1st time, know nothing - Sand Scorcher

[skipdup 2]

Greetings!  I never had r/c stuff as a kid, so all this is very new to me.

I've ordered a Sand Scorcher, metal chases, sealed bearings, stainless screws & such, and some other stuff.  Going to build this with my young (6) son.  I've been researching best I can, but still have a few basic questions I was hoping someone might be able to help with...

Can anyone recommend a radio?  Or is this one "good enough"?  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005EFZBB4/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1

I'd like to start with a much slower speed (so my son can learn).  Can I put any 540 motor in this?  Maybe a 50 turn "crawler" motor?  Or have I completely missed it?

Battery recommendation?  Long run time would be a bonus.  For LiPo, I'd need to upgrade the ESC, right?

I would very much appreciate any other pointers.  I really have no idea what I'm getting in to!  

Thank you much!
Skip

[Doc Hollywood 160]

Hi Skip

welcome to the club

I have had a look at the hand set/ radio and it looks good as it is Futaba which are usually reliable so is probably ok. You can fit a 540 motor in it but every Tamiya RC kit comes with stock motor unless it has been removed for some reason, any motor will fit as long as all of the dimensions are the same.

The battery I would use with the sand scorcher would be a hump backed tornado 6 cell NMHI 3300MAH as they are a reliable battery and will run for a long time too and because that is the proper battery for the sand scorcher. I have had no experience of a LIPO battery so cant help on that one am afraid.

Most people fit the shocks on the sand scorcher upside down to stop them from leaking as they normally leak.

 

[Juggular 4964]

Welcome to TC.  That radio is quite usable.    

It's simple and rugged.  But a bit overpriced and not expandable, but it might be the ticket when you are starting out.  

If you want to look at other options, Flysky GT3C is half the price and does more.  And one radio can control up to 10 models.  If you get another car, just buy another receiver for $7, and voila, you have a radio for that one too.  There are Flysky GT5 which has even more functions for about $70.  Radiolink RC6GS is also about $70.  Both come with a gyro receiver, I think.  

50 turn crawler motor would use half the electricity, to run at half the speed.  In exchange, you can control it better, as crawlers need to be.  But I would think it's not very exciting for Sand Scorcher.  99% of Tamiya kits come with a 27 turn stock motor (commonly called "silver can.")  It's just about perfect for most cases.  You could run it for now.  And if you want more speed, get a 25 turn or 23 turn motor. (Tamiya "Sport Tuned" 540 motor is an easy upgrade)  The smaller the turn, the stronger and faster the motor.  The greater the turn (like 50), the weaker and slower.  

Most radios have something called "End-Point-Adjustment" or EPA.  It limits the range.  So if you want the car to run slower, you don't need to get a new motor.  You can just reduce the throttle range down to 60% or something.  No matter how much you pull the throttle, it will run at 60%.  If you want full throttle, just dial it back up to 100%.  

With a child in the house, I'd go with NiMH, just in case.  LiPo lasts longer, runs faster.  But drop a hammer on it, or overcharge it, or overdrain it, it can catch fire.  Fireproof bags are only $2-3 each, but you never know.  NiMH is safer.  (I got LiPos, after I learned the discipline of unplugging the battery every time, and storing it in a certain place.  Old RC guys like me could tell you that we killed many a battery by leaving it unplugged, back in the days.  That renders the battery useless in case of NiMH. But you only lose the battery.  You don't burn down the house like LiPos could... like phones.)

ESC doesn't need to be upgraded no matter what the battery.  You need to get a new ESC only if you get a stronger motor than 23t (in case of Tamiya ESC).  

 

[skipdup 2]

Thanks guys.  This is exceptionally helpful!!

[SuperChamp82 743]

Agree with @Juggular re Flysky - or basic Absima or Etronix if you’re EU ?

The fun bit is hopefully building it together - so maybe focus on things that make it easier for your 6yr old to remember / repeat  ?

Tamiya’s tool set is expensive (but v kiddie friendly) and a magnetic parts tray will spare you tiny impatience searching for bits !

