Clodbuster Electronics Dilema

[carparkthrasher]

Hi All,

Right, further to my Kyosho KA 6 experiment (overheating when used with 540 sized cans), I now find myself at a crossroads. I jsut want to get some crazy speed out of the truck and I am not a crawler by any means, so my choices seem as follows -

A) Try a different ready made twin motor & twin battery ESC (must like 540 sized motors and walks on the beach)

Take an esc that can work with twin motors and do some wiring (assume that still using single battery = much shorter runtime)

C) Go for an ESC for each motor, creative wiring and a Y lead

D) Stick with current ESC and use 550 motors - sadly they do not fit in stock clod chassis so current ESC looks bit of a dead donkey

So, with that in mind could anyone who also drives their clod 'like they stole it' suggest any kind of best course of action? Should I be concentrting on the single battery, single ESC with motors wired in parallel route? What are my options chassis wise for being able to utilise 550 sized motors yet still have a chassis that doesn't ost me the earth and isn't meant for crawling etc.

Any and all help gratefully recieved. I am so close to getting the beast how I want it yet seem to be thwarted so the time has come for some more advice.

Please and thank you!

[HereBeMonsters]

I'd be interested in the answer to this as well. Is there an ESC that would handle 2x EZ Run brushless motors for example?

[DudeWalker]

Well, what I did was get an ESC that can handle two motors. Novak Super Duty. Then wired it through the serial/parallel switch so I could still select the configuration that I wanted to run in. I stuck with a single battery, but I am using a 2 cell, 7.4 volt, 3300 mAh, 25C aircraft LiPo. I get a lot of speed, punch, and surprisingly about a 20 min - half hour run time in power mode with twin 540s. I couldn't believe how much more punch and speed I got. My Clod ran so long compared to the NiCads I had run previously, I couldn't believe it.

I can always upgrade to 14.4 volts in the future, but for now it's plenty fun.

[Rabiedmushroom]

I've also got a Novak Super Duty, running 2 x Superstock motors with 2 x 7.2 batteries. The ESC handles it with ease, and is simple to wire and set up. My GMade Clod 'Draggin' features in several TC movies and is awesomely fast. Expensive parts but well worth it for grin-factor!

[carparkthrasher]

I've also got a Novak Super Duty, running 2 x Superstock motors with 2 x 7.2 batteries. The ESC handles it with ease, and is simple to wire and set up. My GMade Clod 'Draggin' features in several TC movies and is awesomely fast. Expensive parts but well worth it for grin-factor!

And the grin factor is what it is all about!

Nice looking truck by the way.............

The Novak is another one of these dual motor ESC's that features the phrase '550 size only' in all it's lierature. The Superstocks are what, 23 turn? Do you think my 19t's would be too much?

How was it dealing with Junfac? Did you order from them direct? Delivery to UK ok?

[Danbox]

I think running 540 motors at 14.4 volts is the no-no. If you run one battery and a jumper so you're at 7.2 volts then 540 motors shouldn't fry. (Watch the turn limit, though)

[terry.sc]

It depends on how fast you want to run. A Novak Super Duty on 6 cells can run just about any motor you want, all the way down to a pair of 10 turns. You can try running higher wind motors on higher voltages, but 540 size motors aren't designed to run on more than 7.2v and they won't last too long.

I'd be interested in the answer to this as well. Is there an ESC that would handle 2x EZ Run brushless motors for example?

Brushless motors always need their own ESC. To run two EZRun motors you need two brushless ESCs that run sensorless.

[HereBeMonsters]

Brushless motors always need their own ESC. To run two EZRun motors you need two brushless ESCs that run sensorless.

Well that's ok because I have two ESCs with them anyway. Is it just as simple as splicing the cables into a single receiver then?

[Fab Esav]

Hi All,

Right, further to my Kyosho KA 6 experiment (overheating when used with 540 sized cans), I now find myself at a crossroads. I jsut want to get some crazy speed out of the truck and I am not a crawler by any means, so my choices seem as follows -

A) Try a different ready made twin motor & twin battery ESC (must like 540 sized motors and walks on the beach)

Take an esc that can work with twin motors and do some wiring (assume that still using single battery = much shorter runtime)

C) Go for an ESC for each motor, creative wiring and a Y lead

D) Stick with current ESC and use 550 motors - sadly they do not fit in stock clod chassis so current ESC looks bit of a dead donkey

So, with that in mind could anyone who also drives their clod 'like they stole it' suggest any kind of best course of action? Should I be concentrting on the single battery, single ESC with motors wired in parallel route? What are my options chassis wise for being able to utilise 550 sized motors yet still have a chassis that doesn't ost me the earth and isn't meant for crawling etc.

