Bsmed

hello everyone first time here. Just wondering if anyone would be able to give me some suggestions. I am looking into purchasing the B5M factory lite to start racing at my local track. I am new to the rc hobby and have been doing my research. I was wondering if anyone has suggestions on a good electronic package for this kit. I am just starting out so I do not need top of the line but I would like dependable equipment. The track has 13.5 and mod for 2wd buggy. Any tips or suggestions would be great. I am eager to learn and get more into the Rc hobby. Thanks for the help in advance.

skinned

iTrader: (12)

get a hobbywing justock/xtreme stock esc for 50......then for a rookie driving any 13.5 motor will do.... ....

5mtrio

iTrader: (3)

Can't go wrong with hobbywing esc for the money...LRP 13.5 is a great inexpensive motor at around 60 bucks..Savox 1258 servo is very good for the money..b5m is a fun buggy but practice practice practice and it becomes a great fun buggy ☺

mes

+1
Don't save on your radio gear. You can keep a good servo and transmitter for many years. Either a Futaba T4PLS or an Airttronics MT4 should be a good starting point. As for servos, I have been a big fan of Futaba's BLS-451 and recently purchased its successor, the BLS-471. If you want to go cheap and get a Savöx, just make sure you don't buy their low-profile stuff, the rest might be ok I guess.

mhyde52

I started out a couple months ago in a similar fashion with the following:

B5M Lite, Airtronics MT4, Trinity D4 1S 17.5, Hobbywing StockSpec v3.1, Protek 100ss servo, Trinity Ti 4500mah shorty, Duratrax Onyx 235 charger.

Comments:
Car is great IMO, but there seems to me more guys running different stuff than AE locally. Lots of TLR and a number of HobbyPro 2wd buggies. I don't think any are bad choices. Have run the snot out of it and not broken one thing.

Could have saved $30 bucks and bought a cheap motor, buy the one I bought makes me happy. Could have saved a bunch and bought a Justock ESC, but I like the StockSpec better. No complaints on servo. Now I have 4 batteries, and the first one I bought is better than even a much more expensive Venom, IMO.

One thing I wish I spent much more on was a charger. This Onyx sucks. Tiny display, not super intuitive to program, no storage charge mode and weak on amperage.

jslider

iTrader: (10)

You can look to locals at the track for used gear to save money but if you are not sure what you are looking at can easily pay more than needed.

I think when starting out it is important to save where you can running 13.5 and 17.5 the just stock will be good, you can also look at other esc's that will not break the bank and are still good such as toro, hobbyking and a few others. if you can find a reasonably priced one at the local hobby shop great if not go to online and find one you should not need to pay more than 50 for an esc and in the 50 range for a motor you can upgrade these as needed later.

for servo I say hard to go wrong with the savox there are more expensive and cheaper but it is a good decent servo I use a 1258tg on all my cars and trucks.

radio -- this is the area you want to spend the money once I have an mt4 and like it better than the m12's and the futaba's the only radio I would consider beyond that is a graupner I tried one after owning my mt4 and honestly I kinda like it better and receivers are cheaper when you want to add cars. My suggestion go to the track and ask a couple guys if you can just hold the radio in your hand and simulate a quick drive to get the feel in your hand when you are holding the right one you will now it just stick with airtronics, futaba, or the graupner.

batteries and charger, start out with cheap batteries and before you buy an expensive one try it lol. I started with turnigy from hobbyking and still have them they are good batteries and when my fastest lap is the first three laps of the race I will start worrying more about big battery money lol. charger find one that charges in the 8 amp minimum range the more amperage the better there are entire threads on all these items but chargers are the worst I think there are just so many options it is hard to nail it down I have a hyperion and a hobbyking charger and I honestly prefer the hobbyking cheapo charger and it does a great job and wqas about 40 bucks as an a/c d/c charger hard to beat. but look around at chargers as to the style and rate and amount you want to spend.

Keith B

I'm thinking a Spektrum dx4s transmitter Hobbywing juststock esc, Hobbywing motors, Hitec 5625 servo and lipo batteries you pretty much choose like Jumanji

Bsmed

Thank you guys for all the input. Really do appreciate the suggestions

madweazl

iTrader: (12)

Like others have posted, a nice radio and servo will stay with you for a long time. $80+ might seem crazy for a first servo but you're going to spend that much no matter which route you go because if you cheap out, you'll be buying another regardless. I'm a big fan of Hitec servos; great performance and the best customer service in the industry (failures are rare but it's nice having somebody take care of you when/if it happens). I've used Spektrum, Futaba, Airtronics, and RadioPost over the years and have nothing bad to say about any of them.

On the ESC front, if you're military, contact Tekin and mention this to them. LRP, Reedy, Orion, and HobbyWing, all have nice products. I really like Viper but they are no more and have come back as Maclan (no experience with Maclan so I cant help you there).

The B5 is a fine choice for the buggy and should have decent local parts support that will probably be very beneficial for your first few months of racing.

13.5 is a good place to start; enough power to get you in trouble and have some fun with. Anything hotter will probably be a handful early on.

thecman26

iTrader: (105)

Watch out, RC can become VERY addictive rather quickly!
The B5M lite is a great buggy and very competitive right out of the box!
As far as gear I say don't go crazy overboard right off the bad. A good radio is something to start with. Either the Spektrum DX3R (which can be found used for a great deal) or the DX4R (the newer model) as well as the MT4 or MT4S are all great radios and fairly affordable.

A good setup for that buggy electronics wise:
SMC RF-120 or 160 ESC (depending on budget), Reedy Sonic Mach 3 13.5t motor, Protek 100SS servo, and SMC lipo
ESC:
http://www.smc-racing.net/index.php?...product_id=269
Battery:
http://www.smc-racing.net/index.php?...product_id=338

Keith B

Again the reason for the Spektrum dx4s is that radio has 3 different sized grips (very helpful feature). Everybody saying Protek 100ss so match that up with the Futaba 4pls transmitter.

If bsmed does choose the Spektrum dx4s match it to a s6040 servo (same specifications as the above protek)

Again these are only recommended. I do not use any of such equipment.

JETSETMafia

I agree with much of what has been said here. I'm have run Futaba, Spektrum, TQi, and Airtronics for transmitters. For the money, I am very happy with my Airtronics/Sanwa MT4. I gave the Spektrum to my wife. Fits her hand well. For servos I've run HiTec, Turnigy, Traxxas, and Savox. Personally love the Savox but the turnigy in my son's slash has been indestructible. I just started to run Hobbywing motor and esc and I have been more than pleasantly supposed. Fantastic product for the money.

beidle99

iTrader: (9)

SMC Batteries are very good, run them in ebuggy, touring car, and 1/10 off road. Their ESC and motors seem to be decent too, but I have only seen them run a few times.
as for a radio check out a local track and ask to hold a radio to get the feel of it. I like futaba radios but the trigger doesn't always sit well in my finger.

flou

iTrader: (18)

I don't race but I do alot of budget shopping. The biggest bang for buck lipos are at valuehobby.com.g force brand Hardcase 2s 5000mah 25c are 18.99....same but 30c are 20.6400mah nano 40c around 35 I think. I have a couple of each. And they have many more. ...

3D-Seth

iTrader: (25)

Being that he is looking at a B5m, he won't be able to run standard long packs, which I assume those are? Most "shorties" are in the 3000-4500mAh range...the Thunder Power packs I use are 3800mah.

Make sure for batteries for the B5m you look for "shorty" packs, otherwise the "long" packs won't fit.

Seth