simplechamp's Serpent 811Be Cobra

[simplechamp]

I've been gaining some interest in racing lately, and also had the itch to build up a new kit. Some of my vehicles in the past have been entry/value level, or used rollers, but this time I wanted a high-end kit fresh out of the box. The Serpent fit that bill perfectly.

Chassis: Built it up all stock and to the factory setup, with the exception of adding DE Racing F/R skids and using Gorilla Snawt instead of the kit supplied grease. I was very impressed by this kit, everything was high quality, and it came with the carbon fiber parts that I like. The radio/ESC/servo mount is a good design, all the electronics including motor and ESC can be removed with 5 screws. The diffs are some of the smallest and lightest I have seen. The only changes planned right now are Ti turnbuckles, and alloy rear chassis brace per recommendations from others who own this buggy. The tires are some Ebay cheapo's I had laying around, but I'll be swapping those out once I find out what is popular at the local track. Still trying to decide on a paint scheme for the body.

Motor: Originally I was going to use a Viper VSE-B 1/8 I had on hand, but it was slightly too long to fit. After looking at motor options that were 68mm or less long, I settled on the LRP Dynamic 8 (2200kv). Most will agree that LRP's first try at 1/8 motors fell flat. Now they have released a new line of 1/8 motors that look much more competitive, and I wanted to try one out. They are standard 4-pole, 12-slot design, big rotor, easy to take apart, and parts are user replaceable.

ESC: No ESC installed yet, still in the mail. I'm going with a Xerun SCT Pro (120A). The Hobbywing/Xerun lineup seems to quickly be gaining acceptance as worthy competition for the other big names in 1/8 electric, so I wanted to see for myself. I originally had a standard Xerun 150A 1/8 ready to install, but it was too big and bulky for my liking, so I sold it and opted for the more compact SCT Pro.

Servo: Running a Hitec 7950TH. This thing is a beast. Overkill is probably an understatement, but I got a good deal for it on a trade, so I threw it in. Will be powered by a Castle BEC at 7.4V, to be installed along with the ESC. With this servo I think I'll probably need to install the optional hard servo saver spring.

Batteries: Decided to finally jump on the Gens Ace bandwagon. All I hear is good things about these cells. Will be running 2x2S 5000mah 50C. Since the packs have internal bullets I made a nice clean wiring setup, don't need to run with the balance plugs or use a series adapter like my other vehicles. The less connectors the better. I soldered on a Dean's without much thought, and I think when the ESC arrives I will solder the battery leads directly to it. I will be using different wires to charge and balance anyway.

Well, that's all of my long-winded rant (for now!) More to come once the ESC arrives and I have a chance to test it all out.