Palmquist_44

Hey guys,

I just joined this forum today, and I'm looking for one of you R/C Electric Buggy/Truggy gurus and enthusiasts to give me some advice on my current situation.


I bought a Tamiya Plasma Edge electric buggy about 5 months ago when Iwas in Hong Kong, and the thing is absolutely incredible (I'm no R/C expert, been doing it for years, but I'm just an intermediate enthusiast).Thishas been my firstTamiya product and I'm sold on them for life,just incredible quality of products.At any rate, I'm looking to upgrade the speed of the thing.......VERY substantially if possible. I realize the way to go is to buy a new motor, although I've been reading online that changing the gear ratio/pinion gear could also potentially increase the max speed of the buggy.In all my life, I have never bought any motor which was beyond stock. The motor in the buggy is a Mabuchi 540 apparently.


So, could one of you gurus give me some thoughts as to what would be the most cost-effective motor to upgrade to (were you in my position)? I don't need to spend $100 on a motor here, but if I could keep it under $30 that would be awesome.

Lastly, I'm interested in purchasing one or two new or used 6 cell 7.2V batteries, ones that also might increase the speed of my buggy. Any thoughts here (with cost-effectiveness also in mind)?

Thanks guys!!

Nick

cummins driver

My Feedback: (31)

If you think you are wanting to run this buggy, or any 1/10 electric R/C for a while, I would reccomend a budget 1/10 brushless system similar to below. It will cost more than $30, but it will last a long time and there really is no maintenance like a brushed motor. You will likely have to upgrade your current ESC to upgrade motors, so you are already looking at at least $60-65 to upgrade your current system.

So, compared to this:

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idProduct=8993&Product_Name=Hobby_King__Brushless_Car_ESC_100A_w/_Reverse_(Upgrade_version)

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/s...tor_12T_3300Kv

For Probably $75 shipped you can have a much better system that will be much faster, run cooler, and last forever.

Thats just my opinion, however if you are still just wanting a brushed setup, I think Trinity makes the best brushed motors. Keep in mind you will have to regear if you get a hotter motor.

Eric

Brainanator

My Feedback: (1)

if you want to keep with NiMH batteries, I personally suggest http://www.promatchracing.com/

here is a good 6 cell for a good price: http://www.promatchracing.com/proddetail.php?prod=42006
you'll have to put your own tamiya connector on it, since it seems they don't offer it (you might be able to call and they'd probably do it)

here is one that'll give you longer run times for a little more: http://www.promatchracing.com/prodde...?prod=5000-6UM

I can't personally comment on the ENERG 5000s, but the I found the 4200s to be very nice for the price.

redfisher1974

A tamiya sport tuned motor would work real nice.

proanti1

My Feedback: (2)

Seriously? When the dude said he only had $30... people still suggest these crappy systems.

Yeah, Tamiya sport tuned motor is in your price range, will add some speed, and will not blow your speed controller.

e123

They aren't crappy systems. Yes, more than the $30 budget he stated but its a cheaper set up long term and they work.

Redvanmafia

Theres quality control out there, even if its a POS it still has to work, they cant sell you a a electronic peice of equpiment and have it not do what it's sussposed to, for atlest a limited ammount of time, i run a 55 dollar Aeolian quik-100amp esc in my slash, the instructions are done by a monkey on a keyboard i actually lost the directions on how to tune it, but other then that its great! Never runs hot on 3s, the fan doesnt need to be replaced because your running 3s, (like the eazy run) I ordered an ez run and it was DOA when it got here, theres definatly a quality control problem, i shouldnt have DOA's,

cummins driver

My Feedback: (31)

That is a much better setup than a brushed combination. I didnt try to push it on him, I just simply let him know it was a much better option for not a lot more $$. And it is! I have a hobbyking brushless ESC and hobbywing motor setup in my 12lb Monster GT and its awesome.

I run brushed motors too. But if he is going to go with a motor hot enough to need to buy a new brushed ESC, he might as well go brushless. And he also said he was wanting to increase the speed "VERY substantially", so he isnt just looking for something with just a touch more power.

