gearing advice please

[Fat Freddy]

Hi there

Am new to this forum so forgive me if I’m posting this in the wrong place.

Returning to RC after a 30 year gap.

Got myself an FTX Vantage.

I don’t have access to a track so all I’ll ever do is mess about with it in the park or up some unmade roads nearby. There are some abandoned quarry’s near me that I thought might be fun, that sort of thing.

Was a bit of an impulse buy tbh and although I’m enjoying it, I can’t help wondering if I shouldn’t have gone for the carnage or the bugsta instead. Something with a little more ground clearance. 

Anyway, too late now as I don’t have the budget for another car so am thinking of adapting/modifying this one. Nothing too radical, as I said, I’m on a tight budget.

It crossed my mind that if I fitted a set of larger (carnage?) wheels that would give me a little more ground clearance. But then surely with the larger diameter wheels that will raise the gearing? Potentially making it faster?(not sure I necessarily want faster as the places I’m using it in are so bumpy, speed =crashes) 

So, if I do this, is there a danger I will put a strain on the (brushed) motor? (A bit like trying to pull away in your real car in 3rd gear?) 

Am I worrying unnecessarily or should I look at swapping to a smaller pinion gear at the same time as swapping wheels?

If so, are vantages easy/difficult to dismantle/reassemble? Is it easy/difficult to set up the gear mesh?

Any tips, hints, or opinions welcomed, thanks.

Edited May 20, 2019 by Fat Freddy

[Tug]

Yes, probably worth gearing down a couple of teeth. 

 

Use one sheet of post-it type paper to set the mesh, or learn to do it manually, it's usually very easy. 

 

I think there are dedicated threads that'll have plenty of info, have a nose around the forum. 

[Markmoo]

Yer block the gaps up in the gear spur cover if you driving around lose grit as iv had a few little stones in and wrecked the gear spur. Check Modelsport out for hardened pinion and gear spur  

[Fat Freddy]

Thanks @Tug

And you are right @Markmoo my original pinion and spur gear are already knackered from bits of grit and small stones. I’ve got spares already (cheap as chips) for when these finally become unusable but before I replace them I will take your advice and block those holes.

re the gearing. I got a carnage (17t) pinion with the intention of swapping it at the same time as the wheels. But after a quick test run on the new wheels I haven’t bothered. It may possibly have less acceleration but I can barely tell. It’s definitely faster though.

Interesting how the larger wheels affect the handling. Definitely better for bumpy ground but a lot less sharp in turns and a propensity to roll over if turning hard at speed. The only real downsides I’ve noticed are slightly shorter run times and after a run, the motor and battery are hotter than before.

I will experiment with different sizes of pinion, maybe try a 20t which is halfway between the vantage and carnage pinions.

Anyways, I think she looks Bonny with the bigger wheels.

Edited August 22, 2019 by Fat Freddy

[Fat Freddy]

I relented after another little bash and found my motor was super hot. Put the 17t pinion in, had another little bash, motor noticeably cooler.

Might get a 20t pinion anyways. No harm experimenting eh?