Speed917

I am honestly stuck on anything that can go off road at this point.
I just figured MT would be the best one, for being able to use anywhere but i am really not fully set on a MT.
I do also like SC trucks pretty much anything but buggys. I do own a buggy, nothing crazy just some Radio Shack RC with a Titan 550. I know it keeps up with XL 5 line but problem is in snow it just sits spinning one tire and not moving. Which is why i thought it was time to move into something better.
(I actually even own a lot of Xmods fully modded)
Im just really confused at this point. Part of me wants to jump on a Pede VXL 4x4 but i know they flip over constantly and have weak AWD components. Then i was thinking somehting SC and i watch a ton of videos of them getting stuck on small sticks and things.(my whole yard is covered in sticks and leaves) I also want something that i will be able to get help and parts easily. I feel as though the market for Rc is pretty much all about what brand you want to support at this point. Most all of the RC vehicles seem to be about even in looks and performance. Yeah im still lost haha

zackS30

Hmm. Well traxxas has a crazy amount of parts support. I'm sure u could lower the pede to get a lower cog with some shorter shocks? U will lose susp travel though.
The sc trucks get stuck bcuz its a big ass plastic body that sit over the whole car.

I've got 13 xmods! I love them!!

I don't mean to keep pushing the same thing but have u checked out the wraith?
What about the vaterra helix? Its an mt its fast with lots of power.

But if ur still thinking about the pede why not go for it? Figure out what u need to make it more stable. Like shorter shocks? Limiting straps?
I've not seen a lot of pedes run around. I've seen eMaxx's hang with eRevos though.

Traxxas was started to be a affordable beginner RC but they r expensive
Redcat is cheaper and parts support is all over ebay

Speed917

So i will be buying a Brushed SC tomorrow as my Son think they look cool and on the off chance we can find somewhere to race them he will have the chance.

Axial is something i was interested in a while ago. I looked into them and noticed that they are mostly rock crawlers and even the bashing videos they are not moving too fast ahah.... Im kinda want something with power. I might be wrong and there is one with power but i could not find it.

I must say that SC really own the market. I have been noticing more and more MT coming out this month thru nov but nothing that is doing it for me. I even started to venture to 1/8 scale.

zackS30

Sc are pretty cool. I drove a brushed slash 2wd here at the fair in a race against 6 other people and won. It wasn't by any means fast but it got up to speed really quick and it nailed all the jumps clean.
Racing for SCs and buggies are pretty polular my local tracks race them. I don't understand what u have to have to race and be competitive but it seems fun from that little bit I raced. The mains and mods and whatever don't make since.

Speed917

Ok so i dropped some coin on a Traxxas Slash 2wd RTR w/TQ2.4 Chad Hord edition for my 7 yr old. TRA58034D5

So now im looking for a charger. I would like one that can charge multiple batteries in a relatively short amount of time. Im also going to be buy a few batteries. Im buying the Gens for my vehicle but i dont think its worth it for the Brushed. So what else can i buy?

Also im still looking for my vehicle im really unsure still of what to get. Which sucks bc i wanted us to be able to use them together.

zackS30

U can still use lipos on a brushed. The only thing is that with it being 2wd you'll run in to the problem of not being able to control it on hard take offs, it will spin the rears tires and cause it to turn on its own.
Of coarse u could always adjust ur throttle finger and go easier on the take off

What are the vehicles ur thinking about getting as of now? There's pros and cons to every car. Let us know what ur thinking about so we can help.
Also I'd let ur kid run it a couple times in a big flat area so he can understand how to car handles at first. just sayin.

I wouldn't go higher than 2s lipo on your sons car BTW otherwise u risk blowing the ESC.

Speed917

Are there other brands of Lipo i can purchase? I do understand the best is probable the best but i would like a few and not be spending $300 plus on 6 batteries. Also where can i find traxxas battery connectors?

Still looking for a charger.... Im wondering if i should post in another area?

As for myself im really still up in the air. I am looking at a few 1/8 scale now. My problem is is that most all MT are pretty much the same at each price point. I have not really found anything im really excited about. I do have an offer on a Pede VXL 4x4 but im just not 100% on it.

