Advise for a future E-MAXX owner

[digital6]

Ok, I read the review of the E-MAXX in the latest RCCA and must say that prior to the review I have always been drawn to that huge beast at my LHS.
I've been debating over the last week to either get the T or E, eventually comming to the decision to go electric.
Now having spoke to a few E-Maxx owners and at my local track and the hobbie store owner, I was advised by all to zip tie and solder the lead connectors that connect the motor and speed control together because of a problem about leads comming loose and burning the ESC out.

I'll be honest I really don't want to solder the leads, heck its a brand new truck.

What advise do you have for me when I first pick up my E-MAXX this Wednesday, cannot wait!
Also, I'm getting 2 matched setbattery packs, how big is to big 1500, 1700??

Thanks for the advoise!!

Digital6

[bigg_tex]

saurding your motor leads is the best route to go b/c the stock connectors rob power due to restance also i would recomend after you get your esc set i would put a small peice of black tape or 2sided servo tape to keep your esc alive but most important have fun!!! im having a blast with mine but i think the neighibor's dog hates me

[Mjara]

Definately follow the advice about tightening the grub screws in the pinion gears & threadlocking.

I had a blast with my E until a grub screw came loose and destroyed both pinions and the spur gear.

Happily, Traxxas replaced them, but for a week or so, I was out of commission.

[Williamjr]

Digital ...... go for the 2400's not the 1500's .... U want as much run time as possible. With the 1500's U will be lucky to get 8 or 9 minutes ...

[EMaxxMan]

Too many people read my pre and post Christmas rants about the RTR Maxx probs to comment more here.

DO THIS:
Pull the black cover off of the back of the motors. Buy new allen wrenchs to fit the grub screws (set screws) on the pinion gears (sorry I don't remember the size, take them into the local hardware store). Pull the set screws out, pull the pinion gears off the motor shaft. Use BLUE SCREW Loctite (not bolt) fluid. Run the fluid on the set screw threads, then in the pinion gear threads, then on the motor shaft flat spot. Insert the pinion gear and tighten it all down as tight as your allen wrench and screw will take.

Remove bullet connectors and replace with either hard soldered joint or WS Deans connectors.

Replace Tamiya style batt connectors with WS Deans connectors.

No rants here, but we fried several motors, then flamed a truck due to bullet connector coming loose. That's after knowing about the probs and checking them out before running the trucks. One last check, the slipper is to be tightened to the max then backed off "1/4" which is not enough, and Traxxas uses a 10-32 thread on that main shaft so you can't adjust better. Go nearly 1/2 off of tight and then work to tight. We lost differential gears as a result.

[Optimus Prime]

I also lost my spur gear and both pinion gears due to the grub screw(s) not being put in tight (and locked with lock tite). It is kind of a pain to do this, but more of a pain to call traxxas and then wait for the new parts for a week. I will be soldering the motors to the ESC tonight (I may move my ESC closer by swapping with the receiver as ThorBob has done).

Anyways, it is still worth the effort (heck half the fun of these things is tinkering with them anyways).

Optimus http://www.traxxas.com/ubb/wink.gif

------------------
Your gonna do what?

[J-Maxx]

You guys can use Deans Ultra Plugs with NO loss of current. These are the standard for racing and make working on the truck much easier. I use them to both the motors and batteries on all my r/c vehicles. Put the female side on the batteries, male to the speed control and then on the motors, put the female end from the speed control and the male end to the motor. This should prevent accidental shorting as you will never have exposed "hot" connectors. If you don't get a chance to do this before your first run (and I know you'll be anxious to try it out) make sure the factory connectors are fully seated. Mine were not. Also make sure your pinion/spur gears and slippers are adjusted properly. Then if you have access to a digital voltmeter, adjust your speed control with it using the procedure given in the manual. Make sure you follow the manual's recommendations for preparing your truck for it's first run. It will save you from many potential problems. Now you should be ready to try it out. As for batteries, only get a matched set of 1700's if you plan on racing it VERY competitively and you are an excellent driver that does not ever crash. Your runtime won't be very long with 1700's compared to 2400's or even 2000's. 1700's may give you an edge in the 'punch' department for the first part of the run, but 2000's or 2400's will have considerably longer runtime. They don't necessarily have to be matched, especially if you are running stick packs.

[MAXXES TTT]

nop

[thetrx2000]

The evx moor leads and battery leads are tight as **** so no worries there. No battery is too big unless you go "d" size which won't fit.

[jinxed]

Before I ran my truck for the first time I changed all the connecters to deans ultra they are better that the standard connectors.

[R/C PRO]

I DON'T KNOW, I HAVE BEEN USING THE STANDARD CONNECTORS, BUT I MIGHT BE SWITCHING THEM. :cool:

[jinxed]

if you are a R/C PRO like your name says change the connectors deans are a much better connector:p

[R/C PRO]

Should my lhs carry those connectors?

[kobe]

when all you guys say solderin the motors to the esc do you mean that you take out the bullet connectors and soler the wires that come out of the esc onto the 2 motors or what i need to know because i want to do this

[rallyweapon]

i run the emaxx with bullet connectors (for the batts) from an advice i got from another emaxx owner. now i'm changing them to deans. the bullet connectors come off after some serious runs. i've always found deans the best connectors.

[JTKC2001]

Where can I buy the DEAN Connectros? websites please.

[rcmaniac]

you can buy them on Tower hobbies ,under the batts/ accessories