Erbe

[nuclear]

Thanks to you red, i got back the idea of playing with RC :coke:
so now i bought an ERBE
i ran the stock pack once tonight to try it out, i'm really surprised by the length of time you can run it compared to my older cars i had
i also bought 2 8,4v 5100mah ni-mh pack to go with it

so now on the upgrade path :)
i'm not yet ready for li-po, i'll wait a bit until i have more experience with the car and my new charger (triton 2 eq)
beside, i really like the speed i have now

what would be good off road tire and asphalt tire to get for the erbe ?
also, what did you change on your erbe to get it more stable (body roll and body lift under hard acceleration) ?

Thanks for the help :)

[1stGenCRXer]

First off, you should really get LiPo batteries as soon as you can manage. The Triton 2 is already capable of charging them, so beyond cost there's no reason to delay.

Second, be EXTRA gentle on the brakes while running NiMh packs. By design, they have a much higher internal resistance per cell than LiPos, and the ESC that comes with the ERBE uses the motor as a generator, trying to reclaim some power under braking. With the higher resistance inherent in NiMh cells, they can't handle the spike voltage and current a heavy truck slowing down from high speed can generate, and you could end up venting a cell in your NiMh packs, or do serious damage to the input voltage caps built into the ESC. When those capacitors give up, the FETs are exposed to unfiltered ripple current, and you have a smoked ESC. This can cascade very quickly, ie: in one high speed braking evolution. You can add extra capacitors on the battery input leads to help cope with this, but it's really a stop-gap measure.

Also, not all LiPos are created equal, you'll want something with at LEAST 100Amp continuous rating, such as 5000mAh 20c. A higher C rating is even better, as the cells will have a lower internal resistance and cope with high speed braking better by accepting the spike voltage/current, without making the caps do all the work. IIRC, Red has a few sets of Hyperion Lipos that are currently some of the best batteries in the market. I'm sure he'll post up eventually what he has to help steer you in the right direction, if it's not already on one of his other posts.

[b]On to your other questions for offroad tires: If you're running in dirt mostly, it's hard to beat the Pro-line LPR Crime Fighters. They're a good race tire, and handle the dirt very well. If you're running in grass, the Pro-line Mashers are alright, they have less overall grip than the Crime Fighters, and wear a long time, even on pavement. Crime Fighters do well on cut grass [like a maintained lawn or park], but don't handle tall grass very well. For taller grass or unpredictable surfaces, the Pro-line Mulchers seem to be a favorite.

Me, personally, I run LPR Crime Fighters everywhere, even on the street. If you're not doing a lot of sliding or full brake-lock stops, they last a good while, and maintain tread for off-road double-duty.

For on-road tires, I'll defer to Red, as that's his playground of choice.

My suspension setup is the same one I shared with Red that he loves:
P3 rockers
60w Associated oil in the shocks
#2 VDP pistons in the shocks, valve on top [TRX #5461]
Green Springs front/ Tan rear
I use the silver Traxxas sway bars front and rear [Red uses the Tekno sways, both are effective]
Run just enough spring preload that the springs stay on their perches at full extension, and set the ride height so the front driveshafts are level at the settled position, and the rear driveshafts are slightly above level [reference from the wheel to the diff].
I also run the upper rear suspension arms in the lower roll-center holes to get more off-throttle steering on the track.

This is the most progressive suspension package you can put on the Revo platform [suspension acts stiffer the further through it's travel it goes], and will tame a LOT of the body roll you're currently experiencing.

Other items to look at for playing in the dirt:
Refill the front differential with 50k weight diff oil, 10k weight in the rear, this will give you more on-throttle steering and limit the inside front tire from unloading quite as much.

Perform the Slayden Steering Mods (http://www.traxxas.com/support/kb_search.php?action=artikel&cat=143&id=472&artlang=en) to gain a tighter steering radius. You don't have to go full tilt with everything in the article, but longer servo horns, and trimming down the steering stops help a ton.

Once you get through all those mods, you're really going to want to ditch the stock radio for a programmable 2.4 radio [something with digital trims and a display screen], with exponential to help calm the steering feel down a little without actually numbing the steering reaction on the chassis. Lots of options out there. I run Spektrum gear on all my stuff, DX3r for myself, DX3s for my wife. Red's turning into a Futaba fanboi ;) , so he'll likely suggest a 3PK or 4PK, which are also very nice radios.

