Which first: Brushless or Lipo??

[losiXXXman]

Thanks for all the great insight. Looks like I'll do the lipo first. To answer the questions though - all my stuff is old. I did the majority of my racing back between '99 and 00'. I think I'll try and get some overhaul done on a few motors, and cycle my packs to see where I'm at. Ever since I stopped racing, I haven't really put any use on my stuff except sporadically. Therefore putting a couple cycles on my packs might bring some of their life back.

As for racing/ bashing.. I've never been a basher - not since my first car. (Sorry, I kind of don't even like the word "basher"... my opinion is that people don't have race buggies for bashing, that's what clods and blackoots are for! ) I used to only drive if I was on a track. I don't have the opportunity now to race weekly (3 young kids and all, track is over an hour away...), but would like to go to the "real" track a couple 4-6 times a year. I may try and get together with a few friends for some "informal" racing (not bashing) more often (like 1-2 times a month). Truthfully I should know that If I'm going to race with the hardcore track guys...I'm going to have to run what they are running. Here with friends, I can do whatever.

Again, Thanks for all the great input/feedback. AS always that's what 10Talk does best.

[Greebo]

I know you've already had plenty of feedback but I'll just put my 2 cents worth in too having just gone through the same process.

I've got an RC10 Team car with a 6 year old LRP ESC, a new Tamiya Superstock BZ brushed (23T) motor that I've been running NiMH's in. The ESC is still great and I don't mind the whole rebuilding brushed motors process given how infrequently I run the car.

I already had a LiPo compatible charger for the LiPo's in my RC8Be so it was less of a jump for me, but having just bought 2S LiPo's for the RC10, the change is nothing short of amazing. I have an Eagletree eLogger V3 that I've been using to get REAL data about current/voltage and the difference in power delivery between a LiPo and a NiMH is eye opening. I'm not just talking about "feel", I'm talking real numbers as well.

The short of it is that brushed/brushless will both benefit hugely from LiPo.
Going from brushed to brushless without having decent batteries will NOT give you any noticeable benefit unless your brushed motors are also had it. And quite frankly, the old batteries you've currently got will never be even close to as good as even a cheap LiPo.

I bought 2 x 4Ah Turnigy hardcase batteries for $20 each. That is about the same price I paid for a single 4.2Ah NiMH. Then I added a Novak LiPo cutoff for another $30. Its the best $70 I spent on this buggy in the last few years.

[Mr. ED]

Thanks for all the great insight. Looks like I'll do the lipo first. To answer the questions though - all my stuff is old. I did the majority of my racing back between '99 and 00'. I think I'll try and get some overhaul done on a few motors, and cycle my packs to see where I'm at. Ever since I stopped racing, I haven't really put any use on my stuff except sporadically. Therefore putting a couple cycles on my packs might bring some of their life back.

As for racing/ bashing.. I've never been a basher - not since my first car. (Sorry, I kind of don't even like the word "basher"... my opinion is that people don't have race buggies for bashing, that's what clods and blackoots are for! ) I used to only drive if I was on a track. I don't have the opportunity now to race weekly (3 young kids and all, track is over an hour away...), but would like to go to the "real" track a couple 4-6 times a year. I may try and get together with a few friends for some "informal" racing (not bashing) more often (like 1-2 times a month). Truthfully I should know that If I'm going to race with the hardcore track guys...I'm going to have to run what they are running. Here with friends, I can do whatever.

Again, Thanks for all the great input/feedback. AS always that's what 10Talk does best.

I agree on the term bashing: it sounds to me like 'destroying your car on purpose' and I really don't see the fun in that. People and tastes I guess

[JK Racing]

Since you made the decision to go Lipo first...

Pick up the charger first. Nothing like having the killer lipos and no charger to try them out.

If your a Tower member, go into the scratch/dent area and watch for an Onyx 230 charger. Power supply built in and does NiMh, NiCd, Lipo, Li-ion...Seen them in there for about $50. I use one, great budget charger.

Keep your eyes on the HobbyPeople.net site for "their" brand 5000 35C hardcase pack. I cant be sure, but I've heard they are IP batteries, just with a custom sticker on them. I see a ton of them in the pits around our local tracks. They are usually on sale for around $40, but they go out of stock online pretty quickly.