good brushless setup advice
 

i have the 4400 hv-maxx running on two 4200 mAh batteries (7.2v each) in my e maxx that has the UE racer x suspension and shocks that weighs about 10lbs with the motor and batteries. I was wondering if theres any brushless setups out there that will get me a little more torque and speed (and should i go lipo to save weight too? or keep my 6 cell batteries i have now). Also, do revos do better with jumping/bashing? i was thinking about going to the revo chassis with no alluminum to be lighter. thanks for your help guys

Welcome to the forum! I'm shocked nobody has replied yet. :)

We love our lipos... so you know what we will say about going lipo, lol. Not only will you save weight, but you will have more raw power too, if you get a decent pack.

Others here have run both the Novak HV and other brushless setups so they can tell you first hand how they compare.

In general.... a good affordable setup is a Mamba Max esc and a Feigao 8XL motor. That will have a ton more torque than the HV and you can pretty much just gear up for whatever speed you want...

so hows this...

mamba max esc
Feigao brushless motor 540 8xl
RC-Monster Brushless Heatsink/clamp
Ultimate BEC
and two Lipo 8000HV 2S2P 7.4V Packs




or would this be better....

Quark Monster Pro 125B Brushless Sensorless Speed Controller
Feigao brushless motor 540 8L
heatsink
ultimate BEC
and two Lipo 8000HV 2s2p7.4V Packs



and how much run time would i lose if i got two Lipo 4200HV 2S2P 7.4V Packs instead? can i even use those?


by the way, this is my first brushless system im putting together, so is the wiring and connecting and everything going to be difficult for me?
thanks again for all your help

Well, your 10lb truck is actually relatively light. Both of my trucks come in a around 13lbs.

I'm runnng the 8L in my buggy, which doesn't weight a whole lot less than your maxx; however, the 8L really is too hot a motor. If you want to go with an "L" can motor, I'd suggest either the 10L or 11L. I would highly recommend going with the 8 or 9XL for your maxx with a MM speed controller. The Quark in very nice, or so I've heard, but I have 4 MM speed controllers and love them all.

If you are on a budget, I'd go with the MM esc, the 8 or 9XL and your choice of batteries. A pair of trakpower 4900s for the ultimate in performance or a pair of maxamps 8000s for great bang for the buck and more runtime.

If cost is no object, I'd go Quark/Neu 2.5D (or the 1Y is speed is your primary concern). The logic or general rule that I've been leaning toward, as I gain experience, is around a 2000kv motor for 4S and around a 1700kv motor for 5S, although a 1700kv motor will run very well and reward you with cool running and longer runtimes.

I do have to say that the 8XL has done very well in my Muggy and Monster GT conversions. I'd stay away from the 7XL for a truck setup. I think it's too hot in a truck for 4S and definitely not for 5S lipo.

thanks a lot, i think im gonna go with my first set up i said, but idk about which batteries yet. ive never gone lipo before, and i want pretty good run times, at least 15 min, but i want really good performance too...one more question though. stock e-revo or e maxx with gorillamaxx chassis, and UE racer x suspension and shocks? i kinda want to get the revo to be lighter, but idk if i'll break a lot on it. thanks again you guys are a ton of help for my noob questions

The first setup listed is a good choice imo.

To keep the weight down, you can do 5000mah lipos... saves half a pound over the 8000. And 5000 will get you 15-20 minutes hardcore runtime.

Oh man, when you said that you wanted good runtimes, I didn't expect you to say 15 minutes. 15 minutes is easy with LiPo. 30-40 minutes is a "good" runtime. With my 8XL setup in my buggy, I get a good 15 minutes on my PolyRC 4400 pack. The 5K pack, should easily get you what you are looking for.

Just keep in mind that you get what you pay for. The MM/8XL is a good system, but heat will still be an issue. It won't be a matter of whether or not your setup will over heat, but a matter of when. This will all depend on how hard you run your setup and the weather. If it is always cool where you are, it may not be a issue at all.

