Brushless decision, any advice?

[mrplaty]

Okay, I probably have just enough cash to get a brushless setup for my AE TC3, OR have enough to race in the fall season coming up in the Stock class, spending my cash on race entry fees and bi-weekly rebuilding of brushed motors the stock class runs.

What should I do? Buy a BL system for fast speeds, very low maintenance, longer runs times, but then I don't get to race...

Or, have the fun of racing and blow my cash on all the entry fees and rebuilds of the stock motor???

(And getting a 2nd job to do both isn't an option, my wife works when I don't, so we trade off watching the kids...)

BTW, have never raced before, so that would be my first...
I'm new to RC this summer, and am a little put off by how much maintenance the brushed motors need.

What da' all think?

[mrplaty]

Oh, and I already asked the guys at the track if they'd let me run brushless, but they would only if i went in the Mod class, and that is where the big, fast dudes races, so I wouldn't stand a chance, and don't believe they want a "newbie" racing with them. (They don't mind rebuilding their 8 turn motors every 3 runs to get fastest possible speeds....)

Mr Platy.

[glassdoctor]

I was going to say go race especially since you haven't raced before.

But if you want to spend time with your kids then forget racing and play with r/c at home. Kids are more important than 6-10 hours at the track.

I really like to race... if it's a nice track. But I don't do it much. When my kids are old enough to go racing with me then I'll do it more.

Go brushless dude...

[SS Pede]

You could go BL and then practice practice practice, at home or wherever, because BL requires little maintenance. Then have a brushed setup for race days maybe?

BL is fun and low-maintenance, plus great run times. I don't think you'd regret it.

[DaFF]

SS Pede is right, you can do both brushed and brushless by buying a single esc:

The Schulze U-Force act as a brushless AND brushed controller.

Just buy a nice brushed motor and a hot BL motor.

Note that esc are expensive, but motor and not ( 300 for the esc, around 100/120 for motors, BL or brushed )

Best of both world !

DFF

[NIC]

mrplaty, you have gotten some very good advice here I think.
I think you should do what you really feel is the right choise. If you are "in a hurry and would like to test brushless" I think you should first of all sell your current esc to someone, if you don´t have any other car that can use it to get some money for a Schulze U-Force 75.

Then buy a motor from Hackers C40S-series. A C40-10S will be a good allround motor. It will provide long runtime and good performance. It will be easy on the batteries and esc also.
If you wanna go abit faster with that motor it is easy to just gear the motor a little higher.
The good thing with the U-Force as "DaFF" mentioned is that it can handle both brushed AND brushless motors !
I don´t know your budget but if you get the U-Force you have prob. the best esc at the moment for 1/10 sedans. An esc that you won´t "grow out" of either as it is capable of winning the toughest races at the highest level.
This is the very highest end of brushless esc´s !

Then buy a standard brushed stock motor (you may have one already) and race in the stock class with the guys and with the U-Force and then just play around with a brushless motor around the house. Then when you have raced with the stock guys in the fall season you are ready to run your brushless setup against the mod. guys, or maybe even a seperate brushless class has been establish by this time. Because it looks like it´s moving pretty fast now.

So if you can afford this setup, it will be the best of both worlds and you will get the best possible start with brushless. And you will be very well prepared and will be very competitive with this set-up when they will start to allow brushless motors. Because the hobby is heading that way, that is for certain.

NIC

[mrplaty]

Thanks for the advice, guys.

Speaking of racing classes moving towards more widespread acceptance of brushless, that is exactly what I was wondering the last few nights after reading a lot on the 'Net. It seems really crazy to put up with the constant cutting of the comm, etc, with brushed motors. I was talking to the local track and LHS owner, he was telling me how the really fast guys locally re-build brushed motors after every 3 runs. That's nuts! Esp given the technology available today, I think ROAR and such needs to keep up with the rest of the world.

