FTX Vantage/Carnage owners Thread

[Madmoz7610]

On 14/11/2021 at 20:43, Fat Freddy said:

Good luck with the HGV test👍

 

1 hour ago, Iain .R said:

Yea same here   just make sure you give the examiner  a yorkie bar  best to have all flavours ready . An it be 100% pass 

 

Lol 

Cheers guys, hopefully I pass so I can get a load more RCS and hopefully get my kid into them when there old enough 🤠

[Buggy Malone]

Hi Team,

 

I hope you don't think I'm being lazy by not reading the Vantage thread but may I ask if it's simpler to buy a FTX Vantage Brushed 2.0 kit and then add a BL motor and ESC combo with Lipo?

 

I'm still plodding through the 127-page Outlaw thread so 307 pages for the Vantage could take me until next December to read :-)

 

Thanks All,

 

Andrew

[Fat Freddy]

1 hour ago, Buggy Malone said:

Hi Team,

 

I hope you don't think I'm being lazy by not reading the Vantage thread but may I ask if it's simpler to buy a FTX Vantage Brushed 2.0 kit and then add a BL motor and ESC combo with Lipo?

 

I'm still plodding through the 127-page Outlaw thread so 307 pages for the Vantage could take me until next December to read 🙂

 

Thanks All,

 

Andrew

Would work out cheaper to buy brushless vantage, but you’d poss have better motor/esc (depending on yr budget) if you buy your own electronics. 

[Strugglecuddle7]

18 hours ago, Buggy Malone said:

Hi Team,

 

I hope you don't think I'm being lazy by not reading the Vantage thread but may I ask if it's simpler to buy a FTX Vantage Brushed 2.0 kit and then add a BL motor and ESC combo with Lipo?

 

I'm still plodding through the 127-page Outlaw thread so 307 pages for the Vantage could take me until next December to read 🙂

 

Thanks All,

 

Andrew

 

 

I did this i managed to get the vantage 2.0 brushed without a charger and battery for cheaper from time tunnel models, they seem to be the only supplier that i have found that do the option of removing the battery and charger! I already had a etronix photon system laying around. As stated by freddy it would work out cheaper to by the brushless. 

 

I have one that I could get rid of as I've only ever used it once! It has sway bars fitted,and a better rear wing from the quanaum vandal and has the ESC program card too. I have all the original box, manual ect 

 

Someone might as well get some use out of it!

Shoot me a message mate 

Edited December 7, 2021 by Strugglecuddle7

[Buggy Malone]

23 hours ago, Fat Freddy said:

Would work out cheaper to buy brushless vantage, but you’d poss have better motor/esc (depending on yr budget) if you buy your own electronics. 

 

Cheers FF, it looks as if I can pick up a full Vantage 2.0 rig for under £110 or, even less if I drop the battery and charger from the order. It may even be worth my while going for the cheaper model and working upwards.

 

Thanks again,

 

A

 

 

[Buggy Malone]

13 hours ago, Strugglecuddle7 said:

 

 

I did this i managed to get the vantage 2.0 brushed without a charger and battery for cheaper from time tunnel models, they seem to be the only supplier that i have found that do the option of removing the battery and charger! I already had a etronix photon system laying around. As stated by freddy it would work out cheaper to by the brushless. 

 

I have one that I could get rid of as I've only ever used it once! It has sway bars fitted,and a better rear wing from the quanaum vandal and has the ESC program card too. I have all the original box, manual ect 

 

Someone might as well get some use out of it!

Shoot me a message mate 

 

Thanks good mate, the missus and I were supposed to run by Edinburgh next week (close to Time Tunnel Models) but the trip has been cancelled.

 

I'll drop you a note in a sec.

 

All the best,

 

Andrew

[Buggy Malone]

I've got a Vantage 2.0 coming next week so I'll run it on 2S for a couple of weeks before swapping-out the Brushed electrics for the Brushless gear in my Outlaw.

 

I best start getting my arse in to gear by reading this thread.

 

Cheers All,

 

Andrew

[Buggy Malone]

What a cracking deal - A Vantage 2.0 for '£98' incl P&P from Time Tunnel Models, excluding battery and USB charger.

 

How can anyone go wrong for that kind of money.

 

I ordered it yesterday and it came today so I was amazed by TTMs efficiency - outstanding.

 

I've already replaced the shock oil as it was quite depleted and the shocks squeaked.  I'm also going to fabricate a chassis brace to help avoid any motor mount slippage when the chassis bends.

 

A nice little buggy and I'm chuffed to own one now.

 

That said, it's a bit smaller than the FTX Outlaw which I picked up a fortnight ago.

 

 

[Strugglecuddle7]

Very nice!

 

 

[Kyo]

That's a bargain!

 

When you upgrade to brushless I would switch to a metal pinion/acetal spur. We upgraded my sons carnage to brushless and the original spur didn't last long at all. The acetal is holding up nicely.

[Buggy Malone]

Has anyone had any issues with the open motor aperture in the V2.0 chassis.

 

It looks to me as if it'll allow a whole load of crud into the motor housing and the rear diff.

 

I want to brace-up the lower chassis so can anyone see any problems if I cover the motor up with an alloy sheet.

