returning to RC racing (offroad electric)

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The S number on Lipo batteries are literally how many cells are inside the wrap/case. So if you ripped one open, you would see a 2s has 2 cells stacked together, a 4s has 4, etc.

Single cells are 3.7v each which is where the total voltage comes from for each S number.

2s is 3.7v x 2 = 7.4v total voltage
3s is 3.7v x 3 = 11.1v total voltage, and so on.

Tracks have a 2s (7.4v) requirement for 10th scale. 1/8th scale has a limit of 4s. Anything else is used for other aspects of the hobby such as bashing or crawling. But for racing specifically you're only dealing with 2s for 1/10 and 4s for 1/8 ;)

You can use whatever C rating you like on the batteries you get, the higher generally better, but you also reach a point where the rating is mostly marketing fluff and your esc will still only draw what it needs.

As far as there seeming to be an advantage in spec/stock class racing, there's little advanced tricks you can do as well such as motor timing, esc timing, charging batteries at super high amps to increase discharge rate (which i don't recommend) and things like that. I haven't gotten too in depth with that stuff yet and it's all well past the amateur level of things. Just make sure you get a motor that has a timing feature. it's the easiest way to dial in a car to your track and adjust top end/acceleration without changing all your gearing.

There's some really good youtubers who have great resources on the racing aspect. One of my favs that I would highly recommend is Ryan Harris from the Jconcepts team. He has a lot of informative info and his even coverage is really nice because he talks you through exactly how he's setting up his car, changing his driving style, and preparation at each race, plus he's just a super nice guy it seems. he races 17.4 2wd spec, and 13.5 stadium truck and 4wd at most of the events he attends.

https://www.youtube.com/user/mrxstiles/videos

Here's a good one to watch as it answers your question above directly. :)
i don't race but i recently subscribed to his channel, lots of good information for racing and bashing alike. more or less like he is talking "to" you not "at" you.
 
i was referring to the links you sent and buying those tools rather than more expensive MIP ones etc. :) i am definitely buying your reccos
 
I SAW AN INTEGY SET WITH 7 WRENCHS

1.5, 2, 2.5 and 3mm Screws.
THE ONE YOU LINKED HAS 4 IS THE 4 PACK ENOUGH OR ARE THERE SIZES YOU NEED THE 7 ONE FOR
 
ANYONE HERE HAVE A SPEED CONTROL THAT ALLOWS REVERSE?? JUST WATCHED A VIDEO OF SOMEONE PAIRING A NEW FUTABA REMOTE WITH THE ESC BY HOBBYWING ETC AND HE MENTIONED NOT BEING ABLE TO FIGURE OUT REVERSE AND THEN MENTIONS IT REQUIRES A SEP PROGRAMMING BOX AS THE FACTORY SENDS THEM IN RACE MODE ETC. SOMETHING I CANNOT REMEMBER IS IF WE ONLY HAD FORWARD AND BRAKE BEFORE . LIKE I SAID ITS BEEN A LONG TIME!
 
I SAW AN INTEGY SET WITH 7 WRENCHS

1.5, 2, 2.5 and 3mm Screws.
THE ONE YOU LINKED HAS 4 IS THE 4 PACK ENOUGH OR ARE THERE SIZES YOU NEED THE 7 ONE FOR
4 pack came with 1.5mm 2mm 2.5mm and I think the 3mm
I dont know how much I'd recommend integy tools based off their reputation with aluminum, but I will say they make good tires, so they could be really good.
 
that youtube guy recommends a 2mm ball end that MIP paint he mentioned a shock or something that requires possibly a slight angle to help and states the straight hex might make that hard?


any input about this?
 
that youtube guy recommends a 2mm ball end that MIP paint he mentioned a shock or something that requires possibly a slight angle to help and states the straight hex might make that hard?


any input about this?
when I've tried round hexes I've had pretty bad luck with them stripping the screws though the one i used wasn't as good of quality one like mip, how i see it, there is less contact area.
for something like shock mounts though that dont get dragged on the ground and stuff id say a round head would be fine.
some people have had great luck with the ball ended ones, i probably am just one of the unlucky ones.
 
Thanks for the input. Waiting to try to win auction around 9 pm for a futaba radio
 
the trinity 4000mah 2s battery he recommends is like 119.99 a pop. i suppose youget what you pay for. is there any chance of finding the same punch in a battery for less $? if not so be it, just wanna do my research before buying 1 battery that I can get 2 for the same price that may literally function the same.
 
https://www.horizonhobby.com/INTC22...MIj5O3xciI4wIVhshkCh3RBg5uEAQYASABEgIQMfD_BwE

i have since removed these and added the pack listed above as the value seems much better I just didnt wanna buy the 4 pack and then not have the wrench needed when assembling kit.

someone recommended the upower charger that has built in power supply. is that powerful enough? is there anything more needed??
someone mentioned getting a power brick can someone link me and elaborate on this please. thanks so much!
 
our local track has a live web cam feed we can tune in and watch - very cool :) this is so much more advanced then when i was younger
 
he explains a 30a discharge 40 a charge in this video

how the heck do you get a 40 a charge? he explained wiring the 1 ohm resistors in series 6x like the lightbulb discharge used in the past - however that plugs into the charger/decharger and allows external source to speed up the discharge to 30a as he says. again i havent seen any chargers yet that mentioned 40 amps to charge tho. :)
 
1) integy metal is garbo. Stay far away from integy anything.