Speed917

I Currently have a bid on a Traxxas Stampede VXL 4x4, It comes with vehicle,remote and its RTR minus charger battery and anything else that was originally included. The offer is at 225 plus shipping is it worth the deal? Can i buy the kit it supposed to come with new?
I also notice the axles have rust spots on them and few screws are rusty, Is this a concern with RC or just simple replacement?

The truck is 4-5 months old with TQi 2.4 also?

zackS30

EBay.
Also I've got the thunder charger ac680 its awesome, u can only charge one at a time though.
Gens ace is used by a lot of people, I have a zippy and a venom batt the venom is my first lipo and its fantastic! The zippy is my 3rd and its doing very well too. I had a batt branded BIAS and it puffed after I think 10-15 charges. Venom and gens ace would be my first choice unless I needed a batt in a hurry and didn't have enough to drop on a venom.

If u have an offer on a pede then why not go for it? Is it the vxl? The pedes are pretty sturdy from what I've seen. They hang with revos.

Why not get the brushless slash 4x4 and run it along side ur son, u can always upgrade his to brushless later on when he gets better and driving. He could even show you up in a race one day!

Oncey daughter gets old enough, she's 2, but I'll be getting her something versatile like a wraith or maybe a redcat to start her off cheap but good enough to hang with my wraith or exo. I can always set end points and go to brushed to slow her down lol.

Speed917

Yeah its a Pede VXL(brushless) 4x4. I was thinking about just getting a Slash 4x4 BL but after reading all the reviews, it seems like its better to get the Ultimate or platinum with run in the 600's. I do like the one coming out:Tower Hobbies JUST came out with its own short course truck the Cutback. It's 4wd, brushless, and has a Duratrax-like free parts replacement for the first year. It seems to be creating a lot of buzz...

If i get the pede as cheap as 250 shipped i will probable be buy a SC aswell.

Speed917

I went to purchase the Charger everyone has mentioned and it is sold out....... Contacted the company and they said they were not sure if anymore were coming in.

What is the deal with Sky Lipo i have been reading that they are a great Lipo?

Now for the stupid question... What does all the 4000mah 2c ect mean haha


After some deep research i have come to find that the charger has had some minor issues.... Such as burning down building and houses !?

http://traxxas.com/forums/showthread...a-budget/page2

Im thinking a more expensive charger it worth the money....

Speed917

Is this the correct battery ?
http://spcracingbatteries.com/index....&product_id=56

zackS30

That looks like a great batt. Its cheap has good mah and the C rate is high so that's good too. However I've not heard of them so the cell quality is questionable.

The mah(milli-amp hour) is how long the batt will last. Like a 5000mah will last ~10-15 min longer than 3000mah.
The C rate is the discharge rate. A 50c batt will be able to deliver the power better than a 20c. Making it work better in high power vehicles like the pede vxl.

As far as burning down ur house, so long as u read the thread about lipo care and also use common sense ur house will be fine.
The batt shouldn't be allowed to go hotter than 120° while ur running. Also I would get an lvc(low voltage cutoff/alarm) there like 5$ and it will help save ur battery. I have mine set to 3.3v per cell. Meaning that while in running when my battery starts to get too low the alarm sounds with a series of very loud beeps, its so u don't drain them too low and ruining them.

Also when charging. U can charge 1amp for every thousand MAH. 5000mah can be charged at 5a, 3000mah at 3a.

I would not run soft packs UNLESS the compartment where the batt is held is a closed snug fit so it doesn't shift around and dent the packs in crashes and jumps. That will hurt the pack.

zackS30

OK so I read that thread. That guy is a tool.
Its possible to get bad lipos just like u can get a brand new car with bad plastic. It happens.

Use common sense and use the charger CORRECTLY and it will do u just right as it has done me.

Speed917

Ok then. Well since the charger i want is not available. I'm thinking of just buying another one now and getting the other when it is back in stock. Are there any other chargers out there that are good near $100.

