# Jumping Back In Head First



## Ginther (Mar 19, 2011)

Some of you may or may not remember me. My name is Eric. I've been in and out of the hobby since the mid 90's. I spent most of my time racing electric 1/10 scale back in the day at Performance RC over off I-10 and Gessner (I think) and then nitro 1/8 at J's Action RC in Pasadena, and occasionally at M&M in Bellaire.

I sold ALL my stuff and got out of the hobby back in 2005. So it's been about 5-6 years. I'm not sure how many old heads from back there are still out there. Looking around the message boards I see a lot of new names/faces I don't know. I went out to Vertigo last Saturday (March 26) and marshaled a few qualifiers, and then Sunday I went out to Mike's to check it out. The only people I recognized were the Henn brothers.

I've decided to get back into the hobby and figured I'd jump in full steam head first. No sense in easing back in&#8230; just bite the bullet and buy the right stuff the first time instead of entry level stuff that I'll end up upgrading anyway.

I've been researching for a couple weeks now, but I'm still looking for input. Keep in mind when I left there was no such thing as a 1/8 electric buggy, truggy's were just converted 1/8 buggies, brushless electric motors were new and uncommon, li-po batteries were for helicopters, and there were no short course trucks etc&#8230; LOL!!

I had originally planned on just getting back into 1/8 nitro buggy like I used to run. But after seeing the 1/8 electric buggies in person at Vertigo, I have changed my mind. I was really impressed with how far electric has come.

So I've put together the following plan of what I will probably buy:

Associated RC8Be
Airtronics M11x
Castle Mamba Monster ESC / 2200kv combo
HiTec HS-7945TH steering servo

I'm still researching batteries and chargers. A lot has changed in this area since my NiCd /NiMh / Turbo 30 days.

I'm leaning toward the Protek Prodigy 610 DUO (aka HiTec X2 Ultima) dual channel 200 watt x2 charger and ProTek 40 amp power supply. This combo looks like it should easily charge two packs at decent rates simultaneously.

http://www.amainhobbies.com/product...-LiFe-NiMH-DC-Battery-Charger-6S-10A-200W-x-2

http://www.amainhobbies.com/product...Regulated-DC-Power-Supply-w-USB-138V-40A-520W

As far as batteries go I'm planning on running 4S in the 5000Mah range. I'm torn between spending the big bucks on MaxAmps or getting some cheaper packs. I'm probably going to steer away from really cheap packs like Turnigy and such. Any thoughts on the ProTek packs A-Main carriers?

http://www.amainhobbies.com/product...-Case-Battery-Pack-148V-5600mAh-ROAR-Approved

That's where my plan stands so far. Any input is appreciated.

Hopefully I'll be up and running soon. I hope to be able to race at the HARC race April 16, but that may be tuff to pull off. Not to mention that won't give me any time to practice and I'm sure I'll be rusty after taking off 5+ years.


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## tebone626 (Apr 25, 2010)

hey Eric. nice to see you on here. i talked to you a vertigo for a little bit, in between my races. i think you will like electric. as far as batteries go, i run both the turnigy, and the max amps. the turnigy, i have had little problems with, and me and my son run these most of the time. i run the max amp batteries in the mains, because i need the extra mah to finish the mains. the set up your looking at should work just fine. i also run the RC8BE, but i use the 1800 castle. it has plenty of speed, and more tq than i need. hope some of this helps. good luck on everything


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## Labrat99 (May 6, 2009)

If you want to go 4s, check out the Tekin 1900 & 2050 motors. I think they are better suited for buggy use. As far as batteries go - Zippy rules!

This place is a good spot to shop for power supplies and chargers and they are in the US.

Good luck!


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## nik77356 (Jun 8, 2007)

IMO (and Earl Trindle will tell you the same thing) is that MaxAmps is overpriced ****. Earl and I puffed quite a few MaxAmps lipos back when we used to run them. The HobbyCity batteries are quite good in my experience and have never really had any problems that I can blame on the battery itself. One thing I would suggest is to take a look at getting a Tekin 1900 motor instead of the castle 2200. The 2200 will work plenty fine it will just have a little extra torque and top end, in addition too the immediate torque these cars already have.

EDIT: It looks like budget isn't too large an issue, so if you don't want to get the cheaper hobbycity packs the Protek packs are supposed to be really good.


