Traxxas4fun

My Feedback: (3)

so will this battery http://www.hobbycity.com/hobbycity/s...idproduct=6305
plug right into this charger http://www.hobbycity.com/hobbycity/s...idproduct=8247 and charge fine? out of the box charger and battery? and will need one set of tx plugs right?
i can get the mini rio from offshore for 95 bucks plugs the octura prop for 106 shipped..
now i just need to find a lipo low voltage alarm deal..

nogal

Hi

lacchione

 I'm new at this. my mini rio has a hard time getting on plane sometimes it just dont. what can I do to correct this kepping the boat stock that is without changing the motor etc.

damfurst

lacchione, The one thing I did to my stock mini rio that did the most good was to change the prop. I used the prop from a shockwave 26 and it would almost immediatly come up on plane. Do a search on this thread for maybe what others have done too. Hope this helps

mineralvann

i did the same  thing and i must say it made alot of difference got up on plane alot faster. Also check the wiredrive, first time i ran my boat it would hardly move at all, it had like a babycrawl speed,I tried pulling the propholder a couple of mm from the stuffing tube and entire propholder fell off

SacMan31

My Feedback: (1)

I just made a post about depitching the stock prop..... check it out, if you have any questions post it under my post......

slobra300

I just recently purchased a MR from scratch and dent on tower hobbies for 55 bucks.  I also have bought an Octura X427 prop and a DuraTrax VR3 motor and a Rhino 1050mah 2S 7.4v 20C Lipo.  Can someone give me some insight as to this setup.  I will eventully be getting the Proboat Formula Fastech but I got this little boat to have some fun with in the mean time since it was cheap.  I want to get it as fast as I can with out going full brushless set up so I did some reading on here and I think I have a decent set up.  Stuff is still in the mail so Im doing the research before it gets here.   One big question really.  Will I need to get a flex wire set up or will this motor work fine with the stock driveshaft.  Im also thinking about installing a cooler jacket around the upgraded motor just for precaution.  Thanks in advance for the help guys!

SacMan31

My Feedback: (1)

I have the VR3 in my Mini Rio and it runs fine with the stock flex shaft, I would suggest running in 2 to 3 minute intervals because the motor and battery gets very hot. I would suggest building a cooling jacket ( i havent put mine on yet) but im sure it will help lots. Im running a Octura x431 prop and it immediatly jumps on plane, also the X427 prop is VERYfast with this set up but the run times are very short and it gets extremely hot due to very high RPMs. Iwould suggest running a 30mm or 31mm to bring the RPMs donw a little bit. I also made a cooling jacket out of 1/8th inch tubing to go around the battery and it helps alot. With the VR3 on a stock battery im getting 2-3 runs of 3 minutes each. Also the VR3 has a bad tendency to chine walk when turning right so be careful not to make a very sharp right turn at high speed it will flip. Make sure that you properly line up the flex shaft to the stuffing tube and go ahead and soldier the end of the flex shaft that goes in the coupler, and leave a slightly larger gap between the end of the stuffing tube and the prop shaft.






If it ain't flipin', it ain't racin'!

slobra300

Yea I plan on buying a cooling jacket set up for a 380 size motor.  Even if Im not experiencing major overheating problems, I still will feel more comfortable with it installed.  Also are you running stock radio and receiver?   Im wondering if I should pick up a cheap futaba set up or something cause I have read alot about people having 50-75feet max range problems with the stock radio.   Also what is CHINE WALK?

SacMan31

My Feedback: (1)

Prop walk is the tendancy for the prop to pull the boat either left or right when it enters and exits the water depending on prop rotation. Instead of buying a cooling jacket use some 1/8thor 7/32 aluminum tubing and coil it tightly around the motor about 8-10 times, it works better then a silicone jacket. Check around on here and im sure there are some pics and a few posting about building your own cooling coil. Yes i am still using the stock radio and reciever and im getting35-40 yards out of it, but i am running a Futaba 2ch (tower hobbies stock # FUTJ14) in my Mini Cat Velocity Mono and im gettin around 100+ yards and thats all the way across the pond.

dcwwcp

I finally read the whole thread! I wish there was a mini rio sticky post with a sumation of the technical info.


sacman31- you say wrapping the motor with some tubing (assuming some copper capillary tubing) actually works better than water directly on the motor?

