Go Fast Car Build?

[Jerold]

I'm toying with the idea of building a high-speed car and have a few questions.

First is what platform are people using?
Arrma

Rebodied Limitless.​

Infraction V2 some are rebodied. However, it seems expensive because I would probably throw out the electronics.​

Infraction V3 which comes with low end brushed motor, but is less than the Limitless. Might be a good option if I'm chucking the electronics. Are there any chassis difference between the V2 and V3?​

Traxxas XO-1

It's Traxxas and probably pretty dialed in, but you will need to undo that if you want to go faster. Also may limit big motor options?​

Hobao

I ran across the HB-VTE2 platform last night. Is it any good, parts may be a bit harder to get than Arrma or Traxxas?​

Others?

​

What is the recipe? - What do electronics and tires do I start with.

I see the Castle Mamba Monstor X or XLX2 seem to be popular for the ESC.​

The motor(s) is more of a mystery. I see Castle 1717 and 2028, TP Power and Neu Castle motors are popular.​

Tires I see foams and some GPMs. Although Innovation RC (Youtube) seems to blow them out a lot. Might be a Florida heat thing?​

I'm assuming I will need to play with the pinion and spool to find what works with the rest.

Lastly a long range transmitter, I'm thinking my Flysky might be a bit under powered.

TIA

 

[pug]

The Infraction V3 is a Mega, it's completely different compared to the 6s version, different chassis, different scale, different platform, plastic diffs. Avoid the Infraction Mega.
The Traxxas XO-1 is known for going airborne and exploding into a million different pieces. The Limitless is the most popular platform for getting into speed running, with the stock 6s electronics in it, it can hit 100mph.

 

[Kimmie28]

I agree with @pug. I have a felony and right out of the box it's stupid fast on 6s. I'm not into speed runs myself but I can vouche that the limitless is a speed demon as are the felony and infraction as they all share the same platform. Foam tires will definitely be a must over 120. It will come down to personal choice and if you bought a ready to run but planned on chucking the electronics anyway you could definitely recoup some cost by selling the electronics. Otherwise the limitless is the best option as far as not having extra stuff to throw away or deal with.

 

[tntpoof]

the answers will all depend on your budget. there are way better esc and motors to buy. as for radios the flysky will have its distance limits but you could always upgrade .

KOSMIK (kontronik.com)
Brushless Motor - Poseidon RC
I built my own from a GTP v 2 chassis and put a custom solid rubber tire on a aluminum rim on 10 cells I also used 6mm aluminum plate for chassis
you wont need a high speed sevo with alot of sweep sure a higher kg is best but not a high degree of sweep when your going 100+mph a turn is difficult and tends to cause wrecks

 

[Doom!]

Be aware, if you've not driven a speed car it's a whole different animal, there is a learning curve so you may not want to go all in until you've gotten your feet wet. A good person to chat up is @Edough13 He is quite knowledgeable about the do's and don'ts and most of the combo's out there.

 

[Jerold]

Great info and thank you all that replied!

The Infraction V3 is a Mega, it's completely different compared to the 6s version, different chassis, different scale, different platform, plastic diffs. Avoid the Infraction Mega.
The Traxxas XO-1 is known for going airborne and exploding into a million different pieces. The Limitless is the most popular platform for getting into speed running, with the stock 6s electronics in it, it can hit 100mph.

That's what I was looking for, I didn't realize the V3 is a smaller platform. I also wondered about the flying/exploding XO-1. It probably good in stock form but go-fast mods are more difficult.

the answers will all depend on your budget. there are way better esc and motors to buy. as for radios the flysky will have its distance limits but you could always upgrade .

KOSMIK (kontronik.com)
Brushless Motor - Poseidon RC
I built my own from a GTP v 2 chassis and put a custom solid rubber tire on a aluminum rim on 10 cells I also used 6mm aluminum plate for chassis
you wont need a high speed sevo with alot of sweep sure a higher kg is best but not a high degree of sweep when your going 100+mph a turn is difficult and tends to cause wrecks

I know it's not cheap and I'm hoping for $1500 but more realistically I expect a budget of around $2K.

Limitless - $400​

ESC/Motor -$400-$800​

Radio/RX - $300​

Servo - $100​

Tires - $100​

Body - $100​

Misc - $200​

Broken parts during assembly - priceless.​

Then I need the expendables like extra tires and crashes. I'm sure my numbers are way off what top runners are spending all in. I figure it's a place to start, then figure out the little stuff that adds up quickly.

What is the GTP v 2 chassis?