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## Mantisworx (Dec 30, 2010)

i got an M11 im about to put up for sale! it comes with two 2.4g recievers for 200. it has a wrap on it and im throwing in a wrapped pit light to go with it.
BTW i run the race program at M&M i dont think we have met. email me if your interested [email protected]


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## Courtney Vaughan (Apr 11, 2007)

Eric, 

Welcome back! I would really like to see you at the upcoming HARC race! Assuming everything you order is in stock, and you order a buggy that comes pre-assembled (does the RC8BE??), then there is no reason you couldn’t get it put together in half a day. And if it is unassembled, then add a day to assemble the kit. Installing the electrics and such is super easy, so not much time spent there.

A couple of suggestions:

-I too ran the M11 for a while, but found it to be too heavy. Check out the Spektrum DX3R and DX3R Pro……..they’re reasonable priced, fit your hand well, are pretty good quality, have good sensitivity, and are SUPER light! If you want to spend a little more, then check out the KO Propo EX-10 Eurus. It’s more expensive, but I’ve ran ALL of the radios out there currently, and the ergonomics and steering/throttle sensitivity are hands down the best……of course, you’re going to pay for that!

-Check out the Mugen MBX6E buggy as well. Of everything that’s out there, the RC8BE and the MBX6E are the best value from a price vs handling vs parts price vs parts quality vs durability vs etc stand point. Having owned both, I can tell you that the Mugen handle’s slightly better and the parts are slightly more durable. The rear-end on the RC8BE’s is a little squirrely and inconsistent…………where as once you figure out what diff oil you want to use in the Mugen, it is super consistent for months on end. Additionally, it seems like the plastics on the Mugen are just a hair tougher. That said, the RC8BE sells for about $400 and the Mugen for about $500…..so you pay for what you get! Upside of going with the Mugen though is that it comes nicely pre-assembled (and they DO use loc-tite!) so you can be up and running very quickly. I’m not preaching that Mugen is the best or anything, but it’s a viable alternative to the RC8BE that is better in some ways. Oh, and over half of the buggies in our HARC points records are Mugen’s right now LOL, so there is always someone to help with parts!

-I accidently ordered the 2200KV motor one time. Only when I opened the box did I realize that the motor is 50% larger and 50% heavier (TOO heavy for a buggy!). I installed if for giggles, and it blew the tires off the rims……….no joke! As others have said, if you’re going with the Castle motor, find the 1800KV 1.5Y motor (make sure it’s the 1.5Y……..1Y is the longer/heavier truggy motor) or the 2650KV motor (you’ll have to turn the power way down on your settings and it’s not as smooth on take-off as the 1800KV). The 1800KV castle has been discontinued, but there are still lots of new ones out there for sale (check eBay). Many people are using the 1900KV or the 2050KV Tekin Buggy motors now, and I intend to do the same as soon as the funds allow. The 1900KV is just slightly faster than the 1800KV castle motor………it seems to be just the right amount of speed/power without getting too powerful to control. I recommend the Castle ESC for sure, regardless of what motor you choose. The only other viable alternative at this time is the Tekin RX8 ESC, and there is barely a race that I go to that someone hasn’t fried a Tekin ESC! Seems to be the general concensus at the moment, is the best combination is this:
-Castle ESC w/Castle 1800KV 1.5Y Motor and 4S 5000MAH 30C (or greater) battery
-Castle ESC w/ Castle 2650KV 1.5Y Motor and 3S 5000MAH 30C (or greater) battery (this combo is basically equal in power/runtime as the 4S/1800KV combo, but 3S batteries are less common in 1/8 E-buggy/truggy)
-Castle ESC w/ Castle 2650KV 1.5Y Motor and 4S 5000MAH 30C (or greater) battery with the power turned down on your radio so that it is controllable
-Castle ESC w/ Tekin 1900KV 1.5Y Motor and 4S 5000MAH 30C (or greater) battery (slightly more power than the 4S/Castle 1800KV combo, but still controllable)
-Castle ESC w/ Tekin 2050KV 1.5Y Motor and 4S 5000MAH 30C (or greater) battery (slightly more power than the 4S/Tekin 1900KV combo, can be a handful on a low traction surface)

