Blog@diyminituner.com

Tamiya America Item #58499 | RC Mitsubishi Montero Wheelie

2011-10-19T14:27:00.002-04:00

Coming Soon from Tamiya! Based on the "Lunch Box" chassis this is a fun looking retro-RC ride!

Tamiya America Item #58499 | RC Mitsubishi Montero Wheelie

Tamiya Wild Willy Re-Born!

2011-09-15T17:24:00.001-04:00

If you have been collecting and building RC vehicles for a while like I have; I am sure there are some old models lurking around the garage or basement that have been collecting dust. My Tamiya Wild Willy was one such vehicle! And I asked myself, "WHY?" - especially since it is actually one of my favorites to run!

I dusted off the body and checked things out....everything was there except for a receiver. I had a RedCat Racing AM transmitter / receiver on the shelf....so I got this one working for FREE!

My Wild Willy is one of the special Metallic Editions, so it has the silver body. I also had added Tamiya oil filled shocks and full ball bearings when I built it. I am running a 2yr. old ACE 3300 mah 7.2V Nimh battery pack and a 10 year old Hitec HFX foward w/brake ESC. The motor is a brushed 21d Venom Fireball motor which seems about like a Tamiya Sport Tuned when it comes to power.

I had arranged the ESC to sit atop the steering servo to help balance out the chassis just a little bit. It still is a wheely king, but driving it is very fun!

I took it to the vacant lot where I have been running my cars and as my photo shot location. The motor pushes the Wild Willy at a decent clip - I would say near 18 - 20 mph. Uh....what? That's it? Well if you aren't familiar with the Tamiya Wild Willy....that is pretty fast. The best thing I did was install bearings and the oil filled shocks as I was able to handle the rough stuff with ease as long I kept the throttle progressive. The truck is nice and quiet with the bearings. I am so happy I got it back running!

ACE RC Veloci-RS Brushed 170A Car Electronic Speed Control

2011-09-05T19:33:00.001-04:00

I know RC has totally embraced the brushless motor, but there are Tamiya and other old school purists that would really like a nice FWD / REV brushed speed control. I just noticed Tower Hobbies is selling a new line of ACE speed controls reasonably priced with awesome specs ( 170 A rating and .004 ohm resistance ) for their Veloci - RC ESC.

As of this post, the price is $44.99 and as per photo has Tamiya color coded motor wires and battery plug. This will get the Hobbywing crowd asking why I would post this when you can get complete ESC brushless motor combos for like $60.00. I say some of us still like Mabuchi RS 540 motors or using one of the many overpriced Tamiya motors!

Old School 1/28th scale Xmods

2011-09-05T19:17:00.000-04:00

It is sad not to see Xmods at Radio Shack anymore. Radio Shack is a mere shell of its original self. What used to be a store for tinkerers is just a glorified mobile phone store. Hardly an RC toy anywhere to be found - let alone the great Xmods 1/28th scale RC cars and trucks.
See below one of my most treasured RC cars:

Believe it or not - this excellent Nissan Skyline model was available at Radio Shack!

Redcat Racing Vortex / Volcano Project Brushless LCG Beast

2011-09-01T16:36:00.006-04:00

I never really liked the proportions of the Vortex "desert racer" / "short course" body. The Vortex Chassis is a great platform. 4 wheel double wishbone suspension with adjustable links and aluminum oil filled shocks keep the 4 wheel drive shaft drive chassis planted. The stock Vortex body is bulky and heavy, and is forced to sit high above the chassis for wheel clearance. A Lower Center of Gravity is provided by a body swap.

The Volcano body is much lighter and can be mounted much lower as the tires won't hit the fenders as with the stock Vortex body. I did have to do some cutting so that the bumpers and front / rear cages would clear, but I think it came out really nice. Also there is less dirt that enters the chassis and that is a big deal, as the rear spur gear is susceptible to damage, and is a major pain to replace. With the lower center of gravity provided by the lower and lighter weight body the Vortex / Volcano hybrid handles awesome, doesn't roll over as much, nor does it "parachute" when it jumps. With the Volcano body the truck is transformed into a high performance racing truck.

I also did a lot of electronics swapping. My Vortex had come with an AM radio that frankly does work very well. I decided to change to my Tactic 2.4GHZ system as I like the fact the transmitter uses only 4 AA batteries. I also swapped the steering servo for a Hitec ball bearing high torque unit, and most importantly replaced the stock ESC with a HobbyWing 60A EZ Run unit. I kept the stock brushless motor as it is very powerful and I never had any issues with it.

The stock ESC I scrapped for two reasons. There is no way to adjust any of its parameters and it operates very clunky. The HobbyWing unit works flawlessly and with a simple programming box I can adjust acceleration, timing, and braking parameters to my liking.

I used my DBY 5200 mah 7.4V Lipo for power. No disappointments with runtime or output power, the Lipo never even broke a sweat. Speeds approaching 40 MPH were witnessed, and will make driving this beast a handful.

I enjoyed running this truck in the vacant lot near my house, and with the varied terrain and some hills, the course proved fun and challenging with the high speed and power of my Vortex / Volcano hybrid.

Fun driving the Tamiya Hornet

2011-08-31T00:06:00.002-04:00

If one reads traditional RC magazines it would seem that without the latest race - winning chassis and top of the line gear, the RC car hobby cannot be enjoyed. I once thought that my RC car had to achieve at least illegal real speeds before I was having fun. And yes, I do have some model cars that will do that. But guess what? They are the models that actually provide me the least enjoyment. All that money tied up in high end gear, battery packs, and for what...to go 60 mph in a huge parking lot? It really is not that fun.

On the other hand, driving my newly built Tamiya Hornet in a vacant lot across the street from my house is far more enjoyable. I bet I never hit over 15 mph with my Mabuchi RS540 BRUSHED motor powered machine. I also did not break a thing, overheat a motor, or blow up an ESC. Instead I learned how to drive the sandy and rutted terrain with great precision despite the archaic suspension and high center of gravity. Thanks to a NiMh 6 cell battery ( no lipo power!) with 4200mah I can get 30 minutes easily for run time!

The Tamiya Hornet is a great example of technology from 1984. A rugged and simple design that makes the most of its power; providing decent speed from the 540 motor. A simple modification such as the Tamiya black motor will give it even more speed...maybe even an unheard of 20 mph!!! Add lipo power and 30 mph is within reach, but that defeats the purpose of keeping things simple! Trust me, 20 mph in a Hornet is a handful!

For now though, I will continue with the stock motor and enjoy my time across the street till I master the vacant lot. No, I won't win any races, but I will become a better driver and have immense fun enjoying my hobby. Till next time - Mike.

Tamiya Hornet Re-Release powered by VB Power 4200mah 6 cell pack

2011-08-28T20:12:00.000-04:00

We decided to keep this Hornet build stock. We installed Duratrax ball bearings throughout for a smooth driveline and used the included RS540 Mabuchi motor and ESC. Our VB Power 4200 mah 6 cell battery pack provides great runtime and control. This car is so fun! It reminds me back in 1984 the great fun I had with my first RC Car....the original Tamiya Hornet!

My new Tamiya Hornet Review / project - stroll down memory lane!

2011-08-22T18:25:00.000-04:00

Tamiya The Hornet R/C High Performance Off Road Racer

The first time a model kit "suitable for radio control" was delivered to my house via the Big Brown Van I was only 15 years old. It was The Hornet from Tamiya.

This 1/10th scale High Performance Off Road Racer included a rolling rear axle supported by real oil filled shocks , a RS-540 high performance motor, and lightweight polycarbonate body which set it apart from its lesser sibling The Grasshopper. The buggy's ABS bath tub chassis held everything together and was a sturdy mount for the two servo controls for speed and steering.

The 3 step forward and reverse resistor speed control was a curious looking devise that worked just fine despite its utter simplicity. The front independent swing axle suspension with "friction type" shocks managed to control the vehicle's front end despite the lack of camber links. The solid rear axle assembly managed to handle the Mabuchi RS 540 motor's power and most of the time put that power to the ground courtesy of the oil filled shocks and "rolling rear" axle geometry.

Yes, I am filled with nostalgia for these simple machines that came from a simpler time. And yes, I await like I did 25 years ago for that big brown van. I know it is on there. I know it is coming today. Unlike in 1984, I have the UPS tracking number and I have the internet. See future blog posts with my build and comments of The Hornet re-release. It will be fun.
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Fast RC Car - Duratrax Vendetta TC Crash video!

2010-08-29T10:51:00.002-04:00

It is hard to film and drive!!!-listen for accident at end!

Losi Mini-T EP1500 battery packs BACK IN STOCK!!!

2010-08-29T10:45:00.001-04:00

Our Losi Mini-T sized EP 1500mah nimh battery packs are back in stock at www.HiPowerRC.com. Get them with either stock mini plug or genuine Deans Ultra Plugs! www.HiPowerRC.com $3.95 FLAT RATE USPS SHIPPING ON ALL USA ORDERS!

RC Car and Truck battery pack sale! All our nimh battery packs on sale at www.HiPowerRC.com!

2010-06-27T08:21:00.003-04:00

Check out the savings! We are currently slashing prices on all our NimH battery packs in stock! RC18 Losi latemodel, mini slider, mini-T, Traxxas mini e-revo, Tamiya Tamtech, Duratrax vendetta; all packs on sale while they last!

Goto www.HiPowerRC.com now!

1/5th Electric RC Buggy! New Prototype for possible release by RedCat Racing!

2010-06-19T11:46:00.003-04:00

Possible new product on the way? We will see! Bigger seems to be better as of late....and jumping from 1/10th scale to 1/8th and now 1/5th Electric? So we don't have details but we do have video proof this beast exists! Will Redcat beat out HPI in bringing to market the first 1/5th sized Electric buggy? From this video it may be sooner than we think! By the way, this is WAY faster than the gas powered I have seen running!

New PN Racing motors for Xmods Mini-Z at www.FastXmods.com!

2010-06-18T09:20:00.000-04:00

PN Racing has just released new PNWC style motors! They have a new 33T,39T,43T all with ball bearings and open style endbell for better cooling! In addition, there are a 50T and 80T bushing equipped PNWC motor designed just like the 70T PNWC stock racing motor.
I would say the 43T motor replaces the popular 07BB motor and the 50T replaces the popular 05Speedy! We just ordered some from PN Racing and should be in stock soon at www.FastXmods.com!

HiPowerRC.com is now open!

2010-06-09T22:21:00.002-04:00

We have just opened www.hipowerrc.com! Awesome RC battery packs for sale and at wholesale pricing. Check us out. This store replaces our www.rctunerdirect.com venue and what used to be our Ebay store!

Closing our Ebay store. Yes it really is happening.

2010-05-31T13:07:00.002-04:00

In a proactive effort to build our business we have decided to ultimately close our Ebay store. After 7 years on Ebay it has been an OK run. There definitely have been good months and bad months, but now I see our business really being impacted by Ebay's "new direction".
Our over 3000+ customer feedback will go away, but I hope our supporters will follow us. I have decided to completely revamp our business websites. Once the new website is fully functioning our transition process will begin. All current business will continue as usual and nothing will impact our customer's orders.The Ebay store will close or offer limited products. Our www.rctunerdirect.com and www.fastxmods.com sites will continue for now because they do not cost us money, and E-Crater has been good to us.
Our new website will be HiPowerRC.com. The name was chosen because of our quality battery packs that have made us successful. Both EP and ACE brand battery packs will be sold as well as select Redcat Racing RC vehicles. We no longer feel that affiliation with Ebay is beneficial to our business model or image. We think the Ebay brand is now a "negative" and do not wish to represent our quality products on the site. With plenty of cheap battery packs littering the Ebay playing field sold by questionable outfits, we would rather differentiate ourselves from the pack by having a stand alone website owned by us.
Our value pricing will continue as will our superb customer service. We will also start a new blog representing our new business. The blog will be www.HiPowerRC.blogspot.com .
We feel this is not "giving up" but rather a new direction that will both benefit us as a business and our customers at the same time. We hope that those reading this post will become customers and follow us through this difficult and exciting journey.
Thank you and Best Regards,

Mike Mizzi-owner HiPowerRC.com

Redcat Racing Caldera 10E COMING SOON!

2010-05-27T15:54:00.001-04:00

Redcat Racing is now offering their popular nitro Caldera monster truck in an electric brushless version!
We have just placed our first order for these trucks and they are about 1 week away!
With large dimension monster truck tires and the power to spin them, this truck looks like a winner! It comes complete with brushless motor system installed (3750 KV unit) and is fully assembled RTR.
Larger than their Volcano series of trucks....it is more like "1/9" scale than 1/10th and seems to bridge the gap between smaller 1/10th trucks and the cost prohibitive 1/8th scale machines. In true Redcat Racing fashion....this truck will be an amazing value. Retail price is $239.00 from Redcat...our price should be less as an authorized dealer. Here are some preliminary photos from Redcat Racing. As soon as we get our first model, more pictures from us will be posted! Check out our review at www.hipowerrc.blogspot.com!

