Completely Lost

[knnphillips1990]

Let me start by saying I have been reading all the information I could find since well before I recieved my RTR Wraith for Christmas. That being said I am completely lost. I have read and reread all of Harley's Beginner Guide Thread and his bullet proof mod list. I work out of town and was set to order the Vanquish Link Kit (10 piece) and possibly the Vanquish mounted Servo and Panhard kits. Really wanting to move my Servo up into the chassis. Well I got home and went to bashing my Wraith I'm a little hard on it and the motor started smoking like the whole RC was about to go up in flames while I was bouncing across the log pile in the backyard. So now I am unsure of wether to go ahead with the Vanquish Products (couldn't find anywhere with the links in stock) or start looking for a new motor and esc. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Also planning on purchasing one of Harley HD Hardware kits because I am sick of stripping the stock hardware. Have had multiple other issues but have managed to fix those I believe this is the most concerning at the moment.

[TheScaleAddict]

Links can wait. Get a Motor/ESC combo. I would recommend both Castle Creations and Holmes Hobbies. There are other good options, but I have not tried them yet.

As for the links, I would recommend Blue Monkey RC's titanium links. I prefer the bends over he vanquish links, and they're cheaper to boot. Quality-wise, I believe they are equal to VP.

[k goodrich]

I have had my wraith for about 3 years and still have the stock links. Use the stock ESC add a castle BEC. Go get a nice 35 turn motor. Now change the gearing to 87 spur and 15 or 16 spur gear. You can go to RPP's web sit to order everything. They have great customer service.


If ther is a local place were people crawl go there watch and ask questions.

[TheScaleAddict]

What he said is good too.

[knnphillips1990]

So I will have to run 2 BEC one for the upgraded motor and another for the servo when that is upgraded? Also any input on the CMS and panhard from Vanquish? Also is the 87 spur 15 or 16 spur gear going to slow it at all?

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[TheScaleAddict]

Panhard and cms sucks in my opinion. It weakens the steering A LOT. It looks cool, but it's not worth it. I prefer the DinkyRC S-Type Dinky Mount with a suicide switch link setup.

[BikingViking]

Originally Posted by k goodrich

I have had my wraith for about 3 years

I could possibly be wrong but I'm thinking the Wraith has only been on the market for a years and a half?

Originally Posted by knnphillips1990

So I will have to run 2 BEC one for the upgraded motor and another for the servo when that is upgraded? Also any input on the CMS and panhard from Vanquish? Also is the 87 spur 15 or 16 spur gear going to slow it at all?

One BEC, for the servo, motor runs straight off the ESC. gearing down will slow it yes, as will a 35 turn motor. It will crawl well/smooth but you will lose wheelspeed

Originally Posted by cephas

Panhard and cms sucks in my opinion. It weakens the steering A LOT. It looks cool, but it's not worth it. I prefer the DinkyRC S-Type Dinky Mount with a suicide switch link setup.

Suicide switch is a poor design with some very undesirable traits: unequal steering geometry from side to side due to inability to run equal length links since servo horn is not centered on the axle, and it is very hard on servos since so many forces are applied to the servo horn. (whenever the tires hit rocks/bumps etc and are trying to toe in/out all these forces are applied directly to the servo horn rather than the majority of these forces being applied to the tie rod and only the side to side forces transmitted through the drag link being applied to the servo horn) As for CMS the only weak point I can see for the steering is a greater drag link angle at full droop, however properly set up with a low ride height the angle is minimal most the time anyways. Has caused me no grief so far whatsoever. So worth not having a huge unrealistic 1'x2'x3' box bolted on top of the axle on what is essentially a scaler.

[k7zpj]

I would look at the Holmes Hobby Torque Master Expert 35T motor to replace the smoking one. Make sure to switch the gearing in the 87/14 to 87/16 range to keep from smoking another motor. If the ESC is toast too, a HH BRXL is a good Brushed ESC for the Wraith.


A big second on what cephas said about CMS/panhard.

[knnphillips1990]

Ok I feel completely lost again. I know I know y'all are tired of answering noob questions I'm sure but without spending multiple hours searching can anyone explain which gear is which and what gears are being referred to as spur and spur gear. I know 1:1 like the back of my hand but am completely lost in the RC world.