Its my opinion. You dont have to like it, but I dont see you suggesting anything better.

Eric

SyCo_VeNoM

agree
got a DF-02 and only real way to get substantial power is brushless. I've changed pinions, motors, and run a XL-5 ESC in mine, and its hard to gear seeing you only get the choice of I think its 4 pinion poditions (might be 5). If I didn't want mine waterproof I'd slap in a 30-60amp EZ-run system which would make it fly.

Also its not easy to use lipos in a DF-02 (well at least turnigy hardcases)it requires a fair bit of modification so chances are he will have to stick with NiMh.

as for batteries I used a max power 5300 mah NiMh in mine till I screwed em up (got water in the batter and it corroded) I was getting pretty good runtimes off it to not bad seeing it was $20 shipped off ebay.

Palmquist_44

I really like your suggestion with this brushless/ESC setup here.The only question I have about it is: do you absolutely 100%MANDATORILYhave to have Lithium (Lipo) batteries to run one of these ESC's/setups?If the answer is yes, then this option is out of my league at the moment since I can maybe afford a $70 setup, but I can definitely not afford new Lipo Batteries(not to mention a LIpo charger....) at this point.

So, if brushless isn't an option for me right now,I may go with the Tamiya BZ Sport Tuned Motor or something like this:

This motor looked decent to me online:

http://www.rcplanet.com/Venom_Fireba..._p/vnr1315.htm

Any other thoughts anyone?

Almighty ODST

Lipo batteries are not mandatory at all for a brushless system, I ran nimh on my brushless for the longest time before finally buying some lipos.

cummins driver

My Feedback: (31)

The Fireball motors arent too good. They seem to be kind of hit or miss, but most people say that the brushes wear out fast and that they dont provide the power that other motors of the same turn provide.

Lots of people run brushless systems on NiMh batteries. Im still pretty new to brushless myself, and I have done a lot of reading up on the matter in the past month or 2. I am currently running NiMh on my brushless system in my Associated Monster GT which is an 1/8 scale monster truck. I was going to wait until i went with LiFe batteries(very similar to LiPo's, except safer) before I ran it, but then I changed my mind and decided to go ahead and install it. The difference even still running the same batteries is absolutely night and day. I didnt think it would make a huge difference since I was still running the same batteries, but it really did. The truck is probably twice as fast as it was before with the brushed setup in both acceleration and top speed. The first time I punched it, it flipped over onto its back

Anyways, yes you can run NiMh with that setup no problem. Runtimes will probably go down a little, but you will have much more power, and when you decide to go to lithium batteries, you will already have a system that can really make use of them.

I know how it is to be on a budget. It took me a while to get my brushless system together, and Im still waiting to order batteries too, so I know brushless is a little expensive, but in the long run the power, ease of use, and no maintenance is well worth it I think

Here is a video I found of a brushless stampede running a 7 cell NiMh. You can see it has lots of power

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HwYdvdvWD_U

Eric

SyCo_VeNoM

Venom products are crap(that motor especially). I owned that motor the sucker died after 5 minutes of use. My stock silver can tamiya motor in my DF-02 actually goes faster than it did on the fireball, and gets way better run times.

BTW I did the same break in procedure for it that I did on all my brushed motors, the venom fireball is the only one that stopped working after 5 minutes, and didn't even get hot before failing...

proanti1

My Feedback: (2)

So, which would you prefer as a beginner? A brushed motor that would nearly double the speed, "very substantial" doesn't have to mean 55. Or a brushless system that would probably not work in the first place with about a 25% chance that it will develop some sort of a problem, then over heat because he cannot gear down to the required pinion size. He also needs to continue running the 6cell packs because they are the only thing that will fit (with the exception of some life packs).

cummins driver

My Feedback: (31)

Obviously you have never owned one of those brushless systems, or read anything about them. I hear great reviews about them all the time, and that 100a ESC wont even know its working in a buggy.