Redcat Racing Backdraft 8E

2010-05-18T08:49:00.004-04:00

I only had a chance for a quick run, but so far I am impressed! Will be taking to the track when time allows to test in more challenging conditions. The buggy is fast, handles great, and didn't break yet! Long runtime with the the stock 3200mah 20C 7.4V LiPos was surprising. The steering servo seems strong and fast while the stock Redcat Racing 2.4GHz radio proved a solid controller. My test area seemed small as this buggy can gobble up terrain fast! Buy it here!Check out our pictures so far:

Team Associated RC18r with Modern Muscle SS Body

2010-05-14T21:38:00.000-04:00

We proudly picture our RC18r with beautiful RJSpeed.com Modern Muscle SS body. This body closely resembles the current Chevy Camaro and is a perfect fit for the RC18r. We run a stock 370 motor, Acme ESC, and Hitec FM receiver for excellent control and efficient power. The gold wheels with foam tires are from Team Associated while the battery power comes from one of our EP1500 battery packs.

Support our escape from Ebay!

2010-05-10T22:49:00.001-04:00

As we attempt to discern what has gone wrong with Ebay, we are contemplating our escape! High selling fees, rules and regulations that are disguised as "sales incentives", and an obvious technical error or misguided directive that has us no where to be found in search results are just a few reasons we may depart from Ebay! Our commitment to Ebay started in 2003 and after a series of missteps by "The Man" we no longer feel like our Power Seller and Trusted Seller status means anything to Ebay, us , or more importantly, our customers! Our business has suffered since the end of March, and no it is not from a poor economy or heightened competition. Ebay changed how they listed store items, and we believe their servers are now overloaded and thus rationing product placement. We suspect some sort of rolling blackout regarding Ebay's search engine which may be favoring the larger sellers. This hurts customers as their choice is hampered by a poorly running search engine. If anyone out there is reading this, and would like to buy something from us, please visit our web stores www.RCTunerDirect.com and www.FastXmods.com. These stores provide our products at a reduced price from our Ebay listings, allow payment by Google Checkout, Paypal, and check/money order. We are also able to customize an invoice for you for direct payment through your Paypal account. Your support through this challenging e-commerce situation is greatly appreciated. Questions and suggestions are always welcome at beaturacing@gmail.com .

Redcat Racing 1/24th Sumo 4x4 with Lipo conversion!

2010-04-20T17:22:00.000-04:00

We did it......totally cannibalized a perfectly operating Redcat Racing Sumo.....only to put it back together with LIPO POWER! So did it work? Yes....and it is awesome! We used 7.4v 230mah rctunerdirect.com micro-t lipos (2) for power, and rewired the whole circuit board (even bypassing the power switch).
Unsure whether the board would burn out, we decided to chance it. Diy tuners beware....this is not recommended or warrantied by us nor RedCat Racing! Our modded Sumo now goes TWICE as fast and barrels through terrain like I have never seen a micro RC truck do. It really is a nice fast fun RC vehicle.
See our pictures!

RedCat Racing Vortex EP Pro REVIEW

2010-04-19T15:12:00.005-04:00

Introduction: Established in 2005, RedCat Racing has since become the premier source for quality Gas, Nitro, and Electric powered RC vehicles. (taken directly from the RedCat Racing web site)
Excited to be a new RedCat dealer, I decided to sample the Vortex EP Pro Desert Truck. I picked a sealed box from our inventory, and began opening the package as any new customer would do.

First Impressions: I was surprised how big the truck seems....though this is more a factor of running mostly 1/18th scale cars for a few months. In actuality, it is smaller compared to published Traxxas Slash dimensions (shorter wheelbase and track width). This is a RTR model, so aside from snaking the receiver's antenna wire through the antenna tube, and installing 8 AA batteries in the transmitter, there is no assembly required.
     RedCat calls this truck a "desert truck" and avoids calling it the industry popular class "short course." I am sure comparisons will be made as it definitely looks like a short course truck. Regardless of trying to put this truck in a specific class, I must say I am happy with my first impressions. THIS LOOKS LIKE A GREAT "BASHER" TRUCK!
     The truck seems well built, and all the components feel strong and of quality materials. The suspension arms are stiff with just enough flex to absorb impact. The suspension is plush, almost too plush at first compression. The wheels and tires are of decent quality with an all purpose type tread pattern with a soft sidewall compound for better traction. The aluminum oil filled shocks have threaded bodies with adjustable spring collars, and the springs are progressive rate type. Everything that rotates in the drive train is ball bearing supported and the front and rear differentials spin smooth and efficiently. All are significant features that Redcat Racing should advertise more effectively. The included 2ch AM receiver is compact and the brushless motor and brushless ESC have significant aluminum construction to dissipate heat. The steering / upper suspension linkages are all metal turnbuckle construction, and the front a rear aluminum suspension towers are solid with many optional adjustment and mounting points. The aluminum drive shaft is anodized blue like the aluminum towers and the top plate. Overall a very nice design; both pleasing to the eye and touch.
     The radio transmitter is a pistol grip style 2 Channel AM unit that is solid and comfortable to handle. Nothing fancy, but it does have throttle and steering EPA, servo reversing, and a nice foam covered steering wheel. Also welcome is the LED battery power meter. Lastly, a 2000mah 7.2V Nimh battery and a "wall wart" slow charger are included.
For the "street price" of less than $200, this truck is really impressive. Though I have significant experience building complete kits, it is nice to take a break and just enjoy driving something out of the box!

First Drive: I used my AC-6 Thunder charger to peak charge the included battery pack. (While the stock battery and charger will get you going; invest in a spare battery pack and GET A FAST CHARGER. Waiting 10 hours to drive 10 minutes will not give enough RC drive time to truly enjoy this hobby.)
   While battery was charging, I checked the truck for any loose screws.....none were found. Everything was built correctly; all screws torqued tight. A nice feature of the battery compartment is the convertible aspect of it. One can either use side by side SC cell packs or standard stick packs. By removing two screw held clips on the chassis the side by side packs will fit securely. I am certain many popular Lipo battery packs will fit as well.
     The included instructions regarding the speed control are cryptic at best. From what I deciphered, the speed control has "auto-setting throttle Neutral". A series of LED flashes and sounds on the speed control begin as soon as the battery is plugged in and the radio receiver switch is turned to the "on" position indicating neutral has been found and ESC is ready for action. As for the auto battery cutoff detection....it operates by automatically detecting number of cells and will set low voltage cutout. This feature protects from overly depleting the charge in battery packs...most useful for Lipo battery packs. The ESC also features "over temperature protection" which will suspend operation of the speed control should it overheat.
   Otherwise, everything is straight forward and intuitive. With battery pack charged and installed, I began my road test. The steering servo provides sufficient speed and torque for directional control. The speed control worked acceptably, though it is a little "clunky". Sometimes at very low speeds, the speed control would "buck"....I would say more a circumstance of the sensor-less type which does not provide as precise control. Top speed nor any other operation of the control was troubling, and frankly I forgot about the occasional low speed glitch once the Vortex was up to speed.....this truck is fast. I say fast because I know it is faster with a better battery than the included Redcat battery pack. The radio control had good range and proved to be a solid control signal.
     My test area is a combination of short grass, dead grass, pine needles, with an undulating terrain that would let the truck catch air in certain sections. The 4x4 traction with the included factory mounted tires proved very good for straight line acceleration and transitional maneuvers. The "too soft" suspension in my first impressions provided exceptional wheel control. Handling is fantastic. The progressive rate springs and oil filled shocks worked their magic at keeping the truck planted.
   Speed and acceleration is very good. Top speed far higher than a beginners ability; surely 30mph +. Acceleration with the four wheel drive lets one cover ground quickly. Reverse speed is low, and is best set for maneuvering out of missed turns, etc.
   Runtime....less than 10 minutes. At first, I thought the ESC had thermal cutoff, but I soon realized the battery had been depleted. Having so much fun driving, I forgot I only had a 2000mah battery. There is only one cure....get a better battery pack.

Second Drive: Here I decided to use an aftermarket battery pack. I chose a 3300mah ACE Nimh battery I had previously purchased. I installed a genuine Deans Ultra plug and fully charged the pack. This is a decent "sport" pack and should not be confused with higher capacity battery packs or Lipos. Well.....this one upgrade transformed the truck from fast to a solid "damn that is fast!" truck. As the battery was charging I inspected the truck for damage from the first drive. NONE. Some foreign debris did get into the spur gear area despite a cover, but that was fairly easy to remedy....just remove some Phillips screws, remove the cover, and clean out. I noticed some wear on the spur gear, but everything spun freely. Even the underside of the chassis, though mildly scratched, was not showing wear that I expected to see. The tires were solid with nary any tread wear. My second drive was even more fun with higher acceleration and higher cornering speeds as I became more confident with the truck's high limits of control and handling. The new battery pack really transformed the whole driving experience with a much longer run time of 15 + minutes. The speed control heat sink did get hot, but no problem with thermal cutout and the motor was hot to touch, but not overly so.

Damage: Slightly worn spur gear (still in good condition, from trapped debris under cover), slight crack on rear fender of body (from crash). Both to be expected, otherwise no damage and barely any wear on the tires. Dust and dirt will easily enter chassis as the four wheel drive really "kicks up" the terrain. I use compressed air to clean truck between runs and is highly recommended. I encountered a number of spills and tumbles as well as a head on crash into a metal culvert with no damage. So far I would have to rate the Vortex's durability as excellent! I am sure an over zealous beginner could manage to break something, but at the same token, with the speed the truck moves, I was surprised nothing broke!

Conclusions/Recommendations: Is this a Traxxas Slash 4x4 competitor? NO. The Traxxas costs $399.00 or double the price. This truck is not marketed to the same people who have $399.00 to spend on a basher. My thought is this....for the 90% of the rest of us who do not compete in racing and just bash (run for fun) why not buy two? One for you and one for a buddy, so two people can enjoy this great hobby. On the flip side....I know this truck would embarrass many other trucks costing the same or more. The dimensions are somewhat smaller than other Short Course trucks so I don't know if it could race "legally" in anything but a "race what you bring" class ( I do not race, but I know ROAR has specs regarding Short Course trucks).
What improvements..if any, would I suggest? Definitely upgrade from the stock battery pack. Any pack 3300mah or more capacity would be suggested for better run time and performance. This is something everyone would have to do anyway....there is no way to do this hobby on one pack. I wish the speed control was more smooth at the bottom end, but it didn't really bother me as I ran full speed ahead! And at this price point you get what you pay for: in this instance, a solid proven design with a lot of features with good performance. I am happy with my purchase and glad I have a competent "basher" truck in my collection of vehicles. I would recommend to both beginners and veterans. The truck is fun for both. The beginner gets a lot of "stuff" for the money, while the veteran doesn't have to worry that his racer gets "dirty" and can enjoy wheeling this truck as it is very reasonably priced with durable yet fully adjustable suspension and options.

Xmod Evo 7.4V 700mah Lithium Ion Power!

2010-01-19T20:37:00.001-05:00

Yes, our famous Xmod Evo Lithium Ion Pack is back! Buy it here: www.FastXmods.com. This go around we have 350mah cells wired in a 2P2S configuration to give us 700mah and 7.4V of lithium power! Wait....you say lithium ion? Why not LIPO? Well, basically the chemistry is the same....just that the lithium ion cylindrical cells are round...not flat! Actually lithium ion cells are currently used in some FULL size electric cars!
We also choose these cells because they have history with us....they were our first made-to-order lithium pack for the Xmods Evo cars and were very popular items in our Ebay store. We decided to bring them back and they still demand attention. Who doesn't want their Xmod Evo to go 100% faster? The packs are ready to deliver the high power voltage with included micro connectors and board harness. Just solder the new board harness in place of the battery box wires and mount this pack in place of the battery box and one fast xmod is ready to run!
We do not offer any charger for this pack; any lithium or lipo charger capable of charging 2S 7.4V packs with adjustable current (you do not want to charge these over 1 Amp rate) works fine. There are no balance taps to deal with....these packs don't need them!

And just a reminder....lithium batteries do not like to be run to empty....when the car seems to be loosing some of its punch....stop and recharge! Always unplug battery after use too!

From our workbench: Xmods Audi R8 with Atomic AWD motor and 2x2 Fets installed

2010-01-15T20:47:00.000-05:00

After Christmas we couldn't pass up a new Xmods Evo Audi R8. A $50.00 gift card made the decision even simpler! We have just started the transformation from stock to mod. We have installed an Atomic Racing AWD stock motor and our 2x2 Fet Upgrade. Though the motor would have worked fine with the stock fets, we might have a stronger motor in the future....so why not upgrade now! With 4 new nimh AAA's on the way, we are making do with some old 850 mah Powerizer AAA cells. We use a spare Xmods Evo battery tray with a deans micro plug installed as a charging tray that we connect to our trusty MRC 969 charger. With adjustable current and peak detection, we are charging the batteries as we write this small blog entry.
Despite the many more higher priced mini/micro cars out there, the Xmods lend themselves to modifications, and maybe the fear factor for screwing up is lower as well, being that a $29.00 Xmod....is well....only $29.00!
Regardless, the fun factor remains high! The Audi body is surprisingly detailed including the exposed engine bay. We like running the cars without the top chassis cover...it is easier to see what is going on, and the slightly added chassis flex without the cover seems to actually improve the handling. We also like the look of the exposed electronics board. We solder the motor wires directly to the board and put a small piece of shrink tubing on the antenna base for added protection. Looks like we have another winner!

