Kamilkaze13

Hey everyone,

I'm new to this hobby and I got a Duratrax Evader the other day. I have a a pair of Li-ion battery's from a heli and I was wondering if I could use them on the Evader. The battery's are 1500 mAh, 2 cell , 7.4 volt Li-ion. I have the Evader Ext 2.4 and I think the ESC can hold up to 2s lipo, correct me if I'm wrong. Would it be okay to use the Li-ion battery's of the Heli on the car? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

collector1231

My Feedback: (1)

Lithium Ion or Lithium Polymer? If its LiPO, then yes, it will work, but only will give you a little bit of runtime. If it is Lithium Ion, then no. If you are in the market for a new set of LiPOs, I recommend these from Venom.

http://www.atomikrc.com/collections/...universal-plug

Kamilkaze13

Thanks a lot. It is Lithium ion so i guess ill have to buy Li-Po. I have already have the Venom batteries and they are great, not the Li-Po's but the NI-Mh.

EXT2Rob

My Feedback: (1)

Hi Kamakazi! I have two Evaders that I converted to brushless. How old are those Li-ion packs? 1500mah is, like, practically useless. Even if you could use them, they'd give you maybe five minutes. Go buy a couple 5000mah packs, you'll be much happier. You shouldn't have to pay more than $45 ea. You WILL need a Lipo charger, I highly reccommend this one: Thunder AC680 Professional Dual-Power LiPo Balance Charger Discharger w AC Adapter for 1-6 Lipo 1-15 Nimh + USB to PC Software It's only about $50.

First thing you need to do, tho, is ditch the white Molex battery connector. And I mean toss it, DON'T buy an adapter! Either buy EC5 bullets that'll match the batteries and install them on the car and your charger, or convert everything to Traxxas connectors. Those crappy Tamiya Molex connectors cannot handle the current, and will melt. AND, be sure your ESC has LIPO low-voltage cutoff. You do not want to discharge lipos below 3.2V/cell, that's what the LVC does. AND you want to use the Storage function on the charger to "storage charge" the packs when yer done for the day. This charges the packs to their "resting voltage" of about 3.8V/cell. (Fully charged is 4.2V/cell)

Now, I'll give you the other things you'll need to keep your Evader in shape:
- Get a set of Front and Rear bumpers for the Evader from T-Bone Racing. Best thing you can do to prevent damage.
http://tboneracing.corecommerce.com/Evader-EXT-c38/

- Get this aluminum front hinge pin brace: http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...FUxqfgodYngAJw

- Get this all-metal differential if you're going brushless: http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXBURC&P=7
NOTE!: If you get this diff, first thing you need to do is open it up, and use BLUE Loktite on all eight screws, put TrakPower grease in it, reassemble, and let dry overnight. If you don't do this, the screws will loosen, the gears loose proper mesh, and will strip out in a hurry.

- Get some of this TrakPower gear grease, it's the best: http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...FROTfgodl0oAJg
Use it in both the tranny and the diff, it will help prevent premature wear.

If you go brushless, you will find the stock wheel drive pins tend to fail too often. Find some SOLID metal drive pins, or, go to your local hobby store or hardware store and get some "music wire". K&S Precision Metals makes the stuff, and they sell in 30in lengths, bundles of three, for about $4. Stock# 504 0.062in (1.57mm) will fit the drive axle. Just use a dremel tool to cut pieces to length. I'd also get Stock# 502 0.047in (1.19mm). This is used to replace the pins inside the diff, behind the large gears that can also fail.

OK, now you've got your Evader all beefed up, and you want to put a brushless system in it. What do you get? This one: HobbyWing EZRUN Brushless System Combo B2 w 35A ESC & 9T@4300KV 3650M Brushless Motor for 1 12,1 10 on-road racing for experienced drivers IMO, this is the perfect motor system for the Evader, because it is fast (will push the Evader to 40mph) but not SO powerful that the car is un-driveable, or tears itself apart. And it's only $75. You won't find a better, less expensive system. I've run these things for years now.

You'll probably want some better tires and wheels, too. I use these: http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXMV42&P=7 AND http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXMV40&P=7 for wheels. For tires, I use Proline Dirt Hawgs on the front and Proline Gladiators on the rear. (I run strictly off-road)

Here is a handy link: Evader Parts List

Oh, and you'll probably need to replace the steering servo. If you order that charger, order one of these too: http://www.hobbypartz.com/33p-solarservo-d771.html
RTR servos are notoriously sucky and fail in short order.