Be aware, if you've not driven a speed car it's a whole different animal, there is a learning curve so you may not want to go all in until you've gotten your feet wet. A good person to chat up is @Edough13 He is quite knowledgeable about the do's and don'ts and most of the combo's out there.

Good point and I have thought of that. I have not driven an RC car at tripple digit speed. I figured buy once cry once and just get the right gear out of the box. If I end up dropping $1K on electronics it's cheaper than chucking $400 in electronics then spending another $1K later. Start with it geared down and less batteries and learn to drive.

One thing I need to do is scout out a place to run it. I live in San Jose and it's pretty dense, even the business areas on the weekends. Most of the parking lots have speed bumps too.

 

[Doom!]

San Jose is pretty packed, I feel your pain.

 

[Edough13]

Definitely suggest starting out slow about 50-70mph and working your way up slowly from there. I started last year with basically a stock Typhon at 64mph and worked up to 145mph with my Limitless build. Takes a lot of learning and patience to say the least and if you want a 130+mph car be prepared to spend $1000+. Also be prepared to possibly loose all that money and time in a blink of an eye as speed run wrecks can completely destroy everything.
I can't say enough about the Limitless platform and highly suggest it if your set on speed running. Also suggest not wasting time or money on any ESC other than the Castle MMX8S or XLX2 and either a Castle, TP or Neu motor if you plan to get to 140+ mph eventually. There is a lot to it to say the least and everything from driveshafts to suspension to the lipo you run can make a huge difference.
Here is my Limitless build on the Arrma Forum for some idea of the setup and progression to get to 145mph. https://www.arrmaforum.com/threads/edoughs-rc-limitless-build.36317/
Also here is my channel so you can see where I started and again the slow progression to 145mph and problems, wrecks etc along the way. https://youtube.com/channel/UCyem5aIkTlhlqHjhOQvnJHQ
I'm by no means an expert but have a lot of time and experience invested into speed running and more than happy to help so don't hesitate to message me with questions.

 

[Jerold]

Looking at the Vendetta wheelbase it looks like it's the same chassis as the Infraction V3?
@Edough13. Thanks this is very helpful!

​

 

[Jerold]

For a location what about Hammond Way in Milipitas? I'm not sure what it actually looks likes in person, but it looks OK on Google Maps with about 1/4" mile of straight pavement and not entry/exits.

https://www.google.com/maps/@37.423...kMdXa-AuTY2nozfJyg!2e0!7i16384!8i8192!5m1!1e1

How much space do I need?

 

[ahr43]

Be aware, if you've not driven a speed car it's a whole different animal, there is a learning curve so you may not want to go all in until you've gotten your feet wet. A good person to chat up is @Edough13 He is quite knowledgeable about the do's and don'ts and most of the combo's out there.

Jerold, hope you give speed runs a try. It is habit forming. Here is a quick YT entry level vid on speed tips. I watched it a number of times and made a 5-point check list from it. Cheers. 'AC'

 

[Maximum_Quake_Pro.com]

Go 100 mph verified with nitro...now you have done something lmao.

I achieved 108 mph with my poor mangled jato converted using a 6 pole sensorless 44by 78 iirc and 2 5s soft pack sky lipos.

Had a 34 tooth mod 1 long shank pinion machined, and modded a 42T steel spur from a buggy center diff to work.

I got two speed runs out of it.

First was 91 on 8s. Second was clocked by radar gun at 108 then passing by my friend holding radar. Jaco foam blew apart and b-lined into a guardrail support.

Literally was nothing useable worth saving left.

Xtreme rc carbon chassis. Towers, snapped like peanut brittle at that speed.

Oh and just because i am nitro to the bone, prior version of jato did 81 with a lrp .30...

 

[Edough13]

Some more incentive lol here's a 144mph Pass with my open wheel Limitless after months of issues and trial and error. As you'll see in the video I was just a bit happy to finally break 140mph and not have the issue I had for months that was eating at me

 

[Jerold]

Some more incentive lol here's a 144mph Pass with my open wheel Limitless after months of issues and trial and error. As you'll see in the video I was just a bit happy to finally break 140mph and not have the issue I had for months that was eating at me

That's awesome and it sounds kinda like a jet too!

Not to be nosy, butow far north are you, i.e. what area? Looks like a bit Gardnerville NV.

I'm reading your build thread as well. It sounds like you swapped motors at least once. My build hasn't started yet and it's still on paper. There are some questions.

1. How much space do I need for 100 MPH & 150 MPH? Looks like about 250 yards up the road to start?
2. How wide of a road? Assume I'm a horrible driver.
3. What's are your thoughts on motor selection? See below.