Our products such as the Atomic AWD motor and our Fet upgrades are available in our Ebay store, or at an even better price at our dedicated webstore at www.fastxmods.com.

1/18th Duratrax Vendetta TC-A short review of a great car

2009-12-11T14:52:00.004-05:00

Yes the little Duratrax Vendetta TC 1/18th scale touring car has been out for just over year, and why am I so late to review it....and who cares anyway? Well I am here to convince you that this car is relevant and important in today's market!
First, let us check out price. I snagged mine for $119.00 minus a $10.00 coupon from Tower. That is $109.00 as a RTR vehicle. You just need to supply battery pack! I must say this is a deal, and far better priced than any competition and a formidable good value. Despite the ongoing jobless recession, it is amazing how many high priced cars continue to be presented to the public. I commend Duratrax and Tower for this value package!
Comparing this to my totally unloved Associated RC18r, I wish I had bought the Duratrax first! The Vendetta TC is just as fast, has higher quality components, and a REALLY nice chassis with multiple suspension adjustments, some aluminum parts, nice shocks, and long wear tires. The chassis is a quality piece of molded plastic that seems "20 times" stiffer than the RC18 chassis! Also this thing has a darn cover to protect the spur gear from small rocks and sand! This minor difference is my most MAJOR difference as I can run this car more than 10 times up and down my block without having a ruined spur like in my RC18! And no, I no longer live in the snow belt, so my road is clean, but my rc18 continued to end up sidelined with ruined spur gears!
Interesting is the design of the Vendetta; the car uses full size receiver and steering servo. Actually a positive in my book, the Vendetta looks like it would accommodate most standard servos, and mounting is a snap with just double sided tape! Also as a note, the radio system is great, if not plain, but who cares. It is a solid 27 mhz transmitter in my hand, and great range with never a glitch. The stock speed control is compact and can easily handle the VR3 "high RPM" motor with nary an issue. My only complaint is that reverse and brake seem to not be consistent regardless of how I drive or set the throttle trim on the transmitter. Sometimes when I want just brake, I end up triggering some reverse in the process.
I am having fun driving this little car. I doubt I will be changing the running gear any time soon. The chassis and transmission should be able to handle the increase of speed with an aftermarket brushless system no problem. I just don't feel like stressing the running gear if I don't have to, and this car I am trying to keep stock (and reliable).
This car truly is a miniaturized version of a 1/10th touring car. The car even handles as such, like it is on rails, and really seems to like the asphalt. I haven't had an opportunity to test on carpet as there is no track right by my house-let alone one with a race class for these beasts...what a shame! Running on asphalt I have the tell tale scratches on the bottom of the tub chassis, but aside from that, everything is like new....including the tires. Maybe I am a light user, but I see these tires wearing nice, and they have great grip even on cold (40 degree F) asphalt. As for speed, I see this car as a real 25 mph machine with stock motor and gearing. The stock gearing seems like a decent compromise for acceleration and top speed, and having no alternate gears in my possession to try, it stays as stock for now!
Duratrax has done such a good job with this car. It makes me want to try their other offerings. Their Rally would be nice for rougher pavement, and even maybe a little dirt, but what really has me interested is their new SC stadium truck. Running a slightly longer chassis, and with similar suspension to their buggy, that will be a winner.
Being an online retailer of 1/16th-1/18th battery packs, it was a good idea for me to get a Vendetta chassis vehicle. Many a customer has inquired about fitment of the battery packs I sell. The Vendetta chassis is short and requires a 2x3 stick pack. Our EP1500 packs fit fine as long as the black plastic endcaps on the packs are removed. We even just fit our ACE1800 Lipo pack in the battery compartment. It was a tight fit, but check the pictures as to it fitting as well as our EP1500 pack w/plastic endcaps removed. The longer chassis on the new SC truck will use 6x1 side by side packs or our 1800 ACE pack no problem.
I continue to run our Vendetta TC up and down my street as stock. My only modification has been the addition of a Deans Ultra plug on the ESC for better current flow. My only maintenance has been the addition of shock oil to one of the rear shocks (it was low from the factory). So no complaints and a lot of fun! This high quality product will make me buy a SC stadium truck when funds allow. I am still amazed when I read some forum comments that Duratrax is sh_t. What about Associated's "flexible" flyer rc18 with no GEAR COVER!!!!!!
Please check out all my pictures and help support me support the hobby by checking out some of my excellent battery packs from my web store www.BeatuRacing.com!

EP 1500 battery packs

2009-12-09T22:36:00.002-05:00

We have more on the way! Our most popular battery packs will soon be in stock. Packs for RC18, Vendetta, Traxxas 1/16th E-Revo, and Losi Mini Slider are on order direct from the EP Factory.

Visit JUICED RC

2009-10-29T22:40:00.002-04:00

I found them on the web and they are in my back yard! Cool insight to the RC SCENE!

Tamiya 1/10th Scale Twin Detonator Review with 10 Cell Mod

2009-10-23T13:51:00.003-04:00

Tamiya has been producing the twin motor Twin Detonator Monster truck for years. This truck is durable, simple, and fun! I have been running mine for a few years with absolutely no problem. It had been in "hiding" when I moved, and I just reinstalled a radio system and rewired the whole truck to utilize a 6 cell and a second 4 cell pack to make it a true 10 cell NIMH powered truck.

The simple chassis design basically is a cage that unites two complete identical motor and gearbox housings. The wheels are then suspended by long double wishbone suspension components.
Let me emphasize simple, because the truck uses "friction" shocks.....remember this truck retails for about $139.00!

The Tamiya Twin Detonator comes with two 540 "silver can" motors for power. These motors power their separate gear box units to provide the twin power 4wd drive train. The motors spin in opposite directions as one motor is mounted on the left, the other on the right. So future motor upgrades must be made with like motors with 0 degree timing or like motors that have adjustable timing so that they can be matched.

The monster truck tires are Chevron style with small spikes as well. They are very grippy and work on a variety of surfaces. Make sure you glue the tires to the rims as I found that they will eventually slip on the rim with use. I found that the truck's suspension is half spring / half tires. The tires also wear well.

The body on my truck sits a little low...I like the stance that way...it looks more like a stadium truck. With the adjustable body posts one can lift the body as high as one would want for a different look. The polycarbonate body comes clear with stickers. I did a simple one color paint job and used the included stickers for the look in the posted pictures.

The truck is really designed for a single 6 cell stick pack. I got bored with the low speeds of the single 6 cell pack. Adding 4 more cells above and creating a 10 cell pack really wakes the truck up! Now it is a real beast approaching 20 mph with the stock cheap motors. I use an ACE 4500mah NIMH stick pack and 4 ACE 4500mah single cells to create a very powerful 10 cell pack. One may say in this day and age of brushless and lipo....why should I be impressed with 20mph? Remember....this is not a $600 monster truck! This is a $139.00 kit...and the amount of fun is just worth every penny. I am still impressed how capable this truck is! It also tracks and handles much better than one would expect from a kit without oil dampened shocks. The terrain that the truck can dominate is almost amazing. Its wide stance provides stable cornering despite the higher center of gravity of an extra 4 cells mounted high. Durability is great. The only thing I have broken is one driving light mounted to the body's rollbar.

With some modified motors and oil shocks this thing would be sick! I am sure it would embarrass some pricier trucks. I used an old Novak Dually ESC and it barely seems worked....currently Novak sells a Rooster that should do just fine. Traxxas also sells a speed control for their EMAXX that would work great in this truck. Add some Traxxas 550's and this would probably be overkill. Fun is taking something ho-hum and building something deceiving!

The Ace 4500 cells work awesome! They don't get much more than warm powering the twin 540 motors and runtime is at least 20 minutes, depending on how you drive.

I found space for the extra 4 cells on the top surface and just moved the ESC to on top of the steering servo. I had an Associated 27 mhz am radio from my RC18 that I use as control. It works great and the receiver is tiny so it fits nice. The extra cells were shrink wrapped and are held in place with some nice black rubber bands that handle wing duty for RC airplanes. I purposely zip tied any wires for a neat and solid install and routed all the wires close to the chassis for best fit and safety. With all the bouncing around, loose wires can eventually become too loose, breaking solder joints.

Though this truck is not a "Purpose Built" performance RC vehicle it is very enjoyable to take to the next level with a little DIY creativity. Sometimes the most professional RC vehicle isn't the most fun to run....and isn't that what a hobby is supposed to be...fun!

Fast driving through Paris 1976

2009-10-08T23:13:00.003-04:00

Rare film short by director Claude Lelouch. Rendezvous 1976.
Enjoy!

Claude Lelouch - C'etait un Rendezvous (1976) from vtg on Vimeo.

Grand Motorsports Drag Spec Kit 1/10th RC Electric ProStreet Drag Car

2009-10-08T16:49:00.004-04:00

Here is our new ProStreet Drag car from Grand MotorSports. This simple kit is fun and fast!
We used all old school technology with this build. I had some stuff left over from the last century....just kidding....sort of.
The motor is a 12turn double Trinity Speed Gems brushed motor.
The speed control is a Duratrax Intellispeed 8T FWD only brushed ESC.
The radio is a mix of Futaba Magnum and Hitec FM 75meg.
The battery is our new ACE 3300mah 6 cell stick pack.
So why all the old school technology? IT STILL MAKES THE CAR WICKED FAST!
If you never drove a simple pan chassis Drag car or any pan chassis car on the street, you don't know how fast they can go with simple, cheap, reliable components.
I used the ACE 3300mah pack just to make the car manageable off the line. The 4500mah pack weighs more but puts out a mean punch that I couldn't control at the start. I am going to work myself up to that pack....then maybe LIPO.
The 3300mah barely breaks a sweat as I really only use it for 5 second bursts as the car seems like it would go over 50 mph given enough room. I see about 35mph so far in front of my house.
I was reading some old forum posts related to electric drag racing, and the guys were talking about old Bolink cars 6/7 cell with 10T/12T motors doing 40 - 50 mph times in the 132ft. races....this was back in 2000 or so! (The internet was barely established!) Some guys were not even using ESC's but rather servos activating simple on-off micro switches.
I really wanted to build a car that could go fast on the cheap because I don't have any high tech brushless 1/10th components, and the kit itself was only $119 with your choice of body from RCCARKINGS.com. I chose the 67 Camaro body. You will also need linkage and servo saver hardware to complete the car besides the usual radio and electric gear.
I had the Trinity Speed Gems motor sitting in an old touring car, and I thought I could use it in the Drag car. It seems like a good match with great top end too.
My painting abilities are not great, and I am slightly ashamed by my simple paint scheme compared to those on GrandMotorSport's website.....
Anyway, I am having fun with this car and plan to run it wide open somewhere to get a top speed. I am really using this more as a speed run car than a drag car...either way this is fun!

New bodies for 1/10th RC Tamiya Mini Cooper M03 M05 M04 M02

2009-10-08T15:24:00.002-04:00

Check out these cool bodies we just got in from our distributor! They fit all 210mm Tamiya wheelbase chassis including Mini Cooper. Other M-style cars they should fit as well as long as wheelbase can be adjusted to 210mm. Width or Track is 160mm for each. We have these three in our store as of 10-8-2009.

ACE Lipo 5300mah 30C 7.4V Hard shell Lipo

2009-10-08T09:21:00.003-04:00

We just received our first order of these monster packs! These are super performance and quality units great for 1/8th Electric buggies and monster trucks.
Buy them here: BeatuRacing.com

ACE Lipo 4000mah 7.4V 25C Hard Shell ROAR approved!

2009-10-08T09:16:00.002-04:00

We just got our first batch of Ace Lipos in stock. They look great and are priced right. This model is ROAR approved, super for club racing, and fits TAMIYA M03/M05/TL01 sized battery openings!
Buy them here: BeatuRacing.com

Thunder AC6 Charger review

2009-08-25T07:26:00.007-04:00

The new AC6 charger is a new, inexpensive, "5 in 1 charging system". Thunder AC6 Smart 5-in-1 Balance Charger/Discharger w/ AC Adapter for 1-6 Cell Lipo/Lilo/LiFe + 1-15 Cell Nimh/NiCD Not familiar with the company that makes the charger or Hobbypartz.com, I was pleasantly surprised by both. After ordering, I received the typical confirmation email, and about 48 hrs. later I had a tracking #, and within 2 days of that email, I had my charger sitting at the door step. Good service and timely, I like that.