The better motors, like the Neu and Lehner, don't generate nearly as much (actually less than half) as the Feigaos do. By all means, if you can afford it, go with the Quark/Neu 2.5D setup. It's what I'm shooing for, or something very similar. The Mamba Monster Max controller is supposed to be out soon too, but I wouldn't hold my breathe. Mike has told me that he has literally run his Quark/Neu setup for hours without any thermal issues at all. As much of a bang for the buck as the Feigao motors are, they can't do this. Really, by the time I drain an 8Ah pack, I need to let the motor cool off some, before I get back to it. We are running 30 minute mains down here, and when it gets hot and humid, I can't run for that long.

The reason I mention the Quark is because the Neu motors are reputed for not playing nicely with the MM controller, or should I say that the MM doesn't play nicely with the Neu motors (4 pole motors) and the Lehners (2 pole motors) are not available right now. Besides, since you are starting off new with the Lipos, you could just as easily get into a 5S setup, since the Quark will do 5S. Then you could just get an even lower kv motor and run that on the 5S for even cooler and more efficient running. I just switched to a 5S setup and the first thing I noticed is how much cooler everything runs. The motor and esc.

hmm now i don't know... i'm moving to arizona next year so i'll be driving where it's hot, so the quark/neu combination sounds kinda good. and so do 30 minute run times, but i'm perfectly fine of doing 15 or 20 if that makes my motor last longer and not overheat... and how important is weight when it comes to breaking parts? i keep busting plastic bulkheads when i jump and i dont want to buy any more alluminum, so what do you suggest...8000s for longer run times or 5000s to save weight, and just get like 2 sets of batteries? and is the neu/quark pretty much what i have to do for arizona weather so it doesnt overheat? does that need a fan too?

The Neu/quark is one of the best combo's you can buy at this moment.

But for 4S, the 8XL and mm/ubec would be a nice setup too.

the 8K packs deliver more burst peaks than the 5K packs, so if you need 2 sets of bats, i would take two 4S2P of the 8K packs.

Me want a Neu... :frown:

Anyone want to trade a C-7Xl for 1515/1y Neu ? :027:

Stay away from my Quark though...

Sorry ZPB, if you want a Neu, you MUST give me your Quark. :)

It's funny what the "hot" setup is at any given time. For a while it was an XL (or LMT) with a BK warrior, then it was the MM and an XL (or LMT), now it's the Quark and the Neu. Evolution - gotta love it!

Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with the MM/8XL setup. You just have to keep an eye on things more than you would with the Quark/Neu setup. Besides, I don't know if you've ever had a vehicle that had 30 minutes of runtime, but I'm usually tired of driving before the battery gives out. The example that I posted before were under a race situation. Bashing shouldn't be a problem. Or racing for that matter. I'm just having trouble with the 30 minute mains and at this point, I'm wondering if going with a 9XL as a race motor wouldn't cure that.

I'm curious, how does a 1Y Neu compare to a 2.5d when running the proper voltage to get the same motor power? As far as temp-wise

How does a Neu/1y compare to a 7XL on the same volts, say 4s LiPo.

If I got a Neu, I think I would get a 2.5d though, higher voltage.

PS. Brian, keep your dang meat hooks off my Quark! :mad:1

:005:

Now are you looking to bash or are you racing?


The reason I ask is from what I read, lipos aren't really suited for bashing. I'm sure others can chime in with more info than me. Now I do recall some where there is a few lipo packs that was built a little tougher? As for run times, that is pretty easy with typical packs. I run around 10-15 minutes with some off brand 4200s and stock titans. I'm about to install a Novak HV my self and I'll be running some 7 cell IB 4200s. Those should easily make 15minutes and have tons more power than my off brand packs.

As long as your packs are firmly secured to their tray and adequate protection is provided in case something breaks (to keep the broken objects from puncturing the cells), lipos are fine. Of course, if you plan to bash where there are lots of pointy objects around, NiMH cells might be a better choice. :)

i would like not to have to spend a fortune on a brushless setup, but would the MM/8xL overheat in hot weather (arizona) if drive it for 15 minutes, not racing, just playing.

and again would it overheat if i drove it for two sets of 5000 lipos?

and im bashing but i want a light truck, thats why i was asking if revos are good with playing around

I don't own a revo or emaxx. I prefer 1/8 scale stuff, but a bunch of my friends like the revos. They appear to me to be pretty tough. As far as the suspension goes, I think that the revo has it on the maxx, hands down.