My limited understanding is

1717 drops in no moving of mounts, cutting etc.​

1721 requires moving the mount​

2021 requires moving the mount and a 30mm mount.​

Or go with TP Power, Neu Motor, Poseidon. - No clue where to start.​

 

[Edough13]

That's awesome and it sounds kinda like a jet too!

Not to be nosy, butow far north are you, i.e. what area? Looks like a bit Gardnerville NV.

I'm reading your build thread as well. It sounds like you swapped motors at least once. My build hasn't started yet and it's still on paper. There are some questions.

1. How much space do I need for 100 MPH & 150 MPH? Looks like about 250 yards up the road to start?
2. How wide of a road? Assume I'm a horrible driver.
3. What's are your thoughts on motor selection? See below.

My limited understanding is

1717 drops in no moving of mounts, cutting etc.​

1721 requires moving the mount​

2021 requires moving the mount and a 30mm mount.​

Or go with TP Power, Neu Motor, Poseidon. - No clue where to start.​

I'm up in eastern Lassen County so about little over an hour northeast of Reno NV. On motor yes I originally bought a TP 4070 but had my rear center driveshaft fail and ruin it. Ran a stock spektrum 4074 for a bit pushed it to 119mph on 6s then went to a Castle 1717 1650kv which I'm still running now. For 100mph I'd say at least a good 1000+ ft so down 500 to start and end about 500ft away the opposite direction. For 150mph I'd suggest a good 2000ft+ so again 1000ft away from you to starting point and end point. My passes are typically about 4600ft to 5200ft in total so about 1200-1300ft from me both ways. Gives plenty of room to get up to speed and be able to hold full throttle a good 3-5 seconds +/- and room to brake from 140+mph. I run on a two lane road and usually stay in just one lane. Once your rig is dialed in it should run straight like it's on rails but 2 lanes gives room in case you veer a bit. For motor the 1717 1650kv is great and 150mph+ capable. If you want to push higher then the 2028 1100kv or 1721 would be my suggestion but as you said will require flipping the mount and having to remove a battery tray and 2028 needs the larger mounting plate. For a TP motor I'd suggest one of the big 5670/5680 or the new 4080 which again would require the same above. I'd highly suggest starting with the 1717 1650kv and when you get to 140+ look at one of the above motors. Also would highly suggest the XLX2 ESC as it's the best and most used ESC for speed runs on the market and really doesn't require adding a cap pack until your pushing over 150mph.

 

[The_RC_Dude]

the answers will all depend on your budget. there are way better esc and motors to buy. as for radios the flysky will have its distance limits but you could always upgrade .

KOSMIK (kontronik.com)
Brushless Motor - Poseidon RC
I built my own from a GTP v 2 chassis and put a custom solid rubber tire on a aluminum rim on 10 cells I also used 6mm aluminum plate for chassis
you wont need a high speed sevo with alot of sweep sure a higher kg is best but not a high degree of sweep when your going 100+mph a turn is difficult and tends to cause wrecks

Sorry to interrupt, but you mentioned you ran a rig on 10s? How'd you get that cell count, 5x 2s packs? But then you'd have an uneven battery pack count, and the wiring would be a pain. 2x 4s packs and one 2s? Again, wiring. Or did you just go with 2s 5s packs? They're somewhat uncommon, but they do exist.

 

[Edough13]

Sorry to interrupt, but you mentioned you ran a rig on 10s? How'd you get that cell count, 5x 2s packs? But then you'd have an uneven battery pack count, and the wiring would be a pain. 2x 4s packs and one 2s? Again, wiring. Or did you just go with 2s 5s packs? They're somewhat uncommon, but they do exist.

I'd guess 2 5s packs or a 6s and 4s pack. Would have to be ran with a MGM or other ESC as Castle XLX2/mmx8s is only 8s capable. Also could be a dual ESC setup. Yes 5s packs are somewhat common just not used a lot with RC cars with the odd cell count as most ESC's will think your 6s pack is at LVC. To me is a waste as the ESC needed is costly and HUGE taking up a lot of room and adding weight. Not to mention the top guys in the world all run the XLX2 and only 8s some cases 8s in parallel to keep voltage sag down and RPMs up. Not sure about the solid rubber tires or aluminum rims as that would add weight and harsher rotating mass which works against you. The top guys run foams and plastic rims as again the less weight and less rotating mass makes a huge difference besides rubber tires usually blow apart at 150+mph.

 

[The_RC_Dude]

I'm toying with the idea of building a high-speed car and have a few questions.

