tjscrogins99

I have a xxx-t I am setting up brushless and 8000mah 2s lipo for racing and want to know peoples opinion on the two different esc motor combos.

Mamba Max and mm5700 or mm6900

Or NOvak GTB 6.5 or 5.5 or whatever may be suggested.

I thought mamba was tops but the more i read people seem to be racing novak ALOT more. Can someone give me some reasons to choose one over the other?

snellemin

Here's my opinion on the 2 different setups: One requires more skill then the other.

Sensored--it's like driving a 4 cylinder automatic transmission car at slow speeds.
Sensorless--it's like driving a Big Block V8 manual transmission car at slow speeds.

The mamba ESC is superior, but the motors are ok.

Access

One is a low-power ~250W sensored system made with racers in mind. The other is a higher power system (up to 1000W with the kit motor) and not specifically designed for racing. The novak will be easier to learn and drive, more forgiving and hopefully more consistent. The mamba will have a good deal more power -- it will feel much more twitchy and sensitive, and be more prone to magnifying any kind of driving error you commit. Novak has a new series of 'L' motors that seem to be catching on for off-road racing. Mamba is better if you just like to goof around and go fast, but going faster in a straight line isn't going to necessarily win you any races especially on short, tight tracks. Be sure to get the right system for hte track, on a typical racing track you wouldn't want anything more than a novak 6.5-8.5 (maybe the 'L') or a mamba 4600 to 5700.

Craps

Why start a thread about 2 completely different brushless systems?

If you are a little kid looking to knock down some mailboxes up and down your street and want a cheap low maintence system, get the sensorless Mamba, it's cheap!!! But if you are serious racer and want every advantage you can get on a slick dry dirt off-road track, then by all means this is a no-brainer, buy the sensored Novak GTB ESC and the new Lite Series Velociti motor.

ElectricGuy007

Couldn't have been said any simplier.
I would never give up my Novak GTB, it's the only brushless esc besides the Sphere that you can take racing.
The mamba is illiegal so you cant race with it.
Just another basher just thinking his own opinon...

tjscrogins99

I am not some little kid mowing down mailboxes (although i will probably use it to chase the occational goose off the fairway behind my house), Just new to racing I usually build crawlers and already have all the equipment to run lipo and brushless. Just wondering if the mambas i already have would be competative. Now that I have been told its illegal, Ill go buy GTB system.

Access

If you are doing ROAR-sanctioned racing, LiPo is also illegal.

wookie_racer

My Feedback: (8)

i was not aware that the MM esc was illegal. i use mine to race, take some getting used to and some skill but i can be done. i will be getting a sensord system for racing soon though.

j.m.

it isn't. He was saying LiPo was.

Access

ROAR does not say anything regarding ESCs. Only motors. So any ESC is legal, it's the motor that is questionable under ROAR.
ROAR does have a tricky rule 'every wire must be connected' and this can pose a problem for the sensor wires if you drive a sensored motor with a sensorless ESC, but there are ways around this.

j.m.

just dremel a little slot in your shock tower or something.

Craps

The Mamba ESC is ROAR legal, the motors are suppose to go through ROAR's approval process by the manufacturer sending in a sample motor and the specs for approval. If Castle don't do it and unless an individual wants to take on this process to do it themselves, it ain't gonna happen and that is nobody's fault but Castles!

Access

Read the 2007 ROAR rule book, you have rules like 8.4.1.3 - "All electric motors are subject to inspection, and may be torn down at the discretion of the Race Director." (very difficult to tear down a CM36). 8.4.1.[4,5]. 8.4.2.3 "Can must have the original manufacturer's logo or name molded or eatched into the end bell." Though rule 8.4.2.4 is ambiguos. "Overall maximum diameter: 36.02mm measured at whatever point yields the maximum dimension." The mamba motor may be in violation b'cos the screws mounted in the side of the case. Solder tabs or lead wires are specifically exempted as they relate to the length measurement (8.4.2.5) but not the diameter measurement in 8.4.2.4. 8.7.5.4 further elaborates on this for brushless motors, adding solder tabs or lead wires, but reading at one point "overall minimum diameter is 34.00mm". Then you have 8.7.5.4 as it related to the rotor, specifying a diameter between 23mm and 27mm. And 8.7.5.6 which denotes sales numbers.

8.7.5.4 is of special consideration. This states the rotor's magnet length must be between 23.00mm and 27.00mm, the diameter must be between 12.00mm and 15.50mm. So you should be okay with any of Novak's tuning rotors, I think.

tjscrogins99

Were I plan on racing you can run 2s lipo, I called to check before purchasing 500 bucks worth of stuff. The carpet racing place said NO WAY unless you run an orion lipo that comes in a metal box, They told me they have had a fire involving a lipo in the past. I have been running brushless and lipo in my rc crawlers and bashers for a while now and dont want to feel like im downgrading my technology if i dont have to thats why im going with lipo. The novak system seems pretty sweet, alot of guys run it with 5000mah 2s lipos from maxamps and cant say enough good about it.