The first thing I realized, is how small this unit is. Being a AC/DC charger I was surprised it was so small, and at the same time happy it didn't need an external "brick" to provide AC power. I also was skeptical regarding heat build up, and general performance.

An array of different plugs, wires, and adapters are included. I used the Deans compatible male wire harness for my testing. Surprising is the exclusion of either a Tamiya type battery plug or a mini plug (the type most used on 1/18th scale packs). In either case such an adapter can be created with little work or expense. (A side note....I actually got in trouble with W.S. Deans with my 1/18th scale NIMH battery packs because they had "Deans type" plugs. I was illegally selling my packs by infringing on their patent. Thunder appears to be doing the same thing....only on a much larger scale! I have since installed genuine Deans Plugs on any battery packs I sell despite the cost and labor involved. I am still shocked I was singled out by Deans, where as I see many other retailers continue to sell the knock off connectors either loose, attached to battery packs, or on chargers or ESC's as well).

Here are specs. directly from the web page description:
Specification
Operating voltage: DC 11~18 volts
Charge/discharge power: max. 50/5 Watts
NiCd/MH: 1~15 cells
LiIo/LiPo/LiFe: 1~6 series
Pb: 2~20V
Charge current: 0.1 to 5.0A
Discharge current: 0.1 to 1.0A
No. of cycle: 1 to 5 times
Battery data memory: up to 5 data
Weight: 260g
Dimension: 140*95*28mm
Computer USB port
Temperature sensor port
Built in AC adapter

Optimized operating software
When charging or discharging, the smart charger offers an AUTO function that sets the feeding current or the cell count of the Lithium battery automatically. For Lithium batteries, this can prevent an over-charging situation which can lead to an explosion should the user not set the program correctly. Every program in the unit is programmed with safety monitoring to validate the user information to ensure maximum safety. These parameters can be set by the user.

High-power and high-performance circuit
The smart charger employs a circuit that has maximum output power of 50W. As a result, the smart charger can charge or discharge up to 15 cells of NiCd/NiMH and 6 series of Lithium batteries with maximum current of 5.0A.
Individual voltage balancer for Lithium batteries inside
Built into the smart charger is an individual-cell-voltage balancer. No external balancer is needed when charging Lithium batteries (LiIo/LiPo/LiFe) for balance charging.
Balance individual cells on discharge
The smart charger also can monitor and balance individual cells of the Lithium battery pack during the discharge process, as well as the charge process. If the voltage of any one cell varies abnormally, the process will be stopped with the error message.
Accept various types of Lithium battery
The smart charger can accept three types of Lithium batteries - LiIo, LiPo and LiFe. They have different characteristics by their chemistry, such as minimum, maximum, and charge termination voltages.
Lithium battery Fast and Storage mode
The smart charger offers additional Lithium programming. Fast charge reduces the charging time of the Lithium battery and the Storage mode controls the final voltage of the battery to be suit for long time storage.
Data store/load
5 data of different batteries programs can be stored and retrieved. These data files can be recetrived at any time you need them without reprogramming.
Cyclic charging/discharging
The smart charger can perform 1 to 5 cycles of charge>discharge or discharge>charge for battery break in/refreshing and balancing.
PC based analysis using USB communication
For the advanced user, the smart charger INCLUDES a PC based program that can analyze the characteristic of the battery through the computers USB port. The software will graph voltage, current, capacity and temperature curves. It also shows the individual voltages of each cell in the Lithium battery pack.
Back-light LCD screen
Include LCD display
Robust outer aluminum case
High-quality aluminum case is durable and very efficient to cool out the internal heat
Advanced temperature sensor cable port (sensor cable not included)
An optional temperature probe contacting the surface of the battery to monitor the battery temperature during charging can be used
This unit comes with cables shown as well as CD & Manual

My first test was actually to charge a 4500 6 cell sub c 7.2V Nimh battery pack using the charger. After reading the owners manual I was able to figure things out within 5 minutes. The charger allows the user to set delta peak threshold...i.e. example of 5MV per cell, as well as charge rate (0.1 amp to 5.0 amp) .
The first thing I noticed was the lack of noise....yes this charger does not have a fan! Nor does it seem to need one. The charger barely got warm feeding 4.5amps to the nimh battery. It peak charged it perfectly....and though I might have fallen to a mind game...my Tamiya M03 FWD 1/10th rc car definitely had more scoot to it compared to the same battery charged on my MRC 969 Smart brain charger at the same 5MV delta peak threshold and 4.5 Amp charge rate.
The one point I must make; though the charger will charge up to 5Amps, it will reduce maximum charge rate on nimh packs greater than 6 cells or lipo packs over 2S. That is basically the case with most chargers though.

My second test was one of my ACEPOWER lipos that are 2S 7.4V, 1800 mah. This time I tested charging both with the included balance adapter ports and without the balance option. Both times the pack was perfectly charged to 8.39 volts. Zero heat build up either with the charger or the battery pack while charging either way.

I am impressed. There is no other charger on the market for this price that has all the features. The buttons, case, and nice blue display are quality pieces, and the charger doesn't require a bulky external AC adapter. It also has a USB interface for computer updates or control ( I did not try this feature). ALL in ALL a 10 out of 10. Please check out all of our pics we took while testing.Thunder AC6 Smart 5-in-1 Balance Charger/Discharger w/ AC Adapter for 1-6 Cell Lipo/Lilo/LiFe + 1-15 Cell Nimh/NiCD

Tamiya M03 FWD with HPI Honda Civic Hatch Body

2009-08-20T20:25:00.003-04:00

I really have been enjoying my resurrected Tamiya M03 FWD Mini. I decided to go Japanese, and install a HPI Honda Civic body and some new rims.

In order to do the modification, I had to extend the wheelbase to 225mm. To do the "free" mod is simple. We just flip the rear arms, and drill a small hole to mount the lower shock screw. This info I got from an excellent website known as rc-mini.net .

Here is what is under the body:

Tamiya M03 fwd chassis
full ball bearings
Tamiya Sport Tuned "black" can motor
3Racing Aluminum oil shocks (I sell these, and they are very high quality. See my blog post)
Tamiya 27 Am radio gear from tamtech gbo1 frog
Hitec basic steering servo
Duratrax intellispeed sport ESC Forward-Brake only
Foam pre mounted tire-rim combo

The whole combo performs awesome! Yes I know I am not using all high end stuff, but the real racing stuff is under there. With the extended wheelbase this car handles amazing and is kept in check with the 3Racing shocks. I also am powering the car with an ACE Racing Nimh 4500 mah battery pack that runs the car forever! This pack is great. I hope I can begin selling these battery packs soon!

Basically the Tamiya M03 chassis is very reliable and as I stated in previous blog entry is very fun and rewarding to drive. I really prefer this to the 1/18th scale Associated RC18 as it holds up better and is more scale in appearance.

Unique Xpro chassis-Xmod Evo Nissan Stadium Truck

2009-08-20T19:57:00.004-04:00

Ok....so I had this rather beat up truck body sitting around with no Xmod Evo Truck chassis parts, but....all these bits and pieces of Xmod Evo car parts, and some spacers, and some 2mm screws, and even some Xpro chassis parts. What to do? Let there be a 1/28th scale RC Stadium truck!

We have Lithium Power, an upgraded PN Racing 07 motor, wild Chevron tires mounted on PN Racing AWD Mini-Z rims, and now we have a TRUCK!

The Chevron tires are my famously used Tamiya Truck tires from one of their "education series kits." The body is a beat up and cut up Nissan Titan Xmod truck body. The chassis is mostly modified pieces from TWO of my Xpro chassis systems.

My goal and inspiration was to make as similiar a stadium truck to my favorite stadium truck kit....the 1/10th scale Tamiya Stadium Blitzer, and to do it on the cheap.

The PN Racing dish wheels have a rectangular opening which would not fit the "D" shape of the Xmod axles. Simple fix is to dremel the "D" down to a flat. Now the wheels fit perfect. To mount the tires to the rims, I wrapped a few layers of double sided tape around the rim and then force fitted on the tires. It works! These tire and wheel combo works nice. Look at the pics and you will see ample ground clearance and a PHAT stance! The tires do not come off the rim under normal running either!

The battery pack consists of two 4/5 AA lithium cells wired in series for 7.4 volts. I made a pack very similar in shape to the 1/10th scale rc car nimh packs for proper fitment and placement just like the 1/10th truck I tried to emulate.

I used a stock non modified xmod evo board, and a PN 07 motor for power control and delivery.

A few modifications for a front mount and rear mount for the body, some big ugly cuts on the body so the wheels don't scrape, and we have a full functioning and unique rc model truck!

How does it run? Very, Very, Very nice I must say. The goal was to be able to use this Xmod on asphalt with no issues. It runs great, the truck does not flip over in turns. It EASILY outhandles a real Xmod Evo Truck! This is the easiest 2wd Xmod you could drive. It pulls nearly 20 MPH. That is a real 20 mph which is pretty darn fast for an Xmod (it probably looks like the 40 mph that a typical kid would claim his xmod does).

A trip to the past: RC Alpine A110 M02 Tamiya chassis

2009-08-14T16:54:00.002-04:00

I decided to bring my Tamiya M02 Alpine back from the dead....well the dusty shelf minus radio gear dead. I needed a suitable and fun ride to test some 1/10th battery packs I may start selling, and this car begged to be driven.

Not only is the car old, and has been discontinued by Tamiya for years but so is the radio gear. The ESC is an old Novak Duster II. This was my first "high end" electronic speed control I bought from the local hobby shop when I bought my first 1/10th scale 4wd touring car! That car was one of OFNA's first products, and that was nearly 15 yrs. ago! Well, with some new wires it performs flawlessly and fits the old chassis nicely.

The receiver / transmitter combo is nothing more than the 27 AM radio out of my crippled and really unloved RC18R. The steering servo is nothing more than one of the HS311 Hitec servos that came with one of my many Hitec radios (I am running it without a servo saver and so far so good). My 75 AM radio gear does not work well in my neighborhood, as it constantly glitches. The 27 AM radio gear from both the RC18 and my Tamtech frog work great. I need to save for a new 2.4g radio when I start making some real money!

Anyway, with all the hype about 1/18th scale, it really is fun to run the Tamiya 1/10th mini class cars (their m-series chassis). I currenty have my Mini Cooper M03 FWD and now this ancient M02 RWD chassis running great. I know I am not running the cars hard or race them. I would love to get a race series going, but I see that Atlanta, GA is really in need of some rc car tracks. I thought coming from CT/NY area I would find more tracks here....I was wrong!

With just the "silver can" Mabuchi 540 motors, these cars move nicely. Despite the odd mono shock front and rear suspension on the M02, it actually handles great! Nothing amazes me more than the reliability of these cars! Nothing really breaks, the cars have sealed gearboxes so most road crud doesn't get into the gears, and they run for a long time on a 4500 mah 6 cell nimh pack! Granted I don't push the limits with running a stock brushed 540, but I could see these cars running fine with a mild brushless system with no problems. All one would have to do is make sure the battery is charged and the tires still have some rubber!

These cars seem to be the right size too. Not too small, not to big, just right they are for running in the street. It is nice to see them with classic bodies and some suspension movement. Makes them more challenging to drive and fun to watch. I suspect a resurgence of the 1/10th mini class with Tamiya now offering their nicely updated M05 FWD chassis. HPI is also in the game with their "true scale" 1/10th cars-abiet with nice bodies and 4wd chassis-but higher cost and complexity.

RC Car Battery Wholesale Opportunities! Got a local hobby shop-track-or club? BUY at a DISCOUNT!

2009-08-12T17:07:00.004-04:00

We at beaturacing.com would like to extend special wholesale quantity discounts available for small hobby shops, tracks, and clubs! We are so sure of the quality of our battery packs, we know your club or hobby shop would do well buying from us!

Our EP1500 packs are made from 1500 mah high discharge rate 2/3A nimh cells, clear shrink wrapped with 16g wire. Our ACE Lipo packs are made from high discharge rate lithium polymer cells (20C with a 1800 mah rating) and are equipped with 14g wire and 3 pin standard balance plug.

The Ace Lipo is configured in a 2S 7.4v package and is sized to fit the RC18, Tamtech, Losi Slider and Modified. It also will fit the new Traxxas 1/16th E-Revo and Slash!

All we require for minimum order is 12 packs at a time. All are available with or without Deans / Traxxas plugs. Yes you can mix and match as long as 12 packs are purchased.

In order for us to be fair to our retail customers, pricing is only available to legitimate hobby shops and racing clubs. Proof of such is required upon price inquiry. We do not mark our nimh battery packs with stickers (sell them as your brand, if you wish!). What you see is what you get; great batteries that are a great value! We buy direct from the manufacturer. Our years of sourcing has paid off, as we have established relations with our suppliers.