There you go, dude! Just about everything I learned about my Evaders and how to keep 'em going. Remember to clean the car regularly, inspect ALL bearings (replace as needed), and every month or so depending on how much you drive it, open up the tranny and diff for cleaning and re-greasing.

Almost forgot! Get a temp gauge: http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...&I=LXATCL&P=ML Brushless motors last a long time with little maintenance, but you don't want them to overheat. Monitor your motor temps. You want to keep the motor below 180F (properly geared and on a 80F day, 150F motor is just fine) and the ESC 130F or less. The Evader comes with a 20T pinion gear. I found a 19T pinion worked best for me.

Kamilkaze13

EXT2Rob thanks so much man you answered most of the questions in my head about the Evader. I live in Canada so buying from the U.S. is kinda hard. Any suggestions of a website with good prices and not so high shipping rates to Toronto? LHS a bit expensive and plus taxes eat you up.

EXT2Rob

My Feedback: (1)

How is it ordering from Amazon? You'd be amazed what you can find thru them. HobbyPartz is in southern California, so shipping to Toronto might be an issue. Look at Tower Hobbies? WIDE selection of just about everything and they're based over in Illinois, considerably closer to you. Humph! Didn't realize buying from over the border was so problematic. That's a drag.

Send me a PM, maybe I can get you some music wire...

Kamilkaze13

Amazon is my best bet so i'm gonna order from there. Stripped the stock servo so i am getting a Savox. Im going to get a Li-Po and a charger and some metal upgrades. Not going brushless yet so don't worry about the music wire, shouldn't be too hard to get some here, thanks anyways. I'm ordering the brushless Evader's bumper, would that fit on the car? Thanks for the help man.

RustyUs

I haven't ever used Li-Ion in RC applications, but I would suggest at least one LiPo Safe-Charging Bag when charging LiPo batteries.

Kamilkaze13

Amazon is my best bet so i'm gonna order from there. Stripped the stock servo so i am getting a Savox. Im going to get a Li-Po and a charger and some metal upgrades. Not going brushless yet so don't worry about the music wire, shouldn't be too hard to get some here, thanks anyways. I'm ordering the brushless Evader's bumper, would that fit on the car? Thanks for the help man.

RustyUs

The Brushless Evader Bumper will fit a EXT. They both use the same bulkhead. I'm pretty sure the Front Hinge Pin Brace (#50) will need to be removed from the EXT to mount the Brushless Evader bumper though.

Or just start out with a life-time warranty T-Bone Racing "Basher" bumper. My personal favorite. A little bit more money up front, but worth the warranty...first one broke in a week...I am on my 1st replacement bumper since 2006... Surviving 8 years and counting.

my .02

Kamilkaze13

Thanks rustyus

EXT2Rob

My Feedback: (1)

You're right about the bumper. BUT, I would remove the plastic bits from the bumper that are supposed to act as the hinge pin brace, and substitute that aluminum brace. The bumper will protect the car, but the first time you hit anything with it, the hinge pin brace bits break! So then you have NO support for the hinge pin. Get the aluminum brace and use it with the bumper.

Kamilkaze13

Ill get that aluminum hinge pin brace. Now my servo or whatever isnt working good. I took out the front brace and checked the servo arm and everything seems right. Could it be a stripped servo. Getting a new servo but it gets here in 2 weeks. What could it be? Here is what happens: It turns to one side but makes a clicking noise and rattles when i turn to the other side. The truck is a week old

EXT2Rob

My Feedback: (1)

VERY typical for the stock servo to strip some gears, even if the servo saver is adjusted correctly. OEMs make these Ready-To-Runs as cheaply as they can and still work, to keep the cost and selling price down. Plastic-gear servos just aren't going to last very long. And buying another one is just throwing good money after bad. For an Evader that only weighs 3.5lbs, you can do just fine with a cheap $15 servo from HobbyPartz as long as it has metal gears, like the Solar D771 I think is the number. Otherwise a good ol' Hitec 645MG. Don't feel bad about it. Happens ALL the time. Slap in one of those other servos and you'll be fine for a long time.

