FTX Vantage/Carnage owners Thread

[Gari_Ferret]

16 hours ago, Redback said:

Yeah can get hex adaptors for 1/8th wheels to 1/10 hex

Just went looking for the adapters and some tyres, I came across some proline tyres that are rated for 100mph which would be ideal until I get to and I'm used to 100mph.

[Gari_Ferret]

On 09/03/2023 at 22:21, EJ8277 said:

Hi, I have a brushless carnage/bugsta and just want to know of any good upgrades for it.

 

Aftermarket shocks ect.

 

Also, my 3s batteries are way too big for the battery posts so ive isntalled some aftermarket ones, however they dont fit in the hex slot provided, is there any that are tall enough (60mm length roughly) and fit properly in the hex slot?

 

Thanks.

I made the same mistake with my vantage(If I remember, the only difference between the vantage and carnage is the chassis are slightly different shapes) but you can get 3s packs that will fit, such as the overlander sport track low profile or the core rc packs(both linked in text), it's a pain having to buy different batteries again but hey, you'll have a pack ready for when you get something it will fit in.

[SXFoxstar]

When looking to modify parts how do you work out what to get.

 

For example I want to get some higher battery pack posts for my Bugsta as currently it is a little too tight. I can’t find the dimensions of any posts stated on the web so wouldn’t know what to buy, is the only way to go to a model shop?

[Gari_Ferret]

I have made a discovery that with the aluminium chassis, I can fit slightly larger battery packs in the Vantage and have also found low profile 5s packs from overlander with similar dimensions to the factory 2s pack... Would 5s be overkill? Asking for a friend. 😅

[Darkeeboy]

Anyone fit battery straps to their carnage? I upgraded to a 5000 Nihm battery but it’s too long with the sponge thingy and too short without it… so it pops out as the top clamp bar can’t cope 

[Darkeeboy]

Ok so let’s see how this performs.. strapping to the top bar

[SXFoxstar]

Is there anything we can do to give the drive shaft more space. I feel the motor and battery (with the aluminium chassis) get awfully close to it. Particularly the battery concerns me. I considered non slip Matt but one of my batteries is a little higher to I’m already crowbarring the battery cover on as it is?

[vimto2000]

Hey all, with  a sad heart...I've decided to move on from the FTX brand...the kids want something a little bigger to play with. 

 

I've just put up a sales thread with a lot of my spares listed.

 

I've still got my carnage for the time being but will most likely sell that too.

Cheers

[Malachite]

I am looking to purchase a Vantage 2 for my son and wanted to know what I would need to upgrade to make it brushless, once he is used to it.

I bought myself a Zorro a couple of years ago and just purchased a 3650 brushless motor and 60a esc from banggood.

Is that all I would need to do?

[psyklone6]

5 hours ago, Malachite said:

I am looking to purchase a Vantage 2 for my son and wanted to know what I would need to upgrade to make it brushless, once he is used to it.

I bought myself a Zorro a couple of years ago and just purchased a 3650 brushless motor and 60a esc from banggood.

Is that all I would need to do?

Yes that's all you need to do. Consider looking at the spec of the brushless version and keeping fairly close to that, as running too high a power brushless system through it will cause you drivetrain problems. Like... it'll disintegrate. 

[Andy UK]

Hi.

 

I purchased an FTX Bugsta (Brushed) for my 9 year old Son (and me 😆) . Its our first 'real RC' car, as opposed to the cheapo toys previously.  

 

I have been having issues with the motor. It started off fine, but after a few days out it stopped working. No beeps on turn on, wheels turn left and right, but no motor motion. I called the shop and they said it should last longer and sent me a free replacement.

 

That one worked fine, for a while and did the same thing. Not sure of the total run time. I bought another. the 3rd one did 20 mins and did the same thing. 

 

What could be causing them to die so fast ? 

 

The motor is the FTX 550 Max Speed 15 Turn Motor.  The Battery I have on it, sold to me by the shop at the car purchase time is the Overlander Tornado 5000. 

 

Other than that, its pretty stock. Its had about 5 new bumpers and a new aluminium chassis, nothing else.

[Jim Simpson]

Hi guys, just been out for my 2nd session with my new FTX Vantage brushless. I found it's doing a strange thing where it goes fairly fast, but if I blip the brakes and accelerate again, it goes really fast. It's then inconsistent with which mode it will set off from the line in. I had a mess with a few settings via the programming card after the first use. Could it be anything I've done? Is there anything I can do with the card to sort it? Many thanks.

[SXFoxstar]

On 30/05/2023 at 14:55, Andy UK said:

Hi.

 

I purchased an FTX Bugsta (Brushed) for my 9 year old Son (and me 😆) . Its our first 'real RC' car, as opposed to the cheapo toys previously.  

 

I have been having issues with the motor. It started off fine, but after a few days out it stopped working. No beeps on turn on, wheels turn left and right, but no motor motion. I called the shop and they said it should last longer and sent me a free replacement.

 

That one worked fine, for a while and did the same thing. Not sure of the total run time. I bought another. the 3rd one did 20 mins and did the same thing. 

 

What could be causing them to die so fast ? 

 

The motor is the FTX 550 Max Speed 15 Turn Motor.  The Battery I have on it, sold to me by the shop at the car purchase time is the Overlander Tornado 5000. 

 

Other than that, its pretty stock. Its had about 5 new bumpers and a new aluminium chassis, nothing else.

Sounds like your ESC isn’t working. I had a burnout of mine recently which also ruined the motor. As it’s within warranty take it back to shop and ask for a full replacement car as it shouldn’t happen that early. Once I replaced my ESC it has been working great

[Redback]

On 30/05/2023 at 14:55, Andy UK said:

Hi.

