Official E-FIRESTORM thread
#26
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: by the lake,
ON, CANADA
Posts: 2,447
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: Official E-FIRESTORM thread
well you have the top big guys, Losi and Ae, they make a nice st, for racing and such, then you have your more starter st's like Evaders Rustlers that type thing so the markets full its covered from Expert to Beginner, will HPI be able to make a stab and take or have a spot with these St's/trucks that have been around for a while? Look at the raven and that, people thought it was gonna be great but..... i donno, ware does the firestorm stand in most peoples eyes?, is it a racing cablable rig like a losi or ae or is it more in the beginner ST crowd?
#27
Junior Member
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Jubail, SAUDI ARABIA
Posts: 20
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: Official E-FIRESTORM thread
Hi guys. It has been advertised that the E-Firestorm is brushless ready. I have the red one with everything stock. I would like to shift to brushless soon, but I'd like to assume that I don't need to replace my batteries, ESC and gear combinations anymore as it is considered "brushless" ready. Am I correct in my assumption? If otherwise, can someone recommend good but affordable brands for the brushless motor, ESC, etc. Many thanks!
#28
Member
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Barrie,
ON, CANADA
Posts: 90
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: Official E-FIRESTORM thread
ORIGINAL: Redvanmafia
well you have the top big guys, Losi and Ae, they make a nice st, for racing and such, then you have your more starter st's like Evaders Rustlers that type thing so the markets full its covered from Expert to Beginner, will HPI be able to make a stab and take or have a spot with these St's/trucks that have been around for a while? Look at the raven and that, people thought it was gonna be great but..... i donno, ware does the firestorm stand in most peoples eyes?, is it a racing cablable rig like a losi or ae or is it more in the beginner ST crowd?
well you have the top big guys, Losi and Ae, they make a nice st, for racing and such, then you have your more starter st's like Evaders Rustlers that type thing so the markets full its covered from Expert to Beginner, will HPI be able to make a stab and take or have a spot with these St's/trucks that have been around for a while? Look at the raven and that, people thought it was gonna be great but..... i donno, ware does the firestorm stand in most peoples eyes?, is it a racing cablable rig like a losi or ae or is it more in the beginner ST crowd?
I have had mine out about 30 times now and have bashed it pretty good including landing upside down off a second story. I have only broke 2 ball studs. I have been running with guys who have Losi, AE and Traxxas vehicles and I can tell you mine has had far less down time then any of their trucks. The only difference I have found when sport racing is the AE had better handling out of the box. However I through some AE shocks on mine and set-up and now feel it handles just as well.
I purchased one of the first E-firestorms from my lhs then they didn't sell much of them cause people were skeptical like yourself. Last week 4 guys were watching us race and after seeing my truck perform against the AE and Losi trucks 3 of them bought the E-Firestorm. I asked them why the decided to get it and they said simply "Best bang for the buck". I would agree.
#29
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Billerica,
MA
Posts: 498
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: Official E-FIRESTORM thread
ORIGINAL: green_overcomer
Hi guys. It has been advertised that the E-Firestorm is brushless ready. I have the red one with everything stock. I would like to shift to brushless soon, but I'd like to assume that I don't need to replace my batteries, ESC and gear combinations anymore as it is considered "brushless" ready. Am I correct in my assumption? If otherwise, can someone recommend good but affordable brands for the brushless motor, ESC, etc. Many thanks!
Hi guys. It has been advertised that the E-Firestorm is brushless ready. I have the red one with everything stock. I would like to shift to brushless soon, but I'd like to assume that I don't need to replace my batteries, ESC and gear combinations anymore as it is considered "brushless" ready. Am I correct in my assumption? If otherwise, can someone recommend good but affordable brands for the brushless motor, ESC, etc. Many thanks!
I am pretty sure you have to replace the ESC. The one it comes with is rated for 15 turn brushed motors and above. Someone can correct me if I am wrong but that is my understanding.
#30
RE: Official E-FIRESTORM thread
ORIGINAL: green_overcomer
Hi guys. It has been advertised that the E-Firestorm is brushless ready. I have the red one with everything stock. I would like to shift to brushless soon, but I'd like to assume that I don't need to replace my batteries, ESC and gear combinations anymore as it is considered "brushless" ready. Am I correct in my assumption? If otherwise, can someone recommend good but affordable brands for the brushless motor, ESC, etc. Many thanks!
Hi guys. It has been advertised that the E-Firestorm is brushless ready. I have the red one with everything stock. I would like to shift to brushless soon, but I'd like to assume that I don't need to replace my batteries, ESC and gear combinations anymore as it is considered "brushless" ready. Am I correct in my assumption? If otherwise, can someone recommend good but affordable brands for the brushless motor, ESC, etc. Many thanks!
The best deal out there right now is the Sidewinder 5700 system (brushless ESC and motor combination) for about $130-150 depending on where you buy them and what discounts are available at the time. 5700 is good because it is fast on 6 cells.
For batteries you should at least be running 3000 mAh 6 cell stick packs...even Venoms work. Of course you'll get even greater performance out of better batteries.
Stock gearing works fine on an E-Firestorm with Sidewinder 5700.
My friend has a red E-Firestorm also. Completely stock except for the Sidewinder 5700 system. He used Deans plugs for the batteries and ESC. Just to be on the safe side we swapped out the connectors on his Castle motor (there can be some reliability issues with the original connectors ... which may be more noticable when running lower quality batteries like Venom 3000/3600 batteries) for 4 mm CC Bullets.
I've also got the Sidewinder 5700 in my E-Firestorm.
"Brushless Ready" is more or less referring to the fact that HPI incorporated an all-metal transmission and sealed gear differential that can reliabily withstand the stresses of brushless power.