As for the temps, you just have to watch your gearing. I have a general bashing gearing that I use in my trucks and buggies. It's not real super fast, but plenty torque and great for jumping and going over things. For around $200, you can get an esc and motor. To me, that's a helluva bang for the buck. All I was saying was that if you can afford or are even inclined to spend the money on a Quark/Neu system, it is a better system and you won't be disappointed. On the other hand, there are TONS of people running Feigao motors in cars, boats, helicopters, and airplanes. So the motor has short comings. Work around them. I have four vehicles all together and all are running MM/Feigao combos. They run great. Just watch what you are doing and all will be well. I'm just looking at the Quark/Neu because I now know enough to know what I want/need.

thanks. i e mailed mike a while ago and he said the Neu 1515/2.5d motor and an MGM 160/16 was a really good setup. is that better than using the quark? and do i get 2s lipos or 2s2p lipos? or does it all depend on my esc? im looking at getting 5000mAh

The setup that you mentioned is supposed to be a good setup, but if you are just trying to save yourself some money on the Quark by going with the MGM, I think the consensus around here would be to spend the money and get the Quark. Did you ask Mike what it is that he runs? Quark/Neu.

Do your research on the Compro before you pull the trigger. If you like to run with reverse, you might want to go ahead and get the Quark. Many on this forum have said (and I've experinced it) that the Compro has a quirky reverse and most just disable it and run forward only. If you do get the Quark, you will have to make provisions to keep it cool, like mounting it to a heatsink, which Mike also sells.

He's told me that he's run his setup for literally hours, battery pack after battery pack in 100 degree weather, without thermal issues.

Personally, I'd either go with the MM/Feigao setup or the Quark/Neu setup. If you go the MM route, you could always upgrade your motor later. Castle will come out with the fix for the 4 pole motors sooner or later and besides, you could always just go with a Lehner. They also have to become available sooner or later. Believe me, there is absolutely nothing wrong with a MM esc. I'm running mine on 5S right now in a 13lb truck with 40 series tires and it is absolutely insane. I couldn't even try to run it on the track. I'm thinking about getting either a 9XL or 10XL for racing.

If you want more durable batteries than LiPo's, the A123's are a very good choice. They are housed in a decent thick aluminum can, it looks like 1/32 inch. THese are very durable in every respect... charging=tough, physical abuse=tough, low voltage cut-off= don't need it, incombustible chemistry makes these the choice for someone who wants the ultimate in durability.

They are typically cheaper than LiPo. They are more 'bulky', so for a given mah rating, you can run out of room quick. The most you want to use with A123's is 4600mah, or 2 parallel cells, as they are 2300mah each/3.3v, 72 grams.

The Revo is a nice truck...I've had mine over a year now along with an Emaxx and Tmaxx. It handles better, easier to work on, and takes a pretty nice beating in stock form comapred to a T/Emaxx. The only hop ups I have on the Revo is RPM axel carriers, upgraded shock ends, and skids. So fair I've only broken an RPM carrier and a few shafts. Now you can throw a little coin at the T/Emaxx and make it bullet proof. There is almost an umlimited supply of parts for the T/Emaxx in both stock or aftermarket. So it's pretty easy to build one on a decent budget. The only parts I broke on the T/Emaxx so fair is shafts and bulks. It's been a while since I broken anything since I installed some aluminum bulks and CVDs. I don't spare my trucks anything but they're still pretty mild when it comes to motors. I'm converting everything to brushless. I have a feeling I'll add to my broken parts once I convert to BL.

But for the A123 cells, you should have a charger with the proper CC/CV threshold of 3.6v/cell, or use a lipodaptor, or use a CC/CV power supply (I only mention this because I'm sure ZPB will otherwise ;)).

Thanks for that Brian! I forgot to mention that yes, I probably wouldn't even have mentioned either... :027: :007:

LOL. Just keeping the bases covered. ;)

i think im gonna stick with 5000 lipos, but is 2s what i get or do i need batteries that are 2s2p? and with the quark, do i need a fan too or is the heatsink enough?

and is it hard to wire the BEC into the quark?

The "p" depends on what Ah and C the individual cells are. If a single cell has enough Ah and C rate, it will work just fine. Let's say you want an 80A constant discharge rate and have 4Ah cells, you'd need a solid 20C rating to get 80A. If they're only 10 or 15c, you might want to go with a different cell that has a higher Ah and/or C rating.