He isnt a beginner. He even states "been doing it for years" in the first post. I assure you if he has the art of throttle control and actually steering the vehicle down, then he can handle a brushless system. As for the gearing, that 3300kv motor on a 7.2v battery should run stock gearing fine. The 3500kv VXL system in a stampede runs around the same gearing as the brushed motor. Now, it would be different if that motor was 5k+ kv, but its not, and it will be fine with close to, if not stock gearing.

I actually geared up 2 teeth on the pinion in my truck that was running 2 brushed motors. The brushless system doesent even get warm. The motor is just warm to the touch at the end of a run and the ESC is almost cool still. It has also already been said that a 6 cell NiMh pack will be fine with a brushless setup so there isnt a problem there either.

Unless you have some real facts, I havent seen anything that you have said that should steer anyone away from a brushless setup.

Eric

proanti1

My Feedback: (2)

I have two on my desk, one cogs like a ****, the other seems to not have crap for a top end. Stock gearing on a stampede running a vxl has no place in this thread, it may run "close" to stock gearing, but the motor was designed for the car. You were running two BRUSHED (what turns?) motors in a tmaxx... that also has no place in this thread. Your comparisons are completely invalid. He pointed out that he has a "mabuchi 540 apparently", that alone implies he is not the most experienced enthusiast. I dont have a problem with decent or good brushless systems, but I do have a problem with people referring him to a crappy system, that could possibly turn him off brushless for good. My Novaks run perfectly, same with my Tekin r5... my Chinese garbage on the other hand, do not.

cummins driver

My Feedback: (31)

How come you didnt come out and say that? Are you sure you have them setup correctly? Its funny me and many others dont have any problems with my hobbyking stuff. Are you running good batteries, and correct gearing? If either of those is bad it will effect cogging and top speed.

Yes, when i was comparing gearing, using a stampede for reference is fine. Since the KV of the hobbyking setup is close to that of the VXL, it is extremely relavant when speaking of gearing.

I dont own a T-Maxx. Not sure what you are talking about there. I have a Associated Monster GT(far cry from a T-maxx) that I ran HPI GT550 motors in, and also 21t E-Maxx motors in.

I guess you think all your Novak and Tekin stuff is made and assembled in the U.S.


Eric

samguan

Why did you buy two if it was that bad? Also, you are the same guy that said you owned 3 XL-5 ESCs and two were faulty, I find it hard to believe.

proanti1

My Feedback: (2)

Yeah, that's me. Why do you find it hard to believe? I bought one, it cogged. Then I got another off ebay for close to nothing. Both esc's are 60a, both motors are 4300kv's. Gonna be asking for pictures next or something. I have been in the hobby for a while dude.

SyCo_VeNoM

Only HW motor I have that cogs is the 1200kv motor. But I read that one had issues for some reason on other boards, others I have there's virtually no cogging what so ever(maybe a tiny bit at extremely low speeds but my mamba max monster does the same at similar speeds).

proanti1

My Feedback: (2)

Only motors I have that cog are my havok, and the ez run. The ez run cogs when I punch it, the novak cogs at extremely low speeds.

Slo-V Flyer

Your Havok ESC cogs? Are you running a sensorless motor? Interesting. My GTB never cogged with the Novak Velociti motors I ran with it, no matter the RPM, so this could be another case of bad luck. Hehe.

And I just bought an off-brand $49 ZTW 60A esc, and ran it through 2 packs already, it barely reached over 10-20*F over ambient temps, on 2s and 3s, with a 2700 Kv motor in my Slash. I also have a $10 Turnigy airplane ESC that worked perfectly, and another $18 Tower Pro ESC that worked perfect for over 2 years (it's in storage right now).

proanti1

My Feedback: (2)

Surprisingly yes, its sensored and cogs a little... with the car just barely rolling, can barely see it, but you can hear it. Its not a velocity motor though, its a ballistic 6400. I guess I just have bad luck with brushless.

cummins driver

My Feedback: (31)

If you went through three XL-5's it sounds like you have bad luck with all electronics.... Maybe try nitro?

proanti1

My Feedback: (2)

Haha... I run both. Mostly electrics... if you feel my opinion is not needed, I will not post in this thread any longer. Just adding my two cents, the dude should see all sides of the story before buying a piece of electronics, especially in this hobby.