Jackedman

My Feedback: (2)

I air brush all my bodies. I hate the rattle cans the paint smells and it takes for ever to get it off your hands I you get it on them. At least with the paint for the air bush it's water base and doesn't smell that bad. I us the siphon dual action airbrush and love it. If your going to spend money on a air brush get a dual action one

Muskokarc

Ok cool.  the air brush is in clearance and only around $30 cnd.  Will stick with cans for now then.

Jackedman

My Feedback: (2)

Where is it that price??

ZZimmy

Some advice please.  OK, just picked up a used Rustler XL-5 in like new condition for my kids, 6 and 7.  I'm a nitro guy, basher not a racer, not too up on electrics.  Wanted something better than a big box store 5 mph piece of junk that would break in two seconds and couldn't be fixed.  So, the Rustler I purchased is a over a year old from my guess, it's the yellow ESC, not waterproof and no LVC.  The truck came as a pakage with two batts and a charger.  The charger is old but in great cosmetic shape, not sure about the operational portion.  It's a Tower Hobies Tower Power Model 420, with the old 15 mintue egg timer on it with charge and disharge cycles.  The batts are a Tower Hobbies 1500 NIMH and Venom 1800 NIMH. 

The issue is I only seem to be getting no more than 8 minutes run time. With a few runs of top speed but mostly babying it on blacktop, trying to teach my kids to drive it.  Yes, I know there's a training mode but not interested in that.  What I want is not a killer fast truck but a truck with OK speed and acceleration that lasts 25 minutes or more on one battery.  My question is should I upgrade to the newer XL-5 ESC so I can go LIPO to get longer run times or go bigger on the NIMH batt and try another charger.  I was looking at the Duratrax Onyx 220.  Max budget on charger is $60.....max!   Sorry just no money to invest in a bigger better charger, no need for it for my nitros, wall chargers work well enough for my needs.  I can pick up a new XL-5 ESC on eBay for $20, no problem.  What LIPO's will give me the run time I am looking for and not be to much for my stock brushed motor or like I mentioned earlier should I stick to NIMH and go bigger?             

rayndog3

I've got a rustler for my 3 year old son, and my 5 year old daughter uses it too.you cango the route of a newerXL-5and use lipo, just make sure its an XL-5 with low voltage detection. I don't think the XL-5 electronics hold up to using lipo that well, thats just my experience though. you can get a nice lipo charger from hobbypartz for $45. Iget all my electronics from hobbypartz, they are cheap for the everyday basher on a budget. If you want to step up to a brushless system go with a nice ezrun system from hobbypartz, about $80, and throw a 12t pinion in, that will keep the top speed down but you'll have plenty of speed off the bat. go with a 5000 mah gens ace 2 cell from hobbypartz for a battery. get away from the NIMH. You will get much longer run times and more power with the lipo.

rayndog3

Just finished a little project, mutated a rustler rearend onto a duratrax nitro maximum chassis. Its an old chassis and the engine is unsalvageable, so I figured I'd try to make it into an electric. anyways, here is the end result. actually handles really good.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tv1Bza_sbtI[/youtube]

thehuntingterminator

i agree with ray. you will end up saving money if you just go ahead and go brushless. otherwise, your gonna spend just as much on replacements for burnt out brushed motors and almost every brushless system nowadays comes with an LVC so you can safely run lipos. and like ray said, get the AC6 (or thats what he implied) from hobbypartz for 45 bucks, and then a Gen's Ace 5000mah 30 or 40c pack and you will be good to go. your kids will love it and you should get around 45 minutes of runtime as long as it isn't geared high.

phmaximus

ive got a b5 its great so i just ordered this, its a b6 for only $12 with $10 postage cang go wrong there, it can charge anything up to 5 amps. it can even cycle ur nitro reciver packs.
wall chargers such with a 5000mha at a 500ma charge it would take 12hours and with the b6 it takes 1.2 hours

for now get the b6 and the biggest 7.2v nimh battery, ive smoked 2 motors with kids on lipo's

Muskokarc

I just got a new charger, use to have the egg timer charger to.  The new charger can do your nitro batt. packs and also charge a glow igniter.  I just getting into nitro from electric.  So being able to charge the glow igniter is a good feature.  You do not need to jump up to lipo right off the bat a battery with a higher Mha rating to get longer runs. 

http://www.hobbypartz.com/skychb6chdup.html  Yes it is out of stock but gives a idea of what should look for.

 

ZZimmy

OK All, thanks for the advice, I just got a brand new XL-5 w/ the LVC off eBay for $25.  So, looking at lipo's what is the absolutely safest option to take as to not burn the motor out.  I want at least 20 minutes run time, not worried about speed or super quick acceleration.  Or, is there no safe lipo option even with the new ESC w/ LVC and I wasted $25 bucks on a spare?

thehuntingterminator

if running the Titan 12T there is no safe option. if you wanna run a better brushed motor and you are geared correctly for conditions, then running a 4000-5000mah 2s lipo would be fine.

Muskokarc

I would agree about the titan motor they burn out easily.  My friend went through two just on NIMH batteries.  Though could have been avoided if you keep an eye on the temp and gearing ratio.   Brushed can handle Lipo would look for one with a low C rating.  When it comes to choosing a battery for long runs you want to look at the Mah value the higher the longer it will last.  Before my lipo pack I was running 7.2v NiMh packs one is 3000MaH, the other was I think 4600 Mah.  The second one was one I made from my friends larger batter that had a cell burn out.  It actually melted the plastic wrap on the pack.   We knew there was issues with the pack so had been watching it closely. 

Jackedman the air brush is at Home Depot. and it is more around $29 for it.