#32
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: , CA
Posts: 4,900
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: Official E-FIRESTORM thread
ORIGINAL: Redvanmafia
have been around for a while? Look at the raven and that, people thought it was gonna be great but..... i donno, ware does the firestorm stand in most peoples eyes?, is it a racing cablable rig like a losi or ae or is it more in the beginner ST crowd?
have been around for a while? Look at the raven and that, people thought it was gonna be great but..... i donno, ware does the firestorm stand in most peoples eyes?, is it a racing cablable rig like a losi or ae or is it more in the beginner ST crowd?
#39
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: , TX
Posts: 974
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: Official E-FIRESTORM thread
ORIGINAL: DARKWAV
More E-Firestorm pictures. In their natural habitat...
More E-Firestorm pictures. In their natural habitat...
DUDE!!!!!! im going to go crazyy waiting on this car and now seeing those pics makes it worse lol
my hobby shop special ordered the e-firestorm for me and i should have it sometime next week
#42
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Thousand Oaks,
CA
Posts: 8,958
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: Official E-FIRESTORM thread
ORIGINAL: annie_himself
T4 shocks?!
ORIGINAL: rbjeepthing
Since this is now becoming a pic thread too I decided to jump in!
Since this is now becoming a pic thread too I decided to jump in!
#44
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Thousand Oaks,
CA
Posts: 8,958
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: Official E-FIRESTORM thread
ORIGINAL: freestylingford
Yes those are AE shocks. Stock shocks are plastic threaded shocks.
Yes those are AE shocks. Stock shocks are plastic threaded shocks.
#45
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Campbellsville,
KY
Posts: 214
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: Official E-FIRESTORM thread
No they don't leak. I guess they will over time. I like the HPI aluminum shocks better but they cost 110 dollars for the whole set and you can only get them from HPI.
Oh and when you get them they are completely disassembled so you get to put them together. But they really make a difference from the the stock ones as far as handling. Go get you one.
Oh and when you get them they are completely disassembled so you get to put them together. But they really make a difference from the the stock ones as far as handling. Go get you one.
#46
Member
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Barrie,
ON, CANADA
Posts: 90
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: Official E-FIRESTORM thread
ORIGINAL: annie_himself
T4 shocks?!
ORIGINAL: rbjeepthing
Since this is now becoming a pic thread too I decided to jump in!
Since this is now becoming a pic thread too I decided to jump in!
ORIGINAL: calvino
er, no they stocks I believe are threaded, woot, because I love threaded shocks, er, how much pwr does the sidewinder have for it, enough (not lipo), not enough, the only drawback is the ESC on it[&o], dang, makes me wana get one as well
ORIGINAL: annie_himself
T4 shocks?!
ORIGINAL: rbjeepthing
Since this is now becoming a pic thread too I decided to jump in!
Since this is now becoming a pic thread too I decided to jump in!
#47
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Corpus Christi,
TX
Posts: 252
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: Official E-FIRESTORM thread
Are these more durable than Rustlers??? Someone with both or that has had a rustler before and owns an e-firestorm please help. Mainly how durable are the common breakable parts like servo savers, servos, castors, stubs, carriers etc... Are they the same as in a stock rustler? or would you say they are more durable? Thanks.
#48
RE: Official E-FIRESTORM thread
Thought I would pass along some lessons learned.
- Make sure you have a spare set of dog bones, because if the rear suspension comes apart you may loose a dogbone in the weeds! Why would the rear suspension come apart? …
- Get a package of 15mm ballstuds. A good solid hit on the rear suspension could shear a ballstud behind the rear shock tower. This has happened to me and I've seen people mention that has happened to them as well. If you get Titanium ballstuds for more strength you'll have to get ball ends to match (until HPI or aftermarket comes out with ballstuds same size as original). When this happens your suspension comes part and you'll throw your dobone into the weeks (or into a pile of similarly sized and colored twigs that will camaflouge your loose dogbone.
- The one other time my rear suspension came apart was after another solid hit on the rear suspension. Fortunately didn't break a ballstud this time but the turnbuckle popped off and the dogbone went flying into the weeds
- Check those small M3 nuts at the back of the rear hub carriers. This nut will eventually get loose, fall out, get lost, and the ballstud will work its way out. Right before my aluminum carriers arrived I noticed this nut was gone and the ballstud was about ready to drop out. Last weekend my friend's rear suspension came apart and his dogbone went flying into the weeds for this same reason.
- I've heard that it is a good idea to add a washer to the screws that retain the suspension shafts/pins at the end of the arms. The head of the screw may not be enough to retain the pin if the suspension takes a big hit. Hasn't happened to me yet. I need to remind myself to add those washers this weekend though.
- If you swap out the stock motor for a new motor or brushless system, mount the motor with the wires facing forward as much as practical as opposed to rearward or straight up. So the way I have it in my pictures isn't the best setup. They way rbjeepthing has it is much better I've already made the correction. I suggested my friend do the same but he waited a little to long and the motor mount ended up taking a nice chunk of insulation off one of his motor wires. Besides cutting insulation or wires you also risk weakinging the connections at the motor or bullet connector if yoy flip and land on the rear portion of the truck.
- If the rear of the truck takes a big hit, like you land straight on the motor from a 6 foot jump, check your gear mesh right away!
#49
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Billerica,
MA
Posts: 498
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: Official E-FIRESTORM thread
Only have run the car 4 times now and I love it. It is my first real rc car (took me only 26 years) but the thing is great. My buddy just got the ruster xl-5 and both cars are in stock state so hopefully we can do a pretty good review once we go bashing. His is not completely stock he does have some RPM parts but no other changes. Also we have the same batteries so it will pretty much be a level playing field. Of course it has snowed about 6 inches last night to today so that review will have to wait for a little bit.