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Thread: Motors, Control arms/links, and where to buy

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Old 06-26-2015, 12:57 PM   #1
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Join Date: Jan 2014
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Default Motors, Control arms/links, and where to buy

Hello everyone,
I am currently building a custom chassis for my RS10 Redcat.
I have a few questions that I would like to know about motors, Control arms/links, and where to buy.
Motors:
From what I have read it is possible to swap several different size motors into the RS10.
Several major factors that play a role in the RS10 is the small amount of size due to control arm location, springs and motor terminals.
I would like to use a 950kv outrunner motor front and rear. Personally, I have zero experience with this motor. However, I’ve heard the size and power is a great match for this rig.
If you have run any other size motor and didn’t have to beefy up a lot of other parts, please let me know what motor you’re running.

Control arms/Links:
As we all know, the RS10 control arms mount to the chassis in very weird locations.
While I’ve been building my chassis, I have started to think of several different ways to make the upper and lower controls arm meet the chassis closer together. I would love to be able to come up with a design that allows me to make a skid that mates the uppers and lowers all into one.
One of my ideas was to bend the upper links starting from the axle side and follow the curve of the motor. I will then have a straight section coming off of the curved section. To give you a better understanding of my idea, it will like a “P” lying on its back. I have not made any prototypes of this bend/ setup.
Also, I am interested in creating longer/custom links.
Have any of you ever done this? I have seen several people talking about using rod and tapping the inside. I would like to try another route besides that. Does any company make a end link that mates with a 3/16th rod without treads?

Where to buy?
I know there are plenty of places that sell RC parts. However, I am looking for a great company that can provide me with the parts I need and at a very good price. Let’s keep in mind that after all this is a redcat.
Where can I get my motors? ESC, Rod ends and other parts that I need?
Thank you for reading this and helping me out.
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Old 06-27-2015, 02:13 AM   #2
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Join Date: May 2011
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Posts: 1,099
Default Re: Motors, Control arms/links, and where to buy

unfortunately there are NO places to get rs-10 hop up parts.
we have to make what we want or try to adapt something a la frankestein.

as for rods ... think about using 3/16 rod and threading the ends. the 3/16 rod
will easily be threaded to 10-32 or 10-24 and if you use the traxxas revo large rod ends
TowerHobbies.com | Traxxas Rod Ends w/Hollow Balls Large Revo (12)
or the jato rod ends that are a bit longer for more thread
TowerHobbies.com | Traxxas Rod Ends/Hollow Balls Jato (12)
I use the jato ends and I run a 10-32 tap in the rod ends to make it a bit easier to screw in the threaded rod.
it is not too hard to bend that size rod to get the length and shape you want and they hold up fairly well.
I have found that a wheelbase between 13 and 13 1/2 inches in length works best to get over most obstacles,
and I recommend 1/2 inch wheels wideners or wheels with at least 1/2 inch more offset to make the rig more stable
and to keep the tires from rubbing against the motors/wires/links. the wider wheelbase will also give you more
room to mount the shocks to the housing instead of on the lower links.

to use a 540 size motor requires effort though none person used a piece of 3/16 or maybe 1/4 aluminum plate
to make an adapter but that makes the motor stick even farther out. he bent his lower links to go under
the motor and only used one screw to hold the motor on.
brushless motors are not too good at low rpms either. you up with the crawler stuttering until the revs
come up. maybe a very small pinion would smooth things out a bit. you also have to be careful
because of the much higher torques these motors can develop and some people have twisted the
dogbones and even broken the axle housings. all depends on how you drive. keep the motor under 1000kv
and it should not be too bad.

you will also need to use two escs when you go brushless.

you can find several examples of all these things if you look at previous threads in this section.
don't get disillusioned, I too have a set of brushless motors waiting their chance. when I finish the current
rs10, I will get another pair of axles and use them.

let your imagination lead you.
have you looked through the picture gallery?
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Old 07-12-2015, 04:27 PM   #3
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Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Beaverton
Posts: 98
Default Re: Motors, Control arms/links, and where to buy

I went with an 850kv motor. The reason I did that was because I knew I was going to volt up and gear down in order to minimize slow speed hesitation. I'm pretty sure I used 30Amp Esc's. (I accidently got airplane esc's the first time so don't just get anything that says 30A on it.) You'll need 2 esc's and you have to cut the red wire to one of them. I go with an 850 mah or a 450 mah 3s lipo depending on mood. I look for the highest discharge I can find. The smaller the battery, the easier it is to mount it to the front axle if you want to.

You can get it all at Hobbyking and none of the individual parts costs more than about $10 or $12. Except for the gears, which I got at RC4wd. I think I got 8,9, and 10 tooth gears and have mixed and matched so much that I don't really remember what's in the front and what's in the back anymore. I want to say they were the 32 pitch gears, but that could vary based on the motors you end up with. I do remember that I had to grind a small flat spot on the output shaft of the motors so that a set screw would hold the gears on better.

I don't find much issue with slow speed control, but haven't really figured out how to do any drag brake yet. Luckily the lower gearing seems to help some with that. If I was to put it on a steep piece of plywood it would roll right down, but when I am on rocks it doesn't seem to want to do that.

Mine probably weighs a good 1.5 - 2 pounds less than stock so it is hard to compare performance. With the 850KV motor and lower gears, I have WAY more torque than stock. The high discharge batteries give me a little more wheel speed when I need it, but I won't be winning any drag races.

Last edited by Overkel; 07-12-2015 at 04:30 PM.
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Old 07-12-2015, 09:07 PM   #4
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Join Date: May 2011
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Default Re: Motors, Control arms/links, and where to buy

instead of cutting one of the red wires, just pop it out of the plug.
there is a tiny flap of plastic that holds the terminal in the plug - use
a small blade to lift the flap and pull out the terminal and tape up the
end or use some heat shrink. or if you use a bec for higher voltages,
pull out both red ends.
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