-Batteries, I go back and forth on. You’ll see me preaching on here how bad of luck I had with Turnigy and Zippy and other cheap packs and to always spend the extra money. Then you’ll see other threads where I’m giving the cheap batteries another try. Currently, I am trying some $25 Turnigy’s that are 4S, 20C, 5000MAH and I have run 3 charges through them and they’re fine so far. Battery technology is not quite as refined as the ESC/Motor technology at this stage, but it’s getting there. My current suggestion would be to grab a couple of the cheap packs to start with (check out hobbycity.com and look for stuff that is in stock in the USA warehouse). If they don’t perform up to par, then you haven’t wasted too much money. Trust me, I have $200+ batteries that have crapped out on me after 50 cycles, so the thing I’m starting to come around to see is that it is better to try the cheap ones first. The common concensus is that you need something with a 30C continuous / 40C Burst or greater. I personally have found/prefer (as several others on this forum) a 20C/30C battery. It really tames the motor down and keeps you from spinning out as often. Oh, and ProTek’s are great batteries! Better than the Expensive Thunder Power and MaxAmps in many ways. They’re a good “in-between” battery if you’re scared to try the cheap ones, but aren’t sold on the expensive ones.

Ok, hope this helps!

If you take nothing more of my advice, please don’t go with the 2200KV motor……..it’s just too heavy and hard to control. It’s blistering fast and will make your buggy pop wheelies, but that does nothing for you on the track, makes your car handle poorly because of the extra weight and torque, and kills your run-time.


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## Ginther (Mar 19, 2011)

tebone626 said:


> hey Eric. nice to see you on here. i talked to you a vertigo for a little bit, in between my races. i think you will like electric. as far as batteries go, i run both the turnigy, and the max amps. the turnigy, i have had little problems with, and me and my son run these most of the time. i run the max amp batteries in the mains, because i need the extra mah to finish the mains. the set up your looking at should work just fine. i also run the RC8BE, but i use the 1800 castle. it has plenty of speed, and more tq than i need. hope some of this helps. good luck on everything


 Yeah, I was really impressed with your rigs. And thank you for taking to time out of a busy race day to answer my questions. I remember you saying you had both cheap batteries and high end batteries and have had mixed results from both. That


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## Ginther (Mar 19, 2011)

Labrat99 said:


> If you want to go 4s, check out the Tekin 1900 & 2050 motors. I think they are better suited for buggy use. As far as batteries go - Zippy rules!
> 
> This place is a good spot to shop for power supplies and chargers and they are in the US.
> 
> Good luck!


After reading your post I looked into the Tekin a little and it does sound interesting. But... What about the stories about them burning up? Is this still common or has Tekin fixed them? What happens if they do fry? Does Tekin take care you with any warranty or service? From what I hear Castle is pretty much hassle free IF one of their esc's smokes. Is that true?


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## Ginther (Mar 19, 2011)

nik77356 said:


> IMO (and Earl Trindle will tell you the same thing) is that MaxAmps is overpriced ****. Earl and I puffed quite a few MaxAmps lipos back when we used to run them. The HobbyCity batteries are quite good in my experience and have never really had any problems that I can blame on the battery itself. One thing I would suggest is to take a look at getting a Tekin 1900 motor instead of the castle 2200. The 2200 will work plenty fine it will just have a little extra torque and top end, in addition too the immediate torque these cars already have.
> 
> EDIT: It looks like budget isn't too large an issue, so if you don't want to get the cheaper hobbycity packs the Protek packs are supposed to be really good.


Now I'm having second thoughts on the MM/2200 combo. The Tekin RX8/1900 combo looks pretty interesting. I know many years ago Tekin was hurting and didn't they nearly go out of business? Obviously they are still around and apparently they are now producing some good stuff.

I see mention of a new version RX8 with a red heat sink. Is this supposed to be the latest and greatest? I've read a few things about people smoking the RX8s.... is the new red one Tekin's fix?

And you also mentioned the ProTek batteries being good stuff.... Their specs look good on paper and the price isn't too outrageous either.


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## Ginther (Mar 19, 2011)

Mantisworx said:


> i got an M11 im about to put up for sale! it comes with two 2.4g recievers for 200. it has a wrap on it and im throwing in a wrapped pit light to go with it.
> BTW i run the race program at M&M i dont think we have met. email me if your interested [email protected]


Is it a regular M11 or the M11X version? What's the difference in the two anyway?

And I dont know if we've met either. I haven't raced or been to M&M in at least 5 years.