 

[Ant.p]

I can’t see any issues with covering. Will reduce air flow slightly to the motor, so keep an eye on temps after modifying. Unless you’re really pushing it, or geared too high, should be fine.

[Buggy Malone]

6 minutes ago, Ant.p said:

I can’t see any issues with covering. Will reduce air flow slightly to the motor, so keep an eye on temps after modifying. Unless you’re really pushing it, or geared too high, should be fine.

 

Thanks mate, I appreciate your advice ;-)

[Iain .R]

3 hours ago, Buggy Malone said:

Has anyone had any issues with the open motor aperture in the V2.0 chassis.

 

It looks to me as if it'll allow a whole load of crud into the motor housing and the rear diff.

 

I want to brace-up the lower chassis so can anyone see any problems if I cover the motor up with an alloy sheet.

 

I covered mine on my carange and added a fan to keep it cool . Never had any probs .

I did cover it 1st time with small mesh  so air could still get to it to cool but stop crap but it's the very small crap that damages it so  I just covered it with 1mm black  styrene sheet . An as I said added a fan . 

[Buggy Malone]

22 hours ago, Iain .R said:

I covered mine on my carange and added a fan to keep it cool . Never had any probs .

I did cover it 1st time with small mesh  so air could still get to it to cool but stop crap but it's the very small crap that damages it so  I just covered it with 1mm black  styrene sheet . An as I said added a fan . 

 

Thanks Iain, I think I'll do something very similiar to your mod.

 

The only problem I have is that the buggy comes with a Tamiya Male connector and I only have Deans batteries........and my local model shop has nothing to bridge the gap.

 

It seems as if it's the very small niggles that slow you down in this sport :-)

 

All the best,

 

Andrew

[300bhp/ton]

I'd ditch the Tamiya connectors. They normally cause issues and are no good for high current applications.

 

Deans are ok, sometimes a little fiddly to pull apart and cheap 3rd party ones melt easily when soldering. The newer revised casing design is an improvement.

 

Personally I like the XT60 connectors.

 

You should be able to mail order new connectors and get them in a day or so. Can you solder? If not, very worth while learning, it will solve your plug issues.... as you'll be able to swap them over to whatever you want. 🙂

 

[Buggy Malone]

@300bhp/ton Some good advice there - thanks mate 

 

I did soldering as a youngster but I've not got the kit at the moment. It looks as if a soldering kit will be the next purchase.

[Strugglecuddle7]

One of the handiest tools to own in this hobby!

[Iain .R]

Just remember if you swap the battey connectors cut ONE AT A TIME .solder it then do the other side  dont cut both same time    boom .....

[Buggy Malone]

2 hours ago, Iain .R said:

Just remember if you swap the battey connectors cut ONE AT A TIME .solder it then do the other side  dont cut both same time    boom .....

 

Thanks mate, I don't want to blow the house up.

[Buggy Malone]

Here's a pic of my Vantage 2.0 BL conversion which I completed yesterday. I transferred the BL stuff out of the Outlaw and the initial results seem very good.

 

I didn't realise how big the standard 15T 550 motor was compared to the 2,950Kv motor so that's created an even bigger aperture between the motor and the chassis from underneath - this gap will need covering by a thin alloy sheet.

 

I've not upgraded the spur gear or pinion yet so that'll be next along with a potential test using a 3S and a possible further upgrade to a 4,000 or 4,600Kv motor-esc combo.

 

Question:  Which Kv motor upgrade (over 2,950) would you guys opt for, if only using a 2S.

 

Cheers All,

 

Andrew

 

[Ant.p]

4 hours ago, Buggy Malone said:

 

Question:  Which Kv motor upgrade (over 2,950) would you guys opt for, if only using a 2S.

 

personally, I feel 3s is too much for the FTX drivetrain to handle if bashing off road. Too fast also really. Sticking to 2s is plenty quick enough and you’re less likely to cause damage through power or impact.

 

that said, if your main reason for changing the motor to a higher KV is only to increase too speed, I’d first play around with pinions as you can gear up from the stock a fair amount without any issues. Will save you a lot of money, and get similar results.

[Buggy Malone]

21 hours ago, Ant.p said:

personally, I feel 3s is too much for the FTX drivetrain to handle if bashing off road. Too fast also really. Sticking to 2s is plenty quick enough and you’re less likely to cause damage through power or impact.

 

that said, if your main reason for changing the motor to a higher KV is only to increase too speed, I’d first play around with pinions as you can gear up from the stock a fair amount without any issues. Will save you a lot of money, and get similar results.

 

That sounds very good to me. I'm also thinking along the same lines as you, i.e. 3S power is just too much and will break things quickly.

 

Thanks again for the advice - much appreciated. 

[Buggy Malone]

First Run today of my new Vantage and it could only manage RWD only.

 

It didn't even start on 4WD so I had a bash around on 2WD for a few minutes before retiring the car.

 

I thought these things were supposed to be 'RTR'!

 

I've started to strip things back but it appears that the central drive shaft does not engage with both sides.

 

Any advice appreciated.

 

Cheers guys,

 

Andrew

 

Edited December 22, 2021 by Buggy Malone

[Kyo]

Is the grub screw tight at the spur gear end? And on the flat part of the shaft?

Ours used to come loose until we started using locktite on it.

 

Also check the slipper clutch is tight enough