Dragging a QD Super Sabre into 2021 and beyond?

[samwise 1]

Need some advice from those with far more experience than me please! 😊 

My six year old lad has recently shown an interest in RC cars and we had a chat about the first one I had as a kid, the QD Super Sabre.

His enthusiasm led me to start scouring fleabay and today I got a QD Super Sabre delivered for £34, which I thought was a bargain. Was advertised as untested and no crystals, so bought crystals for a few quid, chucked some batteries in it, it's alive!

I want to bring it up to date, so my lad can enjoy it as much as I did (assuming I let him have a go!) but the world has moved on since I last dabbled with Tamiya kit!

I've ordered some new wheels and a new chassis to plonk everything in as I strip it down. I assume I will need the following but don't know what's good and what's crap to be honest:

New transmitter & receiver, ESC, battery, servo...

if I can get away with using the existing motor that would be good, unless there are better motors I can drop in as a like for like without drilling or soldering..

Can someone help me with a parts list to fit the bill please? Doesn't need to be insanely quick just slightly more future proof than it is now!

Thanks in advance

Sam

[sosidge 624]

Well, upgrading one of these will be a very personal project. It's a toy grade car and was never intended to be upgraded, the electronics are not the same standards as a hobby grade RC car, and the suspension and transmission are not intended to cope with anything beyond what it came with in the box.

Now of course there are people who do modify their toy-grade cars, but you would have much more performance and a much easier life if you put the money you were thinking of spending on the QD towards a modern hobby-grade car instead.

Personally I'd just clean it up and put it on the shelf and maybe see if I can get it running for sentimental reasons.

[hIghQ 149]

I agree, I would not put more money into that. Use it as it is, and if your little lad is really into it, go and get a "proper" kit (and maybe one for yourself as well). Tamiya has so many cool kits that would absolutely delight the little fella (while yes, more expensive than 34 quid, but still reasonably priced, IMO.) You two could build it together (if he doesn't get bored). Doesn't have to be anything fancy (so not talking Avante or Egress kind of money). 

[samwise 1]

Solid advice thanks very much both.

Had wondered if it was worth the effort or if it was a "because I can" or a vanity project. 

I only considered the upgrade project really, because while the Super Sabre does work, was getting skittish behaviour from the controller. When driving around at a medium kind of speed, pulling the trigger to go flat out intermittently sends it into reverse..

Wasn't sure what would cause this and once I looked into replacing the radio gear, became obvious I would have to go the whole hog if I didn't want to be soldering or frankensteining anything..

Cheers!

[Nikko85 3454]

Do it.

Lots of great threads here on these QDs. I've got a QD Pumpkin Monster Truck, I prefer to the real Pumpkin.

With a brushless motor they can be extremely quick. There are threads here by @wolfdogstinkus about taking the QD to 35+ mph, which in a car like this is lightening, and they held up fine. You don't need that speed, but if they can withstand a brushless motor at 35+ mph they'll be tough enough for your use.

You've got price options. Cheapest would be use the AAs but solder in a cheap low power ESC. You'd need a full size servo and radio gear, but that could all be transplanted into another car in the future. You would need to solder for this option, but soldering irons can be cheap, and good to learn how to do.

£22 for the Rx/tx, and £10 for the ESC and £10 for the servo. The only thing that you couldn't reuse for a 1/10 car would be the small ESC, but these are about £10.

The old motor is probably enough when powered properly with 9.6 volts, although you might be able to drop in new ones. 

I am planning a QD build just because. It makes no sense when a DT03 is for sale for £70 on amazon, but small cars are easier to throw in a rucksack and a little less dangerous for young kids due to the lower speed and weight.

Smaller cars can also mean more fun in smaller spaces.

[samwise 1]

Thanks for the rundown, much appreciated.

I have a basic build list now and will kick this one off in the new year hopefully!

Thanks 

[Nikko85 3454]

Also, if you give a 1/10 modern car to a six year old, where do you go from there? With this you can dip your toe in, and then take it more seriously. 

I am planning a build very soon, so I'll drop all my links in as a step by step.

 

 

[wolfdogstinkus 1893]

THis is the basic, no frills modernization..

 

T

[alvinlwh 5895]

8 hours ago, Nikko85 said:

Also, if you give a 1/10 modern car to a six year old, where do you go from there? 

1/8 @ 12 and then 1/1 @ 16

[Nikko85 3454]

6 minutes ago, alvinlwh said:

1/8 @ 12 and then 1/1 @ 16

And at 18? Yeah.....no wonder cars are getting bigger......parents have to give 5:4 size! 

[alvinlwh 5895]

@samwise take a look at my SU-01 build. It is a kit but also sold as a RTR (don't think they are called QD these days). Thing to watch out for about such cars is they tend to use a combined RX ESC unit such as the modern TRE-01 and there is very little room for separate units. Also, if yours is meant to be powered by 4 x AAs, you will find that it will not work with most ESC and you will need to find a lipo that will fit. Still, I find it satisfying to find parts that are not even listed for it to fit and have a personalised car instead of just another one out of the box.