Caldera SC10e stuttering at take off?
06-08-2012, 05:23 PM
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Caldera SC10e stuttering at take off?
Just got my truck today. I am running new 7.2v nicads in the truck. They are only 2000 mah but I got a crap ton of them dirt cheap new. So if I only get 10 minutes a battery, I'm fine with that until I step up to lipos. The 3800 mah that came with the truck is still on the charge, I suspect that LED will be red till tomorrow morning.
My problem is the truck when you take off, like squeeze full power, it stutters...goes about 2 feet, cuts out, then 2 feet, cuts out, and so on.
But, if I ease the throttle in, it will take off slowly and lead up to speed. That certainly can't be normal?
I also noticed there is a lot of clankiness in the drive shafts. There is about 3mm end to end play on botht the front and rear shafts. They clank when the truck stutters. Is that normal?
It basically, doesn't perform like any of the videos I've seen of supposedly box stock Caldera SC10e trucks.
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I was a bit of a skeptic. About 6 local guys run sundays at one guys house where he built a super nice track. They all run Slash's. They just were not in my budget. I really want this truck to work out, I can't stress how much I really do, but my initial skepticism is coming to fruitition a bit. And I didn't expect a truck comparable to a Slash right out of the box, by any means. I did, expect to get near the performance of the bashing videos I've seen on youtube.
Any help is greatly appreciated. I paid 20 bucks extra for express shipping so I could get it here to run this sunday...lol Perhaps, I may have ended up wasting 20 bucks....
My problem is the truck when you take off, like squeeze full power, it stutters...goes about 2 feet, cuts out, then 2 feet, cuts out, and so on.
But, if I ease the throttle in, it will take off slowly and lead up to speed. That certainly can't be normal?
I also noticed there is a lot of clankiness in the drive shafts. There is about 3mm end to end play on botht the front and rear shafts. They clank when the truck stutters. Is that normal?
It basically, doesn't perform like any of the videos I've seen of supposedly box stock Caldera SC10e trucks.
-
I was a bit of a skeptic. About 6 local guys run sundays at one guys house where he built a super nice track. They all run Slash's. They just were not in my budget. I really want this truck to work out, I can't stress how much I really do, but my initial skepticism is coming to fruitition a bit. And I didn't expect a truck comparable to a Slash right out of the box, by any means. I did, expect to get near the performance of the bashing videos I've seen on youtube.
Any help is greatly appreciated. I paid 20 bucks extra for express shipping so I could get it here to run this sunday...lol Perhaps, I may have ended up wasting 20 bucks....
06-08-2012, 05:39 PM
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RE: Caldera SC10e stuttering at take off?
forgot to mention.
While on the stand, the truck doesn't stutter when squeezing the throttle all the way.
The nicad cells I am using are NOS from late '08/ early '09. Not sure if that matters.
EDIT!!!
Well, my apologies for wasting anyones time who read my post.
The stock cell that came with the truck, although it wasn't charged completely, I was driving myself nuts sitting here I had to yank it just to test it out.
Bottom line, the NOS nicads I bought, must have lost the majority of their capacity sitting. The 3800 nimh that came with it, it darn well performs just like the videos. Incredible. My skepticism has just been flushed away.
Now, it's time to invest in a proper charger and a couple lipos....eh?
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BTW, does the RED led on the stock charger change to green when charging is complete? It's been on about say a good 6 hours. I don't see anything in the manual.
While on the stand, the truck doesn't stutter when squeezing the throttle all the way.
The nicad cells I am using are NOS from late '08/ early '09. Not sure if that matters.
EDIT!!!
Well, my apologies for wasting anyones time who read my post.
The stock cell that came with the truck, although it wasn't charged completely, I was driving myself nuts sitting here I had to yank it just to test it out.
Bottom line, the NOS nicads I bought, must have lost the majority of their capacity sitting. The 3800 nimh that came with it, it darn well performs just like the videos. Incredible. My skepticism has just been flushed away.
Now, it's time to invest in a proper charger and a couple lipos....eh?
-
BTW, does the RED led on the stock charger change to green when charging is complete? It's been on about say a good 6 hours. I don't see anything in the manual.
06-08-2012, 07:41 PM
#3
RE: Caldera SC10e stuttering at take off?
