TOPIC:

Edou wrote:

Aha I get it now about the Hilux...

Chassis looks pretty close to a Manta Ray! Especially with the yellow shocks and pinned tyres.

You have some good conditions for importing! In Belgium for example (I heard) it's even worse than in the Netherlands.
Everything more than 20 euro ($30) gets consumer tax, import tax and declaration cost.
Worst case - importing a 21 euro item will cost you double!
Most immoral () thing here in Holland is paying full tax for a used item.

Letting a shipment from the UK come in shouldn't have to be that incredibly expensive.
Here nothing beats the shipment cost that sellers in Asia can offer. Better even than inside Europe!

Governments love putting their hand out, they want a slice of everything!

Our taxes and duties do sound better than the Netherlands though.

Quite often the postage cost is the same or more than what the car costs to buy.
I think I'll only do it when the item is unusally cheap, or I really, really want it!

Today I've been running the Ray chassis as a Humvee for the first time. Here are the pictures :

www.myalbum.com...m=3LC8MLHR

Runs like a charm!

Btw - anybody know how to embed a slideshow if possible at all?

Hummer looks great!

Not sure on the slide-show though.
Computers are not my forte!

I think I might start a Trophy Truck build now!
Nearly bought a TA01 last night, but I really need some LiPo batteries and new radio gear.

Hope the Dirt Hawgs arrive soon (coming from the States) because that'll look very good on it.
Getting closer to a Monster Truck that way.
These tyres should also improve the off road capability. The basic Hummer wheels are more on road.
Had a lot of fun with it today though!

I've been looking around the Rc scala, but the TA01 is still one of the greatest chassis ever.
I'd definitely recommend getting one...
But I understand the budgetary complications. I have to pace myself too.
I'm juicing the cars with NiMH for this reason exactly - lipo would ask another investment.
The set up itself I'm very happy with :


This charger is the bomb. And the battery pack wasn't even empty after the walk.

I have a LiPo compatible charger on it's way (should've been here early last week )
and I'll order some 5000mAh 2S 30C LiPo this weekend - as well as the 2.4 radio gear.

I need to get my current cars sorted before I start buying new projects.
But it's so tempting!

The TA01 is very popular, so I'm sure I can easily pick one up later on.

What motor do you have in your Hummer?
What sort of run times you getting with the 5000mAh NiMh?

Falcon#5 wrote:

I have a LiPo compatible charger on it's way (should've been here early last week )
and I'll order some 5000mAh 2S 30C LiPo this weekend - as well as the 2.4 radio gear.

Nice stuff! The charger I showed can also charge lipo, but I'd have to buy a balancer then.
And waiting on Rc stuff sucks big time! I know all about it. Having trouble with some delivery too.

Falcon#5 wrote:

I need to get my current cars sorted before I start buying new projects.
But it's so tempting!

Oh - how familiar this sounds.

Falcon#5 wrote:

What motor do you have in your Hummer?
What sort of run times you getting with the 5000mAh NiMh?

The motor is a 23T Lrp-Hpi challenge rebuidable - 125W.
Got two extra sets of silver brushes for it too, so it should be able to run for a long time.

The baterry pack only has a few runs on it. Haven't been able to get it all empty so far.
It can at least survive a 45 minute driving session. Pleasantly surprised with it since the motor can draw a nice current.

Have a funny chapter in the build coming up about the motor.
The charger is also a power supply, so I hooked up the motor directly and did an under water run in!


That's coming up soon. Made a YouTube video of it too.

As well as the charger, I'm still waiting for car parts, as well as a complete car.
Hurry up Postie!

I'll be running Black Cans (23T also), so I'll be getting same run times I guess.
Got to be happy with 45 min!

Did you do the underwater test to bed in the brushes?
Or just for a laugh?

Saw the postman heard your request!

Falcon#5 wrote:

I'll be running Black Cans (23T also), so I'll be getting same run times I guess.
Got to be happy with 45 min!

Did you do the underwater test to bed in the brushes?
Or just for a laugh?

Cool motors them Black Cans. And a 5Ah pack is definitely a really good thing. I'm very happy with it.
Lipo should be more zippy than NiMH so the Rang will run like a mother# on that.

Indeed I ran the motor under water to bed the bushes. Worked perfectly too. Took it apart to check.
Under water is supposed to be the better way to go. If you do it like this the dust from the brushes starts floating in the water instead of attaching itself to the inside of the motor.
I mailed Lrp to verify the procedure and they said it was fine as long as I used a low voltage (3V) and demineralized water.
Of course I mostly did it just for fun (brand new charger had arrived) and the cool experiment.

Be careful of your computer's volume :



Not the greatest video quality but a lot of fun to do!

I've never done the underwater thing before, so does it make a lot of difference?

I have run my Black Can for a few seconds (on the table) testing out my RX, and ESC.
Is it too late to try this because it has been run already, albeit breifly?

I think it does improve performance (power) of the motor.
The dust from the brushes - a lot with a new motor - will attach itself to the inside, giving sparks and resistance.
Also you'd have the full power of the motor available direct from the start.
I could read from the "motor management" (how cool is this charger?) that it needed 2 amps more at the beginning.
Runs much more smoothly (by hand) than before.

The process I think will only be usefull with a rebuildable motor with good quality brushes.
I ran an Ansmann Clash 23 on my Hopper. It's a nice motor but the brushes are like butter.
It produces a cloud of dust this way so an under water run in won't have much of an effect then.
Rebuidable is better because you can then dry it out better and oil the bearings a bit.


I don't think a short run in on the table has much effect.
Probably still usefull to run it under water.
Most guys do the process 5-10 minutes (me too) and that is quite a while when you're waiting on it...

The silver brushes (two pair) that I have spare :


And a crappy (unlit) picture after the run in :


But the result is visible...

So I'd say - Falcon#5 - go for it. It's a cool science experiment.