Help me prepare my 1/8 e-buggy for a 10h endurance
 

Hello,

it will be the third time I'll be racing with my gf in a 10 hours endurance here in Belgium so I would like you guys to help us to prepare this event :). We have time it will take place only at the end of August but every advice will be welcome

Here is what we have:

- a converted DNX408 and a converted JQ (we might use the Durango)
- two Tekin T8 1400kv motors
- a RX8 and a MMP
- two Savox 1258TG servos
- gens ace and zippy compact lipos in 5S (but we might go for 6S because of the temps) with EC5 connectors
- two SR300 receivers
- many Jconcepts double cross tires in both medium and soft compound

- DX3R and DX3C radio
- Hyperion 720inet3 charger
- Meanwell 24v 350W power supply

We have both a smooth driving style so no worries about the electronics, we already tested it in both 12 and 10 hours races.

So I need your opinion on how to prepare the car to protect it as best as we can (in case of damp weather for example) and make it bulletproof :)

http://www.heberger-image.fr/data/im...6_IMGP9145.jpg

I have always wanted wanted to do one of these races... anyway you might want to take a look at the outwears covers. I have never used one so I do not the details but I think it would be the best option. I am sure you know to have plenty of spares.

We will have spares but we don't break much usually. The first year we did the endurance we had a problem with a diff and broke a superior front arm (MBX5R), the second my mount was moving but we didn't break anything (JQ).

Thanks for the covers I didn't know about them!

So here is for the ESC:
http://www.outerwears.com/prodimages/ESC1.jpg

..and the motor:
http://www.rcnitrotalk.com/wp-conten...ar-20-2450.jpg

We use shock socks that we make ourselves with jersey too. This was my preparation of the JQ last year:

http://www.heberger-image.fr/data/im..._SANY0052.jpeg

Mods:
- 1 large single strap for the lipo (still using it today) and RC8E foam in the battery tray
- motor holes filled with silicone joint (basic used in bathrooms), I used silicone for the diff cases too (were they sit)
- jersey shock socks
- adapted Losi 8ight Deracing mudgards
- cables protected with heatshrink
- body fixed with velcro
...

I might use plastidip to waterproof the ESC and servo.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2493/...47bbf626cc.jpg

I still hesitate for the connectors. I love my EC5 but they are a pain to open so I might switch for Traxxas connectors. I had them on a e-revo and they might be the easiest connectors to plug and unplug. I just don't know if the contact is as good as standard 5mm bullet connectors.

Do you try and change the gearing down to help cope with the constant running?

Yes one teeth less than in normal race on the same track generally. But this is not only because of the temps, it's also to calm the motor response down to do less mistakes while driving. We use a softer/easier setup for everything to stay consistent.

Normaly I use a 1400kv 5S setup with a big pinion but the system might get too hot in an endurance and runtimes will be worse so I will switch back to 6S lipos with a smaller pinion. I will use four identical lipos and prepare the battery tray so that they fit perfectly this way I won't need to make any adjustement during the lipo changes. A 3300mah 6S should get us a minimum of 20 minutes of racing, if not more.

I would start off with a fresh new rolling chassis 10 hours is almost a seasons worth of driving in one day.

Not for us, we race during the winter too in an indoor facility ;). The Durango is like new as you can see on the first pic so we won't need to buy a new chassis :)

This said you can't compare a 10h race with 20 races of 30 minutes for example. I'm still using the JQ I used in the endurance last year and it goes very well. We are smooth drivers and tracks here are Euro style tracks which have much less bumps than in the US, so the stress is not so big.

I would really be more comfy if you put a lengthwise strap on the battery pack too. I have had smaller packs move about in my xray with big jumps and caused one pack to bend (soft 6s).

I had a similar problem when the lipo moved because it wasn't blocked in the tray, so the front of the soft lipo was compressed. Now I'm using multiple sheets of foam paper glued together to complete the empty areas of the tray so that the lipo stays in place. It isn't on the picture but it's especially necessary when I use smaller lipos like my 5S 2200mah lipo for que qualifications for example. I'll post a picture as soon as I can ;)

mine actually fit perfect it was size of 2s but little taller. The thing is the tray front wall was a bit short and then the velcro in middle so the pack flexed and caught on the top of tray. It was bent at a weird angle thats why :). I used the vorza velcro strap hooks to put a longer lengthwise. I had a few spares from the shorty conversion I did on my durango truck.

I think you have 1000x's the experience than anyone posting in this thread then. ;)

I see what you mean, idealy the front of the lipo tray should be as high as the lipo itself to make sure no cell will move. That's a good point, I might do a tray with fiberglass that has the same size and height as the lipo. The rcmonster one is quite heavy (100g), a self made tray would weight nothing compared to it.

I could be driving for 1000 years and learn from a guy that began rc racing yesterday. I can't think about everything so any help is welcome. I want to learn from everybody :)

I'm wondering which connectors to use.


I have Losi EC5 (blue) connectors right now but they are too hard to remove. So I need connectors that are as safe but fast to plug/unplug.

Do you think traxxas connectors are reliable enough for the amperage of a 1/8 buggy?

Ultra Deans are plenty, never had a problem with mine and they unplug pretty easy.

I did some researches and probably found a solution for my EC5:

I'll try this first and try Deans ultra if it doesn't work, thanks for your suggestion :)

I'm open to any idea to protect my tekin T8/RX8 combo.. Or if you simply have some advices for a clean installation.