I have recently acquired a MR for a good price. the range on the stock RX is only about 75 feet though. that's actually the thing I'm dissapointed in th most. the fact that it won't get on plane by itself at all sounds like it's fixable by a small cheap fix with a x431 prop.

as long as I'm staying with the stock stuff, I'm going to pull the stock motor apart (as I do with almost all stock motors) and peel a few winds/rewind for more power. better than paying way too much for a simple brushed motor(vr3)

I'm not taking on but a drop or two of water so I'm happy about that.

I made a small bracket/shelf that goes over the motor to drive coupling. that way I can use fairly large batteries, 1800mah 2s lipos, and move them forward without a problem. as soon as I can remember how to post a picture I will do so.

SacMan31

My Feedback: (1)

Yes i find that some aluminum tubing work best, you get more surface area with the tubing and get a lil better cooling.......

LionMarshel

I just got my mr, im just looking for what prop and what batt in need to upgrade to. I don't want to change the motor...just want a litle more speed and play time.

SacMan31

My Feedback: (1)

Please read the previous posts before asking, everything you need to know is in the 35 pages of this post........ octura x531 prop, 3s lipo,vr3 motor, 1500mah nimh batts........

slobra300

I have a wierd question I hope someone can help me out with. I recently ordered an aluminum single rudder conversion set up off ebay that a guy on here recommended. Looks like it will be fairly easy to install. I will have to plug the old holes from the dual rudders, drill to holes and install the rudder and mounting bracket supplied with the bolts and locking nuts it came with. Only problem is connecting my servo linkage. The aluminum rudder uses a tiny hole with a set screw in the top to tighten the rod that goes through it. The stock servo rod is to big in diameter and not long enough. Does someone know what I can use? I think I just need some thinner wire that I can bend my self but I dont know what kind to buy so that it will be stiff and give under load. Thanks for the help...

dcwwcp

sorry to interupt with a sad story, but my mini rio just ended up at th bottom of davey jones's locker! yeah that's right it sank! I even added foam to the existing foam. I am so thoroughly disappointed in the boat and in Aquacraft. it was running just fine on a nice quite smooth pond and all of the sudden it quit moving. I could hear the motor spinning but no movement. to me this obviously means that the flex drive either came loose or broke, or the prop broke. since I don't dare stick it in the water without checking that the set screws are still tight, I know they weren't loose. as I grabbed my catfish rod and tennis ball rig, the boat started sinking rather quickly. so i figured the prop wasn't the problem, but the shaft broke and was completely gone. the boat was immediately into "nose bobbing" position. I thought , "no big deal, it has plenty of foam in it an it's only 25 foot from shore. the second cast got the string right across the nose and I started to gently pull it in when it sank completely! gone, bye bye.

I called the number for great planes distributors(only number I found on the aquacraft website) and talked to support. the guy said ' yeah that could happen" and proceeded to tell me that it was tough luck an I would have to produce the boat and the receipt of purchase to get a new flex shaft. basically he could care less, and I was probably just lying so I could get something for free.

I don't get it. I've had this boat for two weeks, only put it on the water about six times. it was still in wstock form except for a small battery shelf I put in. $100 boat and it lasted for six runs, breaks, sinks, and oh well tough luck? thoroughly disappointing.
I hate to be negative, I really do, but I would not recommend to anyone at this time to buy a mini rio, I can't believe the customer service I received.

anybody ever retrieve a sunkin' RC boat from the murky deep before?

anybody know some other number I could call to plead my case?