Good choice on the ERBE for getting back into the RC :crack: habit! It's really a great truck, and I'll be here to help you get the most enjoyment from it, and hopefully keep you from making too many noob mistakes :)

[bigslappy]

WoW Harry that was a wealth of info best part useful info !
You are a great asset here !

[1stGenCRXer]

Thanks slappy.

RC has changed so much since I started [14 years ago now] that it can be overwhelming to get started, or get back into it. I was fortunate enough when I got started to be brought in by a guy that had been racing 10 years by that point, so I got brought up to speed on all the way things USED to be, then what the current trends were, and I've been keeping up with current trends ever since. :)

I'm here to take the edge off the noob RC :crack: anxiety ;)

[Marne]

i really would jump into this type of stuff if it wasnt so fucking expensive >_< cant afford another expensive hobby lol

[Floyd]

i really would jump into this type of stuff if it wasnt so fucking expensive >_< cant afford another expensive hobby lol

You have no idea how much money can be sunk into just one car!
Cars/trucks are not that bad on costs though compared to planes and helis.

[Schlosser]

You have no idea how much money can be sunk into just one car!
Cars/trucks are not that bad on costs though compared to planes and helis.

.. 'Cause they don't crash as often? :D

[Floyd]

.. 'Cause they don't crash as often? :D

Actually ive had just about everything RC before minus the boats and I can honestly say I crashed the trucks/cars/buggys a lot more often.

Lot more to hit on the ground. When your in the air the only thing you can hit is the ground.

[1stGenCRXer]

True, but land based vehicles are built to interact with the ground [read: they don't break every time the ground comes into the equation].

Planes/Helis were built to interact with the air, and your wallet twinges any time there's an unexpected meeting with the ground ;)

[Floyd]

Planes/Helis were built to interact with the air, and your wallet twinges any time there's an unexpected meeting with the ground ;)

Yes. That and overall repair costs.
You crash a truck into a tree, yes its messed up but its only going to cost 50-100 bucks to fix. The helis and planes cost a litle more when they crash.

[johnf]

I scanned through Harry's post and believe he covered most everything you need to know! HOWEVER, I didn't notice anything about gearing. DO NOT install the optional gearing while running those NIMH packs. Harry could have mentioned that in his novel, but if so I missed it haha.

[1stGenCRXer]

No, I was actually trying to scare him out of doing anything at all to his ERBE before getting lipos, so I didn't specifically mention the optional gearing, lol.

[johnf]

haha, good call. The only time my ERBE was run on NIMH, was to power the esc on to hold the steering servos center while I adjusted them LOL. Never even grabbed the throttle. I'd be hesitant to drive around on nimh, especially the included packs, but at least he's got a year of replacements (escs) if he does!

[1stGenCRXer]

Waiting 5-6 weeks for Castle to turn one around each time? Ewwww...

[johnf]

The price one must pay for running old battery technology!

[nuclear]

i bought some pro-line road rage tire for asphalt
i installed the sway bar kit and it really helped the body roll :)
btw traxxas didn't really configure the mamba monster for brake, they set it to switch to reverse almost immediatly so i never use it, it locks the tire really bad
i simply let it coast until i have the speed i want
i might buy lipo later (when the budget allows.. i blew more than i wanted)
no i know not to install the optional gearing, now i need to get lower pinion and higher spur so i can run in grass without having it overheat

[johnf]

When you finally make the jump to lipo, its gonna be a whole different truck. Night and day power wise.

[1stGenCRXer]

Get yourself this: http://www.castlecreations.com/products/field_link.html
Available here for a few bucks cheaper: http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXYWV0&P=FR

A LOT easier to program the ESC to do what you want than using Castle's transmitter programming method, like changing to reverse with delay so you have real brakes ;), and tone down your braking force to like 40% or less [still plenty] when using NiMh batteries. This version will let you program with or without a computer, and let you update the ESC's firmware when hooked to a computer.

[RedRaider]

Definitly get the Castle Link, it is invaluable.

I'll link the Hyperion G3 VX LiPo's to buy later today. Not a better LiPo on the market.

I'll also copy over a post I made on suspension setup from another forum today.

