FTX Vantage/Carnage owners Thread

[Attila]

17 minutes ago, Goddinaw said:

You can take off the lower suspension arms by removing one of the suspension arm holders - if it’s the rear suspension arms just take off the back suspension arm holder, if it’s the front ones just take off the front suspension arm holder. If it’s the front ones you’ll need to take off the bumper too.
You only need to take the whole diff off if you’re changing the suspension arm holders.


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[MrPeaski]

2 hours ago, Attila said:

thx. Im doing the fwd one. basically wanted to swap over from 1 car to another the alu lower arms.i released the set screw worm screw and the fwd 3 screws but still no movement? im confused what holding it

have you taken out the 2 screws from underneath, the two that are behind the screws that hold the bumper on?

[Goddinaw]

You can take off the lower suspension arms by removing one of the suspension arm holders - if it’s the rear suspension arms just take off the back suspension arm holder, if it’s the front ones just take off the front suspension arm holder. If it’s the front ones you’ll need to take off the bumper too.
You only need to take the whole diff off if you’re changing the suspension arm holders.


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[Goddinaw]

have you taken out the 2 screws from underneath, the two that are behind the screws that hold the bumper on?

Exactly- there are two more screws that go through the suspension arm holder from the chassis.


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[EdwarddR]

Hi

2 total n00bs here, Eddy & Son.

I got my DS an FTX Vantage brushed and he's very happy. He's only 8 though.

Because I wanted to do it together (and I never got one when I was a kid, I got Airfix, books, legos and such) I got an FTX Carnage 2.0 brushed. Also very happy 🙂

 

 

DONE: spur gear stuck (pea gravel). So - taped up the spur gear gap / hole on Vantage and also on Carnage. 

 

Also these cars too quick for 8 year-old. Basically whizz around on full throttle until smacks something, or cooks the battery.

I couldn't find a good way to rate limit the throttle. 

So I taped a lego spacer onto the Transmitter handle to rate limit the trigger. So down to about 60% speed. Modified both sticks, to be fair to him.
Still plenty fast enough for 8-year old D.S.

 

I'm ordering some spares (pinion and spur gear, suspension parts) because I don't see this lasting until Christmas without accident, breakages and tears.

 

So yeah, Hi, we're new here, I like the forum, thanks for this great thread.

Edited July 28, 2020 by EdwarddR

[Attila]

On 28/07/2020 at 16:09, MrPeaski said:

have you taken out the 2 screws from underneath, the two that are behind the screws that hold the bumper on?

Cheers i will have a go. i was just out from the country .Now back to bizz

[Jens]

Hi everyone,
my son just got a FTX Bugsta and as I understand it uses the same chassis as the Carnage.
So I hope I am in the right thread.

 

Today he finally collected his stones with the car and the pinion and spur are a mess.
As I read above it seems to be a common problem.

 

I also read about alternative pinions and spurs that are better than the FTX ones.
Does that also apply for the Bugsta?
And if yes, can anybody help me to find those better parts?
The older links above don't seen to work anymore.

 

I want to keep the pinion/spur ratio. The car is  fast enough for my son...
It gives me already enough worries.

 

I also read that there is a way to better protect the pinion and spur with a cover.
Any recommendations there as well?

 

And I have to say that the Bugsta finally started my son's obsession...
He got now a Bugsta for bashing and a Mauler for climbing. He found his love.

 

Cheers,
Jens
 

 

[Fat Freddy]

On 28/07/2020 at 18:22, EdwarddR said:

 

DONE: spur gear stuck (pea gravel). So - taped up the spur gear gap / hole on Vantage and also on Carnage. 

 

 

 

Hi, I was plagued by spur gear problems until I invested in a hardened steel one. Seems at first like an expensive mod but it’s fit and forget. 

[Fat Freddy]

30 minutes ago, Jens said:

 

 

I also read about alternative pinions and spurs that are better than the FTX ones.
Does that also apply for the Bugsta?
And if yes, can anybody help me to find those better parts?
The older links above don't seen to work anymore.

 

 

 

Funnily enough I just said this to @EdwarddR. Get a hardened steel one. I got mine from @daveyboi73 on here. It’s a game changer. Eats gravel for breakfast, runs quieter than the plastic one, and in my opinion is easier to get the mesh right.

Edited August 1, 2020 by Fat Freddy

[Fat Freddy]

Just checked and it was a year ago I got that steel spur gear. Even allowing for the times it was laid up, or I was spending more time on my other car, I reckon it must have had at least 3 or 4 months of daily use but still looks in pretty good nick. 

Those marks are dirt, not damage. When clean it looks virtually brand new. 

Edited August 1, 2020 by Fat Freddy

[Jamil237237]

If yer a cheapskate like me you could just cut thin plastic packaging and use it to cover any hole that would let big rocks into the spur and pinion. Metal is more set and forget though. Might get that one day. 

[Lone-wolf]

My new carnage took s stone to the pinion, lucky it did very little damage, i then made a vinyl "curtain" that goes over the hole at rear of diff, next job is a fine Ali mesh to make sure no stones go into motor cooling slot

[Jens]

I will probably go    the safe way.

Get hardened steel spur and pinion and cover the holes.

That way I avoid any disappointments of my son.

He is not as patient as me to wait for repairs...

[Fat Freddy]

@Jens Trust me,  if you get a hardened steel pinion you won’t need to cover the holes..... although I guess there’s no harm in a belt and braces approach 😁👍

[Jens]

9 hours ago, Fat Freddy said:

@Jens Trust me,  if you get a hardened steel pinion you won’t need to cover the holes..... although I guess there’s no harm in a belt and braces approach 😁👍

Hi Freddy,

Thanks for your advice. Was very helpful. 👍

I have been digging a bit deeper into the pinion/spur matter and looking around and doing some research.