FOR DIRECT WHOLESALE ORDERING AND PRICING EMAIL US AT: beaturacing@gmail.com

New 3Racing parts for Tamiya Mini's MA03/MA04/MA05

2009-08-10T17:29:00.002-04:00

Our distributor carries the 3Racing line of products and we have decided to try a few out! Their MA03 Aluminum Dampener Set is very high quality and we recommend it! For the price of Tamiya plastic units you can upgrade to these and they look and perform great! Some features include all mounting hardware, spare dampener disks, and threaded shock bodies with adjustable collars. The caps and collars are anodized a pleasing blue, and the units are fully assembled. We had to top off the shock oil as the units we tested and installed were 3/4 full...easy and fun upgrade.
See the pics! They are available on Ebay and our website beaturacing.com.

New Ace Power 1800 mah Lipo for 1/16th to 1/18th RC Cars

2009-08-03T17:02:00.003-04:00

We at BeatuRacing have just received our order of the new Ace Power 1800mah 20C lipos!

We will offer them with No Connector, TRX Traxxas Connector, and W.S. Deans Ultra Connector.

All of the packs will have 3 wire balance plug as well as 14g silicone flex wire leads.
The best part of these packs are their size-they are 30mm wide x 16.5mm thick x 92mm long and they fit the RC18 battery tray perfect, as well as the Traxxas 1/16th E-Revo and Slash battery compartments! We haven't tried, but they may fit Duratrax Vendetta models as well!

These packs are rated at 1800mah 20C discharge rate. They are 2S packs (2 cell 7.4V). Like all Lipo battery packs they must be charged with a Lipo ready charger. Best Results are with a balance type charger....that is what the balance plug is for!!!!!

Always make sure not to let the battery packs run down completely. The cells should not dip below 3V each. If running a Lipo compatible speed controller, make sure the lipo cutoff is set for 2 cell packs (7.4V). Never short the battery leads or overcharge. Inspect battery for damage or distress before and after running.

AVAILABLE NOW!!!!

Hobbywing 25A 7800kv Brushless system installed in our RC18r

2009-06-05T21:54:00.002-04:00

Check out our new brushless system available now! See the video-go to our Ebay or webstore link to find out more!

Charge Rate for EP1500 2/3A battery packs for 1/18th scale cars

2009-06-01T10:59:00.004-04:00

Some basic recommendations for charging NIMH batteries such as our EP1500 battery packs:
Charge at a rate 1 to 1.5 amps. I have charged at 2 amp rate but see no real benefit. If racing maybe I would do a 2 amp "top off" charge just before the race for a peak voltage, but otherwise I would stick with a 1 to 1.5 amp rate. If your nimh charger has a peak mv adjust it should be set at 5mv per cell or 30 mv for a 6 cell pack.
We have been successful charging with our MRC 969 AC/DC charger. Please use a NimH compatible charger....most are these days. Never charge over 2 amps as the battery packs will overheat and be damaged.
If storing packs for an extended period of time, store FULLY charged as nimh batteries do self discharge noticably over extended periods of time ( over 2 months).
New packs get better with a few charge-discharge cycles and then will perform at their best. Some of our 6 cell packs have peak charged at almost NINE volts!

1/18th scale rc car battery packs by DiyMiniTuner with EP1500 cells

2009-05-31T22:28:00.004-04:00

Great specs for our EP1500 NiMh battery packs are not just numbers but real world advantages! The Enrich Power 2/3A nimh cell has been engineered to not only live up to its 1500 mah rating but to maintain high voltage under high current loads. This cell can deliver up to 30 amps of current (20C) when other "cheap" cells start to fall flat at only 14 or so amps!
Many of the packs we see on Ebay sold by the mega sellers come with a warning "use as sport, not race packs..."
Our battery packs can handle the high current draw of any 1/18th scale rc car power systems including brushless motors! We actually run many of our 1/10th scale cars with these packs because they are light weight, put out the power, and are cheap. Right now our Tamiya M03 Mini Cooper runs our Duratrax Vendetta configured pack (2x3 stick pack) and it is great for this 1/10th scale FWD racer! We also have a Associated TC3 running TWO mini-t sized packs in unison (parallel configured) to handle a 10Turn Trinity motor and the AWD touring chassis!
Check out our many listings on our website!
Buy them here!

Super Summer Deals on 1/18th scale RC Car Nimh Battery packs, Lipo packs for the Losi micro-T, and PN Racing 1/28th scale motors!

2009-05-29T10:10:00.002-04:00

Please be aware of our great deals on our wonderful high quality products such as 1/18th scale RC18, Losi Slider, Losi Mini-T, Duratrax Vendetta, TC, Rally, Tamtech, and HPI Micro battery packs! We have super deals on the Micro-T lipo battery packs we sell as well as PN Racing 1/28th scale motors for the Mini-Z and Xmod type rc cars.
Our Ebay and diyminituner.com site is ready to serve!

1/18th scale brushless speed controls and motors coming to DiyMiniTuner.com

2009-05-29T10:02:00.002-04:00

We will keep you posted on our brushless ESC and motor combos that we plan to sell. Our rc18 rally has been resurrected with a hitec fm 3ch. receiver and Futaba FM Magnum transmitter, new 60t spur gear, and a fresh DiyMiniTuner EP1500 6 cell pack. We also ordered a GPM aluminum spur gear in anticipation of our brushless conversion and will report on that product as well.
For now it runs with stock motor and is still a blast to drive. I am happy we have smooth and fresh black top outside for testing. Of course a proper video will be made to show off our new product when it ready-to-run!

Cheap 230mah Micro-T lipo battery

2009-05-27T14:28:00.006-04:00

We have them back in stock as of 3-23-2010! Only $13.95 each!!!!
Buy them here!

Cheap EP1500 battery packs for Losi Mini-T, LST, Hpi Micros

2009-05-26T21:14:00.004-04:00

Battery packs are now in stock AGAIN! They are only $11.95 EACH!We got in BIG trouble selling our packs with a counterfeit Deans Ultra connector-so we chopped them off and got a bunch of AWESOME packs for sale without connector.
Buy them here!

Cheap EP1500 battery packs for RC18, Losi Slider, Losi Modified, and Tamtech rc cars!

2009-05-26T21:10:00.003-04:00

Cheap EP1500 battery packs for Duratrax Vendetta TC Rally

2009-05-26T20:54:00.008-04:00

Quality vs. Price. (the 1/18th scale rc car battery question)

2009-05-04T23:02:00.009-04:00

We have been actively selling our 1/18th scale rc car Nimh battery packs for nearly a year and half. They have become a popular product of ours and we are proud to offer such a value. Most of our sales continue to be through EBAY, but we plan to move our business to our website store as a cost saving measure for us and for our customers once we figure a solid marketing plan.
It remains odd that with all the positive feedback received we are compelled to continue our special two for $24.95 price point. Looking at the competition our price is way to low. A good single pack retails for nearly $30.00. Our packs come with EP1500 cells that are very high discharge rate and are assembled in the three most popular configurations. The packs all come with 16g super flex silicone wire with high current connectors. Buy them here!They are great performance upgrades for the Losi Mini-T, Slider, Duratrax Mini Quake, Vendetta buggy, truck , or touring car, Tamtech 1/16th vehicles, and ALL Associated RC18 machines!

Xmod Truck Crawler Motor update

2009-04-28T16:23:00.002-04:00

The Crawler motor prototype was a failure.....
Sometimes we just have to quit before it consumes us.
The design had promise, the new micro gear motors had promise, but after
a 1 hour torture test, the motor gear boxes still failed despite the new metal output shaft
replacing the former plastic units used by our very first crawler motors.
We will continue to update as something comes about (like a new design). We wish we could still
get those 2mm output shaft conventional style gearbox motors but they
are no longer produced-mike
P.S. (If Radio Shack chooses to re-issue the Xmod
trucks in the USA maybe I will also find renewed interest in designing a
new motor!)

230 MAH Micro-T LiPO

2009-02-13T21:27:00.000-05:00

Great Lipo pack at an even better price with a 230mah rating and 5C constant discharge rate to handle whatever Micro-T it powers! 7.4 volt lipo is the highest mah rating sold to fit the stock micro-t and we have it available separately or with an AC peak charger. No connectors included we highly recommend Deans Micro connectors. In stock as of March 2009! Check out our Ebay store or www.DiyMiniTuner.com

Xmod Evo Semi Truck

2009-01-31T18:05:00.001-05:00

the chassis is made from TWO rear gearboxes from Xmod Evo cars and both are powered by stage 1 RS motors. Battery power comes from two 650mah Lithium Ion 14430 size cells. Control is with a stock Evo circuit board. Front assembly is from an Xmod Evo car as well. The ladder type frame is made from two sizes of plastic square stock available at most Hobby shops or Hobby Town. An interesting feature of my design is that it is adjustable for length because of a telescoping feature. The tires are part# 70101 Tamiya Truck tires. They fit over stock xmod car rim and tire assemblies with double sided tape to build up the diameter. Anyway, this truck is really fun to drive and though I check out all the Xmod forums, I haven't seen anything like this....but I could be wrong? If I find a proper sized cab from a toy truck I will mount that for a more professional look.

Xmod Evo with Tomy Drift Package Mitsubishi Evo IX Body

2009-01-26T21:04:00.000-05:00

We took the Mitsubishi Evo IX body from our Tomy Drift Package car and mounted to one of our Xmods Evolution chassis. We modified some PN Racing wheels for fitment on this Xmod and well...it looks racy. This car will be our "track car" and with the PN racing wheels fitted we can experiment with a variety of different PN racing tire compounds.

Tomy Drift Package Light - Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX REVIEW

2009-01-17T18:26:00.000-05:00

Tomy, in collaboration with Yokomo, has developed a small mini-z sized RC car specifically for the Drifting scene enthusiast. Some of the most interesting and exiciting drift competition vehicles have been skillfully modeled and licenced by Tomy for their new Drift Package Light series of Aero R/C car models. The series is also bulstered by a new drift chassis that has been developed which features a unique 4 wheel drive system designed specifically with drifting in mind. Special drift tires round out the package.

Though this model car should be considered a toy, and is hardly "hobby grade", it makes for a fun and desireable model for any collector. The quality of the bodies are just slightly below a mini-z and are on par with Xmods. Their size is also similiar to the Xmods line of cars and we are sure to see some modified for Xmod use. The Mitsubishi Lancer body is very detailed and has very nice proportions to the wheelbase and how the body sits in relation to wheel well spacing and ride height. The chassis is durable plastic with simple instructions for assembly. Despite the Japanese only wording, the car went together in about 10 minutes-no tools required.
The controler is compact and simple, surely toy like in feel, but none-the-less functional.

The unique design shows in the 4 wheel drive system. Most real drift cars are rear drive. In the rc model world we want 4 wheel drive so we can easily control the drift. The drive system gives a solid, straight rear axle coupled to a unique front drive system via a straight shaft going the length of the chassis. The front drive has what appears to be a differential, but in reality is an overrunning clutch axle attached to dogbones in the front wheels. This allows free wheeling at the front under some circumstances and allows the front wheels to pull the car out of the drift when necessary. The controls are not proportional. A front mounted motor directly controls the steering and will quickly turn the wheels left or right. The steering motor has a gear engaged directly to a toothed rack attached to the tie rods. The tires are removable from the wheels and are a press on fit-they are hard nylon type tires that are supposed to slip and slide on either tile, vinyl, or hardwood floors.

As I mentioned, this rc vehicle is simple-non proportional speed and steering. Three AAA cells go into the car, two AAA cells find their way into the controller. Simple forward, back, left, right are the controls and the funny thing-that is all one needs for this type car. Top speed is about one half the speed of a stock Xmods. As soon as one pulls the trigger this car just is fun. Running on hardwood floors it takes some practice to really drift pretty. Once one gets the hang of the controls it is rather addictive. True drift moves are possible and with practice can be done with precision. I have no doubt that people really could learn some driving skill just with these toys. Range is not fantastic, but I can't see why one would need more than 15-20 feet of range as they are designed to be used not in a straight line, but a constant drift. A 10 foot square space with a few cones would be enough to get 3 people racing ( I forgot to mention the cars have a 3 frequency selection switch on the car and controller so 3 cars can run at the same time)!

Tomy has done a superb job balancing cost and performance to bring these small drifters to the RC market place. These models are fantastic for collectors because of the many body choices available, yet still offer hours of enjoyment for the rc car drivers. There is definetely a huge following for the drifting autosport in Japan, and Tomy has faithfully recreated the scene for us in the micro R/C car hobby.