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## Ginther (Mar 19, 2011)

WOW Court! Thanks for the in depth post. Definitely alot of info to take into consideration. 

I handled a Spektrum DX?? that Dan Henn has. It was super light, but I just wasn't feeling it. I like the way the M11X feels and I used to run an M8 with a 10 cell nimh pack, so weight shouldn't be an issue. 

I've always been an Associated guy, but I'll give the Mugen a look. My last 1/8 buggy was a Kyosho 7.5 Kania edition if I recall correctly. It was a good buggy, but I wont be doing Kyosho again. 

After reading a few replies I'm beginning to reconsider the Castle MM / 2200 combo. I keep seeing mention of the Tekin, but also hear about the RX8s smoking. Although I do see they now have a new version with a red heat sink so maybe Tekin fixed the issue? 

And As far as batteries is concerned, I was really having a hard time swallowing $200+ per pack for maxamps. You're the second guy to praise ProTeks so I give them a try. I can tolerate $150 each a little easier.


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## B4Maz (Aug 9, 2009)

Ginther said:


> I've always been an Associated guy


+1

Heres my RC8e
I run the Mamba Monster with the 1800kv Castle. Geared 19/46 with 4s 5000 40c packs. I use the Futaba 3PK Tx. As far as batteries, Thunder Powers are best of the best. Proteks are good too. I have a 2s pack of the Gens Ace battery and it is really good. I want to get a 4s pack from Gens Ace (or this pack) soon. 4s and anything 5000 mah or over and at least 30c is good.


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## tebone626 (Apr 25, 2010)

B4Maz said:


> +1
> 
> Heres my RC8e
> I run the Mamba Monster with the 1800kv Castle. Geared 19/46 with 4s 5000 40c packs. I use the Futaba 3PK Tx. As far as batteries, Thunder Powers are best of the best. Proteks are good too. I have a 2s pack of the Gens Ace battery and it is really good. I want to get a 4s pack from Gens Ace soon. 4s and anything 5000 mah or over and at least 30c is good.


nice looking ride.


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## B4Maz (Aug 9, 2009)

tebone626 said:


> nice looking ride.


Thanks. Looks familiar, doesnt it? lol


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## tebone626 (Apr 25, 2010)

lol yep.


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## darrenwilliams (Apr 21, 2008)

Proteks work great. See if Courtney has any used ones he will sell you. He sold me his then his million dollar Thunder Powers took a dump.


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## Labrat99 (May 6, 2009)

Ginther said:


> After reading your post I looked into the Tekin a little and it does sound interesting. But... What about the stories about them burning up? Is this still common or has Tekin fixed them? What happens if they do fry? Does Tekin take care you with any warranty or service? From what I hear Castle is pretty much hassle free IF one of their esc's smokes. Is that true?


You can always mix the motor/esc up. The Castle MMM esc and Tekin motor makes a good combo. Also, I hear that the newer RX8 esc's are much more reliable than the earlier ones.


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## Ginther (Mar 19, 2011)

Ok guys, in looking at the different esc/motor options I see that the Tekin mentions being sensored and the Castle doesnt appear to be. So what's the difference? 

And aren't both the Castle and Tekin esc's both programmable/tunable via a PC USB connection? And dont they both also offer a hand held tuner for field use? The Tekin Hotwire and the Castle field link?


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## B4Maz (Aug 9, 2009)

Ginther said:


> Ok guys, in looking at the different esc/motor options I see that the Tekin mentions being sensored and the Castle doesnt appear to be. So what's the difference?
> 
> And aren't both the Castle and Tekin esc's both programmable/tunable via a PC USB connection? And dont they both also offer a hand held tuner for field use? The Tekin Hotwire and the Castle field link?


Castle motors arent sensored. They cog more on starting/low RPMs (they'll stutter slightly). Unsensored motors are the worst culprit when you stop or get spun around, there will be a second delay before the ESC knows what position the rotor will be in to start it going. Sensored motors are smoother at low RPM. Some people say there is a huge difference, some people say they cant tell a difference. I havent run a sensored motor yet in 1/8, so im not sure.

YOu have to run a sensored ESC to run a sensored motor. Some ESCs arent sensored (Mamba Monster). So even if you had a Tekin sensored motor, it wouldnt run in sensored mode.