Any and all help gratefully recieved. I am so close to getting the beast how I want it yet seem to be thwarted so the time has come for some more advice.

Please and thank you!

Hi carparkthrasher, you may want to try installing an ESC like a Traxxas EV-2 (waterproof) or an HPI E-savage ESC (which is what I installed & will waterproof it myself)

I currently have HPI GT550 motors installed in my stock Chassis Clod...have not run it yet but it seems to clear the suspension. An alternative is to mod your stock chassis with a 4-link set up like this:

http://myrcmt.com/review/briancpe/

This looks like it will provide you the extra clearance needed to run dual 550 motors. I have been thinking of doing this to mine but have not decided as of yet....

Hope this helps & good luck on your project!

[HereBeMonsters]

Well that's ok because I have two ESCs with them anyway. Is it just as simple as splicing the cables into a single receiver then?

Just discovered my Traxxas receivers have two inputs for each channel - I guess for throttle and brake servos. Will it work if I plug both ESCs in?

[Tamiyabigstuff]

I have a spare Novak TRAXXAS EVX 14.4v ESC - brand new, tested only with a couple of Tamiya Sport Tuned motors.

It has inputs for 2 x 7.2v battery packs and outputs for 2 motors.

Don't know what the motor turn limit is though.

I bought it to use in a project but used a different ESC in the end.

Cost a small fortune originally, open to sensible offers.

[carparkthrasher]

Hi carparkthrasher, you may want to try installing an ESC like a Traxxas EV-2 (waterproof) or an HPI E-savage ESC (which is what I installed & will waterproof it myself)

I currently have HPI GT550 motors installed in my stock Chassis Clod...have not run it yet but it seems to clear the suspension. An alternative is to mod your stock chassis with a 4-link set up like this:

http://myrcmt.com/review/briancpe/

This looks like it will provide you the extra clearance needed to run dual 550 motors. I have been thinking of doing this to mine but have not decided as of yet....

Hope this helps & good luck on your project!

Thanks to you all for your good advie and experience, it's amazing how much choice one gets when dealing with RC! I guess that's what keeps us all hooked and constantly out of pocket!

[diggernz]

Hi All,

D) Stick with current ESC and use 550 motors - sadly they do not fit in stock clod chassis so current ESC looks bit of a dead donkey

550 motors are 10mm longer if i remember correctly. The diameter is the same and the motor mount holes line up just a longer can. 550 will fit in a baja king TL01b but not a tlo1 touring car.The suspension arms are to short on the touring car and motor hits inside of wheel. No probelem on a buggy chassis as the arms are longer.Do you not have enuff room on the Clod?

[Saito]

Not really. 550s either rub or outright hit the Clod ladder bars. They can be made to work with a little creative dremeling to the ladder bars.

[carparkthrasher]

Not really. 550s either rub or outright hit the Clod ladder bars. They can be made to work with a little creative dremeling to the ladder bars.

'Creative dremeling' - has a really nice ring to it! Hi, I'm Bud Fudlacker, head of Creative Dremeling. Seriously though, I am surprised Tamiya haven't done a deal with someone like Dremmel, the amount that tool gets used!

[Fab Esav]

Not really. 550s either rub or outright hit the Clod ladder bars. They can be made to work with a little creative dremeling to the ladder bars.

When I installed 550s in my Clod, it was tight but it cleared without Dremeling. This is because I have an ESP chassis brace which acts as enough of a spacer to allow the 550 to just squeeze in.

I also run a dual 6-cell (14.4V) batteries in my stock chassis Clod with a modified Tamiya electronics tray (to hold the 2nd 7.2V battery with velcro and reusable pull ties). Note, you will need to use motors that are made to run in reverse (or have adjustable timing) for the rear gearcase or the rear motor will die an early death or stall. I run 2 Traxxas Titan 550s, the rear is a reverse rotation motor from an e-revo.