Xmods Barricade with electronics transplant "Ultimate Pursuit Vehicle"

2009-01-07T17:15:00.001-05:00

We take a stock Xmods Barricade and replace the electronics board with an Associated XP2 transmitter and receiver from an rc18r ready-to-run, a GWS gs-100 micro airplane speed control, and a Hitec HS-55 servo circuit board. For power we install a PN Racing Saber 130 motor and two 7.4V 230mah Diy Mini Tuner Micro-t lipos wired in parallel for 460mah at 7.4 volts.
We use the HS-55 circuit board to connect the stock servo motor and pot already installed in the Xmods front end.The poteniometer or "pot" is the 3 wire device that "moves" with the servo output shaft to determine position. The red and black power wires from the hs-55 board go to the xmod servo motor (top motor tab gets red wire, bottom gets black wire) then the 3 "pot" wires go from the circuit board to the xmods pot: green to white xmod wire, yellow to orange xmod wire, and red to black xmod pot wire. Due to the relatively small size of the Associated xp2 receiver it fits perfect on the chassis. The GWS micro speed control is tiny but can handle 5-8 cells at a constant 5 amps. It is forward only with brake ( this is a plane speed control.) There are only a few types of transmitters that can use this speed control without modification. The XP2 transmitter features an adjustment on the trigger that sets it for either center neutral point (stock) or up neutral point ( for full swing of the throttle trigger with a slight swing upward just for brake.) This is an important feature that this controller has as a normal trigger controller will not allow adjustment of the neutral point to the degree that this speed control needs as it is really for airplanes. A 2 channel stick radio could be used as they usually offer similar adjustment on the up down stick for plane throttles.
Anyway, performance is downright wicked. Full and fast steering response much like or better than mini-z and a very efficient speed control with far more control definetly help control this VERY fast car. The Saber motor really comes alive with the lipo power. The speed control is very precise and allows the car to hit top speed with ease-the car actually caught air and lifted off the ground in one high speed test. This is the fasted Xmod I have ever put together.

Xmods Nissan GT-R Total Custom 4 Cell chassis

2008-12-20T21:53:00.000-05:00

This is my latest chassis design utilizing twin upper deck design utilizing my Xpro chassis system with a custom 4 cell 850mah AAA saddle pack. Circuit board is modified with upgraded fets and power switch bypass. Chassis is rear drive full ball bearings with a now discontinued PN Racing Macho modified motor. Front body mount for the GT-R body has been lowered by heating and melting plastic for a more realistic and visually appealing body height.
This battery configuration just fits in the space. The cells are soldered and then clear shrink wrapped and mounted underside the lower deck with servo tape. The cells are hidden from view yet maintain a low center of gravity. Being a hardwired pack of 4 cells there is little or no resistance loss that might be encountered with a battery box and now the pack is charged at 1 amp with a Super Brain 969 Charger for consistant peak fast charging . (This pack is similiar to a battery pack I used to market called "Race Spec" Nimh which used high rate discharge KAN 700MAH flat top AAA cells. I had discontinued this product once AAA lithium Ion cells appeared on the scene as well as properly sized flat lipos).
I am very happy with the overall result. This is a very fast 4 cell car. The motor was chosen more for it being in my spare parts bin, and if I had larger pinion gears, could easily gear it for more top end. I might try a PN Saber (another discontinued motor) if I can find it in my parts bins. Most of this car is spare parts...the circuit board has seen many hours of driving....mostly with lithium set ups and is still going strong with great range. I think it comes from a Scion. The wheels I think are Mustang?
The main benefits of this design is the unique layout of the chassis giving the Xmods a more realistic scale appearance with bodies mounted, interesting twin upper deck design for solid more twist resistant chassis, and multiple battery configurations such as lipo, lithium ion, or custom AAA saddle packs.

69 Chevy Nova Xmod Evo Drag Car

2008-12-13T16:57:00.001-05:00

We took two Xpro Chassis systems and made an extended version Drag racing chassis. We mounted a Revell 1/25th Scale 69 Chevy Nova SS body which we painted primer gray. Kinda looks authentic this way. We left stock fets but run a PN Racing 07 motor with Lithium Ion power. Note we mounted the battery pack (a 650 mah 7.4V 2 cell pack) out in the rear for increadible traction. We found some Xmod radial tires for the front and high grip slicks for the back. This thing moves! An easy hole shot, on high traction surfaces and clean tires this thing leaps in the air. Check the photos! This is all fun....real American Muscle just as GM struggles to stay in business in the USA. Let's hope they stay.

Xmods Evo Xpro Chassis w/Mini-Z Lancia Delta Autoscale

2008-12-02T12:13:00.000-05:00

Here are some cool pics of our Xpro chassis with 4 wheel drive, full sealed bearings, 650 mah lithium ion cells, and a custom mounted Lancia Delta MA010 Autoscale body from Kyosho. With the Chassis set to the shortest setting, the wheelbase lines up perfect. The front mount is a shaved down mount from the Xmods 67 Firebird.
Though we only kept the stock motor and fets, this car flies! It handles great with the 4 wheel drive and is very quick off the line. This car is actually more fun to drive than the Kyosho AWD mini-Z...and ALOT cheaper!

Xmods Evo Mustang GT with prototype front mount system

2008-11-16T12:00:00.000-05:00

Here are pics of new Xmod Evo front mount system we are working on. It is fully adjustable with various shims and lengths to mount all Xmods car bodies. The main benefit is to be able to lower the front ride height of all xmods bodies to a more realistic height.
This model Xmod Evo features the 2005 Mustang GT body, Race suspension upgrade, PN Racing Fet Stock motor, and sealed bearings. Additional small mods include power switch bypass and 20g superflex motor wires soldered directly to board. Minor upgrades like these preserve the stock appearance, increase speed and handling, and keep a clean appearance. Note that the Mustang is running Scion rims. Looks Good?

Xpro Chassis instructions and details

2008-11-15T21:15:00.001-05:00

The Xpro Chassis is designed for the Xmods Evolution RC cars. It is a limited production ABS plastic chassis consisting of an upper and lower plate that locates the front and rear gearbox-axles of the Xmods Evo cars for use with a 2 cell lithium ion power pack consisting of two 14430 3.7v 600-650 mah lithium ion cells.
The main benefits are the utilization of lightweight lithium ion cells for increased speed and power and a more scale appearance as the batteries are hidden just above the lower body lines of most xmods body choices.
This is for the more advanced Xmods hobbyist as this totally transforms the Xmods Evo car into a custom model car of very high performance. To complete the project, one must be able to disassemble the Xmods Evo car, install the chassis parts and complete a lithium ion battery install. This chassis CANNOT utilize the stock battery box. One must purchase lithium ion cells size 14430 and wire into a 2s pack (7.4V) and install a power harness on the Xmods Evo circuit board. In addition, a proper charger must be used to recharge the Lithium Ion cells. Soldering is required and not optional. As for tools needed; a simple needle nose pliers for the small 2mm nuts, and the little screw driver that came with your Xmods kit all that is needed besides a soldering iron and solder.
Lets begin by disassembling your Xmods Evo car. Remove center part of chassis and stock battery box (note where the red and black wires go to the circuit board) so only the front and rear gearbox is left. The rear gearbox should retain wheelbase spacer if it is used for the body that is being mounted. Some cars that use spacer are the 05 Mustang, GT-R and G35.
For ease of assembly we de-solder the wires to the steering servo from the electronics board (note were all the wires go BEFORE removing them. BE CAREFUL as they are small and sometimes brittle) and remove the motor wires so we can install the top and bottom plates more easier. See photo.
Install top plate first using the four 2x8mm screws with the four locking nuts. Be careful when installing the nuts on the front gearbox not to crimp the steering servo wires. Also note the rear gear box has a flat nut between the top plate. By clicking on the picture you will be able to see in more detail . This more solidly mounts the rear box to the top plate. Now install the two 2x20mm screws into the lower plate that will support the two long spacers. Look at the photo and you will see the sequence of bolt-plate-nut-spacer-upper plate-nut. This gives the exact height we need for location and stiffness of bottom to top plate. The bottom plate is mounted to the two gear boxes with the stock Xmods screws. Notice we use the original skid plate on the bottom. Do not overtighten the front screws as that could impede the steering action. Now install the 2x12mm screw up through the top mount as this is used to locate the electronics board. Use the 2x12mm screw and one flat nut. The two small plastic spacers will be used later to isolate the electronics board with one on the bottom, one on the top of the board, then one flat nut on top to secure the whole board. See the following pictures. Do not mount electronics yet. Wait till the batteries are installed FIRST. Check out more photos with the battery and electronics installed. The battery cells are held in place with zip ties and fit between the lower plate and are mounted to the rails of the upper plate. The antenna is secured to the electronics board using the original screw and one nut. The chassis pictured with the batteries and electronics is from the GT-R Xmods kit. Always unplug the lithium battery pack from the board harness. Lithium batteries should not discharge below 3V a cell, otherwise damage could result and the batteries may not recharge. We use Deans micro plugs and 20g superflex wire to make the battery pack and wire harness. The cells are 14430 lithium Ion cells we purchased from www.batteryspace.com. Enjoy your new ride!

Xmods Nissan GT-R with XPro Chassis

2008-11-06T18:54:00.000-05:00

Here is our first Nissan GT-R Xmods Evolution converted with our Xpro Chassis. This is our first batch of chassis that will be available soon. We are ordering necessary hardware and doing some final testing and creating installation instructions for this upcoming product. We should have available mid-November!
This chassis allows the "short" 4/5AA Lithium Ion Cylindrical cells perfect placement on the chassis. The cells are positioned midship for great handling and a scale appearance as they sit just above the lower body line. The car is significantly lighter and just as strong as stock.
The engineering grade ABS plastic provides durability and just enough "give" to protect the running gear and just enough flex for good street and carpet traction.
The kit will come complete with all hardware and lower and top plate ready for your install.
Our first tests show that this efficient design provides high speed and acceleration with no durability issues. Since the stock 4 AAA battery tray is completely removed there is no scraping rough ground and this contributes to a decent ride even on smooth pavement or tennis courts. Check out the photos!

Xmod Evo with Kyosho Mini-Z Autoscale Lancia Delta HF

2008-11-04T22:18:00.000-05:00

Here is our custom Xmod Evo with the beautiful Mini-z AWD Lancia Delta HF body mounted. This project car had been in the works for a while and also became a test bed for our adjustable front mount for Xmods Evolution cars. We are still in the developmental stage but are close to a production sample. This adjustable front mount will allow custom mini-z body projects as well as cure the Xmods stock "too high" front stance.
The Xmod evo pictured is basically stock except for these mods: PN Fet stock motor, 20g motor wires, power switch bypass, and sealed ball bearings. This car is fun and FAST! We also have been pleasantly surprised by some 850mah AAA NIMH cells we have been testing.

More EP1500 2/3A packs on their way!!

2008-10-30T15:56:00.002-04:00

Just an update on our ever popular EP1500 battery packs for 1/18th scale cars. We have just contacted the manufacturer and submitted an order for over 200 packs. We should have them available in the next 2-3 weeks. They will be as pictured and available in the 3 most popular configurations just in time for Xmas!!! All will have 16 g Silicone wire and of course be clear shrinked and assembled with EP1500 high current 2/3A size cells.

Xmods Evolution XPro Chassis prototype

2008-10-29T21:28:00.000-04:00

Here are some pictures of our XPro Chassis we are working on for the Xmods Evolution cars. The car pictured has a prototype version we are still in the process of ironing out a few details and dimensions.
The XPro Chassis is designed for two 4/5AA Lithium Ion cells to be installed to provide 7.4 volts of power. The main characteristics of this chassis set up are low cost, high performance, and scale detail.

Low cost is achieved by using engineering laser cut ABS plastic sheet for both upper and lower chassis parts, ready available 2mm hardware and standoffs, and utilization of lithium ion power.
High performance is achieved with 4/5AA Lithium Ion cells putting out 7.4volts with a 600-650 mah power reserve, light weight, and structural strength with minimalist design.
Scale detail is achieved by making the chassis ultilize 4/5AA short cells mounted just above the lower chassis plate thus allowing a more scale appearance and stance with mounted Xmod body. The prevailing issue with other lithium chassis and the stock chassis are the bulky batteries protruding below the lower body lines. Our design fights that problem and gives the body a better stance when mounted.

We are in the process of having a final prototype produced and will discuss an intial volume order with the manufacturer, so price is to be determined. We will update ASAP! Thanks!

Crawler Motor Update and other news

2008-09-24T08:06:00.000-04:00

Our first batch of 21 units sold out!!!! So far superb feedback regarding these motors. More gear motors were ordered 9-17-2008, however when we received them we were in for a disappointing surprise....the output shaft is 3mm instead of 2mm. This problem will definitely delay or possibly put our production on hold till we attempt to source more motors.
I would like to explain that we use "off the shelf" parts and convert existing 130 motors into these Crawler motors. The volume just isn't there for a production run of motors where we actually have parts manufactured for us. Now there are no "off the shelf" 2mm output shaft micro gear motors and we will have to search for more existing inventory---or possibly consider having them made for us....if we can get them to make less than 100 units----about the most I could consider investing with our current sour economy. Also we have cost considerations as our current and top level price of $34.95 is about the most we can charge.
We will keep you updated on our search. We apologize to those who expected more stock in by 9-26-2008.
We also have an interesting prototype in the works regarding a new on-road chassis for the Xmod Evo cars. Though there are a number of chassis out there like the "stilleto" and other knock offs as well, we are tinkering with a High Performance Chassis that will be VERY inexpensive and MADE in America and will be able to use cost effective Lithium Ion Cylindrical Cells. It will not be aluminum or carbon fiber, but will offer a neat engineering twist regarding the placement of the cells and a very simple assembly proceedure. Pictures to follow hopefully by the end of this week! If the prototypes pass our tests and the materials we use are suitable expect a street price less than $20.00.