Rick Howhart said this:



> The feel of a sensored motor is far superior to that of a sensorless motor. This means that not only do the motors not cog but you will have a more precise feel throughout the power band.
> 
> If you are competing in organized racing, go with sensored. If you are just playing around,go with sensorless.


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## darrenwilliams (Apr 21, 2008)

Speaking of cogging, I just switched from nitro to electric. I am loving the e buggy and I am running Castle ESC and a Castle 1800. I have noticed the cogging a few times when I have spun out just like Nick said above and I can live that. However on the workbench the motor has a ton of resistance that the Tekins don't. I am used to my nitro driveline feeling silky smooth when you spin the tires on the bench. It doesn't do that with the Castle motors. Had I known the difference between Castle and Tekin in this issue, I probably would have gone Tekin for at least the motor. That's my $.02


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## B4Maz (Aug 9, 2009)

darrenwilliams said:


> Speaking of cogging, I just switched from nitro to electric. I am loving the e buggy and I am running Castle ESC and a Castle 1800. I have noticed the cogging a few times when I have spun out just like Nick said above and I can live that. However on the workbench the motor has a ton of resistance that the Tekins don't. I am used to my nitro driveline feeling silky smooth when you spin the tires on the bench. It doesn't do that with the Castle motors. Had I known the difference between Castle and Tekin in this issue, I probably would have gone Tekin for at least the motor. That's my $.02


Do you want less drivetrain drag or less drag brake? I know that the castle motors will give you more drag brake in neutral from what you are describing. I know nitro guys that have turned up their throttle trim slightly to try and get less drag brake. Essentially youre giving the car throttle in the neutral position so the car will coast more like a nitro. I havent done it myself. I am used to running stock motors back in the day and there was so much drag brake i never had to use brakes.


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## darrenwilliams (Apr 21, 2008)

I have zero drag brake. My complaint is the feel without even having a battery in it. Once I am driving all is well


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## nik77356 (Jun 8, 2007)

The Tekin motors will run sensored or sensorless. I have been running a tekin 1400kv motor with a castle esc on 4s for probably close to 2 years now.


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## danthrc (Jun 19, 2007)

Hey Eric.... Just seen your post. Hope all has been well with you. Are you still a cop? Havent heard much about any of the old Pasadena guys in a while. Good to see your about to get back into things!


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## Ginther (Mar 19, 2011)

danthrc said:


> Hey Eric.... Just seen your post. Hope all has been well with you. Are you still a cop? Havent heard much about any of the old Pasadena guys in a while. Good to see your about to get back into things!


Thanks for blowing my cover Dan! LOL!!

Yeah, I'm still in the business. Going on my 20th year now.

I've got Russell at Victory ordering me some stuff. Hopefully I'll be up and running by the next HARC race on April 16th. I doubt I'll be very competitive though. Probably a little rusty after 5+ years off.


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## jasonwipf (Feb 23, 2009)

Only buy Tekin or Castle. I like Tekin a bit more because of the sensored ability, better bearings in the motor and you can program the ESC from the ESC without computer or programing card plus you do not need a cooling fan with the Tekin as well. Think 1800-2000KV; 2200 is overkill. 

Turnegy is ok if it is the Nano tech series, the others are so so but the worst are the ebay no names. I have bought the expensive $100-200 packs and have fried them with equal frequency as the cheep ones (usually my fault) so if you are just starting again and think you are not perfect when charging or running down packs below or near their lipo cut off, just get the cheaper Turnegy nano techs so you do not feel so bad when you puff or fry a $200-300 battery.


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## Ginther (Mar 19, 2011)

jasonwipf said:


> Only buy Tekin or Castle. I like Tekin a bit more because of the sensored ability, better bearings in the motor and you can program the ESC from the ESC without computer or programing card plus you do not need a cooling fan with the Tekin as well. Think 1800-2000KV; 2200 is overkill.
> 
> Turnegy is ok if it is the Nano tech series, the others are so so but the worst are the ebay no names. I have bought the expensive $100-200 packs and have fried them with equal frequency as the cheep ones (usually my fault) so if you are just starting again and think you are not perfect when charging or running down packs below or near their lipo cut off, just get the cheaper Turnegy nano techs so you do not feel so bad when you puff or fry a $200-300 battery.


I ordered a Tekin RX8/1900kv combo today.... along with all the supporting parts like a car, radio, servo, etc... Hope to be up and running in the next couple weeks.