You beat me to it but I was going to say definately the batteries your using are not holding a full charge. That's exactly what happens when a good battery starts to go bad. You charge it, the charger says its charged, then you pop it in and it performs just like you described. As far as the play in the dogbones, snip a small piece of fuel tubing and slip it between the end of the dogbones and the cups. This will remove a lot of the slop in the drivetrain and will provide a little cushion. The Caldera is no Slash. I love the Caldera 10e, it's the most truck for the money out there. Put a 8.4v nihm or 2s Lipo in it and stand back. But the chassis on the slash is indestructible.
06-08-2012, 08:24 PM
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RE: Caldera SC10e stuttering at take off?
I can tell I'm going to love this truck, now that I got part of it figured out.... Odd thing is, I've ran a buddies Slash ultimate, and I'm thinking this thing will at least somewhat hang with them. They are running on 2s lipos. The take off will lag compared, but I really think racing around the track is gonna be a blast.
Bad thing is, with only one battery, and the stock charger, my fun will be shortlived Sunday. Perhaps I can make a quick adapter and get one of the guys to throw the battery on their charger....
I appreciate the tip on the drive shafts with fuel tubing. I am not familar with nitro stuff, you talking nitro rc fuel tubing or regular old fuel tubing from the hardware store? Approximate size diameter? I guess just a piece that fits?
Bad thing is, with only one battery, and the stock charger, my fun will be shortlived Sunday. Perhaps I can make a quick adapter and get one of the guys to throw the battery on their charger....
I appreciate the tip on the drive shafts with fuel tubing. I am not familar with nitro stuff, you talking nitro rc fuel tubing or regular old fuel tubing from the hardware store? Approximate size diameter? I guess just a piece that fits?
06-09-2012, 06:04 PM
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RE: Caldera SC10e stuttering at take off?
I did some running today, at my friends shortcourse track. I made it less than 3 minutes before the servo gears stripped.
Luckily, I had a box of old rc parts, and it had a Futaba servo in it that fit's perfectly. I swapped it out in quite quick fashion. Actually glad it went out. Much better steering response, and it went back to center everytime. I'm going to see about a warranty claim monday, as I'd like a it replaced as I had literally less than 5 minutes on the track with very mild driving.
I'm still confused on how long to charge the battery with the stock charger. And if the red light goes green when it's done or if it shuts off or what?
Odd as it sounds, the battery I don't think was fully charged as I don't think it had been on the charge long enough.
I ran it 10 minutes last night, 5 minutes approx. today, then another 15-20 minutes after I swapped the servo. That's nearly 35 minutes on not a full charge. Quite impressive.
Can anyone confirm if I run a 2s lipo, do I need to set anything on the esc?
Luckily, I had a box of old rc parts, and it had a Futaba servo in it that fit's perfectly. I swapped it out in quite quick fashion. Actually glad it went out. Much better steering response, and it went back to center everytime. I'm going to see about a warranty claim monday, as I'd like a it replaced as I had literally less than 5 minutes on the track with very mild driving.
I'm still confused on how long to charge the battery with the stock charger. And if the red light goes green when it's done or if it shuts off or what?
Odd as it sounds, the battery I don't think was fully charged as I don't think it had been on the charge long enough.
I ran it 10 minutes last night, 5 minutes approx. today, then another 15-20 minutes after I swapped the servo. That's nearly 35 minutes on not a full charge. Quite impressive.
Can anyone confirm if I run a 2s lipo, do I need to set anything on the esc?
06-12-2012, 03:31 PM
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RE: Caldera SC10e stuttering at take off?
So perhaps an update since I've ran this 3 times.
So far, the servo has given out, the body has been wrecked to dust, I mean the whole rear above the back window, completely cracked clean straight across, among random pieces just busting out of the body now leaving holes.
the front bottom shock retainers keep coming off, and today I suddenly had only front wheel drive. Fortunately, it was the allen set screw had came loose on the cup that attaches to the main gear.
So, blown servo, busted body, shock retainer keeps coming off(lucky to have found it each time so far). What's my opinion?
I actually love the truck. It's like a spider monkey on crack when you put a 2s lipo in it. But you were right dads, it's not nearly as durable as a Slash.
So, I bought a Slash off a buddy last night. Now, I think as much as I like the Sc10, I'm going to part with it.
For one, while looking for a steel pinion at my local hobby town, and one too many times of them asking what it was for, what's it for, what's it for, I finally said a redcat, and it was like the world stopped for a second. Customers started whispering. No biggie, I assume they have never driven one...so I forgive them.
Just the way the employee acted after that, was less than desirable. Like it's not a hobby, and the important thing is bling, not having fun....