Vanguo88

I bet that you keep tightening the connector before each time you set the boat on water, that keep tightening the set screw onto the very thin flex cable causimg the flex cable to be flaten at the same spot, and eventually broke off at where the set screw is. This happen to me couple of times, but lucky time I was able to get it back due to the disabled boat was close to the shore. (How do you know you have a broken shaft ?
Motor spin freely, but the boat is going nowhere.) With the whole drive shaft fell out of the boat, water simply rush into the boat thru the stuffing tube. But usually the water don't rush so fast into the boat if the two lids are put on tight with no air leak.

This design is definitely less than desire. Connector should not be used with such a thin flex shaft. Overly tightened set screw simply flatten the flex cable and crimpped and severe it under stress. A collet with the proper size will solve this problem. My Mini Rio is BL converted and use a collet with stock flex shaft with no problem even going 2 to 3x of stock speed.

dcwwcp

well I don't think I overtightened it, but it is definitely possible that it broke right there at the coupling. it most definitley came loose or broke because it filled full of water and completely sank within 5 minutes. even if I had a lid loose and hadn't taped the hatch on, it should have "nose bobbed" for a long time! it was suppose to float!

In the manual at the bottom of page 9 it specifically states and I quote:
"If your boat takes on a large amount of water and stalls in the middle of the lake, don’t worry. Your Mini Rio has foam
flotation so it will not sink. You will, however, have to retrieve the boat and remove the hatch covers to remove any water
that might have entered the boat. If the inside of the boat is flooded, remove the water and let the boat fully dry before
operating it again."

I think I'm going to take my time and plead my case to Aquacraft that I really would be happy if they just met me half way and gave me a new hull with lids and a drive tube! I want to feel good about owning a mini rio like I did when I got it for father's day, because right now I just feel like a fool for owning one.

Vanguo88

Good luck on what you expect. I think they either ship u another boat or nothing.
For they don't stock just the hull. Not like Proboat that stock the hulls for mini V and C,
AquaCraft don't stock or sell just the hull !

knotforsail

Do you know what the stock prop pitch is? I just bought a mr and it seems slower than what others are reporting and the videos of stock mrs show. Mine will be strickly a pool toy so I don't want too much more just a little. I'm thinking of trying the de-pichting but also maybe a metal prop like an Octure x427 or x430. Thanks for the de-pitching idea!

dcwwcp

wow! wee! guess what boys and girls, Aquacraft is going to help me out! that's right there going to send me all the parts I asked for!
fantastic! I'm so happy! what a great bunch! I cannot say enough good things about Aquacraft support. they just completely stood behind thier product 110%. I had been thinking about the new mini thunder before I lost the mini rio and I'll tell what, if your gonna buy a new boat it should be from a company that you know is going to stand behind thier product all the way. this gives me the confidence to buy a mini thunder.

speacial thanks to Lisa at aquacraft support for returning my sanity. I no longer have to go the pond and cast until my arm falls off looking to get my boat back. my wife thanks you too.





knotforsail- the stock prop is equivalent to an x430 I believe. it is definitely 30mm in dia.
is it just cavitating the whole time? if so when you put it in just give it a shove and floor the throttle and it should get on plane.
if not, the octura x431 is supposed to work great with the stock boat and make a noticeable difference.

slobra300

I myself added an octura x431, vr3, and 2s 1050mah 20c discharge lipo and it hauls.. Instantly jumps on plane and I would say it does around 20-22mph. Maybe a little faster. At full speed only the rudders, prop, and a small portion of the rear hull is in the water. It skips.. lol

minimalistix

if somebody have for sell mini rio please write me.

pocketear

hey guys its been awhile since i have been on here but i am running the hobby city 3900 kv motor 3 cell 1500 zippy and smart esc and that makes this little boat fly for $40 but the problem i am having is its so fast i cant keep it in the water should i put trim tabs on it and if soo what should i use to do so thanks!!!!!!!

SacMan31

My Feedback: (1)

Yeah id use some thin aluminum to build some trim tabs and turn fins, thats what i did and it help alot. It carves a perfect circle while staying on plane. If you want some pics ill post some so let me know.....