Parts standardisation?

[elfergos]

Is there a set standard for parts with RC cars? For instance, if you had a Tamiya buggy, would tyres, motors, servos, receivers etc from other manufacturers fit and how can you tell compatibility, is it just by scale and class?

[Alex97]

Someone will most likely be able to explane this a lot better than me but here you go.

Motors= you get brushed (old) and brushless (new)

Brushless motors are normally faster but it depends on what kV the motor is, a higher kV a faster motor. Brushless motors can also be graded by turns. A 6t motor is faster then a 12t motor, the lower the turn the faster the motor will be.

Brushed motors, I have very little experience with these so I can't really comment but the turn grading is the same as the brushless motors.

The most common size for both sizes of motor is 540, most 1/10 kits will run this size motor. I'm 90% sure that a grass hopper uses a 360 size motor. A 540 size motor is larger than a 360 size motor.

Tires and wheels, as long as its the right size and wheel hex, pin or bearing is right most will fit.

[Si Coe]

Grasshoppers have a 380 motor as standard but can run the more common 540 sized ones as found in the Hornet.

 

Within the range of 1/10th scale models electrics (motor, esc, radio and servo) are essential interchangeable. 1/8th's need bigger motors, larger esc's and more powerful servos, whilst 1/18's use smaller sized versions. I say essentially interchangeable because you might have some wiring issues if you aren't good at soldering (leads to short etc). Also larger esc's won't always fit as some cars have very limited space.

Please note though that whilst I can in theory swap the electrics between all my RC's (including the tracked Blizzard) that doesn't mean that they are all suitable. The GM 6.5t in my 4wd racing buggy would be far too powerful for the Blizzard.

The one area that can change between models is the battery. Most use a standard stick type pack - Lipo or NiMH. Even here though the lipo versions have wires exiting in different places can cause problems in some cars. But there are also saddle type packs like my 4wd uses or even smaller Shorty packs like my new 4210 2wd racer has. For that reason whilst I can swap most stuff between my cars each tends to have its own dedicated battery.

For tyres its normally down to the class of car - so my RC10T Stadium, DEX210 buggy and Mini Trophy desert truck all have different wheels and tyres even though they are all 1/10ths. Most 1/10th buggy's these days use 2.2in rims and tyres which means to some extent they are interchangeable, although different adapters and offsets mean they won't always work that well on the 'wrong' car. Thats for the 'driven' axles (2wd rear, 4wd front and rear) - there is still a large array of different 2wd front wheel patterns. The tyres are all the same though.

As standard Grasshoppers have a different wheel size and aren't compatible but you can get 2.2in wheels for them.

[elfergos]

I was planning on changing the stock motor to a traxxas titan. Its still a 380 but I was wondering about the pinion I need. The stock motor has a fixed pinion so I'll need a new one. The stock is a 10 tooth cog, do I need the 10-12T pinion?

Edited August 21, 2014 by elfergos