:cheers:


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## Ginther (Mar 19, 2011)

Ok guys. I got all my stuff last night. Looking for some setup and/or building tips. Anything I should do, or not do, during the build? 

I hope to race next weekend at Vertigo in Alvin. And suggestions on setup for that track? Shock oils, springs, diff fluids, TIRES? 

I got a Tekin RX8 with the 1900kv motor. Any gearing suggestions? What pinion?Stock spur gear ok? 

What about spare parts? What spare parts should I pack out there with me since there wont be a hobby shop on site? What's likely to break? 

Any other tips/tricks you guys may have to get me up to speed is appreciated. 

:dance:


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## insaneracin2003 (Feb 22, 2006)

What did you end up getting? car wise??


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## Ginther (Mar 19, 2011)

insaneracin2003 said:


> What did you end up getting? car wise??


I guess I should have mentioned that huh lol !

I went with the RC8Be, Tekin RX8 1900kv combo, HiTec HS-7945TH servo, M11X, and MaxAmps 4S batteries.


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## skrub (Jan 5, 2011)

Hey eric, glad to see you went with Tekin... I to run with a Tekin, I have the RX8 2Gen which will have 4 holes on the bottom side of the esc. Tekin had some issues with there esc a while back but sence fixed the problems. As far a customer service goes with Tekin, its by far way better then any other company out there. I have even talked to the president of Tekin Jim Campbell and he advised me that the RX8 really dont need the cooling fans on there esc. He himself doesnt run with the fan. Now my motor is the Redline T8 2050 which is perfect in my HB VE8. Plenty of power and speed. Now far as programing the esc, yes you can do it right on the esc but would advise getting the hotwire. There is way more settings you can change just like castles. No with the motor being sensored make for low rpms way more smoother like someone said earlier. If you have any question with the tekin hit me up at the next harc race I will be there. Just look for the green and white VE8 which is pictured in my advatar. I can show you the hotwire and what you can do. Also if you go to Tekins web site look to see what there sponser drivers run and there setups.... Also look at the national races stats, see how many of the drivers run with Tekin and not castle.... Not to brag or boast Tekin, but in imo, I think Tekin is the best....  But, other then that glad your here and look forward to raceing you in the e-buggy class....


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## Courtney Vaughan (Apr 11, 2007)

I say this with no intention of starting any sort of argument, but I keep hearing "Tekin has their ESC problems fixed", but I watched two more Tekin RX8's die Saturday at Mike's. And these were the new case...and neither had more than 5 packs through them.


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## Labrat99 (May 6, 2009)

Courtney Vaughan said:


> I say this with no intention of starting any sort of argument, but I keep hearing "Tekin has their ESC problems fixed", but I watched two more Tekin RX8's die Saturday at Mike's. And these were the new case...and neither had more than 5 packs through them.


I think it's a Ford vs. Chevy thing. Some folks are emotionally invested in a brand. They're both quality products - you pay your money and make your choice. The only real difference I see is that Tekin offers a LOT more options when it comes to buggy motors.


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## skrub (Jan 5, 2011)

Labrat99 said:


> I think it's a Ford vs. Chevy thing. Some folks are emotionally invested in a brand. They're both quality products - you pay your money and make your choice. The only real difference I see is that Tekin offers a LOT more options when it comes to buggy motors.


lol so true, I my self used to be a castle fan, but I had changed once I got my Tekin. A far as anything starting CV, no problem... We all are here for advise and are own opinions... Well its sad though 2 people fried there esc's, but im curious to know what they had there esc's and what pinions they had on there motors. Well Im sure they will be contacting Tekin monday for repair, which Tekin has awsome CS.... So... question is... Who's Ford and who is Chevy....


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## Ginther (Mar 19, 2011)

skrub said:


> Hey eric, glad to see you went with Tekin... I to run with a Tekin, I have the RX8 2Gen which will have 4 holes on the bottom side of the esc. Tekin had some issues with there esc a while back but sence fixed the problems. As far a customer service goes with Tekin, its by far way better then any other company out there. I have even talked to the president of Tekin Jim Campbell and he advised me that the RX8 really dont need the cooling fans on there esc. He himself doesnt run with the fan. Now my motor is the Redline T8 2050 which is perfect in my HB VE8. Plenty of power and speed. Now far as programing the esc, yes you can do it right on the esc but would advise getting the hotwire. There is way more settings you can change just like castles. No with the motor being sensored make for low rpms way more smoother like someone said earlier. If you have any question with the tekin hit me up at the next harc race I will be there. Just look for the green and white VE8 which is pictured in my advatar. I can show you the hotwire and what you can do. Also if you go to Tekins web site look to see what there sponser drivers run and there setups.... Also look at the national races stats, see how many of the drivers run with Tekin and not castle.... Not to brag or boast Tekin, but in imo, I think Tekin is the best....  But, other then that glad your here and look forward to raceing you in the e-buggy class....