I did the math, it doesn't really take that long for a BL setup to pay for itself, in sheer cash savings, not to mention the time.

Maybe I get the BL setup, practice, and in a year or so maybe there is a BL class locally...

thanks! :)

[glassdoctor]

One thing to understand about the guys who race and cut comms, etc.. is that working with the motors is a big part of the hobby, and many guys enjoy it. I have known a lot of guys like that. Messing with motors is their favorite part of the hobby.

So the 3 run rebuild is really not neccessary, but probably done because they like to do it. And some guys just want to think they are Kinwald or Francis.

I have a lathe... it's cool to rebuild a motor and cut the comm, etc. I like it too.

But then I also like having a motor that never needs rebuilt. :)

If you don't have a lathe or a buddy with one, BL stuff is perfect.

BTW, the inexpensive Novak BL is a perfect setup for a newbie racer. It's user friendly and it compares well to a typical brushed mod motor. If you can handle a mod... :) Oh, and even though there have been some issues with some units, at least Novak takes care of problems, unlike many other companies selling high priced BL stuff.

Sure there are more potent BL setups out there but they may be overkill anyway if you want to mimick racing or practice at the track.

You shouldn't have any problem racing with a BL... the mod guys won't care unless you are winning. Practice....

[Xman78201]

Where can i buy a U-Force 75?????

[DaFF]

It's going to be hard to get one during summer...

No way of ordering any from Schulze because they shut-off during summer.

Icare ( Canada ) got some in stock but they are on holiday.

Starluck ( US ) may have some, but I think they are all gone and he is putting ppl on a list since he can not order anymore UF before Schulze comes back from vacation.

There might be other sources in north America , but I only know some in Europe...

UF are the hotcake and because demands is so high, if I were you I would put my name on Starluck list.

Good luck !

DFF

[TheSteve]

I guess I got my second one just in time!(It was from I-Care)

[DaFF]

Well not really because mine was ordered from Icare a few days after yours !

( 289 US$ for the UF75 + 50US$ for the PC Link for a total of 369 US$ including shipping charge to Europe )

UF quest update:

3 weeks ago, Hobby Link in Singapore had some UF75 left in stock...

590 SING$ or 343 US$ for the UF75 + PC Link + Shipping charge ( to Europe )

BTW, I'll be interested to know what is the price of the UF75 from Starluck...

DFF

[Xman78201]

wHAT IS STARLUCKS WEBSITE OR ICARES WEBSITE ADDRESS

[DualBL]

www.icare-rc.com and www.starluckrc.com
-Nick

[WheelNut]

Why dont you go for a Novak 5800 or 4300 and run in the stock class, this is a much cheaper setup. But it is still fun and will work great at the track. The novak is only $225. Thats the cost of a Schulze ESC alone. I've got a 5800, sure they arent crazy fast, but they arent slow, and they are still way better than running brushes!

[Crashmaxx]

I think you should just race and worry about brushless later. I had so much fun racing last year, and I wish I didn't have to work on weekends and could do it this year. Taking care of brushed motors isn't that hard. Just change the brushes every few weeks, clean the com every week or so, and you will be fine. Just get a revolution motor for bashing and run stock for racing and a nice ESC.

Basicly, racing is a ton of fun and I would give up a lot to be able to do it again. But I may be somewhat biased against brushless since the over $300 setup in my e-maxx lasted about 2 runs. Thats not including all the other stuff I got for that truck to handle the power. What a waste.

[mrplaty]

Again,
thanks everyone for the advice, lots of good feedback and ideas.

I think brushless Novak 5800 it will be and racing will wait for next year, after I have more hours of practice just bashing around. Like someone posted, that way I don't spend 6 hours every weekend gone from my kids. If i bash, I can hang with my kids whilst the batterys charge, then go run a little bit, and come back to the kids after a couple 'packs worth of running.

(I have a girl of 5 and twin boys 17 months, so in not too many years I'll have a whole racing team!)

Platy