ZZimmy

Well, I have scoured various websites and forums and no one can agree on anything with the Titan 12t and lipos. It's about 50/50 to be honest. Some say no problem, others say no way. So, I'm going to cut my losses and stick to NIMH for now, especially since this truck is going to see limited use and I've already invested way more in an electric than I wanted to. So, I'm not going to buy a balance charger but looking at this option on Amazon, hard to beat deal, if it works as good as all the reviewers claim. Anyone here with experience with this charger or batteries?

http://www.amazon.com/3800mAh-Power-...pr_product_top

So, at least I now have a waterproof ESC but doesn't do much good if the rest of the electronics are not! Oh well, back to investing money into my Losi Aftershock!

Muskokarc

Ya that charger looks great for your application.  Did your receiver not come in a waterproof box on the cassi?   You do not have to worry about the motor they can run underwater with out any issues.  If you run it wet conditions its a good idea to blow the water out of the motor to keep from oxidizing.

I just started messing with a LST super truck that I picked up second hand.   A well used one at that need to replace a few parts to get it back up running.   Its my first nitro.

The start of my LST rebuild :

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_10684770/tm.htm  

phmaximus

what other nitros have u got???? im running a revo platmium, losi xxx nt drake, Great Vigor V2

Dont was ur cash on that charger, u should be able to find something very simular for around $5
dude get your self a B6, i know it a a ballance charger but its only $12 can u really go wrong with $12 (keep in mind thay are $150 in stores)
IMAX B6 is the new intelligent multifunction charger which can charge and discharge for Lion, LiPo, LiFe (A123), Pb, NiCd and NiMH batteries. It's all-powerful in a way.

Feature:
1. Microprocessor controlled Delta-peak sensitivity.
2. Individual cell balancing Li-ion, LiPo and LiFe capable Ni-Cd and NiMH capable
3. Large range of charge currents Store function, allows safe storage current
4. Time limit function
5. Input voltage monitoring. (Protects car batteries at the field)
6. Data storage (Store up to 5 packs in memory)
7. Battery break in and cycling.
8. Support new generation A123 system (LiFe) battery

Specification:
* Operating voltage range: DC11.0-18.0 Volt / AC to DC adaptor(DC11.0-18.0V/5A)
* Circuit power: Max.charge power 50W / Max.discharge power 5W Charge Current Range: .1~5.0A
* Discharge current range: 0.1-1.0A
* Current drain for balancing Li-po: 300mAH/cell
* LiIon/LiPo/LiFe cells : 1-6
* NiCd/NiMH cells : 1-15
* Pb battery voltage: 2~20v
* Net Weight: 277g
* Unit Package Gross Weight: 580g
* Dimensions: 133x87x33mm

Compare to iMAX B5:
* Can charge 6 cells LiPo battery (B5 can charge maximum 5 cells)
* With Discharge Function
* A123 Life Charging

Thay come with all the standard connections even a glowplug & reciver connection

I must admit i was shocked when u posted that u got a new ESC with the buil in LVC because i smoked 2 motors on a setup like that, im shure i posted that

with my experance kids dont need a big battery thay get bored to quick, 3300mah battery would be a good start & do your self a favour look at those Imax chargers mine has been going strong for over 4 years.

thehuntingterminator

he said his came with the yellow XL-5 meaning it was before waterproof stuff.

phmaximus

go brushless with the losi


or if u want a really fast & great handling r/c car, give the losi to the kids & upgrade the rustler to brushless.

99% o 35af brushless motors will have way more power than the stock losi nitro motor. & the rustler is heaps lighter, then look at the 70, 100 & 150amp esc hummm

ZZimmy

Nice setup on the your Losi phmaximus.  Without getting into a long running debate about why I prefer Nitro over electric, I'll just say I love my Losi the way it is, I love nitro.  Couldn't pass up the price of the ESC since it is waterproof and has the LVD built in.  Don't think it was the wrong choice even if I never run LIPOS for $25.  I think I'll stick with the batts and charger from Amazon as well.

phmaximus

Cherz m8 but thats not mine, just a pic for referance

Dont worry i love my revo, but it just does not scare me as much as some of my brushless cars. its because with a nitro engine the torque increases with rpm, but with a brushless motor it has its max torque just off 0 rpm then the torque decreases in a linear fashion. nitros are very consistant in preformance and the power curve is more forgiving and more sutiable for racing, Brushless cars are fun to because of there wheel spinning abillity and stupid amounts of torque.
If im showing off i take a brushless car, if im racing i take the nitro.

phmaximus

Hows ive been testing out the RPM 2 stage shocks pistons im my slash gonna get some for the rustler if thay work for me.
I did notice all 4 shock shafts were bent, what the hell, i havent done any big jumps or anything!!!!
But have u guys had any problems with bent shock shafts????? i could only notice mine by haveing a really good look. please check yours and let us know if thay are bent. cheerz

thehuntingterminator

i have bent multiple stock shoft shafts but i'm not sure how those compare to the Proline ones.

phmaximus

cheerz, ok so its safe to say the stock shock shafts are crap, ive ordered the Titanium Nitride Coated ones (gold) and from what ive read thay shouldent bend, and are under $10, why dont thay just come out with them????? maddness

rayndog3

I've bent a few stock shock shafts too. they were slightly bent so I just bent them back.

thehuntingterminator

yep, me too. i guess technically that makes them weaker in future incidents, but hey, its free! what oil weight are yall running in your Rustler? my LHS had some shock oil on sale cuz it was just what they had left so i got some 30wt and 50wt oil. i guess 30wt in front and 50wt in rear?

Jackedman

My Feedback: (2)

I'm using 40 wgt all around.