themissingelf

Hi...

New here but not so new to R/C. I'm not and never have invested full-time in R/C but have had sail boats in the past and also just resurrected a Pirate 10 Nitro Buggy (which currently will not drive in a straight line... More of that in another thread maybe).

To the point... I want to get a brushless electric car. Not to compete but simply to take "off-road" and play without always having to mess around with the fuel and noise of the nitro. (Or, to put it another way, I just fancy buying another car...)

I keep going round in circles and coming back to the Traxxas Slash with the LCG chassis, TSM, and on-board audio (because I do like the idea of sound I can turn down / off vs. the whine of electric - but not a deal breaker). My latest circle involved the Axial Yeti Score which I love the look of and how it appears to handle in a very "scale" way. However, I went off the Yeti when all I read suggested it was a bit on the slow side (especially run on Ni-Mh*).

So now, I think I'm almost settled on the Slash but....... Wondering whether there is perhaps something else I should consider before making my final decision?

Grateful for any advice and guidance!

* As a "casual play" user I want the simplicity of Ni-Mh vs. Lipo. I know Lipo are fine if looked after but my usage is such that I'll find something has gone awry with Lipo inbetween outings).

Scott711

Greetings and welcome,

If you are just a casual RC nut not interested in racing then indeed the Slash is a good choice. I'm assuming you want a RTR truck versus a kit to assemble and add all your own electronics. In the RTR case you may also want to consider Associated, Kyosho and OFNA. If you want to build a kit you have many more choices.

Regarding LIPO vs Ni-Mh I would highly recommend LIPO's. They give longer run times, lighter so you get better power to weight ratio and just more overall performance especially if you go brushless.

themissingelf

Thank you for such a quick response and recommendations. I'll check out some of the other makes. I've not completely ruled out kits - I quite like the idea of constructing something but may not find the time.

Also wondering about the limitations of clearance on the LCG chassis on the Slash. I'm not proposing to go rock crawling and *think* I will prefer the stability of the LCG but again, any experience from others would be useful insight.

I'm equally not ruling out Lipo at some point in the future - I think I just need more time to get my head around the guidelines and risks.

collector1231

My Feedback: (1)

I have an LCG kit on my Slash and have never had any clearance problems. Only thing is, in grass, it gets bogged down too much and on gravel/small rocks, the bottom gets scraped up bad. I suggest just getting a normal Slash to learn on now and go for the LCG kit later. LiPOs don't have many risks if you treat them respectfully. Check out this link for more info, or don't hesitate to contact me with specific questions.

http://www.rogershobbycenter.com/lipoguide/

Dcuda69

I think for someone that wants to bash around the yard,etc. the Slash is a perfect fit. There are parts/upgrades to make it just about anything you want. I have an Ultimate LCG on 3s and I never wish it had more ground clearance...I beat it through snow, ice,grass, mud, you name it. It's tough as nails and fun as hell!! If you're worried about clearance you can just put bigger tires on it. I ran mine like that for a while. Check my avatar pic or click on my models

themissingelf

Got it - Slash with on-board audio and TSM! First outing today on 3000maH Ni-MH (waiting to a 5000maH battery to arrive!). Great fun!

There did come a point after about 10mins when the on-board audio stopped and the car ran intermittently. I'm putting this down to the battery running flat?

I'm going to charge it up again and take it out for another spin to see if the same happens.

EXT2Rob

My Feedback: (1)

It could be that the Lipo Low-Voltage Cut-off (LVC) is enabled in the ESC. That's so a Lipo won't get discharged below 3.0V per cell. If you're running NiMhs, disable the LVC.

I don't recommend running NiMhs with brushless systems, however. I found that, even with a little 45Amp ESC and 380-sized brushless motor, the NiMh cells got WAY too hot. Enough to melt the plastic shrink wrap. And in pretty short order, they wouldn't even take a charge anymore. They were toast. If you run brushless, Lipo is the only way to go.

themissingelf

One day, maybe, I'll get on to Lipo...

In the meantime I need an "upgrade" following an incident with a kerb.... Ooooops...
The lower front arm is, erm, knackered...

I may just buy an originat Traxxas replacement unless, of course, there's something else worth considering?

EXT2Rob

My Feedback: (1)

O God, yes! Replace Traxxas suspension arms with ones made by RPM. MUCH tougher.

Also, stock "bumpers" on most RCs are only cosmetic. They do little to actually protect the car. Go look at T-Bone Racing for a set of REAL front and rear bumpers that actually work.

themissingelf

Hmmm... this could get expensive...

Just noticed I bent the shock too ... Looks as though I can get away with just buying a shock shaft although I've never dismantled a shock absorber. I'm guessing it will become obvious when I start unscrewing the parts. I'm assuming I'll also need to get some shock oil.

Dcuda69

I would replace the shock shaft with the tini shafts...less likely to bend. I also agree with the RPM arms. My stock ones died on impact with a mailbox..lol. Go to the Traxxas website, click on your model Slash, then click on support then exploded views...you'll see all the pieces of your truck plus upgrade part #s. Good luck getting it back up and bashing.

themissingelf

Thanks for the recommendation and pointing me in the direction of the exploded views - very useful!

The Saylors

Ya when in doubt rpm out is my rule of thumb. i like aluminum shock towers and metal axles, short of that rpm everything else as they are inexpensive and stupid tough (have yet to break anything from them at all lol) so when you break just get a set of rpm replacements and likely never touch them again!