New RCer needs your help to spend money...

[DarthThrawn]

I am brand new to the electric touring car hobby/obsession. I am going to buy one this week and need your help in my purchases. I have about $1000 to drop and I need the pluses and minuses of my decisions...

Radio - Airtronics M8 (On it's way already)
Car - Associated TC3 Factory Team
ESC - LPR 7.1
Motor - Reedy Millennium Wind 8T Triple
Charger - Novak Millennium
Discharger - Trinity Real Time 2 Discharger
Batteries - 6 Loose Panasonic 3K NiMH

[gubbs3]

First things first- You've pick an awsome combo! But I think a few things will make it better:
Get them standard team kit because the graphite supension parts aren't very strong.
Get a motor that isn't sooooo fast! a 10-12 turn will be enough to make you smile and they will last a lot longer. Whit an eight turn motor your brushes will last 2-3 runs tops. With a 12 you'll get nearly 8. You will only get about 4-5 minutes out of each pack even with the 3000's. Also by getting the Team edition you can get an extra battery or two that will save the stress one just one. I hope you will have a more enjoy able and more friendly car.

[DarthThrawn]

I think the Factory Team edition comes with composite suspension parts just like the other kit. The only differences I've heard of is the aluminum CVDs vs. composite, teflon sealed bearings, titanium turnbuckles, aluminum shock bodies and no body...
Everyone I have talked to says to spend the extra 50 bucks to get the Factory Team edition, because to upgrade the shocks and turnbuckles will cost 50 bucks anyway, any truth to that?...

[JP]

The TC3 Team does include that stuff, I think your talking about the Racer kit, not the Team. Also, get a Deans light bulb discharger, and Black Box 2. Dont even get a 12 turn-go for a 13-14 turn and you'll be even more happy

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Marriage is the only war where you sleep with the enemy.

You must always push the limits. Because if you never fail, you will never succeed.

Cuss out the turn marshals because they cussed at you!!!

Crashing is an art of driving that goes bad in result in human or mechanical error.

[I R Racer]

Don't get the TC3 Team kit. Save yourself $100 and get the Racer, then buy a set of aluminum shocks and throw away the plastic ones that come with the Racer. You REALLY don't want the aluminum cvd's. They bend way too easy, check out what the pros are running: plastic cvd's. Take the extra cash and buy another battery pack. I agree with the other posts, get a motor with about 12 or 14 turns rather than the 8 turn. That motor would be way to hot for any self-respecting road course, and more motor than you need to win a race. Remember! Most of the time, slower means faster lap times. Looks like you are going to have a great set-up!

[rob]

Where can you get the threaded shock bodys for $34.00?

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<RoB>

[DarthThrawn]

TowerHobbies.com They are $17.59 for 2. So 4 would be $35.18. Look up LXSG47 in their search option. They also have a full 4 set for $49.99.

[Justin Thyme]

Everyone I've spoken with has also recommended going with just a Racer.....this comes from even Team owners! Then pick and choose the essential hop-ups for you.

Also, if you go with the Millenium charger, you'll also need a 12volt power supply under AC circumstances. It would be cheaper to get either an Integy 16x2.5 Pro, or an Apex Sigma +. Each of those is AC/DC, handles the NiMH cells, and runs around $120, give or take.

[Justin Thyme]

Also forgot....even if you're just a hobbyist, and don't intend to race right away, getting at least two battery packs is really worthwhile, since you would need to wait about an hour from discharge until you can safely recharge the cells. Keep in mind, that nicads and NiMH are really only intended to be cycled (charged and discharged) once a day, twice at most. If you're going to push this, you'll have better luck with the MH's.

[DarthThrawn]

Heres the new setup:
Radio - Airtronics M8
Car - TC3 Racer with Dodge Stratus Body
Speed Control - LPR 7.1 or Novak Cyclone TC
Motor - Reedy MW 10 Turn Triple
Charger - Indi 16X2v2.5 AC/DC
Batteries - VESC Matched 6 Cells Panasonic 3K
Kit upgrades - Steering rack bearings, threaded aluminum shock bodies, complete graphite chasis set.

Any suggestions?

[JP]

LRP V7.1
get a 14 turn, unless your track is a drag strip
Get Reedy or Trinity 3k batteries
Only get graphite arms in rear and BRP or JP aluminum in front
What about servo? Futaba S9101

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Marriage is the only war where you sleep with the enemy.

You must always push the limits. Because if you never fail, you will never succeed.

Cuss out the turn marshals because they cussed at you!!!

Crashing is an art of driving that goes bad in result in human or mechanical error.

[I R Racer]

Sounds really good, too bad you can't get a 2nd battery pack. You are only get about 5 minutes tops with that 10 turn, and you are going to hate the wait until your next run! My racing buddy runs 3000's, and he has burned them down in about 3 minutes with a 12 triple if he just barely gears to high, and I am talking 1 tooth on the pinion here. There seems to be a really fine line with the NIMH packs that everybody is still trying to figure out.

Also, I know that the popular view on the NiCD's is that you should only run them once a day, but I have run the same 2 packs all day long for a full day of racing with very little cool down between charges every other weekend for 2 years now, and I have yet to see much of a performance decline. I think that proper battery conditioning and maintenace after the race day is what really counts with NiCD's.

[DarthThrawn]

The difference is only $50.
Factory Team - $199.99
TC3 Sport - $149.99
I looked into geting threaded shock bodies... for all 4 is $34. Do titanium turnbuckles make that big of difference?

[Andy]

A 14 turn motor is defintely sufficient - it will last much longer and when you gear it correctly you will still get great top speed.
If it is really your first time you are driving an r/c car consider getting a cheaper motor with 17 or so turns or a stock motor just to üplay around with in the beginning. It is quite dissapointning finally beeing able to drive the car precisely but having ruined an expensive motor meanwhile.
Also I got a ICS LRP speedo and Novak Cyclone myself and the LRP is defintely the better choice as it has better "tuning" options.
Have fun !

[oldtimeRCer]

sounds like a good setup but i too would get a stock motor like the trinity P2K since this is your first RC you want something you'll be able to drive and not tearup on the first run which is what will happen if you over ower it. and with the money savings you could get another battery. also about the 3000's mah thats something you really don't need get some good 2000's the 3000's do run longer but at a lower voltage so you have to gear up or use a hotter motor. both of which will speed up wear and tear on your new car with the 2000's you can gear down run a stockor mild mod still get good speed because of the increase in voltage and it won't be as hard on your equipment.

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I may grow older but I'll never grow up.

R/C is a way of life