2) Almost every speed control has a forward/reverse function and also allows you to set it using the button right on the speed control itself. Not sure what ESC or the guy you were watching and why he couldn't figure it out. Hobbywings are the easiest of the bunch to program with the set button and forward/reverse is a standard setting. Only certain advanced settings like timings require a program card (which again. anyone at your track probably has on hand).
Also most tracks don't allow reverse while racing as it can cause crashes with other drivers as you back up into the track lane. Generally the rule is if you get into a situation where reverse is necessary, you wait for a marshal to right your car. Reverse is only needed if practicing or running for fun off the track. But again. most escs have it as a standard setting that's easily accessible/programmed without an external accessory.

3) I recommended the ultrapower and any charger you buy will have the max voltage battery listed you can charge on it. For example, it will say something like "can charge up to 6s lipo" or something similar.
Most chargers plug in with an ac plug like anything else and usually have banana clips to use a car battery as a power source as well. Some of the chargers preferred by racers have no internal power supply, and a power brick is necessary. This negates the need to plug it in somewhere.
something like this for example: https://www.ebay.com/itm/iCharger-2...Power-Supply-Great-Charge-Combo-/153203529696
Never used this type personally so I can't give you a whole lot of details on that. Again. maybe ask around at your track what people are using. and also see if there's available power where you wont need to worry about a separate power supply.
I use this exact charger and have had no issues with it so far, can charge up to 6s batteries (which I need for my 1/8th scale) and 2 at a time if need be.
https://www.amazon.com/Ultra-Power-UP120AC-Balancing-Charger/dp/B00VOYR6MQ

4) Batteries all function the same. Remember some of these guys are sponsored and get their stuff either free or on the cheap ;) You would only need a $100+ battery if you were going to be doing the super high amp charge on it which again I wouldn't recommend starting out. It can be dangerous for starters and will also dramatically reduce the life of your battery. Remember, Ryan Harris is racing on a "pro' level. You're club racing to start out and no need to put yourself at risk for a high amp charge which may or may not give you an advantage. I wouldn't worry about 30amp charges just yet. Don't jump into the deep end before you learn to swim in the shallows ;) Specially where lipo batteries are concerned. if you're not 100% sure of what you're doing you can seriously hurt yourself or lose valuable property. Lipo fires are no joke.

Those $32 Zeee power batteries I linked are fine for starting out and cheap enough you can get a few to start with. I have 3 batteries and usually only end up using two an entire race night. One in the car while racing and the other one charging up full for the next qualifier or main.

5) Never used a ball end so can't give you any input on that. far as that other tool set goes, I again can't tell you as I've never used them personally. If you're not sure if you will need any specific sizes. just ask whatever manufacturer car you're thinking of getting. They all have customer support emails or phone numbers on their site and usually an online downloadable manual as well for the car which should state every toll you need in it somewhere.
 
i didnt win the auction for the used futaba, there is another one ending ina day or so ill try on. may have to buy a new one if another doesn't get listed should i not win that one ;).

is there any main difference between the hobbywing x10 pro 80a and 160a. i see a large price diff have no idea what one does vs the other tho.

LMAO I JUST watched a masters of dirt 2018 video of this race and that ryan guy HAD REVERSE ON lol he got warned and ya i think thats hilarious.
 
<--------- RYAN REVERSE IS NOT ALLOWED IN THIS RACE

12-14 min mark
 
SMC is a big name is LiPo batteries and has a solid reputation with very reasonable prices.
My #1 GoTo for batteries is Turnigy although I am not sure if they make racing specific batteries. A few quality tests have been done to prove that Turnigy LiPos output the most power, stay cool, and last long.

As for chargers you really want something capable of over 100watts if possible.
The Hota chargers are highly recommended also at a reasonable price (I would like to get one)
https://www.smc-racing.net/index.php?route=product/product&path=113&product_id=447

Another +1 on MIP hex wrenches (stay away from ball ends).
 
is there any main difference between the hobbywing x10 pro 80a and 160a. i see a large price diff have no idea what one does vs the other tho.

Really just the amount of amps it puts out. For 2wd buggy or stadium truck, 80 amps is more than enough. you could almost think of it in terms of a v6 vs a v8 engine in a car. But before you go "well the V8 is obviously better" you have to consider the vehicle it's going in. If a 2wd buggy/stadium truck would be the equivalent of a general compact or mid sized car, a V8 engine would be overkill and WAY more than you would ever need. But if you were running a big heavy 4wd, then you might want to go for the "V8." ;)

Also nice choice on the t6.1. All the guys at Maximus run those for that class. I love stadium trucks and would have gotten one instead of my buggy but they only run them at one of the two tracks I go to. I originally started on a craptastic Traxxas Rustler which fits in the stadium truck class. Still managed to get a big ass trophy with it though :D (Side note: never buy Traxxas anything) :D



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