Traxxas X-Maxx.

[Basher 46]

No mate 80 were given out to lhs and traxxas employees so to speak then they had the proper release on the 15th Dec lol .

[FatWheels]

5000 units ? Sounds high to me but I may be wrong.

If 5000 units have been sold in the last two weeks then you would have to say it's a pretty reliable truck.

 

[FatWheels]

Apparently 10000 units sold .....

(Hobbyshop employee guy on Traxxas forum)

[turok007]

well if it is on a forum it must be true

[FatWheels]

Sounds like a staggering amount of people who have $1000 to spend on a RC car to me 

Edited January 1, 2016 by FatWheels

[turok007]

3 minutes ago, FatWheels said:

Sounds like a staggering amount of people who have $1000 to spend on a RC car to me 

i know traxxas has good adverts  but selling that many trucks seems way to high.  also when you think you need a good charger and lipos.

[FatWheels]

And only about 20 of them have posted any vids on YouTube 

[turok007]

And the UK have none lol   did one person buy 99% of them 

[Ady 2215]

Thought I would post something positive for a change.  This guy loves it. 

[Tug]

31 minutes ago, FatWheels said:

Sounds like a staggering amount of people who have $1000 to spend on a RC car to me 

Nah, there's plenty of money out there, plenty. 

[FatWheels]

I agree positive is good I can't wait to get mine my only concern is waiting for parts when I eventually break something.

Hopefully the container with our trucks in next week has plenty of gears bumpers and A-arms in it ;-) 

Negatives are always amplified on a new product. Loads of people will be happily bashing their X-maxx around their local spot.

 

This guy is having a blast.

http://youtu.be/6JVKeLPWN0Y

 

 

 

 

[Kpowell911]

1 hour ago, FatWheels said:

Sounds like a staggering amount of people who have $1000 to spend on a RC car to me 

America is different market completely, they ADORE Traxxas. I have no issue believing 1000's of people buying a $1000 Traxxas product. However, I have an issue with them selling 5000. In two weeks. Without supplying the EU market. At all.

[turok007]

Ok here goes  if i buy a X maxx from MS  and lets say the ESC blows up. how do i get a replacement.  In the  USA they have the send the ESC back at most.  or have i got to pack the whole truck up in original condition.   As in the past UK shops treat people like criminals.  lol

[FatWheels]

Everything warranty claim wise will go via Logic RC the UK distributor I would imagine.

Delays on bits are my main concern.

Edited January 1, 2016 by FatWheels

[FatWheels]

12 minutes ago, Guns said:

America is different market completely, they ADORE Traxxas. I have no issue believing 1000's of people buying a $1000 Traxxas product. However, I have an issue with them selling 5000. In two weeks. Without supplying the EU market. At all.

$4 million in sales in two weeks is impressive in any market.

[Nitroholic]

1 minute ago, turok007 said:

Ok here goes  if i buy a X maxx from MS  and lets say the ESC blows up. how do i get a replacement.  In the  USA they have the send the ESC back at most.  or have i got to pack the whole truck up in original condition.   As in the past UK shops treat people like criminals.  lol

Easy....in the UK, there are laws. Consumer legislation is cleary laid out in the Sale of Goods act, which protects your rights as a customer. If you buy a truck from Modelsport and it breaks, you deal with Modelsport. You do not need ( and really should not ) deal direct with the importer. This assumes the problem is down to a manufacturing fault, and not running a splashproof ESC through a river.

You may well have to send the part back to Modelsport, who may have to send it on to the importer or back to Traxxas in the US, but you do not do that. After a year, when any guarantee would be void, you may have to deal direct with Traxxas...but you would probably just be buying a new part after that time anyway. They could ask you to send the whole truck back...but probably wouldn't. In the event of part failure...you contact the retailer and let them call the shots.

The trouble usually starts with parts like ESCs where there is the possibility of misuse, abuse, or incorrect operation. If they think you have put a + where a - should have gone....

[atom3624]

I skipped the forum for 2 hours, and there's 2 more pages - WOW!!

Don't remember the MT-12 ESC - only ever had the EVX and EVX2 - and my first E-Maxx, of 2 was in 2001!