You need:

Green and Tan springs

VDP Kit

70wt Shock Oil

P3 Rockers

Aluminum Pushrods / Toe-Links

what swaybar did you buy? I like my Teckno swaybars..:)

[nuclear]

I bought the traxxas kit
Since it's a bit harder to order from the us in canada because of customs and not all store want to ship to canada, i need to find it localy
so i bought the castle link and the traxxas sway bar
i also bought the tires and rim, 50k oil for the diff, 60 and 70 oil for the shocks
i installed the sway bar kit yesterday and it kind of sucks a bit because the fit is not perfect on the front sway bar, it hits the transmission when the suspension bottoms out after i shortened the rod length. (it was hitting the transmission at rest before)
i have to check but i think the p3 rockers where included in my kit, if not, i'll order them

Thanks for the help everyone:)

[1stGenCRXer]

Yeah, with the traxxas sways, you have to shorten the links up quite a bit in the front so it doesn't hit the transmission. Doesn't affect behavior though, just need to make sure the sway bar rate doesn't go infinite by contacting the case ;)

[RedRaider]

Man, what a difference to under the shell aesthetics and performance these little mods I did made.

Upgrades:

Traxxas Body GTR Shock Aluminum Red-Anodized
Traxxas Shock Boots Jato (dyed black)
Traxxas Variable Damping Kit GTR Shocks
Traxxas Rocker Arm Set Progressive-3 (dyed black)
Traxxas Spring Shock GTR 3.5 Rate Green Revo (front)
Traxxas Spring Shock GTR 4.1 Rate Tan Revo (rear)
Traxxas Aluminum Pushrod Red - P3
Associated Silicone Shock Oil 60 Weight
Tekno RC Sway Bar Kit
Traxxas Toe Links Revo w/Rod Ends - Black


enjoy...:D


http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2788/4238282287_be6194f358.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2795/4238279491_9ba6150583.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2496/4240453195_7e62612872.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2457/4240456747_cc63f7f1ab.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4051/4239068238_9c59f6d234.jpg



Many thanks go out to 1stGenCRXer for all his technical assistance and advice. Couldn't do it without you, bro.;)

[RedRaider]

Hyperion G3 VX

4S - 2x Hyperion G3 VX 2S 6500 35C

5S - 2x Hyperion G3 VX 2S / 3S 5000 35C

6S - 2x Hyperion G3 VX 3S 5000 35C


Here is a pic of my charger/psu setup...:crack:

iCharger 208b (I use it at 2C / 20 amps)

Meanwell S-320-12


http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4067/4242546715_313c83464f_b.jpg


I bought my iCharger 208b from Progressive RC (http://www.progressiverc.com/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=36&category_id=1&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=1)

I bought my Hyperion G3 VX LiPoROIDS from the following:

RCdude (http://www.rcdude.com/servlet/the-Batteries-cln-Lipos--dsh--Hyperion-G3-VX/Categories)

AllErc (http://www.allerc.com/index.php?cPath=3_4_93&sort=products_sort_order&page=3)

RClipos (http://www.rclipos.com/Hyperion_G3_VX.htm)

[1stGenCRXer]

Many thanks go out to 1stGenCRXer for all his technical assistance and advice. Couldn't do it without you, bro.;)

No problem man, glad to help. :)

[RedRaider]

I also own more tires/wheels than most users ever dream to own:

Tires:

Pro-Line 40 Series Road Rage
Pro-Line 3.2" Road Rage
Pro-Line 40 Series Mashers
Pro-Line 3.2" Mashers
4 Sets - HPI Phaltlines
HPI Goliath


Wheels:

2 sets - Axial Oversize 8-Spoke Black
4 sets - HPI Blast
2 sets - Mugen 5 Spoke
JConcepts 1/2 offset RULUX
JConcepts 1/2 offset RULUX HalfUps

I'll soon be buying some more...:crack:

[1stGenCRXer]

You need some race tires and to go take your truck where it was meant to roam, the track! :crack:

[johnf]

I'll soon be buying some more...:crack:

You fuckin crack head. You haven't even run all the tires you have! Still waiting to hear about those 40 series mashers.

[nuclear]

Hello Harry
i read the guide about modifying the steering stop to increase the turning radius
is it necessary to do with the new erbe ?
mine had the normal stop and a maximum turning stop (with 2 position servo arms) all documented in the manual
Thanks
/edit
also Harry
what's the grease i should put on the beveled gear on the input of the differential ?
Currently it's full of grease and i wanted to clean it after a few run to change it, so i would need to buy some.

Thanks again

[1stGenCRXer]

Man... I can't believe I missed this post for so long, sorry about that.

On a new Revo, they give you two steering stops. The "max steering stop" still doesn't give you all the steering doing the mods in that article will, but it will give you more steering.

Silicone differential oil goes inside the diffs, various weights available to tune the diff action.

