Resurrecting/Modernizing Your Vintage R/C's Electronics

[RC104ever]

Rebuild your stealth:

http://www.rc10talk.com/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=22861&hilit=+Fresh+stealth

[Johnboy72]

Really was looking forward to getting some advice about electronics off this thread but it wandered. Hopefully we can get it back on track. I saw a bunch of guys talking about cheap electronics and it's led me to hobby King and that Hobby Partz. Plenty of cheap stuff. Anyone care to express their experiences with these places? I'm also trying to nail down what would be appropriate for my needs. I have two new Tekin GenII for my racing esc so I'll be looking for a cheap esc for light runner and playing. Their are so many choices. Now one thing I'm in desperate need of is servos and receivers. There are some cheap radios on both sites and I'm getting lost with the FHSS and the AFHDS acronyms. Just want a decent 2.4 radio with multiple models since the receivers are so cheap. So anyone's experiences would be greatly appreciated. Just look forward to this cheap stuff to allow me to enjoy multiple cars on my budget.

I'm thinking this controller, 10 models and seems to have some nice features. Price is big time cheap.
http://www.hobbypartz.com/79p-gt3b-carradio-lcd.html

[pumpkinfish]

In my experience, you get what you pay for. Through out the years in this hobby, I have tried to go cheap various times and it never seemed to work out, the worst mistake being an OCM 1/8 scale buggy. Luckily I unloaded that thing quickly while they still had buzz. With electronics, I would rather buy name brand with a proper warranty then chance some foreign off label brand. I know I have read people having success with brands like FlySky, but I would hate to trust my car to a radio like that. I think you can find decent RTR 2.4 radios for a decent price if you look around.

[kaiser]

i've bought alot of batteries (turnigy and turnigy nanotech only) from hobbyking. i like them, i keep looking at their cheap planes but haven't pulled the trigger.

hobbywing ezrun and xerun esc's are an excellent value and the cheapest things i trust.

cheap transmitters are a gamble. i'm saving up for the new futaba 4pls. i currently use a 2pl so all my recievers will work and i can stick with futaba.
i'd never shell out 400+ on a 4pks, but 250 for a 4pls is just right IMO. heck you can get the futaba 3pl for 100 bux now, or less.

[alien3t]

Radio wise. Eas given the first 2.4 associated put out. Was n the old 3 channel 75mhz. Case. Found an article and you take the back of the 2.4 radio use the comouter radio front and you have a computer 2.4 . Been workig flyless for me. The computer 3ch i gf ave gotten for as low as 20 bucks. Recivers for th 2.4 i have gotten from 14-25 bucks.

And price wise been running soeed passiob esc and motors. No issue or faulty yet.

[kaiser]

QUE?

[Coelacanth]

QUE?

I was totally lost, too. Sounded alien to me!

[Charlie don't surf]

QUE?

I was totally lost, too. Sounded alien to me!

Try french canadian then- qué

[kaiser]

well played.

[alien3t]

Ill fix with pics a home. Darn typing while thinking at sametime from phone.

[GodSpeed]

Glad I found this thread because I did exactly what the first post says -- found my old RC10 'A stamp' (?) in my parents' basement and am in the process of completely rebuilding it. I'm afraid though that you're going to have to dumb it down even more for this dummy!

If I wanted a Reedy Sonic 540 Mach 2 13.5T or LRP X20 BL Modified 13.5T, what are some examples of ESC's I should be looking at and are there some additional components I NEED or should have as well? Honestly, I've chosen those two because they "look good." I know nothing.

How about some steering servo ideas?

And what's a Dean's connector/adapter? Do I need that?

[RC104ever]

For ESC's its really dependent on your budget. You have the more inexpensive (but still good) Hobbywing stuff, then there is Castle, Novak, Reedy etc. My suggestion is you should buy the best one you can afford with the most features. I like the Castle Mamba Max Pro myself but if on a budget the Sidewinder is a good choice (just doesn't have the same ability to program it).

Next for servo I have had good luck with Savox low profile metal gear servos but again, you can buy whatever you want. Look at the speed and torque specs, those will dictate how good the servo really is. Metal gears are nice, just as coreless motors but then it starts to get pricey.

For a radio, I have both Spektrum and the FlySky GT3B. Both are good but I have to say the FlySky actually has better range and its a lot cheaper.

A Deans is just a type of battery connector. It's one of the better ones and again, its up to you. I have Deans and Traxxas connectors (both necessary if you are going to run high voltage / current batteries like lipos). I find the Deans is a little fussier to solder and connect / disconnect but it does seem to be a very solid connection. The Traxxas ones are a bit of a pain to make as well, but the bigger connector means its a bit easier to connect and disconnect (in my opinion).

[GodSpeed]

Just noticed you're in Burlington, ON. So am I.

Thanks for the information.

[Sixtysixdeuce]

If I wanted a Reedy Sonic 540 Mach 2 13.5T or LRP X20 BL Modified 13.5T, what are some examples of ESC's I should be looking at and are there some additional components I NEED or should have as well? Honestly, I've chosen those two because they "look good." I know nothing.

Having been through quite a few ESCs at this point, the only ones I'll buy anymore are Hobbywing and Tekin. Tekins are good, but universally expensive. Hobbywing has something for every budget; in 1/10 scale, everything from the sensorless 60 amp EZrun at ~$40, all the way up to the absolutely bad-@$$ 120A Xerun V3.1 at nearly $200.

I have a couple of EZrun 60s, an SC10 80A, an SC8WP 120A and a Xerun 150A, all run flawlessly. I also had an EZrun 150A, but it is not a waterproof ESC, so my day playing in the snow put an end to that one. Otherwise, it was great, too.

Either of those motors are good, but personally, I'd go for a Tekin 13.5 with a Hobbywing 90A Xerun.

[kaiser]

If I wanted a Reedy Sonic 540 Mach 2 13.5T or LRP X20 BL Modified 13.5T, what are some examples of ESC's I should be looking at and are there some additional components I NEED or should have as well? Honestly, I've chosen those two because they "look good." I know nothing.

Having been through quite a few ESCs at this point, the only ones I'll buy anymore are Hobbywing and Tekin. Tekins are good, but universally expensive. Hobbywing has something for every budget; in 1/10 scale, everything from the sensorless 60 amp EZrun at ~$40, all the way up to the absolutely bad-@$$ 120A Xerun V3.1 at nearly $200.

I have a couple of EZrun 60s, an SC10 80A, an SC8WP 120A and a Xerun 150A, all run flawlessly. I also had an EZrun 150A, but it is not a waterproof ESC, so my day playing in the snow put an end to that one. Otherwise, it was great, too.

Either of those motors are good, but personally, I'd go for a Tekin 13.5 with a Hobbywing 90A Xerun.

i'm with this guy, tekin and hobbywing esc's for me. lrp is great too, i've owned a few but prefer tekin as my high end esc.