And the tires are just so big on the Sc10, and the grip on my buddies track, is way subpar. So I put a spare set of stock slash tires/wheels on, and of course it slowed way down. IDK. it's a great truck, but even though I love it, there are too many quirks to get it to perform good.
I spent 229 3 day select shipped on the redcat. I'll need new tires/wheels, and now a new body, some better shocks, rework the gearing to make up for the smaller tires.....My buddy sold me his ultimate for 285, with a Turnigy 5.0 2s lipo, extra gears/pinions, a basher body, and the truck had been driven thru just 4 lipos. Plus, it had a spektrum sr300 receiver in it, and some extra upgrades he put on it.
Hindsight's 20/20, if I had known, I could have just waited and bought his extra slash.
As much as I love the redcat, even lovign it with all it's quirks, it's gotta go.
So far, the servo has given out, the body has been wrecked to dust, I mean the whole rear above the back window, completely cracked clean straight across, among random pieces just busting out of the body now leaving holes.
the front bottom shock retainers keep coming off, and today I suddenly had only front wheel drive. Fortunately, it was the allen set screw had came loose on the cup that attaches to the main gear.
So, blown servo, busted body, shock retainer keeps coming off(lucky to have found it each time so far). What's my opinion?
I actually love the truck. It's like a spider monkey on crack when you put a 2s lipo in it. But you were right dads, it's not nearly as durable as a Slash.
So, I bought a Slash off a buddy last night. Now, I think as much as I like the Sc10, I'm going to part with it.
For one, while looking for a steel pinion at my local hobby town, and one too many times of them asking what it was for, what's it for, what's it for, I finally said a redcat, and it was like the world stopped for a second. Customers started whispering. No biggie, I assume they have never driven one...so I forgive them.
Just the way the employee acted after that, was less than desirable. Like it's not a hobby, and the important thing is bling, not having fun....
And the tires are just so big on the Sc10, and the grip on my buddies track, is way subpar. So I put a spare set of stock slash tires/wheels on, and of course it slowed way down. IDK. it's a great truck, but even though I love it, there are too many quirks to get it to perform good.
I spent 229 3 day select shipped on the redcat. I'll need new tires/wheels, and now a new body, some better shocks, rework the gearing to make up for the smaller tires.....My buddy sold me his ultimate for 285, with a Turnigy 5.0 2s lipo, extra gears/pinions, a basher body, and the truck had been driven thru just 4 lipos. Plus, it had a spektrum sr300 receiver in it, and some extra upgrades he put on it.
Hindsight's 20/20, if I had known, I could have just waited and bought his extra slash.
As much as I love the redcat, even lovign it with all it's quirks, it's gotta go.
06-12-2012, 04:15 PM
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RE: Caldera SC10e stuttering at take off?
ORIGINAL: ncdrc
So perhaps an update since I've ran this 3 times.
So far, the servo has given out, the body has been wrecked to dust, I mean the whole rear above the back window, completely cracked clean straight across, among random pieces just busting out of the body now leaving holes.
the front bottom shock retainers keep coming off, and today I suddenly had only front wheel drive. Fortunately, it was the allen set screw had came loose on the cup that attaches to the main gear.
So, blown servo, busted body, shock retainer keeps coming off(lucky to have found it each time so far). What's my opinion?
I actually love the truck. It's like a spider monkey on crack when you put a 2s lipo in it. But you were right dads, it's not nearly as durable as a Slash.
So, I bought a Slash off a buddy last night. Now, I think as much as I like the Sc10, I'm going to part with it.
For one, while looking for a steel pinion at my local hobby town, and one too many times of them asking what it was for, what's it for, what's it for, I finally said a redcat, and it was like the world stopped for a second. Customers started whispering. No biggie, I assume they have never driven one...so I forgive them.
Just the way the employee acted after that, was less than desirable. Like it's not a hobby, and the important thing is bling, not having fun....
And the tires are just so big on the Sc10, and the grip on my buddies track, is way subpar. So I put a spare set of stock slash tires/wheels on, and of course it slowed way down. IDK. it's a great truck, but even though I love it, there are too many quirks to get it to perform good.
I spent 229 3 day select shipped on the redcat. I'll need new tires/wheels, and now a new body, some better shocks, rework the gearing to make up for the smaller tires.....My buddy sold me his ultimate for 285, with a Turnigy 5.0 2s lipo, extra gears/pinions, a basher body, and the truck had been driven thru just 4 lipos. Plus, it had a spektrum sr300 receiver in it, and some extra upgrades he put on it.
