cheap esc/motor combo recommendations.

[DMAT]

Its been a while since I saw anybody ask.

im open to ebay or hobbyking. just looking for a cheap set to make a car usable.

id prefer to stay brushless, also minimal soldering work if possible. I can do it but its pretty crappy.

[kaiser]

hobbyking has the turnigy turbo 120amp esc ($43.00) and decent motors ($30-40)
program card $10.00

i ran one last week in practice and it was smooth and the 17.5 motor was fast.

it's a sensored system and soldering is required. but it's so damn cheap, and near highend useability.

the hobbywing exruns (35amp and above) are sensorless and no soldering required except for batt plug. good systems but more $$ then the turnigy.

[Coelacanth]

Leopard Toro makes an affordable combo with their 60A ESC/motor/program card for the $80 - $90 range. I chose the 12T motor for my OptiMutt car (RWD/mid-motor) and was impressed that they took a little step further than the HobbyWing EZRun's by having a color "manual" that was easier to understand I've owned an EZRun, Bullistorm and other clone ESCs and in comparison, the Leopard Toro's manual was easily the best, though I was able to get all of them configured without too many issues. It seemed to me anyway that the Toro's power delivery was the smoothest of the bunch, it's super-smooth on acceleration, but they've all worked out fine for me.

One cool thing I found, the program card for one brand also works to navigate through the settings on the others. I think they're all quite similar internally.

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/RC-brushless-Motor-12T-3300kv-60A-V2-ESC-3in1-combo-SKYRC-TORO-LEOPARD-CAR-/291401051943?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item43d8db2f27

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/RC-Car-Brushless-combo-13T-Motor-35A-v2-ESC-EZRUN-HOBBYWING-TRUCK-BUGGY-3in1-Kit-/361237755434?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item541b72b62a

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/E9z-AEOLIAN-17-5T-SENSOR-BRUSHLESS-INRUNNER-MOTOR-60A-ESC-and-program-card-/141598594834?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item20f7ef1712

[DMAT]

I was looking at that leopard system or those turnigy trackstars.

This is going in a modded rustler that I'm converting to a scale version of a 1:1 truck. I sorta wanted to keep my normal rustler running after test fitting all this so I'm making a new car outside of the parts I've already got and a picking up the missing items ill need.

[sschering]

I've been troling RCtech for used Novak gear.. I've managed to get ESCs for about $35-40 shipped and motors for about the same.


If you watch Ebay you'll see a NIB Novak Club or Edge combo a few times a month.. They go for about $70-90

[Spoon]

Speed passion 3500KV brushless with ESC combo, we got them for $49 shipped and its been holding up perfect.

[DMAT]

thought I would comment on this. I see why the leapard systems are so cheap. they appear to be a 380 size motor but with the can at a 540 size. The heatsink is huge and pictures dont show it.

[Coelacanth]

thought I would comment on this. I see why the leapard systems are so cheap. they appear to be a 380 size motor but with the can at a 540 size. The heatsink is huge and pictures dont show it.

That's probably true, the EZRuns that have that same ribbed can look are also 380 size on the inside. It shouldn't be a reason to avoid them, however, because the 12T motor (for example) is pushing 3300 kV, which when paired with their 60A ESC, should be more than enough power for most vintage or basher buggies. The Hobbywing/EZRun 10T's that you see everywhere with the similar ribbed cans provide plenty of power--maybe even a bit too much. This isn't like the olden days where you'd only find 380's in Grasshoppers.

[huminski]

I am running the Hobbyking Trackstar 5200KV / 80A combo in my re-re Worlds. Highly recommend it, tons of power and hasn't missed a beat yet, and I BEAT on it pretty bad. I paid about $60 for the combo late last year, might be a little cheaper now.

[kaiser]

it's pretty hard to pass up the trackstars, best bang for your buck right now.

[mamadoesntletme]

I bought a trackstar 120A,no brakes: money wasted
I bought a bullistorm once, with a program card, no brakes at all, program card not working: money wasted
I bought also a brushed hobbywing wing quickrun, no brakes at all also: money wasted

Money wasted was over 100 bucks, conclusion: no more chinese food
With that money I could have bought instead a LRP. Or a Novak GTB or a LRP Sphere, which could also have used with my brushed stuff.

[kaiser]

i've heard about some folks saying there's no brakes, i have never had that issue.

[Coelacanth]

I bought a trackstar 120A,no brakes: money wasted
I bought a bullistorm once, with a program card, no brakes at all, program card not working: money wasted
I bought also a brushed hobbywing wing quickrun, no brakes at all also: money wasted

Money wasted was over 100 bucks, conclusion: no more chinese food
With that money I could have bought instead a LRP. Or a Novak GTB or a LRP Sphere, which could also have used with my brushed stuff.

Hmm...if you had the same problem with 3 different ESCs, I wonder if the problem was a setting in your transmitter, not all 3 ESC's. My TrackStar 120A one-cell ESC had ONLY throttle and brakes, as default. I can't do anything with it until I receive the program card.

[markbt73]

The Leopard systems are a decent value for $70 including the program card. As for the "380 motor in a 540 can" issue: trust me, it's not a problem. Plenty of torque for anything 1/10 scale or thereabouts. For laughs I put my 12t/3300kv system in a Tamiya Lunchbox; it did backflips from a standing start until I extended the wheelie bar.

The only thing I didn't like about it was the fact that it's non-sensored; they are really jumpy at low throttle. This isn't as much of a problem if you use it in something really low-geared; mine was fine in an AX10 Scorpion, but very twitchy in the Lunchbox. Also, the cooling fan quit after a while, but it didn't seem to need it.

[harvey]

Okay, I've got to jump in with an esc I've been very happy with. Low buck being the objective, the hobbyking 35A is a steal at $23.55;
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__17228__HobbyKing_35A_Sensored_Sensorless_Car_ESC_1_10_1_12_.html
I have 2 of these, as well as 2 of the 45A (they use the same program card, which you need to buy separate). The last sale they were down to $18.00; why buy sensorless? They run sensorless fine, which gives you the option of upgrading later. My favorite feature, which may be more common than I realize, is a throttle limit adjustment from 0% - 90%. This is nice if you have delicate vintage buggies or conditions are slippy, or if you over-buy with your motor. (I'm a big fan of just enough power vs. tire shredding burnouts)
OP, there is soldering required, but I found it pretty easy.
I know it's not a flashy name brand, but the heatsink comes off easily if you want to polish it, and it's worked great for me.
Power wise, I was leery of only 35A, but it runs a 3200Kv motor in my rc10t with reckless gearing, and barely gets above ambient temps.