I had a few HV Maxx 4S ESC / 'single motor conversions'. Brought back sad but humorous memories!! I'd charged up the Venom 2S 5Ah LiPo's - still have them now!! - and had one of those 'I wonder' moments, remembering how I used to adjust the timing on the brushed motors and run light to see how high they'd rev ... did that with the 4.5 HV Maxx and it revved ... for 3 seconds, then POP!! Theoretically approaching 85k. (Some CC motors are said to rev to 100k now.) Rotor was well stuffed.

Nice that the American market has been allowed 5k or 10k units without one arriving here - did they get all of the duff shocks and wheels?

How long to go now?

Al.

[Kpowell911]

Week commencing the 11th of January I believe. My Birthday is the 15th and I break up from work for 10 days so suits me.

Still debating ordering the Castle XL2 on priority and hopefully get that in time........... shame its not waterproof.

[atom3624]

I had a Kershaw 6S system, with a CC MMM / Feigao 1700 kV / 2x 3S Series system fitted to my E-Maxx - always ran well ... but ... when I fitted an XL2 instead of the MMM, it just took off - obviously faster, and the motor was if anything, cooler - didn't make much sense, but must be a better ESC.

Fitted an XL2 in my ERam electric conversion. Initially I had a HK 4092 2k kV motor I think, might have been lower. Blew the ESC when setting it up without wheels, and no heavy loads or high revving!!

CC agreed to replace the ESC then said not again as I've over-geared it! It wasn't under load, but they did replace FoC.

Fitted a 1717 1650 kV in place of the HK motor - not skipped a beat since - no problems at all.

Where would you fit the XL2 - truck's massive yet doesn't seem to lend itself to 'custom changes' without them being too obvious?

1717's the same dimension as the stock motor, allowing for the lack of 'fins' on the stock 'smooth can' 'X' motor. It's not bigger and if you use one of the Traxxas-commissioned XO-1 motors, same turns / kV.

Al.

Edited January 2, 2016 by atom3624
kV 1717

[turok007]

LETS PLAY A GAME

How many X maxx box's fit into a shipping container.

[FatWheels]

Ok assuming it's a large 8x8x40 I would estimate about 200 X-Maxx approx 800 3S Lipos and a good supply of A-arms and bumpers.

More than enough for the UK market we should have an accurate arrival date on Monday.

Edited January 2, 2016 by FatWheels

[FatWheels]

8 hours ago, Nitroholic said:

Easy....in the UK, there are laws. Consumer legislation is cleary laid out in the Sale of Goods act, which protects your rights as a customer. If you buy a truck from Modelsport and it breaks, you deal with Modelsport. You do not need ( and really should not ) deal direct with the importer. This assumes the problem is down to a manufacturing fault, and not running a splashproof ESC through a river.

You may well have to send the part back to Modelsport, who may have to send it on to the importer or back to Traxxas in the US, but you do not do that. After a year, when any guarantee would be void, you may have to deal direct with Traxxas...but you would probably just be buying a new part after that time anyway. They could ask you to send the whole truck back...but probably wouldn't. In the event of part failure...you contact the retailer and let them call the shots.

The trouble usually starts with parts like ESCs where there is the possibility of misuse, abuse, or incorrect operation. If they think you have put a + where a - should have gone....

Exactly this ^ I think the support will be strong in the beginning as shown by Traxxas already in the USA. I believe any warranty claims and replacement items will be handled by the importer Logic RC via the retailer. Modelsport will always be the first call.

Hopefully the backup in the UK will be as good as what we have seen so far in the states. There are always risks being the Guinea pigs for a new product. I plan on taking things very steady until parts are readily available. 

[coffeecup]

Question Time:

The model shop here in the Netherlands near where I am staying has some coming in next week. After I leave. They are selling them at €860 which I think comes in at £640ish. I leave on Wednesday evening, they come in on Wednesday morning...what do I do? I am very tempted to wait...I am back here in every couple of months. I am very tempted to not wait  I guess it will depend on what time the car comes and picks me up on Wednesday. ARGH. I mean I wanted to do an E-Maxx build...I have a Slash 4x4 now in pieces...I want to keep my girlfriend....

Look at me, it's been two months back in RC and I have 5 cars already....stupid toy cars! 

[Tug]

Hello Cupcake, 

Tough call. How much do you want it? Perhaps wait until we've got some homegrown reviews on its strengths and weaknesses? Two months time and you should have a better idea of whether they're worth the hype? 