Hindsight's 20/20, if I had known, I could have just waited and bought his extra slash.
As much as I love the redcat, even lovign it with all it's quirks, it's gotta go.
So perhaps an update since I've ran this 3 times.
So far, the servo has given out, the body has been wrecked to dust, I mean the whole rear above the back window, completely cracked clean straight across, among random pieces just busting out of the body now leaving holes.
the front bottom shock retainers keep coming off, and today I suddenly had only front wheel drive. Fortunately, it was the allen set screw had came loose on the cup that attaches to the main gear.
So, blown servo, busted body, shock retainer keeps coming off(lucky to have found it each time so far). What's my opinion?
I actually love the truck. It's like a spider monkey on crack when you put a 2s lipo in it. But you were right dads, it's not nearly as durable as a Slash.
So, I bought a Slash off a buddy last night. Now, I think as much as I like the Sc10, I'm going to part with it.
For one, while looking for a steel pinion at my local hobby town, and one too many times of them asking what it was for, what's it for, what's it for, I finally said a redcat, and it was like the world stopped for a second. Customers started whispering. No biggie, I assume they have never driven one...so I forgive them.
Just the way the employee acted after that, was less than desirable. Like it's not a hobby, and the important thing is bling, not having fun....
And the tires are just so big on the Sc10, and the grip on my buddies track, is way subpar. So I put a spare set of stock slash tires/wheels on, and of course it slowed way down. IDK. it's a great truck, but even though I love it, there are too many quirks to get it to perform good.
I spent 229 3 day select shipped on the redcat. I'll need new tires/wheels, and now a new body, some better shocks, rework the gearing to make up for the smaller tires.....My buddy sold me his ultimate for 285, with a Turnigy 5.0 2s lipo, extra gears/pinions, a basher body, and the truck had been driven thru just 4 lipos. Plus, it had a spektrum sr300 receiver in it, and some extra upgrades he put on it.
Hindsight's 20/20, if I had known, I could have just waited and bought his extra slash.
As much as I love the redcat, even lovign it with all it's quirks, it's gotta go.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9AuXy8dh8L4&feature=plcp
06-14-2012, 01:42 PM
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RE: Caldera SC10e stuttering at take off?
great points dads, the hobbytown trip was a let down for sure. Sometimes I wonder if "value pricing" a product from the get go, kills it before it has a chance? Think say a Redcat SC10e was priced say only 50 bucks less than the slash. Would people be so quick to "judge" them? I run my own business making wooden finger skateboards for a living. I've seen that exact thing happen on many occasions. We all make these boards by hand and we recoup our costs and fair labor for a solid product. Along comes a "new guy" and he'll price his stuff half the price of the standard finger skateboard. People will start to say bad things about them, without even ever having tried them. At the same time, someone else can release a board within a couple bucks of the current avg. price and they are golden. Sometimes "value prices" can hurt you I think.
The link you gave of the video of the losi in the street, was crazy...
So, I've hung on to the Redcat just a bit longer...after getting a lipo with my Slash that was charged up, I decided to give it a shot with the lipo, before I parted with it.
I really wish I could hang on to the Redcat...lol It's ridiculously fast with the lipo, and is such a fun basher in my backyard. I have had several rough hits(privacy fence, deck stairs, walk out wall, and once wedging it under our yard barn) and it's not had any more broken parts.
I got a 15t pinion with my Slash, I may swap it into the Redcat, and put the stock Slash tires/wheels on it and see how it fairs. I would like to keep it, however, one has to go and the slash is a better truck overall as far as quality and parts availability so it will win out.
It's a shame I have to somehow recoup some of what I spent on one of the vehicles, or I'd keep them both.
The link you gave of the video of the losi in the street, was crazy...
So, I've hung on to the Redcat just a bit longer...after getting a lipo with my Slash that was charged up, I decided to give it a shot with the lipo, before I parted with it.
I really wish I could hang on to the Redcat...lol It's ridiculously fast with the lipo, and is such a fun basher in my backyard. I have had several rough hits(privacy fence, deck stairs, walk out wall, and once wedging it under our yard barn) and it's not had any more broken parts.
I got a 15t pinion with my Slash, I may swap it into the Redcat, and put the stock Slash tires/wheels on it and see how it fairs. I would like to keep it, however, one has to go and the slash is a better truck overall as far as quality and parts availability so it will win out.
It's a shame I have to somehow recoup some of what I spent on one of the vehicles, or I'd keep them both.
