Batteries
 

In all of your expert opinions, is there a big difference between stick pack and side by side pack for the e-maxx. I have all stickpacks and was wondering if it is worth it to tear those apart and make them into side by side packs. I have never built a battery before, but it seems fairly simple. What do you think?

Side by side is better soldered AFAIK, as for performance, I dont think it makes a noticable difference. Teh good thing about side by side is that you can discharge teh cells properly using a tray, you cant do taht with a stick pack....

Good inline packs are soldered as well. The bad ones are connected with a few spotwelds and a piece of tin.

The good (soldered) inline pack has got a lower internal resistance than a side by side.

The differences are minimal. i would personally favor a side by side, so you have got the option of resoldering the packs when one cell dies. With monstertrucks you won't notice the few .01 volts in difference it will result in.

If you have a motor that pulls alot of amps, cheapo stick packs will get really hot and may melt the plastic end caps. The cheapo pack's connections with the tin like Serum said just cant handle high amp draws.

...which can cause this

These packs would abolutely roast in series. Running 2 packs in my buggy they would get over 180 degrees. I would guess a battery bar is 15 times as thick as a stick pack "bar"

because a picture tells more than a thousand words.... ;)

those packs have definately seen better days..