help with original rc10

[goofy2788]

Okay I need some help with my RC10. I have an original with the aluminum chassie, novak electronic speed controller, futaba radio and servos and a "Pretty, Puny, Sissy Little Motor". My problem is that I have always used pre made 6 cell batteries and only get maybe 5 mins of run time. Usually 4 mins of full speed and then 1-2 mins of diminishing speed until it dies. Does anyone have a suggestion of what to do to get more run time?

 

[HeartBreak]

Smaller pinion/larger spur, possibly some new nimh cells. You'd be amazed what the battery makers have done in the last year.

 

[FastEddy]

Depending on what your using now, a good set of 3600-3800 will give you more then double of what your getting now.

If your motor is in bad shape this will also cut your run time.

 

[goofy2788]

Thanks for the responses. I don't think its the motor because I've tried many different types all with the same run time.
Can you all recommed a good battery to purchase (brand/size)
Thanks
Matt.

 

[HeartBreak]

I'd recommend just as FastEddy said; some nimh packs rated around 3600-3800mah are what you'd want. You'll also need a charger capable of charging nimh cells.

Outside of that, make sure your gear lash is set properly (there should be a little tiny bit of play between the pinion and spur gears... just enough to be able to rock the gears back and forth slightly.) Check the mesh at 1/8th turn intervals, to compensate for out-of-round spurs (rare, but they do happen).

Also, ditch the Tamiya style connectors (if you still have them) and solder low-loss connectors in their place. It'll up your runtime a fair amount.

I'm sure there's more, but I'm probably forgetting some obvious things....

 

[goofy2788]

Okay here is where my stupidity comes into play. What are Tamiya style connectors?
I was seventeen when I bought this rc10 (like I said its old) I'm now 33 and have been out of the rc world since early 1990's.

 

[Diver6127]

These are tamiya connectors ...
[inwindow=300]http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXGG99&P=ML[/inwindow]

 

[beason]

thats the two prong with one round one square plug... normaly comes installed on the stick batterys..

 

[HeartBreak]

Diver and Beason beat me to it But, they're dead-on-correct. Those connectors are generally a power robber (especially if they're that old). They tend to wear out and 'loosen up' faster than any other connector-type. It's extremely noticable if the connectors tend to get warm/hot.

They shouldn't affect your runtime all that much, no where near as much as too-tight of a gear lash will. That, and the older cells might be loosing capacity (others call it memory; I call it what it really is; capacity loss). The only real way to improve at that point is new cells.

 

[DirtRacinFool]

Another thing to look at with the original RC10 is the tranny. Those old six gear tranny's produce a lot of rotating mass, and if I remember right from the RC10 that I had the tranny has brass bushings. Replace all of those bushings with bearings, that will help extend your run times too.