For the ring and pinion gears on the diffs, a lot of people swear by white lithium grease. I think this is too thin and doesn't really do what you're after. A better choice would be either red military grease [yes, usually military is in the name description], or some Johnson/Evinrude marine grease.

The Evinrude grease is blue, waterproof [tested to 8,000 FSW no water, :up:], and one tube will last you forever :up:

[nuclear]

i was wondering, what do you think of the team orion li-po pack for the revo ?
http://www.teamorion.com/Products/Carbon+LiPo+for+Traxxas/Scale+110

because it will be much easier to get the orion packs than the hyperion here in canada
Thanks

[1stGenCRXer]

Don't know about pricing, but yes, any of those packs should work fine in the ERBE since they're all rated over 100 amp continuous.

[nuclear]

Broke my first part today while doing jump at a nearby bmx track :)
i broke the top of the shock (the eyelet rip apart in 2) from what seems to be a downward impact while flipping
i must say, for all the abuse i put it throught, it really runs well and it's quite durable
i'll post pictures in about a month (going away for work)

[1stGenCRXer]

The top, or the shock rod end?

Either way, good job, you know you're driving an ERBE the way it was intended when you break a few parts every now and then :up:

If you broke something within 5 minutes every time you drove it, then you'd be over doing it :shake:

[nuclear]

Hello everyone :)
It was the top cap that broke, so nothing too bad, 5$ later, it's back and running
so thanks to all the comment about going li-po, i made the jump
i bought 2 smc 2s 8000mah 20c pack
i switch the gearing to the optional 54t spur and made a run this morning
now the question is

how the hell do i control that thing now ??

guning the trigger before half will get the e-revo in a wheelie
slowly ramping the trigger up to near full speed will get the truck really fast but also i lose all control because the front tire don't touch ground anymore
i bought a set of more powerfull spring in the back to help it but is there anything i'm missing ??
Thanks

[1stGenCRXer]

:rofl:

You can lower your ride height if you're getting too much wheelie action on pavement, just move the pushrods to the outer holes on the suspension arms.

Shouldn't wheelie near as much in the ERBE's natural habitat: dirt ;)

Beyond that, trigger control, trigger control, trigger control :crazyclap:

[nuclear]

i do understand the point of trigger control, but still, it's kind of bizarre being unable to get it to full speed... i might switch back to the original spur while i order a full set of pinions and remaining spurs to be able to tame it a bit.
With the new spring, it's funny because it has a much higher tendency to do wheelie but the rear end doesn't squat as much.

[1stGenCRXer]

Again, that depends on your ride height. If the center of gravity is a good ways above the rear axle, it doesn't matter how stiff of a spring you put on, the truck doesn't have to lift the CoG as far to get the truck vertical compared with a lower ride height ;)

Besides, most people would enjoy a severely over-powered truck, what are you complaining about? :rofl:

[nuclear]

well i already tought it was overpower when running on nimh compared to the old one i was running (old team losi jrx-pro with a brushed stock motor or even the hpi nitro mt stock and kit with os .12). Yes i now it is quite a few years old but every one who has seen it is surprised by the power of the little electric motor running inside
now it's simply insane the power it has with li-po
i don't think i'll make the jump soon to 3s

[1stGenCRXer]

:rofl:

I think 4s is plenty in the ERBE, but I really don't think it's overpowered on 4s, more like... properly powered :up:

If it's really too much for you, get a couple 3s packs, and wire them in parallel. Later, you can move back up to 4s. Also, with 2 2s packs, and 2 3s packs, you can run 3, 4, 5, and 6s with just adding or removing a parallel adapter and jumper plug.

[nuclear]

i've played more with the 2s setup
On dirt and small rock, it's insane fun, more wheelie prone but also much more fun to get it to drift :)
I was also able to run it more properly on asphalt and what i tought was uncontrollable wheelie was in fact the front tire ballooning so much that the truck looks like it's in a wheelie, it still have a bit of control

[1stGenCRXer]

Oh yeah, be careful on stock tires with lipos, they've been known to explode at high speed :rofl:

Glad you're having fun, these trucks are a blast :up:

[nuclear]

took a few picture of the erbe jumping :)

/edit
last time i took it for a jum, broked it really hard (top shock, cracked front skid plate, destroyed rear skid plate, broke both rear suspension/diff retainer, lost 2 rear suspension pins)

[1stGenCRXer]

Sorry I haven't replied sooner.

Those nose up jumps are cool for photos, but ease off the throttle a bit just before you leave the lip of the jump, and your truck will fly flatter and land without breaking quite as much ;)