my $83 ECX Boost:)
08-30-2012, 03:43 PM
#1
Thread Starter
my $83 ECX Boost:)
Just arrived today.
Shipped quickly too.
I pulled it out of the box, set the batt on the charger and gave it a look over. Looks new. Ad stated it was an "open box" but new item.
Took it out for its 1st drive. Buggy went 8 feet then locked up the brakes. No radio signal. The radio is indeed the cheapest feeling part of the rig.
So I yanked out the AM rx and put in a flysky 2.4 and went back to driving. Buggy isnt fast on the top end with its 20t motor and 2000mah nimh pack, but its very quick off the line.
It has a fair amount of understeer tho. Not sure if its the front tires, or if a suspension adjustment can get rid of some of the understeer.
At any rate, I have a leapord brushless system on the way that should make the buggy really fly!
For $120 (cost new) its a buggy thats worth the money IMO. But for $80 and only needing a $10 Rx its a great deal.
I will probly slap some 2.2 paddle tires on it once the brushless system is installed
Shipped quickly too.
I pulled it out of the box, set the batt on the charger and gave it a look over. Looks new. Ad stated it was an "open box" but new item.
Took it out for its 1st drive. Buggy went 8 feet then locked up the brakes. No radio signal. The radio is indeed the cheapest feeling part of the rig.
So I yanked out the AM rx and put in a flysky 2.4 and went back to driving. Buggy isnt fast on the top end with its 20t motor and 2000mah nimh pack, but its very quick off the line.
It has a fair amount of understeer tho. Not sure if its the front tires, or if a suspension adjustment can get rid of some of the understeer.
At any rate, I have a leapord brushless system on the way that should make the buggy really fly!
For $120 (cost new) its a buggy thats worth the money IMO. But for $80 and only needing a $10 Rx its a great deal.
I will probly slap some 2.2 paddle tires on it once the brushless system is installed
08-30-2012, 06:09 PM
#4
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Tyler TX
Posts: 3,549
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: my $83 ECX Boost:)
I reviewed a Boost a while back and it's a great little buggy for the price. My radio sucked too, not sure why Horizon doesn't do something about that.
08-30-2012, 08:58 PM
#5
RE: my $83 ECX Boost:)
ORIGINAL: thehuntingterminator
I reviewed a Boost a while back and it's a great little buggy for the price. My radio sucked too, not sure why Horizon doesn't do something about that.
I reviewed a Boost a while back and it's a great little buggy for the price. My radio sucked too, not sure why Horizon doesn't do something about that.
08-30-2012, 09:17 PM
#6
RE: my $83 ECX Boost:)
ORIGINAL: BKoz559
It's difficult to package a higher quality radio system and still keep the package price as low as it is. However, they have equipped the Ruckus (similar to a Stampede) and the Torment (SC truck) with a Spektrum DX2E. It's the bottom of the line system, but it works as well as the best of them.
ORIGINAL: thehuntingterminator
I reviewed a Boost a while back and it's a great little buggy for the price. My radio sucked too, not sure why Horizon doesn't do something about that.
I reviewed a Boost a while back and it's a great little buggy for the price. My radio sucked too, not sure why Horizon doesn't do something about that.
08-30-2012, 09:47 PM
#7
RE: my $83 ECX Boost:)
I agree with having a nicer radio in lieu of a basic battery and charger. But as long as I'm going down that road; Iend up with a kit or ARR and building it to my specs anyhow. That's another topic entirely.
The folks who don't know one thing about RC but want to start up tend to like "everything in one box" packages such as the ECX vehicles because they can sometimes be overwhelmed by the variety of equipment that's available. Also, they like the convenience and feel like the whole package is a better deal. Think of a father / son situation who saw someone driving a hobby RC at the local park. That sparked their interest so they find themselves at a hobby shop and are blown away by vast selection of brands, vehicles, components, etc... Then they see (or the sales guy shows them) a box that has everything you need, even batteries!
sandrunner, let's see a vid of the car when you set it up with brushless, please. The shop Iwork at part time sells ECX, but Iwant to be able to show folks the upgrade potential in these relatively basic cars.
The folks who don't know one thing about RC but want to start up tend to like "everything in one box" packages such as the ECX vehicles because they can sometimes be overwhelmed by the variety of equipment that's available. Also, they like the convenience and feel like the whole package is a better deal. Think of a father / son situation who saw someone driving a hobby RC at the local park. That sparked their interest so they find themselves at a hobby shop and are blown away by vast selection of brands, vehicles, components, etc... Then they see (or the sales guy shows them) a box that has everything you need, even batteries!
sandrunner, let's see a vid of the car when you set it up with brushless, please. The shop Iwork at part time sells ECX, but Iwant to be able to show folks the upgrade potential in these relatively basic cars.
08-31-2012, 03:15 AM
#8
Thread Starter
RE: my $83 ECX Boost:)
ORIGINAL: BKoz559
I agree with having a nicer radio in lieu of a basic battery and charger. But as long as I'm going down that road; I end up with a kit or ARR and building it to my specs anyhow. That's another topic entirely.
The folks who don't know one thing about RC but want to start up tend to like ''everything in one box'' packages such as the ECX vehicles because they can sometimes be overwhelmed by the variety of equipment that's available. Also, they like the convenience and feel like the whole package is a better deal. Think of a father / son situation who saw someone driving a hobby RC at the local park. That sparked their interest so they find themselves at a hobby shop and are blown away by vast selection of brands, vehicles, components, etc... Then they see (or the sales guy shows them) a box that has everything you need, even batteries!
sandrunner, let's see a vid of the car when you set it up with brushless, please. The shop I work at part time sells ECX, but I want to be able to show folks the upgrade potential in these relatively basic cars.