[TheScaleAddict]

Spur is the big one that is turned by the gear which is attached to the motor. Diff and idler gears are in transfer case. Don't care what anyone says, it's not a transmission. :P Ring and pinion are in the axles. I'd recommend over/under drive. (Front tires spin faster than rear). It's a great crawling set up. You should go with Robinson racing gears in the transfer case, and Axial racing in the axles (AX30402 in the rear and AX30401 in the front)

[TheScaleAddict]

Expect to drop a couple of hundred on gears alone. for the transfer case diff gear, I suggest the one piece locked unit.

Here is the link to Robinson Racing's Wraith Gears.

http://www.robinsonracing.com/catalog/wraith.html

[knnphillips1990]

So with knowing that I will take a guess and say the 87/14 the 14 is being the gear on the shaft of the motor? Is there a proper name for this gear? Is upgrading the transfer case gears an immediate need when going to a 35T 87/14-87/16 setup?

[TheScaleAddict]

Originally Posted by knnphillips1990

So with knowing that I will take a guess and say the 87/14 the 14 is being the gear on the shaft of the motor? Is there a proper name for this gear?

I went with 80/20, and it's still plenty slow on a HH Trailmaster Pro motor. Slower than stock even, only with 10X the torque. It was unbearably slow on my 45T HH Torquemaster Pro.

[BikingViking]

Overdive/underdrive only if you dont intend for any speed (crawling only). Too much drivetrain bind. Go UD rear/standard ratio front or OD front/standard ratio rear.

[BikingViking]

Originally Posted by knnphillips1990

So with knowing that I will take a guess and say the 87/14 the 14 is being the gear on the shaft of the motor? Is there a proper name for this gear? Is upgrading the transfer case gears an immediate need when going to a 35T 87/14-87/16 setup?

Its called a pinion gear, just motor pinion as opposed to differential pinion, Its the only pinion you can get separately anyways (differential pinions come as a gear set with crown gear as well) I doubt youll have too much issues with stock plastic trans gears with that set up, would personally just upgrade em when funds permit and/or you go big power (brushless). Mine held up fine to my HH torquemaster 27 turn on 3s

[TheScaleAddict]

Originally Posted by BikingViking

Overdive/underdrive only if you dont intend for any speed (crawling only). Too much drivetrain bind. Go UD rear/standard ratio front or OD front/standard ratio rear.

Good point, though it hasn't been an issue for me. But then Fiona is NEVER on pavement or carpet. She is a legit rock/trail queen. Dirt and rocks are much more forgiving.

[knnphillips1990]

Originally Posted by BikingViking

Its called a pinion gear, just motor pinion as opposed to differential pinion, Its the only pinion you can get separately anyways (differential pinions come as a gear set with crown gear as well) I doubt youll have too much issues with stock plastic trans gears with that set up, would personally just upgrade em when funds permit and/or you go big power (brushless). Mine held up fine to my HH torquemaster 27 turn on 3s

Thanks that helped alot. I really don't plan on doing the over/underdrive setup. I do plan to purchase the 14-16 pinion (i think that is the numbers mentioned) to see which suits me best. Slowing it down may keep me in check on full throttle assaults at huge logs though.

[TheScaleAddict]

Learn some self control... That way you can still have some bashing fun.

[dunerinaz]

You don't have to gear as low as 87/14 with a 35t motor. That's way too low (6.21:1) to have any kind of wheel speed. With a decent 35t motor, you want to be between 4.5:1 and 5.25:1 in my opinion. I have a 35t brood motor and as long as I don't go under 4.5:1 on 3s, the motor doesn't get too hot and I still get decent speed.

[knnphillips1990]

Originally Posted by cephas

Learn some self control... That way you can still have some bashing fun.

Self control you should see me in my 1:1.lol

Originally Posted by dunerinaz

You don't have to gear as low as 87/14 with a 35t motor. That's way too low (6.21:1) to have any kind of wheel speed. With a decent 35t motor, you want to be between 4.5:1 and 5.25:1 in my opinion. I have a 35t brood motor and as long as I don't go under 4.5:1 on 3s, the motor doesn't get too hot and I still get decent speed.

So what do you recommend?

Also my local hobby shop only had the onyx batteries (i am guessing this isn't a lipo) can y'all recommend a better battery to use? Perferably from RPP so I can keep my order all from 1 place?