Hi everyone,

This question is for Randy. Hopefully he sees it.

Earlier in the threads you stated never to use connectors between ESC and Motors. In my 4x4 Short course truck I Use a Pro4 normally. However at 1 track I race at they have a 10.5t limit. So I swap it out for that track using Hi quality connectors. I really don't feel like resoldering every 3 weeks.

Can you elaborate why we should never use connectors. I would have thought that a connector in between wouldnt have made a huge difference. There is a lot of connectors and compnentry between the battery through the ESC all the way to the magnets. I would have thought 1 more would connection through would not be to big an effect.

I would like it if you could let me know why we should not do it. I want to base my decision on what I do going ahead based on what info you provide. If it really is worth resoldering or not. (mind you I could always do with the soldering practice, I'm pretty average at the moment but have improved from when I first started a lot).

If anyone else knows the technicals of why, let me know.

Connectors are a failure point in a race car in my opinion. I try to use them as little as possible. For example should any of the 3 motor wires come undone from the connection, you can easily damage your esc if you don't catch it.

I'm curious though, a 10.5T motor limit in 4wd SC?

Cheers mate. Mmmm got a decision to make. I do have a tekno wire guide on them.

Yeah it's just the 1 track down here in Oz that have the restriction. It's a public track that is the local government help with costs and building and the club who are all volunteers administrate racing and the track design. Because it's government land it must always be open. So it's hard to protect the track. Most people are great. However often and it's always after rain kids ride their bike on it, etc.

Long story short. The club are really protective of the track so put in the restriction to match the 2wd class rules.

There are very few privately run tracks in Australia and most rely heavily on volunteers and the rc community to run the show. A Lot of tracks were built in the 80/90s boom with government support hence they are small and buggies reign supreme. Like other countries I suspect. The clubs are run with buggy priority. Short course is fading over here too. They are seen as track wreckers to a point & 4wd sct racing is basically extinct.

Well that's my update on Australia if anyone was interested. I'm enjoying lately driving it on some of the 1/8th tracks. They tend to be outside the big cities and a bit of a drive to get to. Thanks for your help Randy.

4wd SC generally thrives on 8th scale tracks, but can also run on 10th scale tracks. I wouldn't even try running a 10.5 in a 4WD SC as today's 4WD sc's are all way too heavy for a motor like that to be happy with.

That being said, as to your connector question. Randy answered with the #1 reason, an extra failure point. But it isn't just a failure if it comes unplugged. They also create resistance and heat. The more you use them as hot swap plugs, the more they wear and the more they're likely to end up with dirt in them. Both wear and dirt will dramatically increase the resistance, which increases the heat, and also makes every other part of your electronics system work that much harder. On something like the 10.5, that wouldn't cause too much stress in most cases on anything but the motor. On something like a Pro4 motor, you can pull enough wattage that the extra resistance can very much overtax an ESC or battery.

If you do end up doing bullets for a motor connection system, use large bullets that are solid (not bird cage style). Make sure they're firm to press in and hard to take out, ensuring a good physical and electrical connection, and then wrap electrical tape around each one to hold it together and seal it from dirt before using it.

My Tekin doesn't work anymore. I've contacted support and did all their trouble shooting steps. It's not beeping anymore. I originally had a broken sensor wire that I've replaced. I've bound the receiver a few times, used an empty model channel, reset the Tekin. Since mine was bought in 2013 I might be out of luck. I have the HotWire to see what the settings are but it was working fine until it just broke a week ago on my SC10 4X4.

The esc placement in those trucks is pretty rough on esc's and eventually electronics will give up getting beat on over and over.
Good thing is it should only be about $40 so send it in and get it fixed up and ready to run for a few more years.

Put extra esc tape under it when you put it back in if you don't do that already.

Yeah I was beating it pretty hard that day trying to make a jump. The esc is in that stock holder and it is not very firmly attached so it probably bounces around a bit. Anyway until I get a RMA I'll keep trying to trouble shoot it.

Quick question what fans are u guys using on a t8 motor

geared properly, you shouldn't need a fan on the motor. In my EB48 with no holes in the body, I'm never more than 160-170* for 15mins or more run time. I'm just as fast as anybody out there (other than my driving skill).

Temps will depend on the surface and the driving skill and style. I had to vent my body to keep temps around 170 when driving on higher traction back in Cali, and temps went up (to about 185) when I went to smaller tracks that still had traction. Out here in New England I've never been over 135 with a T8. Somebody like Lutz can push the motors hard enough that they can be around 200 by the end of the race when it is someplace like DNC that is also warm, and somebody like Phend or Mayfield will run a big exhaust fan out the back of their body to help with heat (as was seen at eNats), though I believe they run different electronics.

That being said, all of those temps mentioned are acceptable so basically haven't needed a fan. I just like to keep my stuff below 160 if I can do so fairly easily (with just proper body venting), as then I'm being easier on the motor.

Using anti-vibration gel, that the heli guys use on their gyro's, will radically extend the life of your ESC. Attach with shoe goo and it will take a beating without giving up the ghost.

http://www.amainhobbies.com/rc-cars-...yoz8006/p19713

The Kyosho Gel pad will make it look like your esc will be flapping all over the place but it hold very well.

Been using this method for years with success.

This past summer i had the opportunity to look at Ryan Lutz's car. He built a small triangular platform on rubber washers, the attached the esc using the gel. Might be overkill for some people but not for him.

Good grief the ESC must be almost touching the body. Ryan has always been known for some unusual and unorthodox methods.