Xmods Evo Truck Crawler Motor New Version

2008-08-06T16:16:00.000-04:00

We at DiyMiniTuner want to reintroduce our 130 size crawler motor! Our brand new design allows seamless integration of a micro gear motor into your Xmod Truck crawler. No more servo motor hack jobs! This motor is a combination micro gear motor and 130 size motor housing designed for drop in modification. The motor even has a 2mm output shaft just like a stock 130 size motor so one can utilize the stock xmod pinion gears! This motor mounts within the gear cradle just as a stock 130 size xmod motor....no modification to the Xmod Gearbox! Available now in our Ebay store as of 8-6-2008.
Check out our video of our H2 Crawler!

Lipo battery for Losi Micro-T

2008-07-24T17:40:00.000-04:00

Our 230mah 7.4v Lipo battery for the Micro-t has been a consistently good selling product for us. We offer it with or without charger. I have found that the Micro-t does possess an inherent problem; that being its motor. The power that the lipo puts out is great for speed but bad for longevity. The small motor lends itself to overheating, and it is subject to strain should the gear mesh get tight (like from a impact or crash which may push the motor tight against the spur gear).
There really is no cure for this situation....we want the Lipo power....but not the short motor life span!!! So this is really just a word of caution; don't run that motor more than five minutes at a time....it will burn out! I saw some aluminum motor mounts that claim they heat sink the motor, I am not sure how well they work, so that might be a consideration. I also have seen, but not tried, the Atomic brand upgrade motor, but I don't think it would last much longer than the stock motor, especially when Lipo powered. Maybe we will come up with a conversion to use 130 size motors just like the Xmods or Mini-Z as they are more ready available and definitely more robust. Too bad Losi chose such a small motor.
As for our Lipo, it comes without connectors. We strongly recommend using Deans Micro connectors in place of the stock hard to grab connectors. Our battery does not have low voltage cutoff so be careful not to run it down too far; when the car slows stop using it and charge the battery. We have these in stock now. Check our website or Ebay store. Thank you for your continued support!

Tamiya Tamtech Frog Mods

2008-07-24T13:47:00.000-04:00

We have done a few mods to make the Frog much better! Oil filled shocks totally upgrade the bouncy stock suspension....we counted our pennies and went with GPM units which are OK quality as we couldn't justify the Tamiya units. They work well enough and have adjustable threaded collars for the springs. This is an absolute must do before trying to go faster. Our Frog handles great now!!
Our second upgrade from the dismal stock battery was to one of our EP1500 battery packs. We also installed 16 gauge wire with a Deans Ultra plug on the stock speed control to upgrade the connectors.
Our latest and greatest upgrade was to replace the stock motor with an Associated 18R stock motor! Though the motors look identical and are both 370 size motors, the Associated version is WAY more powerful-to the tune of DOUBLE the top speed. This is a very simple upgrade as everything fits, and the screw holes line up perfect. The only problem is that the Tamiya push on pinion gears wind themselves right off the motor pinion with the increased power. Upgrade to a steel or aluminum pinion gear with a set screw. The Associated motor has a "flat" on the pinion shaft just for this purpose. I actually was able to drill a small hole in one of the stock plastic Tamiya pinion gears and sneak a set screw into it and it has held on quite well so far...
The Tamtech speed control has had no issues so far with this set up and I can barely get it to get noticeably hot....so all is good! Talk about a MAJOR increase in acceleration and speed....this mod really hopped up the Frog and now the motor can make use of the great EP1500 battery pack!
Another option motor might be the Venom 370 motor or the Graupner Speed 300. Both are the same size and should have no issue with the stock speed control! Good luck and enjoy!
P.S. We have a new order of our EP1500 battery packs due with a ETA of 8-7-2008. They will be listed as soon as they are available in our store and on Ebay! Thanks!

Enrich Power 1500 NIMH battery packs

2008-07-18T13:16:00.002-04:00

Diy Mini Tuner began selling EP1500 2/3A nimh battery packs in Feb 2008 and has made a third volume order with the company for further product. Noticing a lack of "cheap" but "good" 2/3A packs available we decided to find and furnish them! Our packs come in three configurations to suit most 1/18th scale applications for Losi, Associated, Duratrax, and Tamiya Tamtech cars. The cells are rated for up to 30 amp peak discharge and are 1500 mah capacity which is far greater than those stock 1100 packs.
The only car we had in our original test fleet that was 1/18th scale was our RC18R. A fine test bed, but we wanted something more challenging....so we began experimenting with our 1/10 scale fleet of cars. The batteries held up well. They can easily handle Tamiya ta02 cars with rs540 motors and currently run one with an 8 cell custom pack....and the car flies!!!!
Our latest project was our Associated TC3. That car has a 10turn Trinity Cobalt motor installed....and well....it was a little too much for one pack. So we installed TWO of our packs wired in a 2P configuration that gives us 3000mah and 7.2 volts of power....WOW!!!! This car is wicked fast!!!!! Current demands from a 1/10 scale Touring Car with a 10 turn motor can easily exceed 80 amps under acceleration and this configuration did the job! Check out the picture with the packs installed!

FWD EVO XMOD Updated

2007-11-07T07:45:00.000-05:00

Hello again. Some further progress has been made for this project. My final configuration is a 4/5AA Lithium pack and a Speedy 05 motor. I chose the 4/5AA because they are shorter and mounted them forward in the slots on the chassis. A carbon fiber cross member holds them in place (this was the original intent and design of this chassis anyway). I haven't driven it yet, but I did glue the front tires to the rim as they were a problem coming off during my last test. The Speedy 05 has some cooling holes above so that should help the motor with getting hot. With the lithium cells installed the car is a little heavier than with the micro-t lipo, but it really looks trick this way and the weight is distributed torwards the front. The car feels to scale with about 60% of the weight over the front wheels. Can't wait to run it! Check out the new pics!

Front Wheel Drive Xmod Evolution

2007-11-05T16:50:00.000-05:00

We all see the posts in the forums on how to make my car fwd. Well what is the use? I mean why do it? If you don't change the layout of the car to take advantage of the fwd, it is kinda a waste. Just removing the rear dogbones is not my style.
I had a lot of spare parts to tinker with so I made a FWD Xmod. My xmod has a carbon fiber chassis (from a prototype that never made it to production) and is Lipo powered with one of my Micro-T lipo packs. As a matter of fact, this car is based on parts I robbed from my 2xp Lithium powered Scion. It was rear drive and due to running it so much outside, small bits of sand found there way into the gearbox and chewed up all the gears. What to do? Let's make it FWD so it can be true to scale and have a real fwd Scion!
So first I took away all the material I could from the rear gearbox. Now all it is a carrier for the rear suspension and rear hubs. My goal was to make it light weight as possible so even if traction becomes an issue the car will still accelerate briskly. I was having trouble figuring out how to mount the motor and make a gearbox for it. So I gave up on the gearbox and went direct drive. I had some parts from an AWD kit and installed the front diff and dogbones and then cut the propeller shaft down to size so I could longitudely mount the motor and couple the propeller shaft DIRECTLY to the motor shaft. Though I give up at least one gear reduction, I gain simplicity. I had a gear with a decent width to it which would allow it to be used as a coupler between the motor pinion and the propeller shaft. The motor basically sits mid chassis and is mounted to the chassis with some 2mm screws and the original motor strap. The neat simple assembly is nice and solid and a benefit of this design is that everything lines up perfectly. I admit I am lucky in that I had a carbon fiber chassis and standoffs to assist me in the project, but the chassis is a simple design and could be fabricated very easy. The slots in the chassis are for AA lithium cells, but I chose to mount my Micro-t pack up front. It is only 230mah but it can put out some power, and besides I don't run my cars for more than five minutes at a time anyway. I can fit a second Micro-t pack on the other side and could wire them up in parallel for a total of 460mah and 7.4 volts...I will think about it.
I chose to use the same board from the dead Scion as it has a 2x1 fet upgrade already installed. I felt that the gearing was quite high-about 2.5 to 1 so the motor might draw a fair amount of current. I stuck with a fresh stage 1 motor for this project. I cut down the Scion front mount so the body would sit lower. The whole project came together very nicely. I am amazed at the traction the car has. The light weight helps and the car has great acceleration and a top speed I haven't even been able to test. Because the car is direct drive from the motor to the propeller shaft it is nearly silent and is almost strange to see an Xmod so quiet yet fast. It handles fairly well, though there is a learning curve to driving it smoothly. The motor does get fairly hot, the battery pack barely catches a sweat and probally would last over 7 minutes, though I keep it down to about five. I really like this car and plan to make a new chassis just for this design. I might even convert a truck fwd unit at some point. I am amazed how well it runs and hope to test it on a track when I get a chance. See the pics.

Xmods Hummer Crawler

2007-10-30T09:11:00.000-04:00

Here is our Xmods Hummer Crawler. We used our Crawler motor with a "super" lift kit for clearance of our motor and of the Tamiya Chevron tires. This Hummer is 2WD! That is right, you don't need 4WD to crawl!!
See our video and pics!

Nissan 350z Calsonic Xmod Road Racer

2007-10-23T15:15:00.000-04:00

Kyosho has an amazing collection of "Auto Scale" bodies for their mini-z's. I decided to put one on an Xmod Scion I just modified as a simple reliable "stock" track car. I took advantage of the three free accessories give away at Radio Shack and bought their last Xmod Scion starter kit. This was an exercise to see if I could mount this body. I did it and it came out wonderful. The chassis has ball bearings, both rs suspension kits which give a lower and wider stance for great handling, and a PN Racing Fet stock motor. When I get a chance I will race this car to see how it holds up against the pricier Mini-z's. I made my own front mount out of pc board I got from radio shack, a few spacers, and some 2mm bolts and nuts. I then shrink wrapped it for a better look. As for mounting the rear of the body I used side mounts I made out of pc board which I glued to the inside of the body. A screw on each side protrudes out which snaps in place into two holes I drilled on the sides of the xmod chassis. I saw this technique on a forum...forgot which one, but I can't be credited with the idea. It works great and the body fits perfect.

Crawler Motor being Sold

2007-10-18T10:01:00.000-04:00

Hello again,
It has been a few weeks and we have been selling the crawler motor on Ebay since the 15th of October. I only bought enough motors and gears for 4 kits, plus one spare set of parts. The motors come from Hong Kong and then have to be mounted to a 130 size motor that has to be modified to run as a jack shaft. All the internal parts except for the armature are removed. Then a gear is mounted to the armature shaft. This drive gear is powered by the micro gear motor which is mounted to the top of the 130 motor can. The endbell must be ground out for clearance of the drive gear. Then the micro gear motor has a capacitor soldered to it as well as some motor wires. A lot of work, but hopefully they make their way into some Xmod Crawlers. I am saving one of my Xmod Hummers and command light kits to finally make my end all Xmod Crawler to run on occasion and otherwise put on a shelf. These trucks are finally getting hard to find! Here are some more pics of the crawler motor installed.

New Crawler Project Xmod Trucks

2007-10-07T15:25:00.000-04:00

Once again we at www.diyminituner.com continue to bring new exciting projects to the web! This will become a new product as soon as our second batch of super special micro gear motors make their way to our mail box! With the Xmods trucks we found a following of xmod hobbyists tinkering with their trucks and turning them into rock crawlers. However, most of the mods caused the rear gearbox to be mauled and hacked to death. We chose a different route by engineering a power pod that fits into the exact space the stock motor fits without any hacking. Basically our crawler power pod is a 130 size motor that has had its endbell modified to fit a gear onto its armature shaft. That gear then mates to the micro gear motor which is mounted onto the 130 motor can. With spacers and longer mounting screws the stock motor clamp holds everything in place. With our body lift kit, the rear pod articulates with no problems and though the micro gear motor sits about 8mm high on the 13o motor can it clears everything. The 130 motor is "inactive" in that it just acts as a jack shaft to the original gearbox. The micro gear motor powers the whole truck at a very torguey yet crawler speed for precise control. Check out the videos below to see it in action!

