ASK Cub Reporter, 05.23.2013, Version- Here Comes The Email, There Goes My Mind

Great lipo reviews!
Hi Big Squid,
I rarely write in to websites, but your lipo reviews have been very good: i.e. the recent ProTek: LiPo Testing a 30a draw is very realistic for 2s packs, and the extra 60a graph is nice (that must have put out some heat!). Lots of packs seem to have dips in voltage after 25-30a… so that 60a test pretty much proves it will work well at a race-pace. It must have been an investment to buy gear that can test at that draw, and I appreciate it.

Two thumbs up from this Canadian, eh? 🙂
Mike K

Cubby– Hey ya Mike, what’s up hoser? I haven’t made it to your fine country lately, I need to get back up there and enjoy some donuts and high test Molson, eh.

Thanks for the props on the ProTek 100C 2S 5600 review, we certainly put some serious time into that one. A bunch of time on the bench, and even more in the field. We’ve got another review coming up in a couple of weeks on a ProTek 100C 2S 7000. I think you’ll find it quite interesting to see the performance differences between the ProTek 5600 and 7000 pack.

Ya, for sure, the information gained from the West Mountain CBA discharger is important. Steady state continuous loads really do work a pack hard and make it easy to see differences, but… I am still a big believer that the ultimate test is the continuously variable loads produced in a car. At the end of the day the only thing that matters is how fast a pack scoots your rig around the track/bash spot and we should probably put more emphasis on that in our battery reviews.

Just fyi- the ProTek was one of “those” packs that put a big smile on our faces when we first pulled the trigger. We drive 6-7 days a week with dozens of different packs, we know pretty quickly when a pack has it and when it doesn’t, the ProTek was one of those packs that noticeably had more yank on tap than an average Lipo.

Hi guys,
So i am an RC guy but i ride a bike for living. I have been an rc guy since i can remember, hell i burned my house down with a lipo. Well, i’m back in my house now and i have a track in the back yard. My question to you is. Is there anyone that makes a 2 wheel drive short course 8 scale truck?

I’m a 2 wheel guy and was thinking that i could make 4×4 8 scale into a 2 wheel drive but would it be any good?
I ask because the current 10 scale stuff is not up for the beat down and wear out parts and over heat. My track is designed for drift and backing it into the corners. I have blitz ESE that has very few parts stock built to be tough.

The problem with 10 scales is drive lines, diffs, bearings and the lack of full compatibility with a 550 can motor spur and pin gears. Bottom line is i want some beef and drive more, work on it less. Thanks and hope i’m not busting balls but you seem to be on top of stuff.

Mark Weir

Cubby– Yo Mark what’s up? Still crush’n’em with your Cannondale? So… in your spare time you burn down houses with Lipo’s and pound rc cars into piles of rubble. You sound core basher to me, hell ya.

On to your questions…

Can you turn a 4wd 8th scale buggy/truggy into a 2wd? Sure ya can, locking the center diff and dumping all the front drive-shafts is super easy and might just be the cats meow for your driving style. But… I’ve never personally done it so I can’t say first hand it sucks, converting a 4wd 8th scaler to 2wd is not normally done for good reason. Why is that? Because there is a better way to get what you are looking for.

You are looking for something you can pound the hell out of and put stupid power in, yet can haul ass around a track. That screams 8th scale buggy/truggy platform. However… on your track a normal electric 8th scale or 4wd SCT has too much front brake causing the front end to dig in and push in corners. You want more rear braking to slide the rear end around and to initiate drifts.

So here is my super-sano-satisfaction-guaranteed answer for you- buy a nitro 8th scale and convert it to electric. Not to 2wd, but just to electric. Be sure to use a servo to control the brakes and a clutchbell set-up on the brushless motor. On nitro 8th scalers they use two brake discs, one in front of the center diff and one behind it, this allows the driver to adjust the brake bias front to rear. With a properly adjusted brake bias you can pivot your rig on a fleas butt going into corners and still have all the upsides of 4wd- the ability to power hard out of corners, greater control in the air, and easier to drift without spinning out.

Have fun, go fast, and shoot us a pic of what you put together.

That’s it for this week ya freaks, send me your questions to Cubby at BigSquidRC.com. If your email makes the big time you’ll get a free sticker pack and if I proclaim yours as letter of the month we’ll ship you out a BSRC t-shirt. YOUR Cub Reporter