First is what platform are people using?
Arrma

Rebodied Limitless.​

Infraction V2 some are rebodied. However, it seems expensive because I would probably throw out the electronics.​

Infraction V3 which comes with low end brushed motor, but is less than the Limitless. Might be a good option if I'm chucking the electronics. Are there any chassis difference between the V2 and V3?​

Traxxas XO-1

It's Traxxas and probably pretty dialed in, but you will need to undo that if you want to go faster. Also may limit big motor options?​

Hobao

I ran across the HB-VTE2 platform last night. Is it any good, parts may be a bit harder to get than Arrma or Traxxas?​

Others?

​

What is the recipe? - What do electronics and tires do I start with.

I see the Castle Mamba Monstor X or XLX2 seem to be popular for the ESC.​

The motor(s) is more of a mystery. I see Castle 1717 and 2028, TP Power and Neu Castle motors are popular.​

Tires I see foams and some GPMs. Although Innovation RC (Youtube) seems to blow them out a lot. Might be a Florida heat thing?​

I'm assuming I will need to play with the pinion and spool to find what works with the rest.

Lastly a long range transmitter, I'm thinking my Flysky might be a bit under powered.

TIA

I can say, that from the YT videos I've seen, the Limitless is popular, and the XO-1 is the easiest way to get 100mph with no fuss (mostly).

For the radio, I know a few people use the DumboRC X6 radio and receiver, though you can use pretty much any 2.4ghz receiver. The X6 version has 6 channels, with a built in gyro. You'll probably want to turn that gyro down low for speed runs, or completely off, as an auto correction at that speed could be bad, note that to use the gyro function, you'll need the original gyro or another gyro-enabled receiver. The X4 is a few bucks cheaper, you lose the gyro and the 5th channel, so you have 4 channels, which is still enough for most uses. The DumboRC radios have a range of up to and over 1600 feet, and the response is fast too, nearly if not on par with some race radios!

Oh, and did I say, the cherry on the top is that it's usually under $40! I know that seems too cheap to be true, but I have one, and MANY people like me love it!

 

[pug]

I can say, that from the YT videos I've seen, the Limitless is popular, and the XO-1 is the easiest way to get 100mph with no fuss (mostly).

For the radio, I know a few people use the DumboRC X6 radio and receiver, though you can use pretty much any 2.4ghz receiver. The X6 version has 6 channels, with a built in gyro. You'll probably want to turn that gyro down low for speed runs, or completely off, as an auto correction at that speed could be bad, note that to use the gyro function, you'll need the original gyro or another gyro-enabled receiver. The X4 is a few bucks cheaper, you lose the gyro and the 5th channel, so you have 4 channels, which is still enough for most uses. The DumboRC radios have a range of up to and over 1600 feet, and the response is fast too, nearly if not on par with some race radios!

Oh, and did I say, the cherry on the top is that it's usually under $40! I know that seems too cheap to be true, but I have one, and MANY people like me love it!

The Radiolink RC6GS V2 is also another good choice for about $80 USD, it can have a range of up to 600m! I got one and it's great, but it is a little bulky.

 

[Jerold]

My passes are typically about 4600ft to 5200ft in total so about 1200-1300ft from me both ways. Gives plenty of room to get up to speed and be able to hold full throttle a good 3-5 seconds +/- and room to brake from 140+mph. I run on a two lane road and usually stay in just one lane. Once your rig is dialed in it should run straight like it's on rails but 2 lanes gives room in case you veer a bit.

Lassen, that explains the smoke. Although we got hit so bad a few years back I couldn't see down the block. I've got a buddy that retired up there, supposed to be beautiful and not a lot of people to get in your way.

Wow, thanks for the details, it's very helpful.

Geez that's a lot of space, I don't know that I can see the dang thing. Maybe some right paint and flashy LEDs will help? The other thing is I'm in San Jose and it's getting pretty packed around here. I'm quite sure where I'm going to run this beast.

The motor advise is solid. I'm aiming for 100-150 to start. The 1717 is a drop in and seems like the easiest route at the moment. There are two versions of the 1717.
Castle 1717 1Y Sensored Motor - 1260Kv
Castle 1717 1Y Sensored Motor - 1650Kv
Castle Says:

NOTE: The 1717-1260kv has a lower wattage/power rating compared to the 1717-1650kv; as such the 1260kv will run hotter than the 1650kv when geared for the same speed. For higher power applications (IE speed and drag setup), the 1717-1650kv is preferred with appropriate gearing.

Is the 1650 and gear down the right choice?