I missed out on the Pede VXL i was outbid at the 3 sec mark and it sold for 260 plus 25 shipping. So im looking again.

zackS30

Oh man that sucks.
Unfortunately I can't help on a charger :/

What u lookin for now? Let me know what ur needs are, I know u want an MT but anything else? Brushed, brushless, 2wd, 4wd?maybe I can aide in the search?

RustyUs

That Tower Hobbies SC 4x4 is soooo on my radar as well. I'm just waiting for a long term review.

So Speed917, as I'm reading, I think you want a truck that does it all. That Traxxas Slash you got should give you plenty of joy; then I see you have your eyes on a "Pede" 4x4, and Jang, from URC, has your answer with the "you want everything in a vehicle" ShapeShifter Stampede 4x4 project.


Those are all using the Pede chassis.

RustyUs

I agree. I hardly ever charge above 3 amps on 4000mah LiPo packs. It takes about a hour and ten minutes to balance a pack for me. I have two iMax B6 (which is inside a lot of chargers with different cosmetics) ac/dc rebranded chargers (B6AC+ 50W/80W) doing the job of charging. Just make sure to use a LiPo charging bag to be on the safe side.

Speed917...You still looking for charger(s) that charge more than one pack at a time?

zackS30

I charge my 5000mahs at 5amps. Always perfect bal. and never even gets warm.

RustyUs

Yes that's is the golden rule/norm/recommended amperage to charge LiPo packs at. Perfect!

But for me using 2 chargers and rotating packs most days, I set my chargers at 3 amps to fast charge any LiPo pack that I have (4000mah ~ 5200mah). When balancing LiPo cells, I set my chargers to 1amp for every thousand MAH, 'cause I'm not in a hurry usually, and balancing cells takes longer as the amps decrease gradually (automatically) until peak 4.2 volts/cell are achieved.

Speed917

Im still in the boat for a MT i think the honest question now is.... Do i go with something low end such as pede or slash or go with a Thunder Tiger MT4,erevo or savage.... Im trying to figure out where to go. I do like the pede but i have been a fan of the MT4. I also have read so many good review about the slash.

On a side note BigSquid got their hands on a Cutback and did a review, after the review im now so sure. You should check it out and tell me what you think.

That Tower Hobbies SC 4x4 is soooo on my radar as well. I'm just waiting for a long term review.

Speed917

Yes i am. Im also open to a good single batt charger.

Speed917

Cannot believe how versatile this thing is!

Right now im trying to hold out for the ToweHobbies sales i hear are coming next month. Im hearing some good offers are on the way. I might be doing a 600$ purchase.

On another side note. I have a guy who offered me a Pede 4x4 VXL and a Slash 2wd VXL both brand new for 600.. Something im considering.....???

josh h

I myself have really considered adding a stampede 4x4 to my fleet. I thinks it's basically a shorter slash with more ground clearance and a truck body. A friend of mine has a slash 4x4 Vxl and beats the snot out of it and it just asks for more. But it seems to bounce uncontrollably everywhere unless it's on a smooth surface. So I think the stampede would be much better for my driving style/conditions. So, if I were you, I'd keep looking into the pede if you want a decent priced mt. Maybe even find a used brushed one and put a good brushless system in it. That's my plan anyway. Cheap, fun, and durable. As for a charger. I have been using my thunder power tp610c for years with no problems. I think they also have a dual charging version of it.

RustyUs

Sorry I didn't back to you sooner.

Chargers...I've seen sooo many brands using the same iMax B6AC 80 watt 10 amp platform. Whether on eBay or hobby stores on the web... I'm gonna put up pictures here and I am willing to bet all of the chargers are using the same PC boards; they have 99% the same specs just different shells, and or buttons. I have three of them (one for a spare, but haven't had to use it yet) and they all have the same way of adjusting the settings (program flow chart). I know two of the chargers shown have the same PC 'cause I opened up two of them to repair/solder. My mistake of inserting a balancing cord backwards thus melted a circuit joint on the circuit board. You can go on eBay and type in AC680 or B6AC 80watt ...pay anything from $34 ~ $93 or go hobby site and pay somewhere in the middle for the same thing.

I'll probably get flack for saying all this and is only my opinion from past usage of the chargers and searching for the best deals.