From what I read here: http://www.rctech.net/forum/electric-off-road/262069-new-tekin-rx8-1-8-scale-brushless-esc.html

The new version RX8 has a red heat sink and three holes in the bottom of the case. Russell at Victory ordered mine last week, so I'm assuming it's a fresh model. Unless it was sitting on a shelf in a warehouse for a while??

I did also get a hotwire to hook to my pc. I haven't got that far in the build process yet, but getting close.

After reading all the horror stories of RX8s going up in smoke, I have to admit, I'm worried. Hopefully mine will fall in the 90% that work without drama.


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## tebone626 (Apr 25, 2010)

both esc's go up in smoke. i run all castle, and yes i have had my fair share of problems. i with some of the other guys on here, it's more of what you like. ford versus chevy. so i think you will be just fine. i do suggest getting another one for a back up. just incase. sh!t happens. 


how is the build going? gonna be ready for the harc race next weekend?


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## Ginther (Mar 19, 2011)

tebone626 said:


> both esc's go up in smoke. i run all castle, and yes i have had my fair share of problems. i with some of the other guys on here, it's more of what you like. ford versus chevy. so i think you will be just fine. i do suggest getting another one for a back up. just incase. sh!t happens.
> 
> how is the build going? gonna be ready for the harc race next weekend?


I prefer Ford. :texasflag

No government motors products for me. LOL! 

The build is coming along but I ran into some snags this evening. My esc lead is too short to reach the radio box. Gonna have to get a 3" extension. Then I can start on the electronics install and tuning etc etc...

Since that put the brakes on the chassis build I decided to glue my tires - bought some Crime Fighters since they are supposed to work better at Vertigo than the kit Holeshots. When I opened the bags, I discovered that to two pairs had different foams. One pair had the molded open cell foams, and the other pair had the darker blue closed cell foams. Gotta see if I can swap them out for a matching set of foams.

And I still haven't decided how to paint the body. Simple single color, or get some liquid mask and do a multi color design. :headknock

Oh yeah, what do you guys recommend for gearing? The kit came with a 15t pinion and 46 spur. Is that gonna be ok with the 1900kv motor? Or should I try to pick up a different pinion?


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## tebone626 (Apr 25, 2010)

well, im glad its going good for ya. im a ford man as well. 
the gearing is to low. you will probably need a 17 or 18t pinion i run a 16 but with a 5 cell and i run an 1800


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## sfleuriet (Nov 12, 2008)

Just wanted to comment on your Pro-Line foams issue.. you definitely want to use the Closed Cell Foams. The older Molded Foams are *garbage*.


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## Ginther (Mar 19, 2011)

tebone626 said:


> well, im glad its going good for ya. im a ford man as well.
> the gearing is to low. you will probably need a 17 or 18t pinion i run a 16 but with a 5 cell and i run an 1800


Ok. I'll try to get a couple different ones before the harc race if possible.


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## Ginther (Mar 19, 2011)

sfleuriet said:


> Just wanted to comment on your Pro-Line foams issue.. you definitely want to use the Closed Cell Foams. The older Molded Foams are *garbage*.


Cool. Thanks for the info. I had no idea what the difference was. Hopefully the shop will swap them out for me, if not I'll grab a set of the closed cell anyway. Gotta have a matching set. Dont wanna mix them.


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## skrub (Jan 5, 2011)

Well in a pre-goverment motor fan.... But like other ppl said have a back up esc...
I myself dont have one yet but will soon. The only issue I had on esc was the cooling fans going ou, but fron what Tekin says you really dobt need them .... Well good luck on the rest of your build, and see ya at vertigo...


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## Ginther (Mar 19, 2011)

I got it fired up tonight. Now to tune it and the radio and get it all set up and dialed in. And paint a body. 

Any suggestions on spare parts to bring with me? What breaks on the RC8Be's ?


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