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New Savage XS basher looking for some friendly advice

New Savage XS basher looking for some friendly advice

Old 07-01-2014, 08:58 AM
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Default New Savage XS basher looking for some friendly advice

Hey guys, I recently got back into the "bashing" hobby by picking up a used Savage X 4.6 and an Ofna 9.5 Buggy; [All the toys I dreamed of, but could never afford as a kid. ] I LOVE them, but my neighbors and HOA feel quite differently. Aside from the angry stares and clenched teeth requests for me to take my toys elsewhere; fuel is getting harder to find around here, and our hot weather makes it tough to keep a good tune. I think its time to test the waters with brushless.


I just bought savage XS SS recently; and its already got a Leopard 3300 motor esc combo ( all en route to me now). I am still trying to learn the ins and outs of matching motors to batteries to speed controllers; so please bear with me with a little advice.

1) I haven't been able to find much info on the leopard combo beyond a video that emphasized its need to stay cool. Does anyone have any experience with this in a Savage XS? (should I be concerned about reliability?)

2) If yes, please suggest a good bulletproof replacement that doesn't break the bank (im not a racer, just a guy who likes to jump and kick up dirt who wants something "bulletproof" and dependable)

3) I need to pick up a couple of batteries, probably 2S for now because Id rather the truck not self destruct under 3S power on week 1. Someone told me to stay well above 25C on my battery rate but beyond that; I'm fuzzy on what to choose. Would this work for me with that combo?

Turnigy 5000mAh 2S2P 40C hardcase pack (ROAR APPROVED)
(Sorry it wont let me post a link, but you can find it on hobbyking)

The size is good I think but i don't know if those wires will interfere.

4) everyone seems to flock to deans connectors; but a lot of the batteries are sold with bullets. I think I read that bullets actually have a higher current rating (source unknown). Wouldn't it make more sense for me to place bullets on my ESC (my charger already has them) and just forgo deans plugs altogether? whats the appeal of deans?

5) Anyone got a cheap 3Pl and 4PL radio to sell? I don't need something fancy but would rather have the ability to remember more than one model? THe truck (i think) will show up with a futaba high torque for steering and maybe a 203GF receiver.

Thanks in advance!!
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Old 07-01-2014, 02:41 PM
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1) If its a 540/550 size can then it should be fine. I believe only 540's fit anyway...just make sure you don't completely trash the thing and it should be ok.

3) To be honest, I haven't gotten to the bottom of why 2/5 of my Turnigy nanotechs went bad. I think my lipo cutoff didn't go off and thus they were overdischarged. Despite this problem that is probably my fault, I do not recommend Turnigy's. They are most often fine batteries, but I would much rather buy from SMC or alike company from the US. SMC makes batteries that cost the same or less than what I paid for my Turnigy's and most people seem to think they are the best thing since sliced bread. There's an entire thread dedicated to their batteries in the electric off road section. I know Thunder Power, Gens Ace, etc make good batteries as well.

4) When it comes to electronics, it's all about the resistance. I'm an electrical engineer, but I don't claim to be any sort of expert on lipos or connectors. Deans are simple to solder and have really low resistances. They seem to be perfect for RC application and I've been using them since I've started the hobby. Some other connectors can handle higher amperage, but you just have a 540 can with 2s lipo so deans is fine.

5) I can only divert you to the for sale section to find a used radio. I'm currently trying to find a good deal on spektrum receivers, but they're always a little pricey. Horizon Hobby stuff seems to be like that.
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Old 07-02-2014, 09:37 AM
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Thanks for the tips! I picked up a couple of 5000mAh this morning; What a great price for a stateside supplier! Theyre both 50C; so hopefully that will give me some wiggle room when it comes to choosing another motor/ESC [if it turns out that I need to]. I keep seeing a lot of folks with ESC troubles and wonder how often its because they were running low rate batteries (20-30C).
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Old 07-06-2014, 04:36 AM
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Originally Posted by RepEvox
1) If its a 540/550 size can then it should be fine. I believe only 540's fit anyway...just make sure you don't completely trash the thing and it should be ok.

3) To be honest, I haven't gotten to the bottom of why 2/5 of my Turnigy nanotechs went bad. I think my lipo cutoff didn't go off and thus they were overdischarged. Despite this problem that is probably my fault, I do not recommend Turnigy's. They are most often fine batteries, but I would much rather buy from SMC or alike company from the US. SMC makes batteries that cost the same or less than what I paid for my Turnigy's and most people seem to think they are the best thing since sliced bread. There's an entire thread dedicated to their batteries in the electric off road section. I know Thunder Power, Gens Ace, etc make good batteries as well.

4) When it comes to electronics, it's all about the resistance. I'm an electrical engineer, but I don't claim to be any sort of expert on lipos or connectors. Deans are simple to solder and have really low resistances. They seem to be perfect for RC application and I've been using them since I've started the hobby. Some other connectors can handle higher amperage, but you just have a 540 can with 2s lipo so deans is fine.

5) I can only divert you to the for sale section to find a used radio. I'm currently trying to find a good deal on spektrum receivers, but they're always a little pricey. Horizon Hobby stuff seems to be like that.
Orange rx from hobbyking is your answer on receivers...they work great. I think hobbyking knows how we all feel about wasting our money with horizon and thought they would be nice and offer us the orange series....thank you hk!
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Old 07-10-2014, 05:10 PM
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So I FINALLY received my Savage XS, and immediately uncovered some hidden problems from the previous owner including an exploded diff bearing, several sheerred teeth from the drive gear, and an ESC/Motor combo that stutters and wont move much faster than a brisk walk. The seller is being cool and were finding a resolution but suffice to say I need to find a plan B for the motor / ESC


Its a LEOPARD SKYRC 3300KV 12T Brushless Combo, and from what I can gather, the motor spins nice and smooth by hand (no grinding or wobble at all). i THINK the problem is probably related to the ESC...but Im not positive. Is there a way to verify the source of the trouble?

If it is the ESC, I have a few questions...

- Because these were probably bought as a pair, do I need to buy the exact same ESC as a replacement, or can I pick up something a little more commonly known?

- If the latter, what specs do I need to look for in a new ESC to make sure it plays nice with the motor

If its better I just pick up a new combo, what would be a "low cost" pick for this truck? I was considering the sidewinder 3800kv combo but am not positive that motor-fan will fit in an XS. Truth be told, I am hoping to get online without dropping $100 bucks but will pay a bit more if reliability comes along with it. Any advice is much appreciated!!
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