I agree with having a nicer radio in lieu of a basic battery and charger. But as long as I'm going down that road; I end up with a kit or ARR and building it to my specs anyhow. That's another topic entirely.
The folks who don't know one thing about RC but want to start up tend to like ''everything in one box'' packages such as the ECX vehicles because they can sometimes be overwhelmed by the variety of equipment that's available. Also, they like the convenience and feel like the whole package is a better deal. Think of a father / son situation who saw someone driving a hobby RC at the local park. That sparked their interest so they find themselves at a hobby shop and are blown away by vast selection of brands, vehicles, components, etc... Then they see (or the sales guy shows them) a box that has everything you need, even batteries!
sandrunner, let's see a vid of the car when you set it up with brushless, please. The shop I work at part time sells ECX, but I want to be able to show folks the upgrade potential in these relatively basic cars.
There are a few vids online with stock (plastic) gear trans. But there is a metal gear trans upgrade as well. I bought the upgrade off ebay last night....but I will run it brushless on the stock gears and see how long it lasts.
The radio felt cheap, but I likely got a dud cause of how I bought it. The seller's ad said they get their stuff from overstock, customer returns, and such.
But the buggy looked never run. All the packages were sealed.
I cant complain for $80.
Once I drop in the $60 brushless system Ill be rocking a $140 brushless buggy
I will get pics up later guys!
08-31-2012, 05:02 AM
#10
RE: my $83 ECX Boost:)
Just thought about it if I remember right wasn't one of the large complaints early on that the radio was DOA most the time? (kinda remember TBJ saying something about that when they 1st came out)
Maybe you got one of the early units.
Maybe you got one of the early units.
08-31-2012, 07:15 AM
#11
Thread Starter
RE: my $83 ECX Boost:)
I seem to recall the same thing on the radios.
Another note:
on both my boost and my torment, the tape holding the speed controler down SUCKS. Both models came out of the box with the ESC only just hanging onto the plate.
A simple zip tie on the boost and velcro on the torment fixed the issue, but its gotta be the weakest double sided tape ever.
Another note:
on both my boost and my torment, the tape holding the speed controler down SUCKS. Both models came out of the box with the ESC only just hanging onto the plate.
A simple zip tie on the boost and velcro on the torment fixed the issue, but its gotta be the weakest double sided tape ever.
09-01-2012, 10:34 AM
#13
Thread Starter
RE: my $83 ECX Boost:)
I got the toro brushless system installed today.
I did take some video, but will have to re-do it once I can gear up the buggy. The stock pinion gear is too small for the brushless motor.
The toro system I got is the 60amp esc adn 3300kv motor. the program card is easy to use and works good.
I did get a motor who's bullet connector (just one of them) had solder around the plug itself. this made it really hard to plug into the esc's connector.
Other than that, the toro seems a pretty good system. It costs what the ezrun 35amp system USED to cost (its now like $80 on hobbypartz)
The other nice thing about it, is that the esc is narrow! It wouldnt fit where the stock esc is cause the body post is too low, but cause its narrow it fit on the side of the chassis. An ezrun esc or just about most esc's wouldnt fit on the side of the boost.
Also, I found it a bit odd that the boost uses philips head screws everywhere....except for the spur gear cover. That has 1.5mm hex head screws. Just seemed odd that they used hex head screws there only. Especially since its a model for newbs, who likely dont own a hex driver yet.
I did take some video, but will have to re-do it once I can gear up the buggy. The stock pinion gear is too small for the brushless motor.
The toro system I got is the 60amp esc adn 3300kv motor. the program card is easy to use and works good.
I did get a motor who's bullet connector (just one of them) had solder around the plug itself. this made it really hard to plug into the esc's connector.
Other than that, the toro seems a pretty good system. It costs what the ezrun 35amp system USED to cost (its now like $80 on hobbypartz)
The other nice thing about it, is that the esc is narrow! It wouldnt fit where the stock esc is cause the body post is too low, but cause its narrow it fit on the side of the chassis. An ezrun esc or just about most esc's wouldnt fit on the side of the boost.
Also, I found it a bit odd that the boost uses philips head screws everywhere....except for the spur gear cover. That has 1.5mm hex head screws. Just seemed odd that they used hex head screws there only. Especially since its a model for newbs, who likely dont own a hex driver yet.
09-01-2012, 03:42 PM
#14
Thread Starter
RE: my $83 ECX Boost:)
OK
so the stock 20t motor is geared REALLY low.
I tried the stock pinion on the 3300kv motor and it wasnt much faster than stock
I dont have a larger pinion gear that will work (I have some 30+ tooth pinions but they are too big)
So I slapped on some 2.2 paddle tires to make a vid.
At the end, the motor was around 120 i think. I could hold my finger on it for several seconds. So even with the 2.2's it can be geared up.
vid shows stock, then with BL system and 2.2 tires.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XbWV...ature=youtu.be
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XbWV4DOhp4&feature=youtu.be[/youtube]
so the stock 20t motor is geared REALLY low.
I tried the stock pinion on the 3300kv motor and it wasnt much faster than stock
I dont have a larger pinion gear that will work (I have some 30+ tooth pinions but they are too big)
So I slapped on some 2.2 paddle tires to make a vid.
At the end, the motor was around 120 i think. I could hold my finger on it for several seconds. So even with the 2.2's it can be geared up.
vid shows stock, then with BL system and 2.2 tires.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XbWV...ature=youtu.be
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XbWV4DOhp4&feature=youtu.be[/youtube]