 

I purchased an FTX Bugsta (Brushed) for my 9 year old Son (and me 😆) . Its our first 'real RC' car, as opposed to the cheapo toys previously.  

 

I have been having issues with the motor. It started off fine, but after a few days out it stopped working. No beeps on turn on, wheels turn left and right, but no motor motion. I called the shop and they said it should last longer and sent me a free replacement.

 

That one worked fine, for a while and did the same thing. Not sure of the total run time. I bought another. the 3rd one did 20 mins and did the same thing. 

 

What could be causing them to die so fast ? 

 

The motor is the FTX 550 Max Speed 15 Turn Motor.  The Battery I have on it, sold to me by the shop at the car purchase time is the Overlander Tornado 5000. 

 

Other than that, its pretty stock. Its had about 5 new bumpers and a new aluminium chassis, nothing else.

 

The motor is dead, look through the hole does it look or smelt burt out. Usally motors go before esc's as you already have been through 3 motors you might want to consider whats the cause, driving to hard and fast, it over heating, to much power input melting it?
FTX brushed motors are not good, brushed motors in general dont last long under heavy loads that these cars deal with and the result is usally "dad the cars smoking again" because the motors melt first.
The other issue could be something is causing binding in the drive train thus putting extra strain on the motor brushes these usally then melt out of the plasic they are held by.

The battery is a 2s or 3s lipo? probably stick with 2s 7.4v on brushed motors and big wheels.

I would honestly go brushless and save yourself the trouble of getting a new motor every run, they are worth the bang for buck, stick a hobbywing max10 and 3652 3200kv motor in and she will rip like no tomorrow.

 

12 hours ago, SXFoxstar said:

Sounds like your ESC isn’t working. I had a burnout of mine recently which also ruined the motor. As it’s within warranty take it back to shop and ask for a full replacement car as it shouldn’t happen that early. Once I replaced my ESC it has been working great

Sounds like you had some bad luck with your motor buring out your esc, usally doesnt happen the other way round.
E.g A esc would have trouble burning out a motor if the esc was dead. The logic doesnt work.

[staggr500fb]

Hi all,

Was wondering if I could get some pointers.

Recently got given my ftx carnage. It's a little bit sluggish on 2s so I've gone up a cell which I've seen people do. But I've heard people needing to change there spur and pinion gears down teeth size. So I've ordered A Hardened steel 49T 32DP spur gear with matched 32DP 13T hardened steel pinion gear. Are these any good or not?

 

Any help would be appreciated.

[EdwarddR]

Hi All

 

I have an FTX Carnage 2.0

and my sons have an FTX Vantage each (the 1.0 and the 2.0, both stock, brushed vantages).

 

We have been bashing around generally in the garden or front driveway or sometimes nearby park (also tried cricket club, and skate park).

 

My main problem is that we all get a lot of gunk and small gravel (size of lentils) getting into the cars. 

They seem to be very suceptible to letting in dirt. The boys do like to drift in the gravel driveway or try to do power donuts.

It gives me 2 problems:

 

1. The spur gears and pinion gears get stripped by the small gravel bits.
I've replaced in the Vantages at least 5 times total (with RW hardened acetal)
and in the Carnage I've junked those gears and put in 32 dp hardened steel gears instead.

Problem is caused by an opening or gap under the gear housing, under the driveshaft.

I try to put some modelling tape under the driveshaft gap, that 90% works but some stuff still gets in anyway.

 

2. The brushed motors over time get a lot of dirt inside. 

Don't get me wrong we brush and wash our 3 cars every Sunday after the 2 or 3 runs, so they are clean and dry on the garage shelf for a few weeks until the next runs. I put WD40 over the electrical parts including the motor.

Because I got some smoking and excessive sparking, I took out a motor and 'washed' it and WD40 it  (and dried and lubed it) and it was an eye-opener how much gunk there was inside. Glad I cleaned it, working smoother now.

There is a rectangular opening in the chassis, where the brushed motors sit, and there are significant gaps around the motor, and plenty of vulnerability to pick up more gunk.

I have also tried putting gaffer tape over that opening, but this just shifts the problem around: because now the upper surface of the gaffer tape has all the gunk, still getting into the engine, via the slots where the plastic propeller whirls (below the brushes), and said gunk doesn't fall out the chassis anymore.

 

Is it me or are these 2 vulnerabilities design flaws?

I mean I never intended to use these buggies in an indoor handball court on a carpet.

They were bought for playing outside ...

 

Any tips / advice / recommenations on how to minimize these 2 problems?  (gravel in spur gear, and excessive gunk getting into motors).

 

thanks!

 - Ed

 

-------------------

Carnage 2.0. Stock + upgraded to 2S Lipo

Vantage 1.0 Stock

Vantage 2.0 Stock

 

 

 

Edited January 1 by EdwarddR

[Iobymac]

Please see picture. I know about ball links. They are not the type I'm asking about. I need one where a 3mm rod goes through the centre of the ball and is locked onto the rod with a grub screw.

[SXFoxstar]

So I was doing some repairs to my FTX Bugsta and now I have the issue that the back wheels turn but there is nothing/very little happening at the front. I have only tested this with wheels off on my desk.

 

I'm suspecting possibly a slipper clutch issue, does this sound feasible?

 

I noticed the ring in the picture is loose, but can’t recall if it was loose to begin with, can anyone advise if I am even close to the possible issue?

Edited Thursday at 10:11 by SXFoxstar

[Strugglecuddle7]

has the front diff not shat itself? The ftx carnage/vantage/bugsta are prone to diffs dying

[SXFoxstar]

Tbh I hadn’t even looked at the front diff (I’m an idiot) I just assumed it was the part I had taken off. I’ll take a look.

[SXFoxstar]

No idea what it was but after stripping and rebuilding is working again 🤷‍♂️