Since I want hardened steel, I understand I should replace both gears.

The original brass pinion wouldn't work well with the steel spur.

But do I need to use the same dp as the original or does the dp just need to match?

I found that RW racing makes custom spurs. But then I couldn't find any suitable pinions.

Also... What is the bore for the pinion?

[Fat Freddy]

13 minutes ago, Jens said:

Hi Freddy,

Thanks for your advice. Was very helpful. 👍

I have been digging a bit deeper into the pinion/spur matter and looking around and doing some research.

Since I want hardened steel, I understand I should replace both gears.

The original brass pinion wouldn't work well with the steel spur.

But do I need to use the same dp as the original or does the dp just need to match?

I found that RW racing makes custom spurs. But then I couldn't find any suitable pinions.

Also... What is the bore for the pinion?

You’re welcome. I’m no expert, you just happened to ask one of the few questions I know the answer to.

You are right....... You will need a steel pinion the same pitch as the spur you get. I’ll be honest, I can’t remember what pitch mine is, but I was able to get a steel pinion to match it, fairly cheap, from Modelsport. I worked it out so it was pretty close to the ratio of the stock ones (once again, sorry, can’t remember what that was). I got a few different ones so I could play around with gearing.

Pretty sure the bore is 3.2mm.

[Nickarla]

Yes it’s 3.2mm 0.6 mod.

Here is what you need. You can drop a tooth to get more torque/lower speed or up a tooth for less torque/more speed if you do wished.

 

https://www.modelsport.co.uk/index.php?CategoryID=9920&SubCategoryID=992050&ManufacturerID=48&CategoryID=9920&MSAttributeID[41]=647

[Nickarla]

I used the RWs with the standard spur and got 6 months from the spur when I covered up the holes.
I preferred keeping the plastic spur as a) it was so cheap and b) I would rather that the spur gear crunches rather than the weak metal gears in the front and rear gearbox. I see it as sacrificial. Didn’t always stop the front and rear gears getting recked though. l but did help.

[Jamil237237]

On 28/07/2020 at 13:56, Attila said:

 

Are you still having trouble taking it off by any chance? 

 

[Jens]

On 02/08/2020 at 11:27, Jens said:

I will probably go    the safe way.

Get hardened steel spur and pinion and cover the holes.

That way I avoid any disappointments of my son.

He is not as patient as me to wait for repairs...

Finally managed to fix my Pinion/Spur problem.

Thanks to Dave I got the hardened steel version.

And I also closed the holes using the old school 3D printing way (aka layering with the hot glue gun). 🤣🤣🤣

Looks messy but works perfectly.

 

[EdwarddR]

Hi

 

Can anyone point me in the direction of a datasheet for the stock FTX 550 brushed motor (15T)?

like peak current draw  & max torque (under stall),

 max efficiency RPM, current and torque.,  KV etc.

 

I totally understand not all the FTX parts will be identical (sourced cheaply) so I'm just looking for a representative ballpark or the datasheet of a functionally equivalent, branded, swap-out motor.

Because I like to do the maths on the electrics 😉 and I'll have a baseline when I upgrade my batt, ESC and to brushless.

 

An internet search yielded - nothing, no datasheets. Loads of pages on sizing and gearing your brushless, and why my mamba is better than your castle/traxxas/etc, but no datasheets for the stock 15T 550 Brushed.

 

thanks

- Ed

[Fat Freddy]

22 minutes ago, EdwarddR said:

Hi

 

Can anyone point me in the direction of a datasheet for the stock FTX 550 brushed motor (15T)?

 

thanks

- Ed

Wow Ed,

You want actual facts instead of opinions?

Frankly I have NO idea where to find that sort of info, sorry. Have you tried the distributors CML?

when you decide to switch to brushless, there is a useful chart on one of the general electric threads that guides you to the right Kv motor you'll want.

Good luck with your search

 

 

[Lone-wolf]

After getting of to a slightly bad start with my brushed carnage, i do have to say i rather like it, i have err broken it in now, so its been flipped, and rolled end over end, scuffed but nothing broken, got a 15T Abisma motor to go in, already run the motor in under water, and lubed it stock is a 21T in mine, on tarmac it really grips well and handles good, its fast on open trails and loose ground.........a lot of fun for the low price

[Fat Freddy]

13 minutes ago, Jack Reacher said:

After getting of to a slightly bad start with my brushed carnage, i do have to say i rather like it, i have err broken it in now, so its been flipped, and rolled end over end, scuffed but nothing broken, got a 15T Abisma motor to go in, already run the motor in under water, and lubed it stock is a 21T in mine, on tarmac it really grips well and handles good, its fast on open trails and loose ground.........a lot of fun for the low price

You might find after a while the tyres get a bit “baggy” and soft. They grip REALLY well at that stage but handling gets a bit vague. When I switched to brushless they were barely useable due to so much distortion at speed. For the same/similar price I replaced mine with a set from a cheap Himoto RTR. Same overall diameter with lower profile tyres. Tyres seem well glued and better balanced than the ftx ones.

I got the ones with tiny pins (part number HM-31504B) but tbh on anything slippier than a dry car park the grip isn’t great, although great fun wheelspinning everywhere lol. If I know it’s gonna be muddy I put the FTX ones back on.

With hindsight I should have got the Himoto ones with a heavier tread pattern. (HM-31804B).... a little better suited to British weather (mud).

 

 

[mydoddy69]

Can some nice chap please measure the rear dog bones on the carnage from end to end please 

 

many thanks