SCX10 Motor/ESC upgrade

[stompjrkz400]

hey everyone, i have a quick question, im just about to order an scx10 rtr, i want the kit, but im getting a rtr dingo for 250 to my door!

i heard the stock motor doesn't crawl good, whats a good replacement, im guessing in the 35-45 turn range?

also, is the stock esc really as terrible as i hear, i have a spare waterproof traxxas xl5, would that be better?


the stock esc looks like the same casing as my castle sidewinder v2 esc,

and hows the stock servo, i have a hs645mg on the shelf either way though so im not to worried about that

thanks a ton for your time!

[AsILayDying]

Stock ESC will be much better then XL-5 since the axial has Drag Brake. Personally I think its a good ESC to run for a while. It handles 3s lipos even though it says ony 2s. If you upgrade ESC get a HH BR-XL and get a good hand wound 35t motor. Great combo of crawl and wheel speed. Plus you can run up to 6s LiPos with the BR-XL......

Steering servo, you should be fine with a Hitec 645 which can be had for 30 bucks new.

[meanbgreen]

I went with a Tekin 35T and esc combo TT2105 I think it is.

[meatmonkey]

The main reason the RTR's 27 turn motor doesn't crawl well is the 20 tooth pinion that comes in the RTR instead of the 14 tooth pinion that comes with the kit.
Regardless of what motor you end up with, it's always going to crawl better with lower gears. Naturally the tradeoff is in top speed.

I'm running a cheapo Integy 35 turn lathe motor with a 15 tooth pinion and it crawls very well, while being slightly faster than a brisk walk.

The stock ESC actually isn't that bad. I'd suggest replacing the steering servo way before the ESC.

I've used the XL-5's in crawlers but just didn't like the lack of precision low end control and there was no drag brake. Plus if you pack the stock ESC in dielectric grease it count's as waterproof.

I found the 645 to be slightly inadequate in my SCX, so I replaced it with a Hitec 7954SH.

[stompjrkz400]

holy wow you guys have been helpful, ok so im going to run the stock setup, and gear down to 14 tooth when i wanna,

last thing, instead of replacing the esc, can i just get a decent 35t motor and run a 14t pinion, would that be benifical ( i going for a more scale setup, not sure what median of speed vs crawl i want yet)

i do have an old twister bb motor, its 32 turn, ran great in the stampede

[AsILayDying]

Perfect, run the stock ESC (AE-2) which you know is programmable with the Castle Link. Run a good 35t motor, 14-16 tooth pinion and a 2s LiPo and you will be real happy. That will get you by for a good amount of time. Also wont cost to much, Im running a Integy Lathe 35t motor right now and its real good. They are 22 dollars on RPPhobby.com right now.

Integy Matrix Pro Lathe Motor 35T Single

Robinson Racing 14T 48P Pinion

[Tron]

Run it stock first and see if you like it.

[stompjrkz400]

awesome, i know this question has been beat to death, but i haven't found a good answer yet

are there anyparts i should order before i even run it, like steel cvds or carriers,

i cant afford to buy every aftermarket part for the driveline, but if i can find the weakest link before i run the truck that would be awsome

[yellowranger1]

Might as well chine in a little... I picked up a honcho rtr a couple of weeks ago and am running a 7.2v 4500nimh pack (for compatibility with my other trucks). Aside from cutting the bump stops off of the shock shafts, its all stock. I've been beating the snot out of it and it's been a last in the riverbed! I could see wanting a smaller pinion, but I've been satisfied with the stock setup, also lets me get from obstacle to obstacle quicker. I do like the drag brake on the stock ESC, and can see myself upgrading to a stronger servo in the future, but it's been more than adequate, and tons of fun right out of the box. That being said, I already ordered aluminum links, and a spur gear cover... It's hard to keep myself from ordering more goodies though!

- Eddie

[stompjrkz400]

thanks yellowranger, sounds like its going to be a blast!

[AreCee]

Originally Posted by stompjrkz400

awesome, i know this question has been beat to death, but i haven't found a good answer yet

are there anyparts i should order before i even run it, like steel cvds or carriers,

i cant afford to buy every aftermarket part for the driveline, but if i can find the weakest link before i run the truck that would be awsome

Run it stock until something breaks then decide if the broken part needs an upgrade or not.

[AsILayDying]

Honestly if you are getting the RTR, just run it with that ESC. Its actually a pretty good stock ESC, spend the money on a decent 150+ oz/sec servo. I just picked up a Hitec 5646WP (brand new from Hitec FULLY WaterProof) got it for 51 dollars new. has 157 oz/sec @6.v and 180 oz/sec @7.4 . Pretty good upgrade if you ask me, plus waterproof from factory is always a plus. The torque isnt the strongest out there but will be plenty for my scaler.

[stompjrkz400]

if i wanted to go brushless would this be an ok combo

castle 4600kv and sidewiner v2 esc

i say this because i have this setup just hanging around,

will i just destroy the drivetrain?

[hpicrawlerking]

I would think that brushless setup is way to much.

[hpicrawlerking]

I am wondering, do more people prefer brushed vs. brushless? It seems all other rc stuff is brushless

[scorpion_ax]

brushed i think is the way to go for a scaler as most people like to splash around creekbeds and get it all wet where a brushed motor shines in performance compared to a brushless in the water .......with that said if your going to run brushless stay out of the water and run a sensored brushless way more controlled crawling ......JMO

[ablaydes]

Do what i did and just run the stock setup and tweek the weak points it has as a rtr Like alum. link and steering kit, Move the servo to the chassis either by custom fabd. way or hand bros or axial setup, No point in just taking off a perfectly good motor and esc right away burnt it up first then buy what you been wanting Just my 2 cents Im ordering My holmes BRXL by the end of the week Ive heard lots of good things about it and its reasonable priced

[ablaydes]

Originally Posted by meanbgreen

I went with a Tekin 45T and esc combo TT2105 I think it is.

I also am ordering My tekin 45t at the end of the week and i cant wait to get it

[Big Daddy]

Originally Posted by AreCee

Run it stock until something breaks then decide if the broken part needs an upgrade or not.

That right there, will save you some money! There are thousands of $$ worth of mods that could be done. But most are preferences.
The only thing I would sugest to do before you run the truck is go over ever bolt and screw and make sure they are tightened properly and add loctite to all metal on metal threads. Also add a second set screw or small screw on the yokes at the tranny.
A servo isn't a bad upgrade but the stock one will flex the plastic linkage already. The steering linkage was one of my first upgrades. I'm still running all stock electronics the stock motor and ESC work just fine. I'll upgrade as they break or wear out.

[hpicrawlerking]

Originally Posted by scorpion_ax

brushed i think is the way to go for a scaler as most people like to splash around creekbeds and get it all wet where a brushed motor shines in performance compared to a brushless in the water .......with that said if your going to run brushless stay out of the water and run a sensored brushless way more controlled crawling ......JMO

Thanks for info. With the HH, what is a good brushed motor to get?