[Tug]

From the Traxxas forum; 

I just experience my X-Maxx esc go up in flames today. If it wasn't for my fast thinking things could of gone worse. What a way to start 2016!! The sad part, this was done on a lower gear change of 18t pinion 46 spur then my high speed gear setup of 25t pinion 46 Spur that goes 60+mph! Not too happy about that. 

My son and I were at the park with his 4X4 Slash did 4-5 passes on the grass and same amount on the street. The weather was 38-40 degrees outside. The truck all of a sudden stopped, I removed the body and seen the esc blink red. The motor was warm to the touch and the same for the esc. Brought the truck back to the side walk to let it cool down by letting the fans run. The esc stop blinking red and turned green within 1-2 minutes. I then reset the esc and as soon as it crawled forward smoke comes out of the esc and a small flame emerges. I was able to unplug the lipos before it got worse. If I would of put the body back on and let it run this truck would of caught fire fast. The smoke and flames comes so fast you really don't have time to think. 

My negative assumptions about this esc were correct from the get go. As a completely stock out of the box esc I witness it get warm/hot from a few runs. That's why I stuck a Yeah Racing Tornado fan on the side of the battery compartment to help cool it down. The ESC has a thermal shut down if the esc gets too hot to prevent further damage. What I experience was smoke and flame FIRST then thermal shutdown with the esc blinking red as soon as the truck crawled forward. 

I pretty much have a good amount of Traxxas vehicles in my stable and this is a first I've experience. My main RC hobby is Speed Runs fast RC's cars reaching speeds in excess of up to 140/150+mph. Reaching those kind of speeds we are pushing the limits of the motors and esc electronics so its a given you will see some videos of the esc & motors go up in flame/smoke. In my last video I pushed the limits of my Traxxas XO-1 to a personal best of 116mph on 6s and frying the stock 1650KV motor in the process. In my opinion,for basically a stock X-Maxx with a 18t pinion 46 Spur honestly this should never of happened. Even if this was done with my speed run gear of 25T pinion 46 spur that still would be unacceptable. There are pre set pins for gearing from traxxas that allow you to experience this.

In my honest opinion adding the additional fans to the esc is just masking the problem. I honestly think there is something more to the X-Maxx esc. I looked at the pictures that Xmaxximum posted and I can see its identical the same side that my esc caught flames near the on/off button side. I originally felt warm air in that area of the esc in the beginning therefore the fan was placed (drivers side left). After reading the fire stories online regarding the X-Maxx, I've taken out my fire extinguisher out of my 1300hp 300SRT8 and take it along with me just in case. And in this experience I had the extinguisher in the car so if it went full flames I was ready! If your having to do what I'm doing then something is definitely up and I hope Traxxas resolves this. 

What goes through my mind is what if I handed the controls to my 7 year old son and I was no where near him. He knows this is Daddy's truck and he might think he caused the flames and try to put it out himself putting him in danger. I will list the warning signs that I think are signs of a faulty esc hopefully to prevent anyone from getting hurt.

Warmer air blowing on the button side of esc: 
If you are sitting in the truck this would be the drivers side left. I first notice this in the beginning. To the touch the left side felt warmer then the right. This is where I ended up placing the 30mm tornado fan.

Fluttering Noise on top end:
On occasions when the truck would reach full speed it started to flutter. It almost sounded like a rev limiter and the truck seemed like it was struggling for top end gear. I would re-calibrate the esc/controller and it would some what help. I talked with Traxxas and notice the antenna wire pinch exposing some wire. Traxxas sent me a new replacement receiver to see if it would solve the fluttering. Still waiting for the receiver to arrive.

Thermal Shut down:
If you experience the truck shutting down open the body and if you smell a real sweet smell unplug the batteries. This was the first sign when I opened the body. It smelled very similar to my XO-1 1650KV motor when I fried it. The ESC will blink red giving sign the ESC is hot. What I did was left the truck on to let the fans do its work to cool the esc down. After 1-2 minutes the LED went back to green. If you decide to give it another shot after the ESC shuts down I would leave the body off and just be ready to unplug the batteries if it goes up in flames. When it smokes and flames it comes real fast which caught me off guard.

I am not on this thread to bash Traxxas since 80% of my RC cars are Traxxas & a big supporter. I just hope they come up with a solution fast before someone gets seriously burned or hurt.