud.

[Tishimself]

I like anything RC, except planes...I crashed too many of them....just not that coordinated with them...but this stuff looks like a lot of fun....there's a couple nice shops in town..I'm thinking about building 4 wheel drive something for the summer to take to the lake with us....

[MrDenton]

These 1/10 scale slashes are bad ass! I can't believe how durable they are. Since Christmas we run them at least once a week bashing around the local park, hills and lake bed.
Here's the list of parts replaced so far.
Slash 4x4 brushless: 2 R pins
Slash 2wd brushed: new motor, my son ran through some mud that wiped a bearing, $22.
Badlands Proline rear tires with Beadlocks. Made it more drivable on dirt.
I'm sure there's better, faster and stronger, but for an RTR, you can't go wrong.


Blown Gas Flats to Rope...
In loving memory of
Chris "Church Mouse" Blevens

[MrDenton]

Ok FormulaZR, I have another question.
I've been playing around with friends motors and gears. Here's my decision. I'm leaving my 4wd alone and putting the traxxas brushless system in my sons 2wd.
Here's the questions.
My wife has a 10yr old E-maxx. Runs 2 6 cell NiMH batteries with the stock motors. I want to up hers a little. Nothing crazy, want to keep its reliability but gain some speed and run time. What's you're suggestion?
I also have a 1/8 Ofna nitro that's got more upgrades than I can remember. I want to convert it to brushless. My local Hobby Town says about $200-$250. What would you put in it that would be in that price range.
If you want you can email me.
2halletts@gmail.com


Blown Gas Flats to Rope...
In loving memory of
Chris "Church Mouse" Blevens