Radio Controlled Car Discussion

Forums › Gadgets, robotics, home automation, electronics (including wearables) › Radio Controlled Car Discussion

networkn

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#251042 5-Jun-2019 22:09

So, after having my Traxxas Slash 4X4 VXL TSM for about 2 years and only driving it three times, I took it down to the beach with us this past weekend and had a total blast with it.

I have now hooked again. With the 2S 6500MAH Batteries I am getting to around 60kmph and with the traction control, I am getting the most epic drifts. I did get some video I was going to share but my son had a hard time keeping the camera on the car it was moving so fast.

I am considering 3S batteries which would get me to nearly 100 kmph. I am super impressed with how robust this thing is, I have had some epic crashes and rolls in it, still looks nearly new. :)

Cleaning the sand out of it was surprisingly easy. I wouldn't say I got every grain out, but I was as careful as I could be not to have it get into the water, though I did end up in very shallow water and had a water plume following it down the beach that was well over my head. I was gutted I didn't get that on camera.

Wondering how many others have a similar interest?

I am particularly interested in bashing locations in Central ish Auckland.

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#2252705 5-Jun-2019 23:27

Had a few when I was younger and had lots of fun. Always wanted to build one of the Tamiya R/C tanks, but never did!

I am about to buy a new drone (Mavic 2) and I suspect I will be having just as much fun with that, albeit rather more expensively if I mess up..!

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#2252743 6-Jun-2019 08:04

When I was young, my mother came back from a trip to AU with a 2nd hand RC car. No brand on it, but was decent build and was a lot of fun. Ended up getting a Tamiya Hornet and had a blast with that, upgraded the motor in it and it was scary to control :D Didnt help the servo would jam occasionally so the thing would keep going after you'd turned off the controller..... oops.

Only RC's I have now are more "toys", all sealed electric things that are lucky to hit 15kph.

Gavin / xpd / FastRaccoon / Geek of Coastguard New Zealand

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#2252791 6-Jun-2019 09:45

that thing looks like a beast :)

have a couple of toy grade rc cars - and one hobby grade ie. vkar bison - is good bang for buck and will do 80+km/h on 4s.

with cars that can do that sort of speed finding a space away from people is key.

as for bashing - went to local bmx track, but the signs said no RC cars - which i understand as you could collect some kid on a bike but still :(

so skate parks can be useful - again if no kids nearby - but crashes on concrete are a bit ouch

askelon

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#2252793 6-Jun-2019 09:48

I currently have 3 sitting on my office. A Tamiya Egress (offroad) from the very late 80's to early 90's - bought at a crazy price at the time as my Tamiya Avanti needed lots of parts and none were available anymore! Currently its an ornament as parts havent been available forever and I would rather not break it! My second is a Tamiya TT01 based Raybrig HSV and my third a 3racing Sakura FGX Formula 1 car.

I havent really found any place around here (West Auckland) to take them to so really they are all gathering dust atm. But I more enjoyed building rather than driving them. Used to have a few planes as well but they all disappeared in my numerous house moves.

Actually Im not sure Ive even taken the FGX outside ever to be honest!

xontech

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#2252808 6-Jun-2019 10:10

If you want to have a bash around an offroad track check out Auckland Radio Control Car Club (Mangere) and West Auckland Radio Control Car Club (Glendene). Not sure but there may be times you can go and just have a play if you aren't keen on racing as such. I haven't had too much to do with them of late so not sure how active or otherwise they are.

xontech

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#2252810 6-Jun-2019 10:16

Oh and for on-road there is North Harbour club running an indoor circuit in Henderson and an outdoor circuit in Northcote (https://www.nhrccc.org.nz/). Looks like they have an "all-comers" class, which may be open enough to have a go.

russelo

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#2252812 6-Jun-2019 10:19

I have a Traxxas ERevo and Traxxas Summit I bought some 4 years ago. I'm still having a blast with it every now and then in parks and in beaches. I need to replace the LiPo batteries as they don't last long now.

I'm keen to go if a number of us here is into this.

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networkn

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#2252823 6-Jun-2019 10:44

I wanted the E-Revo Brushless so much, but couldn't justify it. To be honest the Slash is a monster anyway and I don't need more power.

It's a bit of a strange hobby. To charge 2 batteries fully takes 80 minutes each, and that gives you around 15-20 minutes of run time. You shouldn't store them "full" so you need to charge them, use them all in the same period of time. Finding a reasonable location, some spare time etc makes it harder to enjoy than I'd like. There was a place in St Lukes too I went to once, indoor track, but they have classes of vehicle and mine wasn't one of the classes and then they had 2 x 5 minute open times, so in total you got 5-10 minutes for 2 hours of waiting. I didn't end up having a go in the end, however, a number of the people were anxious I was wanting to be on the track given how much bigger and heavier my one was than the others and me being inexperienced. Was a little unwelcoming.

russelo

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#2253033 6-Jun-2019 14:16

I used to have the same problem about charging. I'm now using a dual charger that can fully charge 2x Lipo 3S 5000mAh in 20minutes. That allows me to play these cars in a whim. However if I didn't end up playing, it takes 2 hours to discharge the batteries to its storage state.

Agree, not easy to find good location where you can rough out these cars. I'm always in the lookout for good locations whenever I'm driving or walking around. Autumn is good with the park ground full of leaves.

A workmate once organize an RC race for 1:10 cars in the work carpark. Turns out Traxxas 1:10 is different from standard 1:10 sizes. Just imagine a monster truck racing against sedan cars.

networkn

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#2253121 6-Jun-2019 14:36

What charger are you using? I have an Imax B6. I am, using 2C 6500Mah batteries.

WyleECoyoteNZ

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#2253132 6-Jun-2019 14:42

I have a Original (fairly sure it is) Tamiya Lunchbox at home. Was a mate's, and he was going to get rid of it. That hasn't been used for a little while (ran last time I used it).

Needs the Gearbox to be pulled apart, cleaned, greased and put back together. It really could use a new shell too.

My brother and I have a Tamiya Bear hawk buggy too (that's circa 25 years old). As the driveway at parents home was gravel, it was a blast on that sliding around. Standard tyres were the small spiked Tamiya buggy tyres, but they wore down very quickly, which wasn't so bad as behind the family home was a subdivision in development with a nice hot mixed road surface. Once the spiked tyres wore down to slicks, it could corner flat and fast on the tarmac.

That car eventually got a Tamiya 540 Sport Tuned motor put in it. Geez, it was quick!