[Re-Bugged 10156]

Hello @skipdup, enjoy the Scorcher 😉

That Futaba radio should be fine and I see it has End Point Adjustment on it so once it’s set up you will be able to wind the EPA (as it’s known) down when you’re son has the controls so as to keep the top speed down. Then just turn back up to full when it’s your turn 😁

The Scorcher is the same chassis as a Buggy Champ I have, and came with the option of fitting standard gearing and high speed gearing when assembling. The standard gearing option with the EPA turned down should be enough for a young driver. 

I’d probably skip Lipo for now and go with NiMH battery as suggested by @Doc Hollywood as a Lipo will also give you a speed boost too.

My Buggy Champ/ Scorcher gives around 40 minutes run time on a 540 stock silver can and 4000mah 7.2v NiMH with the  high speed gearing on low resistance terrain. 

I did buy a Hobbywing 1060 ESC to upgrade to Lipo as the kit TBLE 02 ESC doesn’t have a Lipo cut off, but never did as I am happy how it’s is, and the Hobbywing has since found its way into another car.   

 

[moffman 5752]

Welcome! And a very good choice and I like your wisdom in wanting to slow it down until such time you have confidence👍 so many people instantly want a fast motor and especially with the scorcher it can end in crunch time!. Good upgrades are things like bearings (basically anything which makes it lighter and run smoothly). Like everyone above has said NiMH's are the way to go for batteries because they are a lot more user friendly just remember the bigger mah the longer run time, the scorcher doesn't have a diff so it tends to want to flip over when cornering you can get one as a hop-up but they are a bit expensive now because they don't make them anymore (but it's fun without one), the other thing is the rear suspension when the battery is in tends to be a bit on the soft side IMO! If you think the same just flatten the brass link it just makes it a bit stiffer although be careful because go to far and it tends to be a bit bouncy!😊

[skipdup 2]

We received the model last week and started (slowly) building.  We are having a blast doing this.  

I put an Axial 55T motor in with (I think?) the faster gearing (20T/65T).  I also have a 35T motor on the way, for the future...

I have some green slime and the Tamiya (#53574) clear o-rings coming for the shocks.  Hoping I can keep them from leaking...

I need to buy a steering servo.  Is it OK to just buy a highly rated one of Amazon - there seems to be many in the $15-20 range?  Or is there some specific spec to look for?  (I searched, but didn't find anything.)

Also, anyone know if Tamiya Buggy Champ tires will fit on the Scorcher?  Couldn't find that answer by searching either.

@moffman thanks for the tip on straightening the brass link.  I was looking at that wondering if the rear was too soft and how to correct...

Thanks all,
Skip 

 

[Finman 69]

Hi Skipdup,

The Buggy Champ tyres won't fit the Sand Scorcher wheel (wheels are too small), but you can the the Buggy Champ wheels (and tyres) .

[Wooders28 4723]

To mirror some comments above, I'd recommend nimh to start with, lipos do require a bit of care, but if running Lipo is on the radar, getting a charger now, that will charge both nimh and Lipo would maybe a good shout.

If you want to speed things up a bit later on ,and swap to lipo, the hobbywing 1060 is the goto brushed esc worldwide, cheap, reliable and has a 2 stage cut off (goes half speed when close to the voltage cut off, then fully cuts off)

The 1060 esc will run 2s (8.4v fully charged) and also 3s (12.6v), but not having a scorcher, I don't know what would fit.

[skipdup 2]

So, this is likely a stupid question...  But, how important is the clear mechanical box?

Thanks!
Skip

[Re-Bugged 10156]

7 hours ago, skipdup said:

So, this is likely a stupid question...  But, how important is the clear mechanical box?

Thanks!
Skip

In the old days before waterproof electric’s, quite important if you intended to run through water. 

But in saying that the clear box is sort of part of the rear suspension workings forming a resistance for the rods along the chassis. 

Unlike the Super Champ/ Fighting Buggy SRB chassis that has the mono shock at the back so does away with the clear box.

Some people have put coil over type aftermarket shocks on their Scorcher’s to achieve the same thing. 

[Re-Bugged 10156]

Just some food for thought for you, how I have mine set up with a Hitech mighty mini servo with a Losi linkage. I took it to a hobby shop for advise and pulled these parts off the shelf and work perfectly. I only had the one battery at the time so used some Velco to hold it in place.