The Quark can get warm depending on what you are running for a motor, gearing, weight, etc. Usually, just an added heatsink is enough, but the sink in the RCM store also has taps to screw on some 40mm fans if it's not enough. I've only used heatsinks (not the one in the RCM store though) and it has been plenty to kepp it cool enough (~130-140*F).

Just wire up the BEC wires along with the ESC power wires on the Deans plug.

Does anyone know what the Quark runs (temp) with a 7XL and 4s LiPo geared around 18/51 in a maxx? I would just like to know so I can get a relative measure of how well my heatsink will work. :027:

what do you mean wire the esc power wires and the bec wires to a deans plug? i know you have to put deans plugs for the batteries..lol i've never wired anything before so i dont know what to do for the motor and esc and bec and even the batteries, i'm a complete noob

Whether you get 2S1P or 2S2P, depends on what configuration gives you what you are looking for in terms of discharge rates and capacity.

If you go with the 5000mAh cells and get the 5000mAh packs, then each pack will be 2S1P. If you want to go with more capacity, then you'll probably go to the 8000mAh capacity packs which are made up of 4000mAh cells in a 2S2P configuration (two pairs of parallel cells in series).

With the Quark, many have told me that a heatsink will suffice, although some do use the fans. Ask Mike how he runs his.

You will need a bec with your esc, especially if you go with a MM. I always use a bec no matter what. It helps to keep your esc running cool. When you wire up the battery connectors in the esc with the deans, just add a connection for your bec so that it can draw power from the battery as well.

lol another dumb question..do you connect your bec to just one of the two batteries? and this will all work with my regular traxxas reciever right?

You usually connect it to both. If not, one battery pack will discharge slightly faster than the other since one is also powering the servos. Just hook the BEC wires to the ESC power wires (observing polarity of course) and you'll be all set.

Just make sure the UBEC input can take whatever battery voltage you are running.

Yes, it will work with any BEC-capable receiver (which most, if not all, are).

Just make sure you're running good gear/diffs. My son just fried a set in his stock Emaxx. It happens evertime I upgrade the batteries.


It's not the bashing I fear, It's the batteries lol

well here's what im debating...either

- Feigao brushless motor 540 8xl w/ RC-Monster Brushless Heatsink/clamp
- Castle Creations Mamba Max ESC
- External BEC/UBEC
- (2) Lipo 5000HV 2S 7.4V Packs


- Neu 1515 2.5d/F Sensorless Brushless Motors w/ RC-Monster Brushless Heatsink/clamp
- Quark Monster Pro 125B Brushless Sensorless Speed Controller w/heatsink
- External BEC/UBEC
- (2) Lipo 5000HV 2S 7.4V Packs


i'd rather do the MM/8xL of course because it's cheaper but im worried that i'll overheat it in arizona and ruin it. if i did go with that would it need a fan?
and are those batteries okay with both set ups? would lipo 8000HV 2S2P 7.4v packs give me more power or speed? or just better run times? should i go with a higher voltage?

Personally, I think you'll be happier with option 2 if you can swing it money-wise. It really is a good combo! Option 1 is good, just not as good.

Brian, your slipping man...You can't use the RC-M heatsink with the Neu.

alright thanks. i'm pretty sure i can swing the extra money, it might just take me a little while longer before i get the setup then. lol. thanks a lot for your help. and are the 5000HV 2S 7.4v packs fine? or should i go with higher voltage or bigger batteries?

lol woops, didnt mean to put that heatsink with the neu..too much copying and pasting. my bad

Lol. Yeah, I guess so! OK, Option 2 looks good sans motor clamp/heatsink. I think I've been at work too long...

But, that's why you're here Squee; to make sure the information given is correct! :)

Yah, I would say the MM/8XL combo is a baseline setup for a MT.

I got a good ESC first with a 7XL, then I'll just upgrade the motor next year, probably a Neu 2.5d w/5s LiPo maybe. I'd run A123's, but 6s for them is just too bulky. Plus I want some more Ah capacity, like 8Ah, maybe more.

What Im having difficulty with is mounting my E-maxx tranny to the Tmaxx classic chassy any advice?