hugger-4641

My Feedback: (6)

New comer to cars, I usually fly planes, but I was given a Traxxas Rustler that I intend to give to my nephew. It had a burned out "no name" brushed motor and Esc. So I bought the stock Titan 12t and esc and stuck in it. After just a few laps in my front yard at full throttle, I could smell the motor getting too hot, probably due to the 11.1 volt 5400 mah lipo that came in it. If I let him have it as it is now, I know him or his dad will burn the motor up quickly. I know I'm working this problem backwards from what I would do with a plane, but I really don't want to buy another battery, and I don't think my nephew needs the power of a brushless set up, it has too much power for him as it is.So my question is, can you guys recommend a brushed motor and Esc to fit the Rustler that will hold up with the battery I have?.

nitrosportsandrunner

You are lucky the ESC didnt go up in smoke already. Its not meant to handle a 3s lipo, and neither is the motor. It was probly very quick tho!

There are few brushed setups (none come to mind) that will handle a 3s lipo. And any there are, are likely pricey.

Why not buy a 2s 5000mah lipo from hobbypartz.com. They run $25 + shipping. Cheaper than a new motor/ESC. Tho, you may end up needing a new motor soon anyway. My hobby shop has HPI firbolt 15t motors for $18. About the same power as the titan 12t. I use on in my SC10 along with a 2s lipo.

A new ESC/motor setup (brushed or brushless) will cost over $60 easy. A new 2s lipo will be cheaper and be plenty of power with the current brushed setup.

t-max97

My Feedback: (9)

If your giving it to people with no experience in the hobby why not just get an nimh battery?

phmaximus

on a budget it cant be done (11.1v 3s on brushed)

U kinda have to get a new battery or brushless combo, but i would say that a brushless combo in a rustler on 11.1v would be way over 60mph so thats out

so yeah u kinda need a battery.
2 to look at would be a 8.4v nimh 7 cell, or a 7.4v 2s lipo...

If u lived in Australia u would give u a 7cell.... hell they are a dime a dozen 2nd hand, everyone is going to lipo so u can pick them up cheap even free sometimes, I know a guy trying to unload some 6cell mini revo batterys that are neer new, no one wants them


but............ there is a really crude way of doing it........ I dont reccomend this but its something i would do because im a tight ass.... lol
If u use traning mode or adjust the throttle EPA right down that will limit the volts to the motor.....

hugger-4641

My Feedback: (6)

Thanks for the replies guys. Yes, it was VERY quick. Yeah, the 11.1v lipo is probably what cooked the motor that came in it. I took it apart and one of the brush holders was melted!  Evidently the guy I got it from didn't do much homework before he slapped that 3cell lipo in it. I didn't really do much homework on it as I don't really intend to mess with cars much. I didn't  want to buy a nimh or nicad cause I have a Lipo charger I was going to give him. Didn't really want to buy another battery either cause I don't have any need for that 5400mah 3cell. Definitely didn't want to spend the money to  put a brushless set up in cause it would be way to fast for him anyway. Oh well, I guess the best plan is to just get him a 2cell lipo.

nitrosportsandrunner

go to hobbypartz.com and get a gens ace or skylipo 2s 30c 5000mah lipo. wont cost more than $40 even with shipping.
They wont have the same type of connector as the traxxas, so youll have to buy a matching plug at a hobby store or on ebay.

phmaximus

one last thing........ those titan motors are shocking, ive smoke 3 of them, all on a 2s lipo....

little kids are the worst titan killers, they crash into something then keep trying to go. a lipo battery can supply the amps but the poor little motors brushes cant, and fail like that first motor u had. so be very carefull not to load up the motor on lipo power, things get hot real fast

my tip, run the motor in correctly, and keep the slipper nice and loose, just enough to 1/2 pull wheelies

t-max97

My Feedback: (9)

Why lipo for a little kid that doesn't have any experience? I would get an nimh battery. Lol and I dont understand wanting to spend more on a new brushed system rather than getting a new battery because you dont have a use for the 3s, sell it, teach the kid why lipo's are dangerous lol.

hugger-4641

My Feedback: (6)

I want to keep him on lipo because I already have a good simple Turnigy lipo charger I am going to give him. If I get him a nimh or nicad, I will have to get him another charger also. I won't have to buy a new brushed system because my Esc and motor are still good, but if I let him have it like it is, the motor and/or esc will probably get burned up on his first day. If I go to brushless, then I will have to spend more money than if I just get him a two cell lipo and keep the motor and esc I have. My original hope was that I could find a brushed motor and esc that would work with the battery I have, but it seems that is probably not the best plan.

Thanks for the advice on the slipper! I had not even thought about that but I bet the slip clutch is locked down tight because it will turn backflip right now if the wheels bite good!

t-max97

My Feedback: (9)

I get the rest, I was talking about the part I enlarged, I didn't get that when a new battery is way cheaper.

nitrosportsandrunner

what turnigy lipo charger is it? Most of the common lipo chargers out today can also charge a NIMH battery.
which model, or upload a pic. unless its some trickle charger that only uses the balance plug to charge, I bet it can do nimh as well.

phmaximus

if u are running the Traxxas ESC and if its to fast. set it to traning mode... to easy

my recomendation is to use a Lipo, why not, there is traning mode, different gearing, slipper to adjust I think he will be fine.

Ive personally seen people using the EPA to limit the throttle with different saved settings ie: dad 100%, Kids grass 40%, Kids concteate 30%.
the traxxas ESC has training mode and if ur keen and have a ipod/iphone the Traxxas TQi has a 100 point traning mode. from 0%-100%
I use that for my kids and so far so good. my youngest drives a crawler on 24% and a slash on 37%

pwujszuf

Definitely didn't want to spend the money to  put a brushless set up in cause it would be way to fast for him anyway.

hugger-4641

My Feedback: (6)

Ok, so I've got a 2cell lipo comming from HK, as well as an extra titan 12t and esc from fleabay. But......, in the meantime, I got a little bored and since I already got another esc coming, decided to experiment. A friend told me he heard you could use a cordless drill motor in some Traxxas cars. Well, I had two old cordless drills in my shop that I had thrown asside as the batteries had long ago given up. After buying a new Dewalt set, didn't really need them anymore so I never bought any new batteries. So I removed the Titan from the Rustler and removed the motors from Black & Decker and Skill cordless drill, attached leads and capacitors and tried them out. Here's the results:

Black and Decker versa pack 12v cordless drill motor, ran as fast as the Titan, and lasted about 25 min. Lasted for one discharge of fully charged battery and half way thru the second run before the rear bearing on the motor went A.W.O.L., The brushes are actually still good.

Skill 14v cordless drill motor, slightly slower than the B&D motor, but still pulls wheelie and has gone thru 4 discharge cycles so far. It's not even getting hot and it runs forever on that 5400mah pack. I've actually only hit the low voltage cutoff once and that took at least 15min. I did have to take a dremel tool to the motor shaft to make a seat for the drive gear set screw. I'm expecting the Esc to give up any time, but so far is not really getting that hot either. I'm going to keep running it until something gives, or my new battery and running gear come in. I'll post again if the magic smoke goes out of something before I give it to my nephew!

phmaximus

thats what the hobby is all about... experimenting, great work lol