BTW, I know Savox is a big name, and a lot of people run them without issue. But they are known to suck a lot of power compared to others and can sometimes "brown-out" the receiver or ESC causing erratic behavior. My LHS won't even carry them.

Kamilkaze13

EXT2Rob thanks so much man you answered most of the questions in my head about the Evader. I live in Canada so buying from the U.S. is kinda hard. Any suggestions of a website with good prices and not so high shipping rates to Toronto? LHS a bit expensive and plus taxes eat you up.

Kamilkaze13

My bad for the repost. Don't know why it keeps posting twice. If a cheapo will do, what about an Mg995? Cheap with metal gears. Cant spend too much on a servo because I crashed my heli so I'm going to beef up the heli.

RustyUs

I have used Tower Hobbies TS-140 Standard Digital High Speed Servo with Metal Gears and Dual Ball Bearings and Universal Connector. I first started out with the TS-140 and since moved it over to my buggy. Now using Hitec HS-625 or HS-5625(digital version) High Speed Metal Gear servos. The 625 lasted me close to 7/8 years of bashing before giving out on me.

Check Omni Models on eBay for cheaper shipping...just a quick thought.
It's Tower Hobbies sister company that sells on the web and eBay.

EXT2Rob

My Feedback: (1)

Yeah the MG995 would work. 139oz/in of torque is good. I had a Tower-Pro that lasted a couple years. For $15, it'll be great in the Evader. Nice thing about the Evader, it's light. The TS-140 would work too, but for the money, I'd go for the T-pro. Twice the torque of the TS.

Kamilkaze13

You guys have helped me a lot. Thanks. Too bad the servo gets here in 22 days :-(

Kamilkaze13

Stripped servo question. Is it true that i can open the servo and turn the stripped gear around and so i can use the not stripped part? I want to drive the car and i don't wanna wait too much.

EXT2Rob

My Feedback: (1)

Depending on which gear it is, maybe. You've got time to kill. And not much to loose, it's toast anyway.

RustyUs

Now is the perfect time to dig in and look at a servo's gears and see how everything moves inside. You may or may not find a "sweet" spot on the damaged gear to reposition that gear to work again, but that will be just a "band-aid".

Inside you will find something similar to this:

Once you get the servo opened up...turn on your transmitter; turn the wheel, and see what gears you have to work with.

Kamilkaze13

It was the top middle gear. Couldn't find the sweet spot on the gear, guess I'll just have to wait. Looking for a brushless motor and I've reduced my search to either the Castle Sidewinder 3 at 139.99 + taxes or Leopard Combo of Amazon for 71.99. For the sidewinder I would have to wait two months while theLeopard I can get next month. What do u guys suggest me? Thanks for the servo help by the way.

RustyUs

I think those Leopard combos would be perfect. Those could be found a little cheaper on eBay.... Leopard 4370kv ESC combo and Leopard 3300kv ESC combo ...motors are more than likely (not 100% sure but pretty obvious) re-branded HobbyWing motors with different color. I have been using the 4300kv (2-pole) motor myself in my Evader ST for years. It is sometimes overkill in power IMO, but that's when I turn down the throttle EPA on my radio. I know many others have used that motor also for years with great joy.

I currently have a HobbyWing/HobbyFans/Leopard 3000kv 4-pole motor installed in my Evader. I only have it cause of a low winning bid on eBay. It's a great motor, but I wouldn't recommend it only because I know people searching for more power/speed want that "Holy Crap" feel when they install a motor. I have toned down my need for speed over the past year and enjoy the moderate speed that the 3000kv motor gives me while bashing/running on my track.

I don't know which combo you were looking at, but the 60A ESC will do just fine. I run a 35A HobbyWing ESC and have no problems so that Leopard 60A ESC should be a great step up in performance.

If you really want to same some money....HobbyFans Combo 4370kv 60A ESC you may have to do a little soldering with the connectors on this HobbyWing re-branded combo. At the super low price it does not include the programming card though.

Kamilkaze13

Thanks, What about the Turnigy Trackstar waterproof combo? This one:
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/s...000Kv_45A.html . Looks good to me. I'm not a speed demon and i also want to buy some more Li-Po's and a charger. Maybe an Imax B6? They also have Turnigy 5000mah 2s Li-Po for like 20 bucks so i'm probably getting a few of those.