Nissan Titan Lift Kit Version 2

2007-09-20T08:10:00.000-04:00

Sometimes we find an even simpler way to achieve the same desired result. After searching suppliers for the exact metric screws and nylon standoffs that would work we came up with this you see here. One can see how simple it is; it is just a pain to find these exact pieces that work. See photos:

New 2xr lithium polymer 7.4volt prototype battery

2007-08-09T16:46:00.000-04:00

Here are some sneak peaks at our prototype 2xr lithium power package. It is a HIGH power lithium polymer 500mah 7.4 volt pack that simply mounts under your xmod evolution in place of the stock battery box. There is actually an IMPROVEMENT in ground clearance and a SIGNIFICANT increase in horsepower. This pack can put out a continuous 5 AMPS (most mod motors rarely pull more than 1AMP continuous) at 7.4 volts so this is basically OVERKILL. Our initial testing is very favorable, as this 2xr pack is FASTER than our 2xp pack we formerly produced and sold. Production units will be shrink wrapped and will be sold WITHOUT charger until we can source a cost effective quality unit. For those of you who have our 2xp system charger, it will be compatible and works quite well. In our testing, the 2 cell pack charged to 8.38 volts and provided more than enough run time with our PN Racing 07bb motor. The motor did get very hot as it was 99 degrees in the Atlanta area when we road tested. As a matter of fact, this is our original scion chassis that we converted to a g35 after a high speed accident that left the scion front mounting clip ruined as well as a very beat up body. We will be more careful and may try and find a tennis court for future high speed testing. Usually I do not run my cars this hard. After we try a few more tests we will be selling these packs on EBAY for 24.95 including a board harness with micro deans plugs. Check back soon!

xmods scion update:2xp Lithium Power Package

2007-06-30T19:27:00.000-04:00

Here are some pictures of our test Scion with our 2XP Lithium Power System.
The Scion pictured has been in some rough accidents resulting from top speed testing on black top, but it still is going strong. I also lowered the front body clip by hack sawing about 1 mm off the base so the front of the car sits lower. This is one fun car. The 2xp Lithium Power System is 4 aaa lithium cells of 300mah each wired into a 2p2s configuration which mounts in place of the stock battery box. Superflex wire with deans micro connectors connects the power from the battery to the electronics board. The 600mah pack is charged by an AC lithium charger that peak charges the battery in about 1.5 to 2 hrs. The car has about a 25-35 minute runtime depending on what motor and gearing one is running. This is an old pack that I reshrink wrapped that has had many hours of runtime in various xmods. I try to recycle my xmods. See my videos below of this car in action. Till next time,
mike@diyminituner.com

Xmods Scion build up: LITHIUM ION POWER!!

2007-06-26T09:36:00.001-04:00

Hi everyone. Just a quick post to show off the scion with our 2XP Lithium Power package.
Check out the video!

xmod scion speed test

2007-06-24T20:57:00.000-04:00

The DiyMiniTuner test vehicle was speed clocked by radar today. I recently bought a Mattel Hot Wheels radar gun from KB Toys for $29.95 (don't laugh, it really works. Find out about by doing a web search, there is alot of info about it).
With the PN Racing 07 motor and the Sanyo Industrial 900MAH AAA nihm cells fully charged it registered 14 MPH. This is a 40% increase in top speed over the stock xmod!
This is with 4 cells. That is very quick for any 1/28th scale rc car, especially one with a fet friendly motor. We will continue the speed tests. Up next will be with our DMT 2XP Lithium power package. I will be transfering the Lithium Power package from an older car I was running (a G35) and installing it on the scion. So it will be interesting to see what happens! Stay tuned. I may get lucky and have some video for everyone.
mike

xmod scion build-up step 3: DMT Pro Fet Upgrade

2007-06-22T17:49:00.000-04:00

One of the most demanded upgrades is the "fet" upgrade. What this is removing the stock mosfets and replacing them with higher current rated fets. The fets are the "valve" so to speak which controls the power output to the motor. These tiny transistors get hot as they work, and can get overloaded as they try to send the current to the motor. Higher power motors draw more current from the battery and can overload the stock fets; this is why we replace them. The xmods evo uses two types of fets. Both are located by the motor power wires. First we remove the batteries from the car, the antenna, the motor wires, and the crystal. Now we can remove the top cover by removing the five screws that hold it in place. With the circuit board in plain site we can see the fets.
The hardest part is removing the stock fets. We can desolder them and carefully pull them off ( be careful, one does not want to rip the circuit board traces off, as this ruins the board ) or as I do, which is to literally cut the fet out at its legs with an Exacto Knife and then heat each pad to remove the remaining parts of the fet's legs. What ever works for you.
The most important part of the process is to position the new fets exactly as the stock ones were set. Each fet has a little dot which shows the position of terminal one. My Pro Fet upgrade comes with instructions as per placement. The IRF7329 fet goes closest to the motor, the IRF9910 farthest. I only replaced each fet rather than doing a 2x2 upgrade....that is stacking a second fet of the same type on top. By stacking, we gain more power handling and even more efficiency. These upgrade fets not only handle more power, but they are more efficient, allowing more available voltage to the motor. Since we are using the PN Racing Speedy 07 motor, there is really no need to do a 2x2 stack. This way I don't have to cut the top cover to make room for the fets. I can put everything back together, and no one will know what I did. While I had the soldering iron out, I decided to solder the motor wires to the board for best possible connection. Now I have a neat and fast little scion xmod to motor around with! If your car doesn't run chances are the connections to the fets are not soldered correctly. I use a magnifying glass to check and make sure everything looks good and I am not shorting out a connection. If you haven't done this type of soldering before, I recommend practicing on something you don't care about.
As for performance, one can expect a little more "punch" out of the turns and maybe a little more top end because of the increased efficiency. Don't be surprised if your motor gets a little hotter, as more current will flow to it! Enjoy!
mike

xmod scion build-up step 2: PN Racing Speedy 07

2007-06-20T09:53:00.000-04:00

Motor upgrades are fun because they are so simple....take old motor out, put new motor in....see if car goes faster! The PN Racing Speedy 07 is brand new and is a "fet friendly" motor. This motor has a new end bell design for better cooling as well as ball bearings. It is supposed to be about 30% faster than their Speedy 05 motor. This motor comes equipped with noise suppressing capacitors already installed as well as some quality silicon insulated wires set up for mini-z use. By simply bending the connectors 90 degrees we can install this motor directly to the circuit board using the original motor screw terminals ( this is too simple)! Since this motor is wired for mini-z use we must swap the positive (+) and negative (-) wires so our xmod goes forward when we pull the trigger. Simply connect the red wire to the neg. (-) side , black to the pos. (+) side.... or resolder the wires. See photo. I used the stock pinion gear from the stock motor to make things simple. Once installed, I find this motor upgrade to be very satisfactory! The motor is extremely smooth with the ball bearings and it has significant torque off the line. So far no problems running it with the stock fets! At the same time I am testing out some new AAA nimh rechargeable batteries from SANYO. They are "industrial grade" and 900 mah. They seem to have great "punch" and run time. I will keep you posted! The motor swap was easy and the performance is much better than the stage 2 RS motors. Check out the Google video; This motor screams! I found the perfect parking lot (just paved) in Lithonia GA for my tests.

xmod scion build-up step 1: BEARINGS

2007-06-14T15:06:00.000-04:00

I am back with some basics. Radio Shack has a sale going on once again, and I find myself with a new Scion starter kit. I decided to buy it so I could build up a car showing everyone my basic start to every DMT test vehicle. This step involves installing bearings. I had a combination of Radio Shack bearings and VBX bearings...the VBX bearings are on the right side of the picture and are the "sealed" type, the Radio Shack bearings are the "open" type. Now we can compare and see the difference. If you have the money buy the VBX sealed bearings. You will find them on EBAY. They are in CA and ship your bearings the next day via first class mail. They charge a fair amount for shipping but I highly recommend them. Installing the bearings in a two wheel drive xmod is very easy. Simply take the wheels off, then the bearing cap and pull out the whole axle. See pics. To replace the bearings holding the rear diff, the rear end comes apart from the back by removing just two screws. Just be careful putting it back together, it can be a little tricky to get the suspension arm pivots in place. Xmods with 4wd will require one to disassemble alot of the car because of the propeller shaft and fwd diff. I would not install 4wd without first buying the bearings and doing everything ONE time.
Anyway, the procedure takes about 20 minutes and it makes the car so much smoother with less wheel wooble. You will also get some more run time and less wear and tear on the whole drive train.
As for service; once in a while disassemble everything and clean out the bearings on paper towel by spraying some WD40 into the bearings. Try not to assemble them "wet" as they will just collect more dirt. Believe it or not, by doing this, I have NEVER had a bearing go bad on these little cars. I highly recommend installing ball bearings.

more mods for the mini-z awd

2007-04-23T18:41:00.000-04:00

Did I say I sell PN RACING motors? I couldn't stand it anymore...I had to put in a Macho Modified in this thing! I was gonna try it with stock fets, but I decided to install a 2x3 stack as that seems to be what everyone does with these things anyway! So I did the surgery and this is what I ended up with. I kept the cover off as I would have to hack into it to fit it over the fets. I used my DMT pro fet upgrade I sell. It includes FDS8958 fets capable of 7amps each. This upgrade is cheap and it also is a pain in the ass to solder! Beware as that big black "CE" box on the circuit board DOES get in your way of soldering 6 of these buggers to the board!
After the install I was AMAZED how WONDERFULL these fets and motor work! The car is wildly FAST and the throttle control is very linear. The stock pinion gear seemed way to small on the mod motor as the top speed seemed like it flattened out too quickly, so I installed the "middle" size motor pinion gear that came with the car kit. Now the car not only accelerates like a bat out of hell, but also winds out to a balalistic velocity! The fets don't even get warm. The 850 AAA Powerizer cells get warm but not hot, and the motor gets somewhat warm to hot, but nothing even close to the danger zone. I love this setup! Now I see why Mini-z guys don't really do the lithium upgrade....these are very fast 4 cell NIMH machines!

the mini-z AWD

2007-04-23T18:25:00.000-04:00

When I began to sell PN RACING MOTORS I happened upon the Lancia Delta AWD Mini-Z and added one to my motor order....did I tell you I sell stuff on ebay just to support my RC habit?!!
Anyway, this is one beautiful little car! At four times the price of an Xmod it should perform great, and it does! Even bone stock I am impressed. The basic drive train is WAY more efficient than the XMODS and much smoother. These are very quiet cars....that is till the pinon gears start to wear...
I couldn't leave things well enough alone and began my teardown/upgrade....
What sucks on this car is installing ball bearings. Everything must be torn down. The chassis material is also not up to $140 standards as the plastic is very weak on all the clips and easily fatigues. I did install bearings (pn racing) and they are very inexpensive. I know ceramic bearings exist, but at over $40 for a set, one has to be some sort of deranged crazy "got to have the best" hobbyist. My second upgrade was front and rear alloy chassis braces. I don't think they do much as much as for performance as for looks....they look HOT! I also added some alloy wheels (pn racing) with a wide offset for off the chart handling and grip. The last PN RACING alloy part is a motor cover/heat sink that actually does something besides look pretty.

more mods for the f150

2007-04-22T12:21:00.000-04:00

I had several 600 mah "short AA " lithium cells that I originally marketed for Gen One xmod and mini-z conversions in supply. I decided to use two of these cells and make a lithium power package for the F150. The cells fit perfectly under the truck instead of the rather heavy 4AAA battery pack. See photo. This is a very cost effective way to really speed up these trucks. My Google ad states "a 112% increase in speed" and this simple mod basically gets you there. These xmods go about 10 mph stock, which is pretty good for a box stock 1/28th scale rc car that retails for less than $40! But a simple effective lithium power upgrade can't be beat! These cells are mounted in place of the stock battery box and are wired to the board with some Deans Micro Connectors and some 20gauge super flex wire. Now the F150 truck has 8.4 volts at its disposal and more than enough mah power in reserve. Lithium Ion cells are very sturdy and forgiving in these applications. One just has to make sure to UNPLUG them after use so they don't dicharge below 3v a cell....otherwise they won't RECHARGE!
Well I tried this set up and the truck flies with the stock motor. I could stop tinkering though. I decided to do a full FET UPGRADE by doing a 2x2 stack of IRF7329 and IRF9910 fets. I finally got these back in stock...and I bought ALOT of these. I sell them real cheap on my EBAY store. For $10 these fets let one bolt on just about any motor you can through at it. I chose the PN RACING SABER motor for this truck. I used stock pinion gear and I think this is about as fast you make this truck go. With RWD and this much power, the truck is challenging, to say the least, to drive in a straight line. The rear end breaks loose even at half throttle while it is in motion! This now is my most fun xmod and it can be copied for little money.
Take care till next time,
mike@diyminituner.com

Fast xmods evolution Ford F150

2007-04-21T19:42:00.000-04:00

I never really was that interested in the xmods trucks...but $29.95 for the starter kit and some cheap RS accessories changed my mind!
I decided I would do the low rider set up with the truck chassis. I bought the lowering kit from RS and the big street tire package, and after installing it I saw potential! Looks hot doesn't it! I kept this chassis rear wheel drive to keep things simple. I installed a complete set of ball bearings as this is quite necessary as the wheels and axles have significant play. The rear axle on the trucks have an articulation that is very extreme. I decided to "lock" the articulation by drilling a hole and putting a screw through the pod. Now the truck handles much better and doesn't roll over as much.
I will post more photos and other extensive mods I have done latter. Check out www.diyminituner.com for all items used in our F150 truck.